In a recent post, Aspen Hill blogger and Council District 4 candidate Thomas Hardman has gotten me thinking about Wheaton Library and urban redevelopment in downtown Wheaton.
The county has been soliciting public opinion on whether to relocate the Wheaton library to the Central Business District (CBD).
Here’s my take on this. Overall, it’s pretty simple:
Keep the library in its current location in east-central Wheaton. This area straddles suburban and urban segments of Wheaton very nicely. Instead of relocating the library as part of a costly and protracted construction project, give it a major overhaul and increase its accessibility to west-side and downtown Wheaton residents. This latter goal could be met by broadening sidewalks/walkways and adjacent public spaces and by creating more pedestrian-friendly crosswalks and traffic patterns in the immediate vicinity, for instance.
As for the Wheaton library itself, give it a well-designed renovation with vigilant project cost oversight. If the existing building is structurally sound enough, it can easily withstand a major renovation. The county only needs to recruit architects and structural engineers creative and responsible enough to rise to the challenge of such a renewal project.
Wheaton does not need a cool, glittering edifice to rival the regional libraries of places like Rockville and Bethesda; we only need a comfortable, serviceable community library with enough upgrades to meet our population growth.
The county can use the funds saved to help relocate the “Wheaton” Police Station to Wheaton proper.
As it stands, the District 4 station is located in Glenmont, probably more for historical than logistical reasons.
The station would better serve county citizens if it were moved to downtown Wheaton.
1. Wheaton has become an unfortunate magnet for crime and other social ills in the county, being located along the southeast-to-northwest crime corridor.
Some Glenmont and Aspen Hill residents will object to moving the District 4 station south along Georgia Avenue. If you are such a resident, keep in mind that criminals based in Wheaton and other points south/southeast often prey on your communities. In addition, remember that well sited and coordinated community substations can very effectively meet local community policing needs and can also tailor their operations to your particular area.
Also note that many other urban MCPD stations are either located in or adjacent to downtown areas; Bethesda, Rockville, and Silver Spring are good examples.
2. MPD personnel based in Wheaton would be at the nexus of several major regional arteries:
MD-193 / University Blvd (W/E)
MD-97 / Georgia Ave (N/S)
MD-586 / Veirs Mill Rd (NW/SE)
A site like Wheaton Triangle might be a good option for a new police station.
A location along a key downtown street such as Grandview Avenue (N/S), Amherst Avenue (N/S), Reedie Drive (W/E), or Blueridge Avenue (W/E) would also provide good secondary routes for 4th district police.
3. Law and order are potentially good for business.
Image-conscious business interests helped eject the police substation out of Wheaton Mall several years back.
Some of us are old enough to remember when “Wheaton Plaza” was a place where more suburban county residents felt relatively safe (and you could enjoy free Fourth of July fireworks with family and friends, for that matter).
Mismanagement by offshore landlords (Westfield Group) allied with powerful county business/developer interests have helped turn this so-called “Shoppingtown” into a local crime haven. Residents from all over the region routinely pan Wheaton Mall as a hangout for thugs, juvenile delinquents, and their groupies. On top of the constant reports of shoplifting/thefts and other crimes that happen around the mall regularly, we have high-profile shootings, stabbings and gang displays at the mall that bring notoriety to the area and ward off many customers with higher disposable incomes.
Moving the police station to downtown Wheaton could help lower crime and disorder in the business district overall. Ultimately, open-minded residents from surrounding areas would find Wheaton more welcoming for running errands, shopping, and dining. This would potentially counter the creeping retail blight that has been afflicting Wheaton in recent years.
Many south-central county residents seem frustrated with the course of Wheaton “redevelopment.” Does anybody have an inside line as far as what the Wheaton Kensington Chamber of Commerce, the Wheaton Redevelopment Advisory Committee (WRAC), and other controlling business/development interests are really up to? Much of the information out there seems to be mostly slick packaging and promises.
