
Spotlight on New Carrollton, MD
Named after Charles Carroll, the first Senator of Maryland, the city of New Carrollton is a half-century old suburban enclave 12 miles east of Washington, D.C. Originally incorporated as Carrollton, the prefix “New” was officially adopted in 1966 to avoid confusion over the other two Carrolltons in Maryland. These days the “New” applies just as much as in the past, as this Prince George County municipality has its sights on the future. Driven in part by the New Carrollton Area Revitalization District (NARD) – a local government economic development initiative to support urban redevelopment – New Carrollton has set up a so-called Incentive Fund designed to support entities relocating to the area. The intention is to use organized planning to keep New Carrollton the quaint community that it is – green, walkable, and conveniently connected.
Originally purchased by a passionate equestrian, Edward Mahoney, the land on which New Carrollton is located has historically hosted both a horse stable and the formerly renowned Old Lanham Raceway. After Mahoney’s demise, Albert W. Turner purchased the land and incorporated it into the city. Turner’s vision had been that of a comprehensively planned suburban municipality – then, a novel concept in the United States. Today, New Carrollton remains a pleasantly livable community on the outskirts of the nation’s capital, serving both as a commuter village for District employees as well as the headquarters for the Internal Revenue Service and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
Serviced by the Metrorail, Amtrak, and the MARC, the city is also included in the Metrorail’s Purple Line expansion plans which will run from New Carrollton in the East to Bethesda in
the West. Planned to open by 2022, the Purple Line will offer around 60,000 rides a day, increase the total job count in the region by over 20,000 and increase economic activity by $7.0 billion, increasing property values by $12.8 billion over the next few decades. This has of course attracted vivid interest from the private development community. Among them, Forest City Washington and Urban Atlantic stand out with their 2.7 million square foot project surrounding the New Carrollton Metro Station. It will include 1,370 residential units, 1.1 million square feet of office space, 150,000 square feet of retail, and 150,000 square feet of hotel. Likewise, Berman Enterprises intends to construct two four-story luxury apartment buildings – including over 500 units above 20,000 square feet of retail space – near the New Carrollton Metro station.
The featured properties in this month’s rent survey represent five communities in New Carrollton and one neighboring in Landover built between 1963 and 1971. Occupancy rates for the communities range from 96% to 98%. Average rental rates per square foot range from $1.27 to $2.03, with average unit sizes ranging from 790 square feet to 1,192 square feet. Common amenities include fitness centers, swimming pools, clubhouses, business centers, parking, and on-site laundry facilities. Unit amenities include vaulted ceilings, dual-pane windows, and hardwood floors in select units. Residents pay application fees of $25 to $50 and post security deposits from $200 to one month’s rent. Pets are allowed in some surveyed communities with residents paying pet deposits of $250 and monthly pet rents of $25 to $55.