City of Rockville staff and consultants presented refined building concepts, cost estimates and two phasing scenarios for the King Farm Farmstead master plan at a work session, and councilmembers pushed for faster reactivation of the dairy barns and for creative approaches to parking and site access.

What was presented: Recreation and Parks Director Tara Stewart and consultant Mike Stover summarized an 11‑month community engagement process and offered four building‑use options for the site. The community generally favored a higher‑intervention plan (option 4) that would convert the dairy barns into arts and tech studios, multipurpose rooms and a smaller performance space, plus a kitchen and courtyard connections. The horse barn was proposed for multipurpose use, tenant houses and a garage for maker spaces, and the farmhouse was proposed for childcare.

Cost and phasing: The consultants estimated construction‑only costs for a full option 4 buildout of the dairy barns around $6.9 million for the existing building work and an additional $2.0 million for an east‑side addition; site work and parking brought the project total for option 4 into the upper range when contingencies and soft costs are added. The team laid out two phase packages. Option 1 prioritized the farmhouse and horse barn (phase 1) before garage/tenant house improvements (phase 2) and dairy barn work (phase 3). Option 2 prioritized the farmhouse and some maker spaces first, followed by the horse barn and then the dairy barns. Staff recommended Option 1.

Parking was the most contested issue. The site has 47 existing spaces. The consultant presented three event/operation scenarios that depend on incremental parking: use of only existing parking; adding 44 paved spaces (to 91 total); and adding up to 100–120 additional spaces for peak events. Councilmembers emphasized using nearby Maddie Stepanek Park and shuttle or remote parking options, but several said the farmstead cannot be fully activated for citywide use without more on‑site parking; others warned that pavement near the community garden would harm green space and asked staff to minimize hard‑scape.

Council feedback and next steps: After a lengthy Q&A, several councilmembers said they favored bringing the dairy barns into an earlier phase so the city’s prior investment in stabilizing those structures is preserved and so the community can see tangible progress. Councilmember Fulton asked staff to ensure that historic preservation review (Historic District Commission) would be closely involved. Several councilmembers asked staff to return with refined cost figures that include escalation, design and construction contingencies and estimates for hazardous‑materials abatement where demolition may be required.

City staff said the draft master plan is scheduled for adoption consideration on Oct. 20; they will revise cost estimates to include escalation and contingencies and return with parking and phasing alternatives after incorporating council direction.

Ending: Council voiced broad support for a phased approach and for moving the dairy barns earlier in the schedule; staff will return with revised cost estimates and a plan for parking and site access ahead of the Oct. 20 adoption meeting.