Prince George's mulls tax credits for use of 'brownfield' land

Drive along parts of Sheriff Road into Fairmount Heights in Prince George's County, and it's obvious some properties need an overhaul.

At the intersection of K Street, the corner of a half-demolished building is surrounded by a fence and overrun with weeds. A few blocks ahead, an abandoned building sits with rusty bars on its door and window with the word "COFFEE" written on the roof.

For communities and developers, older abandoned sites such as these are often some of the hardest to turn around. Questions of pollution, required environmental reviews and other development hurdles frequently make prospective developers shy away.