GELMAN COMPANIES Marlow Heights Shopping Center Limited Partnership refused a Black Owner business to purchase a vacant Macy's at Marlow Heights.

The October 6, 1958 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Marlow Heights and the predecessor of Macy's governs the rights and responsibilities as between Marlow Heights and Macy's at the center. MOA provides that Macy's "may assign or lease the whole or any part of its rights in said property to," in relevant part, "any... person, firm or corporation having a credit standing substantially equal to or superior to The Hecht Company [i.e., Macy's predecessor under the MOA]."

GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated “This creditworthiness requirement is important to the financial integrity of the center and its tenants. It insures that future owners will have the capacity to pay their share” of price-gouging 900K CAM charges, which 70% is for security in our black community, making it 7 times higher than Macy’s most profitable location. 

Macy's submitted a letter to Marlow Heights in which Macy's contends that it will proceed with the sale of the property to CPN, regardless of the contractual conditions on such transactions.

Macy’s also submitted a Dun & Bradstreet related to Macy’s and CPN credit reports, showing CPN with a higher rating than Macy’s.

The GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated in a certified letter, addressed to the CPN owner's, home address that they object to the purchase due to issues or statements below:

• GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated, “Heavy security, in particular, is essential at this location, given the unending series of violent crimes and property crimes that take place there; just this month, three people were shot at The Shops at Iverson, mere steps from the Marlow Heights center.” This is GELMAN COMPANIES' main justification for price-gouging our Black community for security.
• GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated that CPN Small Black Business needs to meet "one of the largest retail businesses in the United States, with annual sales in excess of 683 million dollars and total assets of over 500 million dollars," according to its 1959 annual report.
• GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated “The equivalent figures in today's dollars would, of course, be many times higher. This is the standard that CPN must meet, but it seems obvious that CPN is in an entirely different category of business from the two department-store behemoths.”
• GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated “CPN in stark contrast to Macy's, an established national business that has existed for decades and whose parent company, Macy's, Inc., takes in tens of billions of dollars in yearly revenue.” By their standards, I need to be a billionaire to qualify for a vacant Macy’s building.
• GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated, “CPN has few employees, and it maintains a website riddled with dead ends, incomplete or missing information, and inoperable links - hardly a sign of a flourishing business in 2022.”
• GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated “internet investigation leads one to wonder whether CPN has a continuously operating business at all”
• GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated “can and will ensure that any sale of the property complies with the requirements of the MOA, including via litigation if necessary. And Marlow Heights wishes to make clear that, should litigation arise, it is likely that CPN will be named as a party to the action (whether as a third-party defendant, if Macy's sues Marlow Heights, or as a defendant, if Marlow Heights sues Macy's). Marlow Heights is hopeful, however, that its review of the materials requested hereinabove will make litigation unnecessary one way or another. That outcome is ideal in that it would permit all three parties to avoid the costs and other burdens of a lengthy and contentious lawsuit, including the costs of voluminous discovery, extensive motions practice, etc.”
• GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney stated “But, should litigation occur, Marlow Heights is prepared to litigate the case through trial and will almost certainly bring CPN into the case as a defendant or third-party defendant, in order to fully vindicate Marlow Heights's interests and to ensure all necessary parties are present in order for the Court to rule on the MOA issues that will persist going forward. Marlow Heights reserves all rights.

I find it amusing that Marlow Heights stated, “Marlow Heights will not abandon Prince George's County or the particular communities served by this center.” After I personally asked Marlow Heights for temporary use of their vacant space for food giveaways during the pandemic, GELMAN COMPANIES denied use because they stated that they did not want the risk.

GELMAN COMPANIES’ attorney continues to defame my wife, my company, or myself in letters sent to my house. After being in business for 22 years, I have never been so humiliated in my life for trying to do something to uplift our Community by bringing the Creating Opportunity within our Community (COWOC) Center. Objectively looking at what is needed in the community, it is important to understand that this purchase of said property is for multiple companies’ infrastructure. As described by Merriam-Webster, “Community is a body of persons or nations having a common history or common social, economic, and political interests.” Focusing our attention on those specific interests in the micro-community of Marlow Heights and surrounding Prince George’s County and Greater Washington DC areas, we recognize that the needs of the persons within the community are vast. While Prince George’s County, MD is touted as one of the wealthiest counties for African American populations to live, and is true for some, not all residents have access to quality food and job growth opportunities. In disadvantaged neighborhoods within the county, residents of that community can find three to five varieties of fried chicken year-round but finding fresh produce – even in the peak of summer – presents a logistical challenge. The reality is that it is often easier to obtain emergency pantry food than it is to receive and maintain food stamp benefits; a bleak picture of failing community food security begins to come into focus. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated example but a common rendering of many of America’s urban centers.

The Temple Hills and Suitland Areas of Prince Georges County, MD are the most impoverished and segregated areas. The neighborhood, corresponding to zip code 20748, is comprised of roughly 32,000 people, of which 45% live below 150% of the poverty level, with a median annual household income of only $27,000 (per capital income). About 37% of the neighborhood’s population are children. Job growth is stalled at almost 1%. The residents typically have jobs in food services, administration, and sales fields.

Please help change our community, brick by brick, block by block and support this petition.

GELMAN COMPANIES are price-gouging our Black community for security.

The GELMAN COMPANIES are taking from a Black community that lives 150% below the national poverty level. Macy's is still forced to pay over $800,000 per year in inflated CAM charges for the use of the parking lot after leaving in 2021.

Do you ever wonder why we lost the Marlow Heights Macy's that opened on August 29, 1960, in a now predominately black community?

Do you ever wonder why we never have access to any fortune 500 businesses or fortune Black-owned businesses in the Marlow Heights Shopping Center?

Do you ever wonder why they have 15 vacant retail spaces in the Marlow Heights Shopping Center?

The GELMAN COMPANIES law firm stated to Macy’s that “Marlow Heights will not abandon Prince George's County, or the particular communities served by this center.”  

But it will continue to price gouge the CAM charges making it impossible for any businesses in Marlow Heights Shopping Center to flourish.

We have a hard time trying to understand why the GELMAN COMPANIES feel the need to charge inflated CAM charges, which 70% is for security in our black community, and is 7 times higher than Macy’s most profitable location.