White Oak Science Gateway

WOSG Projects

 

 

business meeting White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan - Building a World Class Bio and Life Science Community

The White Oak Science Gateway (WOSG) Master Plan seeks to leverage the many assets located in the White Oak area, especially the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Headquarters , and establish the foundation upon which the area will evolve into a community that offers more opportunities to learn, live, work and play. The Plan also envisions that the commercial centers will evolve from conventional, auto-dependent suburban shopping retail centers, business parks and light industrial areas into vibrant, mixed-use, transit-served nodes that will enhance the entire areas's quality of life, appearance, walkability, and sense of place. To that end, the County invested in the construction of the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Maryland, called FLASH. Services began in October 2020.

photo of researchersTo promote the WOSG, the County purchased in 2009 a 115-acre former compositing facility known as Site 2 from WSSC for the express purpose of creating a “World Class Bio/Life Sciences, Education and Research Community,” and in 2011 the County chose Percontee, Inc., who already owned an adjacent 165 acres, as its development partner in a public-private partnership. This partnership, to redevelop nearly 280 acres of industrial uses into a mixed-use center with a focus on bio/life sciences, will take place over the next 10 to 15 years. While the 280-acre project known as  Viva White Oak  is poised to transform the WOSG, new development and redevelopment in the area is not limited to this project (see below for additional development). 
 

 

Montgomery College’s New East County Education Center   ​

Montgomery College President Jermaine F. Williams, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, and County Council President Gabe Albornoz together announced plans for the opening of the College's East County Education Center (ECEC) at 2221 Broadbirch Drive at White Oak in the Fall of 2023. Guided by the vision and support of the County Executive and County Council, the 55,193-square-foot space will feature classrooms, training labs, and student advising space, while offering both credit and non-credit courses. Montgomery College was ranked the 7th best community college in the U.S. (out of 677 colleges), according to a recent report.

The Montgomery College ECEC is expected to serve more than 1,000 students in the first year and will be the largest of the College’s three education centers and nearly four times larger than the Gaithersburg site. The Center will bring the College’s unique services and academic programs to the residents of the East County and will serve as an anchor institution in the community. The new center is the first major step in MC’s expansion into East County. 

Classes, Programs and Services: The College will offer both credit and noncredit classes at the ECEC in various fields of interest, targeting skill gaps in key industry sectors such as healthcare and IT. Programmatic highlights include:

  • Small Business/Entrepreneurship

  • Cybersecurity/IT

  • Allied Healthcare classes

  • Early Childhood Education

  • English for speakers of other languages (ESL)

  • General Education (credit courses)

  • Raptor Central, the student support services one-stop shop for admissions and enrollment.

 

New Ride On Bus Service - Route 27

Montgomery County Department of Transportation Ride On Transit, initiated the new Route 27 bus services on July 17, 2022, connecting the Hillandale Transit Center via Powder Mill Road, to the Tech Road Park and Ride Lot via Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center. The new route enhances access to Adventist Hospital and vicinity, and will support the White Oak Town Center project under construction, and the future White Oak Apartments, Hillandale Gateway and Montgomery College East County Education Center.


First with FLASH

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) constructed the first Bus Rapid Transit system in Maryland, called Flash , along US 29 (Colesville Rd) in East County. Service started in October 2020. Flash is a new transit system option that offers faster, more frequent, comfortable and reliable trips, so riders can get where they need to go quickly. Flash utilizes innovative transit stations with unique shelters and mosaics. Riders can use several bikeshare stations , wi-fi and USB services. US 29 Flash serves the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan area, operating between Burtonsville and Downtown Silver Spring, contributing to the County’s economic development in East County. Two BRT studies are now being conducted by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation to improve transit service to East County, the New Hampshire Flash Bus Rapid Transit corridor and the US29 (Phase 2) .


Hillandale Gateway - Leadership in Sustainable Design

Hillandale Gateway is an ambitious project, representing a significant investment of over $150 million dollars, designed to help achieve the vision outlined in the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan. Hillandale Gateway will be an all-electric, multi-building, mixed-use, mixed-income project designed to reach the highest levels of sustainability.  The project will feature 463 total units in two buildings along with associated parking and commercial space. The project is currently seeking to achieve LEED-H (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) v4 Platinum, Energy Star Multifamily-Midrise, and PHIUS+ (Passive House Institute US) certifications on both buildings. Once completed, this project will be both the largest passive house and the largest residential zero net energy project in the State of Maryland and the region.

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