As an update from my post back in late November:
http://riverdaleparkstation.blogspot.com/2018/11/is-land-behind-woodberry-townhomes-for.html
As I confirmed back in November 2018 this land IS for sale.
Since my last post, there has been a great deal of action from residents of Calvert Hills, the Town of Riverdale, Riverdale Park Station and University Park in order to stop any potential rezoning of this land. (some of which I have been involved in)
The 6 acres is currently assessed at only $776,100... yet WMATA is asking just 2.1 million for the property. The only way this asking price makes any sense whatsoever is if they can immediately rezone the property from it's current R-55 zoning to something with much higher density.
I realize Hyattsville Wire finally stumbled on to the story last night and posted there would be "steep odds" to keep townhomes from being built but I believe there are more "steep odds" to land actually being rezoned.
Rezoning land from R-55 to high density in PG county is no joke.
Case in point: The land that Riverdale Park Station was built on was originally zoned R-55.
The first action to rezone that property was started in January of 2004 followed by a 11 year back and forth between Calvert Hills, University Park and Cafritz with countless traffic impact studies and eventual sign off and approval by all neighboring areas.
If you want to read about the entire, messy and extremely expensive ordeal read over this 90 page document.
https://www.mncppc.org/DocumentCenter/View/9704/Cafritz-Property-Standards-w-Signable-Storefronts
The only reason this land was EVENTUALLY rezoned is Cafritz had owned the property for generations and it was sitting there not doing anything for them and Calvin Cafritz Enterprises had unlimited time and resources to work to get this land rezoned. Plus over the decade plus they were able to placate nearly all of the nearby residents with many various concessions (which are all laid out in that 90 page document)
I spoke with one of the women who lead the fight against Cafritz from University Park and she said by the time all was said and done most of the people who were originally opposed to development were actually vocal supporters, due to all of the steps Cafritz took to make everyone happy.
I seriously doubt any investor will want to pay 2+ million for a small and awkwardly arranged strip of hilly land and then go through a similar rezoning battle.
If the land does end up selling to some unfortunately developer I hope they have a very deep pockets and a very long time horizon.
