CHEVERLY, Md. — Bladensburg's mayor says the town will not back down on contentious plans to annex "Hospital Hill" despite threats of a lawsuit from leaders in neighboring Cheverly.
“This annexation represents a pivotal moment in our town's history,” Bladensburg Mayor Takisha James said in a statement Monday. “By integrating the Hospital Hill area into Bladensburg jurisdiction, we're taking a significant step forward to revitalize this critical property, enhancing our local economy and improving the quality of life for our residents.”
A dispute is unfolding over the future of the 44-acre plot where Prince George’s County’s largest hospital operated before relocating to Largo in 2022.
Situated on the highest point in the county and overlooking the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Southeast D.C., the site is slated for a major redevelopment project valued at half a billion dollars. The project promises to bring substantial new tax revenue to whichever jurisdiction takes control of it.
The ambitious plan, spearheaded by Prince George's County's Redevelopment Authority which has selected developer Urban Atlantic to bring to life, includes a 1,300-home community, a retail district with shops and restaurants, and open spaces and trails.
Demolition has already begun, but a dispute over annexation threatens to complicate the project, according to officials in Cheverly.
In October, Bladensburg adopted a plan to annex the property by extending its borders down a narrow strip of land across to Cheverly's side of the Parkway.
Cheverly has reacted sharply, with attorneys for the town sending a letter calling the move illegal and threatening an immediate lawsuit if Bladensburg continues to move forward.
“When people double down, they are often not engaging in sound decision-making,” said Cheverly Mayor Kayce Munyeneh after Bladensburg's mayor spoke Monday. “Persisting with this course of action will negatively impact relationships for years to come.”
After Cheverly's legal threat, Bladensburg temporarily postponed a public hearing on the matter. However, Mayor James announced Monday that the hearing is back on for Thursday evening and that the town intends to move forward.
Meanwhile, Prince George’s County authorities have urged both towns to step back.
“At this stage of the development process, we have concerns about any municipality annexing a site where significant redevelopment is already underway,” said Angie Rodgers, Prince George’s County Deputy County Administrator for Economic Development, in a statement.
The developer, Urban Atlantic, has remained silent on the matter, despite Cheverly’s warnings that Bladensburg’s actions could jeopardize the project.