The West Hyattsville project is the first offshoot of a largerconcept--the Transit Oriented Development Strategy--envisioned bythe Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland-NationalCapital Park and Planning Commission, the City of Hyattsville andWMATA, as a means of transforming the 15 Metro-centric areas ofPrince George's county into live-work-play "transit villages."

When all is said and done, the West Hyattsville TOD will featureabout 460 mid-rise condominiums, 330 condo units in high-risestructures, 200,000 sf of office space, 65,000 sf of retailofferings, and a 600-space garage that will go up in place of theexisting parking facility. The first phase of the undertaking willyield a selection of townhomes and condo units, while the secondphase will produce more condos, as well as the office and retailsegments.

Centex/Gunston's development will occupy three parcels--one18-acre plot that is currently owned by the joint venture; a10-acre spot that is in the process of being purchased from WMATA;and another 18-acre plot that will be leased. All the acreageallows the developers to incorporate many of the essentialsinvolved in a TOD plan, including parks, open spaces, trails and,in this case, a new lake.