My Blairs Wish List
By Silver Springer • Jul 12th, 2007 • Category: Real Estate, Silver Springer
Above lies a conceptual site plan of what was suppose to be a future expansion of the sprawling Blairs complex. The blue buildings highlight planned construction while the orange is existing. Now that the site is up for sale by the current owner, Tower Companies, the opportunity presents itself for a formidable developer with the panache and vision to take this extremely valuable parcel of land and transform it into something truly special.
“Progess†is nipping at the heals of the existing complex. The Blairs has the land area and proximity to allow the for example the retailers that the community is crying for. A Bed Bath and Beyond could easily fit there where it would have constraints in City Place Mall.
Latter today I want to dabble in what the future of the Blairs could possibly be.
What is your master plan for the Blairs?
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Wait, what? What is your master plan for the Blairs? The master plan is whatever they want to do, its not up to us.
As for building a BB&B over more apt’s I think that would be a silly business move. This area is growing and there is alot of money to be made in rent, hence the expansion and the stand still in the condo market because condos are just too expensive.
I live in the Blairs and I like it just fine, If I want to go to an outlet store I will drive to Wheaton or a nearby town.
JB: Don’t you mean “metro” to Wheaton? Unfortunately, it looks like you’re missing the point.
Developers need input from the community to decide what to build or what stores to bring. Sure they can go against the community and say… build ice-skating rinks, but it’s probably not a good idea… The comment about the “constraints” of Shitty Place Mall is right on the money. I think most people that live at the Blairs would rather NOT DRIVE AT ALL and shop at an improved Blairs shopping center.
p.s. The Blair’s Giant sucks ass, but I still shop there b/c it’s within walking distance.
The Giant does its job and it’s doing it pretty damn well. Huge store with great selection and good prices. I would absolutely HATE to see it go.
Additional comment: the community WANTED the ice skating rink, but a vocal minority changed their mind at the last second, f-ing everything up. Thankfully, it all got fixed in the end and we got our ice skating rink/pavilion.
The Blairs are a good source of reasonably affordable housing and I would hate to see the entire place torn down, or the shopping center altered. The only thing that I would really like to see are MORE highrise apartment buildings/condos, MORE stores (perhaps creating another parking garage convenient to the present shopping center), and better pedestrian access.
Wee said: “The Giant does its job and it’s doing it pretty damn well. Huge store with great selection and good prices. I would absolutely HATE to see it go”.
Does it’s job?? Do you mean employees and managers who consistently treat customers rudely? Do you mean never (and I mean NEVER) having enough cashiers on hand to adequately handle the number of customers.
Great selection? Giant in general has a pathetic selection compared to other grocery store chains like Publix, Harris Teeter, Wegman’s (notice how little representation they have in the DC area). Safeway doesn’t fare much better. Having seventeen different types of Triscuits or Colgate doesn’t mean a good selection.
Good prices? Have you been to Snyders on Seminary Road? Now they have reasonable prices, especially on chicken, fish, meat, etc. It’s ridiculous to have to pay $7 for four boneless chicken breasts like at Giant.
As you all can tell, I feel very strongly on this issue…having lived in the South before coming here, I was spoiled rotten on friendly service and good selection.
“As you all can tell, I feel very strongly on this issue…having lived in the South before coming here, I was spoiled rotten on friendly service and good selection.”
It’s not just the South. I come from upstate NY (home to Wegmans). I’ve never paid so much for crummy supermarkets as I have in the DC metro area.
I wish they would bring in a Home Depot. I hate driving out to White Oak for a box of nails.
Why don’t you just go to Strosniders?
I also live in the Blairs and I agree, the giant is not the best, but it is very convenient. Customer service sucks, but they just installed new do it yourself check out stands, which means you never have to talk to the lackluster staff. The nice thing is that there is a whole foods up the street. We just need a Trader Joe’s closer and hopefully we get that harris teeter down the street. I am not sure they can improve the area much more, maybe better restaurants, I like that lots of stuff is within walking distance. I just hope they keep the plentiful parking that will be the real problem.
You’ll always find something to complain about. I’ll give it a try. I hate Sniders’ hours, and Giant is open in many locations until midnight. Screw prices. When it’s 10pm and I need some hummus, I’m heading to the Giant. Convenience, convenience, convenience.
Whole Foods = OVERPRICED!!!!!! Never have I had such an enormous grocery bill. Give me one of those new cool-looking Safeways or a Giant over a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s any day. Being a college student, I’m always horrified at the differences in prices between “discount” and “gourmet” grocers.
I’m tired of Safeway and Giants.
Build a Harris Teeters, Food Lion, and/or Krogers…………..
I think it would be a shame to lose much of the “affordable” housing that some of the Blair buildings currently have. But there is plenty of room for commercial growth on that property.
If potential buyers/developers want to know what type of retail would do best there, it would do them well to begin a dialogue with the thousands of residents who live in that neighborhood and most frequently use the Giant.
If you’re interested in knowing what future development the residents of South Silver Spring want, fill out our survey and wait for the results:
http://www.southsilverspring.org
Hey Wee,
Since you’re a hummus fan, go to the Co-op on Grubb Road next to the Parkway Deli. They get theirs from a local company that makes the best hummus outside the middle east. Beats the crap out of the “Tribe” brand (formerly called “Tribe of two Sheiks”, but I guess 9-11 took care of that!). Also, Snyders carries hummus in a brand called Sabra…get the Greek hummus with olive oil and spaces. Incredible. Can you tell it’s almost lunchtime when I’m posting this?
Spices, not spaces.
The Saba brand hummus @ Giant is pretty damn good.
I’m new to Silver Spring. Do you guys know of any good bike shop in the downtown area? I already know about the one on Grubb Road. And I need a Costco. Don’t want to haul over to Beltsville. Please Please Please.
There is another bicycle shop on the west side Georgia Avenue (Silver Cycles), just before the intersection with Seminary Rd. I’ve been a customer of The Bicycle Place on Grubb Rd. for about 7 years and found them to be exceptional. I only know of the Costco in Beltsville, but I’m sure if you go to Costco.com you’ll find a store locator.
PS. Welcome to Montgomery County where big box stores are banished to the very very very select few locations, which are usually no where near where you live. Generally, this is a great thing, except when you need one
I was looking at the new packaging for “Tribe” hummus, and saw that their new tag line is “America’s Favorite”