Hyattsville Development Hit Hard by Recession

The economy has hit new Hyattsville developments hard:

Mattress Discounters closed in November, followed by Circuit City in March. The bankrupt retailers left a gaping hole. And that's not all: The firm that leased office space on the top level of the development vacated, too.

"It just devastates developers like me," said Harvey Taylor, 72, president of the company that bears his name.

Many tenants are hurting, and replacing the bankrupt can be difficult, partly because "the tenants that are strong take advantage of the situation by asking for rent reductions and all sorts of goodies," Taylor said.

Its weird to go by the new shops at the PG plaza metro station and see that many of the retailers have closed or some storefronts that have remained vacant since the complex opened over a year ago.