Vacant to Vibrant: Adaptive Reuse Opportunities in Prince George’s County, Maryland

Abstract

Prince George’s County, Maryland, faces a growing crisis of vacant and underutilized properties, contributing to urban decline, declining property values, and, increasingly, safety concerns. Legal barriers, high redevelopment costs, and limited coordination across agencies have hindered efforts to transform these properties despite the county’s commitment to sustainability and infrastructure development. This report explores adaptive reuse as a sustainable and community-centered solution for property revitalization in the Capitol Heights/Blue Line Corridor area. It asserts that adaptive reuse can convert underutilized commercial spaces into mixed-use residential developments that revitalize neighborhoods and support equitable and sustainable growth. The analysis highlights promising strategies such as transit-oriented development, flexible zoning policies, and addressing challenges such as regulatory and financial limitations and gentrification. Finally, we outline a redevelopment guidebook that offers strategic, replicable, and equity-focused recommendations to support middle-income housing, small-scale development, and more effective land use.