Groundbreaking held for new Pax River Village in Lexington Park

Lexington Park is getting a facelift with plans to turn the area into a vibrant shopping and leisure community.

On June 20, Northern Virginia-based Atlantic Realty broke ground on the 25-acre Pax River Village Center, which will feature a national grocery chain, smaller shops and stores and leisure space.

“It’s going to be a tremendous project,” David A. Ross, president of Atlantic Realty Companies Inc., said. “This is going to be a very special place.”

The development is located near Gate 2 of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, fronting on Three Notch Road, N. Shangri-La Drive and FDR Boulevard and is currently known as Millison Plaza.

The redesign will also feature a “pedestrian-friendly” retail environment with fully renovated storefronts throughout.

“Back in the 1940s and 50s people drove up to buildings and they spent a lot of time there,” he said. “Today people want to walk and go see a property and enjoy it, so [this] needed to be pedestrian-friendly and that’s a lot of what we brought to the rejuvenation of [other] projects in Baltimore and Delaware.”

The project will feature an ALDI, and a military-themed Starbucks with a drive-thru in addition to other retailers.

in addition to recreation areas. There will also be art installations at three locations.

“This is going to be so amazing for Lexington Park,” Commissioner Scott Ostrow (R) said. “It’s one of the campaign promises I made when I was first running was I was going to be devoted to the revitalization of Lexington Park in the Great Mills corridor and this is a step in fulfilling that. Having the Atlantic Realty folks come in here and overhaul this entire shopping area will be amazing for our community.”

Phase I, which is expected to be completed by next spring, will total 192,000 square feet of commercial retail space and cost more than $45 million.

“This center will be a hub of community life and is more than a collection of stores and shopping areas,” Ostrow said. “It represents hope.”

The plan is based on one from 1948 that featured a Greyhound bus station, a bar, cafeteria and several other retail options.

“The location has not changed; it’s always been a great location,” Ross said, referring to the approximately 25,000 people that now work at the local Navy base. “The project just got tired and needed to be reinvented.”

Ross said the times as well as people have changed over the decades.

“Back in the 1940s and ‘50s people drove up to buildings and they spent a lot of time there,” he said. “Today people want to walk and go see a property and enjoy it, so [this] needed to be pedestrian-friendly and that’s a lot of what we brought to the rejuvenation of [other] projects in Baltimore and Delaware.”

Ostrow said the addition of the grocery store to the area, which he calls a “food desert,” will be huge.

“People will be able to get goods and services they need in a beautiful area and even more so than that there will be park settings in an area that will help bring this community together,” he said. “This is the first step, the first huge step.”

Ross said Phase II — which still needs to be submitted to the county — is expected to consist of a daycare operation and about 100 workforce housing units, maybe townhomes.

Ross added that construction by SorensenGross is expected to begin any day beginning with the demolition of the old hotel.

“We’re ready to roll,” Ross said, and added that he expects this project is going to be our best projects yet so we’re very excited.”

“I’m filled with a sense of pride and happiness for what lies ahead,” Ostrow said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Tulagi Place undergoing renovationsA short distance away across Great Mills Road, the former Tulagi Place shopping center is in the process of being demolished in order to put in a Royal Farms convenience store.

The 5,154-square-foot convenience store, which will be located at 21779 Tulagi Place, will also include eight fuel pumps and a car wash.

Planning Commission President Howard Thompson said he estimated construction would take “at least a year.”

The small strip mall, which is located on the west side of Three Notch Road just south of Great Mills Road, used to house a thrift store, barbershop and Linda’s Cafe and includes the old Bay District firehouse.