Planning Commission Staff Report
Overview
Location: 920 King Farm Boulevard, Sheraton Hotel
Staff: Richard Lawrence Jr, AICP, Principal Planner
Community Planning & Development Services
240.314.8224
rlawrence@rockvillemd.gov
Applicant: Ori Real Estate Acquisitions, LLC, represented by David Rozins
Filing Date: June 29, 2026
Subject
Recommendation to the Mayor and Council on the allocation of 143 multifamily residential units to the existing Sheraton Hotel at 920 King Farm Blvd, and the density transfer of 16 residential units to the Irvington Center office area within the King Farm Planned Development.
Recommendation
title
Staff recommend that the Planning Commission recommend approval to the Mayor and Council of the allocation of 143 residential units within the King Farm Planned Development and the density shift of 16 units to the Irvington Center office designated area.
end
Request
ORI, Real Estate Acquisitions LLC. (the “Applicant”) in partnership with Lincoln Property Company, and the owner of record of the Sheraton Hotel at 920 King Farm Boulevard, Grand Prix Rockville LLC, requests (1) the allocation of 143 residential dwelling units to the property and (2) a shift of 16 units into the Irvington Center office designated area under the density shifting provision of the approved Concept Plan for the King Farm Planned Development.
Project Description
The Applicant proposes a partial conversion and adaptive reuse of the existing 155-room hotel at the Property. The proposed multi-use building would consist of 143 residential apartment units converted from the existing hotel rooms, with the remaining 12 units remaining as hotel and hospitality rooms. The Applicant would facilitate the conversion into residential apartments through the adaptive reuse of the existing structure, delivering high-quality workforce housing utilizing Ori’s robotic furniture systems. The Applicant has deployed these systems in over 1,800 apartments in more than 75 cities nationwide. Upon subsequent approval, the project will include Moderately Priced Dwelling Units in accordance with the City’s requirements.
The remaining 12 units would remain as hotel units and be professionally managed as furnished, flexible-stay accommodations integrated with the building’s residential management platform. The Applicant anticipates targeting these units toward corporate relocations and shorter term stays rather than nightly leisure stays.
Based on staff analysis, the Planning Commission would need to provide a recommendation to the Mayor and Council to authorize the allocation of 143 residential units from the approved unit capacity of the King Farm development and to authorize a density shift of 16 units into the Irvington Center office designated area under the provision of the Approved Concept Plan. This request does not increase the total number of residential units approved for the King Farm Planned Development.
Background and Discussion
The existing 155-room five-story, 76,725 sq. ft. hotel located at 920 King Farm Boulevard, was approved by Detailed Application CPD2004-002AJ, consistent with Concept Plan CPD1995-0002A, which amended the King Farm Approved Concept Plan authorizing hotel use. Construction was completed in 2006 and has since been operating as a hotel.
Aerial image of the subject property. Source: City of Rockville
The Approved Concept Plan, CPD95-0002, approved by Resolution No. 10-96, authorized 3,200 residential dwelling units within the King Farm Planned Development, which could be increased up to 3.600 units with approval of the Mayor and Council. The Annexation Agreement also permits residential dwelling units to be increased up to 3,600 dwelling units through subsequent action of the Mayor and Council. It should be noted that 300 of the 400 additional units were permitted to be located within the Irvington Center office designated area of the King Farm development, generally west of Gaither Road. At the time of approval, the optional 400 residential dwelling units in the overall King Farm development were included in the analysis done for the approval of the Planned Development.
Resolution No. 10-96 and the Annexation Agreement allow the 400 additional dwelling units to be approved by the Mayor and Council as follows:
The gross land area designated for residential uses is approximately 334.42 acres. The total number of residential units may not exceed 3,200 units; provided however, that subject to the approval of the Mayor and Council, the number of dwelling units may be increased to 3,600 dwelling units. The development pattern for the residential uses on the King Farm equates to an overall residential density of 9.52 units per acre. The location of single family detached, and multi-family units shall be as shown on the Land Use Plan (Exhibit 2). The combined total number of single family detached and single family attached units may not exceed 1,570 units, the combined total number of multiple-family units including an elderly housing component, may not exceed 2,030 units; provided, however, in no event, shall the total number of residential units, in the aggregate, exceed 3,200 dwelling units, unless, after approval of the Mayor and Council, the number of residential units are increased to an aggregate amount not to exceed 3,600 dwelling units in total.
And in the Annexation Agreement:
…Rockville and Owners further agree that at a future date, Owners may, subject to the reasonable approval of Rockville, increase the number of residential dwelling units to be constructed on the subject property to 3,600, to include 3,200 market rate units and 400 MPDUs. The term “Project Development” shall automatically be deemed to be revised by number of dwelling units above 3,200 as may be approved by Rockville in accordance with this Paragraph 2 wherever said term is used in this agreement.
Additionally, Section III, (e) of Resolution 10-96 authorizes density shifting among sites within the Planned Development:
… the number of residential units shown on Exhibit 2 for each Pod of the same type of dwelling unit may be shifted among Pods of the same unit type at Applicant’s discretion provided the number of units shown on Exhibit 2 for any Pod is not increased by more than 30% or, for multi-family units along King Farm Boulevard marked with a double asterisk(**) on Exhibit 2, by 50%, over the number of units shown on any Pod on Exhibit 2. The Planning Commission shall review any density shifting as described herein for compliance with the Approved Concept Plan at time of Detailed Application(s).
On August 4, 2003, the Mayor and Council adopted Resolution No. 25-03 approving CPD1995-0002A, an amendment to the Concept Plan for the King Farm Planned Development to allow alternate hotel use on one of three undeveloped tracts of land within the Irvington Center office development. The amendments also included a reduction in the amount of approved office space equivalent to the size of the hotel built.
In similar cases to this request, the Planning Commission provided recommendations to Mayor and Council to support requests for unit allocations from the 400 additional dwellings units of the Approved Concept Plan for the King Farm Planned Development. Through Resolution No. 9-13, 144 townhomes were permitted to be constructed within the Irvington Center area. Subsequently, Resolution No. 8-17 authorized 162 units within another portion of Irvington Center. Resolution No. 8-17 was then amended through Resolution No. 5-18, reducing the number of units in the prior approval from 162 multifamily to 65 townhouse units. As a result of these actions, 209 units were approved within Irvington Center, of which 173 were constructed on those sites.
To date 3,373 dwelling units have been approved and constructed across the King Farm Planned Development to include: 394 single-unit detached dwellings, 1,092 single-unit attached dwellings and 1,887 multi-unit dwellings. Of the 2,030-unit multifamily limit permitted in the Concept Plan development summary table and resolution, 1,887 multifamily units have been constructed leaving 143 units.
The Applicant’s request utilizes the remaining balance of multifamily units, not exceeding the 2,030 dwelling units prescribed by the Planned Development. Within the Irvington Center office designated area, the Land Use Plan (Exhibit 2A-D to Resolution No. 10-96) permitted 300 residential units, of which 173 have been constructed, leaving 127 remaining units. The 16-unit density transfer, as allowed by provisions of the approved concept plan, would bridge the gap between the 127 units currently available and the 143 units requested.
Upon approval of this request, the applicant intends to submit a site plan application in compliance with applicable City requirements.
Previous Related Actions
On April 30, 2018, the Mayor and Council adopted Resolution No. 05-18, amending Resolution No. 8-17, reducing the total number of dwelling units from 162 to 65 units on Parcels F-7 and F-8 in the Irvington Center area of King Farm.
On October 16, 2017, the Mayor and Council adopted Resolution No. 08-17, approving the request for 162 multifamily dwelling units on Parcels F-7 and F-8 in the Irvington Center area.
On September 9, 2013, the Mayor and Council adopted Resolution No. 09-13, approving the request for 144 townhouse dwelling units on Parcels F-5 and F-6 in the Irvington Center area.
On October 17, 2004, the Mayor and Council provided comments to the Planning Commission regarding the site layout and architectural design for CPD2004-002AJ; a five-story, 76, 725 sq. ft. hotel within the King Farm Planned Development consistent with the previously approved PD amendment.
Prior to that, on August 4, 2003, the Mayor and Council approved an amendment to the Concept Plan for King Farm to allow alternate hotel use on one of three undeveloped tracts of land within the Irvington Center office development and a reduction in the amount of the approved office space equivalent to the size of the hotel built.
Public Notification
Written notice for this request was mailed to adjacent property owners within 500 feet of the subject property and emailed to HOA and Civic Associations. As of the date of this report, staff have not received any comments from members of the public on this proposal.
Conclusion
The Planning Commission is requested to provide a recommendation to Mayor and Council, consistent with previous approvals, for the allocation of the King Farm dwelling units and the density shift of 16 units to the Irvington Center office designated area to facilitate the building conversion and unit allocation.
Staff finds both requests consistent with the provisions of the Planned Development governing documents and the Annexation Agreement.