June 2010

Great Seneca
Science Corridor
Urban Design Guidelines
Context

Montgomery County’s General Plan envisioned urban centers along

the I-270 corridor as places where compact, transit serviceable growth
and employment opportunities could be concentrated. The County’s
Planning Department periodically undertakes sector planning efforts
focusing on these areas, to serve as area-specific refinements to the
vision outlined in the General Plan. The Urban Design Guidelines
are companions to each sector plan, and provide greater detail for
context-sensitive development to assist in the implementation of the
Plan’s vision.
Contents
How to Use the Guidelines 5

Vision 6
Design Objectives 7
The Corridor Cities Transitway 8
Opportunities 9

Guidelines 11
Open Space 12
Streets 14
Buildings 20

Districts 31
LSC Central 32
LSC West 36
LSC Belward 40
LSC North 44
LSC South 44

3 page
 Reconfigure existing transit, streets, trails, and sidewalks to improve connectivity
between neighborhoods and to provide alternatives for moving safely through the area.

Combine responsible natural resource management with public open space design to
create integrated, sustainable, and compact fabric of buildings and streets.

Promote design excellence and encourage sustainable and efficient building design and
construction practices.

Identify and incorporate distinctive local character into the development of new vibrant,
compact centers.

4 page Draft Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 How to Use the Guidelines

The Urban Design Guidelines help implement the recommendations in approved and adopted
master plans or sector plans. They provide information on how Plan recommendations and Zoning
Code requirements can be met; the area or district context for individual sites; and ideas about best
practices in building and site design.

The planning process is structured in a hierarchy of decisions.

• Master and sector plan recommendations provide the vision for a specific area.
• The Zoning Ordinance and other codes establish standards and regulations for development.
• Design Guidelines provide inspiration and suggestions to fulfill the plan’s vision, and serve as a
problem-solving tool.

The guidelines are developed through work with property owners, residents, institutions, interest
groups, and Executive agencies. They are approved by the Planning Board for use by Planning Staff in
developing and evaluating proposed building projects and other applications. They will be revised and
updated as necessary.

With the exception of street standards and other specific recommendations included in the Plan,
the Guidelines are not regulations that mandate specific forms and locations for buildings and open
Principles space. They illustrate how Plan recommendations and principles might be met, and encourage
applicants to propose designs that create an attractive and successful public realm.
Connectivity The examples and case studies are intended to frame discussions regarding building design in a
flexible way, without prescribing specific standards.

Environment

Design

Diversity

Montgomery County Planning Department Introduction 5 page

 Vision
Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan Today, the buildings and spaces in Great Seneca Science Corridor
Master Plan area are complementary in use and function, but
“The Master Plan establishes a blueprint for the Life unsustainable as self-sufficient entities. They function like typical
Sciences Center (LSC) that includes an expanded, first class research parks, with wide roadways and setback buildings forming
medical center, research facilities, academic institutions, visually separated spaces and physical barriers that prevent a
and an array of services and amenities for residents, cohesive and accessible built environment.
workers, and visitors. It will have an open space system
that incorporates the area’s natural environmental A successful corridor would maintain the identity and function of
features into a larger network, connecting destinations individual areas by creating a framework for expansion and growth to
by paths and trails, and providing opportunities for a bring places closer to each other. The result should be a continuous
range of outdoor experiences. built environment that meets the needs of a larger community and
the science community, while providing specialized sites for research
The Life Sciences Center will be served by a fully and medical functions, as well as places for living and recreation.
integrated transit system that links mid-County activity
centers via the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT). Access In the Life Sciences Center, the creation of a successful corridor should
to high quality transit is increasingly important to also spur the development of a sustainable community, one that
businesses trying to attract knowledge-based, creative evolves with a holistic perspective of its impact on the environment,
class workers. The LSC will continue to be a specialized the economy, and well being of its residents.
employment center, but it will be connected by transit
with nearby residential communities at the Shady Sustainable communities can use strategic building orientation and
Grove Metro Station, the King Farm, the Crown Farm, site design to incorporate natural resources and create a variety of
Kentlands, and the Watkins Mill Town Center.” open spaces and community amenities. By protecting and augmenting
Lightrail Station existing resources on site, sustainable communities enhance local
Strasbourg, France ecosystems through the planting of native landscaping, preservation
of open space and wildlife habitat, and restoration of natural water
cycles.

This is particularly true of science and research facilities where

evolving fields must respond to constant change. They must
simultaneously allow for concentrated individual work while also
actively promoting interdisciplinary communication. Flexibility and
expandability are extremely important to ensure continued growth.

The Guidelines do not issue specific design directives but highlight

techniques and approaches that can help create five distinct
neighborhoods that coalesce into a single corridor that will evolve as
a premier environment for medical, science, and technology research
and applications.

6 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Design Objectives

Connectivity Design
Establish comprehensive transit, pedestrian, bicycle Create a sustainable community focused on cutting-
and road networks that connect to retail, life sciences edge medical, science, and technology research and
employment, academic facilities, and local and regional applications by:
parks by: • supporting the construction of flexible and multi-
• improving pedestrian safety at major intersections purpose buildings that allow changes in use
and strengthening connections between the • encouraging aggressive use of building systems
districts in the Life Sciences Center and technologies to decrease energy use, and
• creating an engaging pedestrian environment reduce carbon emissions
along streets with building facades and spaces • encouraging design excellence through use of
British Columbia Cancer Research Center
that define and activate the public realm innovative building materials, facade articulation,
Henriquz Partners Architects • providing on-street parking wherever possible street-oriented buildings, and sustainable building
Vancouver, BC • connecting people to the regional Metrorail practices.
Washington Mutual Center
system via the CCT.
Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg
Seattle, WA
Environment Diversity
Reduce impact on the natural environment by: Create a true mix of uses to support an active urban
• creating walkable environments that reduce environment that supports the life sciences by:
our reliance on automobiles • implementing land use patterns that combine
• using innovative stormwater management laboratories, offices and academic institutions
techniques to meet Environmental Site along with residential, office, and retail uses
Design (ESD) guidelines for urban areas • creating housing opportunities that
• promoting energy conservation and accommodate a range of family needs
generation as a primary building and public • creating an attractive, compact built
space design feature environment that fosters collaboration
• encouraging building massing that sustains air between professionals and academics in a
flow and access to natural light variety of disciplines.
• integrating active and passive sustainable
features and technologies into building and
open space design.

Montgomery County Planning Department Introduction 7 page

 The Corridor Cities Transitway
The Science Corridor: Establishing and Connecting Community

The Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) will be the catalyst for a new development pattern, building on
and reorganizing existing low-density building patterns around transit stations. Transit station plazas
will provide a hub of activity at each station. New roads and recreational amenities will create a more
connected pedestrian and cyclist environment by linking the CCT, LSC Loop, and local and regional trails
to encourage healthier, less automobile-dependent lifestyle choices. Over time, development will radiate
from transit centers and create opportunities to strengthen connections between districts.

8 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Opportunities

Buildings

Key properties present opportunities for landmark buildings and are

crucial to establishing neighborhood character. They include:

•
FS Fire Station

P •
PS Park School

•
LW LSC West at Great Seneca Highway and Darnestown Road

BF •
AH Adventist Hospital
P
PS •
BF Belward Farmstead
P

AH
Open Space

CCT plazas, linear greens and stream valley parks can create an
LW extensive network of recreational space that is tied into the regional
network.

Streets
FS
The CCT’s intersections with major roadways provide an
opportunity to create pedestrian-friendly crossings to enhance
connectivity. Additionally, connections across major roadways that
link to significant community assets outside the plan area should
be considered for improvements.
P

The LSC Loop, a shared-use path for pedestrians, joggers, and

Intersection improvements Key sites and landmark buildings cyclists also presents recreational opportunities to link each of the
districts in the Life Sciences Center.

CCT stations LSC Loop

P New parks and open spaces

Montgomery County Planning Department Introduction 9 page

10 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Guidelines

Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 11 page

Open Space

A hallmark of the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan area

is the variety of open spaces, ranging from urban transit plazas to
stream valley parks and forests. Design guidance for these spaces
includes:
SV

• agressive Environmental Site Design through the following LP

techniques (to the maximum extent feasible):
SV
• bioswales TP
• planter beds LP
• rain gardens
• pervious pavement TP
• landscaping that does not require extensive watering and LP SV
fertilization TP
• targeting unforested portions of regulated areas for
reforestation. TP LP

The Plan also gives the following design guidance:

• create civic greens at each CCT station
• create open spaces as destinations to draw pedestrians and
cyclists
• use open spaces and green roofs for community gardens to
promote the consumption of locally-grown produce
• create or enhance connections to existing neighborhoods TP Transit Plazas
• design open spaces as part of a comprehensive system that
contributes to a sustainable community. SV Stream Valley Buffers
SV
Public use space required by zoning should respond to project LP Linear Parks
needs and adjacent uses. When open space does not contribute LP
to a development’s needs, public use space and amenities should
be provided off site or through an in-lieu payment.

12 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 TP CCT Transit Plazas LP Linear Parks
CCT Transit Plazas are designated for Linear parks are green spaces that
each of the four stations in the Plan serve one of two purposes:
area and should:
• buffer areas between new
• be 1/4 to 1/2 acre in size development and neighboring
• be integrated with the station communities or busy
platform roadways
• balance green area and hard • create urban green space
surfaces running the length of one or
• maximize sunlight exposure more blocks.
• provide bicycle storage
• use special lighting to create Guidance and design
ambiance and a unique setting considerations for specific linear
• use site design features such as parks are discussed in the district
low walls and steps for informal sections.
seating

Public Use Space SV Stream Valley Buffers

Small public open spaces will be The existing forest and wetland
created under the Zoning Code areas, including the Muddy Branch
requirements for open space. They and Great Seneca stream valleys,
should: Great Seneca Creek State Park,
and connected lands should be
• allow active or passive preserved and enhanced for
recreation recreation and enjoyment of the
• be visible and usable natural environment.
• have a strong relationship to
adjacent architecture and open • Minimize the impact of new
space networks development on stream
• avoid creating barriers between valleys
buildings and public streets • Minimize impervious surfaces
by using pervious paths or
Outdoor public use spaces from raised boardwalks
several projects can be combined to • Restore and enhance natural
create a larger public use areas. settings, native plant species,
and indigenous ecosystems

Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 13 page

Streets B2-B12 Medical Center Drive
Business District Streets Arterial Street (A-261)
Road Code
Chapter 49 of the Montgomery County Code, the Road Code,
codifies street classification standards, including rights-of-way
and paving widths. The Road Code emphasizes context sensitive
street design to create a network of “complete streets” for
automobiles, transit, cyclists, and pedestrians for an area such as
the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan area.

All applicants must comply with the Road Code. Applicants

pursuing streetscape designs inconsistent with the Road Code
must apply for a waiver.

Utilities
Utilities should be accommodated underneath sidewalks and
streets within the right-of-way limits, and be coordinated by
MCDOT and utility companies.

Streetscape
Closely-spaced street trees will be included along all streets.
Sidewalks should be at least 15 feet from curb to building.

Intersections
The Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan identifies the
possibility for grade separated intersections, including urban
diamonds at: Master Plan Master Plan
• Great Seneca Highway and Muddy Branch Road Min. R.O.W.: 70 ft Min. R.O.W.: 100 - 150 ft
• Shady Grove Road and Key West Avenue. Lanes: 2 Lanes: 4-6

Guidelines Guidelines
Improvements of other intersections should include: Parking: Both Sides Parking: Off-peak
• Special crosswalk paving Trees: 30-35’ o.c. Trees: 30-35’ o.c.
Sidewalk: Minimum 15’ Sidewalk: 20’ wide
• Raised and planted medians Setback: None Setback: None
• Pedestrian priority signal timing. Median: None Median: Planted with turn lanes

Comments
The proposed Business District Streets
show the general location of streets, not
actual alignments. Specific alignments,
parking and streetscape will be determined
during regulatory review.

14 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Major Highways Transitway

Private Sidewalk Roadway

Walkway Zone Furnishing Travel Median

Master Plan Master Plan

Min. R.O.W.: 150 ft Min. R.O.W.: 150 ft
Lanes: 4-6 Lanes: 4

Guidelines Guidelines
Parking: Off-peak Parking: Both sides
Trees: 40’-50’ o.c. Trees: 30-35’ o.c.
Sidewalk: 20’ wide Sidewalk: 20’ wide
Setback: None Setback: None
Median: Planted with turn lanes Median: Accommodate CCT transitway and
LSC Loop in transit median

Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 15 page

The LSC Loop CCT Right-of-Way

Where they coincide, the LSC Loop will run

parallel to the CCT alignment.
• If the CCT is located in the middle of the
roadway, the LSC Loop should be located
on the opposite side of the transit plazas
to minimize pedestrian/bicycle conflicts.
• If the CCT is located on the side of the
roadway, the LSC Loop should be located
on the inside of the CCT, and perform
similar to the on-road LSC Loop.

On-Road LSC Loop

Where the CCT is absent, the LSC Loop should

be located between the sidewalk and roadway.
• Use street trees and plantings to
differentiate the LSC Loop from sidewalk
• Allow approximately an additional width
of two to three feet adjacent to the
roadway for vehicle unloading and door
opening.
The LSC Loop is a multi-use recreation and transportation path • Include transition areas prior to
connecting all of the LSC districts and the surrounding areas. It intersections to prevent conflicts
will run along existing streets, including the CCT alignment, as
well as along off road trails. The 3.5 mile LSC Loop will incorporate Off-Road Trails
a path as part of the CCT as it runs through the LSC West and the
LSC Belward areas. The loop should include: In certain areas, the trail will leave the
• recreational features that connects the districts and roadway.
destinations throughout the area • Minimize impact of trail on existing
• connections from the Loop to area amenities, including the trees.
natural path system, the historic Belward Farm, and the civic • Include a pervious trail next to the
spaces in each district shared use path to allow pedestrians
and joggers to avoid trail traffic
• Areas not along roadways may use
asphalt, blacktop, or other surface.

16 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Road Crossings Defined Travel Areas

Road crossings should be marked Use signage and special paving to distinguish the LSC
with separate travel areas and Loop from the sidewalk.
designed to enhance the street • The shared use path should be paved to make it
character distinct from the sidewalk
• Creative use of materials is encouraged.
• Orient street furniture and other sidewalk
features to be equally accessible from the
sidewalk and the shared use path

Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 17 page

Grade-Separated Intersections

The Duke Ellington Bridge

Washington, DC

The Duke Ellington Bridge maintains consistent lighting and sidewalk

widths, and employs an elegant, vertically oriented fence on a stone
base to create a context-sensitive crossing linking pedestrians from
Metrorail to restaurants and nightlife in Adams Morgan. The bridge
also incorporates an on-road bike lane in each direction.

Minimize Crossing Distance Mitigate Fast Entry and Egress

Create the shortest possible pedestrian To the extent possible, reduce the number
crossing. Consider use of retaining walls of turning lanes and width of turning radii
and minimize turning radii. to encourage slower automobile travel.

Continuous Streetscape Bike Lanes

To the extent possible, maintain consistent Where possible, incorporate bike lanes to
streetscaping, sidewalk widths, and define travel space and encourage multi-
lighting. modal travel patterns.

Aesthetic Enhancement
Discourage use of chain-link fencing and
concrete. Consider material upgrades,
and integrated artwork to enhance overall
appeal.

18 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 19 page
Buildings Building Rooflines

Encourage distinctive building rooflines

The Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan’s building on towers.
recommendations include height, street-orientation, design
character and scale, and retail locations. It encourages use of
sustainable building practices and site design to reduce energy
use and stormwater runoff.

The guidelines help visualize the Plan’s recommended building

heights by providing building examples for each district, and by Towers
illustrating how buildings might define the public realm.
Set back or locate to reduce their impact
Building design should: on the streets below, allowing for light
• provide landmarks and street walls and air flow.
• create a design character for the area
• be energy-efficient, adaptable, and mitigate environmental Towers to the south of residences or
impacts. open space should be located as far
away as possible to prevent shadows and
be as high as permitted by the Plan to
reduce bulk.

Podiums
The structure’s lower floors should
establish continuity with adjacent
buildings. Height should vary from two to
five stories, depending on location.

Consider use of townhouses or

apartments with individual walk-up
entrances to activate non-retail streets.

20 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Tower Setback Building Towers
Should be used on streets with right- Building towers should be located to reduce their impact on the
of way of 70 feet or less. Amount of pedestrian environment and on adjacent open space.
setback to be determined by building’s
structure, but should be no less than 15
feet.

Street Wall Recess

Full tower height may be shown in

relation to primary entrances or open
space and may be set back from right-
of-way.

Corners

Full tower height may be expressed at

corners, as part of building articulation.
Street wall continuity should be
maintained through distinct articulation.

Tower Separation

Podiums should meet walls at

corners. Facade articulation is strongly
encouraged.

Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 21 page

Street-Defining Buildings
Streets should be defined by consistent street walls. Building
podiums should meet build-to lines on both sides of the street
where indicated on district maps.

Street Walls
Breaks along street walls with
block frontages 200 feet or
longer are appropriate. Breaks
should occur away from
block corners, and should be
infrequent on retail streets.

The Ellington
Washington, DC
Torti Gallas and Partners

Podiums
Podium heights should range
between two and five stories,
as indicated on street sections.

40 Mercer Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Street wall New York, NY New York, NY
Jean Nouvel Ateliers Granary Associates

22 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Urban Corners
Urban street corners should be designed to increase pedestrian
safety and to accommodate public safety and other service vehicles.

1. Road Code - Highlighted area indicates sidewalks and required

corner truncation per MCDOT standards at the intersection of two
hypothetical streets. A corner radius of 30 ft is shown. This standard
requires a handicapped ramp oriented toward the center of the
intersection.

2. Design Guidelines - Corner radii should be tighter than suburban

standards (15 feet shown), and should include a double ramp at
the corner. The truncation requirement should be waived for most
urban streets. Ramps should align with path of pedestran travel and
street crossings.

3. Vehicle turning radius - The effective turning radius, not the curb
radius, should be 30 feet in the recommended configuration.

Focus Elements

2
3

Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 23 page

Green Roofs and Living Walls Natural Ventilation Recyclable and Renewable Materials

Use green walls and green roofs to reduce heat island Use building design and mechanical systems to Use rapidly renewable building materials and
effect and increase perviousness. Where possible, reduce HVAC loads and improve indoor air quality. materials made from recycled content. These
use native vegetation and species that require little or Where possible, design buildings with thin floor materials are typically harvested within a ten-
no watering or fertilization. Green roofs should cover plates and operable windows to allow natural cross year cycle, and FSC Certified Wood products are
at least 33 percent of the roof, excluding mechanical ventilation. Consider use of fan-assisted cooling encouraged. Materials extracted, harvested or
equipment space, and have a minimum depth of four systems and open staircases to provide stack recovered as well as manufactured within 500 miles
inches. Green walls should be on blank walls facing ventilation. of the project site are strongly encouraged.
streets, open spaces, and parking garage facades as
well as for general aesthetic enhancements.

Building Sustainability
The Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan strongly encourages use of sustainable building practices and site design:

• use existing infrastructure and adaptive re-use of existing buildings • adopt minimum energy efficiency standards of 17.5% below baseline
• use site and building design and orientation for passive solar heating and lighting performance or the appropriate ASHRAE advanced energy standard for new
• maximize the potential for renewable solar energy systems buildings
• incorporate passive cooling through proper shading and ventilation • meet 10.5% energy efficiency standard below calculated baseline performance
• reduce energy and water consumption for renovated buildings
• use recycled building materials, locally produced materials, and local labor • incorporate renewable energy systems such as wind, solar power, and
• use building deconstruction techniques to facilitate re-use and/or building geothermal heating and cooling systems
material recycling • use light-reflecting roof surfaces where green roofs cannot be used

24 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Adaptive Reuse Passive Solar Design Renewable Energy

Reuse existing buildings to mitigate construction Reduce the need for artificial lighting with extensive Use building-integrated renewable energy sources
and demolition waste. Reuse can strengthen glazing and building orientation. Shifting buildings such as wind turbines and photovoltaics to reduce
neighborhood character and create a diversity of to maximize solar exposure can accommodate energy use. Photovoltaics can be placed on roofs,
architectural styles. additional sustainability features. surface-mounted, or embedded in transparent
surfaces to diffuse light entering the building.

Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 25 page

 Right:
The Beauregard
Washington, D.C.
Sorg & Associates

Far Right:
Flatiron Building
New York, NY
Daniel Burnham

Below:
156 West Superior
Chicago, IL
Miller Hull Partnership

Facade Articulation

Facades should be articulated to promote pedestrian activity, enhance the overall urban environment,
and create a diversity of architectural styles.
• Incorporate the most public and active building space on the ground floor to activate the
street.
• Create retail frontages that are as transparent as possible. Avoid long stretches of blank walls.
• Design building entrances to be in the street frontage.
• Provide vertical articulation along street walls to reduce their visual length.
• Use materials, finishes, and architectural features that refine building facades by creating visual
interest and texture.
• For residential buildings, consider using balconies to provide variation in facade depths.

26 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Design Excellence
A diverse range of building styles will improve quality and attract growth. Whether contemporary or
traditional, flexible structures and innovative building materials will advance the cause of better design.
Architectural excellence would support the vision for world class research and development in the Life
Sciences Center.

Above:
Islington Towers
London, UK
Benson & Forsyth

Left:
1111 E. Pike Mixed-Use
Seattle, WA
Olson Kundig Architects

Far Left:
Biomedical Research Building
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Polshek Partnership

Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 27 page

Parking

Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan

The Plan recommends a strong pedestrian orientation for future
development, reducing the amount of surface parking lots by:
Narrow Entrance
• reducing parking requirements and using structured and/or minimize width of entrance
shared parking and egress lanes
• relieving smaller properties from self-park requirement
• establishing a 30 percent non-auto driver mode share goal
for LSC employees.

Public garage sites will be defined at Preliminary Plan for publicly

owned properties in the LSC Central and LSC West districts.

Zoning Ordinance
Parking requirements in the Great Seneca Science Corridor Wrapped Parking Deck
Master Plan area are set by the Montgomery County Zoning place garage centrally within
Ordinance. For a list of uses, see Section 59-E of the Zoning the block
Ordinance.

The Commercial Residential (CR) Zones have specific parking Access off Alley
requirements, see Section 59-C-15, and provide incentives for
consolidate access points
constructing below-grade parking facilities.
with adjacent properties

Minimize Street Exposure

reduce the amount of garage
facade facing the street

Ground Floor Frontage

activate ground floor with
St. Mary’s Square Garage and Park retail or other uses
San Francisco, CA

Using the site’s slopped topography, St. Mary’s Garage is built into
the side of a hill and covered with a public park. The park is heavily
vegetated to mitigate runoff and reduce the garage’s visual impact
on the street.

28 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Integrated Building Facade The Contemporaine creates an
garage and building are integrated aesthetic by applying
indistinguishable the same materiality and
design sensibility to both the
podium parking structure and
residential units. The ground
floor of the building is activated
by retail on the primary street
while the garage is accessed
from an alley in back.

The Contemporaine
Chicago, IL
Perkins + Will

Parking Best Practices

Underground and Structured Parking
Parking should minimize its impact on the pedestrian environment
and public realm.

• Locate entrances and exits along service alleys or business

district streets.
• Minimize impact on building’s architectural character. When
Access off Side Street building above structured parking, building and garage
provide side street access to facades should be compatible in order to enhance overall
minimize traffic impact architectural quality. Consider enhancements such as
artwork, murals, interactive features, or vegetative screens.
• Minimize the width of driveways and height of garage
entrances. Ensure adequate access clearances are being
provided at all times for public safety vehicles.
• Combine loading dock and garage access, if feasible.

Surface Parking
When surface parking cannot be avoided, locate parking on the
back or side of the building, with the building fronting the primary
streets and sidewalks. Surface parking should not be visible from
primary streets.

• Cover surface with a low-albedo pervious surface to reduce

Parking Behind Building
heat island warming. Provide tree canopy and permeable
areas to treat stormwater.
internalize parking structures
where possible

Montgomery County Planning Department General Guidelines 29 page

 Far Left:
University of Toronto Biosciences Lab
Toronto, ON
Foster + Partners

Middle:
Calit2, UC San Diego
La Jolla, CA

Left:
Harvard Graduate Housing
Cambridge, MA
Richard Burck Associates

30 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan
The Plan focuses on the future of the Life Sciences Center (LSC) and makes recommendations for five
districts:
• LSC Central
Districts
• LSC West
• LSC Belward
• LSC North
• LSC South
The Plan notes that the guidelines will provide detail to shape new development and implement the
urban form recommendations. Plan recommendations include standards for density and percentages
of housing and commercial uses, along with the desired development character for each district.

The guidelines illustrate the desired design quality and development character in each district with
recommendations for streets, buildings, and open spaces. Case studies addressing potential issues
clarify recommendations and provide solutions exemplifying design excellence.

Montgomery County Planning Department Districts 31 page

LSC Central: A Medical and Biotechnology Center

OS

OS
S

Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan Key Recommendations

•
S
Design Broschart Road as an urban street,
The LSC Central district envisions redeveloping lined with buildings and activating street-
portions of the block surrounded by level uses.
Broschart Road, Medical Center Drive, Great • Create an identifiable LSC Loop along
S
Seneca Highway, and Blackwell Road. This Medical Center Drive that connects
redevelopment will transform surface parking pedestrians to other transit centers, natural
lots and aging medical support buildings into a pathways, and open spaces.
highly concentrated medical, research, science • Locate a fire station at Shady Grove Road
B
and technology district. These uses will be and Darnestown Road
augmented with local retail, housing, and public • Establish a CCT station on Broschart Road
OS
Above right: use open spaces. near Blackwell Road
Peter L. and Clara M. Scott Laboratory • Establish a linear park south of Blackwell
OS
Ohio State University Zoning: Life Sciences Center (LSC) Road
Columbus, OH
Polshek Partnership

32 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Streets Buildings Open Space

K Street Transit Corridor North New Women & Infants Center Tanner Springs Park Medical Quadrangle and Esplanade
Washington, DC Indianapolis, IN Portland, OR Duke University, Durham, NC
RTKL Associates Inc. Peter Walker & Partners Landscape Architecture Olin Partnership

• Create a tree-lined boulevard on • Concentrate tallest buildings along • Consider relocating existing Linear Park
Broschart Road and Medical Center Broschart Road. stormwater ponds to create a • Design for passive recreation with
Drive. • Design buildings to allow the central landscape and/or water benches and trees for shade.
• Create block lengths no longer than evolution of advanced research, amenity in common space between • Design the park as an entry feature
800 feet. An average of 400 to 500 science, and technology industries. buildings. to the Adventist Hospital.
foot long blocks is desirable. • Consolidate and conceal delivery • Where possible, use native plant
• Integrate LSC Loop. areas to minimize impact on species.
• Enhance intersections for pedestrian streetscape and building frontage. • Design public spaces to
safety across Shady Grove Road at • Expansion of Adventist Hospital accommodate a variety of civic
Fallsgrove Boulevard and Blackwell should create entrances on activities and community life.
Road. Broschart Road and the future
• Create pedestrian connections road between Broschart Road and Transit Plaza
through Adventist Hospital campus. Medical Center Drive. • About 1/4 acre in size
• Create a mixed-use retail center at • Balance green space and
the CCT station and on the block landscaping with hardscaped plaza
north of Blackwell Road. to accommodate pedestrian activity.

Montgomery County Planning Department Districts 33 page

Case Study: Urban Hospital Expansion Linear Green Space
The linear green space accommo-
dates an artistic water feature that
doubles as stormwater manage-
ment, creating a strong axial prom-
enade leading to the main entrance
of the building.

Access and Frontage

Automobile drop-off space is
recessed from the street, allowing
the curved facade to create a
distinct and identifiable building
entrance.

Project: Cleveland Clinic

Location: Cleveland, OH
Filling the Block
Architect: NBBJ
On all other sides, the hospital
The expansion of the Cleveland Clinic allowed the reorganization fills the urban block, providing
of the building’s functions to create an identifiable entrance, while secondary entrances and
filling a city block to create a more defined presence within the transparent facades to enhance the
urban fabric. streetscape.

In the Life Sciences Center, the future expansion of Shady Grove

Adventist Hospital and Johns Hopkins University present similar
opportunities to strengthen the quality of the urban environment
and enhance the area’s overall architectural quality.

34 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Civic Presence Case Study: Fire Station on a City Block
The red-framed glass bay doors
showcase the fire engines inside,
establishing them as a visually
prominent civic icon. Through the
arrangement of the building’s mass
and use of materials, the building
feels firmly anchored in the site,
giving it a strong presence in the
community.

Anchor Site Edges

The fire station provides a street
wall along three major street fronts,
continuing the urban fabric while
ensuring that the technical needs
for emergency response activities Project: Fire Station 10
are unhindered. Location: Seattle, WA
Architect: Weinstein A+U

Balancing the technical needs of large vehicles and equipment with

the role of the building in an urban context. Seattle’s Fire Station
10 is both a secure, high-functioning emergency dispatch facility
and a bold civic building.
Attractive Facade and Noise Buffer
The presence of a fire station at the corner of Shady Grove Road
Given its security requirements, and Darnestown Road provides an opportunity to create highly
the front is relatively closed off. visible civic building that can establish itself within the fabric of
The fire station uses attractive the LSC Central District.
streetscaping and public artwork as
well as a narrow band of windows
to mitigate the lack of activation
on the street. By positioning the
larger mass of the building closest
to residences across the street, the
building simultaneously anchors a
well-defined streetfront and shields
residents from siren noise.

Montgomery County Planning Department Districts 35 page

LSC West: A New Residential Community

OS

Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan

Key Recommendations
The existing Public Safety Training Academy •
B Use corner of Darnestown Road and Great
(PSTA) should be redeveloped with housing, Seneca Highway as a signature site for a
neighborhood-serving retail, employment uses, significant building.
and active public spaces that use outstanding •
B Locate a multi-story elementary school, if
practices of sustainable town planning, layout, needed.
and design. An interconnected street grid will OS Create a new central, civic open space
•
create walkable blocks with a mix of uses, serving the residential community.
including street level retail and wide sidewalks to
accommodate outdoor cafes.

Above right: Zoning: Commercial-Residential (CR)

Dockside Green Residential-Townhouse (RT-8)
Victoria, BC
Perkins + Will Commercial, Transitional (C-T)

36 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Streets Buildings Open Space

Portland Streetcar Greenbridge Hancock Lofts Jamison Square

Portland, OR Chapel Hill, NC West Hollywood, CA Portland, OR
McDonough + Partners Koning Eizenberg Peter Walker & Partners Landscape Architecture

• Create block lengths no longer than • Create a landmark building at the • Maximize energy efficiency and • Include a civic green space at the
800 feet. An average of 400 foot corner of Great Seneca Highway and environmental responsibility by transit station.
long blocks is desirable. Darnestown Road establishing a comprehensive • Encourage use of sustainable site
• Integrate LSC Loop with CCT • concentrate height along Great sustainable development plan to features that are also community
alignment. Seneca Highway guide the project over the course of amenities.
• Create pedestrian-friendly • anchor corner through use build out.
crossings at Great Seneca Highway, of visually prominent design • All buildings should strive for the
Darnestown Road, and the CCT features at Great Seneca highest possible LEED rating.
to improve pedestrian safety and Highway and the CCT crossing
connectivity between districts. • Establish strong building frontage
and maximum building heights
along Medical Center Drive
extended.

Montgomery County Planning Department Districts 37 page

Case Study: Sustainable Park School Green Roof and Garden
The school maintains a large green roof as well
as a garden that is maintained and harvested
by students. Access to the roof also allows
use of photovoltaic panels. Students are given
a hands on learning experience with this
technology, making the roof an instructional as
well as a functional component of the building.

Recycled and Renewable Materials

The building makes use of numerous
renewable interior finishes such as cork,
gypsum, linoleum, bamboo, and wheatboard
substrate that were harvested with little
environmental impact. The vertical wood
Project: The Sidwell Friends School
Location: Washington, DC building skin is made from western red cedar
Architect: Kieran Timberlake reclaimed from wine casks.

Sidwell Friends is a model school that combines sustainable

architectural and site design practices on a compact, urban site. By
reusing and expanding an existing building, Sidwell Friends School
minimized construction waste and the need for new materials. The
building recycles both stormwater and wastewater, held first in a
treatment tank before recycling out into artificial wetlands to filter
contaminants. This water is eventually used as greywater for the Anchoring an Urban Street
building’s non-potable uses.
The school building establishes a clear
relationship with the street while maintaining
In the LSC West, the potential establishment of the Park School
a degree of separation through the use of
creates similar opportunities to use architecture as a didactic
landscaping, terracing, and stair and ramp
resource while working within the constraints of a smaller lot. The
access.
building can also establish itself as a key civic asset by establishing
a relationship to the street as part of the larger community fabric.

38 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
Montgomery County Planning Department Districts 39 page
LSC Belward: A Science and Research Community

OS

OS

OS

Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan Key Recommendations

• Create substantial open space through
OS
LSC Belward presents a unique opportunity dense building patterns with structured
to create world-class research and academic parking.
facilities on 107 acres of largely undeveloped • Preserve views of the farmstead, to the
B
land. The Plan locates the most intensive building extent feasible, from Darnestown Road and
heights adjacent to the CCT station while residential neighborhoods to the south and
establishing a 10-12 acre historic farm setting. A west.
• Create an open space along Muddy Branch
new grid of streets will enhance mobility options. OS
Open space buffers to the north of the site and Road with a minimum width of 100 feet and
along Muddy Branch Road provide transitional a 60-foot landscaped buffer on Darnestown
Above right: space between existing neighborhoods. Road.
Daniel L. Malone Engineering Center S• Create new streets with short blocks.
Yale University Zoning: Life Sciences Center (LSC)
New Haven, CT
Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

40 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Streets Buildings Open Space

Madrid Tramway Charles Commons Mill Canyon Creek Earthworks Park Tulip Poplar Alley
Paris, FR Johns Hopkins University Kent, WA University of California, Berkeley
Baltimore, MD Herbert Bayer
Design Collective

• Meet the Plan’s requirement to • Use clusters of buildings to create • Consider use of artistic landscaping • Given the proximity of the Belward
preserve views of the farmstead. niche open spaces. and reforestation to enhance the Farm open space, the CCT plaza
• Create a grid of streets with an • Design buildings to accommodate setting and safety along Muddy should form a narrow, linear open
average block length of 400 feet to evolution of advanced research, Branch Road. space linking the CCT to the farm
disperse congestion and improve science, and technology industries. • Maintain plantings and trees in along Decoverly Drive.
pedestrian connectivity. • Locate parking in garages the historic farm setting along • The linear open space should
• Connect to the residential surrounded by buildings. Darnestown Road. average 15 feet in width
neighborhoods south of Darnestown • Provide flexible, unprogrammed • Incorporate stormwater • Use special pavement, street
Road by creating pedestrian friendly areas for social interaction. management and environmental furniture, and public art to
crossings. • Consider Belward Farm for reuse as site design (ESD) features into open differentiate this open space
• Create a tree-lined transit boulevard a cultural venue. space on Muddy Branch Road. area from the rest of the
along Decoverly Drive extended. • Concentrate retail immediately • Enhance stream valley buffers sidewalk.
• Include services for multi-modal adjacent to CCT station. through reforestation.
transit hub of vehicles, bicycles,
pedestrians, and transit riders.

Montgomery County Planning Department Districts 41 page

LSC Belward: Neighborhood Compatibility

The Belward Science and Research Community

will be adjacent to several existing single family
neighborhoods. This section provides compatibility
guidelines for future development on the Belward
Farm.

Building Heigth and Form Setbacks Open Space

Building height should step down from 150 feet Buildings located immediately to the east of A substantial amount of open space should be provided
maximum at the transit center to 50 feet adjacent Muddy Branch Road should maintain a setback of adjacent to existing single family neighborhoods. The
to Muddy Branch Road, Darnestown Road and the approximately 300 feet from the public right-of-way. setback area along Muddy Branch Road should become
northern boundary of the property. Building scale , Buildings along the northern property line of the a linear open space that includes landscaping. Existing
lighting, and facade articulation should be carefully Belward Campus should provide a minimum setback contours around the existing large tree should be
considered for compatibility with adjacent residential of 200 feet from the property line, and buildings along maintained. Along the property’s northern boundary,
communities, without necessarily copying residential Darnestown Road should maintain a minimum setback open space should preserve and supplement existing
scale and materials. A variety of roof levels should of 60 feet from the public right-of-way. Building heights forestry, and protect existing streams. Open space
be considered throughout the Belward campus. above 50 feet along Muddy Branch Road, Darnestown along Darnestown Road should provide substantial
Mechanical equipment should be concealed from Road, and along the northern property line should be landscaping, and preserve views into the historic
view, and noise generated must meet Montgomery located a minimum of 60 feet from the setback areas. farmstead.
County Standards.

42 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Architectural Relationship to Farm The Belward Farmstead: Compatibility Guidelines
Facades immediately adjacent to the Belward
Farm should establish an appropriate
architectural relationship with the farmstead
through creative use of scale, form, materials,
and texture, to integrate the farm buildings
into the overall science campus.

Stephen M. Ross School of Business

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Kohn Pederson and Fox Associates

10 - 20 Foot Setback
Buildings immediately to the east and west of
the Belward Farm viewshed should maintain
a setback of 10 to 20 feet above 60 feet. The
setback does not apply to buildings north of
Decoverly Drive extended. Setbacks provide
opportunities to alter the architectural
character in response to surrounding context.

Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Sciences

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson The Belward Farmstead will be preserved within a 10 to 12
acre historic setting envelope that will allow views into it from
Darnestown Road and from surrounding neighborhoods. The
Extended Linear Open Space
farmstead should be adaptively reused for civic purposes, and an
Open space at the transit plaza should connect appropriate relationship with the future Decoverly Drive should
the station to the Belward Farm open space be established through creative landscaping and site design.
through consistent design treatment. Preservation of auxiliary buildings, such as animal sheds, is not
required.
Future landscaping and site alterations on the
farm should provide primary frontage and
access to Decoverly Drive.

Life Sciences Building/Shortlidge Mall

Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA
Payette Architects

Montgomery County Planning Department Districts 43 page

LSC North: Residential and Office LSC South: Mixed-Use Center

Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan

Zoning: Life Sciences (LSC) Zoning: Life Sciences (LSC)

Residential (R-60/TDR) Commercial-Residential (CR)
Commercial-Residential (CR) Planned Development (PD-22)
Office Building, Moderate (OM)
Hotel-Motel (H-M) Key Recommendations
General Commercial (C-2) • Improve pedestrian connections between
LSC South and areas to the North,
Key Recommendations emphasizing connections to future transit
• Extend Decoverly Drive into and through Crown Farm to stations
Fields Road • Protect the Piney Branch sub-watershed
• Create LSC Loop from Fields Road along CCT alignment • Construct Traville Local Park
connecting to the LSC Belward and Central districts • Extend Great Seneca Highway as a business
• Create new streets with short blocks district street south of Darnestown Road
• Construct interchanges at Great Seneca Highway and Sam Eig
Highway and at Key West Avenue at Shady Grove Road

44 page Great Seneca Science Corridor Design Guidelines Montgomery County Planning Department
 Streets Buildings Open Space

Metro Light Rail The Terry Thomas South Boston Maritime Park Woodley Gardens Park
Phoenix, AZ Seattle, WA Boston, MA Rockville, MD
Weber + Thompson Machado Silvetti Architects

• Create safe, context-sensitive • In LSC North, street-oriented • Create the Traville Local Park as a
crossing at Great Seneca Highway buildings should continue the urban large community oriented park with
and Darnestown Road and at Key fabric from Crown Farm athletic fields and connections to
West Avenue and Broschart Drive. • establish primary street wall trails in the stream valley parks.
• Crossings should use special along Broschart Drive and • Enhance stream valley buffers with
pavement, as well as other methods Decoverly Drive. native planting and reforestation
to alert drivers to the intersection. • locate tallest building heights • Use trees to provide shading for
• If grade-separated interchanges along Shady Grove Road and field spectators and create a sense
are necessary, minimize the total Key West Avenue. of enclosure around athletic fields.
crossing distance and create • In LSC South, street-oriented
pedestrian and bicycle friendly buildings connect to LSC Central
crossings to the extent possible. and West by focusing height at
Darnestown Road crossings.
• Continue street wall along
Travilah Gateway Boulevard.

Montgomery County Planning Department Districts 45 page