Uniwest Management Inc. is seeking to convert a vacant Rockville office building into residential housing. The company has proposed adding three additional floors to the building at 12501 Ardennes Avenue in Twinbrook, for a total of 115' in height. There would be up to 190 residential units in the modified building, as well as existing garage parking that exceeds the City's minimum space number requirement, and the addition of new landscaping and design elements to reflect the residential use. 15% of the residential units would be set aside as Moderately-Priced-Dwelling-Units.
The building was only constructed in 2009, and has a nice curved facade. Unfortunately, the General Services Administration decided not to renew its lease at the property, and it now stands vacant as a result. Uniwest says it has attempted to find new tenants, but has concluded that "there simply is not an office market in this location." It notes that suburban Maryland has the highest office vacancy rate in the region, according to a JLL study.
Montgomery County has not attracted a single major corporate headquarters in a quarter century. A Planning Commission meeting will be scheduled to review the Revised Site Plan that Uniwest has submitted to the City.
Photos courtesy Uniwest
Sounds nice!
ReplyDeleteWhy then is a new office building under construction around the corner from this one? Over Wegmans
DeleteHuh? It isn't. Nor is that relevant.
DeleteYes, fill it up.
ReplyDeleteThere is no office building over Wegmans under construction at Twinbrook Quarter. Only the apartments have been built. Look carefully and only the "podium" for the future office building has been built and the use could always change to hotel or residential at a later date, like what just happened to the office component of Ellsworth Place Mall in Silver Spring
ReplyDeleteThis would be a great complement to the other projects planned for that area, both in the county and the city. Twinbrook is really becoming an attractive destination. Not only is it attracting residents, but also employment in the life sciences.
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck was the GSA using this site for? It has always looked vacant.
ReplyDelete