Gaithersburg Mulls Over Ideas for New Park
The Gaithersburg City Council tours the former Consumer Product Safety Commission site off Darnestown Road.
It was a tour of mold, dead mice and crumbling buildings when the Gaithersburg City Council gathered Monday night at the former Consumer Product Safety Commission property off Darnestown Road.
The council talked about options for the recently-acquired land like picnic areas, an indoor sports complex, a nature center and jogging trails. But as the council works to put together an ad hoc committee to narrow down the options, city officials said they plan to go ahead and remove all nine existing buildings on the nearly 10-acre site except for the large warehouse that was built in 2002.
The site has rolling hills and a narrow road leading to it. The warehouse, recommended to remain, has no air conditioning but does have heat, according to Assistant City Manager Dennis Enslinger. Some of the buildings, now with exposed ceilings and crumbling walls due to years of exposure to the elements and neglect, were once used to test all-terrain vehicles, store fireworks for testing and house a control base for the nearby Nike missile silos, Enslinger said Monday. The city is also in talks to acquire that 13-acre Nike site located off Muddy Branch Road.
The Gaithersburg City Council tours the former Consumer Product Safety Commission site off Darnestown Road Monday.
The council members each had a different idea about how the city could best use the property. Councilwoman Cathy Drzyzgula suggested the property be used as a nature center, while Councilman Henry Marraffa talked about an indoor sports facility at the warehouse with a multi-purpose field and picnic areas outside.
The Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture began working with the United States Department of the Interior National Park Service in 2010 to look at the possibility of acquiring the 9.54 acre campus. The City acquired the site at 10901 Darnestown Road through a quit claim deed on January 24, 2014. And now it is one of the top capital improvements projects in the city.
There is $1.6 million in available funds for the project so far. The city’s capital plan includes an allocation of $2.5 million for each fiscal year in FY16 and FY17. This would bring the total funds available for the project to $6.6 million.
Gaithersburg staff is currently developing a committee charge for the Ad Hoc Committee for the project. The Mayor and City Council will approve a resolution establishing the committee and the charge in the near future, Enslinger said. After that resolution is approved, the City will advertise the opportunity for volunteers.
Anyone with questions about the committee or the plans for the property can contact Enslinger at 301.258.6310 ext 2323.
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- Gaithersburg officials and residents tour the former Consumer Product Safety Commission site off Darnestown Road Monday.
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- Gaithersburg officials and residents tour the former Consumer Product Safety Commission site off Darnestown Road Monday.
Gaithersburg Solicits Bids for Consumer Product Safety Building Demolitions
The City of Gaithersburg is accepting bids to demolish the former Consumer Product Safety Commission buildings to make way for a park on the site. The City is seeking sealed bid proposals for the demolition of eight existing buildings on the former CPSC site, at 10901 Darnestown Road, Gaithersburg. The total cost of the project […]
Gaithersburg Mulls Over Ideas for New Park
It was a tour of mold, dead mice and crumbling buildings when the Gaithersburg City Council gathered Monday night at the former Consumer Product Safety Commission property off Darnestown Road. The council talked about options for the recently-acquired land like picnic areas, an indoor sports complex, a nature center and jogging trails. But as the […]
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