A house built by Hyattsville’s founder that is considered to be one of the oldest buildings still standing in the city is listed for sale.

Built by Christopher Hyatt sometime before 1873, the two-and-a-half story Colonial Revival house at 4901 40th Pl. is also called the Kuhns House after a previous owner. One previous occupant of the home was noted D.C. muralist MISS CHELOVE.

The five-bedroom, two-bath house is currently listed for sale at $795,000.

Hyatt founded the city that bears his name in 1845 after purchasing land near the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the Washington and Baltimore Turnpike, two transportation lines that guaranteed it would be valuable land.

But the area really started to take off when the 82 Streetcar Line reached Hyattsville and Riverdale Park in 1899, and then College Park the following year.

Many of the homes in Hyattsville’s Historic District, where the Kuhns House is located, are from that era, making it a bit of a rarity. Its Colonial Revival design was also a little ahead of the time, as that architectural style was more popular in the early 20th century.

The house has been updated since then, with new wraparound porches, but many of the original touches, including a wood-burning fireplace, kitchen cabinets and exposed brick.

Another old house in Hyattsville, called Ash Hill, was built in the 1840s.

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A former sanitation worker in Bladensburg will graduate from Harvard Law School this spring and is using his story to help others in the industry.

Raised by a single father who often worked three jobs, Rehan Staton hauled trash and emptied dumpsters for Bates Trucking & Trash Removal in Bladensburg after being rejected from every college he applied to.

His coworkers convinced him to keep trying, however, and he was accepted into Bowie State University, eventually transferring to the University of Maryland.

“The other sanitation workers were the only people in my life who uplifted me and told me I could be somebody,” Staton said in a 2020 interview.

Due to financial issues, he had to keep working at Bates, often attending class in his neon-yellow uniform when he didn’t have time to change. His brother dropped out of college to work full-time to support him.

Staton graduated from the University of Maryland with a 4.0 in 2018 and was chosen as the school’s commencement speaker and two years later he was accepted into Harvard Law. After a story about his life ran in the Washington Post, the actor and producer Tyler Perry offered to pay his tuition at Harvard.

Set to graduate soon, Staton organized a fundraiser to benefit sanitation workers called the Reciprocity Effect, raising more than $70,000 so far.

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Businesses hurt by the extended construction of the Purple Line transit line can get grants of up to $10,000.

With construction not slated for completion until mid-2027, some of the 400 businesses located along the 16-mile stretch that runs through Riverdale Park and College Park have seen customers drop.

To help offset the damage, Prince George’s County and the Maryland Department of Commerce are funding grants through FSC First, a community development financial institution.

The grants can be used for anything from rent and electricity bills to insurance and payroll. If approved through a simple application process, businesses can get the money in as little as 10 days.

Endalew Gurmu, owner of Memo Market on University Boulevard, applied for a grant to help with rent, telling NBC Washington that his revenue had dropped by nearly two-thirds due to construction.

Eligible businesses have until May 12 to apply. The online application is available here.

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Cafe Azul – Caracas de Ayer will open its new location this Saturday, April 29,  at the Station at Riverdale Park.

Previously located in Hyattsville’s Arts District, the popular Venezuelan restaurant has moved to a new location at 6740 45th St., next to MOD Pizza and across the street from Le Fantome food hall.

Owner Mickey Torrealba, who is originally from Venezuela, but resides on the corridor, told the Hyattsville Wire that the new location has more space, with 32 seats inside and 10 outside; more parking, and is located in a hub of other restaurants closer to the University of Maryland.

The highlight of the menu are traditional Venezuelan arepas, gluten-free white corn cakes made from scratch daily and featuring fillings such as shredded beef, roasted pork, stewed chicken or Spanish chorizo and queso de mano, Guayanés or Gouda cheese.

Other options include cachapas, a traditional Venezuelan pancake; beef bowls, corn tamales and a Cuban sandwich; and chicha de arroz, a drink made with rice, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar.

Cafe Azul will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

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Construction on the new public library in Bladensburg is ahead of schedule, and it is now planned to open as early as this summer.

Originally slated to open in 2024, the 22,834 square-foot building is almost three times the size of the previous library at the same location at 4820 Annapolis Rd.

Joining new libraries in Hyattsville and Laurel, the library will feature a number of more modern features, including a makerspace, indoor and outdoor fireplaces and solar panels and electric-car charging stations.

It will be the first county building that is certified LEED Silver, the third-highest level of environmentally conscious designed recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The exterior of the building, which is almost complete, was designed by Gant Brunnett Architects to reflect the area’s history as a port, with a swooping design evocative of old-timey sailing ships.

The theme continues inside with nautical-themed art, a bowsprit sculpture at the entrance to the children’s area, which also features an authentic ship’s wheel, a wooden dock and colorful waves.

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Communities along the Route 1 corridor have recently gained recognition for their efforts at boosting native pollinators.

Brentwood has a Pollinator Garden, Cottage City has a hive in its community garden and Edmonston created bee habitats in recycled tires in its middle school.

Hyattsville also created a bee-friendly food forest, Riverdale Park created an insect hotel, and College Park and Greenbelt were named official Bee Cities. University Park restored a wildflower meadow for wild bees, while a park in Mount Rainier teaches kids about their importance.

Just before Earth Day, the University of Maryland was also also recognized, being named as a “Bee Campus” due to efforts like its Honey Bee Lab and pollinator garden.

Scientists say the broad approach is helpful because each city has its own native bees. Creating areas where they can circulate help them move around, boosting the genetic diversity of the overall bee population.

You can learn more about how to help native bees in your own yard here.

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Riviera Tapas has moved across the street to a new location in Riverdale Park.

After five years in the historic town center, the Spanish-Mexican fusion restaurant moved into the former home of Banana Blossom Bistro in the corner of the the Riverdale Park Town Center building.

The new restaurant location opened at its new spot at 6202 Rhode Island Ave., Suite 116, on March 31. Banana Blossom Bistro moved out of the space to a smaller location at Union Market a year ago.

Owner Hugo Bonilla, who is originally from El Salvador, built the menu around a a fusion of American, Spanish and Mexican tapas in contemporary and traditional cooking styles. Since opening in 2018, it’s become a mainstay of the Route 1 dining scene.

Riviera Tapas was named a runner-up for best Latin American restaurant and best brunch in the 2022 Hyattsville Wire readers poll.

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