Germantown Park1

Project Description

Client/Builder/Developer:   Beazer Homes
Location:  Germantown, Maryland
Market: Residential Townhouses
Size8.5 acres
Zoning: RT-12.5
Density:  104 Townhouses (13 MPDU’s), 12.2 DU/Acre

The Challenges

Germantown Park was the redevelopment of an outdated and under utilized1980’s retail shopping center into a thriving townhome community.  After our client determined there was a strong market demand for townhouses, the next step was to rezone the property from C-1 (commercial) to RT-15 (townhouses,15 units/acre).   To better compete with nearby neighborhood resales our client wanted to include numerous site amenities.  Stormwater design would need to meet current ESD requirements as well as continuing to connect to an existing large pond shared with a convenience store on the corner.  Additionally, site design would need to incorporate an existing adjacent cemetery and steep slopes down to roads fronting the property.

The Solution

GLW was brought in to provide rezoning, planning, engineering, landscape architecture and surveying services.  Our local jurisdictional planning experience was needed to  successfully argue that rezoning the property to allow townhouses would create an improved buffer and be more compatible to the surrounding residential neighborhoods than a shopping center.

Our site designers achieved the desired density and included many passive recreational amenities and a central village green that serves as a community gathering place.  An extensive interconnected sidewalk system links the residents to the amenities throughout the community and to an off-site pedestrian system and public transportation.  The green space provided throughout the project adds up to 4.5 acres or 53.3% of the total property.  Purposeful stormwater design resulted in small micro-bio ponds that were shaped to fit within open space and are landscaped to be part of the amenity package within the community.