20+ Story Office Tower Proposed
By Silver Springer • Aug 24th, 2006 • Category: Uncategorized
The owner of the current RiteAid FedEx-Kinkos shopping center site along East-West Highway is planning a 20+ story office tower. The site is currently zoned CBD-3. If the rumors are true it would be tallest building in downtown Silver Spring.
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So, what happens to the Kinkos? And Einstein Bagels?
What’d Summit Hills ever do to you? People gotta live somewhere . . .
I wish downtown Silver Spring had a Wendy’s.
Sometimes I need a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and don’t want to drive all the way up Georgia Ave.
Please build one ASAP.
Your Value Menu Addicted Friend,
Wendy Lover
Sounds great…hopefully, it will be a nice complement to the proposed Falkland Chase development.
Does anyone know if any projects are planned for the property the Lee family owns? I believe they own virtually the entire strip along Colesville Road across from City Place/AFI…and also own the parking lot behind the Lee Building. I read on silverspringforward.org (the site promoting the Birchmere in the old JC Penny Building), that the Lee family was in negotiations for the site…but that could take years.
Just seeing if anyone had a good scoop on such a prime site/assemblage.
The planners I met with in the planning department said they haven’t heard of anything at the Rite Aid site yet, though they did say that the Falkland Chase owners are looking to build 5, urban-style highrises (as opposed to a tower in the parks design), using the optional method (to build as high as possible, in exchange for including a percentage of public amenities for those unfamiliar with the optional method). They said preliminary plans have been shown to the department, but nothing has been submitted yet. So just an update from what I heard about that.
Being that the property is zoned CBD-3 I wouldn’t be surprised if it is built. The office market is still strong unlike the housing market. That site is a perfect place for an office development. Finally a developer that sees the light (I hope).
I’m going to stay guardedly optimistic until I see a proposal submitted for both projects, and an announcement somewhere in the media. It would be better if an announcement were made with some sort of major tenant in mind.
Anyone seen the permit notices outside cityplace for I believe an 8-story office building ontop of existing retail? How did I miss this project? Are they building offices atop cityplace now… that seems to be what the notice says.
Good. That Rite Aid is complete useless anyway. If the new building comes up, the owner can make Kinkos, Einstein and Starbucks as first floor tenants.
My only concern is that space is pretty tight between East-West Hwy. and the train tracks. The building would have to be narrow in design.
All these grand projects mean nothing unless the Montco Economic Dev. Dept. can get businesses as tenants. Does anyone have current commercial vacancy numbers for DTSS?
A few posts back, Silver Springer had an entry dedicated to vacancy rates.
The lot is plenty big enough for a building of that size. The space between the road and tracks would not be a problem. Just look at the Silver Spring Metro Center (NOAA) buildings, which have pretty much the same space between E-W Hwy and the tracks.
Urbannomad, no I haven’t seen the notice. Do you know specifically where it is located and what it says? I can email my contacts at the planning office to see what they know of it.
i want a wendy’s!!
If there’s one thing we definitely don’t need more of it is fast food restaurants. But either way, you’re gettin’ one just up the street in Wheaton across from the Metro station.
City Place Tower is what I was telling some you guys about a while back in other forums. I spoke to the Attorney and the retail management. I want to put up a report but I’m still waiting on renderings from management. Perhaps Pennster can get plans from Planning since they were part of the original City Place Mall?
By the way here is the link for the vacancy rates.
http://silverspringscene.blogspot.com/2006/08/silver-spring-continues-its-lead-with.html
I vaguely remember. Do you mean these plans are on the table again?
I know there are blue prints, renderings etc out there. The office component was part of the original City Place design but was left out probably due to economic reasons. Perhaps the planning dept has some old plans on the tower?
I’ve seen 2 signs. One is in front of Noodles and the other one is infront of the Fenton street entrance to cityplace. I believe it says an 8-story tower or something like that. I walk by it everyday but I can’t remember the details of the notice.
I’m waiting to hear back from the department. I don’t want to be a pain for them, and I emailed them late on a Friday so they are in no rush.
The Rite-Aid/Kinkos space is narrower than the strip that the SSMC/NOAA buildings are on. The tracks and E-W Hwy gradually are separating as they head toward DC.
Where are all the cars going to go? Yes, in theory people should take the Metro to the new office building. In reality, you’ll still have a sizeable number of drivers. Where are they going to park? They’re not going to want to walk up Wayne Ave or to that Kennett Street lot. The NOAA lot has security at the gates since the primary occupant of the buildings is a federal agency. Additionally, the NOAA garage is already heavily used (less so now that they put in those PCS spaces).
If you look at the zoning map of Silver Spring, you can see that buildings almost as tall as proposed have been built on much smaller lots in downtown. Yes, the lot size is slightly skinnier than that of the NOAA buildings, but not enough to make it an issue. Lot size wouldn’t be a problem at all.
Montgomery County law requires that developments provide for parking, or proposals for where people will be able to park. My guess is that parking will be available at, under, or near the building (I have no idea of the restrictions this lot may have in terms of ability to excavate land deeply enough to provide for underground parking).
I think the benefits of the Rite-Aid site development would far out weigh the costs. We need this.
The more people find difficulty in driving the more they will want to walk or take mass transit. This will only push Silver Spring into a far more urban place.
Funny how Rosslyn doesn’t have this problem but they have far taller office buildings than Silver Spring.
A lot people really need take a look at what is happening on the other side of the river instead of being stuck in their shell.
NOAA buidings are and others in downtown have a larger foot print than your typical high-rise. They take up too much space IMO. You won’t find buildings that large to such a degree in NY or even Rosslyn. So if we can get a nice slim tower that would be great.
Remember that Metro owns an equipment building in between Rite-Aid/FedExKinko’s and Starbucks/Einstein Brothers. Wouldn’t that make it a bit more difficult to redevelop these properties as one?
I really don’t care to have 20 stories of office space blocking the view I have of the Washington Monument and Washington National Cathedral.
That’s selfish.
Quite selfish, though I know you were not intending it to sound that way. The view from my office is some trees and a blacktop.
Anyway, I don’t know why we’re discussing the logistics of a building there, because obviously if the owner is thinking about this, it is possible. I think I should add that the 2,000-foot Fordham Spire (400 North Lake Shore Drive) in Chicago, which is scheduled to begin construction next year, has a 160′x160′ footprint, smaller than the size of the Rite Aid/Kinko’s property.
If this 20+ story building can be done, it will be; if not, then it won’t.
Exactly Pennster!
Silver Springer, have you heard anything lately from the owner or potential developer?