Diamondback: CP's Cafritz, Harris Teeter Stances Hard to Square

A staff editorial in Thursday's edition of The Diamondback questions the consistency of recent moves by the College Park Council after it voted to oppose the proposed Cafritz development but signaled interest in luring a high-end grocery store to a nearby site.

, Harris Teeter is one of several grocers weighing a new location at the College Park Shopping Center, situated about half a mile north of the Whole Foods-anchored Cafritz project. JBG Rosenfeld Retail is exploring the possibility of a mixed-use development at the site.

Earlier this month, the College Park council in opposing the Cafritz rezoning plan, citing traffic and density concerns.

But on Tuesday, members that would allow future College Park grocery stores to sell wine and beer—a move aimed at attracting a Harris Teeter-type store to town.

"Why does the city council support redeveloping the College Park Shopping Center, which is perhaps years from breaking ground, when other developments — the Whole Foods project, the Maryland Book Exchange site — seem imminent?" the Diamondback writes.

"As this editorial board sees it, the only meaningful difference between the three proposals is location … Either that, or council members just really like Harris Teeter," it adds.

Read the full editorial here.