In late 2016, the Islamic Center of Maryland began work on a multi-million dollar construction project to better serve the Muslim community in the Upper Montgomery County area. Phase 1 of the three-phase project, which includes building the shell for the Islamic school, and youth and community center building, is now complete; the interior finishing work is underway.
Phase 1 includes building a two-floor structure with a proposed free clinic, senior and youth lounge area, daycare, gymnasium, multipurpose hall, as well as a K-5 Islamic elementary level school. The gymnasium and multipurpose hall will provide more space to accommodate for the large crowds at Jummah prayer, as well as Eid Salah. Around 600 people pray juma’ at ICM, and the new building will increase that number to almost 1,200. The planned senior and youth lounge areas will provide a space for people to gather for social activities.
Plans to commence Phase 2 of the master plan will follow sometime after the Phase 1 building is completed and operational. Phase 2 plans include building a new masjid and parking lot, and removing the existing prefabricated buildings. Phase 3, the final phase of the project, involves adding a full-time high school to the facility. The timeline for Phase 3 is undecided.
ICM began construction in late 2016, as they were faced with challenges from the growing community, and county regulations. The Muslim community in Montgomery County and the surrounding areas is rapidly growing, and a bigger facility was urgently needed. ICM is located in an environmentally sensitive zoning area. Under county regulations they are only allowed to develop on 0.8 acres of their 10-acre lot, unless they are granted an exception from the county. ICM was granted this exception to be able to develop their master plan. Once the building construction permit was obtained and the construction started, ICM needed to show significant developments in construction to keep the permit active. They successfully finished the structure in the second quarter of 2018 and are now working on finishing the interior.
ICM Chairman of the Board of Trustees Nadeem Ahmad says that ICM must convince the county that the construction site is not going into dormancy, or else they risk losing the permit to continue working. This, he says “is another struggle tied to funding.” According to Ahmad, $3.5 million is needed to complete the project. ICM has already raised $1.5 million and plans to collect the remaining funds in the form of donations and interest free loans. They also hope to hold another fundraiser in mid-December, as fundraising is the primary way to raise cash funds.
ICM first opened its main center, located on Woodfield Road in Gaithersburg, Maryland in the mid 1990’s. The Woodfield Road location is the main center, but ICM also provides Jummah prayer services at five other locations (all rentals) in Rockville, Bethesda, and Chevy Chase Maryland. Up to 2,000 people across the different locations attend the Jummah prayer weekly.
In 1980, a group of brothers were gathering for prayer at Casey Community Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland and meeting for weekly halaqahs. This group of brothers contrived the idea to establish ICM in 1991. Since then, the Muslim community in Maryland has only flourished and local masajid, including ICM, have been forced to expand their facilities to accommodate for the growing community. Many community members see the growth of the Muslim community as a good sign and are willing to donate to a cause that they see as an investment in their future.
Ahmad’s hopes for the future of ICM are that “the facility is unmatched in terms of what it will offer to the entire area.” He wants all organizations to come and use the building, and anticipates it being a place where they can invite others to serve the community at large. Among the things that ICM members love about ICM, according to Ahmad, are the multiple locations to pray Jummah, the numerous social services and zakkah programs that ICM has offered in the last few years, as well as the Sunday school and outreach programs. He hopes that the facility will only continue to meet the needs of those it serves for many years to come. Another fundraiser is planned for Saturday, December 15, 2018.
Comments powered by CComment