Evening star., 1955-03-14
Rise in Permits
Promises Boom
In Montgomery
Upper County Area
BuiIdup Linked to
Superhighwuy Plan
By 6. o. Herndon

-
A surge of commercial ventures
with an anticipated valuation Of
over 81 million in Upper Mont
gomery County is reflected in
the files of Montgomery County
planning and building permit
Offices.
During the first So days of
1855, permits for over $500.000
in commercial projects have been
issued by the building inspection
Office of the Montgomery County
Department Of Inspections and
Licenses
Spurred in part by the ap-
proach of the Washington Ma
tional Pike superhighway tnew
Route 240, now approaching
Rockville), builders obtained the
permits for the projects between
January / and yesterday.
Motel Included
The proposals include a $780,
900 motel, commercial buildings,
gasoline stations and a ware
house.
Still in the early planning
stages are other ventures with
an estimated valuation of over
100000.
An additional incentive for the
developers is the imminence of
the first Upper County coming
ordinance. The ordinance, still
subject to amendment, is sched-
uled to go into effect on May 2.
If a commercial project is under
way before the ordinance goes
into effect. builders believe the
land will qualify as having an
existing use and will be classi-
fed as commercial.
Just how far under way the
commercial plans have to be is
still being considered. Develop
ers apparently are operating
under the theory that land will
be classified commercial if a
building permit for a business
structure has been obtained and
wall foundations poured.
Charles M. Irelan, county at
torney, said precise definition
of existing use' in connection
with the scheduled ordinance
has not yet been determined.
Worth Over 81 Million
In January and February
OF 1854 a total of SAT permits,
including those for residences,
were issued throughout the en-
tire county for an estimated
total valuation Of $4,109,S59.
In the first two months of
this year. however. a total of
1856 permits for all kinds Of
structures having an approxi-
mate value Of $10,401.25 were
issued in the entire county.
Permits issued or about to be
issued for business projects this
year in the upper county include:
The $35O,000 motel, a 1oo-room
project for which a permit was
issued last month. The motel has
a 27-acre site off Muddy Branch
road near Gaithersburg alongside
the National Pike right of way.
A 100000, 125-unit motel at
Shady Grove and Fields roads
near Gaithersburg, also adjoin-
ing the Pike route. A building
permit for the project has been
approved by the Upper Mont
gomery County Planning Com
mission.
Shopping Center Planned
A 12-store shopping center ad-
jacent to planned Interchange
of the super highway. Estimated
to cost $250.000. the shopping
center site is a 30-acre tract at
the intersection of Seven Locks
and Falls roads, mile southwest
of the center of Rockville.
Plans for the shopping center
have been reviewed by the Mary
land State Roads Commission
and a county building permit is
expected to be issued shortly. Ac-
cording to the building permit
application, trustees of the prof.
ect are J. Lichtenberg and j.
Luria.
Meanwhile. construction crews
pushing the pike toward Wash
ington have virtually completed
the four-lane artery to Brown
Station road, six miles from
Rockville. The highway is ex-
rontod fn roooh fIa o,,A.I~;~&. zr