Urban Land Magazine

December 14, 2006

Regional Spotlight: DC/MD/VA

"The region's lack of housing affordability has driven homebuilders and homebuyers to the outer suburbs for a number of years, says Robert Buchanan, Jr., principal at Buchanan Partners, a Gaithersburg, MD real estate development firm. 'In just the past couple of years, what were formerly known as working-class bedroom suburbs such as Prince George's County in Maryland and Loudoun and Prince William counties in Virginia have been transformed by high-end, master-planned residential and mixed-use communities, many with golf courses, lakes, and other amenities.' To transform outer suburbs into smoothly functioning live/work/play environments, infrastructure investment is needed, according to Buchanan. "While private developers themselves are building and financing most of the road improvements serving their new communities, the region's collective failure to adequately fund its shared Metro rail system, build additional Potomac River bridges, and commit to a regional road network could thwart regional economic vitality and quality of life.'"