Project Team

John S. Pantelides of John S. Pantelides and Associates LLC, Ron Johnson of Ronald W. Johnson, and Associates. Inc. and George Phelps, Jr. submitted a proposal to the state of Maryland in response to their “Requests for Expressions of Interest for the disposal and redevelopment of the former Crownsville Hospital Center Campus” on June 23, 2008. Unfortunately, George and Marion Phelps have passed away but their input was critical, especially in the development of a museum to document the history of Crownsville.

Mr. Pantelides is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration and American Government. Since 1987, Mr. Pantelides has been involved in every facet of the land development process from finding raw ground to processing projects through the government, construction, and sale of the finished product.

As a former administrator and close aide of County Executive Robert Pascal from 1976-1980, Mr. Pantelides worked closely with the County Executive on many of his key policy goals, including improving services to seniors, drug, and alcohol abuse, expanding recreation and parks and government efficiency.

Mr. Pantelides was one of the major team players with visionary Frank Scott in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s that developed approximately 1,000 units at Cromwell Fountain on New Ordnance Road in Glen Brunie. Crowell Fountain was one of the first work force housing developments, as it offered one-bedroom condominiums starting at $60,000.

John Pantelides was one of the key team members and a partner in the Anne Arundel County’s first mixed use zoning project, The Village at Waugh Chapel in Gambrills, MD. The visionary behind the Village at Waugh Chapel was Bob DeStefano. This 71.6-acre project provided for the first time, a mix of residential, commercial, medical and office uses on the same piece of land. In addition, a set of Regulations were passed by the County Council Bill No 36-96 which set forth Master Development Standards as to architecture, scale, materials, signage, environmental sensitivity to ensure that the Village would be something very special. Indeed, 25 years later, the Village at Waugh Chapel with its 2 ponds, walking trails, wide sidewalks, donated community center and that Village feel, remains the gold standard of how to build a mixed-use development.

The Village at Waugh Chapel was created through special legislation in 1996, Bill 36-96, An Ordinance concerning: Suburban Community Centers. This legislation and the construction of The Village at Waugh Chapel which opened in July of 2000, provided the model for mixed use zoning, and has been emulated in many mixed-use projects since its opening in 2000.

In 2002, Mr. Pantelides founded, John. S. Pantelides and Associates, LLC which specializes in working with developers, non-profit organizations, and individual citizens to achieve land use changes and assist in the development process.(go to www.jsp-consulting.com)

Mr. Pantelides and George Phelps Jr. founded the Alliance For Fair Land Use in the summer of 2004 to lobby for changes in the Anne Arundel County Zoning Code and Subdivision Regulations. Both Mr. Phelps and Mr. Pantelides worked Pro Bono. 

The goal of the Alliance for Fair Land Use was to propose legislation and amendments that would create a strong local economy, encourage moderate and workforce housing, simplify the approval and permit system, and provide the incentives to build innovative and environmentally sound developments. 

You will find a copy of The Alliance For Fair Land Use Brochure in the attached proposal, “A New Beginning” Although the Alliance is not in operation, you will see that some of what is proposed for the redevelopment of the Crownsville Hospital Site is taken from the recommendations made to Anne Arundel County by the Alliance for Fair Land Use.

Since 1963, Mr. Ron Johnson has been involved in the development and engineering profession in Anne Arundel County. Ron Johnson of Ronald W. Johnson and Associates, LLC has been an engineering company for 46 years. (see attached resume in the attached proposal, “A New Beginning”

Mr. George H. Phelps, Jr. was Anne Arundel County’s first African American law enforcement officer when he became an Anne Arundel County Sheriff’s Deputy in 1951. In praising Mr. Phelps, The Anne Arundel County Fraternal of Police Lodge #70 stated on their website that” He was a remarkable man who, we believe, did more for police, community and race relations in the city and Anne Arundel County than anyone else.”

 Mr. Phelps was a Paul Harris Fellow with the Rotary Club and had been inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Annapolis and Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Phelps was the founder of the Anne Arundel County Chapter of Opportunities Industrialization Centers, Inc. which provided job training and is still in operation today. In addition, Mr. Phelps is a past member of the Planning Advisory Board and has been honored by numerous organizations for his civic and charitable work in the community. Mr. Phelps has done extensive work on the history of African Americans at the Crownsville hospital. Both Mr. Phelps and his wife Marion provided invaluable history as they were both heavily involved in the Crownsville Hospital Center. Mr. Phelps worked at Crownsville Hospital and his wife Marion was the sixth President of the Women’s Auxiliary of Crownsville State Hospital from 1962-1964.

The members of the team discussed above have lived their entire lives in Anne Arundel County and have been involved with land use and social issues in the County for over 50 years.