| A New Hometown for White Flint |
 |
 |
 |
The recipe for making a place a community A new White Flint is essential to restoring a sense of community for local residents. By replacing Rockville Pike with a 21st Century Boulevard – lined with outdoor cafes and exciting new shops – White Flint can be transformed from the disjointed urban sprawl we see today into a destination spot for visitors and a hometown for residents.Beyond the new walkable shopping district, the area will be developed with more green space – seven parks in all – for community events or family relaxation. The new parks created throughout White Flint will host farmers markets, art festivals and live entertainment for all ages. The ultimate goal is an amenity rich new urban center that is accessible, connected, convenient, safe, engaging, and vibrant.  Accessible: A new network of sidewalks and streets that provide the whole community with improved access – pedestrian and vehicular - to world-class amenities. This network can absorb volume and calm the traffic flow. No longer will Rockville Pike be driver’s nightmare – it will be friendly and safe for pedestrians, cyclists, families and more. Connected: Residents will be psychologically connected through identification with a new community; physically through a network of new streets; culturally with improved access to Strathmore, a local library, and exciting new retail and entertainment options; and “heartily” through safe bike and pedestrian trails that connect to Cabin John and Rock Creek Parks. Convenient: The new White Flint will liberate residents through walkable blocks in ways they had never dreamed of before. They’ll have the convenience of access to a corner grocery store, a coffee shop, a post office, local restaurants and more – all within easy walking distance or a short drive from their home. No more stressful drives up and down Rockville Pike to Bethesda, Rockville, or Gaithersburg. All of life’s necessities will be within convenient proximity to their homes. Safe: The current Rockville Pike knifes through White Flint and residents fear for their safety when trying to cross or navigate the area. Experts say the newly designed boulevard and network of streets to safe speeds of 25 to 30 mph, making streets attractive for pedestrians, cyclists, and retailers, while maintaining throughput volumes. The plan also respects the established neighborhoods by creating comfortable buffers and lower in building heights as new development approaches existing homes. And White Flint families will finally feel safe allowing their children to walk to school, a friend’s house, a park/playground, movies and more. Engaging: Great places demand great spaces by design. Public art, inviting parks and plazas, gathering places will become the identity of the New White Flint. Bethesda Row would not be Bethesda Row without the fountain outside of Barnes and Noble. This is about creating an engaging interactive space with strong identity that makes a community. Vibrant: The New White Flint will be a destination that the community can be proud of – a collection of the best “hometown” amenities in an urban atmosphere. |