2008 - Industrial Land Use in Prince Georges County
A Subregional Analysis

The UMD research team analyzed county-level and overall subregion level data to gain an understanding of industrial land use and employment trends County-wide. Here, we disaggregate the analysis to industrial areas within each of the seven planning subregions. With diversity of the conditions and future prospects for industrial districts across the County, it is important to begin to disaggregate the analysis to understand each district. This is the goal of this report. We report individually on the economic health of each industrial area within each sub region. We developed a five tier classification system as a means to evaluate where industrial land should be protected and where transition to other uses might be the better course. The majority of the work presented in this report was done by graduate city planning students taking a “special topics” economic development course at the University of Maryland during the spring of 2008. We are especially grateful to the Co-Star Company and Jay Spivey and Scott Gabor, who through a negotiation with Margaret McFarland, Director of our new Masters in Real Estate program and the
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University, permitted us to use the Co-Star data free of charge. The Co-Star data usually sells for about $16,000 per year. So this generous arrangement not only gave our students a valuable educational experience, but provides a generous subsidy to the County. Our analysis suggests that of the 35 industrial areas analyzed, 20 are both healthy and not threatened by encroachment from other land uses. Three other areas show no evidence of demand for industrial use, and therefore require minimal or routine planning attention in terms of rezoning. This leaves 12 industrial areas where planners face more complex challenges and opportunities for redevelopment.

Images/Documents

Industrial Land Use Prince Georges co S Choi et al 2010.pdf