LISC DC Partners with The Urban Land Institute to Host Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) in Prince George’s County’s Blue Line Corridor: Press Release
(Washington, DC) – What will the Blue Line Corridor, which refers to the Prince George’s County communities along four metro stops from Capitol Heights to Downtown Largo, look like in the next few years: what is on the way, what is possible, and how do we get there? These critical questions were addressed through a convening of local leaders and national experts in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and The Urban Land Institute (ULI) are pleased to announce the successful completion of a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) focused on the greater Capitol Heights and Seat Pleasant areas in Prince George’s County. TAPs engage experts in development, planning, and placemaking and are designed to work with communities to address specific real estate and built environment challenges.
The TAP drew upon the public and private momentum towards the creation of a sports and entertainment district along the Blue Line, centered around the Largo and Morgan Boulevard Metro stations. This TAP built on specific investments and crafted a broader, collective place-keeping vision for the Greater Capitol Heights, Fairmount Heights, and Seat Pleasant areas. The vision honored the current communities, identified a set of market-feasible short-to-intermediate term projects aligned with resident priorities, and strategized ways to build the capacity of western Blue Line communities to shape the future of the built environment.
The TAP took place over two days, March 7th and March 8th, in which development and planning professionals engaged the greater Capitol Heights and Seat Pleasant neighborhoods through a tour of the area and an in-depth briefing with LISC staff and The Capital Market. They also held interviews with 30+ community representatives and stakeholders at the local, county, and state levels. The Panel, composed of ten professionals and subject matter experts in real estate, planning, and placemaking, formulated recommendations and presented the findings to stakeholders and community representatives at the conclusion of the event. The panel was chaired by Shelynda Brown, VP of Real Estate Development at Enterprise Community Development, and Michael Workosky, President of Wells & Associates, Inc.
LISC has engaged with community organizations, elected officials, and developers on affordable housing and other initiatives in the Blue Line Corridor since 2021, a regional expansion effort spearheaded by LISC DC Deputy Director, Bryan Franklin. “At LISC, the heart of our mission is directing capital, know-how, and our convening power to help bring neighborhood ideas to life,” said Bryan. “The TAP will help catalyze the next evolution of our work, as we look to amplify the goals and desires of western Blue Line Communities, build off the strong cultural history and assets in place, and engage a broader range of public and private partners towards tangible change in terms of housing, transportation, and other amenities.”
A special thank you to Kaiser Permanente whose funding has made much of LISC's engagement and initiatives in the corridor possible. In April, a written report will be published by ULI outlining the findings and recommendations of the TAP which LISC will share. The recording of the presentation of panel findings can be found on LISC DC’s YouTube channel on Monday, March 11th.
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About LISC
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is one the country’s largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. We work with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and places can thrive. LISC has 38 local offices across the country, including one in Washington, D.C. (LISC DC). Since our founding in 1982, LISC DC has invested $557 million to create 15,169 affordable homes and apartments, develop 3.7 million square feet of retail, community and educational space, and help tens of thousands of people find employment and improve their finances.
About ULI
The Urban Land Institute is a global, member-driven organization comprising more than 45,000 real estate and urban development professionals dedicated to advancing the mission of shaping the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide. ULI’s interdisciplinary membership represents all aspects of the industry, including developers, property owners, investors, architects, urban planners, public officials, real estate brokers, appraisers, attorneys, engineers, financiers, and academics. ULI Washington has performed over 60 Technical Assistance Panels since the program began in 2003.
