A major Prince George's County development that was put on pause at the start of the coronavirus pandemic is now moving forward.

Retail Properties of America announced Wednesday it plans to begin construction in the second half of this year on the first building of its Carillon mixed-use development in Largo.

The project's first phase is planned to be a 125K SF medical office building, branded as The Ella.  

The building will sit less than a quarter-mile from the entrance of the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center, a new 620K SF hospital set to open this week. The long-planned hospital has been expected to spur new development in the area around the Largo Town Center Metro station.

The 50-acre Carillon project has been planned to feature at least 2M SF of development, including more than 2,600 residential units and 300K SF of retail. The developer had previously planned to include 350 units and 136K SF of retail along with the medical office building in Phase 1, but Tuesday's announcement only referenced the MOB.

The groundbreaking announcement comes after RPAI announced March 23, 2020, it was halting vertical construction on Carillon, citing "current macroeconomic conditions."

"The Ella marks the first vertical development at Carillon, which will build on the momentum of the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center's opening and the vision of making Largo the heart of Prince George's County," RPAI Assistant Vice President of Development Craig Friedson said in a release.

Cushman & Wakefield's D.C. Metro Healthcare Advisory Practice team of Matt Sullivan, Lindsey Groom, Kirsten Ryan, Jack Seher will manage the leasing for the medical office building.

RPAI is not the only developer that has moved forward with a project around the Largo Town Center station. The NRP Group broke ground in 2019 on a 260-unit project that is now leasing. Peter N.G. Schwartz & Co. filed plans in 2019 for a 379-unit project.