There is actually quite a bit of interesting stuff in the agenda for this Monday’s Mayor and Council meeting. The things that jump out at me include:
- A first look at specific proposals for the redevelopment of the Wye Site and the Fishman building in Olde Towne.
- Progress on restarting the Maryland Carpet & Tile project on North Summit.
- A site plan for redevelopment the old Giant Food shopping center on the hill overlooking the intersection of Girard St and North Summit Ave.
- A proposal to conduct a police training exercise at the soon-to-be-vacant Broadstone apartments.
Olde Towne Projects
The Wye Site is called that because it was the historic location of a railroad turning wye, where, in the days when locomotives could only go in one direction, a train could be turned around to go back in the other direction. The Gaithersburg Wye was located just south of the tracks and just east of what is now MD 355. This land now belongs to the City, and much of it is currently covered over by asphalt; I think that there is still a buffer stop (or bumper) at what had been the cusp of the wye, near what is now the intersection of Fulks Corner Ave and MD 355.
The Fishman Building is located at 315 E. Diamond Ave, east of the train station parking lot and west of the Granary Row building, and immediately across the street from the proposed Archstone apartment building. This property also belongs to the City, which purchased it in 1998 — in part, as I understand the story, to relieve a a parking problem in Olde Towne. For this project, the City has put the Fishman property together with the bulk of the parking lot in front of the train station. Thus, the replacement building will be able to be significantly larger than the current structure.
Last year, the City hired the Staubach Company to help market these two properties. City staff has now reviewed the proposals that were obtained through that process, and has selected two (one for each site) that they believe would be the best to pursue. What is before the City Council on Monday is a request for authorization for staff to proceed with negotiations on deals to develop the two properties. If such deals could be reached, the projects would then need to go through the standard planning process. However, this request for authorization gives us the first public look at what the developers might have in mind for the two locations.
For the Fishman Building site, staff has selected a proposal from Douglas Development Corporation of Washington, DC. Douglas, it turns out, was also the developer of the Granary Row project right next door, and it seems pretty clear from the drawings they have submitted that they intend to integrate the two projects:
Looking at this drawing, I can’t help but be a bit excited. The proposed building has retail frontage not just along the Diamond Avenue side, but along the railroad track side as well:
It appears that the boardwalk that now extends from behind the Granary Row building up to the rolling stock display would be realigned and extend all the way to connect to the boardwalk in front of the train station, and a new pedestrian space would extend all the way from the lower-level restaurant in Granary Row, past the rolling stock and merging into the clock tower plaza that the City currently plans to build, and about which I expressed some concern a few weeks back. At the end of the building facing the new clock tower plaza, the developers propose that there would be a seating area for restaurant/cafe tenets:
There would be a total of about 25,000 sq ft of retail space on the ground floor, with largish spaces at either end that could be used for restaurants or possibly a bookstore, and smaller bays in the middle that could have such uses as a coffee shop, or financial services storefronts. There would likely be two upper stories that would have about 50,000 sq foot of office space. The facility would have an underground parking ramp. Together with a new apartment complex across the street, this seems as if it would make a very positive change in Olde Towne.
As for the Wye Site, the proposal is potentially as exciting, although I don’t feel like it is as fully fleshed out in this document. The proposed developer is Arlington, VA-based Clark Realty Capital, LLC.
While this project would also have retail on the lower level, it would have residential units on the upper floors:
Proposes development of two four story, retail/residential buildings linked by a common Atrium lobby. Buildings would accommodate approximately 212 multifamily residential units and provide approximately 17,600 sq. ft. of first first-floor retail.
There would be a new parking ramp with 252 spaces, built as an extension of the existing City-owned garage, but for the exclusive use of the residents.
This use seems very much in keeping with the Magruder Company’s Cedar Court Apartments, which are next door, built between the City’s garage and Olde Towne Avenue. Cedar Court also has retail on the street level. One question mark has to do with a possible pedestrian bridge over the CSX railroad tracks. In the Olde Towne Charette, the planners made much of an idea for a plaza with what they called “spanish steps”, or a “grand staircase” on the south side of the tracks, leading up to a bridge connecting the pedestrian environments on the two sides. The proposal at hand, however, pretty much rejects this idea. While it does show the possibility of a pedestrian bridge (which isn’t included in the proposal, and likely couldn’t be as the property and/or easements necessary to do this don’t seem to be included in the offering from the City), any chance of having a continuous public space connecting the two sides would appear to be closed off by the construction of a private atrium at the south end of the bridge. Annotations on one of the drawings state that the Fire Museum would provide a “destination across [the] tracks”, as if they (a) do not expect their residents to have any other reason to cross the tracks, and (b) the retail on the ground floor of their own building would not be viewed as a destination for pedestrians coming from the north side of the tracks. None of this gives me any optimism that the bridge would ever be built, or that the pedestrian spaces on the two sides would ever be connected except at Summit. If this is the way it turns out, I think this would count as a missed opportunity.
The one other thing I note about this plan is that, while the Master Plan suggests the possibility of a 9-story “signature tower” at the far west end of this site, the drawings shown do not include such a feature. They do not, however, show the proposed structures extending into the land where this tower could be built. Perhaps this means that this option is being kept open for the future.
Maryland Carpet and Tile
It has been three years now since the City issued a stop work order for the Maryland Carpet and Tile building at 305 N. Frederick Ave. If I’ve done this link correctly (and your browser supports the live.com “birds eye view”), you should see in the middle of the picture a gaping hole in the ground and a partially-completed foundation. What happened back in 2004 was that someone wasn’t paying attention, and that foundation you see was built ten feet too close to MD 355, in the public utility easement. It probably isn’t too surprising that it took several years to straighten out who was at fault (it appears to have been a result of conflicting boundary surveys) and what needed to be done to correct the problem. But apparently the lawsuit has now been settled, and the property owner has approached the City with a plan to chop off part of the foundation and save the rest, while redesigning the building to deal with some other siting issues. Hopefully the details can be worked out and that project can move forward again, and we can have a functioning building there instead of an apparently-abandoned construction site.
North Summit & Girard
Speaking of eyesores, the old Giant Food shopping center at North Summit Ave and Girard Street has stood mostly vacant for several years, with just a couple of small stores hanging on. However, a developer has now brought forward a plan to develop a new residential project on that site.
Quoting the background materials:
Barbara Sears of Linowes and Blocher, LLP, representing the applicant, Hearthstone Communities, L.C., has submitted an application, Z-307, requesting a change from the C-2 (General Commercial) Zone to the Mixed Use Development (MXD) Zone. Although the original application and notices stated that sketch plan would have a range of 360 to 405 multiple-family dwelling units, up to 20,000 square feet of commercial/retail space and structured parking on approximately 6.58 acres of land, the sketch plan has been revised and now includes 349 multiple-family dwelling units (including 53 Moderately Priced Dwelling Units), up to 15,000 square feet of commercial/retail space and structured parking. The subject property is located north of Girard Street, east of Goshen Road, south of Odend’hal Avenue, and west of Cedar Spring Street, Hidden Creek (Land Bay III), Gaithersburg, Maryland. It is currently known as the Summit Shopping Center.
Background: The property was annexed in 1971 as part of the Casey-Goshen Tract (X-096) and zoned R-20 (Medium Density Residential.) In 1981, the property was rezoned to the C-2 (General Commercial) Zone. The shopping center was constructed in 1981-1982. In 1997, the property was designated as Commercial-Office-Residential Land Use in the Neighborhood One Master Plan. This land use was retained in the 2003 Master Plan. The property owner submitted a rezoning request (Z-296) to the MXD Zone in 2004 for 240 condo “active adult” multiple- family complex of 4-5 story buildings w/ structured parking. This application was withdrawn in December of 2005.
There is a fair amount of documentation on this project available on the City’s website, although at this point most of it is traffic and noise studies; the architectural information is just at the sketch plan stage.
Police Training Opportunity
Chief John King of the Gaithersburg Police has been thinking about the fact that the Broadstone apartments are about to be torn down, and he thinks that the existing buildings, once fully vacated, would be a great place to conduct a training exercise:
There are times when the police are placed at a distinct disadvantage when facing certain life threatening situations. Situations, like hostage rescue, criminals barricading themselves in rooms, and hard targets that would require an unrealistic amount of time by police to enter by conventional means are very good examples of where explosive breaching is needed. When properly trained, specially trained police can utilize explosives to overcome or circumvent these barriers. Having the option of defeating the barricades placed on the entry points, or creating access to a room or structure where the criminal doesn’t expect it, such as through a wall, is the reason that law enforcement must train and be ready to utilize explosive breaching.
Cool. I say, go for it.
From the City’s website:
Agenda - Mayor and City Council Meeting, 11/19/2007
Posted 11/16/2007City of Gaithersburg
AGENDA FOR A REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2007, 7:30 P.M.I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III. INVOCATION
Nazaneen Dorost, Baha’i Faith
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
- Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Mayor and City Council Held October 1, 2007
Background Material (pdf format)- Minutes of a Special Meeting of the Mayor and City Council Held October 15, 2007
Background Material (pdf format)- Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Mayor and City Council Held October 15, 2007
Background Material (pdf format)- Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Mayor and City Council Held November 7, 2007
TBA - Background MaterialV. CONSENT ITEMS
(resolutions for approval by the City Council that do not need discussion)
- Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Contract to Purchase One (1) 2008 Bucket Truck ($68,430)
Background Material (pdf format)- Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Contract to Purchase a Portable Asphalt Grinding Machine ($97,142)
Background Material (pdf format)VI. ELECTION OF CITY COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT
VII. APPOINTMENTS
Resolution of the City Council Confirming Appointments by the Mayor to the Historic District Commission
Background Material (pdf format)VIII. PRESENTATIONS
- Proclamation of the Mayor and City Council Designating November, 2007, as “National American Indian Heritage Month” in the City of Gaithersburg
- Readings of the Winning Essays from the City’s National CHARACTER COUNTS! Week Adult Heroes in OUR Community Writing Contest
- Gaithersburg Cable Television Upgrade
Background Material (pdf format)
- Status Report on the City Gateway Entry Signs Art in Public Places Project
Background Material (pdf format)
IX. COURTESY REVIEW
SDP-07-003 - Proposal to Amend a Schematic Development Plan (SDP), Known as Maryland Carpet and Tile, Located at 305 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Amendment Proposes Two Story Mixed Use Building Consisting of 5343 Square Feet. The Property is in the Corridor Development (CD) Zone
Background Material (pdf format)
X. PUBLIC APPEARANCES
(public is invited to speak on any subject that is not a public hearing topic on tonight’s agenda – each speaker three minutes)XI. FROM THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL/ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Board/Commission/Committee Vacancy Update
- Upcoming City Events
XII. FROM THE CITY MANAGER
XIII. PUBLIC HEARING
JOINT - Z-307 - Application Requests Rezoning of a 6.58-Acre Parcel, Known as the Summit Shopping Center (Parcel N182), Located in the Northeast Quadrant of Goshen Road and Girard Street at 559 Girard Street, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, From the Existing C-2 (General Commercial) Zone to the MXD (Mixed Use Development) Zone, in Accordance with § 24-196 of the City Code (Map Amendments). The Property is Adjacent to the Hidden Creek Land Bay III. The Sketch Plan Proposes Seven 4- to 5-Story Residential Structures Containing a Range of 360 to 405 Multiple-Family Dwelling Units, up to 20,000 Square Feet of Commercial/Retail Space and Structured Parking
Background Material I (pdf format)
Background Material IIXIV. RECESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Minutes
Minutes of a Historic District Commission Meeting Held October 15, 2007
Background Material (pdf format)3. Certificate of Approval
HAWP-29F - Applicant: Beverly Stalker. 11 Brookes Avenue, Tree Removal Request
Background Material (pdf format)4. Adjournment
XV. RECONVENE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING
XVI. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, AND REGULATIONS
(ordinances, resolutions, and regulations to be introduced or adopted following appropriate procedures required by the City Code, or resolutions that may require discussion by the Mayor and Council prior to approval)
- Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Contract for The Wells/Robertson House Roof Replacement Project ($110,730)
Background Material (pdf format)- Resolution of Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute Agreements Relating to the Development of Two City-Owned Parcels of Land in Olde Towne Gaithersburg
Background Material (pdf format)- Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute a Contract With Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan & Silver, LLC for Legal Services Associated With the City’s 2008 State Legislative Agenda ($32,500)
Background Material (pdf format)XVII. FROM THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, CITY ATTORNEY AND OTHER STAFF
Guidance on a Memorandum Dated November 15, 2007 Concerning a Police Training Opportunity at Broadstone Apartments
Background Material (pdf format)XVIII. ADJOURNMENT
MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
ARE TELEVISED LIVE ON
CABLE CHANNEL 13 AND ON THE
INTERNET AT www.gaithersburgmd.gov/tvReplays are televised at Noon on Tuesdays
following meetings and are repeated at
7 a.m. and 7 p.m. dailyTHE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WILL BE HELD
DECEMBER 3, 2007, 7:30 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 31 SOUTH SUMMIT AVENUETO CONFIRM ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS,
PLEASE CONTACT DORIS STOKES AT
CITY HALL, 31-258-6310