Modera Westside

MAIN_MODERA WESTSIDE

Project Description

Client/Builder/Developer:  Mill Creek Residential
Location:  Westside Boulevard, Laurel, Maryland
Market: Multi-family
Size:  26.80 Acres
Zoning: M-X-T
Density:  18 DU/Acre

Recent Projects

The Challenge

The Modera Westside multi-family development is part of a larger 56.63 acre mixed-use development that also includes townhouses, hotel and a retail center.  The property, which enjoys a prime location minutes from I-95 and adjacent to the future Konterra mixed use town center, was annexed into the City of Laurel in 2012. The project is built on reclaimed land that had been previously mined for sand and gravel. An existing stream and two major water lines define the boundaries on two sides of the property.  A large sediment control pond needed for the mining operation had to be converted to a sediment control pond then stormwater management pond for the multi-family development. Before the apartments could be constructed, GLW designed a 1,700’ long public street which had to be built and dedicated to the City of Laurel to provide access to the land-locked multi-family property.  

The Solution

GLW provided full entitlement processing services from rezoning to site plan approval.  Site grading and engineering focused on designing a submerged gravel wetland in the stormwater management pond that could handle both water quality and 100 year flooding events for most of the larger 56 acre property.  A single sanitary sewer location required all site grading and sewer design to accommodate future on-site development. To allow construction of the apartments over the former sand and gravel mine, GLW provided detailed settlement monitoring of soil compaction during the backfilling operation.  The entrance road was designed and located to allow for a large berm and landscaping to buffer views of the development from the adjacent residential neighborhood.

Steeplechase

02 multi tenant

Project Description

Client/Builder/Developer:  Atapco Ritchie Interchange, Inc.
Location:  Ritchie Marlboro Road, Prince George’s County, Maryland
Market: Industrial
Size:  110.26 Acres
Zoning: I-1, Light Industrial, Retail
Density:  N/A

Recent Projects

The Challenge

Steeplechase is a 110-acre mixed-use (flex-office/warehouse and retail) development located on the Capital Beltway at the Ritchie Marlboro interchange. Prince George’s County awarded Steeplechase a Foreign Trade Zone status because of its excellent visibility along I-495 and because it offers 28 individual retail spaces of 50,000 to 500,000 square feet. Initial plan approvals permitted a retail component in the Industrial Zone provided that 10 retail parcels would be subject to Site Plan approval by the Planning Board. This would ensure design compatibility in architecture, building materials, signage, entry walls and landscaping between the various retail uses. The remaining industrial/warehouse parcels have owners/tenants with their own needs and specifications. The parcels are located around a stream and associated wooded areas, floodplains, steep slopes and wetlands.

The Solution

GLW was responsible for site planning, landscape architecture, civil engineering (site layout, site grading, storm drain/SWM design) and construction permitting for each of the parcels. Design requirements ranged from siting massive power requirements for a medical cannabis grower to stormwater storage in large underground pipes to allow siting our client’s building. On another parcel, GLW recommended a wetland consultant review an outdated wetland delineation. The updated wetland allowed for an improved site design that protected wetlands and increased the development envelope for our client. Throughout the development, parking areas and buildings were located to avoid sensitive environmental features and minimize the amount of earth moving required.

Westphalia Row

05 Phase 1 playground parcel G (1)

Project Description

Client/Builder/Developer:  Haverford Homes, Inc.
Location:  Ritchie Marlboro Road, Upper Marlboro, Prince George’s County, MD 20772
Market: Mixed Use – Townhouse and retail
Size:  20.67 Acres
Zoning: M-X-T
Density:  0.61 Floor Area Ratio overall, 275 townhouses, 10,000 Square Feet retail

Recent Projects

The Challenges

Westphalia Row is a GLW designed mixed-use residential and retail development that is located near the Capital Beltway and Ritchie Marlboro Road. Important design considerations were to reduce vehicular noise from the Beltway and a nearby exit ramp, provide road improvements along the adjacent Sansbury Road, maximize retail and housing density by adjusting the existing Fernwood Drive, and address “Gateway Entrance” requirements of the Westphalia Sector Plan. Further, our client wanted to develop the project in three phases to allow townhouse sales to stay even with land development construction.

The Solution

GLW provided planning, landscape architecture, engineering and surveying services throughout the entitlement, permit and construction processes.  The project layout is a high density, compact, urban design with a centrally located recreation center and numerous landscaped activity areas interconnected by sidewalks throughout the development.  A safe and efficient realignment of Fernwood Drive through the center of the property provided greater flexibility to lay out the residential, recreational and commercial blocks. Along the common property line to the Capital Beltway exit ramp a concrete noise wall was designed and constructed.  The noise wall was designed to look like brick and extensive landscaping was used to reduce the impact of the wall seen by homeowners and motorists. A special gateway sign and landscaping was designed to announce entry into the Westphalia Town Center area and to compliment the Westphalia Row project.

GLW created added value to the project by proposing to use an adjacent off-site surplus property owned by Maryland State Highway for a stormwater management pond.  A negotiated land swap between our client, an adjacent property owner and the Maryland State Highway Administration allowed a stormwater management pond to be built off-site but adjacent to the property resulting in a higher unit yield.  

Bowie Marketplace

11 retail

Project Description

Client/Builder/Developer:  Berman Enterprises
Location:  3206 Superior Lane, Bowie, Prince George’s County, Maryland 20715
Market: Mixed Use – Retail Shopping Center & Multi-family Apartments
Size:  20.29 Acres
Zoning: C-S-C
Density:  0.47 Floor Area Ratio, 275 multi-family units, 134,992 Square Feet of retail

Recent Projects

The Challenge

Bowie Marketplace was a redevelopment of a nearly vacant indoor mall. Situated in a highly visible location on a major arterial road, both residents and officials from the City of Bowie wanted the mall repurposed or torn down. The City of Bowie was an active proponent in bringing a development team together to create a new vision for the property. GLW was charged with providing design and construction services that would ultimately combine retail stores alongside residential apartments.

The Solution

Through a public-private partnership with the City of Bowie the mall was torn down and replaced with a phased mixed use development that included retail and residential components.  GLW provided planning and engineering services on the first phase, which was a 100,050 sf shopping center constructed on the northern portion of the property in 2016. Numerous outparcels located along Annapolis Road (MD Rte. 450) take advantage of high visibility by motorists.

The second phase will be a 3-4 story, 225 unit, apartment building built on the southern portion of the property behind the shopping center. The shopping center was designed with a driveway running through the middle of the parking lot between the stores and terminating at the future entrance of the apartment building.  GLW designed living walls and planters and easy pedestrian access between the two uses allowing them to coexist and complement each other. The apartment building is served by a multi-story parking garage and site amenities that include a pool, paved activity and sitting areas and landscaping.

Shelbourne Senior Living of Olney

Main Shelbourne Senior Living Olney

Project Description

Client/Builder/Developer:   Formation Development Group, LLC
Location:  Olney, Montgomery County, MD
Market: Senior Living
Size:  4.96 acres
Zoning: RE-2/TDR – Special Exception
Density:  1 Bed per 1,200 SF / 174 Beds

Awards:
Leed Certification

Recent Projects

The Challenge

Shelbourne-Olney is a Senior Assisted Living Facility with one floor devoted specially for the care of Alzheimer’s patients.  The property was almost entirely forested with many large, mature trees and a vital stream and associated floodplain/buffer. The property lies within the Hawing River Watershed which required special treatment because it flows directly into the Patuxent River Watershed.  An important goal of the development was to preserve the existing mature forest, specimen trees, and stream buffers while providing a quiet, wooded setting appropriate for seniors, particularly the Alzheimer’s patients. Additionally, our client wanted LEED® certification for the project which required high standards of environmental conservation and green construction.

The Solution

Site grading, buildings, driveways, and stormwater management facilities were designed to avoid impacting surrounding specimen trees, wetland and stream valley buffers.   The entrance road alignment and grading saved two massive trees, a White Oak and Ash, which served to screen the building from nearby road traffic and to emphasize the forest setting.  The rear of the building faced a mature forest requiring a retaining wall up to 13’ high to create a terrace for an Alzheimer’s garden with a wide open view out over the wall. The garden was planted with distinctive, colorful plants intended to stimulate the mind and create a memorable experience.

To gain LEED® certification the structure was built with a green roof that covers more than 50% of the roof area. The green roof was designed with a rubber membrane below a soil layer planted with succulent plants that are able to retain water in especially dry conditions.   All downspout and parking lot runoff is piped to bio-retention facilities so that no net additional untreated drainage leaves the developed area. A path runs around the building along the woodland edge and past ornamental landscaped areas provides an attractive route for seniors to exercise.  Other stormwater facilities including grass channels, sand filters and micro-bioretention ponds were located and landscaped to minimize their visual impact.