Leggett Cuts Ribbon Opening New MCPS Food Distribution Facility – a “Smart Growth Initiative” Project

For Immediate Release:  January 12, 2015

Leggett Cuts Ribbon Opening New MCPS Food Distribution Facility – a “Smart Growth Initiative” Project

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett along with County Council Member Craig Rice, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Joshua Starr and Board of Education Member Patricia O’Neill celebrated the opening of the new MCPS Food Distribution Facility – located at the Montgomery County Multi Agency Service Park, 8301 Turkey Thicket Drive, off Snouffer School Road in Montgomery Village. This is another of Leggett’s Smart Growth Initiative (SGI) projects that is revitalizing an old industrial area by creating an urban village near the Shady Grove Metro station. Leggett’s SGI provides substantial economic opportunities for future growth while implementing the goals of the Shady Grove Sector Plan.

The SGI continues to implement and accomplish the following:

• Create a transit-oriented bioscience enclave at the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center that will increase the County’s competitiveness;

• Construct thousands of new housing units;

• Create new, high-paying jobs;

• Relocate and replace old, overcrowded, inadequate public facilities;

• Save $22 million a year on rent payments; and

• Create opportunities to protect the agricultural reserve.

“One of the priorities of my administration has been developing the Smart Growth Initiative, and I am very proud to be celebrating completion of another of the many projects that will help make this plan a reality,” said Leggett. “By relocating this facility to make way for a sustainable, transit-oriented community near Metro, we are boosting the economic health and competitiveness of Montgomery County. The Smart Growth Initiative will create a better quality of life for our residents well into the future.”

The new food distribution facility is a one-story structure, consisting primarily of warehouse space, with a portion of the building on the east side having an intermediate second floor level for administrative spaces. This facility is about 77,470 square feet and is equipped with the latest technology and equipment for preparation of food for students.

Also being built on this site is a four-level, 450 space parking garage that will serve the entire Multi Agency Service Park on both the east and west side of Snouffer School Road.  The first level of the garage contains the central utility plant that will serve all buildings in the service park. In addition to the food distribution facility, two new depots are currently under design and construction – one for MCPS and one for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission – and will be completed in early 2017.  Ground will be broken for the new Public Safety Training Academy next month.  This facility will be relocating from its current location at Great Seneca Highway and Rte. 28 in Rockville.

The Montgomery County Multi Agency Service Park is designed to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification by incorporating innovative features.  The design is conceived to make sustainability not only a matter of achieving a point total, but making it an integral and seamless part of the buildings and landscape.

The Shady Grove Sector Plan, approved by the County Council in 2005, calls for transitioning the area around the Shady Grove Metro station from light industrial uses to transit-oriented development, including affordable and workforce housing. To accomplish this goal, the County Service Park facilities, which are located in the heart of the planning area along Crabbs Branch Way, needed to be relocated. The facilities that have been moved include the former Equipment and Maintenance Operations Center, which contains the Highway Maintenance Depot; the Department of Liquor Control Headquarters and Warehouse; MCPS Food Distribution Center, Bus Depot and Facilities Maintenance Depot; County Radio Shop; and Park and Planning Facilities Maintenance Depot. Most of the projects under the SGI have been completed and/or relocated.

The construction contractor for the MCPS Food Distribution Facility is Costello Construction, Inc.  The architect is Baker and Associates.  The construction costs for the project were $35 million for the food distribution facility and $6 million for the parking garage.

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Media Contact:  Sue Tucker, 240-777-6507