Subject
title
King Farm Farmstead Park Project Update and Program Concepts Review
end
Department
Recreation & Parks
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council receive the presentation, discuss, and provide feedback, additional considerations, and direction on which program and building use option will move forward to economic analysis.
The presentation and discussion will be facilitated by the City’s consultant, Design Collective, a firm with experience in historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and using public feedback to develop forward thinking and creative, but equally realistic, practical, and cost-effective designs.
Discussion
Purpose
The purpose of this work session is to provide Mayor and Council with a project update following the October 24, 2024, work session, where guidance was provided to staff regarding future programming and building uses at the King Farm Farmstead Park. This work session will include a presentation of the top ranked choices from the community for the park’s building uses and program concepts. Staff is requesting Mayor and Council direction on which programs and building usage option will move to the next phase of economic analysis.
The City retained Design Collective as the consultant for the adaptive reuse planning process and they will present results from the City’s community engagement process and community preferences for programming and building use concepts. For the past six months, the City has worked with the Communications and Community Engagement Department and Design Collective to implement project outreach and engagement to inform the community about the project and to solicit community feedback. This has included the development and launch of the King Farm Farmstead: Preservation and Potential website - King Farm Farmstead: Preservation and Potential | Engage Rockville <https://engagerockville.com/kingfarm>, social media promotion, Rockville Reports articles, community surveys, and hosting several in-person and virtual community engagement sessions.
The most recent community engagement included Concept Filtering Sessions where four options for programs and building uses were presented for the community to review and provide their preference. The four options have also been included as an attachment to the staff report.
Programs and building use options that will be presented during the July 14, 2025 work session include the four options presented to the community during in-person and virtual filtering sessions and via an online survey made available through the Engage Rockville website.
Park History
The King Farm Farmstead is in the northeast corner of the King Farm neighborhood near Route 355 and is part of the City of Rockville’s Park system. Formerly the largest farm in the area, much of the original farm has long since been sold and developed. The site currently consists of 7 distinct buildings of various sizes, a picnic pavilion, community garden and grounds surrounding the property.
The City acquired the 6.96-acre site in 1999 at the time of the sale and development of the former King (Irvington) Farm. The land was donated to the City by the developers of King Farm, with a deed and covenants containing a number of requirements, chiefly that the site is to be “used as a site for a neighborhood park and recreational facility that shall serve the current and future residents of the Subject Property and the general public” and that the grantor (King Farm Associates) is to be provided with opportunities for input on the site’s future use(s). The property was designated an historic district in 2006 and includes all existing buildings currently standing at the site. There is a forest conservation easement on the northwest corner of the site.
The Farmstead is part of the overall 92-acre public King Farm Park system that includes two additional active parks and 43 acres of stream valley/forest parkland. Maryland Rt. 355 (Frederick Road) is adjacent to the site on the east side. Residential lots are located to the west and south of the site, and the property to the north is currently under construction with 380+ residential units and includes a completed 47-spot parking lot for the Farmstead Park.
Since the City assumed ownership of the site, several projects have been completed to stabilize the buildings and add utility infrastructure however none of the buildings have been improved to the point of occupancy as an adaptive reuse has yet to be determined.
• 2014 - Property Condition Assessment
• 2018 - Structural renovations and façade restoration to Dairy Barns
• 2024 - Water and sewer infrastructure and fire suppression installed for Main House and Dairy Barns
• 2025 - Electrical infrastructure construction underway throughout the site
Past Planning and Evaluation
Extensive study of the King Farm Farmstead has been conducted by various Task Force and Consultant Groups over the years.
• King Farm Farmstead History and 2001 Task Force Report. <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/38478/King-Farm-Farmstead-Property-History>
• 2014 King Farm Farmstead Property Condition Assessment <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8847/2014KingFarmarmsteadPropertyCondAssess>
A summary of each area’s current condition is provided below.
• Farmhouse (Building #1): Two level house with +/- 3,425 gross square feet of usable space split between the levels, previously used as a residence. The house is served with water, sewer and electric and a fire suppression system is forthcoming in a current project. While the house is in generally good condition, there HVAC improvements would be needed, as well as interior modifications depending on final use.
• Garage (Building #2): +/-1,855 gross square feet split between two levels enclosed levels. Building requires envelope improvement, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and accessibility improvements.
• Outbuildings - Tenant House (Buildings #6 & 7): Building 6 is comprised of +/-1,050 square feet and Building 7 is comprised of +/-540 square feet. These buildings previously functioned as small living spaces with divided rooms; however, they are currently not safe for occupancy due to moisture infiltration and related damage.
• Dairy Barns (Buildings #3 & 4): The west barn is a two-story structure with +/- 5,800 square feet lower-level and +/- 5,200 square feet upper-level. The east barn is +/- 5,800 sq ft lower-level, 5,500 sq ft upper-level plus a +/- 600 sq ft milk house. A project to structurally shore these barns and make water-tight was completed in 2018. Care was taken to preserve the historic façade. After renovations, dehumidification controls were added to the spaces, however, fit out for occupancy was not completed. Water / Sewer infrastructure to the buildings has been completed, and an electric infrastructure project is currently underway. Improvements to the floor slab, internal lighting, plumbing, HVAC and other amenities for building fit-out are required after a use is identified.
• Horse Barn (Building #5): This +/- 5,950 gross square feet building is located closest to the new Farmstead District housing development and is not inhabitable currently. A number of structural deficiencies make any rehabilitation effort extremely challenging. All framing is undersized and not properly connected per current code requirements. Some existing materials (siding, wood, etc.) may be salvaged and used in reconstruction, however, due to its condition a major overhaul to include modern construction methods and materials is required to create useable space in this building.
• Also located at the King Farm Farmstead is an active community garden and picnic pavilion used for rental groups. The community garden is managed by volunteers who live in the King Farm neighborhood. The picnic pavilion is the site of the prior hay-drying shed and includes interpretive signage that highlights its historic elements.
A summary of two most recent reports on the property is provided below.
2017 King Farm Farmstead Task Force Recommendations and Report <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19897/King-Farm-Farmstead-Task-Force-Final-Report_Brief-053117> provides the Task Force’s vision for the property and detailed descriptions of the following Task Force recommendations:
• Retain the existing Farmstead House and utilize it as the welcome and operations center for the Farmstead.
• Renovate the existing Dairy Barns and establish them as the center of proposed activity for the farmstead with an indoor marketplace, culinary kitchen, and venue for larger events.
• Convert the Horse Barn into a 150-200 seat facility for theater production and musical events (with ancillary usage as community assembly space).
• Restore the exteriors of the smaller outbuildings to their 1920s/1930s appearance as farm buildings, at a minimum.
• Convert the silo nearest to Ridgemont Avenue into an astronomical observatory for use by the public and explore the possibility of entering a partnership with Montgomery College for use of the facility. Integrate the silo nearest to the Main Residence into the usage of the adjacent Dairy Barn.
• Prior to any further disturbance of grounds, contract with an archaeological firm to conduct an inventory investigation of the Farmstead.
• Provide appropriate explanatory signage outside each existing Farmstead structure and identified archaeological resource.
2022 King Farm Farmstead Real Estate and Market Analysis by Partners for Economic Success (PES)
https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07182022-6647#page=518 <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07182022-6647> studied the potentials for commercial and other building reuse that could help to maintain the historic structures while preserving the neighborhood park activities and providing benefits for area residents. Key findings include:
• To preserve historic resources, the best path forward is one of continual occupancy, which often prevents deterioration and damage attributable to unnoticed building decline such as roof leaks, other weather impacts, intrusions, and vandalism.
• The reuse alternatives can be distinguished between revenue-generating and non-revenue generating activities and concepts are described within the report as well as strengths and drawbacks for alternatives.
• PES worked to identify potential uses that best meet the Task Force’s vision subject to the constraints imposed by transportation conditions and parking requirements. The list was then narrowed based on an evaluation of local market support.
Mayor and Council History
The King Farm Farmstead has been discussed by the Mayor and Council on multiple occasions and Capital Improvement Projects at the King Farm Farmstead are discussed annually as part of the budget process.
A project launch work session was presented to the Mayor and Council on October 24, 2024 to discuss and receive direction on priorities for King Farm Farmstead Adaptive Reuse. The work session provided an overview of the park’s planning history, property milestones, site conditions and considerations, the adaptive re-use planning process, and proposed community engagement.
Previously, the Mayor and Council received a report by the King Farm Farmstead Task Force on June 12, 2017, and received a presentation regarding the King Farm Farmstead Real Estate Market Analysis Report on July 18, 2022.
Public Notification and Engagement
Significant community engagement has been included during this planning process to include an Engage Rockville project website, social media, Rockville Reports Articles, in-person and virtual community sessions, online surveys, fliers and posters at city buildings, and monthly email updates. Additionally, several attempts were made to contact the King Farm Assembly to notify them about the King Farm Farmstead adaptive reuse planning process and to invite them to participate.
Boards and Commissions Review
Updates on the project have been shared monthly with the Recreation and Park Advisory Board and members have been active participants in community engagement sessions. Project information and invitations to participate in the planning process were also shared with all Boards, Commissions, and Task Force Chairs and City Liaisons.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact will depend on Mayor and Council direction and approval of the project’s master plan in October 2025. The Finance Department will assist in the development of a phased approach for incorporating approved master plan elements into the City’s Capital Improvement Program and operating budget.
Next Steps
Based on direction received from the Mayor and Council during this work session, staff and the consultant will move the selected program and building use option to economic analysis. A follow-up work session will be presented in September 2025 to review the draft Master Plan. Recommendations from Mayor and Council will be incorporated and request for Mayor and Council approval of the King Farm Farmstead Park Master Plan is planned for October 2025.