Development & Projects

The work along Montgomery Village Avenue to replace the water main from Midcounty Highway to Centerway Road will resume in the next few weeks. This two-year project began in April 2022 and was anticipated to be finished toward the beginning of 2024. Due to recent material delays, the project is now expected to be completed in November 2024.

As of February 2023, approximately 50% of the pipe installation was complete, before the project was paused for delays.

Any sidewalks, roads and landscaping that are affected by the project will be completely restored to their original state after the construction is complete.

The pipes being replaced span 0.97 miles along Montgomery Village Avenue from Midcounty Highway to Centerway Road, and include entrances to Lake Shore Drive, Stedwick Road, Whetstone Drive and Centerway Road. The current pipes were installed in the 1960s and are nearing their end-of-life cycle. Replacing these pipes will help reduce future disruptions from water main breaks. The new ductile iron pipes have a corrosion protection which provides a life expectancy of 100 years on the new installation.

All work is be performed between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. with road lane closures between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. In the event that both lanes on the southbound side of Montgomery Village Avenue are closed, traffic will be routed in both directions on the opposite northbound side.

Within the scope of the project are the installation of new water mains and new service lines up to the property line. Residences may experience water shut offs up to 8 hours; advanced notice (48 to 72 hours) will be given to affected property owners. WSSC Water noted that reliable water and sewer service will be maintained during construction, and property owners will always have access to their properties. Interior home access and access to private property are not required for this work. Parking restrictions may be put in place in a work area during any given day; advance notice will also be provided for these disruptions.

For information on the City of Gaithersburg's plan with WRS to redevelop the Lakeforest Mall property, click here.

A year after closing the Lakeforest Mall (March 2023), WRS, Inc., the owner and developer of the former Lakeforest Mall site, has submitted its Schematic Development Plan (SDP) application to the City of Gaithersburg. The plan proposes to develop the property with 1,600 residential units; 750,000 sq. feet of employment use; 250,000 sq. feet of large retail; and 220,000 sq. feet of commercial use. The submitted plan is currently under review by the Mayor and City Council; a joint public hearing with the City’s Planning Commission has not been scheduled yet.

The Mayor and City Council previously approved the Rezoning and Sketch Plan application in April 2023, following public comment and input regarding concerns with the site. MVF noted concerns with pedestrian and vehicular traffic; entrances and exits/roadway connection points; movement of the transportation hub; and pedestrian safety. The greater community also advocated for the use of “civic space” to build a new community center to service Upcounty residents.

 

Schematic Development Plan submitted (3/15/2024)

Lakeforest Mall property rezoning information and revised sketch plan (4/2023)

MVF Board President Scott Dyer's Testimony from January 17 zoning and sketch plan hearing

Great progress is being made with the facelift and infrastructure improvements for Phase I of the Village Center project. The developer, Atlantic Realty Companies, has not yet filed a Preliminary Plan for the Watkins Mill side of the project, which will include condominium units and townhouses.

 

MVF Resolution to Support Village Center Sketch Plan

ARC Presentation 8-8-17

ARC Presentation to CARC April 2018

Planning Board Staff Report

Approved Site Plan Drawings

Building Renderings

In an email from Evergreen Investment Company received Friday, Nov. 10, Land Use Attorney Heather Dlhopolsky said, “the owner of Evergreen has decided to terminate the project, so we will not be moving forward.”

This news came about 6 weeks after Evergreen’s pre-submission meeting which saw approximately 120 residents in attendance. Nearly all participants were against the concept of a 7-story apartment complex being built on the parcel of land between the Lidl store and the entrance to the Whetstone community.

During the meeting, residents expressed concerns with: traffic flow; overflow/visitor parking; impacts to schools; traffic impacts at Whetstone Drive and Montgomery Village Avenue; noise (construction and residential); the viability of the project, considering other new housing in the area; compatibility with the surrounding community; pedestrian traffic concerns; and whether the complex would be part of Montgomery Village Foundation.

Dlhopolsky gave no indication as to why Evergreen decided to forego the project.

Testimony on M-83 Transportation Solutions

The following information is provided by the TAME Coalition regarding removing M-83 from the Montgomery County Highway Master Plan.

• The Case for Cancelling the Midcounty Highway Extended (M-83)
• The Environmental & Economic Case for Removing Midcounty Highway Extended (M-83)
• Best Transportation Improvements for Midcounty Corridor Area

Montgomery County Supplemental Report

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced the Traffic Relief Plan to reduce traffic congestion, increase economic development, but most importantly, enhance safety and return quality of life to Maryland commuters. This announcement goes hand-in-hand with the State’s determination and commitment to deliver state-of-the-art transportation solutions to Maryland residents.

To help address some of Maryland’s transportation challenges, the Traffic Relief Plan will incorporate many projects around the state by providing a “system of systems” for users including improvements to highways and transit. The largest initiative in the Traffic Relief Plan will evaluate improvements in the I-495 and I-270 corridors, which will consider transformative solutions to address congestion along these highways in Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Frederick counties.

The I-495 and I-270 P3 Program is a historic effort to reduce congestion for millions of Maryland drivers by seeking input from the private sector to design, build, finance, operate and maintain improvements on both I-495 and I-270. Improvements will be focused to transform these overloaded interstates to allow people to reach their destinations faster and to remove overflow traffic from the local roads.

More Information

Several MVF staff participated in an informational meeting on Electric Vehicle Charging Stations for condominiums, co-ops and townhouses, co-sponsored by several county agencies including the CCOC, DHCA, DPS and DEP. The aim of this webinar was to provide residents with information on personal charging stations where installation and access may be complicated by common elements, as well as options for communities to install charging stations on their property.

Montgomery County is in favor of increased use of electric vehicles and zero emission vehicle technology for residents, as well as in their own fleet of vehicles. However, because so many residents live in common ownership communities, the issue of where to install personal or commercial chargers is beginning to surface. For example, a resident of a condominium may wish to install a personal EV Charger for his/her vehicle, but the only space to do so is in a condominium-owned parking area and may require extensive work to run electricity to that location, disturbing—or causing the need to repair—the common element. The condo may need to decide if this is feasible for a handful of residents on an individual basis, or if it is more beneficial to install their own charging stations in convenient locations and charge for their use. With the popularity of EVs on the rise, the county is promoting ways to educate residents and communities on how to work together, and this webinar was a first step in that process.

Topics covered included: types of EV chargers; project management tips for communities; shared versus private charging and resident versus non-resident rates; consideration of governing documents; overview of typical project costs; available incentive programs (Pepco & others); long-term operational considerations; commercial permitting information; a specific local case study; and financing options.

Staff will continue to monitor this issue closely because adding electric vehicles and potential charging stations are considered in the recently approved Organizational Green Plan.

EV Charging Station Presentation

Webinar 9-6-2022

Q&A 9-6-2022 | Q&A 9-11-2022

Additional Resources

• www.montgomerycountymd.gov/green/zev/index.html  
• https://marylandev.org/  
• https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_charging_multi.html
• https://vci-mud.org/  
• https://energy.maryland.gov/transportation/Pages/incentives_evserebate.aspx  
• www.pepco.com/SmartEnergy/InnovationTechnology/Pages/MultifamilyPropertyIncentive.aspx  
• www.bge.com/SmartEnergy/InnovationTechnology/Pages/MultifamilyPropertyRebateProgram.aspx  
• www.evdrivenpe.com/multifamily/  
• afdc.energy.gov/laws/inflation-reduction-act

After a very successful sales launch in 2021, Ryan Homes is making great progress in building and delivering new homes at Bloom Montgomery Village. Areas 4 and 5 (Magnolia and Lilac) are complete and all homes occupied. Areas 3B (Willow) and 6B (Juniper) are also close to 100% occupied. On the west side of Montgomery Village Avenue, Area 1 (Hawthorne) is currently under construction, with a number of units already completed and occupied. Finally and after much anticipation, the new David B. Humpton Park had its Grand Opening at the end of May.

Area 6A (Wisteria) on the east side of Montgomery Village Avenue is currently under construction, with grading, water sewer install and other infrastructure work underway. Road paving is expected by November and new homes should be ready for occupancy in Spring 2024.

The final two phases of development are 3A (Dogwood) just south of Cheryl Forest Court and Area 2 (Redbud), which includes construction of the new Stewartown Road extension that will provide access from Montgomery Village Avenue to Watkins Mill Road. Construction on 3A is expected to begin in the fall, with Area 2 construction starting by the end of the year.

The stream restoration planning, design, and permitting is still underway and construction is projected to begin in late 2024. In the meantime, some afforestation will take place in the stream valley park in advance of the stream restoration. By the end of the project, over 2,800 new trees (and additional shrubs and plantings) will have been added.

Monument Realty extends their gratitude to the community for the continued support, patience and interest in the project as it finally takes shape. For more information or questions, call 202-777-2000 or e-mail info@bloominmv.com.

Approved Drawings and Documents

Preliminary Plan Application

Central Park DRAFT Site Plan

Site Plan Revisions 8-2017

Site Plan Update 9-28-17

NRI/Forest Conservation Plan

Site Plan Amendment 8-13-19

Site Plan Amendment 8-26-21

For more information about Bloom, visit www.bloominmv.com/home.