Updated to include a new statement from Rockville Councilmember Adam Van Grack
EYA says the residential portion of The Village at Rockshire in Rockville has not been abandoned and that the company is currently negotiating an agreement with another homebuilder to construct the planned homes.
The update follows an earlier announcement from Rockville Councilmember Adam Van Grack, who said EYA had informed the city that it was indefinitely suspending the residential portion of the redevelopment. Van Grack said interest in the project had declined following the Montgomery County Board of Education’s March 26 vote involving Thomas S. Wootton High School.
In an email to The MoCoShow, EYA Vice President of Marketing Ananth Rao said the company remains the developer of the project and intends to move forward with its site improvements and retail component.
“EYA is currently negotiating an agreement with a trusted and experienced homebuilder to complete the residential portion of The Village at Rockshire,” Rao said. “While we are unable to identify the homebuilder at this time due to a confidentiality agreement, The Village at Rockshire remains a community envisioned, planned and designed by EYA, and we will continue to serve as the developer of the project’s site improvements and retail component.”
According to Rao, the selection of another homebuilder will not change the plans for the community. The homes are expected to use the same floorplans and architectural designs developed by EYA.
“We are committed to making this transition as seamless as possible for our purchasers and remain fully committed to the long-term success of The Village at Rockshire,” Rao said.
EYA has communicated directly with existing homebuyers and plans to connect them with the new builder once the transition is complete. The company expects to announce the homebuilder’s name after an agreement is finalized.
EYA did not directly address Van Grack’s statement that interest in the development had declined following the Board of Education’s decision involving Wootton. However, the company’s response indicates that the current change involves transferring construction of the homes to another builder rather than indefinitely suspending the residential project itself.
The 7.3-acre property, located directly across from the existing Wootton campus, was previously home to the Rockshire Village Center. Plans call for 60 residences, including 31 single-family detached homes and 29 townhomes, with 15 percent designated as Moderately Priced Dwelling Units.
The approved redevelopment also includes 5,200 SF of retail space, a neighborhood park, playground, recreation areas and a pedestrian connection to the Rockshire Community Pool and nearby trails. Dunkin’ was previously announced as a retail tenant.
New statement from Rockville Councilmember Adam Van Grack:
EYA’s public statement today and my earlier statement are not mutually exclusive.
EYA’s statement to the MoCo Show explains what it intends to do next: attempt to transition Rockshire’s residential construction to another homebuilder while EYA continues its site-development and retail work. My statement addressed the current suspension of the project and what led to this situation, based on information communicated directly by EYA to the City of Rockville.
Likewise, suspending its own residential construction because of declining buyer interest following the Wootton closure decision and negotiating a transition or sale to another builder are not mutually exclusive. One can logically lead to the other. The information I shared was not speculation. It came from information provided directly by EYA to the City, and I stand by the central point that the Wootton closure decision materially affected buyer interest in the development.
I truly hope that the residential construction’s possible transition during the construction suspension succeeds and Rockshire is ultimately built. However, finding a new builder does not erase what happened: the Wootton closure materially affected demand for this project. That should concern anyone who cares about housing, economic development, and school capacity in Rockville and Gaithersburg.
