Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-20
'Heurich Tract
.zoning Studied
For Decision

The Prince Georges County
Commissioners. In the next few
weeks. will make the most i'm
lportant" coming decision In the
lcounty's history, when they make
Lup their minds on q development
Iplan for the 376-acre Heurich
tract at Colesville and Queens
Chapel road.
At a four-hour hearing yester-
day. they heard representatives
Iof the developers. the Harry r.
Boswell Co, urge approval Of re-
Izoning to commercial use of a
40-acre parcel in the middle of
the tract for a regional-type
shopping center. to be sur
rounded by apartments and
homes
Nearly 200 residents Of nearby
University Park pleaded with the
commissioners to keep the entire
tract in a residential classifica-
ton. maintaining the CONNER
Icial center would lower property
values, create problems OF storm
water drainage and aggravate
classroom shortages in area
schools.
Indorsed by Planners
The most important" tag was
given the issue by Herbert w.
Wells, member Of the Mary
and-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, which in
dorsed the commercial rezoning
He said the Heurich tract,
last big undeveloped piece Of
land in nearby Prince Georges
County. was TO be developed by
"our own folks who won't move
tomorrow, not by men from New
York or Denver seeking Q fast
buck"
The planning agency's chief
engineer. Warren Giaque. testi-
fed that his studies justified the
Irezoning because a major shop
ping center is needed to service
the suburban area. He termed
alarming" the amount of money
spent by county residents out
side the county.
Harry F. Boswell, jr., who plans
to develop the tract in company
with Isadore M. Gudelsky. the
owner. cited census figures to
show that Prince Georges Coun-
ty retains fewer shopping dollars
than its neighbor, Montgomery
County.
Gives Examples
Montgomery County last year
posted sales Of $28 million in the
general merchandise class and
Prince Georges only $50 million.
Sales of apparel were $11.6 in
Montgomery and $4.6 in Prince
Georges. he said.
Mr.. Boswell said the tract,
when fully developed. will show
IA large benefit" tax-wise. be-
cause the commercial area and
apartments would require fewer
services from the county.
Mayor James F. Fox of Uniyer-
Isity Park, reporting the OPPOSE
ton of city officials and citizens
groups, called upon the commits
|sioners to follow through on their
decision, so that the eventual
development will hew close to the
lines they set.
Councilman Benz min M.
|Bolinger. chairman of a special
coming committee that studied
the Boswell proposals. warned
that development can create a
crisis in schools.
School Over Capacity
The present capacity Of the
elementary school in University
Park. which lies across Colesville
road from the Heurich tract. is
40 pupils, but the school enroll
|ment is $50, and planned addi-
tion will only take up the slack
In classroom shortages.
He recommended that schools
be built at the same time as
housing is built on the tract.
Thomas G. Gwynn, jr., as
sistant superintendent of schools,
said the Board Of Education is
satisfied with the reservations
i Of two tracts, one nine acres and
the other is. as sites for two
elementary schools and one
Junior high school.
In addition to the commercial
center, the developers plan 2,485
dwelling units, 700 of them one
family houses. The road pattern
within the tract is not definite
but MIR. Boswell said 1t will in
Iclude one north-south bypass, to
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