Neighbors Fight to Make Old School Property a Park

WHEATON, Md. - A property battle in one Montgomery County (web | news) neighborhood may be nearing an end but not the end many neighbors were hoping for. People in several Wheaton communities hoped an old school would be turned into a park, but instead of more open space, there could be more development. The property is one of the only remaining places along Georgia Avenue between the Beltway and Olney that could be turned into a park.

Neighbors attempted to secure funding from Montgomery County to buy the property, but that failed. Now they are looking for state grants, but that, too could be a long-shot. The old Maryland College of Art and Design building, owned by the nonprofit Montgomery College Foundation, has been closed for nearly three years. Some Wheaton neighbors call an eyesore. Overgrown weeds line the sidewalks, plywood covers broken out windows and at night the empty parking lot attracts unwanted visitors.

"People that are able to hide from Georgia Avenue traffic behind the building and engage in loud noises and sit in the parking lot and drink or smoke or whatever," said Plyers Crossings Mill resident Spencer Biles.

Beverly Sobel is one of the most vocal neighbors calling for this land to be turned into a park. She and other neighbors are banding together to apply for state money to buy the property from the Montgomery College Foundation, but now it appears they may have some competition.

"We are starting to get down to the wire here because we were informed that the college is now actively pursuing a single family development here," stated Sobel.

Attracting a developer to buy the four acres from the Montgomery College Foundation could be much more lucrative. Amid budget cuts, the foundation sees the school and its land as an asset. There's another financial concern. Critics of the park plan and the Montgomery County Department of Parks questioned whether or not the county could pay for the proposed park's upkeep long term, especially given the state of Montgomery County's economy.

Neighbors are firing back.

"That is an issue that comes up no matter what the economy is like. There's always gonna be a funding issue. The source of funding is always an issue," said one resident.

Sobel said, "We're not asking for a park redesign, we're not asking for a soccer field to be installed immediately. We would just be happy having the open space." Because the land didn't qualify for county money some people say it's unlikely it will qualify for state money. Still, the neighborhoods plan to come together to present a proposal to the state. The process could take up to a year. SOURCE: News 8