Montgomery County Development News

[Infoman]

This thread is dedicated to Montgomery County...we have lots of new developments coming in, and maybe another will be proposed tommrow.

[hpal3]

Good idea infoman. How many threads have you started???

[Ty Doggie]

Hopefully economy hasn't put it all to a halt.

[Infoman]

Originally Posted by hpal3

Good idea infoman. How many threads have you started???

To many Some of them are bad, and some are good...This one was needed because the Silver Spring, and Washington D.C. Development News threads were getting all Montgomery County Posts (I know that SS is in MoCo)...

[hpal3]

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008
Purple Line could bring redevelopment to area
Commercial, residential, retail space could resemble King Farm
by Andrew Ujifusa | Staff Writer

The Chevy Chase Lake area could resemble Rockville's King Farm mixed-use development in terms of style, if the Purple Line light rail project is built and a station is constructed along the Capital Crescent Trail.

Approximately 250,000 square feet of commercial property owned by the Chevy Chase Land Company called Lake East, located between Manor Road and Chevy Chase Lake Drive on the east side of Connecticut Avenue, would be redeveloped to include a transit-oriented shopping center, small retail stores and office space, according to company president Edward Asher.

Twenty acres of current residential areas could also be altered to include multi-family homes, as well as low- to moderately-priced residences as required under Montgomery County land use rules.

The trail runs between Manor Road and Chevy Chase Lake Drive, through Lake East, Asher said. He said the redevelopment plans for Lake East have not been reassessed for six years. Lake East currently includes high-rise office space, a supermarket, and a hardware store.

King Farm, located within Rockville, is a 430-acre mixed-use residential community with 45 acres of recreational amenities and 33 stores in a village center. Eight homes recently sold in King Farm ranged in price from $450,000 to $866,000, according to a Web site run by Llewellyn Realtors, which specializes in King Farm homes.

Some trail advocates are objecting to the Chevy Chase Lane Company's role in discussions over the Purple Line, which would connect downtown Bethesda to New Carrollton through Silver Spring over 16 miles with rapid bus or light rail.

They have expressed concern that the development around any light rail project would create a "Trojan horse" for dense commercial zones that would destroy the community on the trail and the trail itself.

Asher, whose company owns 100,000 square feet of high-end retail space called the Collection at Chevy Chase in Friendship Heights, and is developing another commercial site in Friendship Heights, Chevy Chase Center, asserted that Lake East would be primarily low rise structures and would not resemble the shopping area in Friendship Heights. He said stores convenient for working people on foot were being considered, instead of "big box" stores such as Target and Best Buy.

"It would be an integrated, residential, walking community," he said.

But others believe that overbearing commercial spaces and a loss of the trail as a community resource are inevitable if Chevy Chase Lake gets light rail.

"I don't know how you measure that in dollars. But when you lose that, we become more like rats in a maze," said Maureen Jais-Mick, co-chair of Rethinking the Purple Line, a community coalition against light rail on the trail. "We've got good development going in. We've got good green space. Why do they want to bulldoze it?"

Tom Autrey, a member of the Montgomery County Park and Planning Commission's transportation staff, said development near a light rail station must be friendly to pedestrians.

Some goals in development around rail stations could be to get 25 to 30 jobs per acre, as well as five to nine dwellings per acre, he said, although all plans must be tailored to fit existing conditions.

"Typically what you're looking for is a mix of uses, and some kind of transition to the surrounding area that makes sense," he said. "In other words, it's not just abrupt. It works physically. Walking is very important."

Gigi Godwin, president of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, said light rail is more attractive than buses to the business community because of its appearance, dedicated infrastructure, and the sense that it is the "best technology out there."

"It's a model that people are familiar with all over the country and the world," she said.

But trail advocates argue that new rapid bus systems are significantly more advanced as well as visually attractive than past buses, including such features as priority at traffic signals.

Jais-Mick said despite private sector enthusiasm, public sector financing for light rail from fares would not be enough to pay for the possible cost of the project, estimated as high as $1.6 billion.

"One hundred million dollars a mile for something we're going to have to subsidize in perpetuity is simply irresponsible," she said.

[hpal3]

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008
Avalon Bay plan endorsed
Council unanimously passes limited amendment to Sector Plan that would allow for mixed-use development; official vote slated for Tuesday
by Amber Parcher | Staff Writer
In an unofficial vote last week, County Council members unanimously approved a limited amendment to the Wheaton Sector Plan to allow for mixed-use development at the northern end of Wheaton's central business district.

County Council members voted 8-0, with Roger Berliner (D-Dist. 1) of Potomac absent, during a Nov. 25 work session to approve land-use recommendations from the county's Planning Board for 7.6 acres currently occupied by office space and vacant lots on Blueridge Avenue between Georgia Avenue and Elkin Street. An official vote is scheduled for Tuesday.

If passed, the limited amendment would allow for the $100 million Avalon Bay project to proceed. The Virginia-based developers have proposed a 383,000-square-foot mixed-use complex on the corner of Georgia and Blueridge avenues that would add 320 housing units and a Safeway.

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development committee recommended the amendment with several changes. In October, members of the committee were concerned the maximum density — 100 units per acre under the new mixed-use zoning— was too high for a 3.8-acre parcel of land owned by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and slated for a possible housing development.

That parcel is now limited to 50 units per acre under the amendment, "a realistic level of development," said Marlene Michaelson, senior legislative analyst for the County Council, at the work session.

And a clause requiring developers to make a school facility payment was added to address the concern that an increase in development would put too much stress on local schools.

An estimated 830 housing units from the Avalon Bay and WMATA properties would add about 35 elementary school, 33 middle school and 28 high school students to the Kennedy High School cluster, according to a council memorandum. Those numbers are significant but wouldn't quite put schools at capacity, according to the memorandum.

The more contentious issue in the amendment is a .13-acre parcel on the corner of Blueridge Avenue and Elkin Street. The office space is owned by Harold Weinberg, who runs a realty company there. Weinberg has consistently opposed the limited amendment, saying he's concerned about the effects of development near his property that hasn't gone through a full, two-year study. He said he'd rather see the process go through the lengthy update of Wheaton's 18-year-old Sector Plan, which is in the beginning stages.

"I think the council had their minds made up years ago," he said of their unanimous vote on the limited amendment.

Planners and County Council members have debated about whether to keep his property zoned commercial, making it a small commercial space surrounded by residential and mixed-use, or to re-zone it with everything else. Ultimately, the County Council decided to keep his space commercial, with a clause that would allow it to change to mixed-use in the Sector Plan.

Weinberg said after the work session that if the amendment passes, "it's a good possibility" he will bring it to the county Board of Appeals, challenging it on the grounds it's illegal spot zoning and there wasn't a comprehensive enough review.

He also said he agrees with planners that the entire block would be better served under one zone and he would consider selling his parcel to developers

[Infoman]

http://www.gazette.net/stories/12052...46_32486.shtml
Mass-transit supporters see bright future in the purple line...

[Infoman]

Originally Posted by hpal3

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008
Purple Line could bring redevelopment to area
Commercial, residential, retail space could resemble King Farm
by Andrew Ujifusa | Staff Writer

The Chevy Chase Lake area could resemble Rockville's King Farm mixed-use development in terms of style, if the Purple Line light rail project is built and a station is constructed along the Capital Crescent Trail.

Approximately 250,000 square feet of commercial property owned by the Chevy Chase Land Company called Lake East, located between Manor Road and Chevy Chase Lake Drive on the east side of Connecticut Avenue, would be redeveloped to include a transit-oriented shopping center, small retail stores and office space, according to company president Edward Asher.

Twenty acres of current residential areas could also be altered to include multi-family homes, as well as low- to moderately-priced residences as required under Montgomery County land use rules.

The trail runs between Manor Road and Chevy Chase Lake Drive, through Lake East, Asher said. He said the redevelopment plans for Lake East have not been reassessed for six years. Lake East currently includes high-rise office space, a supermarket, and a hardware store.

King Farm, located within Rockville, is a 430-acre mixed-use residential community with 45 acres of recreational amenities and 33 stores in a village center. Eight homes recently sold in King Farm ranged in price from $450,000 to $866,000, according to a Web site run by Llewellyn Realtors, which specializes in King Farm homes.

Some trail advocates are objecting to the Chevy Chase Lane Company's role in discussions over the Purple Line, which would connect downtown Bethesda to New Carrollton through Silver Spring over 16 miles with rapid bus or light rail.

They have expressed concern that the development around any light rail project would create a "Trojan horse" for dense commercial zones that would destroy the community on the trail and the trail itself.

Asher, whose company owns 100,000 square feet of high-end retail space called the Collection at Chevy Chase in Friendship Heights, and is developing another commercial site in Friendship Heights, Chevy Chase Center, asserted that Lake East would be primarily low rise structures and would not resemble the shopping area in Friendship Heights. He said stores convenient for working people on foot were being considered, instead of "big box" stores such as Target and Best Buy.

"It would be an integrated, residential, walking community," he said.

But others believe that overbearing commercial spaces and a loss of the trail as a community resource are inevitable if Chevy Chase Lake gets light rail.

"I don't know how you measure that in dollars. But when you lose that, we become more like rats in a maze," said Maureen Jais-Mick, co-chair of Rethinking the Purple Line, a community coalition against light rail on the trail. "We've got good development going in. We've got good green space. Why do they want to bulldoze it?"

Tom Autrey, a member of the Montgomery County Park and Planning Commission's transportation staff, said development near a light rail station must be friendly to pedestrians.

Some goals in development around rail stations could be to get 25 to 30 jobs per acre, as well as five to nine dwellings per acre, he said, although all plans must be tailored to fit existing conditions.

"Typically what you're looking for is a mix of uses, and some kind of transition to the surrounding area that makes sense," he said. "In other words, it's not just abrupt. It works physically. Walking is very important."

Gigi Godwin, president of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, said light rail is more attractive than buses to the business community because of its appearance, dedicated infrastructure, and the sense that it is the "best technology out there."

"It's a model that people are familiar with all over the country and the world," she said.

But trail advocates argue that new rapid bus systems are significantly more advanced as well as visually attractive than past buses, including such features as priority at traffic signals.

Jais-Mick said despite private sector enthusiasm, public sector financing for light rail from fares would not be enough to pay for the possible cost of the project, estimated as high as $1.6 billion.

"One hundred million dollars a mile for something we're going to have to subsidize in perpetuity is simply irresponsible," she said.

Speaking of the purple line!!! Here is the link to the website...Hope you enjoy everyone.

http://www.purplelinenow.com/

[Htay9500]

My dad just told me that the purple line was a green light...don't they announce it sometime this month?

[NovaWolverine]

It's basically done, it's supposed to be official any day now if it hasn't been already, but it's close to a done deal.

[Infoman]

I sure hope so, Maryland is working on a lot of new transit...Purple Line, Maglev (Baltimore, D.C.) http://www.bwmaglev.com/ , Green Light (Baltimore), Red Line (Baltimore), and possibly another called Corridor Cities Transitway (MoCo) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corridor_Cities_Transitway

[sovman]

Yeah, there's a lot of hope that the Obama administration's focus on improving infrastructure will provide lots of funds for a lot of these projects. The purple line is essentially a go, the CCT is currently in the planning phase, and if a lot of federal money is available, they won't have to compete for funding... though, honestly, there'd be very little competition, since the Purple Line is already basically a go. It just means that the CCT won't have to wait decades for more money to become available.

[garykool81]

Originally Posted by hpal3

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008
Avalon Bay plan endorsed
Council unanimously passes limited amendment to Sector Plan that would allow for mixed-use development; official vote slated for Tuesday
by Amber Parcher | Staff Writer
In an unofficial vote last week, County Council members unanimously approved a limited amendment to the Wheaton Sector Plan to allow for mixed-use development at the northern end of Wheaton's central business district.

County Council members voted 8-0, with Roger Berliner (D-Dist. 1) of Potomac absent, during a Nov. 25 work session to approve land-use recommendations from the county's Planning Board for 7.6 acres currently occupied by office space and vacant lots on Blueridge Avenue between Georgia Avenue and Elkin Street. An official vote is scheduled for Tuesday.

If passed, the limited amendment would allow for the $100 million Avalon Bay project to proceed. The Virginia-based developers have proposed a 383,000-square-foot mixed-use complex on the corner of Georgia and Blueridge avenues that would add 320 housing units and a Safeway.

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development committee recommended the amendment with several changes. In October, members of the committee were concerned the maximum density — 100 units per acre under the new mixed-use zoning— was too high for a 3.8-acre parcel of land owned by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and slated for a possible housing development.

That parcel is now limited to 50 units per acre under the amendment, "a realistic level of development," said Marlene Michaelson, senior legislative analyst for the County Council, at the work session.

And a clause requiring developers to make a school facility payment was added to address the concern that an increase in development would put too much stress on local schools.

An estimated 830 housing units from the Avalon Bay and WMATA properties would add about 35 elementary school, 33 middle school and 28 high school students to the Kennedy High School cluster, according to a council memorandum. Those numbers are significant but wouldn't quite put schools at capacity, according to the memorandum.

The more contentious issue in the amendment is a .13-acre parcel on the corner of Blueridge Avenue and Elkin Street. The office space is owned by Harold Weinberg, who runs a realty company there. Weinberg has consistently opposed the limited amendment, saying he's concerned about the effects of development near his property that hasn't gone through a full, two-year study. He said he'd rather see the process go through the lengthy update of Wheaton's 18-year-old Sector Plan, which is in the beginning stages.

"I think the council had their minds made up years ago," he said of their unanimous vote on the limited amendment.

Planners and County Council members have debated about whether to keep his property zoned commercial, making it a small commercial space surrounded by residential and mixed-use, or to re-zone it with everything else. Ultimately, the County Council decided to keep his space commercial, with a clause that would allow it to change to mixed-use in the Sector Plan.

Weinberg said after the work session that if the amendment passes, "it's a good possibility" he will bring it to the county Board of Appeals, challenging it on the grounds it's illegal spot zoning and there wasn't a comprehensive enough review.

He also said he agrees with planners that the entire block would be better served under one zone and he would consider selling his parcel to developers

This is my first post on these boards, but I have "lurked" for quite some time before becoming a member.

The AvalonBay plan will not happen for the foreseeable future, unfortunately. The company has halted all development activity for a minimum of six months, excluding those projects where construction is already underway. In view of the current economic conditions, all new development plans within the company are on hold and being given extreme scrutiny as to their short-term and long-term viability for return on investment.

Right now, there are serious questions within the company as to whether or not Wheaton is even an appropriate market to be in.

There was another planned development near the Twinbrook Metro Station in Rockville, MD, but that has also been removed from AVB's website -- doesn't bode well for that plan, either...at least in the short term.

[hpal3]

Originally Posted by garykool81

This is my first post on these boards, but I have "lurked" for quite some time before becoming a member.

The AvalonBay plan will not happen for the foreseeable future, unfortunately. The company has halted all development activity for a minimum of six months, excluding those projects where construction is already underway. In view of the current economic conditions, all new development plans within the company are on hold and being given extreme scrutiny as to their short-term and long-term viability for return on investment.

Right now, there are serious questions within the company as to whether or not Wheaton is even an appropriate market to be in.

There was another planned development near the Twinbrook Metro Station in Rockville, MD, but that has also been removed from AVB's website -- doesn't bode well for that plan, either...at least in the short term.

thats sad news.

[hpal3]

Originally Posted by garykool81

This is my first post on these boards, but I have "lurked" for quite some time before becoming a member.

The AvalonBay plan will not happen for the foreseeable future, unfortunately. The company has halted all development activity for a minimum of six months, excluding those projects where construction is already underway. In view of the current economic conditions, all new development plans within the company are on hold and being given extreme scrutiny as to their short-term and long-term viability for return on investment.

Right now, there are serious questions within the company as to whether or not Wheaton is even an appropriate market to be in.

There was another planned development near the Twinbrook Metro Station in Rockville, MD, but that has also been removed from AVB's website -- doesn't bode well for that plan, either...at least in the short term.

welcome to the forum. post often.

[bamboo stick]

Originally Posted by garykool81

This is my first post on these boards, but I have "lurked" for quite some time before becoming a member.

The AvalonBay plan will not happen for the foreseeable future, unfortunately. The company has halted all development activity for a minimum of six months, excluding those projects where construction is already underway. In view of the current economic conditions, all new development plans within the company are on hold and being given extreme scrutiny as to their short-term and long-term viability for return on investment.

Right now, there are serious questions within the company as to whether or not Wheaton is even an appropriate market to be in.

There was another planned development near the Twinbrook Metro Station in Rockville, MD, but that has also been removed from AVB's website -- doesn't bode well for that plan, either...at least in the short term.

The company has already put out several statements that the project in Wheaton was NOT one of those cancelled or put on hold. This project will move forward as soon as the requisite zoning amendments are on the books and the financing is put together.

Board OKs extending business zone
Change will allow Avalon Bay mixed-use development to proceed
by Amber Parcher | Staff Writer

The county Planning Board voted last week to change the boundaries of Wheaton's central business district, the next step after the County Council's approval of an amendment to the area's sector plan in December.

Wheaton's central business district originally stopped just after Blueridge Avenue on Georgia Avenue but will now extend north to the former site of the Good Counsel High School and south to Elkin Street.

The Planning Board unanimously approved to amend the zoning ordinance, revising the physical description of Wheaton's central business district to accommodate approved zoning changes there from commercial to mixed-use development.

In accordance with the county's zoning change process, the County Council held a public hearing Tuesday on the Planning Board's decision, in which representatives from the Planning Board and the county executive endorsed the change.

On Dec. 9, the Council voted 9-0 to approve the Planning Board's land-use recommendations in a special amendment to Wheaton's Sector Plan, which would turn almost 7.6 acres currently occupied by office space and vacant lots on Blueridge Avenue to mostly mixed-use zoning.

The change in zoning from office space to mostly mixed-use will allow for the $100 million Avalon Bay project to proceed. The Virginia-based developers have proposed a 383,000-square-foot mixed-use complex on the corner of Georgia and Blueridge avenues that would add 310 housing units and a Safeway.

Despite putting a hold on some projects nationwide due to the national credit crunch, AvalonBay's development in Wheaton will not be delayed, said Jonathan Cox, the company's senior vice president for development in the mid-Atlantic region.

Cox said the best-case scenario for starting the project would be in 2010.

There has been some criticism of the limited amendment, most notably from property owner Harold Weinberg, who owns a .13-acre parcel of about 18 offices on the corner of Blueridge Avenue and Elkin Street, which is located within the area covered by the limited amendment.

In Tuesday's public hearing, Weinberg accused the County Council of illegal spot zoning to promote AvalonBay's project. He called it "radical rezoning" with "total disregard" for his property. Weinberg has said he plans to challenge the zoning text amendment in a Maryland Court of Appeals in the coming months.

Amending the physical boundaries was a procedural step, said Marlene Michaelson, a senior legislative analyst for the County Council. The next big step for planners is to compose a sectional map amendment, which actually lays the zoning on the ground, said Fred Boyd, a lead planner on the project with Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The zoning ordinance will officially take effect 20 days after the sectional map is approved by the Planning Board and County Council, which could happen in the next several months, Boyd said.

[hpal3]

pennster or silverspringer,

are there any updates on the mixed-use development at the wheaton metro center? it has been some time since i've read any articles on this 450k sf
mixed-use proposal.

[hpal3]

I found the rendering for Metro Plaza. I would love to see this happen.

click on link

http://www.bonstra.com/pdf/cs_MetroP...atonSquare.pdf

[NorthaBmore]

Great Project! It seems that every Metro stop in MoCo is becoming it's own little downtown area. It's great, plus it gets more people on the Metro.

[garykool81]

Originally Posted by bamboo stick

The company has already put out several statements that the project in Wheaton was NOT one of those cancelled or put on hold. This project will move forward as soon as the requisite zoning amendments are on the books and the financing is put together.

Yep, the company only froze all new development over the next six months. This is a project that isn't scheduled to even break ground until 2010.

I was under the impression that the Wheaton project was happening a bit sooner, so that was my mistake.

Thanks for the update!