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

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.