Charlestowne North Receiver Appointed; Tenants Notified
The Prince George’s County Circuit Court appointed Tarantino Properties of Texas as receiver for the Charlestowne North apartment building on February 26, and Tarantino staff began working at the building on February 28. This occurred within one month of Freddie Mac’s February 2 receivership filing in Prince George’s County Circuit Court. Charlestowne North tenants described […]
Charlestowne North Lender Files For Foreclosure and Receivership
Residents of the troubled Charlestowne North apartment building saw their first concrete steps toward improving their living conditions last week, when they learned from Greenbelt City Manager Josué Salmerón and Mayor Emmett Jordan that lender Freddie Mac filed for foreclosure and emergency receivership against the building owner on January 31 and February 2, 2024. The […]
Charlestowne North Tenants Meet With City Staff and Local Officials
Over 80 Charlestowne North tenants filled the Greenbelt Library auditorium on Saturday, January 13 to meet with city staff; city, county and state elected officials and community legal advisors. The apartment complex has been plagued with health, safety and security issues since an ownership change in January 2023 (see News Review issues for September 14, […]
Charlestowne North Tenants Call for Attorney General Action
The News Review first reported on security, health and safety issues at the Charlestowne North apartment complex in the September 14, 2023, issue of the News Review. Since then, the property has incurred multiple city code violations and fines and, finally, lost its rental license due to non-compliance with city code. The property manager and […]
GSA to Evaluate FBI HQ Greenbelt Selection Process
The General Services Administration (GSA) plans to evaluate the process by which GSA selected Greenbelt for the new national headquarters of the FBI. GSA’s Acting Inspector General Robert Erickson will conduct the evaluation. Following GSA’s November 8, 2023, announcement of Greenbelt’s selection (see the November 16, 2023, News Review) over Landover, Md., and Springfield, Va., […]
GHI’s New General Manager, James Claggett Jr., Fits Right In
James Claggett Jr. is the new general manager at Greenbelt Homes, Inc. (GHI). He has been on the job for four months, starting on July 10. The News Review talked with Claggett recently about how he was settling into his new job. Claggett grew up in Montgomery County and has lived in Prince George’s […]
FBI HQ Comes to Greenbelt, Finally
Greenbelt’s City Council Room was full of jubilation and pride on the rainy morning of Friday November 10, when Maryland Governor Wes Moore led an extraordinary press conference to celebrate Greenbelt’s selection as the location of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) national headquarters (HQ). The event followed the General Services Administration’s (GSA) selection announcement […]
Mengel Takes on a Life-long Goal: Owning a Restaurant
In this final part of a three-part series, Erica Johns introduces readers to Aaron Mengel, the new owner of Generous Joe’s. Aaron Mengel began his love of cooking as a child living in Baltimore. He would often accompany his mother to her restaurant job when she couldn’t afford babysitters. Spending so much time in restaurants […]
Joe Jr. Flips Burgers at Age 12, Makes Partner by his Mid-20s
This is the second part of a three-part series about the historic diner. The News Review reported last week that Generous Joe’s was sold to its manager, Greenbelt resident Aaron Mengel by the Natoli family who opened the diner in the Center in 1966 and has owned and operated the restaurant since that time. Last […]
Natolis Sell Generous Joe’s; Remembering Golden Start
This is part one of a three-part series. The orange booths in Generous Joe’s Deli were busy with families, couples, teens and kids at lunchtime on a recent Tuesday, eating pizza, sandwiches and Italian hoagies. The air was filled with chatter, laughter and music; staff talking with customers and each other; and customers’ congratulations to […]