Montgomery College Approves SmithGroupJJR to Design Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus Math and Science Building

The Montgomery College Board of Trustees Monday approved a contract for the Washington, DC-based integrated design firm, SmithGroupJJR, to design a 134,000 gross square-foot math and science building on the College’s Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus. The project is expected to last four years, two for design and two for construction, and carry a cost of $85,628,000.

To prepare students for careers in highly demanding and competitive fields, this project will replace the out-of-date classrooms and labs in buildings that are 56 and 38 years old. The College’s plans for this modernization have been in place for almost 15 years.

“The vital academic needs of our students are driving this important project,” said Dr. DeRionne Pollard, president of Montgomery College. “With the experience and talent that the design team brings to this project, I am confident that our math and science building will be an effective and beautiful campus destination that compliments the character of the community.”

SmithGroupJJR successfully designed the Cultural Arts Center on the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus and the Holy Cross Germantown Hospital located on the College’s Germantown Campus. They also have experience working on historic properties located in a residential neighborhood, having designed American University’s Washington College of Law. The College selected SmithGroupJJR after reviewing technical proposals submitted by 14 firms.

“SmithGroupJJR is very proud of our legacy working with Montgomery College and we are excited to partner with the College and the local community on another structure for the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus. The new math and science building promises to provide a state-of-the-art learning facility that will serve thousands of students for years to come while respectfully engaging with the historic neighborhood,” said Robert Bull, principal at SmithGroupJJR.

The next steps involve a charrette process to begin in the spring. The charrette process is an intensive planning activity where neighborhood residents, designers, and other stakeholders collaborate on a vision for design of the building. SmithGroupJJR has retained LINK Strategic Partners, a Washington, DC-based strategic communications and stakeholder engagement firm, to lead the charrette process and ensure a robust and productive exchange of ideas from stakeholders as the design takes shape.

The College anticipates construction of the new math and science building to start in December 2019. The facility is expected to be fully operational and open for classes in the fall semester of 2022.