anchor Description
This project has supported a myriad of enhancements related to the County's life sciences and entrepreneurial climate. This project originally provided funds to design and construct the public amenities at the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center. The project has supported the development and land use plans for the Germantown Life Sciences Park (GLSP) and the Site II development. Additionally, the project has supported the development of the Germantown and Rockville business incubators and upgrades to the Silver Spring incubator. Specific tasks included feasibility studies, due diligence, refining Programs of Requirements (PORs), design and construction. Additions to the original project scope included: revised development and subdivision plans to increase site density (FY00); subdivision plans for prospective Life Sciences and Technology Centers (FY03); planning for the Rockville incubator (FY07); and the pursuit of all needed steps for Site II to be accepted into the Maryland Voluntary Clean-Up Program (FY11). This project may also be used for incubator renovations, the preliminary development of other incubators, tech parks, or other economic development capital projects should future new opportunities become available. In FY22, this project provided funds for the conversion of excess office space into wet labs in the lab corridor of the Germantown Innovation Center.
anchorEstimated Schedule
The project is expected to complete by the end of FY23.
anchorCost Change
Reflects FY22 supplemental appropriation to cover increased costs to complete conversion of office space to additional wet labs space at the Germantown Innovation Center.
anchor Justification
For the past two years the Germantown Innovation Center has had excess office space and insufficient lab space to meet the demand of small life science companies. The labs are routinely at 100 percent occupancy while the office space is routinely 28-44 percent vacant. Generally each lab company also occupies office space. By increasing the number of available wet labs the incubator can serve more emerging life science companies by providing both lab and office space, thereby reducing the current office space vacancy.
anchorOther
The original component of the CIP project, the construction of all required amenities and improvements to meet M-NCPPC's subdivision requirement for the SGLSC property, is complete. The Rockville Innovation Center and the Germantown Innovation Center have been open for business. Site II was accepted into the Maryland Voluntary Clean-Up Program and has been conveyed to Percontee. The Silver Spring Innovation Center has been renovated.
anchorFiscal Note
FY22 supplemental for $400,000 in Current Revenue: General.
anchorCoordination
State of Maryland, TEDCO, Maryland Department of Public Works and Transportation - Division of Capital Development, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, and tenants of the Germantown Innovation Center. Facility Planning: Montgomery County Government, Montgomery College, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), and private developers.