New venue announced for Mayor & Council meeting in Twinbrook

The City of Rockville announced yesterday that it has changed the venue for the Mayor & Council's community meeting in Twinbrook this coming Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at 7:00 PM. It will now be held at the Twinbrook Recreation Center, located at 12920 Twinbrook Parkway.

Mayor & Council to hold meeting in Twinbrook on Tuesday, March 6

UPDATE: The location of the meeting has been changed to the Twinbrook Recreation Center

The Mayor and Council will hold a meeting for Twinbrook residents on Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at 7:00 PM in the Social Hall at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, located at 603 Edmonston Drive. On the agenda is a community discussion.

Stonestreet Corridor Study draft recommendations to be presented Feb. 22

Rockville planning staff will present their draft recommendations for improvements and redevelopment opportunities in the city's Stonestreet corridor next Thursday, February 22, at 7:00 PM at Glenview Mansion, located at 603 Edmonston Drive. Those recommendations will be based on staff analysis and the input gathered at four previous community meetings.

Planners will be seeking feedback from the public on the proposed recommendations at the meeting. The study area encompasses the east and west sides of North and South Stonestreet avenues, from the northern edge on Westmore Road south, to where South Stonestreet Avenue ends at Veirs Mill Road. In total, the study area contains more than 150 acres of land.

Public meeting tonight on new Rockville assisted living development

A public meeting will be held tonight, Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 6:30 PM at the King Farm Community Center, located at 300 Saddle Ridge Circle. It will be an informational meeting regarding a proposed 155-unit assisted living facility at the northwest corner of West Gude Drive and Frederick Road (MD 355).

Veirs Mill corridor master plan meeting tonight

The next public meeting in the Veirs Mill corridor master plan process will be held tonight, Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 7:00 PM at Newport Mill Middle School, at 11311 Newport Mill Road in Kensington. At the last meeting, planners and residents identified and discussed community needs and challenges along the corridor.

Tonight, a consulting firm hired by the Montgomery County Planning Department will present their own list compiled after they conducted a study themselves. Residents and other stakeholders will be able to offer feedback on the consultant's report.

Public meetings scheduled for proposed self-storage, retail center in Rockville

Public meetings have been scheduled for two development projects proposed in Rockville. One is a 95000 SF self-storage facility that would be located at 204 North Stonestreet Avenue. The public can learn more at a meeting to be held Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 7:00 PM at the Rockville Memorial Library 1st floor meeting room, at 21 Maryland Avenue.

On the next night, a public meeting on a proposed 6000 SF retail center at 900 Rockville Pike will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at 7:00 PM, in the Blue Crab Conference Room at Rockville City Hall. You may recall this project is on the undeveloped land southeast of the intersection of the Pike and Edmonston Drive.

Veirs Mill Corridor master plan meeting October 4

The Montgomery County Planning Department will host its next Veirs Mill Corridor master plan meeting on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at 7:00 PM at Newport Mill Middle School, located at 11311 Newport Mill Road. Topics for the session will include pedestrian and bicycle safety, connectivity, access to transit and community facilities, improvements to the streetscape and sidewalks, and bike paths.

There's substantial evidence that the driving force behind the plan is the financial interest of one or more property owners along the corridor, who are seeking upzoning and increased density for their properties. That, combined with the developer-fueled Bus Rapid Transit plan for Veirs Mill, will lead to the demolition of several homes and apartment complexes.

162 new housing units proposed for King Farm, more Rockville jobs would be lost (Photos)

"Triplex" homes proposed for
King Farm Boulevard

King Farm could lose more future jobs if the Mayor and Council approve yet another request to convert planned office space in the development to residential. Developer Penrose Group is seeking the change, to allow construction of a condominium building and a series of "triplexes" on sites currently reserved for office space. The Mayor and Council will hear testimony on the proposal during a public hearing at tonight's meeting, which begins at 7:00 PM at City Hall.

120 of the housing units would be in a condo building at Piccard Drive and Choke Cherry Road, and 42 more would be in triplex homes on King Farm Boulevard. The units would be within the total number allowed by the King Farm master plan; 3,329 housing units have been constructed in King Farm so far, and 3600 units is the total permitted.

5-story condo building proposed
for Piccard Drive

However, the provision for office space in King Farm was designed to reduce traffic congestion by creating more job opportunities for residents of the development and the city. Swapping those for residential keeps all of the current commuters on the road, and adds the new residents who will commute in the morning.

While claiming that the revenue will help the City or County is perhaps the oldest canard in the developer PR handbook, the reality is that office developments create more net revenue for governments than residential. Not only does residential generate students for already-overcrowded public schools, but also requires the delivery of government services. In contrast, people working in the kind of offices you find in a place like King Farm are less likely to require government services. They not only may live outside of the jurisdiction, but also are probably making a decent white-collar wage and can support themselves.

The proposed change has been endorsed by the King Farm Citizens Assembly, and by a number of nearby landowners and developers.

B.F. Saul unveils vision for property by Twinbrook Metro (Photos)

Representatives of B.F. Saul/Saul Centers and their project partners unveiled plans for an 18-acre site on Rockville Pike by the Twinbrook Metro station at a public meeting last night. About 25 residents listened to a presentation, and gave feedback at tables designated for topics such as transportation, open space and project uses. The huge project, which could have up to 1865 housing units, will likely take more than a decade to fully build out, attorney Bob Dalrymple said. Anchoring the site will be a one-acre Central Park, and several smaller parks. The property is 600 feet from the Metro station, which executives say makes the site ideal for dense housing.

Todd Pearson, Senior VP at
B.F. Saul, welcomes attendees

B.F. Saul Senior V.P. Todd Pearson said the original 2016 project concept has been overhauled to incorporate community feedback. He said nearby residents asked for "great and engaging open spaces for the community," retail and entertainment options, and varied heights ranging from 6 stories near Twinbrook homes to 150'.

Slide showing a previous owner's
approved site plan, while Saul Centers
was acquiring the properties outlined
in red to the north

The project has also grown in size, after the company was finally able to reach an agreement with the property owner at the northeast corner of Rockville Pike and Halpine Road. Both Saul Centers and the City of Rockville had wanted that last corner to be added, a gateway location Pearson called "the front door to the project." Tom Gallas, CEO of Torti Gallas, said a planned office building at that corner will be a "signature gateway" to the development.

2016 concept; note bottom right
corner was not yet owned by B.F. Saul

Among the highlights of the new 2017 plan are the aforementioned Central Park green space, a straightening of Festival Street and Chapman Avenue Extended, and a plan to keep all loading docks and truck traffic away from the Central Park area. To achieve that, a service road will run under the cantilevered edge of the buildings along the Metro tracks, placing all deliveries and loading docks back there out of sight of both the development's future residents, and Twinbrook residents across the tracks.

Snapshot of development in
the Twinbrook area: Red is the
Saul Centers project, Orange is future
development, and Purple is completed
development; the thick white lines at the
lower left represent future road connections

The proposed Central Park would be four times the size of the square at Rockville Town Square, and three times the size of Rose Park at nearby competitor Pike & Rose. Daniel Ashtary, AIA, a principal at Torti Gallas, said the green will have real grass. Asked if architects had considered moving the 2-story restaurant building at the north end of the park - or the kiosks at the south end - to create an even-larger green space, Ashtary said the park will feel much bigger in person due to the scale of the buildings around it. B.F. Saul said all such suggestions from attendees will be considered going forward. There is also the possibility of bringing in a large tree to help create a sense of place as Pike & Rose recently did, Ashtary said.

A dedicated bike lane is expected to run alongside the Pike in front of the development. One attendee stressed that he would like to see that bike path added "sooner, rather than later," in the staging process. He said such an example would put pressure on future developers along the Pike to add such bicycle infrastructure.

An aerial view of the site today (above) was shown, and then compared to a rendering of what the site might look like a decade from now (below). Click any image to enlarge for greater detail.

Another idea on many minds at the event was the long-discussed possibility of adding a new pedestrian connection between Twinbrook and Rockville Pike over the railroad tracks. B.F. Saul representatives said that, while this is not in the preliminary design plans, they are open to the idea. There are some residents who aren't receptive to the idea, worrying that apartment dwellers across the tracks will litter and leave dog waste in Twinbrook.

Pink represents residential and
retail buildings; orange is an office building

School overcrowding is a topic of concern at every meeting on a new development, and last night was no exception. No estimates of student generation rates were discussed. Some questioned if Saul Centers could fill all of the retail spaces in these 10 buildings. "Is there too much retail already?" one attendee asked. "We don't want empty storefronts," Gallas said of these questions later in the meeting. Getting the parking number right was also a concern. One intriguing idea was the possibility of adding a platform where people could watch trains passing behind the building. Others stressed that they would like to see local businesses in the development, rather than national chains.

Open space concepts

One major issue that drew many questions during the breakout session was staging. Some of the team partners suggested that the signature office building at the corner of Halpine and the Pike might be the first constructed. However, John F. Collich, Senior VP of Acquisitions and Development for Saul Centers, said that no such plan is in stone yet. He said the ultimate staging is up in the air at this point, and will be entirely market-driven. Delivering the expensive Central Park amenity for example, Collich said, will require getting some revenue coming in from the property first. And the project hasn't even been approved by the City yet, a key first step in attracting tenants, he added.

View of Central Park from
Festival Street

Going forward, the City's Development Review Committee will take up the Project Plan application on September 28. Review of that plan by the Planning Commission and Mayor and Council will take place between this fall and early 2018. In the future, site plans will be submitted for the various stages of the project, and those will have to be approved by the Planning Commission.

Central Park

Pearson emphasized that B.F. Saul has been around since 1892, and has a long-term commitment to its projects. "We are not a build-and-flip type company," he said, which "incentivizes us to work with the community." A website for the project was announced, as well as other contact information for community feedback (see last image at bottom).

How office building at
Halpine and 355 will look
driving north on the Pike

View of Central Park from
Chapman Avenue Extended

Each star represents a parking
garage entrance in the
development

How bikes and pedestrians will
circulate through the development

Service/truck routes

Public meeting scheduled on Chestnut Lodge park proposal

A required pre-application area meeting on the proposed conversion of three Chestnut Lodge parcels into parkland will be held on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 7:00 PM in the Mayor and Council chambers at Rockville City Hall. The proposal would remove three land parcels from the Chestnut Lodge Planned Development at 500 West Montgomery Avenue for future use as a public park.

Public meeting scheduled for Saul Centers project in Rockville

Saul Centers has scheduled an informational public meeting on its proposed Twinbrook Metro Place development project. The required Pre-Application Area meeting will be held on Thursday, September 14, at 6:30 PM at the Hilton Hotel located at 1750 Rockville Pike.

The meeting location is across Halpine Road from the site of the massive, 10-building project. That project will encompass properties assembled from 1500-1616 Rockville Pike.

New apartment building proposed for Rockville Town Center

A developer is proposing a new, 240-unit apartment building with 8000 SF of retail space for Rockville Town Center. The building, which will offer garage parking, will be located at 220 E. Middle Lane.

A public meeting has been scheduled to unveil early details on the project, for which no application has yet been submitted to the City of Rockville. The meeting will be held next Thursday, May 11, at 7:00 PM in the Buchanan Room of VisArts at Rockville Town Square, which is located at 155 Gibbs Street.

Stonestreet corridor study to launch tonight in Rockville

The City of Rockville will launch a study of the Stonestreet corridor in East Rockville tonight, May 2, 2017, at 7:00 PM, at the Lincoln Park Community Center, located at 357 Frederick Avenue in Rockville. An area of about 150 acres will be studied between Westmore Road, and the dead-end of South Stonestreet Avenue.

There are several controversial properties within the study area. One is the Board of Education site, widely considered an eyesore, and which Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton has made a priority for redevelopment. Recently, yet another development proposal for the former WINX-AM radio site failed to garner support from city officials. WMATA owns land around its station toward the south end of the study area. And Montgomery County recently made a rash decision to secretly buy property on Westmore Avenue, only to have instant buyer's remorse when their MCPS bus depot scheme was blasted by residents.

The study will examine sites ready for redevelopment in the short and long-term, land-use compatibility, and improving relationships between residential properties and commercial-industrial uses.

Public meeting for Chestnut Lodge plan revision set for July 26 in Rockville

Applicant JNP Chestnut Lodge will host a public meeting regarding its revised project plan amendment for 500 W. Montgomery Avenue on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at 6:30 PM in the Mayor and Council Chambers at City Hall (111 Maryland Avenue).

This is in regard to the controversial townhome project planned for the former site of the Chestnut Lodge psychiatric facility's main lodge building. The revision sought is to reduce the number of units from 7 to 6, and slightly reduce the overall footprint of the structure.

If you can't make this particular meeting (and that's a real possibility given it is being held in the last prime vacation time of the summer), you can see the full tentative schedule for the review of this revised plan amendment in my previous post.

Senior housing proposed for former site of IBM building in Rockville

Developer IDI 50 Monroe, LLC, is proposing to build an apartment building for independent seniors at 50 Monroe Place in Rockville. This is the former site of the IBM Building, which was demolished in 2006, right behind the Americana Center. The site has sat vacant since.

A 13-story, 120' tall building with 175 seniors-only apartment units is proposed, along with 47 garage parking spaces, a 15' sidewalk area along Monroe Place, and new public-use space adjacent to James Monroe Park, which is directly behind the property. No retail space is mentioned.

A public meeting is being held by the applicant on Monday, July 18, 2016, at 7:00 PM, in the 1st Floor meeting room at the Rockville Memorial Library at 21 Maryland Avenue. The applicant hopes to receive approval from the City by the end of next year, break ground in early 2018, and anticipates delivery in the summer of 2019.

In addition to the July meeting, a Development Review Committee meeting has already been tentatively scheduled for August 18 at 10:00 AM at City Hall.

The IDI Companies is not new to senior housing developments in Montgomery County. The Arlington-based firm has developed 7 multifamily senior housing projects at Leisure World in Silver Spring.

Public meeting tonight on Falls Road shared-use path plans in Rockville

The City of Rockville is proposing
to extend this path on Falls Road

A public open house will be held tonight to unveil a design proposal for extending the shared-use path on Falls Road. The path would provide a new pedestrian and cycling connection between Dunster Road and Kimblewick Road.

City staff have reviewed the alignment proposed by a design consultant, and tonight will get public feedback on the proposed design.

The meeting will be held at the St. Raphael's Church Library, at 1513 Dunster Road, at 7:00 PM tonight, January 19, 2016.

Public forums scheduled to discuss recent Rockville election

Rockville's Board of Supervisors of Elections is hosting a pair of forums in the coming weeks to analyze the November 2015 City election. The forums are open to the public, and it is hoped that candidates who ran in the election will also be able to attend one of the two dates.

The first forum will be held from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, January 23. The second will be from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, February 4. Both will be held in the Mayor and Council Chambers at Rockville City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave.

At least 3 problems came to light during the November election. Questions were raised by one candidate about the machines used. Second, many inactive voters' names remain on the voter rolls. And third, there were reports that there was not a chief judge in each polling place at all times.

If you want to discuss these, or any other concerns that came to your mind during this most recent election, this is the perfect time to do so. For reference purposes, you can read the Elections portion of the City Code here, in Chapter 8.

Southlawn Industrial Area Study public meeting in Rockville tonight

Community meetings tend to slip by during the holidays, but if you have an interest in the future of the Southlawn industrial area and the surrounding neighborhoods, there is a meeting on that topic tonight at 6:30 PM, at the Lincoln Park Community Center at 357 Frederick Avenue in Rockville.

Tonight's meeting will present "possible redevelopment scenarios" for the industrial area, sure to be of concern to current residents, and owners and employees of the Southlawn industrial land and businesses.

Public meeting on Southlawn Industrial Area study tonight in Rockville

The fourth public meeting on the Southlawn Industrial Area study will be held tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Maryvale Elementary School (1000 1st Street), in the cafeteria.

Representatives of consulting firm VHB will present their initial recommendations, based upon  public comments at previous meetings, and their analysis. They will then collect more public feedback before making final recommendations.

The study is an attempt to identify ways to reduce the negative impacts of the industrial area on nearby neighborhoods like Burgundy Knolls, David Scull Courts, East Rockville and Lincoln Park. It will also suggest potential changes or opportunities in land use within the industrial area.

First Street Bridge to be replaced in Rockville

The City of Rockville is preparing to replace the First Street Bridge in East Rockville. Expected to begin last fall, the nearly $1.5 million dollar project has been delayed. The replacement was recommended after an inspection of the bridge by a city consultant in 2012.

As an added benefit to the community, a sidewalk will be constructed on the east side of First Street from Lynn Court to the First Street spur road as part of the project. The affected portion of First Street will be closed to traffic during the construction.

Residents can attend a public meeting tomorrow night, October 1, 2015, from 6:30-7:30 PM, at the somewhat unusual location of the First Street entrance to Maryvale Park.

Photo courtesy Rockville Department of Public Works