“The more we can make [redevelopment in Wheaton] comprehensive, the better it will be,” Klein said.
Some have concerns
Maryland Schools Insider
Although some say change is overdue, small businesses are worried about what redevelopment means for their future.
In the long run, it could bring new customers, but it could also create challenges, said Ash Kosiewicz, advocacy director of the Latino Economic Development Corp. The group is part of the newly formed Coalition for Fair Redevelopment of Wheaton, which has more than 50 businesses and seven nonprofit groups as members.
The coalition is concerned about a lack of parking during construction, slow business during the redevelopment process and the possibility of rent increases. It wants the county to address the need for facade improvements on the old buildings, financial support during construction and training to serve a new demographic lured by redevelopment, Kosiewicz said.
Herbert Quinonez, who owns General Insurance Agency of Wheaton on Ennalls Avenue, said he worries about displacement, which happened to several small businesses when downtown Silver Spring was redeveloped.
A study of the Silver Spring redevelopment’s effect on small businesses by the University of Maryland found that some merchants lost business during construction, struggled to adjust to the change in the market and could not compete with national chains.
“Aware of that precedent, we are trying to get organized,” Quinones said. “We are not afraid of change, but we also know that we don’t have the economic capabilities to survive without help.”
Council member Nancy Navarro, who represents part of Wheaton and will represent the entire area after redistricting, said she expects that the county will provide support to the local merchants through technical assistance and financial incentives.
“I do agree that we need to enhance and definitely redevelop the area,” she said. “But we need to make sure we support the viability of the small businesses. . . . For me, this notion of preserving the character of Wheaton is important.”
Greg Ossont, deputy director of the Department of General Services, said the county is working to address the concerns.
“These shops on Georgia and the Triangle, you don’t want to push them out,” he said. “The idea is to keep them there, make sure that they persevere, give them more customer base, whether it’s residential or commercial construction, so those businesses ultimately thrive.”
Seeking a distinctive mark
Residents welcome the attention Wheaton is receiving, but they also want to retain the community’s character.
“It is like a small-town downtown with the convenience of the mall,” said Beth Chaisson, a resident of Plaza Gardens at Moonrise, a townhouse subdivision off Georgia. “But let’s admit it: It doesn’t look nice now. So one would hope that it will look better. It is kind of junky-looking now.”
Chaisson, an urban planner, said she and her husband and two children moved to Wheaton 13 years ago because it offered a racially diverse community and affordable housing near a Metro station. Chaisson is white; her husband is Indian.
“It is comfortable for us” here, she said.
Ostapiej says that the area has always been diverse and that it has been reflected in its businesses. According to the 2010 Census, about 42 percent of Wheaton’s population is Hispanic, 25 percent white non-Hispanic, 18 percent black and 12 percent Asian.
“It’s always been a mixed population,” he said. “I like the ethnic foods, being able to go to the ethnic stores to get something that you can’t get at the Giant or the Safeway.”
Chaisson, who shops at the Asian markets, said redevelopment is also an opportunity to give Wheaton a distinctive look that reflects its diversity.
“If you get more buildings that are more unique, then that would be more reflective of the character of the community,” she said. “We have some very boring buildings with interesting businesses in them.”
Loading...
Comments