National Geographic Building - City of Gaithersburg

National Geographic Building
• Built in 1968
• Architect was Mills, Petticord, Mills
• Modeled after National Geographic’s
Headquarters in Washington DC, which
was designed by Edward Durell Stone
• Edward Durell Stone also designed the
Kennedy Center
151
MP-2-04

GE Technology Park
Special Study Area

Process to Date
• April 2004 - Stakeholders Meeting
• June 2004 - Joint Work Session
• September 2004 - Planning Commission Hearing
• September 2004 – Mayor & Council Policy Discussion
• December 2004 - Joint Public Hearing
• February 2005 - Joint Work Session
• November 2005 - Joint Work Session
• January 2006 - Planning Commission Recommendation
• March 2006 – Town Hall Meeting

Annexation Agreement
X-146
• National Geographic
Society requested
annexation in 1989
• Requested I-3 zoning
designation
• 40% Green space
requirement, consistent
with County’s C-P zoning
• 25’ Green space buffer
adjacent to MD Route 28
• Amended in 2000
• All previous requirements
remained in effect
• 700,000 square feet of
additional development
permitted

Public Comments
Stakeholders Meeting
April 2004
• Need to balance the amount of renters versus owners for
residential housing
• Will the existing buildings remain or will they be demolished?
• Is the lake considered “green space”?
• Traffic, schools, and open space will suffer if apartments are
built
• Assets include the lake and “modern” architecture of the former
National Geographic building
• Any development on the property should enhance the
surrounding neighborhoods rather than detract from them
• The 550,000 sq ft of additional development will likely be in the
form of tall buildings and will potentially add 2500 daily trips on
the roads
• A knowledge-based industrial park would be desirable in this
area
• There are lots of parking lots now and 700,000 sq ft of more
development will look better
• A mixed-use development can add residents to support the
commercial/retail area of Kentlands and Lakelands
• The addition of houses and children may change the school
boundaries
• A skating rink and miniature golf would be nice to have in this
area
• More performing arts space would be nice and a shuttle to
move people between this site and the Town Center
• Where is the “green space” and what/where will it be?
• Any new apartments that are constructed should be unique and
have a niche
• Additional retail and restaurant uses may compete against the
Town Center

Public Comments
Stakeholders Meeting
April 2004
• The lake adds to the character of the community and provides
opportunities for fishing
• A park or a mixed-residential and condominium development
would be better than apartments
• Is the warehouse staying or being removed?
• The principals of Kentlands and Lakelands should be applied for
any development on the GE Tech Park site
• A Hotel would be nice
• Some owners paid for the trees and the view and don’t want
apartments in their view
• A School site on GE Tech Park property? Elementary School?
High School?
• A mix of uses is preferable to a single-use.
• Is there any “affordable housing” being proposed
• A 9-hole golf course would be nice
• Whatever happens on this site, the City should make sure it
doesn’t add to traffic
• There are many mature trees on the NGS property and they
should not be cut down
• Don’t put any development along MD 28
• Few of the “live-work” townhouses in Kentlands/Lakelands are
neighborhood stores and the owners usually don’t live there
• There is a lack of office space in this general area to support the
amount of restaurant and retail that is existing nearby
• Apartments often end up isolated from the rest of the community
• New apartments should be better integrated into the community
• The City should maintain the “pristine” character of the property

Recommended Baseline Requirements
• A community-based workshop shall be
held prior to any Sketch or Concept Plan
submission.
• A minimum of 40% of the study area is
required to be green space, with a
minimum of 15% of the total green space
requirement located within the
developable areas.
• All tree areas outside of the stream valley
buffer and/or floodplain buffer should be
retained as “priority” green space.
• The existing tree buffer around Lake
Placid shall be preserved.
• A buffer shall be provided adjacent to the
residences along Still Creek Lane.
• All required environmental buffers shall
be provided.
• A street connection shall be provided
between Main St and Edison Park Dr.
• A pathway around Lake Placid and
pathway connections to adjacent
neighborhoods shall be provided.
• Future development design should
reduce the reliance on and the use of
automobiles.
• Future development shall be compatible
with the existing surrounding uses and
natural environment.
• An additional road connection to the
Lakelands community from Edison Park
Drive should be further reviewed and
provided, if possible.
• All annexation requirements shall be
satisfied.
• The views and vistas to the existing
office building and natural landmarks
shall be preserved.

Consistent Map Designations For All 4 Options
Map Designation 1:
• Lake Placid, Buffer around the Lake, green space between Lake and
MD 28
• Recommendation: preserve as green space, provide paths and
connections to surrounding areas, place in open space easement
• Proposed Land Use: recreation/open space
Map Designation 2:
• Lot 3, City-owned (Aquatic Center site)
• Recommendation: public use, provide paths and connections to
surrounding areas
• Proposed Land Use: recreation
Map Designation 3:
• Stream Valley Buffer and buffer around Lake Edison
• Recommendation: preserve as green space
• Proposed Land Use: open space

Land Use Option 1
Map Designation 4:
Part of Lots 1 & 2 and part of Parcel C
Recommendation: Office and research & development uses
preferred rather than warehouse & industrial; provide buffer
adjacent to Lakelands (Lane in the Woods); use proper planning
and architectural design; first floors of buildings should have extra
height to allow for incidental commercial uses; minimize surface
parking; avoid additional stream valley crossing to access Parcel
C, preserve as much forest on Parcel C as possible
Proposed Land Use: office and research & development
Special Conditions: none

Land Use Option 2
Map Designation 4:
Part of Lot 1 (includes former National Geographic building)
Recommendation: Office and research & development uses
preferred rather than warehouse & industrial; use proper planning
and architectural design; first floors of buildings should have extra
height to allow for incidental commercial uses; minimize surface
parking
Proposed Land Use: office and research & development
Map Designation 5:
Part of Lot 2 and part of Parcel C (warehouse and vacant lot)
Recommendation: Single-family attached and detached units;
provide buffer adjacent to Lakelands (Lane in the Woods); avoid
additional stream valley crossing to access Parcel C, preserve as
much forest on Parcel C as possible
Proposed Land Use: low-medium density residential
Special Condition:
Residential development of the site shall be of comparable density
and mix to the adjacent communities of Kentlands and Lakelands.

Land Use Option 3
Map Designation 4:
Part of Lot 1 (includes former National Geographic building)
Recommendation: Primarily office, with some residential and
commercial/retail uses; preferred residential uses are single family
attached and detached units and 2-over-2 condos rather than
multifamily residential; warehouse and industrial are not recommended;
use proper planning and architectural design.
Proposed Land Use: mixed office, residential, commercial/retail
Map Designation 5:
Part of Lot 2 and part of Parcel C (warehouse and vacant lot)
Recommendation: Single-family attached and detached units; provide
buffer adjacent to Lakelands (Lane in the Woods); avoid additional
stream valley crossing to access Parcel C, preserve as much forest on
Parcel C as possible
Proposed Land Use: low-medium density residential
Special Conditions:
Residential development of Map Designation 4 shall be concurrent with
the redevelopment of Map Designation 5 and part of a unified design.
Residential development of the site shall be of comparable density and
mix to the adjacent communities of Kentlands and Lakelands.

Land Use Option 4
Map Designation 4:
Part of Lot 1 (includes parking lots and recreation fields)
Recommendation: Mix of residential uses; majority of residential uses should be
single family attached/detached and 2-over-2 condos; multifamily only as a buffer to
office core, middle school, and park; use proper planning and architectural design.
Proposed Land Use: mixed residential
Map Designation 5:
Part of Lot 1 (includes former National Geographic building)
Recommendation: Office and commercial/retail uses; warehouse and industrial
uses are not recommended; use proper planning and architectural design.
Proposed Land Use: mixed office and commercial/retail
Map Designation 6:
Part of Lot 2 and part of Parcel C (warehouse and vacant lot)
Recommendation: Single-family attached and detached units; provide buffer
adjacent to Lakelands (Lane in the Woods); avoid additional stream valley crossing
to access Parcel C, preserve forest on Parcel C
Proposed Land Use: low-medium density residential
Special Conditions:
Residential development of Map Designation 4 shall be concurrent with the
redevelopment of Map Designation 6 and part of a unified design.
Residential development of the site shall be of comparable density and mix to the
adjacent communities of Kentlands and Lakelands.