Here are number seven best and worst on their respective lists, Disclaimer.

Developer: Goodman East-West I, LLC (Centex Homes, Inc)

Architect: Lessard Group

Property Address: 1200 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Project Specifications:
Gross Floor Area: 275,000 sq\ft
Site: Approx 1.40 acres
Dwelling Units: 247 residential dwelling units, 40 MPDUs
Retail: 10,600 sq\ft
Height: 142′Feet
Stories: 14
Parking Spaces: 220

Officially City Homes at 1200 East-West Highway, the project is a convergence of contemporary and elegance; this is an architectural design that is actually worthy of those terms. The “L” shaped building incorporates a half cylindrical entrance that spans the height of the building. The midpoints of the building sides are topped off with a metallic arc shaped crown. The materials present themselves as good quality. The architectural firm Lessard Group is capable of offering a stellar design no matter what is thrown at them, just check out their portfolio. What holds this project back in this category (but only slightly) are the huge set backs pushing the retail further from the street edge as well as the paved plaza that creates impervious surfaces and the usual discrete art piece.

With well over 10,000 square feet of retail, it is almost equal to what JBG’s Silver Spring Gateway is offering but on a lot that is less than half the size. Also take into consideration that the location is not as important as that of Midtown Silver Spring or the Silver Spring Transit Center sites. By inundating this section of Silver Spring with a significant amount of retail, it is activating the street life and stimulating a 24/hour affair.

There were no green design elements mentioned in the report and in a twist of sorts, the developer decided to drop the building height a foot from the maximum 143′feet. Overall this is a refreshing project and shows that some developers still get it. City Homes at 1200 East West is going to make its next door neighbor Blair East look a lot more dated than it already is and put its neighbor the Silver Spring Gateway, across the street to shame.

Developer: PFA Silver Spring, LLC

Architect: SK&I Architectural Design Group

Property Address: East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Project Specifications
Gross Floor Area: 237,653 sq\ft
Site: Approx 2.29 acres
Dwelling Units: 222 residential dwelling units, including 31 MPDUs
Height: 55′ Feet
Stories: 5
Parking Spaces: 90

This project isn’t inherently bad, in fact in it’s defense it is simply the last component of the Downtown Silver Spring mixed use project, which is a great development in it’s own right. But when looked at on an individual level the Ellsworth just couldn’t gather all the points. There were some changes that could have worked out to make it a mixed-use project by it’s self. The design alone beckons ground floor non-residential space. Although the building will be surrounded by retail the developer could have used the remaining office space at the ground level. Space for doctor, lawyer offices and other services outside retail makes sense here; it would have worked out nicely.

The Neo-traditional architecture enhances its surroundings with a two-toned color scheme of red brick masonry and what looks to be pre-cast limestone on the upper portion of the facade. The architectural firm SK&I is responsible for the controversial but renowned Edgemoor in Bethesda. It’s a pity they did not continue their foray in architectural excellence on some of their other projects in Silver Spring.

The public use space is another pocket park\plaza. The developer boasts a roof top terrace but it isn’t certain if it will even be configured as an intensive or extensive style green roof.

At the least this project will inundate the Downtown Silver Spring mixed use project with more patrons that have money to spend but I’m sure they would have appreciated some service conveniences right under their homes.

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