Another Residential Project in the Works
By Silver Springer • Nov 29th, 2006 • Category: Uncategorized
Yet another residential project is planned for downtown area well after a publicized decline in the regional housing market. The proposal by Pat Harris calls for a 100% residential project containing 72 dwelling units and parking spaces, preferably rental apartments. The location of the property would require the demolition of the existing structures at 949 to 961 Bonifant Street.
Under the optional method of development plan, the building would reach up to a height of 90ft and 8 to 9 stories with a public paved plaza and pocket park fronting the building.
The information was presented to the Economic Development arm of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board.
Commentary: IMO this is an addition Silver Spring can do without, in this case the benefits do not out weigh the costs. The project removes street activity already in place at that location because it is not a mixed-use project. The public use space requires set backs far from the street edge, this detracts from Silver Spring’s urban nature. Furthermore there are unique local businesses in that location not worth loosing, like a Martial Arts Academy and a Café, the project encroaches on a row-house block relatively unique to Silver Spring.
Correction: The project is not planned to remove the adjacent Kefa Cafe, although Tayari Casel Martial Arts Academy, a card reading and book shop amongst others will be displaced. Another Martial Arts Academy at the eastern end of bonifant street will be removed if the new Silver Spring library moves foward as planned.
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Although that area needs more development, the large number of construction sites are a pain in the ass.
Has anyone heard anything about the “Old Dominion Brewery” that was coming soon? The Downtown Silver Spring website has taken it off the page. I was really looking forward to a better place to drink beer. I’m not a big fan of McGinty’s and the Gallaxy Billiards food isn’t so hot…
The proposed residential project would be a great location for anyone who wants to be within staggering distance of the Quarry House (did it change names when they redid it?), Piratz, McGinties, Galaxy, etc.
I agree that it’s unfortunate to see those businesses go. I like the cafe. I would like to see some of the prosperity start to reach that stretch of Georgia Avenue.
I like new development, but I really don’t want to see anything happen to Kefa Cafe. That cafe is by far the best place in the entire region to get coffee and relax. I guess they could move, but with local businesses that usually doesn’t work out very well. I guess time will tell.
I have an idea - instead of displacing actual functional businesses, why doesn’t someone propose to knock down that vacant apartment building at the end of that block of Bonifant and put in some residential there? Does this make too much sense? I know the county owns the building, but I’m sure they could be persuaded to part with it by someone who wants to do something useful with it.
I agree with with Lindemann, with all the vacant structures and undeveloped parcels in downtown silver spring it doesn’t make sense to knock down a building that is fully occupied with local tenants. Lets fill in the gaps before we displace successful local businesses. And a new residential building in the core downtown area that doesn’t have storefront retail on the bottom level… really? This is horrible urban planning.
Get your facts straight, Kefa Cafe is not impacted by this project. The property is on the other side of the alley. A decrepid commercial building that was built around two old houses that are literally falling in. Your other comments are appropriate. It would be good to see first floor retail and public use space that was more than just a setback.
Re: the abandoned building on Bonifant Street.
That structure, along with a few others on Bonifant, Fenton and Wayne, will be demolished to make room for the new Silver Spring library and an adjacent residential building.
I’ll admit it I was wrong and you are right. This would not effect Kefa Cafe. Now that I’ve “got my facts straight”… It would however effect 7 local business and the Karate place.
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/rsc/silsprng/BoardsCommittees/udacsept2006minutes.pdf
So I stand by my previous post to develop the vacant properties and land before we start evicting tenants to build an apartment with no ground floor retail in the downtown area as this is poor urban planning. Although since it doesn’t hurt Kefa I care a lot less about that crappy old building (oh how quickly things change.)
Sorry for the mistake, like I said I love Kefa and the when I thought it might be forced out I panicked without really researching the development.
“That structure, along with a few others on Bonifant, Fenton and Wayne, will be demolished to make room for the new Silver Spring library and an adjacent residential building.”
Do you have any links with more info. Very exciting news to me. I hope they put a little effort into the design of the library. Maybe something like Salt Lake City’s http://www.slcpl.lib.ut.us/details.jsp?parent_id=7&page_id=5.
Ha ha wishful thinking that thing is huge, but it’s the best library/community gathering place I’ve ever been to.
off topic- but I saw a fox tonight coming from the driveway at Grace Episcopal Church. Anyone else seeing foxes in Woodside?
There was a fox in the County garage there under the NOAA buildings a couple of years ago. Poor thing looked scared as could be.
Yeah, I can’t wait for the new library! Do you know what will happen to the old library on Colesville? I know that this new library has been planned for years, when are they supposed to break ground? Also agree that area does NOT NEED the residential building there!
One of my neighbors kids said they saw a coyote near my yard last month. Maybe it was a fox? or my little dog? I live off Dale Drive near the park.
In the perfect world, new developement would go into DDTSS’s vacant land or abandonded undesireable structures. But like any real estate transaction, there are sellers & buyers and we will never know what the owners of those parcels want (or are even selling) and what each individual buyer (developer) will offer. For all we know, this developer MAY have tried in vain to get another site and settled on this eon.
Re: Silver Spring library.
I learned about the county’s plan for that abandoned building while doing research for an article on the Golden House Chinese kitchen. The news came from Gary Stith, director of the Silver Spring Regional Center.
As a student at the Martial Arts Academy I can say that the loss of the school there would be unfortunate, since it does a pretty good turn of business with kids and adults in the local community. I have no idea what Tayari Casel will want to do if we are evicted, but I know this has been on the backburner for a while. That property is just too valuable. The street does get a little congested on lesson nights with parents picking up kids and all the other traffic, and really, it should be the plot where the abandoned building is that is slated for a new residential building. I mean, do we really need a library there? The one on Colesville seems fine, and, this may sound a silly thing to say but I think it’s fairly obvious — people don’t really use libraries any more other than reference libraries, university libraries and the big federal libraries. Of course, a nice shiny new facility would be nice, but don’t we really need the maximum number of bedrooms possible in downtown Silver Spring and not another book repository? Go to Borders!
I saw a fox in Sligo Creek Park recently. That is the first one I can recall seeing. I also see deer all the time. It’s amazing to me how large animals like that can survive in a thin strip of green.
Isn’t that abondoned brick residential building historic? It actually has some significant architecture for Silver Spring.
I don’t know why it can’t be renovated with a few floors added on top.
Overall, while the spot is lucrative, I don’t think it is the right place for the new Silver Spring library which seems to sprawl on a site that may be too small for it.
Why isn’t the library integrated with the Civic center or where the useless Ellsworth Condos are going to go?
It could even go in the transit center or on a portion of the fenton parking lot. I’m sure there is room for that and the purple line right of way.
The public libraries are actually extensively used. Not only for reference, but checking out recreational reading. They are also a source of free internet access. Libraries are still busy places.
Two theories about Old Dominion:
1. The Montgomery County Liquor Board said “Nope” to Old Dominion Brewery, Inc. for that location. There is concern that you will have too many drinking establishments within a one-block radius. The older than 30 crowd of Silver Spring home owners are wary of more drinking places. You better believe that they will petition the liquor board to be tough on applications.
The whole point of developing downtown Silver Spring is to make the place suitable for families as opposed to single twentysomethings. You wanna get sloshed on shots and brew? Go to the Quarry House!
Silver Spring is still a bedroom community for families and that will not change in the long haul…despite the condo mania for single high-income professionals.
Also…remember Chipotle? Chipotle applied for an alochol sale license and the county said, “we’ll think about it”. Three years later…Montgomery County still has not made a decision.
Second theory. Old Dominion Brewery pulled out of DTSS. The restaurant & bar market is getting saturated along the Ellsworth corridor. You have to compete with McGinty’s, Red Rock, and Austin Grill for customers.
If I were Old Dominion Brewery, I would look at properties farther away from Ellsworth…perhaps find a location a couple of blocks away. That way, you make your restaurant stand out more.
I wish Chipotle got its liquor license. Those $3.50 margharitas are delish
I have spoken with several people that bought condos in the Lofts 24 (corner of Fenton and Bonifant) One couple that purchased a 2 Bedroom for over $500,000 say that one of the reasons they bought there was the fact that they were told all those buildings across the street on Bonifant were supposed to be coming down and the Library was going in across the street from them.
From Montgomery County’s Web Site:
SILVER SPRING LIBRARY
A site in downtown Silver Spring is being assembled for construction of a new downtown public library to begin in 2008. The 41,000 square foot building will fill a corner across Wayne Avenue from the redevelopment project. The library will prominently face Wayne Avenue, with exposures on Fenton and Bonifant Streets. Ample parking will be easily accessible across the street at the new Wayne Avenue garage. A new library has been needed for a long time to replace the existing 1950’s library building, the oldest in the library system. In order to accommodate the expanded circulation needs of the present population, a larger building with modern library facilities is being designed.
[quote comment="723"]I have spoken with several people that bought condos in the Lofts 24 (corner of Fenton and Bonifant) One couple that purchased a 2 Bedroom for over $500,000 say that one of the reasons they bought there was the fact that they were told all those buildings across the street on Bonifant were supposed to be coming down and the Library was going in across the street from them.[/quote]
Debbie,y didnt your friends but a HOUSE? They waste $500,000 on a 2 bedroom condo? That doesnt incluse bldg fees nor electric,water,gas. They ‘ll have no front porch or backyard.
I wish I had $ 2 waste.