Quiet, Quirky Takoma Shaken by a Looming Boom

Douglas Development Corp. says that despite the public opposition, the store is busy and successful. With the CVS proving that the market is viable, the District-based developer is planning a 95,000-square-foot grocery store, possibly a Harris Teeter, and 135 apartments on the two acres behind the drugstore.

"It's a very well-supported store," Paul Millstein of Douglas Development said of the CVS. "Although it's a very contentious deal, somebody in that area is going there."

Millstein said company representatives were "booed and hissed" by residents over the CVS store and are trying to make concessions in the new project.

Three historical bungalows on the property would be moved a few blocks by the developer, Millstein said, and the design of the retail center would have historical touches. Douglas Development has started introducing the project at community meetings; designs are still in the conceptual stage. Unlike the CVS, the new project will face scrutiny by the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board.

"We don't want to fight; we want to come up with something the majority of residents can live with," Millstein said.

One proposal that has stirred controversy is Metro's plan to sell part of the Takoma station's green space and parking lots to Arlington-based developer Eakin/Youngentob Associates, which has proposed to build as many as 95 townhouses, reduce the number of parking spaces and clear a sloping area lined with trees.

Many residents of Takoma in the District have opposed the plan, and Takoma Park residents enlisted the help of their congressman, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D), to make sure they also have a voice.

Some changes have been welcomed. Laurel Avenue in Takoma Park recently received a $275,000 facelift with landscaping, benches and improved sidewalks and median. Improvements are also planned for Carroll Avenue.

Ludlow said officials want the area to be more walkable and to encourage people to linger at the stores. "It's certainly not luxurious, but it's attractive and friendly," she said.

Meanwhile, many residents, in an area known for strong opinions and extremes, aren't sure whether to be for or against the more drastic changes.

Bruce Moyer, a lawyer who has been a resident since 1979, said some of the older properties are eyesores that can create problems. He said a previous landlord at 7001 Carroll Ave. in Takoma Park, which a developer is proposing to transform into condos and shops, had let the property deteriorate so much that rats flourished and storm water flooded adjacent homes.

Yet Moyer, president of the Westmoreland Area Community Organization, said he worries about the increased traffic. Already, he said, there are backups on residential streets during rush hours.

"Certainly one of its assets is the proximity to the commercial area," Moyer said. "At the same time, how do you preserve that quality of life and the relative serenity of the street?"

Staff writer Yolanda Woodlee contributed to this report.