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The University of Maryland is ready to make College Park the college town that will keep students and faculty around, starting with a shopping spree for real estate along Route 1, reports The Washington Post. University president Wallace D. Loh wants to take advantage of the urban living and create a safe, upscale main street that connects the campus with the town. Looking to other urban schools like the University of Pennsylvania and Yale, Loh brought in private consultant Omar Blaik and former Howard County executive Ken Ulman, and through a private foundation, the university has already scooped up or leased more than $20M in commercial properties. Plans include a 276-room hotel with four restaurants, and ArtHouse, an establishment at the site of shuttered bar the Barking Dog to host live music and film screenings. [WaPo]
