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A two-story medical office building could soon anchor the Frederick Avenue corridor near Olde Towne, where Gaithersburg leaders have made improvements a priority, but a city councilwoman is worried about historic preservation.

City officials moved too quickly by allowing site plans for the proposed complex at the intersection of Frederick and DeSellum avenues to get so close to completion without a site visit and review by the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, said Councilwoman Cathy Drzyzgula.

According to the owner, a farmhouse at 206 S. Frederick Ave. was built at the turn of the century and rented to teachers during World War II. The farmhouse is slated for demolition, along with another at 11 DeSellum Ave. Two buildings with historic designation will be saved.

"Our goal is to build something that will be an entrance to the neighborhood and will complement the surrounding area," said Dr. Robert J. Wilson Jr.

His father, Robert J. Wilson Sr., has owned the building for more than 50 years, said the Gaithersburg dentist. Father and son hope to redevelop the property and four connected lots.

Wilson presented his project at two April 6 public hearings. Drzyzgula, who said she generally supports the project, voted against approving site plans and called for an HPAC review of three homes on the property, the historic Fulks home, the farmhouse at 206 S. Frederick Ave. and a second farmhouse at 13 DeSellum Ave. that may be worth historic designation.

Allowing plans to near completion before historic preservation is considered is not ideal, said Mayor Sidney A. Katz, who voted to support the project so that planning could move forward.

Historic preservation is a lengthy and time-consuming process, said Gaithersburg Director of Planning and Code Enforcement Greg Ossont.

"To go through all of that only to have a concept plan not approved after it's done would be a waste of resources," said Ossont.

Eliza Voight, the city's historic preservationist, is scheduling a site visit review by HPAC, which will make a recommendation May 7. Public record remains open until May 11 and policy discussion is slated for June.

If city leaders deny rezoning, the project will fail and historic preservation applications would be rescinded.

If they agree to go the concept plan and rezoning, a series of public hearings will ensue. If the mayor and council — the city's Historic District Commission — do not approve historic designation for the farmhouse, the project could receive final site plan approval by Oct. 21.

Otherwise, it could be delayed until 2010, Ossont said, as Wilson's team decides next steps or the mayor and council hold more public hearings.

According to city documents, Wilson owns five lots on 2.7 acres at the southwest corner of the intersection of Frederick and DeSellum avenues in the Observatory Heights neighborhood.

He hopes to rezone two residential lots on DeSellum, tear down the early 20th-century house and a newer building and build a two-story medical office building with gabled roofs, a brick plaza and parking. The 20,000-square-foot building will face Frederick Avenue.

Wilson will renovate the Fulks House, a historic Queen Anne Victorian home built in 1905, and a smaller house at 13 DeSellum Ave., and use the Fulks House for office space. He promised to preserve its architecture while modernizing the interior.

Robert Durst, who has lived on DeSellum for 31 years, called the proposed redevelopment "a fantastic project." He fears, however, city planners have not fully considered the area's sewage problems.

He also has concerns that vehicles will cut through the quiet neighborhood to West Deer Park.