[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6462799,"mediaKeyId","5795626-dc8421da88575adc93d09a45e7dc6e49","parentId",5795626,"title","Peerless Rockville launches AAPI history project; commissioner highlights Red Brick Courthouse history","audioSeconds",388,"startMs",100000,"endMs",488000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5795626-dc8421da88575adc93d09a45e7dc6e49&start=100&end=488","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5795626-dc8421da88575adc93d09a45e7dc6e49/thumbnail_100000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6462799/Rockville-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Peerless-Rockville-launches-AAPI-history-project-commissioner-highlights-Red-Brick-Courthouse-history","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462799-22f5754dce4a9b68810ade7bc1e26933/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183125&Signature=fPzi9StnxOlBEgRa3m2hwTdotLXcq3yZaswpd4pWCdjXBL~-YFZuV414LE4JAYsU9SiHSjEwhKUSh5toO2Nkr6zQxsUpyCgh6VUXQzEnsTQVgj2sDKerGnqZl~LkAGfmP9ZC~U7vqpLsKbsuqsUGAQwZmq8~LzOBPjk4L8dkFDEaglda6IBztb-ixlRC~Vw5nY6jR4QBBGXQBEvqBOwti3Jozp-3PFFoivUmivrHl964en3DoGtwHdshkb5~Nq5LjCGFmwN2P7mJmA~EVNzBJSfw0dAJelu8FUAWBszI50CrK8wTN~oiCaD0cGtlKslTly3eCitWxPQumExRapRJaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rockville","date","2025-09-18T00:00:00Z","article","At the Sept. 18 meeting of the Rockville Historic District Commission, Nancy Picard, executive director of Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, said the organization has issued a call for a qualified historian or researcher to begin a project documenting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history in Rockville, starting with Chinese and Taiwanese populations.

Picard said the project will begin with demographic and documentary research, then move to gathering oral histories and community stories once appropriate community partners are identified. The work is funded in part by city grants and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and Picard said additional support comes from the Miller History Fund and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. She said the AAPI populations targeted for initial work make up more than 20% of Rockville’s population.

Separately at the meeting, Commissioner Michael Goldfinger gave a brief historical talk on the Red Brick Courthouse, noting the courthouse opened in 1891, was designed in the Romanesque Revival style by Frank E. Davis, and is Montgomery County’s oldest courthouse. Goldfinger recounted historical uses of the earlier 1840 courthouse on the site, including its ties to antebellum and Civil War-era events and its multiple near-demolition episodes in the mid- to late-20th century; he noted the building received historic designation in 1965 and that Peerless Rockville leases space there for an office and visitor center.

Picard invited the public to Peerless Rockville events including walking tours; she mentioned a downtown walking tour the next day focusing on displaced African American communities and an earlier Glenview Mansion speaker series event. The Peerless Rockville AAPI project is at an early stage and will be refined as the selected researcher and the community define priorities and participation.

No formal commission action was taken on the Peerless Rockville report or the Red Brick Courthouse remarks; the items were presented as organization reports and commissioner comments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rockville - Historic District Commission","oneSentenceSummary","Peerless Rockville announced a call for a researcher to begin an AAPI history project focused initially on Chinese and Taiwanese communities; Commissioner Michael Goldfinger also presented a historical overview of the Red Brick Courthouse during the Sept. 18 meeting.","taxTitle","Rockville City, Montgomery County, Maryland","taxId",9268,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462804,"Rockville staff present King Farm Farmstead master-plan concepts; mayor and council to weigh options on Sept. 29",961,2210000,3171000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5795626-dc8421da88575adc93d09a45e7dc6e49&start=2210&end=3171","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5795626-dc8421da88575adc93d09a45e7dc6e49/thumbnail_2210000.jpg","/articles/6462804/Rockville-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Rockville-staff-present-King-Farm-Farmstead-master-plan-concepts-mayor-and-council-to-weigh-options-on-Sept-29","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462804-6df4148d41ca0d3703f0c1e9577c2f04/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183125&Signature=ZqKYvbrVTAUbIE6OiUQ~w4OVzsYou-P7addjHfgRLWgegNiCObbfVVMsAjDrH4F0YTdWh5P31NO9CVruh9F~IHUykbRVbS-V40OAPFLLJw6fOHJ5R6xCeLHgZQGfhg3oX758fDd7apaXzFD6hx2XTu0IiV~74fJTqJNvo9bpRIsHYMDzhxCqRDExuI7P3-PID3Dfio9Hmy13e2PTpHCB6c~Zj8p1co62YW6sbgH9abJtEYtE7O3IT-DIhqBYhLy-BDFNpUD2QPgE1fv0c2iS~bcSoUFBO6als8qftslonANPYcyMJvu79rGvUE6~BUoNWkDA84MSOacnedWCx5rdPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rockville Recreation and Parks on Sept. 18 presented draft master-plan concepts for the King Farm Farmstead and said it will return to the mayor and council for further direction Sept. 29. Staff asked the mayor and council to prioritize between two approaches: option 2 (adaptive reuse and program reorganization) and option 4 (option 2 plus a new addition to connect barns and provide additional accessible space).

Chris Henry, deputy director for Recreation and Parks, said staff began the planning process about a year ago and ran several rounds of community engagement, including five initial visioning sessions and subsequent workshops. Staff reported robust participation, with survey responses and web engagement showing substantial local interest; about 76% of respondents identified as Rockville residents and nearly 250 people responded to the survey, Henry said.

The concepts focus on adaptive reuse of the farmstead buildings for multipurpose, low-impact recreation and cultural uses while retaining open space and the community gardens. Program ideas under consideration include performing-arts and multipurpose rooms in the dairy barn, a wellness or movement space in the horse barn (yoga, dance, martial arts), maker spaces in the garage, teen or youth programming in the farmstead and a teaching kitchen. Mayor and council direction asked staff to explore childcare space as a priority; staff said childcare was one of the features the council asked them to refine in upcoming work sessions.

Option 4 differs chiefly by proposing an addition that would physically connect two barns, allowing shared accessibility infrastructure (for example, consolidating elevator access) and higher-ceiling spaces suitable for large gatherings or performance. Staff said cost estimates and an economic-analysis summary for both concepts were completed in August and that staff will present refined cost and phasing information at the Sept. 29 mayor-and-council work session.

Commissioners and attendees raised questions about landscaping, tree loss and historic interpretation. Commissioner Peter Falsimant emphasized tree replacement, and Commissioner Seth Dimbo asked how the plan would interpret and display the site’s history. Henry said historical interpretation and signage remain part of the planning scope and would be developed in subsequent design phases.

Next steps: staff will present the two refined options and construction cost estimates to the mayor and council on Sept. 29 and expects to return with a consolidated recommendation for additional mayor-and-council review in October; the Oct. 20 date cited is tentative pending council direction.

No formal HDC action was taken; staff said future proposals or physical changes affecting historic resources will return to the HDC for review as required.","City Recreation and Parks staff outlined two preferred concepts for the King Farm Farmstead master plan—a reuse-focused option and a version with an addition—highlighting community engagement, proposed program uses and a timeline that includes a mayor-and-council work session on Sept. 29.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462809,"Historic District Commission recommends against landmarking 1201 Parish Drive, clearing way for demolition",818,1274000,2092000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5795626-dc8421da88575adc93d09a45e7dc6e49&start=1274&end=2092","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5795626-dc8421da88575adc93d09a45e7dc6e49/thumbnail_1274000.jpg","/articles/6462809/Rockville-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Historic-District-Commission-recommends-against-landmarking-1201-Parish-Drive-clearing-way-for-demolition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462809-b38fceca7fd2b6b675275627fda86c6c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183125&Signature=dn7hrV0LoLKtqFERmflOKeaOVS3y9ppgoCLFxWsbHTqyiO2ZYm4UjJ9CqvHyp2PAVei6TgP64dnUvY8aaSGgoY0ZFQ47u8PJD6vlcMnAqzmfEL2JO555F7Oc0PGyZTE-S~7T~ub~K5-IHx15zHvvlsft9uk-3HLTuY89sDW1QIfEiUoZnSqVF8ceijcidjh60EvKlUaewbHmMbaL9E66YsNhiPFhLjAl-ZxZb9NpDw3RmIxsOAUBjAYKRjF3A9gHpdnL4lL-ObiCXGNwHgCek9GChXdcKvZ7jx-~GTOoqg1FWqfL9Zx8gkdRETewcInvh4BEK8MrPiYXmNDrFMYkMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rockville Historic District Commission on Thursday recommended against historic designation for the property at 1201 Parish Drive, clearing the way for the owner's planned demolition and replacement. The commission voted 3–1 on the recommendation after receiving a staff evaluation, comments from the property owner and discussion among commissioners.

Staff told the commission that the house, built about 1952 as part of the Twinbrook Homes development, is a basic ranch style residence that has been altered; it has vinyl siding, replacement windows, a rebuilt front porch and solar panels on the roof. Staff said survey and documentary research turned up limited historic information and concluded the building does not meet the HDC’s adopted criteria for historic or architectural significance. \"Finding that the building proposed for demolition at 1201 Parish Drive does not meet any of the Historic District Commission's adopted criteria for historic significance or architectural design and landscape significance,\" staff recommended against designation.

The owner, Colleen McPherson, spoke at the public hearing, identifying herself as the property owner's daughter and saying the house had structural problems that made repair prohibitively expensive and that the family planned a new house for the site. \"We were trying to actually fix it ... but there were some structural issues that were going to cost a lot of money,\" McPherson said.

Commissioners discussed broader issues including the cumulative loss of midcentury homes in Twinbrook and whether that erosion could threaten the district’s overall integrity. Commissioner Seth Dimbo (Commissioner) urged the commission to consider the longer-term effect of repeated demolitions on the character of the historic district but said he did not think this house met the threshold for designation in this instance. Commissioner Michael Goldfinger described demolition and replacement as reflecting the city's growth and said he expected new construction to continue in the neighborhood.

A commissioner moved that the HDC recommend against designation; the motion was seconded and passed by a 3–1 vote.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (minutes of 07/17/2025; review/action on Montgomery County Historic Preservation Tax Credit application): approved as part of the consent agenda earlier in the meeting (consent vote recorded 4–0). (See staff packet for details.)
- HDC2025-01200 — 1201 Parish Drive: motion to recommend against historic designation; outcome: recommendation against designation; vote tally: yes 3, no 1.

Clarifying details: Staff reported the house dates to about 1952 and described it as a ranch-style house typical of postwar Twinbrook development; significant alterations noted by staff include vinyl replacement siding, replacement windows and a rebuilt wood front porch. The owner said windows in good condition would be donated for reuse. No written public comments were recorded for the item, and no formal certificate of appropriateness or alternative design review was adopted by the commission at this meeting.

The commission closed the public hearing on the item after applicant remarks and commissioner discussion; the property owner and staff may proceed with local permitting consistent with the mayor and council and Rockville City requirements.","On Sept. 18, 2025, the Rockville Historic District Commission recommended against historic designation for 1201 Parish Drive, concluding the 1952 ranch house does not meet the commission's criteria; commissioners voted 3–1 on the finding after staff review and owner comments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Peerless Rockville launches AAPI history project; commissioner highlights Red Brick Courthouse history

Rockville staff present King Farm Farmstead master-plan concepts; mayor and council to weigh options on Sept. 29

Historic District Commission recommends against landmarking 1201 Parish Drive, clearing way for demolition