I wonder what they are going to do with that property in the long run. It's a lot of land. Condos?

Great news. Any idea if Douglas Development will also post no trespassing signs and give permission to the police to deal with trespassers?

What about relocating the farmer's market to here on the weekends?

So, why not extend Magruder Park???? The playground part of it could use an upgrade. Similar to the one just completed at Wheaton Regional Park? To just have the lot siitng there untouched and gated up is an eye soar. And for the WSSC building to have been sitting there for the past 20 years with the broken windows , etc , is also. What is the point of buying property just to hold on to it and not being able to "develop it" ? Then put restrictions on it to try and catch memebers of the community tresspassing on it? REALLY DOUGLAS??? I love the idea of relocating the farmers market to there. Having on NHS is not good being that it has grown so much and parking has become an issue. It was a perfect staging area for the Hyattsville parade we just had this year, and the carnival too. WHAT GIVES!!!!

We need to take some cues from other successful neighbors... like Takoma Park and even Old Town Alexandria. Their weekend farmer's markets are very successful and provide wonderful opportunities for local vendors and artisans and food providers. Part of the problem with the Hyattsville and Riverdale farmer's markets is that they are during the weekday and end about the time most get off work. We have such a wonderful community of artisans and places like EcoCity Farms- it's a shame we don't have a huge market.
As for options- the city could purchase the lot from the developer, or impose eminent domain- which is very common- and the land could be provided for public or civic use including extending Magruder Park and/or holding events like a Farmer's Market. MNCPPC should have no problem finding solutions and making it a wonderful use for the City instead of a liability.

Love it Kristina. Love it!

If I remember correctly, the flea market that is now at Northwestern used to be held in the WSSC parking lot but was moved for some reason. The property has long been a point of contention in Hyattsville, but Douglas Development has a habit of buying and holding onto properties (case in point, all of downtown Riverdale, the former Uline Arena in NE DC, etc.). I would love to see the building redeveloped into a community use and the parking lot turned into a farmers market, additional park space, etc. But our current city council can barely function and do what they are supposed to do, let alone put pressure on developers.

I agree that a weekend Farmer's Market would be great for the area but of course the farmers can't be everywhere on the weekends and they will chose to go to the places where they can sell the most produce.
It would be great if the lot owned by Mr Jemal could become part of an expanded Magruder Park but it is hard to see how the city can take on any more property or projects, right now.
Maybe Jemal would be willing to trade the former WSSC building and parking lot for the former BB&T building and a first-round draft choice?

Lot gated, lock broken. There are currently 5 cars and a motorcycle driving around the lot on this Sunday afternoon.

I noticed the gate was there a few days ago, the next day there were cars driving in it again. To be completely honest I am only assuming the lock was actually broken. I can see it from my apartment window and there is a chain dangling down from both sides of the open gate, but I haven't actually gone down to see if it was broken or just unlocked.

Is there a law that people can't practice driving next to parks?

No, but there is a legal prohibition against trespassing on private property, which the folks at Douglas Development are invoking. The lot is on private land, and the solution ended up being to bar people from the parking lot itself.

Gate was knocked down a few days ago. Cars are back practicing in the lot. Gate lasted 3 weeks, longer than I expected it would.