A new development project submitted to the Montgomery County Planning Board would bring more than 100 townhomes to Rockville.
Missing Middle Jefferson LLC submitted plans last month to the county Planning Board to demolish a vacant office building at 2115 East Jefferson St. and replace it with 105 townhomes
The development application says the building has been vacant “for some time” and attempts to find a tenant have been unsuccessful.
“Based on the high vacancy rates for aging suburban office buildings such as this, the existence of superior office locations in Bethesda and along Rockville Pike, and the acute demand for new housing, Applicant has determined that it is in the public interest to redevelop the Property with townhomes and stacked townhomes,” project plans say.
Fifteen percent (about 16) of the units would be designated as affordable housing, in alignment with county law.
The application does not include the height of the proposed townhomes, but said the development would not be as tall as the current office building and “more compatible” with neighboring buildings.
Each unit would have its own parking garage and additional visitor parking would be provided along the streets, the application says.
More details about the development are expected at later stages of the approval process. A date for Planning Board consideration has not been set, according to online records.
The application says there will be several open spaces throughout the project, including a common area and a central green space.
The application notes that much of the housing in the immediate area of the project is provided by high-rise multifamily buildings or single-family homes. The proposed townhomes would “serve an important market niche,” documents say.
“There are a few better areas for the proposed development if the County is seeking to achieve ‘complete communities,’ ” the application says.