The Birchmere – Now In Color
By Silver Springer • Apr 19th, 2007 • Category: Business and Economic Development
Silver Spring Forward, the organization helping to bring the Birchmere to Silver Spring, has a rendering of the planned music venue up on their site.
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Wow! I believe Hickok Cole Architects did this awesome rendering! I can’t wait for the new Birchmere to open. Just what Silver Spring needs! It’s going in right across from the Silver Theatre - making for a great entertainment corridor!
This is the hypest building I’ve ever seen in my life! I’m ready to move to Silver Spring (I currently live in Paris, Tokyo and Park Ave)and spend my taxpayer dollars in your quaint town.
Corb
Please, please, please let this thing finally come to fruition. I have to add, though, that the Birchmere shouldn’t drive DeMarco’s and Nice Nails out of business. I love both of them.
Does anybody have any idea if all of those small businesses that are closing down are going to be part of the proposed new Birchmere square footage? (Which would mean that DeMarco’s/Nice Nails may be moving…) (What a shame :-p)
I hear that Lee Development and Hickok Cole Architects are the ones behind designing this project. The rendering looks stunning and the 3 blue equalizer bars is a great idea.
http://www.hickokcole.com
The floor plans for the Silver Spring Birchmere, show the Birchmere contained within the current Jc Penney’s building foot print. Currently the retail along Colesville Road will remain in tacked.
I just drove by the building and it’s still under construction BUT the photo shows it being open. What gives? Did you guys build it and then tear it down again?
George
WOW this is some design. Now why can’t SS get more architectural styles such as this?
Unfortunately Montgomery County cannot subsidize every arts project in Silver Spring when it faces a $175 deficit and children in moldy portables. Wasn’t the AFI enough? Won’t the Birchmere just bring more people to an already busy area instead of Fenton or Ripley which could desperately use some pedestrain traffic.
They need to Demolish that entire Block and rebuild it with the “New Theater” with Upscale Office Buildings and Retail.
Well, the architecture isn’t really any different than it is already. It’s just the addition of the neon that makes this work.
I know the finished (and real) product will look better, but I actually find this rendering exceedingly tacky.
Whatever one’s opinion of the proposed Birchmere facade, the final appearance will surely be toned down from what we see above. The artist’s rendering conveniently leaves out the two or three existing Zelkova shade trees in front of the building. Each is about 30′ tall x 30′ wide and growing. I seriously doubt MoCo will allow those to be removed, and since there is no construction out on the street, they shouldn’t be damaged.
This will be a major source of light pollution in the CBD. We shot down the Discovery laser, I believe this may violate Montgomery County sign ordinance. I am looking into it. Anyways, doesn’t the County have better things to spend arts money on, like a outdoor performance venue at Strathmore.
You’ve got to be kidding. This is a neon sign with no more “light pollution” than the marquee across the street at the AFI. This isn’t Tucson and we’re so far removed from seeing stars at night anymore in urban areas around here that we should enjoy this for what it is. I would understand your point if the sign was as overpowering as the Discovery laser, but come on…have some fun!