Commercial conversion of former car dealership & annexation brings 370 new homes to the City of Rockville

EYA, LLC is excited to announce that Farmstead District, in partnership with Pulte, is coming soon to the City of Rockville. The new community will feature 370 homes in an ideal location walkable to retail, recreation, Metro and more. The innovative new neighborhood is the result of a commercial to residential rezoning and the annexation of a portion of the site into the City of Rockville. 

The new neighborhood will be situated at the site of the former King Buick car dealership along Route 355 and is adjacent to Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park. Prior to annexation, approximately half of the 20-acre site was located within the borders of Montgomery County and the other half within the City of Rockville. Located in two different regulatory jurisdictions would have made developing a cohesive community challenging. EYA worked closely with the City of Rockville and Montgomery County through the annexation and rezoning process. 

“The annexation and conversion of the site from a commercial use to highly amenitized residential neighborhood is not only a win for the City as it looks to increase attainably priced housing, but also for future residents who will have incredible access to walkable amenities and all the benefits the City of Rockville has to offer,” said EYA Co-Founder & Executive Chairman Bob Youngentob. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to build a new community of this scale that is walkable to Metro, established retail and exceptional outdoor recreational opportunities. For a company whose tagline is ‘life within walking distance’, this community offers all of the walkable amenities that define our best neighborhoods.”

EYA and Pulte are teaming up once again to develop the site, building off their successful recent partnership at Tower Oaks, also in Rockville. Youngentob added, “Working with a trusted partner such as Pulte helps EYA by reducing risk to our investors and lenders. Most importantly, it benefits our homebuyers by being able to offer a greater mix of housing types at varying price points and the increase in scale helps create more onsite amenities.” 

Farmstead Districtwill feature new townhomes and two-over-two condominiums, along with a state-of-the-art community center, outdoor pool, children’s playground and walking trails. The site’s history as a working farmstead will be incorporated into the architecture and design throughout the neighborhood. The community center, named The Barn, will offer a contemporary interpretation of a farm building with a high, open ceiling and metal roof. Public art throughout the site will include a working windmill made from colorful plexiglass. 

The 26-acre Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park borders the site offering abundant recreational amenities, including ball fields, multi-age playgrounds, tennis and pickleball courts, as well as the Rockville Dog Park.    

“We are grateful for the input and support from City staff, the Planning Commission and the Rockville Mayor and Council. It helped shape how we planned and designed the neighborhood,” said Youngentob. “Together, we came up with a plan that met the goals of everyone involved including increasing the amount of affordable units and public use space, as well as improvements to the historic Farmstead and surrounding areas.” 

Farmstead District is scheduled to open for sales this fall, with the first homes to deliver in 2024.Click here to learn more about the neighborhood and join the VIP list to receive all the latest updates and an invitation to the opening event. 

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