The short version: connect the streets, shrink the blocks, and make it easier to get around on foot, bike, or transit. The Capitol Heights–Addison Road Metro (“CHARM”) regional activity center has two Metro stations, sits inside the Beltway, and lies just minutes from the District of Columbia. So what will it take for this area to transform into the walkable urban center that regional plans have long envisioned?  More retail? More housing? More places to work and play? Yes,

The Capitol Heights-Addison Road Metro (CHARM) area is getting an upgrade, and it’s coming at an affordable price. WMATA selected Atlantic Pacific Companies to build 320 affordable housing units and 10,000 square feet of retail across four buildings where the Capitol Heights station's parking lot now sits.

As Prince George’s County turns its attention to the Six Flags site closure, this blog urges a shift toward long-neglected Metro station areas like Capitol Heights and Addison Road—and away from headline-chasing distractions.