Capitol Heights Metro Site to Add 320 Affordable Apartments
WMATA on Jan. 7 selected Atlantic Pacific Companies (A|P) to develop a transit-oriented project at the Capitol Heights Metro Station that will convert roughly 3.8 acres of surface parking into housing and retail. The preliminary concept includes about 320 affordable apartments targeted at 60% of area median income and roughly 10,000 square feet of neighborhood retail, part of a broader Blue Line Corridor effort backed by a $17 million state commitment for station and site infrastructure.
WMATA's choice of Atlantic Pacific Companies (A|P) for the Capitol Heights joint development marks a concrete step in Prince George's County's push for transit-oriented growth along the Blue Line corridor. The selected plan would replace approximately 3.8 acres of surface parking adjacent to the Capitol Heights Metro Station with a mixed-use project that WMATA's preliminary materials estimate will contain about 320 affordable apartment units targeted at 60% AMI and roughly 10,000 square feet of neighborhood retail.
Concentrating 320 units on 3.8 acres implies an increase in residential density to roughly 84 units per acre on the site, converting underused land near rail into a housing and retail node. The state has signaled support for the corridor, with a reported $17 million commitment toward station and site infrastructure and references to additional corridor-level commitments. That public investment is intended to reduce infrastructure barriers, support private financing, and accelerate redevelopment near transit.
For Prince George's County residents, the project aims to produce affordable housing directly adjacent to rapid transit, which can lower commuting costs and expand access to jobs and services across the region. The inclusion of roughly 10,000 square feet of neighborhood retail is designed to serve new and existing residents and to boost walkable commerce around the station, potentially increasing daily ridership and supporting small-business activity.
Economically, the joint development reflects policy priorities to catalyze equitable opportunity along the Blue Line corridor by pairing public dollars with private development. Public infrastructure commitments like the $17 million allocation typically improve project feasibility and attract capital, while targeting apartments at 60% AMI addresses affordability gaps that market-rate development often overlooks. The development could also influence nearby property values, demand for local services, and the county's tax base over time.
Local officials and WMATA framed the selection as part of a larger corridor strategy to spur ridership and mixed-use growth. Construction timelines, parking replacements, and exact financing details were not finalized in preliminary materials, but the project signals a broader shift toward infill, transit-oriented development in Prince George's County. Residents can expect a period of planning and eventual construction that aims to add affordable homes, retail options, and more transit-supported activity around the Capitol Heights station.
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