Demolition has begun on several older buildings at 5300 Baltimore Avenue in Hyattsville’s Arts District to make way for a new apartment and retail building.

When completed, the Canvas Apartments will have 30,000 square feet of retail space and 285 apartments next to the historic Armory building and across the street from Busboys and Poets.

The project should greatly improve the streetscape on the western side of Route 1, with plans calling for a 12-foot wide sidewalk and two public plazas that will have outdoor seating, large planters, public art and a water feature to make the area more walkable.

There will also be a 680-car garage with 160 spaces available for customers of nearby shops.

Previously called the Rail Yard Apartments and the Armory Apartments, the $26 million project has been planned for several years, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Urban Investment Partners now expects to finish by the spring of 2024.

The six-story, 315,000-square-foot building will be a massive addition to the area, but the building is designed to have several distinct sections to make it less monolithic, and the height will step down on each side to blend in with neighboring buildings better.

Developers also argue that overall it will match the height of the Armory and the Verizon building.

The properties were the site of an effort by local firm Green Owl Design, “Fight the Blight,” in 2017 to put public art on the empty buildings as well as the Blue Bird Cab Co. sign that is a reminder of the area’s past.

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