M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters named finalist for the Urban Land Institute’s Americas Awards for Excellence
Per Montgomery Planning:
Montgomery Planning and Montgomery Parks are pleased to announce that their new Wheaton Headquarters is one of 23 finalists selected across the Americas for the Urban Land Institute’s Americas Awards for Excellence. The 14-story development was selected for its sustainable mixed-use design and for contributing to the revitalization of downtown Wheaton.
The Urban Land Institute evaluated the development, also known as The Wheaton Revitalization Project, based on criteria such as, design, planning, technology, economic impact, community engagement, innovation, and sustainability. In addition to the open category, the development is also eligible to be recognized in the following categories: Equitable Development, Resilient Development, Small-Scale Development, and Urban Open Space.
“We carefully designed our headquarters to be more than just an office building, but a place for the community to gather and bring even more life into the downtown Wheaton area,” said Montgomery Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson. “We are proud for it to be recognized as one of the finest developments in North and South America by the Urban Land Institute. This building, which is now a key part of Wheaton’s skyline, would not have been possible without the support of the County Council and the work of our partners at the county’s Department of Transportation.”
The Wheaton development, which is owned by M-NCPPC, was designed by Gensler and developed by Stonebridge with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation managing the design and construction. The entire project was constructed by Clark Construction Group. It was part of a Public/Private land swap which allowed Montgomery Planning to vacate the site of their old office building in downtown Silver Spring, leaving room for a new mixed-use gateway development at the corner of Spring Street and Georgia Avenue comprised of a 400 residential unit complex with an urban grocery store within walking distance to the Silver Spring transit station.
“It was important for us to help bring M-NCPPC’s vision of a mixed-use green office space to life,” said Stonebridge Principal Jane G. Mahaffie. “It is an honor to have the Urban Land Institute recognize this innovative project, which took years of thoughtful planning, creative financing and community involvement. I am pleased that we were able to create a functional workspace for multiple county agencies and positively impact the Wheaton community with the exceptional new Town Square.”
The development includes a 200-seat auditorium for Planning Board meetings, a new .75 acre town square, and an underground public parking garage. The town square includes public space with an amphitheater for people to gather and enjoy programming throughout the year as well as a fountain and public art on the plaza.
Approximately 900 government employees will eventually work out of the office building to help revitalize the downtown Wheaton area. In addition to the Montgomery Planning and Montgomery Parks Departments headquarters, it is also home to six Montgomery County departments including:
- Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (MCDPS)
- Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (MCDEP)
- Mid-County Regional Services Center – Wheaton Urban District
- Community Use of Public Facilities (CUPF)
- Montgomery County Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Montgomery County Department of Recreation (REC)
The building, located at 2425 Reedie Drive, is adjacent to the Wheaton Metro and bus transfer station. This enables staff to take transit to and from work. Staff and building guests will also be encouraged to walk and bike to the building when possible, reducing traffic and adding more pedestrian and street activity to downtown Wheaton.
Earlier this year, the Wheaton building became the first government-owned office building in Maryland to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The Urban Land Institute will announce the Americas Awards for Excellence winners this summer.
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