Articles of Interest

Press articles are compiled below for the past two years of the COMSAT issue (reverse chronological order)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/19/AR2006071900942. html

Advocates Fight to Save Groundbreaking Building

Thursday, July 20, 2006; Page GZ03

By Miranda S. Spivack

Washington Post Staff Writer

http://www.gazette.net/stories/071906/damanew211845_31941.shtml

Saving Comsat: Letter writers give it one more shot

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

by Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

http://www.gazette.net/stories/062806/montope145652_31959.shtml

Protect Comsat for future generations

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Julia O'Malley, Kensington

The writer is chairwoman of the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/062106/montope154124_31947.shtml

Comsat Laboratories: It may not be old, but it's historic

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

David S. Rotenstein, Ph.D., Silver Spring

The writer is commissioner of the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission.

http://www.washtimes.com/entertainment/20060609-085146-3904r.htm

Comsat: Renew or raze?

June 10, 2006

By Deborah K. Deitsch

The Washington Times

http://www.gazette.net/stories/060706/damanew211521_31946.shtml

Master architect comes to county to save Comsat

About 40 people turn out for three-day charrette aimed at preserving noted

building; developer says they were invited late to event

Wednesday, June 7, 2006

by Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

World-renowned architect Cesar Pelli came to Montgomery County Monday to join the effort to save the Comsat building in Clarksburg. ''My buildings are like my children," he said. ''I have tried to love them each for different reasons. ... Looking back on that period of my life, of all the buildings that were executed this is the best."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/04/AR2006060400538. html

Architect Pelli Joins Effort To Save Comsat Building

Monday, June 5, 2006; Page D01

by Dana Hedgpeth

Washington Post Staff Writer

http://www.gazette.net/stories/053106/damanew220731_31942.shtml

Help plan new uses for Comsat site in Clarksburg

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Susan Singer-Bart

People and Places

http://www.gazette.net/stories/051706/damanew212313_31945.shtml

Master architect Pelli leads charrette to save Comsat

County Council may refuse to hear arguments on historic designation, squelching last hope for preservation

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

by Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

http://www.gazette.net/stories/040506/montope160338_31950.shtml

Comsat building can unite new, old Clarksburg

Wednesday, April 5, 2006

Kay Boughan, Damascus

http://www.gazette.net/stories/022206/germnew192621_32002.shtml

Comsat's fate makes it into council's hands

Following a six-month delay, the Planning Board votes to forward the question of historic designation

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2006

by Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

Bowing to precedent, the county Planning Board voted Thursday to give the County Council a chance to decide the fate of the Comsat building in Clarksburg.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/021506/damanew224440_31965.shtml

Lawsuits may force Comsat to council

Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006

by Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

http://www.gazette.net/stories/120705/montcol163801_31905.shtml

Comsat: Envision it as a learning magnet

Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2005

by Doug Tanner

Doug Tanner of Damascus is a former Comsat Technology Systems employee (1988-94).

http://www.gazette.net/stories/102605/montlet171430_31918.shtml

Comsat Labs: Paradise lost?

Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005

Bill McNamara, Germantown

The writer is a former Comsat World Systems employee.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/081705/damaMacnew_31815.shtml

Advocates battle to save Comsat

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

by Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

http://www.gazette.net/stories/081705/montMaclet_31834.shtml

Re-examine Comsat decision

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Alethea Hendricks and Jay Hendricks, Clarksburg

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200530/montgomerycty/letters/286441-1.h tml

Make Comsat building useful to community

Aug. 2, 2005

Diana Trunnell, Clarksburg

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200528/montgomerycty/letters/284259-1.h tml

COMSAT: A national treasure

July 22, 2005

Jack and Kathleen Hendricks, McConnellsburg, Pa.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200528/damascus/news/284466-1.html

Comsat building not worth preserving

July 13, 2005

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

Planners vote against giving historic designation

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200527/damascus/news/283378-1.html

Planners get bevy of letters on Comsat status

July 6, 2005

Susan Singer-Bart

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/24/AR2005062401707. html

Cityscape

Comsat, in Danger of Coming to Earth

By Benjamin Forgey

Washington Post Staff Writer

Saturday, June 25, 2005; Page C05

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200523/montgomerycty/letters/278821-1.h tml

Duncan: Follow Floreen's example

June 14, 2005

"County Executive Douglas Duncan has voiced publicly his support for the razing of the COMSAT Laboratories building in Clarksburg. He should follow the example of County Councilwoman Nancy Floreen, who recused herself from such activities, since he has accepted campaign contributions from the lawyer (and the lawyer's firm), who represents the developer, LCOR. It would be refreshing if, for once, he could put aside his loyalties to his financial supporters and support the efforts of those of us who know that, in the years to come, Clarksburg will be better for the preservation of the building." --Kathie Hulley, Boyds

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200522/damascus/news/277687-1.html

Duncan supports razing of Comsat

June 1, 2005

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

Historians argue for preservation

http://www.washingtontimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20050520-081043-3044r

Comsat's modern mastery worth preserving

May 21, 2005

By Deborah K. Dietsch

The Washington Times

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200516/damascus/news/270618-1.html

Developer vows to continue fight at council

Apr. 20, 2005

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200516/germantown/news/270419-1.html

Commission vote favors historic designation for Comsat

Apr. 20, 2005

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200511/damascus/news/265050-1.html

Developer disputes historic standing for Comsat building Hearing on status to continue next month

Mar. 16, 2005

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

Daniel Koski-Karell, a cultural anthropologist, presented a 20-page report to the commission on behalf of LCOR asserting the building was not designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli and therefore not worthy of historic designation. He called the building the Lockheed-Martin building to disconnect it from the important early space work done by COMSAT. He argued the building would not be important if people did not believe Pelli designed it. The building was designed early in Pelli's career, Koski-Karell said, and he was a mid-level manager who was just part of a team.

"Cesar Pelli believes he designed this building," countered Kathie Hulley, chair of the Clarksburg Civic Association planning committee. Pelli sent four boxes of documents to the Historic Preservation Commission and wrote a letter in support of its preservation.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005/200507/damascus/news/260172-1.html

COMSAT developed a lot of history

Feb. 16, 2005

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

For more than 30 years the best and the brightest engineers, physicists and technicians worked at COMSAT Laboratories in Clarksburg, creating the foundation for today's world of instant global communications.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005/200507/germantown/news/259970-1.html

Noted architect says COMSAT is worthy of protection

Feb. 16, 2005

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200449/business/flocal/248740-1.html

Former Comsat building's design may save it from wrecking ball

Dec. 3, 2004

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200448/business/features/247611-1.html

Housing vs. history

Nov. 26, 2004

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

Former Comsat building's award-winning design may save it from the wrecking ball

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200446/damascus/news/244661-1.html

COMSAT's architecture may be its salvation

Nov. 10, 2004

Susan Singer-Bart

Staff Writer

Efforts to Eliminate the Heritage Tax Credit Defeated

A letter by Tyler Gearhart, Executive Director, Preservation Maryland
April 7, 2003

Commercial credits capped at $23 million

Thanks to the hard work of advocates across the state and the support of key leaders in the House of Delegates, the General Assembly voted to continue Maryland’s Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program.

Last Thursday night, the conference committee between the House Ways & Means and Senate Budget & Taxation Committees reached a compromise establishing an aggregate cap on tax credits for commercial projects while leaving the credit for homeowners unchanged. Leading into the conference committee the House supported continuing the program, but the Senate had voted to eliminate the credit for commercial properties.

The following amendments were agreed upon by the conference committee and included in the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (HB935) that was passed by both the House and Senate over the weekend:

• $23 million cap on credits for commercial properties for the period from February 1 through December 31, 2003
• $15 million cap on credits for commercial properties for calendar year 2004 (with the June 1, 2004 sunset)
• The cap applies to Part II approvals that will be given on a first-come, first-served basis
• The existing sunset date of June 1, 2004 for the entire program remains in place

As you know, the debate over the tax credit program went down to the wire. While we had been successful in keeping the original bills (SB203 & HB341) from moving out of committee, language eliminating the commercial credit was placed in the budget bill by the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee late in the session. We could have lost the tax credit if it were not for the strong support of the House conferees (Delegates Hixson, Healey, Jones, Rawlings, and Conway) and the efforts of Delegates Maggie McIntosh and Pete Hammen, who championed the program in the House leadership. Senator David Brinkley offered the cap as a compromise to persuade his Senate colleagues to continue the program. They are the folks that kept the program alive, so please thank them!

Saving the Rehabilitation Tax Credit program is a real victory in light of the intense pressures surrounding the budget cuts being made as the session comes to a close. We look forward to working with Secretary Hoskins and staff of the Maryland Historical Trust over the summer to help shape the future of the program. Comptroller Schaefer, who testified in support of the tax credit, has taken the lead and offered to convene a task force to formally review the costs/benefits of the program and make recommendations for its continuation.

Thank you very much for all you’ve done to help save Maryland’s most effective tool for preservation, revitalization, and smart growth. It’s been a long hard fight and we didn’t get everything we wanted, but in the big picture saving the program is a great success!