Kimco, the owners of the Pike Center at 12119 Rockville Pike, is proposing to redevelop the property into a modern, walkable community. The plan involves a zoning change to allow for more dense construction, which will enable them to replace the current single-story shopping center and its large parking lot with new, mixed-use buildings that have a more vibrant, pedestrian-friendly space.
According to a Maryland Newsletters report, the plan has already received the backing of the Montgomery Planning staff and board and recently earned the backing of the hearing examiner. It will soon be going to the district council for a final vote and any possible movement is still likely at least a year or more away. The shopping center, which was previously home to TGI Friday’s, and currently home to Golfdom, is also awaiting the opening of Luna Hall.
Overall, the proposed project plans to build two new mixed-use buildings. These buildings will have shops on the ground floor, including the possibility of a grocery store, covering 90,000 SF. Above these shops, there will be residential space for up to 780 units, totaling 806,880 SF. Additionally, there will be two parking garages available, with spaces both at ground level and underground.
According to plans submitted to Montgomery Planning, the project will be built in two phases. Phase one involves the partial demolition of the existing shopping center to make way for a smaller, seven-story building. This first building will have retail and restaurant space on the ground floor and residential apartments on the upper floors. A new private street will be built to extend Rollins Avenue to Rockville Pike, providing access to the building’s parking garages and out-of-sight loading areas. During this phase, the rest of the original shopping center and surface parking lot will remain in place.
In the second phase, the rest of the original shopping center will be torn down. A much taller, seventeen-story building will be constructed in its place. This second building will also feature ground-floor retail and apartments on the upper floors. Phase two also includes the creation of a public green space, adding a new park to the area. Both new buildings will have structured parking garages for residents and visitors, keeping cars off the street and making the area more focused on people.
