Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1957-12-05
In U.S.A.-
Reese Sees County
AS a Science CRY

The following Is q partial text of remarks by
County Manager Melvin L. Reese last week before
the Metropolitan Area Economic Development
Conference in which he emissions the county as
becoming Science City, U.S.A."
Industrial development in Montgomery Coun-
ty-as in all other suburban areas around Wash
ington-haS been faced with an unavoidable OBJ
stace in the past two decades. 1t has taken
backseat to what has been the more immediate
problem of residential development We have in
effect, filled the function of providing place for
people to live who work in Washington, becoming
what is oftentimes called bedroom" community
And so, in Montgomery County-as in these
other juriSdictionS-our industrial development
has been far exceeded by our residential develop
ment.
We have found some compensation despite
this prospect of becoming community of private
homes and of private homes alone-in the spring
ingup of suburban shopping centers and In the
concentrated commercialization of certain spots
such Silver Spring and Bethesda, once sleepy
country villages that have since been enveloped by
the growth of residential Washington into the sub
urbs.
This has been compensation But it has been
something we have welcomed rather than some
thing we have fostered. And today even with these
many small islands of commerce in our suburban
sea of subdivisions, we find that approximately
50 per cent of total assessed valuation in sub
urban areas represents residential property.
Let's take closer look at this. Our residen-
tial land and its improvements were assessed at
little more than $663 million for the current fs-
cal year. A vast majority of this land lies within
what we call the suburban area of the County. Our
commercial land and its improvements were as
sessed at $74.5 million. And our industrial land
and its improvements were assessed at $13.7 mil
lion Again, most of this land lies within our
suburban area.
And so, within our suburban areas we have
tremendous potential of shoppers number OF
widely dstributed-but mostly small-shops, and
little industry. In short, have plenty of room
for economic expansion insofar as the market for
goods is concerned.
So now, another question. What about the
availability for this expansion? Well, we have
plenty of room here, too, for even If we maintain
a more than adequate amount of acreage for farm
use we will still have many suitable areas available
for economic and Industrial expansion. / might
point out here that there 214800 acres of land
in Montgomery County outside of the suburban
areas that have been mentioned 1t is my under
standing that acquisition of adequate land is be-
coming an increasingly serious problem for indus
trial firms Modern plants, no matter what type
need, for instance, room for employee expansion
for one-story buildings in keeping with present
day trends toward automation, and for expansion
In addition, we have in Montgomery County
believe, succeeded in the promotion of an Eco
nomic Development" concept among our residents
I sincerely believe that citizens are not only
ready to accept the type of industry desire but
win welcome its advent For the past several years
there has been a continuous-though perhaps I'M
spectacular-campaign underway to foster under
standing of what the coming of industry viii
mean.
This campaign received added impetus from
an Industrial Conference held in Montgomery
County in January of 1856 The two-fold purpose
of this conference was, first, to educate cti-
zens on the significance of industrial, or eco.
nomie, development and second to work out a
plan for attracting the kind of industry wanted
and could support.
The campaign toward which this conference
contributed is still going on, slowly perhaps but
steadily. The work has fallen on the shoulders OF
few men. But 1t has been rapidly gaining mo-
mentJm with the increasing understanding and
support of the people Of community.
At present the work is directed toward the
development of a series of locations suitable as
industrial sites parks" for firms involved in
scientific research. And early next year we hope
an extra $50 million must be produced for
IoA nII -,