Revitalization of Old Town Bowie

Bowie's history centers around the Belair Mansion. As plantations developed along the Patuxent River, tobacco farming developed as the primary industry in Prince George's County. Governor Samuel Ogle bought a tract of land in 1737, and built the Belair Mansion. As he was a thoroughbred racehorse enthusiast, Ogle established the famous Bowie Stable.

Old Town Bowie was originally known as Huntington City when the Pennsylvania Railroad built a branch line to Washington and the area around the railroad station grew rapidly.

In the 1880's, the town was renamed in honor of Maryland Governor Oden Bowie. In the midst of this rapidly growing community, whose character has evolved from rural settlement to vibrant city, Old Bowie has retained much of its early appeal. A map has been created so that visitors may tour the historic sites in Old Town Bowie.

Today the City of Bowie encompasses 16 square miles of residential development, shopping and office centers, and unsurpassed educational, recreational, and cultural opportunities. Although the railroad no longer stops in Old Town Bowie, the community still has charm and character. As with many railroad communities the neighborhood has experienced som economic decline over the years. Due in great part to committed long time residents and the City's revitalization efforts, Old Town Bowie is beginning to show improvements.

Old Town Bowie Revitalization Master Plan

On October 5, 1999, the Bowie City Council adopted an Old Town Bowie Revitalization Master Plan to preserve and enhance the unique charm, character, and history of the area.

The Vision of the Master Plan for the Redevelopment of Old Town Bowie calls for creating a three part identity for the area:

1. A charming destination for tourists, collectors, and residents of the region who would come to stroll, shop and dine.
2. A convenient village center that serves the retail and service needs of local residents.
3. A quiet neighborhood where a diverse range of residents and professional business live and work.

Traffic safety has been a concern of the residents for many years.  The Master Plan addresses this concern by proposing a traffic circle at the intersection of Chestnut Street and Route 564.  Working with the State Highway Administration, the intent is to create some form of transportation improvement to enhance pedestrian and vehicular safety.

Economic Impact for the Local Community

To achieve the goal of balanced growth, this endeavor intends to provide convenience goods and services that are currently not available in the local area.  The neighborhood is not served well by the need to travel miles east or west for staple items.  A potential increase of 20,000 to 45,000 square feet of new commercial space in the commercial district is the heart of the Master Plan.  As much as 12,000 square feet of the increase may be composed of new offices that should lead to more foot traffic in the district during "typical" business hours.  More retail square feet supported by more foot traffic will lead to a resurgence of the vitality of the neighborhood's economy.  This will result in increased local shopping and employment opportunities.  Sustaining and stabilizing the Old Town Bowie commercial district is the goal.

Using Private Sector and Other Funds

Redevelopment efforts at the neighborhood level require that the public sector take the lead in providing the initial investment to prime the private investment pump.  The City is prepared to fund the first year of the multi-year effort substantially.  Community Development Block Grant funds will be used towards objectives detailed in the Revitalization Master plan. Additional funds are being sought from the State’s Community Legacy Program, and the County’s Livable Communities Initiative. As the intent is to leverage significant resources to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the Revitalization Master Plan, the City may seek support from private foundations as well.

The City is reviewing the advantages of helping the community form a not-for-profit community development corporation (CDC) to access additional funding opportunities.  Staff has explored the use of the Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP), a community revitalization program of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, as a means to leverage private sector funds.  The NPP provides as much as a 50 % state income tax credit to a donor who assists a not-for-profit entity involved in revitalization activities.  Although no commitments were requested nor given, there is interest in furthering the discussion on the part of local companies.  Staff is exploring a number of private funding sources, such as the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, that provide equity and grants to CDCs to sustain their development efforts.

Implementation

Implementation is scheduled to occur over a number of years.  Near-term projects are designed to begin a series of successes.  These early successes will provide a solid base from which to launch long-term, more aggressive projects.  For example, bringing additional parking to the area immediately solves a current problem for the commercial district.  The properties under consideration for acquisition and paving are available and well located.  This may begin to address the longer term parking problem that has contributed to the reluctance of entrepreneurs to locate additional retail space in the area.  New facades and streetscapes are possible in the near-term; and are relatively inexpensive investments.  The value of these investments will be in preserving and enhancing Old Town Bowie's unique character.

Community participation

The local community, the Council and the Old Town Bowie business community have been very involved in shaping the Master Plan for the Redevelopment of Old Town Bowie.  The Old Town Bowie Subcommittee (OBS) has been in effect since January 1999.  The group is a subcommittee of the larger Task Force empowered by Council to decide what should be done in Old Town Bowie.  The Task Force was an outgrowth of three community meetings conducted by staff in 1998.  Staff, the consultants, the OBS and the Task Force have been meeting on this project in one form or another for over two years.

For more information on the Old Town Bowie Revitalization Plan, please contact the Department of Planning and Economic Development at 301-809-3047 or 301-262-6200, extension 3047.

Executive Summary: Old Town Bowie Redevelopment Plan

In February, 1999 the City of Bowie retained a team of consultants in design, transportation and economics, to prepare this master plan for Old Town Bowie, the historic village center of the City.

The consultants held public meetings and discussions with business leaders and residents, in order to structure conclusions and recommendations.  Residents spoke about their concerns: poor conditions of infrastructure, excessive traffic and lack of convenient stores.  This public participation and the direction of the Steering Committee provided important input for the final plan and implementation strategy.

Old Bowie represents a prime opportunity to redevelop a declining area into an attractive and valuable village center.  The Exhibit (attached) summarizes recommendations on proposed design improvements, infrastructure, zoning, development guidelines and other matters.  It identifies the priorities of the Steering Committee, a "budgeted" cost, and a principal implementing responsibility.  The proposed program will require a total investment of approximately $ 6.8 million, with funds from various sources, including a significant City commitment for a portion of the funds.

The principal recommendations in this strategy are that the City should work with the County, the State and the Old Town community, including residents, the business community and property owners, to take the following actions:

• Improve the appearance of the area with upgraded streets, sidewalks, crosswalks, signage and other investments in design and infrastructure.
• Develop certain prime properties, including portions of the City Park and the AMTRAK parking lot, to expand the level of activity in the core area.
• Create a parking district with additional shared parking and on-street parking spaces to facilitate more intense use of the commercial properties.
• Slow traffic down and make travel in the area safer by constructing a traffic circle or other improvement at the Chestnut St.-Ninth Street intersection.
• Make specific investments in the Community Center and Railroad Museum that will enhance the area for both residents and tourists.

Old Town Bowie has great potential for revitalization.  While grocery stores and other businesses have left the commercial area, the core cluster of buildings remains, creating an opportunity to attract the types of business that thrive in a village atmosphere.  To attract new businesses, there is a need to make improvements in appearance and infrastructure, slow the traffic down and market the place in new ways.  It will take a few years but, with these changes, significant private investment will come.