We aim to create a waterfront destination park that: introduces opportunities for economic growth as Downtown Columbia becomes increasingly urbanized and developed; connects to the greater plan for Columbia; restores Jim Rouse’s original vision for Columbia by incorporating historical elements; increases pedestrian access; introduces greater handicap access; allows for social gathering on many different scales, […]
Sustainable Development Goal: 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
Guilford Gateway Trail
The Guilford Gateway Trail project presented here proposes to transform 3.5 miles of unused CSX railroad right-of-way into a shared use path system to serve the Southeast Howard County area. The section of right-of-way extends from Washington Boulevard (Route 1) in Jessup northwest to the intersection of Broken Land Parkway and Snowden Parkway passing residential, […]
The Creation and Management of Meadows
This document aims to address the topics involved in the creation and management of meadows as well as provide informational supplementary sources. In this case, we are examining the potential of meadows to be used as alternatives to open grass spaces that require frequent mowing. These mowed open spaces are maintained as a buffers that […]
Elkhorn Channelside Columbia, Maryland, A Mixed-Use Sustainable Village Center
This feasibility report is submitted for completion of the Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) degree program in the Capstone course, RDEV 688I, Spring 2016 at the Colvin Institute, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, University of Maryland College Park. MRED candidate Kevin A. Fitzgerald, RA authored this report under the mentorship of Tim Pula, […]
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Elkhorn Crossing, Columbia, MD
The general context analysis of Owen Brown Village Center will analyze the current arrangement and ownership of the buildings on the site, as well as traffic and pedestrian uses around the site. This analysis will also make general suggestions for how to increase the value of the property for the developer. A site tour of […]
Messaging Sustainability for Environmental Health
The Montgomery County Department of Parks has asked our team of Environmental Science and Policy majors at the University of Maryland, to assist in developing creative ways to effectively message sustainability as a way to protect the health of County citizens. This paper highlights suggestions for ways to effectively do so. It focuses on the […]
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Upper Marlboro Community Center Trail Implementation Plan
The Upper Marlboro Community Center offers a wide range of services for the surrounding community, but is currently totally isolated from the multimodal network. No dedicated bike or pedestrian routes connects it to surrounding communities. Despite the lack of pedestrian infrastructure, community members still walk to and from the Community Center, along the edge of […]
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Selecting A Second Site for Prince George’s County Animal Shelter
Our PALS project team worked with Prince George’s County Animal Control to identify potential sites for a second animal shelter. After reading a 2016 feasibility study and meeting with Chief Rodney Taylor and other stakeholders, our team developed a hierarchy of site selection criteria. These included zoning, parcel size, transit access, and more. We then […]
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Owen Brown Village Center
Students in the Master of Architecture program worked with representatives from the Howard County Department of Planning, the Columbia Association, and the Owen Brown Village board to come up with redevelopment schemes for Owen Brown Village Center. The semester began with the production of a series of base maps, which analyzed demographics, issues hydrology and […]
Locust Grove Nature Center
Today Locust Grove Nature Center is housed in a small, aging retrofit facility adapted from a toboggan run that opened its doors in 1972, operating for a few short years before shuttering in 1977. The current demand for year-round programming and multi-functional event space far exceeds Locust Grove’s capacity. The location of the nature center […]