Report: Growth In Science Jobs Driving Development In Gaithersburg Area

Growth at a number of major players in Montgomery County's science and medicine sector is driving the demand for housing in the Gaithersburg area, The Washington Post reports.

Biotech firm MedImmune selected its Gaithersburg campus as one of three worldwide sites targeted for expansion while other local companies such as Sodexo and the National Cancer Institute will also draw more workers to the area, Rob Robinson, Gaithersburg Planning and Code Administration‘s long-term planning official, told The Washington Post.

Gaithersburg's new Crown community is expected to house many of the people seeking homes in the area.

KB Home, one of three developers in the Crown neighborhoods, believes Gaithersburg is a "strong market" for development, according to the report.

“The influx of jobs resulted in people wanting to live in that area. There’s a low amount of resale inventory on the ground. It’s very difficult to find resale and new [property]. There’s a great need for housing within this community,” Vince DePorre, southeast regional president of Los Angeles-based KB Home, told The Washington Post. 

As Crown continues to develop, the city of Gaithersburg anticipates a significant increase of traffic in the area, according to a news release.

"Road work on Sam Eig Highway and Diamondback Drive, in and around the new Crown Farm development, is likely to cause considerable traffic disruption over the next several months," according to the city.

Road improvements including road widening and the construction of additional turn lanes, as well as pavement milling and overlay, are being undertaken to accommodate the new residential and retail traffic that will be associated with this new development.

Read more on The Washington Post.