Residents Worry About Height of Apartment Complex

How high is too high? Some Kensington residents don't want a 75-foot apartment complex built on Metropolitan Avenue where the crumbling remains of a cement-mixing plant now sit . But the Konterra development groups says a shorter complex isn't an option.

Caleb Gould, vice president of Laurel-based Konterra, explained his company's plans to develop the site during a public hearing this week at Town Hall. The presentation was a courtesy extended by the town, which has no authority over the project. If Konterra proceeds, it will need to get necessary approvals at the county level.

"Our objective is to build something that will be a credit to the town and be income-producing not only for us but for the entire area," Gould told members of the Town Council, Kensington Revitalization Committee and residents gathered for Monday's public hearing.

However, Konterra has to be able to build the complex at 75-feet instead of 60-feet in height in order to construct enough apartments to make the project economically feasible, Gould said. Making the complex broader, but shorter, wouldn't work, he said, because one end of the property is lower than another, meaning that apartments at the lowest level would have problems with access and view.

"We'd be glad to do it if we could," Gould said. But given the site's restrictions, the complex has to be 75 feet. "If we can't do it," he said, "we'll walk away."

Some residents are concerned. Chris Bruch said he envisions Kensington as a doughnut, with the tallest points on the inside, central business stretch of Connecticut Avenue. Outlying areas, including residences and small businesses, haven't been as imposing, and this project could set a precedent.

"If you allow 75 feet for this site, why not allow 75 feet at the other end of the doughnut at Knowles Avenue?" he asked.

Pat Mulready, a resident of Capitol View, said she was worried that the complex would require Metropolitan Avenue to be straightened and/or widened, possibly resulting in the loss of some personal property. Also, the site of a tall, modern apartment complex near a historic neighborhood would be jarring, she said.

"It would be overwhelming coming from the Capitol View Park side," she said.

But others argue that, while they are sensitive to concerns about traffic and aesthetics, development is better than leaving the site as it is with its muddy ground and  decaying cement structures.

"Im happy someone is taking an interest in development in Kensington," said Mayor Peter C. Fosselman. "And also, I appreciate the fact that Konterra has reached out to community members."

Fosselman said that, while he understands residents' concerns, an apartment complex with a few shops at ground level would mean that,  "You get a site that's ... revitalized and refreshed, and the community gets some amenities out of it."