the Hyattsville Wire is the premier source for lifestyle news for Woodridge College Park and the greater Route 1 corridor in the suburbs of Washington Do you have a news tip you want to share? Email us!  Add your own event to our calendar here The popular Le Fantome food hall in Riverdale Park has closed “This space has been so much more than just a place to eat — it’s been a home for creativity, community, and countless shared memories,” Le Fantome staff wrote on Instagram “We’re incredibly grateful to every guest and vendor who made Le Fantome what it was The food halls are a crucial part of this ecosystem giving budding restaurateurs a lower-stakes place to try out their concepts and build an audience that’s a step between a food truck and a sit-down restaurant Named after the French word for “ghost,” the 8,500-square-foot food hall and ghost kitchen facility was also a draw for the Station at Riverdale Park. Help the Hyattsville Wire find the best places for “date night” on the Route 1 corridor. Share your favorites here. Article doesn’t state why it closed – anyone know The space was amazing with incredible staff but I’m guessing elevated rents and oftentimes what seemed like a lack of focus on selection (price points higher than neighboring competition) made for an unsustainable business I hope the owners continue to perfect this model I sent in five emails over the last year re: prices and the need for a competitive brunch Rumors closing the food hall was a result of a decision First Washington Realty has made They recently bought the shopping center back in March This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Help support the Wire through a one-time donation or as a monthly subscriber here You can now share your own news release on the Wire through a paid sponsored post. Submit your post here Canvas Apartments in Hyattsville to Open June 7 The Loft Coming to Former CAMPspace Location in Hyattsville Le Fantome Food Hall in Riverdale Park Has Closed Hyattsville Gets Two Artsy New Bus Shelters Near Route 1 Big Fish Brings Seafood to miXt Food Hall in Brentwood Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email © 2025 The Hyattsville Wire | All Rights Reserved | news@hyattsvillewire.com Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive The Riverdale Regional Park Improvements Phase One includes the Brantner Gulch Improvements and midway projects will all take place simultaneously with the Brantner Gulch improvements beginning in December 2024 The anticipated completion of the midway will be by the end of July 2025 with the completion of the outdoor arena and barns by beginning of 2026 Construction within Riverdale Regional Park will affect the flow of traffic into and out of the park and a temporary entrance is in place through the Museum parking lot off Henderson Rd./124th Ave Please see the map below for entry and exit directions The Riverdale Regional Park Improvements will create areas of closure within the park as crews work on these improvements The map below details the areas currently under construction and closed to the public within the Midway area of the park The Brantner Gulch Project is a collaborative partnership with the Mile High Flood District to design and construct stream restoration and flood control improvements in the Riverdale Regional Park in order to address the Brantner Gulch capacity issues and reduce flood risk The stormwater flows from this highly developed watershed cause damage to infrastructure and send overflows into nearby storage lakes This project will construct a new gulch to protect people and property against flooding enhance the stormwater quality within the stream and will change the floodplain map effectively taking the fairgrounds out of the floodplain It will also provide an opportunity to beautify the park further and create more spaces for enjoying nature These improvements will establish a foundation for future progress of the park create a secondary egress for emergency vehicles expand Park Boulevard for more efficient traffic flows and allow the Park and its facilities to be used for emergency sheltering It is slated to begin in November 2024 and continue in phases to accommodate operations and events with an anticipated completion in mid-2026 The Riverdale Regional Park is in need of infrastructure improvements to maintain existing facilities and usage and to prepare for future expansion and the increase in visitor usage The project will entail upgraded electrical The new Midway will be large enough for the entire current Fair layout It will create a drop-off area in close proximity to events with a circular two-lane drive and direct bus access The new barns will create an “Ag land” atmosphere and support the Grand Stands and other agricultural and livestock events within the Park open air arena with a dirt floor to support equestrian Plans include an approximately 4,000 seat arena that will have the flexibility to host many different kinds of events at Riverdale Regional Park. Learn more here Email: [email protected]Phone: 303.637.8000Address: 9755 Henderson Rd. Riverdale Regional Park Improvements Frequently Asked Questions Be the first to know about all things Adams County with our Absolutely Adams newsletter Please visit the FAA National Based Aircraft Inventory website to make sure the registry of your aircraft based location is current as it affects grant funding for Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP) CASP will soon have a form available on our website so you can update your aircraft information with us as well Our Vision: Adams County is the most innovative and inclusive county in America for all families and businesses Adams County Government Center • 4430 South Adams County Parkway • Brighton, Colorado 80601• Ph: 303.659.2120 | 800.824.7842 A worker operates a construction vehicle at a Purple Line construction site outside Hornbake Library on Jan. 25, 2024. (Neelay Sachdeva/The Diamondback) Streetcar Suburbs Publishing Inc.501(c)(3) non-profit publisher of the Hyattsville Life & Times, the College Park Here & Now, The Laurel Independent, StreetcarSuburbs.News, and The Streetcar Spotlight. Don’t miss our future updates! Get Subscribed Today! © Copyright 2024 Streetcar Suburbs Publishing Inc. All right reserved.  Scattered thunderstorms are expected Monday afternoon and evening. Some may become severe with large hail and high winds. TRACK RADARParents file lawsuit after children killed while walking to Prince George's County schoolby Brad Bell (7News) — The parents of two children killed last November in the crosswalk in front of Riverdale Elementary School are suing Prince George’s County police the county government and the Prince George’s County Board of Education 5-year-old Sky Sosa and 10-year-old Shalom Mbah were hit and killed by a van bringing other students to school is facing criminal charges but the lawsuit blames the county for not having a crossing guard posted at the crossing at the time and for what they allege was a slow response by the fire department 7News previously reported that dozens of students and members of the school community witnessed the scene Jiminez told people she accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake although that was not confirmed by police officials Riverdale Park Station is being built between three classic Maryland streetcar suburbs of the early 20th Century—Riverdale Park The 36-acre transit-oriented development (TOD) is “inside the Beltway” about three miles from DC in Prince George’s County It includes 349 residential units (119 townhouses and 230 apartments)—plus 600 approved multifamily units to come Twenty-eight commercial buildings on the site comprise 160,000 square feet of retail space Typical for building a town center in the suburbs the zoning had to change to allow mixed-use MV+A Architects explains: “The entitlements effort included not only the re-zoning … from all-single-family zoning to mixed-use multifamily but also transportation access enhancements that involved exhaustive coordination with myriad municipalities and railway transit entities along with the inclusion and accommodation of several noteworthy easements.” A key piece of infrastructure is a rail line overpass where the train tracks present a difficult barrier to accessing the town center from the east “was to line most of the edge with multifamily housing and create a ceremonial entry sequence that included a dramatic bridge connecting our main street to the other side of the rail line This … prevented the development from becoming semi-insular with a back-of house edge condition It also activated a dormant edge for the neighboring university tech campus it created an overpass in a location where the nearest overpasses were a couple miles to the north and south While the coordination for these features was extremely complex and exhaustive it made a world of difference to the project The town center is a social and civic gathering place for surrounding communities These include an art park that lines Route 1 the “Bear Square” public plaza at the center (named after a sculpture) and a popular children’s park in the residential area A bike trail runs through the development along an old streetcar line “That is part of a larger trail network providing cyclists safe passage to the District and points further south in Northern Virginia and as far north as Baltimore,” the designers explain “There are some weeks I don’t even get in my car,” says Dan Collinga instead of people going home after work and shutting up inside like the town center or the farmers market.” The town center, which still has more to build, is the work of 20 years. The county published the plan in 2004 “Our team has been working on this project for over 15 years,” says MV+A View the discussion thread. A Bethesda company has bought The Station at Riverdale Park First Washington Realty, which owns 142 open-air shopping centers in 22 states, bought the Riverdale Park shopping center anchored by Prince George’s County’s only Whole Foods The Station at Riverdale Park, which opened in 2017 was one of the first big mixed-use projects that have dramatically changed the Route 1 corridor in recent years Previously undeveloped land, the development now features restaurants, a food hall, a gym, a bank, apartments, row homes, a pretty nice playground and even a section of the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail It currently attracts over 2.3 million visitors each year First Washington, which also owns shopping centers in Takoma Park, Falls Church and D.C., indicated that it will be looking to fill the remaining unleased spaces at The Station “Our team looks forward to the strategic merchandising and lease-up opportunities at The Station at Riverdale Park,” said Emily Gagliardi a senior vice president of leasing for the firm I don’t know why they don’t (re)open the rest of that parking lot behind/east of Whole Foods The lot was usable when the place first opened (which is already 8 years!?) As someone who comes & goes across the bridge I’d just as soon not even fool with the garage nor the main lot I recall there’s some other development planned for that space @Patricia it’s a good thing we have the Trolley Trail there; easy to walk or bike to those new businesses there they could probably resurface the parking lot near the trail Maybe with brick or some kind of flattened cobblestone so it can be used for events from time to time A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued until midnight on Tuesday. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. (7News) — A Metrobus driver was hospitalized for a medical emergency after their bus ran into an empty building in Prince George's County according to the county's Fire and EMS Department County Fire and EMS Department crews were called to the 6200 block of Rhode Island Avenue in Riverdale at around 6:20 a.m. later transporting the bus driver to the hospital in critical condition Officials said four passengers in the bus were uninjured Based on satellite images from Google Maps the crash occurred near a shopping area and the Riverdale MARC rail station Yogi Castle is now officially open at the The Station at Riverdale Park on the first floor of the Pilot House apartment complex just down the road from Whole Foods the frozen yogurt shop is in a slightly bigger space from its previous spot at the Shoppes at Arts District Hyattsville as frozen yogurt is not as big of a seller in the winter but things will pick up once the weather warms up Yogi Castle is open daily from noon to 10 p.m The Station at Riverdale Park has become home to a Whole Foods grocery store and service-oriented businesses such as a pediatric dentist A Metrobus driver died after a medical emergency that caused a crash at the historic blues barbershop in Riverdale Park The F4 bus hit the brick building at 4701 Queensbury Rd., formerly the home of the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation It also damaged the building at 6108 Rhode Island Ave., formerly home to Riviera Tapas Bar and S&J Restaurant The driver was taken to a hospital, but no passengers were harmed, according to the Washington Post Authorities have not released the driver’s name The blues foundation, named for a legendary Piedmont blues guitarist who ran a barbershop near Mount Rainier for decades, moved from the building in 2019 and now meets at 4502 Hamilton St A coffee roastery made plans to move into the building that year County building inspectors are looking at the structural damage Call Your Mother Deli made its Route 1 debut on Friday The popular “Jew-ish” bagel spot has brought its distinctive pink food truck to Bear Square at the Station at Riverdale Park It joins Bagels ‘n Grinds in College Park and Towne Bagels in Mount Rainier Help us find the most dog-friendly places on the Route 1 corridor! Take this quick reader poll. Is Call Your Mother here now or is it coming to RP for the summer A new restaurant in Riverdale Park offers burgers and fries until late at night Located at 4501 Woodberry St. at the Station at Riverdale Park, Munchin Burger offers burgers and sides like onion rings and mozzarella sticks It’s the second location for the restaurant, which started at Mount Vernon Marketplace in Baltimore and briefly had a pop-up location at the R. House market near Johns Hopkins University The menu includes several signature burgers including a Baltimore-themed one with lump crab meat and Old Bay seasoning and another with blue cheese and mango sauce The restaurant also uses halal chicken, beef, and turkey bacon, which has proven to be a draw for other Route 1 burger places Munchin, which has a logo of a dinosaur eating a burger, is open from noon to 8 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 10 p.m. on weekends. You can also order from the Le Fantome food hall around the corner Owner Saheb Singh told the Hyattsville Wire that he plans to soon stay open until 1 a.m. in part to accommodate University of Maryland students who often come in groups late at night Singh said he also plans to expand to other places around D.C A group of parents are organizing to fight the impending closure of the Sunny Days child care center in Riverdale Park Department of Agriculture building at 4700 River Rd. learned in January that it will close later this year as the federal government will be selling the space where its located The 60 families who currently rely on Sunny Days will have to find alternative child-care arrangements by August but some hope they can find another location to allow it to remain open Organizers of the protest note that the closure contradicts the Trump administration’s directive for federal workers to return to their offices and high-quality childcare,” they note in a letter to elected officials You can send a similar letter here Purple Line light-rail trains have begun doing test runs near Riverdale Park The Maryland Department of Transportation announced Thursday that it has begun “dynamic testing” of the trains on a one-mile test track along Veterans Parkway The testing process is expected to take about a year the 142-foot light rail vehicles run on the tracks to check mechanical systems such as braking propulsion and signaling under real-world conditions A spokesperson said the Purple Line is about 75 percent completed and expected to open in December of 2027 the 16.2-mile light rail transit project that will run through parts of Riverdale Park and College Park has seen construction delays and cost overruns But the sight of trains actually running on tracks is the most visible evidence yet that the project remains on track A new pilates studio is set to open in November at the Station at Riverdale Park Located at 6710 45th St., next to District Taco, Club Pilates is part of a national chain founded in San Diego The studio specializes in Reformer Pilates which uses a specialized piece of equipment called a reformer which uses springs and straps to provide resistance A spokeswoman for the chain told the Hyattsville Wire that they were drawn by the Whole Foods Market grocery store which attracts “like-minded people” who are focused on health and wellness She said the location is also a central spot for Prince George’s County residents who live farther out The studio will have 12 reformers for smaller classes with trainers offering more individual instruction It already has over 250 members and is offering pre-opening specials The Station at Riverdale Park is also home to a Gold’s Gym, with Bikram Yoga Works and a Crunch Fitness location nearby Some residents of a Prince George’s County apartment complex have filed a lawsuit against their landlords over what they describe as “an egregious failure to provide a safe Before residents can step inside one of the upper units at Park Tanglewood and Riverdale Park they have to get off the elevator where they’re walloped by an unimaginable smell closet doors are falling apart and tape appears to be the most commonly used tool to fix anything and when a resident banged a chair from the kitchen table they said that rodents fell to the floor and scurried about The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Prince George’s County Circuit Court against Tanglewood Venture the owners of Park Tanglewood in Riverdale Park “Park Tanglewood is the poster child for neglect if not in the entire country,” said attorney and state Del filed by a group of residents with the backing of CASA a group that advocates for immigrants in the region claims those companies knew about the living conditions that residents endured including unreliable heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer Issues with hot water and roach infestations are also cited in the lawsuit the lawsuit says the management companies did nothing as well as “the terms of the leases” signed by residents They also claim their landlords tried to illegally collect rent for over two years after their rental licenses were revoked — and then worked to retaliate against residents that stood up for their rights “What these owners and these property management companies have put these regular Marylanders through is unconscionable We wouldn’t wish it on our worst enemy,” Stewart said whose apartment was toured by reporters and others we encountered problem after problem,” she said “The first red flag was when we were handed a filthy apartment We thought it was just a minor issue that would soon be addressed Stewart said the fact that residents of the apartment complex tend to be immigrants is one of the reasons their problems are ignored would not have the resources and would not have the courage to go against them,” he said Prince George’s County Council member Eric Olson said he was made aware of the problems here earlier in the summer especially when he found out that the building had been cleaned up ahead of time with management knowing local leaders were going to be touring I saw people who had to throw away their furniture and babies that had to sleep on the floor ringed with solutions so that the bedbugs and the cockroaches wouldn’t get them when they slept The lawsuit also states that security is a major problem with nonfunctioning doors allowing “vagrants and other nonresidents to sleep in and roam the hallways.” It also detailed a lack of functioning smoke alarms WTOP reached out to all three defendants cited in the lawsuit but has not gotten a response Prince George’s County financed $25 million in bonds to Tanglewood Venture to help Park Tanglewood acquire and rehabilitate the complex which is populated by low income residents then-District 3 Council member Dannielle Glaros hailed it as an important part in “protecting affordable housing” in that part of the county who wasn’t on the county council at the time “They’re supposed to provide housing that is up to code the roughly 30 plaintiffs also want their landlords to immediately begin to exterminate the mice and roaches that also live in their apartments and come up with a plan to keep them from returning The suit also demands an immediate repair to HVAC problems as well as the elevators there “One heartbreaking thing is a lot of tenants were afraid to complain,” Stewart said “They didn’t want to complain because they genuinely thought that the owners of these companies were just scraping by themselves They thought they were doing their best.” Stewart noted that the parent companies listed in the suit “are extremely wealthy companies owned by extremely wealthy individuals,” and they have ignored their cries for help because they don’t care,” he said Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area John has been with WTOP since 2016 but has spent most of his life living and working in the DMV covering nearly every kind of story imaginable around the region He’s twice been named Best Reporter by the Chesapeake Associated Press Broadcasters Association Denizens Brewing Co. is launching a new menu on Wednesday Located at 4550 Van Buren St. in the Station at Riverdale Park the brewpub will feature classic American fare with gluten-free and vegan options and a kids options on its new menu Several dishes feature Denizens’ beer including fish and chips and onion rings made with a Bohemian pilsner batter a Caesar salad with a dressing that includes its Animal Hazy IPA and a shrimp and grits with a pilsner butter sauce Others are classic pub fare such as a smash burger on a brioche bun a blackened salmon BLT and a cast-iron bacon mac and cheese Co-founder Julie Verratti told the Hyattsville Wire that Denizens has tweaked the menu from time to time most recently in 2022 when they brought in All Set and then Catalyst hot dogs to focus on the food while they worked on their beer production and distribution “We are now in a place where we want to bring the food back in house — we are no strangers to running the restaurant side as we did so successfully in two locations for 8 years between 2015 and 2022,” she told the Wire The menu was developed by Executive Chef Shannan Troncoso, who previously launched Brookland’s Finest and Ted’s Bulletin in D.C 2025 at 10:06 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}On April 11 around 10:05 a.m. Prince George's police officers were called to the 6600 block of Riverdale Road for a report of an unresponsive person Officers found 58-year-old Adeyemi Martin of New Carrollton​ inside a stairwell with gunshot wounds MD — Detectives are investigating a murder that happened in Riverdale Friday morning A reward of up to $25,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case Prince George's police officers were called to the 6600 block of Riverdale Road for a report of an unresponsive person officers found 58-year-old Adeyemi Martin of New Carrollton inside a stairwell with gunshot wounds Detectives are working to determine a motive and identify a suspect(s) Anyone with information about this case who would like to speak to a detective can call 301-516-2512 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. A new eatery offering playa bowls is set to open soon at The Station at Riverdale Park Located at 6740 45th St. in the former Cafe Azul space, Roxa Bowl will feature bowls smoothies and toast made with fresh fruits and berries Açaí berries have become popular in the last few years as they are considered a “superfruit” with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties Roxa Bowl aims to go even farther than chains such as the popular Playa Bowls chain by featuring certified organic and non-GMO Açaí berries imported from Belém do Pará in Brazil Dishes will also have much less sugar and processing and there will be options for kids such as a sweet toast with condensed milk and strawberry topping CRIME 10:19 PM | Updated: Mar 25 BY DAN RASCON RIVERDALE — Neighbors are experiencing shock and heartbreak at a mobile home park in Riverdale after a mother of two kids was found dead, and the father of the children kidnapped the kids causing an Amber Alert I would never suspect anything to take place like this where I’m at,” said Sammy Beckstead who lives just a few doors down from where the mother was found dead The Riverdale Estates Mobile Park was flooded with officers and investigators from all different agencies on Monday afternoon when neighbors told KSL TV that they suddenly started to notice smoke coming from the victim’s mobile home but it soon turned into a homicide investigation after the mother was pulled from the mobile home Riverdale police issued an Amber Alert saying their biological father had illegally taken them “When you see something like this it’s like man what is happening,” said neighbor Derick Christiansen who also spoke about how quiet and peaceful the mobile home park usually is Elizabeth Ortiz is a friend of the victim’s younger sister She would go to the house often to hang out with the family the Amber Alert was canceled after the kids were found alive and well “I’m going to say a prayer for those kids because those kids deserve to have justice regardless of what ends up happening Their justice is what matters most,” Beckstead said If you or someone you know is going through abuse Follow @KSL5TV (7News) — A man is dead after being found shot several times near a roadway in Riverdale according to Prince George's County police identified as38-year-old Jeiver Pozuelos Cervantes of Hyattsville was found along the 4800 block of Veterans Parkway near the intersection at Riverdale Road after police were called to the scene at 6:45 a.m A Prince George's County police spokesperson told 7News that they were initially called to the scene for reports of a crash after a citizen flagged down patrol officers in the area prompting a temporary closure of that nearby intersection Police said Cervantes was found with multiple gunshot wounds and declared dead at the scene Officials believe the shooting was not random based on a preliminary investigation Anyone with information is asked to call 301-516-2512.A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this shooting By Richard Berger First Washington Realty has acquired a Whole Foods Market-anchored shopping center in Prince George’s County in Maryland The 163,000-square-foot property is part of a mixed-use district called The Station at Riverdale Park near the University of Maryland in College Park This grocery store is the only Whole Foods location in the county It will be surrounded by necessity retail and convenient dining options such as Burton’s Grill which includes local favorites Denizens Brewing Co attracts more than 2.3 million visitors annually Prince George’s County is the state’s second-largest county and its nearly 1 million residents average more than $120,000 in annual household income “Grocery stores provide owners with long-term stable income from high credit tenants,” David Curry “Grocery stores also create high and consistent foot traffic making the shopping centers in which they’re located attractive for retailers who provide other services.” Demand remains stronger than supply at Urban Edge Properties’ grocery-anchored shopping centers and across the industry in the markets the company operates Investors are “getting off the bench and stepping up,” according to Lisa Flicker senior managing partner & head of real estate at Jackson Lucas “Many new projects feature retail components and ground-up construction creating a pressing need for leadership that can oversee every aspect of development Heightened interest in senior talent for diverse projects continues into the second quarter of this year with many niche assets including grocery-anchored shopping centers experiential retail and top-tier offices.” The Station at Riverdale Park benefits from the advantage of the open-air retail trends Grocers are the third-highest sales-generating retailer They are also the tenant category with the second-lowest occupancy costs (a key merchant health indicator) at 1.94 percent The Station at Riverdale Park has ample fast food fourth and fifth-highest sales-generating retailers Grocery-anchored centers remain atop the retail property pile the deals look different than several years ago “With the dramatic increase in construction costs build-to-suit deals are no longer cost-effective because the grocers cannot afford the rent required to cover the cost of the landlord’s construction,” Tancredi said He said that developers have turned to several alternative options instead of the build-to-suit approach considering the importance of securing a grocer for a new retail center “The first is selling a pad to the grocery operator,” according to Tancredi “The second is leasing a pad to the operator thereby taking the onus off the landlord to invest significant capital into the building These two methods seem to be the best options for developers and grocery operators.” The third alternative is a reverse build-to-suit where the landlord leases finished space to a grocer but the grocer completes the construction with a cap on the landlord’s construction investment This allows the landlord to manage its overall capital exposure and the tenant to take advantage of constructing its building likely saving money because of their familiarity with the product they are creating leasing the inline and pad availabilities becomes more manageable “The vast majority of retail sales and services providers thrive when they secure space in a grocery-anchored center The uses range from small boutique stores and eateries all the way up to mid-sized and large box stores,” Tancredi said READ ALSO: Legacy Commercial Exec on Revitalizing Strip Centers Dining establishments appear to be the lead beneficiaries of co-tenanting with a grocer because their operations cannot be challenged by large mail order retailers like Amazon or Temu it is no coincidence that restaurants are some of the highest-paying tenants in many retail centers Although they may not boast sales volumes similar to eateries other retail shops and service tenants also benefit from the increased consumer traffic generated by a grocery store in their centers.” Traditional retail is undergoing a significant shift “Consumers increasingly gravitate toward destinations that blend experience variability and convenience,” Govindraj said “Open-air shopping centers can evolve to meet these needs by thoughtfully curating a balance of service and traditional retail.” Westwood Financial is one of the leading owners and operators of neighborhood retail across the Sun Belt It recently acquired Paradise Hills in Phoenix and Trails at 620 in Austin “We have long anticipated the enduring appeal of neighborhood retail strategically cultivating a portfolio of grocery-anchored shopping centers in the fastest-growing markets across the Sun Belt,” Westwood Financial COO Lauren Ball told CPE “The resilience of grocery-anchored retail has made it an investor magnet with capital flowing toward attractive investment opportunities according to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office is facing criminally negligent manslaughter and other charges The incident occurred at an intersection near Riverdale Park Elementary School on November 20 when 5-year-old Sky Sosa and 10-year-old Shalom Mbah were both in the crosswalk with a man just steps from the school the two children and the man were hit by a passenger van that entered the intersection The children were taken to a hospital where they later died from their injuries State's Attorney For Prince George's County Aisha Braveboy held a press conference on the case The man suffered non-life-threatening injuries there was no crossing guard on duty at the school highlighting the “substantial” crossing guard shortage that the county was facing at the time the driver of the van told people she accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake “My heart goes out to the parents of these young souls who were lost in this horrific event,” said State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy “It is also unfortunate that fellow students witnessed this unthinkable incident since it happened as they were headed to school Lugo Jimenez accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Lugo Jimenez is charged with two counts of criminally negligent manslaughter and two counts of causing the death of a vulnerable individual while operating a motor vehicle Manifest Bread in Riverdale Park is expanding its bakery and opening a new sit-down restaurant in a vacant space next door Located at 6208 Rhode Island Ave., the popular organic bakery has launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the costs of the build-out and buying a new oven The new space will have room for around 30 seats and at 3,000 square feet it will serve a slightly expanded menu of breads then at night it will turn into a bar and restaurant Owners Rick and Tyes Cook told the Hyattsville Wire that the restaurant will intentionally limit its menu to seasonal ingredients and things that can be made in an oven “The menu and its contents simple and seasonal will be limited to what can be produced from the oven and a couple other cooking elements,” Tyes Cook said “These restrictions are what spark creativity.” The two have been thinking about opening a restaurant for a while but their plans got delayed as they spent time learning how to bake bread and opening the bakery in 2022 with Cook saying they hope to reopen by Thanksgiving You can contribute to the Kickstarter here A popular Mexican taqueria in Mount Rainier has opened a stall at Le Fantome food hall in Riverdale Park With two locations at 3237 Rhode Island Ave. in Mount Rainier and the Brightwood neighborhood in D.C., J&J Mex-Taqueria added a third at the Riverdale Park food hall across from MOD Pizza at Riverdale Park Station earlier this month The restaurant was started in 2015 by Jose “Papa” Tovar and Jose Tovar Ibarra a father and son originally from San Luis Potosí in central Mexico The extensive menu includes 12 types of tacos, including trendy birria tacos made with slow-cooked beef stew, burritos, enchiladas, tortas, carne asada, and fajitas. There are also a number of breakfast items, including huevos rancheros, a breakfast quesadilla, and machaca J&J is also moving into the Commas food hall which is planned for downtown Silver Spring You can order online from J&J at Le Fantome here After years of construction, the Purple Line is starting to take shape as transit shelters have been installed around College Park Light-rail stops in the Discovery District business park, at the College Park Metro station and on the University of Maryland campus now have glass-roofed shelters where future riders will wait the College Park Metro station now has seven new glass shelters where bus riders can wait outside of the rain Public art is also being installed at the new stops, including a sculpture outside the new Atworth apartment building by the Metro station and colorful glass panels at the stop on Campus Drive at the entrance to the university Art is also planned for the Adelphi Road stop the Kenilworth Avenue stop and the Riverdale Park North stop The 16-mile light rail line is currently scheduled to open in late 2027 The Station at Riverdale Park will soon have two new tenants: a frozen yogurt place and a tattoo removal shop Frozen yogurt shop Yogi Castle which closed its location in Hyattsville’s Arts District is slated to open on the first floor of the Pilot House apartment complex the first retailer farther down Van Buren Street Next door will be the Removery a laser tattoo removal chain with over 150 locations in the U.S. The Station at Riverdale Park has been home to a Whole Foods grocery store several restaurants and service-oriented businesses such as a dentist In fact, one study found that one in four people who have been tattooed regretted at least one tattoo It’s frustrating that so many of the retail spaces in that complex are still vacant after seven years A well-organized group of Route 1 residents is trying to stop a McDonald’s from replacing a locally owned restaurant near Hyattsville The Stop McDonald’s group has set up a website and is gathering letters from residents who oppose the project to present to the planning board of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission on Oct The group opposes a plan to build a McDonald’s drive-thru at 6543 Ager Rd. The property is currently home to La Doñita a popular restaurant serving Central American cuisine Stop McDonald’s argues that a drive-thru would lead to back-ups on the already well-traveled road, which gets about 42,000 cars per day at that location, according to Maryland Department of Transportation data They also argue that there are already 14 McDonald’s locations within a 10-mile radius, with seven more planned, and that the franchise would be selling unhealthy food in an area that lacks access to healthy foods, according to a 2019 county report For more information on how to write a letter about the project, sign up to speak at the Oct. 17 meeting or call and email local elected officials, go here A fast-casual national chain restaurant specializing in chicken fingers will soon replace the Nando’s in College Park Baton Rouge-based Raising Cane’s will move into the location at 7400 Baltimore Ave. Started in 1996 near the Louisiana State University campus, the chain has a simple menu focusing on chicken fingers and chicken sandwiches It also has tailgate specials of up to 100 chicken fingers The chain plans to open in College Park, its 10th location in the greater D.C. area, in August or September of next year, according to the Diamondback Nando’s Peri-Peri, a South African chain that served spicy grilled chicken, was at the location from 2015 until this summer the space was occupied by Ratsie’s pizzeria Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Primark is headed to the Mall at Prince George’s early this year Construction is underway for the Irish-based clothing and home goods retailer to take over the former location of J.C which closed in 2020 amid a nationwide restructuring during Chapter 11 bankruptcy Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Primark is currently expanding across the Midwest and the South, already has a location in the D.C and another is coming soon at Potomac Mills It seems to be working. Its low prices and carefully curated store layouts have driven Primark to nearly 500 stores in 16 countries. The Hyattsville location is slated to open sometime this year The Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, which has owned the Hyattsville mall since 1998 at one point contemplated tearing down the J.C Penney building and building a 360-unit apartment building with first-floor retail on the site Anyone know if the apartment building that was planned for the portion of the JC Pwnny that was demolished is still coming Does anyone know what is being built at the former Rite Aid at the corner of East West Highway and Riggs Rd The College Park City-University Partnership plans to extend a campus bike path to the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail The $3 million bike lane would run along Campus Drive from the main campus to the intersection with the Trolley Trail near the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute. Though it’s only a half-mile, it would make College Park much more bikeable, especially for University of Maryland students living in one of the apartment buildings along Route 1 The proposal, first reported by Streetcar Suburbs News comes as the university plans to expand its biking infrastructure In April, the university published a 42-page study outlining plans to expand and improve bike paths throughout campus The study noted that all the new nearby housing has raised demand for more “last-mile” trips on foot or on bikes “This demand will only increase with additional pending off-campus housing along the Baltimore Ave corridor as well as the completion of the Purple Line and its accompanying side path that runs east-west through the entire campus,” the study noted This is why we can’t get biking infrastructure done in our country The College Park City Council is turning College Park into nothing more than a high rise zoo Nothing more than a transient population of students who have no investment in the community The University of Maryland is destroying the City of College Park as it expands by building high rise and high rental student apartments 2024 at 4:57 pm ET Chunky & Bop's is a cheesesteak and hoagie shop offering a Philadelphia flare to the DMV The menu features official Philadelphia cheesesteaks (Photo credit Scott Suchman)Chef and owner Todd Mitchell began cooking in college in Virginia when he couldn't find authentic cheesesteaks So he started whipping them up right there in his dorm room and selling them to others as a fun business while a full-time college kid (Photo courtesy of Todd Mitchell) Chunky & Bop's is a cheesesteak and hoagie shop offering a Philadelphia flare to the DMV (Photo credit Scott Suchman)RIVERDALE PARK MD — A new vendor will open its doors June 1 at Le Fantome Food Hall at The Station at Riverdale Park Chunky & Bop's is a cheesesteak and hoagie shop offering a Philadelphia flare to the DMV Philadelphia soft pretzels and vegetarian options Chunky and Bop’s signature menu item is the 18-inch “Philly Big Boy” cheesesteak "The menu at Chunky & Bop's is a standard menu of a Philly cheesesteak hoagie shop and reflects the flavors I grew up with we’re blessed with a plethora of culinary influences—from the Italian community to the Asian community—and it all comes together in our fantastic food scene you’ll notice that the ingredients are quite interchangeable The ingredients we use can easily go into other items our stromboli is like a pizza wrapped around a cheesesteak (supreme or royal It’s the best of both worlds," chef and owner Todd Mitchell told Patch But here’s the twist: when you come to Maryland people add lettuce and tomatoes to their cheesesteaks as if it’s a given So a cheesesteak with lettuce and tomato on top is a cheesesteak hoagie And if you want a steak sandwich without cheese And let’s not forget about the roll—it’s a crucial element I even had a baker around here try to recreate the Philly roll The joke is the secret ingredient is the Schuylkill River water - ha ha Now I source my rolls for Chunky & Bop’s directly from Philadelphia," Mitchell added Mitchell recommends trying the sage sausages "They’re not your average sausages; they’ve got a whole story behind them They’re made by a family in Philly for 90 years and are part of the city’s soul You know the Rocky movie and the street he runs down with all the vendors We have a whole section of the menu devoted to sausage burgers: quarter-pound of ground beef or turkey handmade Italian sage sausage mild or spicy with toppings of your choice on a Brioche roll," Mitchell told Patch Mitchell added that his flatbread pizza is a must try Fans of hoagies should try the G-Pop's Special stacked with corned beef some might say 'steak and cheese,' but we’re talking about a proper cheesesteak Everyone’s loving our signature dish – the 18-inch Philly Big Boy cheesesteak You can share it with your friends or have it all to yourself – I won’t tell," Mitchell said The restaurant - which bears the monikers of Mitchell's daughters Kennedy (Chunky) and Tai (T-Bop) - has been a dream of Mitchell's for years Mitchell began cooking in college in Virginia when he couldn't find authentic cheesesteaks So he started whipping them up right there in his dorm room and selling them to others as a fun business while a full-time college kid working his way toward a degree in education then switched to a role in Prince George's County and Washington while continuing to cook and cater events as a side hustle during his 30-year education career "When I left Philly and headed to Virginia State University in 1986 I assumed that cheesesteaks were a universal staple I discovered that a staple part of my diet wasn’t as widespread as I thought we steer clear of yellow American cheese unless it’s the famous 'wiz.' Back in my college dorm I had a red electric wok—a trusty companion for cooking I even made a special trip home to get the right ingredients and came right back," Mitchell told Patch "With a small refrigerator like you find in college dorms I had to use up the ingredients before they went bad I started cooking and everyone in the dorm got hooked When I moved to Tennessee to finish school I started the whole process over again—bringing the magic of Philly cheesesteaks to new places." Mitchell learned an abundance of his cooking skills from his grandmother His dad also played a role in his culinary upbringing She showed me what food is supposed to taste like and her skill set in the kitchen was amazing If you know how the food is supposed to taste you can get creative with it," Mitchell told Patch I was always the one finishing everyone’s plate he’d be in the kitchen whipping up something delicious Mitchell holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in education administration He began his education career as a history teacher then once he had earned his master's degree his took on various leadership roles including dean of students he's filled several positions at Ballou High School "Although I was initially hired as a history teacher my passion for freelance photography and videography led me to take charge of the mass media program coordinator and even taught financial literacy And I’ve always been the head coach of baseball," Mitchell said Despite how much he loves teaching and coaching Mitchell realized that with cooking as his passion Thirty years is a long time for anyone to do anything The hard part is that I had to come to terms and choose between these two passions I’m officially retiring next month in June," Mitchell said Cooking has been a passion of mine all my life I would’ve been mad at myself if I never gave it a shot I still have the energy and creativity to get the business off the ground." Mitchell's new eatery can be found at Le Fantome Food Hall were trying to open a brick-and-mortar eatery but that came with a high cost "A friend who’s also in the restaurant business suggested looking at food halls Someone told me about Le Fantome Food Hall at The Station at Riverdale Park – I came over to check it out We’re so excited to open officially on June 1 but are doing a soft opening up until then," Mitchell told Patch (7News) — A Maryland girl with cerebral palsy can now easily shoot a lacrosse shot thanks to an invention created by Prince George's County charter school students Nine-year-old Stella Stakolosa received new adaptive equipment developed by students at College Park Academy in Riverdale Park "Just seeing Stella with a smile on her face her passion is really nice and makes me feel really good," said 11th grader Katie Martinez The juniors and seniors developed a lacrosse stick that attaches to Stakolosa's wheelchair and allows her to release the ball by pulling a string The students created the equipment through a program called Engineering for Us All or e4usa University of Maryland College Park President Dr "We need more diverse students and more diverse teachers able to teach STEM [Science and Math] so that the United States and economic security can continue to grow," he said E4usa allows high school teachers who don't have an engineering background to gain training at UMD and offer a college-level engineering class to their students "It makes you feel proud; happy that I am guiding the students to help improve somebody's life," Teacher Brendan McCarthy said "This project alone really opened that up for me even more I can do this for a whole lot of people too," said 16-year-old Christian Ponce When asked how she feels about the invention Downie lived in Riverdale for several years towards the end of his life BY Ben OkazawaPublished May 15 Toronto's famous Riverdale Park East could be redubbed in honour of the late, great Gord Downie soon as city council is reviewing a petition to change the park's name Since he also lived in the Riverdale neighbourhood for several years as a beloved member of the community it would make perfect sense to honour him locally Lake Fever Wilderness Company founder Damian Jakibchuk — whose company name derives from the Hip song "Lake Fever" — started the push to rename Riverdale Park after Downie with support from local businesses "When Gord died, I'd begun thinking about ways my company could do more," Jakibchuk told blogTO I thought that we could combine our affinity for the outdoors with Gord's environmental activism to rename an outdoor space after him somewhere accessible where citizens and visitors could reflect on the impact he's had on Canada." Be the first to get our biggest stories delivered to your inbox. DC-owned dessert stop Ice Cream Jubilee is coming to College Park Located at 4430 Calvert Rd., near Trader Joe’s, the shop will serve small batch ice cream with seasonally rotating flavors, many of which are Asian-inspired The shop started in 2014 when owner Victoria Lai quit her job as a lawyer for the Department of Homeland Security. In 2022, Food & Wine magazine named it the 24th best ice cream shop in the U.S Ice Cream Jubilee offers standards such as vanilla along with a seasonal flavors such as Thai Iced Tea and Cherry Blossom Cheesecake It’s now expanding around the D.C. area, including locations in Georgetown Ballston and Navy Yard and upcoming locations in Reston