State Approves $130K to Renovate Casey Community Center

The Maryland General Assembly has approved a bond bill that provides $130,000 in matching funds to the City of Gaithersburg for renovations to Casey Community Center. The appropriation includes $80,000 from the House of Delegates and $50,000 from the Senate in FY15.

“Casey Barn, now the Casey Community Center, has long been a landmark in Gaithersburg,” said Mayor Sidney Katz in a news release. “We are very appreciative of the efforts of our District 17 delegation and the entire state legislature in helping us secure funding to maintain and enhance this important amenity for our residents.” 

Estimated at $261,000, renovation plans include upgrades and conversion of the kitchen to a catering kitchen, conversion of an existing apartment unit into a conference room and storage space, installation of a dance-ready floor in the primary rental space, improvement of sound insulation between floors, installation of an HVAC unit in the upstairs rental space, and installation of a display telling the history of the facility.

Built in 1938 by Eugene B. Casey, the facility initially functioned as a dairy farm. In 1949 it was rented to the National Institutes of Health for animal trials of the Salk Polio vaccine. It was known as “NIH Farm” from 1949 to 1960.

The property was donated to the City of Gaithersburg in 1971, and it opened as the Casey Community Center in 1977. It was last renovated in 2002 with a roof replacement, HVAC upgrades, and modifications for ADA compliance.

Today Casey Community Center is home to the City’s Tot Time Preschool program, and hosts nearly 215 different recreation classes for all ages throughout the year. Rental space is also available for meetings, weddings, birthday parties and other social activities.  Yearly rental attendance exceeds 32,000 guests.

For information visit http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov or call 301-258-6366.