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Developers discuss plans for Bowie Mill site

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Two of the five developers who have submitted proposals to the county to develop a 32-acre tract of land of Bowie Mill Road made presentations to members of the Greater Olney Civic Association last week.

The organization would have welcomed the other developers, GOCA President John Lyons said, but the county has declined to name them.

‘‘We do not know who the other developers are; this is not a transparent process,” GOCA President John Lyons said.

‘‘We would have liked to have known the others so we could have invited them to our meeting,” he said. ‘‘Even though we can’t be part of the decision process, it would have been useful for the community to know what amenities are being presented and what the options are.”

Jim Long of Winchester Homes and Jeff Kirby of J. Kirby Development presented their proposals at the GOCA meeting.

‘‘We knew of Jeff Kirby because of his alignment with [Olney Boys and Girls Club], and we were aware of Winchester since the notion of a swap was discussed in the Master Plan, and they are the only developer that has the capability to do a swap,” Lyons said.

Long of Winchester Homes said his company has purchased the Mid-Atlantic Golf property on Georgia Avenue at Route 28, and plans to develop it.

That affords Winchester the opportunity to propose a ‘‘swap” concept, as outlined in the county’s request for development proposals.

Winchester would be able to transfer most of the affordable houses required at the Bowie Mill site to the other property, Long said. Such a swap would not increase the density of either project, he said, but would relocate the affordable units near mass transit options.

Long said Winchester’s proposal includes 108 total units at the Bowie Mill site. Thirty-eight of those would be single-family, market-rate homes and 70 would be townhouses or ‘‘two over two” units. Fifty-six of the townhouses would be market-rate units, and 14 would qualify as affordable housing units.

If sold today, Long said, the single-family houss would sell for approximately $700,000 to $800,000 and the market-rate townhouses would cost between $400,000 and $600,000.

Kirby of J. Kirby Development said his proposal is unique because it includes a gymnasium, something sought by the Olney Boys and Girls Club. The Olney Boys and Girls Club has cited a tremendous need for athletic facilities to serve the community.

Kirby said he recognizes the need for additional gym space, and suggests that either OBGC or the county would operate the gym.

The 25,000-square-foot facility also would offer a reception area, small locker rooms and meeting space.

The J. Kirby plan includes 117 housing units with 21 moderately priced dwelling units, 48 workforce housing units and 48 market-rate units.

Kirby said the single-family homes under his plan could cost about $900,000, while the market-rate townhouss would cost about $600,000.

Elisabeth Deal, OBGC director of business operations, attended the meeting and reiterated the need for gym space.

She said that when OBGC built its outdoor community park, the organization served 3,500 youngsters. That number has since increased to more than 7,000 youths, and each season the club has to turn away more and more children.

After listening to the two developers’ proposals, GOCA President John Lyons said the presentations were purely informational, since the decision will be made by a county-appointed committee.

The selection process is expected to be completed in approximately 90 to 120 days from the due date of the development proposal, which was Jan. 27.

The Bowie Mill site had become a controversial part of the Olney Master Plan discussions when it was discovered that the school system had returned the former school site to the county and that the county had proposed using the site for workforce housing.

Workforce housing is described as housing for the county’s teacher, police, firefighters and the like who generally do not earn salaries sufficient enough for them to live in Montgomery County.

An updateon Montgomery General

Peter Monge, president and CEO of Montgomery General Hospital, updated members of the Greater Olney Civic Association at their April 11 meeting on the hospital’s current and future expansion plans.

Recently completed renovation and expansion projects include a cardiac⁄vascular lab, an improved morgue⁄histology department, medical imaging reading room, medication rooms on the east wing of the sixth floor and lobby restrooms.

Current projects include renovating the emergency department triage, security, registration and reception area; expanding the gift shop and refurbishing the lobby; installing an information desk; and adding private rooms for the Maternal Newborn Center.

The hospital is in the planning stages of building a new 20,000-square-foot emergency department. Four additional floors can be added on top of the new emergency department when necessary.

The hospital is also planning to go forward with plans to build a new office building on Prince Philip Drive, across from the hospital’s entrance. The two existing office buildings are full, and more space is needed to attract new doctors to the hospital, Monge said. He said the hospital hopes to seek building proposals by June, but that project is still a couple of years away.

Election forumsscheduled for May

Details have been finalized for a series of election forums sponsored by GOCA and the Olney Chamber of Commerce.

A forum for candidates for County Council representing District 4 will take place on May 18 at 8 p.m. at the Sandy Spring Museum. The district is currently represented by Councilwoman Marilyn J. Praisner, a Democrat from Calverton.

A forum for candidates for County Council representing District 2 will take place on May 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Buffington Building’s Community Room. The district is currently represented by Michael J. Knapp, a Demcrat from Germantown.

A forum for the office of County Executive will take place on May 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Buffington Building’s Community Room.

The forums will be open to all candidates of both parties.