Warner Circle Special Park - Facility Plan
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Description
Warner Circle Special Park is a 4.5-acre property located at 10231Carroll Place in the heart of the Kensington Historic District. It was originally the home of Brainard Warner, the founder of the town and a significant figure in the development of Montgomery County and Washington, DC. The site was acquired by M-NCPPC in 2005-2006 through the Legacy Open Space program to preserve the historic landscape that has served as de facto public parkland for decades and to preserve the historic buildings by providing a public benefit through their adaptive reuse. The property is a primary resource in the Kensington Historic District, listed on the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic Preservation. The district is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The site includes the 1890s-1914 Queen Anne house and a late 19th-century carriage house. The house currently features mid-20th-century “non-contributing” additions, built when it was used as a nursing home from the mid 1950s through 2005. Although the buildings have been vacant for more than five years, the surrounding park continues to be used on a daily basis.
The Department of Parks intends to rehabilitate the historic buildings for use as offices for the Department of Parks, public exhibit space to highlight on the history of the site, and a meeting room that will also be available for public use. The rehabilitation project has been awarded four state bond bills, and thus the site and buildings are subject to a preservation easement held by the Maryland Historical Trust. The easement requires review of any proposed alterations to ensure the preservation of the site’s architecturally and historically significant features.
Background
Initial efforts by Parks to find a use for the historic buildings focused on identifying a private partner to fund the capital costs of rehabilitation in return for a low- or no-cost lease on the buildings. After significant coordination with the community over a two-year period, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was published in February 2008 to seek a private partner for an appropriate adaptive reuse. Despite extensive outreach efforts and significant verbal interest in the buildings at several open houses, the lengthy search process did not result in any viable applicants that met the RFP criteria.
Staff then pursued a publicly-funded reuse of the buildings that would be compatible with the maintenance of the open space and provision for historic interpretation on the site. An architectural/engineering team created a Concept Plan (15% design) for the park and adaptive reuse of buildings. The plan included rehabilitation of the historic buildings, demolition of the nursing home wings, and construction of a significantly smaller wing to house Department of Parks laboratories and offices, and a meeting room. Several years of close coordination with the Kensington community resulted in identification of community interests that were incorporated into the concept plan. Parks staff also coordinated with the M-NCPPC Historic Preservation Section and the Planning Department, and the Maryland Historical Trust.
Staff and the design consultants took the Concept Plan to the Planning Board in a briefing on September 24, 2009. Community members also spoke in favor of the concept. The Planning Board was strongly supportive of the project, commented in particular on the excellence of the design, and urged continuation of the design process.
Parks completed a Facility Plan (35% design) for the park in the summer of 2011. It includes schematic design for the new addition and rehabilitation of the historic structures, a landscape master plan (15% design), an archeological and historical research report, a storm water management concept plan, an exemption from the Forest Conservation Act, and a LEED checklist. The community was apprised of all the concepts and pending storm water approvals through a series of meetings.
The Facility Plan was presented to the Planning Board on July 28, 2011. The Board approved demolition of the nursing home wings and construction to enclose the newly opened walls. However, it raised concerns about the proposed construction of laboratories and a meeting room, suggested that Parks reduce the scope of the Facility Plan design, and suggested that Parks re-evaluate the proposed use as Parks office space.
In response to the Board’s concerns, Parks reduced footprint for the project to include only the historic buildings and a possible elevator addition. It presented the revised Facility Plan to the Board on September 15, 2011. The Board approved the new plan, agreed that Parks be considered as the future tenant, and approved the revised cost estimate.
Status/Project Update
Funding from state bond bills and county funds is in place to complete the next phase of the project. Work has already begun to prepare permit drawings for the demolition of the non-contributing wings and design of enclosure walls for the openings where the wings are removed, demolish the nursing home wings, construct the walls, and do site work to repair the grounds once the wings are demolished. It is anticipated that the demolition will be completed by the end of FY 12.
Calendar and Meeting Notes
Links to review meeting notes and Planning Board memos will be attached to each applicable calendar event as it is scheduled and completed.
DATE/TIME |
DISCUSSION AND MEETING NOTES |
LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 - 2006 | Land acquisition | |
| Community design charette | ||
| 2006 - 2008 | Request for Proposals for public/private partnership pursued | |
| March 2009 | Concept design (15%) phase started | |
| July 13, 2009 | Meeting with Town of Kensington Warner Circle Committee (concept design options discussion) | |
| September 14, 2009 | Concept design presented to Kensington Town Council |
|
| September 24, 2010 | Montgomery County Planning Board briefing - 15% concept design | M-NCPPC Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| February 1, 2010 | * Facility Planning ( 35% schematic design) phase started * Met with Warner Circle Committee (Facility Plan kick-off) |
|
| April 6, 2011 | Parks met with the Town of Kensington Warner Circle Committee (Facility Plan and Meeting Pavilion discussion) | |
| July 7, 2011 | Parks met with the Town of Kensington Warner Circle Committee (storm water management discussion) | |
| July 28, 2011 | Montgomery County Planning Board review of Facility Plan Facility Plan Staff Report |
M-NCPPC Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| September 15, 2011 | Montgomery County Planning Board approved the Facility Plan |
M-NCPPC Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
M-NCPPC Staff Contact
Julie Mueller, Project Cultural Resources Manager
Julie.Mueller@MontgomeryParks.org
301-650-4390
Parviz Izadjoo, Project Manager
Parviz.Izadjoo@MontgomeryParks.org
301-650-2893
Date of last update: February 14, 2012
Montgomery County Department of Parks