Downtown Wheaton is the home of the Montgomery Parks, Montgomery County Planning Board, and Montgomery Planning, all of The Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC).
Montgomery Planning and Montgomery Parks occupy the top four levels of the 308,000-square-foot building. The building also houses Montgomery County’s:
- Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (MCDPS)
- Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (MCDEP)
- Mid-County Regional Services Center – Wheaton Urban District
- Community Use of Public Facilities (CUPF)
- Montgomery County Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Montgomery County Department of Recreation (REC)
Parking
Public paid parking is available in the underground garage at $1 per hour, in the surface lot adjacent to the Wheaton HQ, $4.45 paid when you exit the garage, and at nearby locations in downtown Wheaton. Please refer to Montgomery County Department of Transportation https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-Parking/Parking-Facilities/WheatonPLD.html for additional information.
Public Transportation
The Wheaton Metro stop, Metrobus and RideOn Montgomery County, all stop across the across the street. At the corner of Georgia Avenue and Reedie Drive the Meto offers accessible elevator access.
Sustainable building design – inside and outside
The Parks and Planning headquarters is one of the first government buildings in Maryland to be LEED Platinum-certified. Its green features include geothermal heating and cooling, integral solar panels, roof gardens, electricity generation, and gray water reuse.
The exterior incorporates rain screen facades, and the plaza and streetscapes are designed with landscaped elements to manage stormwater onsite. In addition, the building is located within walking distance of Metrorail and bus lines to encourage transit use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from car commutes.
Interior Features
The large, inviting entrance lobby, framed in glass, illuminates the plaza at night. The two-story lobby space is open to the public and used for displays, celebrations, and other events. It includes an information desk and a grand staircase that is publicly accessible and leads to the Planning Board auditorium on the second floor. A living wall of greenery extends on one side of the space to represent the building’s environmentally sensitive design.