Diverse community with access to outdoor space
When recalling why she moved to the neighborhood about 12 years ago, Colmar Manor Council Member Irinia Hobbs says, “The dog brought us here.” She wanted access to both outdoor spaces and a backyard where her mastiff could run around. With a home built in the early 1920s and a 15-minute walk to the park, she got both – and more. Colmar Manor is a neighborhood whose residents encompass a wide range of cultural backgrounds, and the community celebrates that through festivals and gatherings. Many children are bi- and tri-lingual, and many households do not speak English as their primary language. Colmar Manor Council Member Maliek Harding explains, “There are some language barriers, but there’s a lot of opportunity to connect. Having different cultures enhances the community through experience. We learn from each other.”
Colmar Manor celebrates its diversity
“We are enriched by having neighbors that share their cultural traditions – their languages, the history of the country where they’re coming from,” Hobbs says. “Our community is demographically very diverse. We have people from different backgrounds coexisting and we celebrate this cohabitation, recognizing the diversity and cultures they represent.” She explains that during Hispanic Heritage Month, Colmar Manor celebrates with dancing, cooking and traditional cuisine. During Pride Month, there’s a flag-raising ceremony, and the annual International Night celebrates the town’s diversity. Residents can bring items or artifacts from their native countries and display them for their neighbors to see.
Colmar Manor Community Park and other outdoor opportunities
The neighborhood is bordered by Colmar Manor Community Park, which flows into Anacostia River Park. “It’s hard to tell where one park ends and the other begins,” says Hobbs. Kids run around the playground, teenagers play pick-up games at the basketball court, families head to the picnic shelter for lunch and runners hit the paved trails. The park also has various sports courts, which are rented out to local leagues and others outside the neighborhood. “The ballparks are very much a central point for the community,” Harding explains. This is also the site of historic Dueling Creek, a small waterway whose privacy made it popular for duels between 1808 and 1868. The Bladensburg Park Pedestrian Bridge links Colmar Manor Community Park with Bladensburg Waterfront Park, with a picnic pavilion, a playground and opportunities for canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding. Additionally, the 20-mile paved Anacostia River Trail runs through Colmar Manor and weaves alongside the river.
Connected community
The Colmar Manor Community Center and Town Hall is a gathering place for residents, with meeting rooms, a basketball court and an indoor track. “The town hall is a great spot for weddings or showers,” Hobbs explains. “It’s also a great spot for the community to come together for various sporting events. There’s a great gym that hosts basketball, dance classes and soccer for kids of various ages. When it gets warm, we move the sports clinic outdoors.” There are also two community gardens in Colmar Manor, which are maintained by the neighborhood’s garden club. Harding explains that while people can buy plots and plant in the gardens, most of the community’s interactions with them come from workshops in which the garden club teaches neighbors about gardening skills. Residents can always pick produce from the gardens, which Harding notes, “was very useful during the pandemic.”
Homes built after World War I
“The community began when starter homes were built for soldiers returning from the First World War,” Hobbs says. “Depending on the family size, the lots would vary in size. Some homes are small, some are a bit larger. It’s a densely populated community.” Homes in Colmar Manor sit on a gridded street pattern. Some are enclosed by chain-link or picket fences, with brush spilling over. Small, cottage-style properties line the streets, along with a few split-level, ranch-style and American Foursquare homes peppered throughout the area. “The neighborhood has changed over time,” Harding explains. “Formerly, many homes had been handed down from generation to generation. Now, the neighborhood is transitioning, we’re seeing a lot of first-time homebuyers, and it’s getting a lot younger.” For about $300,000, potential homebuyers can find a 1930s three-bedroom Cape Cod house. Renovated four-bedroom bungalows cost around $370,000, while late 1970s split-levels are about $400,000. Closer to $500,000, buyers might find recently renovated American Foursquare or Colonial Revival houses from the 1920s.
Prince George County’s Public Schools
Students are zoned for Prince George’s County Public Schools. They can attend Rogers Heights Elementary School, William Wirt Middle School and Bladensburg High School, all of which receive C-minus grades from Niche. Bladensburg offers a JROTC program and has an active ESL program.
Shopping and dining along Newark Road
There’s a small shopping center along Newark Road with fast-casual options, like Taco Bell, Subway, Charbroiled Chicken & Grill and IHOP, which Hobbs says “is the location for a lot of community meetings and lunches.” Compare Foods of Colmar Manor is the neighborhood’s go-to grocery store, while CVS Pharmacy is its drug store. Outside the neighborhood, but nearby, locals can access restaurants and big-box stores. At The Shops at Dakota Crossing, about 2 miles southwest, there’s a Costco Wholesale, Lowe’s Improvement, Dick’s Sporting Goods and many other retailers and chain restaurants, like Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood & Bar.
6 miles to Washington, D.C.
Colmar Manor sits about 6 miles east of Washington, D.C., and locals can get there using Rhode Island Avenue. “The neighborhood’s walking score is very high,” Hobbs says. “You don’t need to rely on a car. You can hop on a bus that runs to the Metro and get to D.C. in a relatively quick time.” The nearest Metro station is the Cheverly station, about 4 miles south of the neighborhood.
Written By
Adreanna DeMarino
Photography Contributed By
Jack Adams
