Konterra Town Center East

Prince George's County, Maryland

Situated along one of the nation’s busiest transportation corridors, Konterra Town Center is a mixed-use development located between Interstate Route 95 and Route 1, at the proposed intersection with the Inter-County Connector. Transportation figures prominently as a connecting issue within the project. Konterra Town Center is a highly- visible, “urban core” project demonstrating Prince George’s County’s directed growth strategy focusing on high density development with access to multiple transportation options. The 741-acre project features a number of existing disparate uses, including agricultural/forested lands, office parks, and a former sand and gravel mining pit. The redevelopment project will serve as a commercial and entertainment hub for the region’s residents, who currently lack access to a variety of shopping and dining experiences. Konterra Town Center brings together a diverse number of uses including retail, office space, residential units, hotel rooms, and public open spaces to improve quality of life for local residents and visitors.

Application of Sustainability

Greening Urban’s design philosophy emphasizes a flexible and site- specific approach to incorporating low-impact development strategies. Sustainability was the focus of a cohesive vision connecting the various components – residential, commercial, and entertainment – through innovative “green infrastructure” planning. Greening Urban helped develop a sustainability vision for the developers and provided technical expertise on a wide-ranging menu of low-impact development stormwater management options, including:

  • Bioretention in road medians and parking lots, including signature “sustainability corridors” which would radiate from the Konterra Town Center core and connect to stormwater management lakes on the project’s periphery.
  • Pervious paving, to mitigate the effect of surface parking lots on stormwater runoff quantity and quality.
  • A tree trench infiltration system in the public rights-of-way to slowly infiltrate water from storm events in an intensely urban design.
  • Vertical recharge shafts that deliver runoff directly to the water table.
  • Flow-thru planter boxes that detain runoff before entering the constructed stormwater management system in the public right- of-way.