BY REBECCA BENNETT — On Nov. 4, the City of Hyattsville hosted a legislative priorities breakfast at Busboys and Poets for county and state officials, business owners and local leaders. The breakfast was an opportunity for city officials to present a progress report and ask for support for other priorities, according to Mayor Candace Hollingsworth.
On Oct. 5, the Hyattsville City Council voted on which legislative priorities they should bring to this meeting. Those priorities include: a parking garage on Route 1, Prince George’s County Public School infrastructure, West Hyattsville Metro development, county paid sick leave, completing the Trolley Trail between Charles Armentrout Drive and Farragut Street, and traffic signal installations on Nicholson Street at Queens Chapel and Ager Roads.
Daniel Simon, owner of the Palmer Building at 4327 Gallatin Street, said he hopes there will be a garage facility at the city’s recently acquired land next to the Shoppes at Arts District. “It’s really important to have that parking available to sustain that growth in the community, and also attract people from outside Hyattsville” he said.
“Our request for a structured parking facility is not so much about existing business … it’s about the next business or the next venture we want to come to Hyattsville,” Hollingsworth said. “We want to create an environment where they will be successful.”
The mayor said there is currently an approximately $2 million funding gap for the parking facility project and the city hopes to work with the county and the state to make it happen.
Hyattsville resident Lauren Nunnaly said she wanted to get involved with the local schools to help make a difference in the community. According to Nunnaly, both Hyattsville Elementary School and Hyattsville Middle School lack modern, high quality facilities. She asked attendees to help keep both schools on track for major renovations in 2018 and 2021, respectively.
“The city does not have a direct roll in the work that the school system does, but it’s very important for us, because it’s a key component in economic development,” Hollingsworth said.
Projects currently in development in the city, according to the mayor, include the Safeway scheduled to open in March 2016 at University Town Center, local playgrounds which are being upgraded, and the future move of Pyramid Atlantic to the city.
Jose Dominguez, executive director of Pyramid Atlantic, said the non-profit organization will bring arts education classes, after school programs, paper & printmaking, as well as other exhibitions and events.
“We call that ‘building community’ … and we are glad to be bringing that here to the City of Hyattsville,” Dominguez said.
