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White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan - Building a World Class Bio and Life Science Community

The White Oak Science Gateway (WOSG) Master Plan seeks to leverage the many assets located in the White Oak area, especially the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Headquarters , and establish the foundation upon which the area will evolve into a community that offers more opportunities to learn, live, work and play. The Plan also envisions that the commercial centers will evolve from conventional, auto-dependent suburban shopping retail centers, business parks and light industrial areas into vibrant, mixed-use, transit-served nodes that will enhance the entire areas's quality of life, appearance, walkability, and sense of place. To that end, the County invested in the construction of the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Maryland, called FLASH. Services began in October 2020.

To promote the WOSG, the County purchased in 2009 a 115-acre former compositing facility known as Site 2 from WSSC for the express purpose of creating a “World Class Bio/Life Sciences, Education and Research Community,” and in 2011 the County chose Percontee, Inc., who already owned an adjacent 165 acres, as its development partner in a public-private partnership. This partnership, to redevelop nearly 280 acres of industrial uses into a mixed-use center with a focus on bio/life sciences, will take place over the next 10 to 15 years. While the 280-acre project known as  Viva White Oak  is poised to transform the WOSG, new development and redevelopment in the area is not limited to this project (see below for additional development). 

 

 

VIVA White Oak

VIVA White Oak is a Public-Private-Partnership to develop a 280 acre master planned community. Land uses will include a town center, a world class bio/life science center, retail, medical offices, townhome and multifamily residential, education and public open spaces. MCB Real Estate has completed their due diligence to purchase the project. Planning and Engineering are underway to refine the masterplan. Construction will commence in 2025.

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White Oak Town Center

White Oak Town Center is complete. Starbucks and First Watch opened their stores in October 2024. Next will be Dave's Hot Chicken, Jersey Mikes and European Wax Center. The project has over 103,000 SF of mixed retail and office space, anchored by a 41,000 SF grocery store. The center includes 370 surface parking spaces, with access and visibility from Columbia Pike (US 29). Other tenants will include Oak Barrel & Vine ABS, and Associates in Family Medicine.

 

 

White Oak Apartments

White Oak Apartments is well into construction. It is a 387 multifamily residential development project in the heart of the White Oak Science Gateway area, located next to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Headquarters and the Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center. Its excellent location provides convenient access to the I-270 Life Sciences corridor, the University of Maryland campuses, Fort Meade, downtown Silver Spring, via the Flash Bus Rapid Transit system, and is across the Montgomery College East County Education Center (see below). The project includes a five-story building with a private courtyard, sun deck and pool, outdoor cooking and dining areas, work from home amenities, a dog park and fitness center, plus 28 townhouse two-over-two residential units.

Construction activities started in January 2023 with demolition of the existing structure. Contractor completed earthwork, grading, structures, and is outfitting the buildings. The first units (two-over-twos) are expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2024.

  

 

Hillandale Gateway - Leadership in Sustainable Design

Hillandale Gateway is an ambitious project, representing a significant investment of over $150 million dollars, designed to help achieve the vision outlined in the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan. Hillandale Gateway will be an all-electric, multi-building, mixed-use, mixed-income project designed to reach the highest levels of sustainability.  The project features 463 total units in two buildings along with associated parking and commercial space. The project's certifications include LEED-H (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) v4 Platinum, Energy Star Multifamily-Midrise, and PHIUS+ (Passive House Institute US)  on both buildings. Once completed, this project will be both the largest passive house and the largest residential zero net energy project in the State of Maryland and the region. The contractor has completed utility and grading and is now working on the structures. 

Montgomery College East County Education Center    ​

Montgomery College East County Education Center (ECEC), located at 2221 Broadbirch Drive at White Oak, opened on April 1, 2024. Guided by the vision and support of the County Executive and County Council, the 55,193-square-foot space features classrooms, training labs, and student advising space, while offering both credit and non-credit courses. Montgomery College was ranked the 7 ^th best community college in the U.S. (out of 677 colleges), according to a recent report .

The Montgomery College ECEC is expected to serve more than 1,000 students in the first year and will be the largest of the College’s three education centers and nearly four times larger than the Gaithersburg site. The Center brings the College’s unique services and academic programs to the residents of the East County and serve as an anchor institution in the community. The new center is the first major step in MC’s expansion into East County, and precursor to the College's fourth campus. 

Classes, Programs and Services: The College offers both credit and noncredit classes in various fields of interest, targeting skill gaps in key industry sectors such as healthcare and IT. Programmatic highlights include:

• Small Business/Entrepreneurship

• Cybersecurity/IT

• Allied Healthcare classes

• Early Childhood Education

• English for speakers of other languages (ESL)

• Hospitality 

• Raptor Central, the student support services one-stop shop for admissions and enrollment.

First with FLASH

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) constructed the first Bus Rapid Transit system in Maryland, called Flash , along US 29 (Colesville Rd) in East County. Service started in October 2020. Flash is a new transit system option that offers faster, more frequent, comfortable and reliable trips, so riders can get where they need to go quickly. Flash utilizes innovative transit stations with unique shelters and mosaics. Riders can use several bikeshare stations , wi-fi and USB services. US 29 Flash serves the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan area, operating between Burtonsville and Downtown Silver Spring, contributing to the County’s economic development in East County. Two BRT studies are now being conducted by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation to improve transit service to East County, the New Hampshire Flash Bus Rapid Transit corridor and the US29 (Phase 2) .