My Blairs Wish List (Continued)
By Silver Springer • Jul 13th, 2007 • Category: Real Estate
I know I said I was going to post this yesterday but I started writing and the plan just snowballed into something bigger than I thought. Below is a rough vision of what I would do with a lot of money and time to wait.
Zoning
The 27 acre Blair complex is zoned CBD-R2 and according to Montgomery County zoning code that means “intended for use in areas of a central business district designated to accommodate high density residential development. There is a whole array of things that aren’t allowed to be there, including furniture stores.
The potential lies in the property being developed equally in commercial uses not just residential.The site would be rezoned depending on location. But generally speaking, most of site (closest to East-West Highway and the metro station) would be zoned CBD-3 (highest density that’s allowed in the CBD zones) or start a new trend and zone it TS-M like North Bethesda (those in the know will understand).
The other half closest to Eastern Ave would be zoned CBD-1. The periphery would respect the neighborhoods bordering D.C. being predominantly residential.
Site clearing
The following structures would cease to exist,
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Blair East and its sprawling parking garage.
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Blair House
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Blair office
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Blair Towers (4 structures)
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Exxon Gas station
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Pool Deck
New Construction
Signature Tower
When approaching Silver Spring, heading north on 16th street you can see Blair House in the distance. Blair House would be replaced with a 300+’foot point tower, minimizing shadow effects and made of shimmering glass and steel. The signature tower would act as a symbolic gateway to Maryland and Silver Spring. The use would either be an office building (preferred) or a 4 to 5 star hotel.The point tower would step up from the street edge along Eastern Ave. Ranging from 60’ feet to the pinnacle point. It would also be the first “crowned†high-rise in the D.C. area
Retail, Hotel and Market Commons
Total amount of retail would range between 200,000 and 250,000 square feet with up to three anchors. The current retail center including the Giant would be replaced because of the inefficient use of space. Retail would be at the ground floor of high-rises flanking East-West Highway with some 2 –level frontages. While I don’t mind Giant stores, this would be a great opportunity to introduce a Wegmans to Silver Spring and Montgomery County. Current county code precludes big box store facilities greater than 100,000 square feet but perhaps an exception could be made in this case. A high-rise hotel would go on top of the grocery store, complimenting the NOAA buildings across the street.A two lane road similar to Ellsworth drive would pass in front of what is the current Giant entrance, across the street from that would be a 1+ acre green open space/park sitting on a portion of the existing parking lot, acting as a market Commons, this would fulfill the Community demand for green space. Also acting as a divider and leading into the bulk of the residential area. A green trail would lead to Rock Creek Park and the other portion of the public use space.
Office
Up to 1 million square feet of office space would be allowed. Further down on East-West highway, at the edge of the Blairs boundary and where the Blair East apartment building currently exist would go an office building to balance over 1,500 residential units that are under construction or currently exist in South Silver spring; transforming a bedroom community into a mixed-use, vibrant center.
There would also be ground floor retail with the south end of the structure containing a 2 –level glass, retail display, preferably an electronics retailer like an apple store.
Another signature “point tower†would go at the corner of Colesville and East-West where the Exxon gas station currently exist. The four story office building along Colesville would also be demolished. The office tower would have a grand arch way that would act as a “Metro Gatewayâ€, enticing mass transit riders into the Blairs complex. Ground floor retail would flank both sides of the building, including a night club and retail anchor along Colesville up to the Blair Towns.
Residential
Up to 1,200 additional residential units would be allowed with a considerable amount of affordable housing with modern features like a sprinkler system. In between the office and hotel would be the first residential building. This would complete the East West highway block and create a retail corridor almost spanning the entire length of this portion of Maryland Route 410.
Blair East measures over 200’feet in length, along with its parking garage, this creates a monolithic wall that sprawls a good length of East West highway, it could be subdivided into two to three separate buildings with adequate floor space. The elimination of this building allows light to get through and transforms this stretch of East West Highway into a true destination.
Midrise residential buildings would be on the three remaining sides of the market commons, one of the residential buildings would integrate into Blair Plaza which would also get a major facelift. The center midrise facing the market Commons would also have another retail anchor at the ground floor. There would be rooftop pools and gardens would on the midrises.
Additional taller residential high-rises would be behind and south of the midrise directly south of the Market commons.
Environmentally Friendly
All building would be at least LEED Silver rated, following the path of the Blair Towns which were the first LEED certified apartment buildings in the United States. High-rises that gradually increase in height from the road would automatically include intensive and extensive green rooftop garden as you approach the top of the buildings.
Public Use space
In honor of what was formerly the Blair Mansion site, at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Blair Mill road would lie two acres, sitting on those acres would be a life size replica of the Blair Mansion. The mansion would act as an art gallery, museum and host other special events.
Whatever land left would be reserved for future development, all parking would be underground. The roads would try to follow a grid pattern with at least two entrances along East West Highway.
A plan like this probably wouldn’t happen for years unless a “divine intervention” came into play. Without the height constraints the possibilities are almost endless. More land is left preserved and the developer can maximize profits and space by removing inefficient structures and “consolidatingâ€. The community gets the green space it wants as well as a significant amount of affordable housing. Most of all the project follows the principle of smart growth It‘s a win/win for everybody.
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I like the idea of replicating the Blair Mansion. Unfortunately like most things, your idea is easier said than done.
I’m glad you could at least understand it.
It’s a win/win for everyone except whoever has to pay for it, and the current residents of the Blairs, and Giant, and…
Um, I concur with Linemann here. Any thought given to what would happen to the thousands of people who currently live in those buildings you so blithely recommend tearing down? All this talk as an Ivory Tower exercise is fine. But it would be nice when people bat around ideas here about what to do with the Blairs that they appreciate that they are talking about people’s homes. MANY people (and no, I’m not one of them).
It really is disrespectful to the current residents of the Blairs for you to talk about tearing down their homes.
Actually, you guys are right. If such a plan was to occur, I suppose the smartest and easiest thing to do would be to build the first residential building on the parking lot first.
Blair residents would get priority, perhaps even a chance to buy instead of rent.
Wow, Silver Springer, you really put a lot of thought into this one. Well done.
Like you concluded, however, there would have to be divine intervention for even the smallest part of your plan to be implemented, particularly tearing down a(mostly) new office building and parking deck. Just ain’t gonna happen.
Those kinds of massive developments rarely happen anywhere anymore, unless it is a re-development of an industrial site (i.e. Atlantic Station in Atlanta). And the fact that thousands of people would be displaced over time, you can only imagine the outcry. A shame, since your plan is genius
I agree that, if it would ever happen and if my current home weren’t slated to be destroyed, the plan would be a great idea.
I understand that the buildings have their flaws - Blair East does create a huge block along East-West Highway - but there have to be more creative ways to redevelop this site than by going tabula rasa. What already exists is a dense, mixed-use community, albeit one designed to 1960’s standards. The goal should be to take advantage of what land is already underdeveloped (the strip mall, the parking lots) and to work around the existing buildings - after all, no matter how much money you had, the political will wouldn’t be there to tear them out.
The idea that razing everything is the solution is how we lost the Blair Mansion in the first place. We don’t want to do that again and lose another part of Silver Spring’s past, because it’s integral to our community’s character and the reason why people decide to move here. A Silver Spring that looks like it all went up yesterday is not one that I would want to live in.
To Woodsider: Thank you.
To Thecourtyard:
Like I previously commented, if economically feasible, I don’t see why giving the current residents’ priority to the new buildings once their completed at affordable or current rates can’t be done.
Living conditions aren’t the best with some buildings not having sprinkler systems. With the wrong management, this could easily become the “Slums†instead of the “Blairs†and because of its age it’s nearing that tipping point.
Are people really that attached to Blair East and Blair Towers that they wouldn’t want to move into a brand spanking new modernized, safer building?
I also have to laugh at the thought of the Blairs being considered affordable housing, it ain’t exactly cheap. Gramax is newer with cheaper rents and in unit Washer and Dryers. The Blair Towns is one of the most expensive, if not the most expensive apartment complex in downtown Silver Spring at over $1,400 for a one bedroom.
http://silverspringscene.com/blog/2006/06/25/where%e2%80%99s-the-%e2%80%9cdeal%e2%80%9d-in-renting/
There are going to be major space constraints in downtown Silver Spring in the near future, 90% of every open parcel or ones that contain 1 to 2 story structures is under development or planned to be. We will have to come to terms with this issue very soon. This is significantly in part due to the current height limits.
Not everything in Silver Spring’s past is a diamond in the rough. I certainly won’t be championing the preservation of the Crescent, Transit Center and some of these new condo structures going up, 50 years from now, will you? You and I know that the developers definitely did not put in the effort to warrant such preservation. The Transit Center is talking about taking major cutbacks; the Crescent has a terrible architectural design with major cutbacks like no balconies on the side facing Georgia ave when there were suppose to be. Are these the projects that are supposed to last 50 years? And you want to save them just because they’re old?
http://silverspringscene.com/blog/2006/08/03/who-the-hell-is-the-patriot-group/
At what point should we redevelop? Should we keep buildings for 50, 100, 200 years or forever? I could understand if there was historic value but there isn’t any.
With the sea of parking and set backs at the Blairs, it was definitely not built with an urban design standard in mind, more so the “Tower in the Park†and suburban garden apartment styles of the 60’s. This has proved to be disastrous, just look at Prince George’s County.
When I look at the Blairs it feels out of place with the rest of the CBD, it’s the largest parcel of land with the biggest suburban feel and it only holds Silver Spring back from achieving the true urban form that it is naturally maturing into. The rest of CBD is urban the Blairs makes you question it.
I believe the redevelopment of the Blairs would be righting the wrongs of past, restoring what was torn down as best as we can into an efficient and urban space.
I understand that the Blairs are not affordable housing, but they are a good value, as far as I’m concerned. My 1BR in Blair East is huuuuuuuuge - 925 square feet at $1400/month with utilities included. And honestly, I’ve found the service here to way outclass the service I received in supposed luxury apartments Georgian Towers before I moved here. They’re older buildings, but I don’t think they’re in danger of slumification anytime soon. I think Georgian Towers, despite all the money they put into it, is closer, although you can ask the roaches that inhabited my apartment for the last nine months of my residency for further updates - I’m sure they’re still there.
Upon further reflection, I have no special attachment to this place, though - knock it down and rebuild at a higher density if someone can find the money to do it. Just make sure I get to be in the new building.
Silver Springer says:
“With the sea of parking and set backs at the Blairs, it was definitely not built with an urban design standard in mind, more so the “Tower in the Park†and suburban garden apartment styles of the 60’s. This has proved to be disastrous, just look at Prince George’s County.”
There’s a huge difference between the cheap garden apartments that dot not just P.G. County but a good chunk of MoCo (ever been to Glenmont? or White Oak?) and the Blairs, which were built as luxury housing. I would argue that the “Tower in the Park” concept has generally been applied with some success. I personally think that the Blair Towers along Eastern Avenue, with their setbacks and tree canopy, blend in well with the even older (1940’s) apartments and single-family homes on the same street.
The Blairs can (and likely will) be retrofitted into an urban context. I think that is the best (and most creative) solution for this site. It’s easy to go in with a bulldozer and knock everything down - but the most rewarding design, I think, would be one that brings the Blairs into the 21st century. (Especially noting the rising popularity of 1950’s and 60’s “Googie” architecture, which you can see in the swooping canopy of the Blair Plaza and Blair House, may make them candidates for the Historical Register in a couple of decades. Just you watch.)
You use the Gramax as an example: until a few years ago, that building was just an empty shell, in far worse condition than any of the Blair buildings will ever be - a likely candidate for a teardown. It was a symbol of Silver Spring’s failure. So why, then, was money put in to renovate it? Why was the Gramax considered worth saving? And why can’t that ideology be applied to the Blairs?
Some good thinking here that I hope will (eventually!) spur some people as they think about filling in the gaps at Blairs where greater density now is in order. Although — let’s face it — they will always need some free (or short-term validated) parking for things like the Giant, same as they have at the downtown Bethesda Safeway.
But can you imagine the outcry if your “signature tower” were officially proposed? All those people who screamed that the American Dram “megamall” (at approx. 6 stories) would “overwhelm our single family homes and create perpetual shadows…deprive us of our humanity…etc.” would take up arms (well, OK, they oppose any armed intervention but at least they would lie down in the middle of 16th Street!
Given the outrageous prices currently being paid for multi-family real estate in the Washington market, The Blair’s new owners will either
a) do nothing and wait for potential future rent increases to give them their return (doubtful)
b) renovate the existing structures and reposition them in the market, commanding higher rents
c)renovate AND and redevelop part of the site to add more units
In any scenario, there is great likelihood that “affordable” will not be used in the future to describe what was The Blairs. Investors don’t buy properties like The Blairs because of existing cash flow, but on potential. Based on The Tower Companies’ marketing propoganda, it seems the potential is considerable.
1.
Comment by thecourtyard:
I understand that the buildings have their flaws - Blair East does create a huge block along East-West Highway - but there have to be more creative ways to redevelop this site than by going tabula rasa. What already exists is a dense, mixed-use community, albeit one designed to 1960’s standards. The goal should be to take advantage of what land is already underdeveloped (the strip mall, the parking lots) and to work around the existing buildings - after all, no matter how much money you had, the political will wouldn’t be there to tear them out.
The idea that razing everything is the solution is how we lost the Blair Mansion in the first place. We don’t want to do that again and lose another part of Silver Spring’s past, because it’s integral to our community’s character and the reason why people decide to move here. A Silver Spring that looks like it all went up yesterday is not one that I would want to live in.
RE: Then maybe its time for you people to move out and stop rying to Hold Silver Spring/Maryland Back due to anti-progressive thinking. Its people like you is what makes Virginia look like the Center Focus of what is defining the Progressiveness of the DC area.
They have build soo much Office/Retail Development in Virginia that most of the People in Silver Spring/Maryland leave the state to Work/Shop in Virginia………………..
Comment by thecourtyard
Made Monday, 16 of July , 2007 at 11:46 am
Silver Springer says:
“With the sea of parking and set backs at the Blairs, it was definitely not built with an urban design standard in mind, more so the “Tower in the Park†and suburban garden apartment styles of the 60’s. This has proved to be disastrous, just look at Prince George’s County.â€
There’s a huge difference between the cheap garden apartments that dot not just P.G. County but a good chunk of MoCo (ever been to Glenmont? or White Oak?) and the Blairs, which were built as luxury housing. I would argue that the “Tower in the Park†concept has generally been applied with some success. I personally think that the Blair Towers along Eastern Avenue, with their setbacks and tree canopy, blend in well with the even older (1940’s) apartments and single-family homes on the same street.
The Blairs can (and likely will) be retrofitted into an urban context. I think that is the best (and most creative) solution for this site. It’s easy to go in with a bulldozer and knock everything down - but the most rewarding design, I think, would be one that brings the Blairs into the 21st century. (Especially noting the rising popularity of 1950’s and 60’s “Googie†architecture, which you can see in the swooping canopy of the Blair Plaza and Blair House, may make them candidates for the Historical Register in a couple of decades. Just you watch.)
You use the Gramax as an example: until a few years ago, that building was just an empty shell, in far worse condition than any of the Blair buildings will ever be - a likely candidate for a teardown. It was a symbol of Silver Spring’s failure. So why, then, was money put in to renovate it? Why was the Gramax considered worth saving? And why can’t that ideology be applied to the Blairs?
RE: A true Marylander would not ever try to find an Excuse/Lie to get people to go against Modernizing and Upscaleing Suburban Maryland and the Baltimore area…………
You are a Maryland hater because I have never experianced anyone making the same retarded comments your making towards Development in DC and Northern Virginia in which it is the reason for their Economic and Business Growing Success against Maryland……
You people won’t be happy untill ALL Parts of the Maryland Suburbs go back into looking like a 18th Century Tragic Story while Northern Virginia continue their goals of looking like a futuristic Region beyond the 21st Century…………..
Tim, you sound nonsensical. Surely, you have a point to make but it’s lost in the jabberwocky-like style of your postings.
Wow Silver Springer, I like your foresight and dreams - the owners should hire you for your ideas and Silver Spring Insight! I hope that at least part of your vision comes true. GREAT thoughtful post!!
“Comment by thecourtyard
Made Monday, 16 of July , 2007 at 11:46 am”
If you look carefully at the Tower Cos conceptual site plan for the Blairs, you’ll notice one of the Blair Towers apartments no longer exists and is replaced with new construction. http://silverspringscene.com/blog/2007/07/12/my-blairs-wish-list/
Point is, not even the creator of the Blairs, the Tower Cos., has an attachment to the existing structures as you solemnly do.
There is nothing you can really do to bring these buildings into a proper urban design frame. Blair Towers and the rest are just too suburban in nature with the parking surrounding them.
What warrants the Blairs being saved as is? We have to have more to justify its being than “its old”. The project was built in a time when brutalist architecture ruled and form was not even emphasized, this is prevalent in the Blairs. I argue against the architecture being anything significant. Even compared to what you can find in D.C. for that time period, the Blairs is suburban vernacular.
I also don’t think it’s fair to future generations either, what imprint of their time will be left on the landscape? It’s not fair to say “I was here first, tough luck”.
Like I said previously, we are running out of land in downtown Silver Spring and we will either have to face this issue now or it will come to us.
Tearing down the Blairs and trying to restore some of the past is righting a wrong IMO.
A vast parking lot and all other things, the Blairs is a hodgepodge design that inefficiently uses space. It definitely has some major suburban qualities and would be a great infill project and can be turned truly urban if done right.
As for the Gramax, if it was demolished, I can bet no one would be crying, it was a major eyesore on the CBD. The reason why the developer didn’t knock it down was because he couldn’t build taller than the existing structure, making it economically unfeasible. Once again another piece of evidence where current zoning laws are holding Silver Spring back from stellar projects.
You can only go so far retrofitting old buildings and residential is the hardest to convert to other types of uses. The Gramax and the Auroras have no balconies, this is one of the many limitations of rehabbing.
Any talk of redeveloping the Summit Hills property? Because it needs it badly. You could tear down FOUR whole buildings for two taller buildings, incorporate some retail space and plenty of green space. Summit Hills used to be the perfect vision of public housing. Now it is an eyesore for West Silver Spring.
”
Comment by Brent
Made Monday, 16 of July , 2007 at 12:56 pm
Some good thinking here that I hope will (eventually!) spur some people as they think about filling in the gaps at Blairs where greater density now is in order. Although — let’s face it — they will always need some free (or short-term validated) parking for things like the Giant, same as they have at the downtown Bethesda Safeway.
But can you imagine the outcry if your “signature tower†were officially proposed? All those people who screamed that the American Dram “megamall†(at approx. 6 stories) would “overwhelm our single family homes and create perpetual shadows…deprive us of our humanity…etc.†would take up arms (well, OK, they oppose any armed intervention but at least they would lie down in the middle of 16th Street!
”
LOL, the set backs would put the pinnacle of the tower so far from the road that it wouldn’t be an issue but I wouldn’t be surprised to see people chained to the Blair House or at least the lamp posts.
“Comment by Debbie Cook
Made Tuesday, 17 of July , 2007 at 7:19 am
Wow Silver Springer, I like your foresight and dreams - the owners should hire you for your ideas and Silver Spring Insight! I hope that at least part of your vision comes true. GREAT thoughtful post!!”
Thanks, know anybody hiring?
”
Comment by IHateYuppies
Made Wednesday, 18 of July , 2007 at 9:21 am
Any talk of redeveloping the Summit Hills property? Because it needs it badly. You could tear down FOUR whole buildings for two taller buildings, incorporate some retail space and plenty of green space. Summit Hills used to be the perfect vision of public housing. Now it is an eyesore for West Silver Spring.
”
Wow I’m a little surprised IHateYuppies. I suppose one day Summit Hills will find itself within the CBD boundary. Yes, that space could be used more efficiently unless someone wants to designate those buildings historic.
I’m not going to get into the finer points of architecture or development, but I did just want to agree with Silver Springer that a Wegmans would be awfully nice…
I personally think that a great city is like an onion - peel away the layers and you can see the different eras in that city’s history. The Blairs is one era. You should be able to go back and see it, even if the site has been redeveloped for 21st-century needs. I’d rather keep some vestige of these buildings (and work around them) than live in a place where we tear everything out every few decades and throw in a few fake versions of history (the re-created Falkland mansion) to make it seem “authentic.” That’s Disney World. That’s not a place where people actually live and want to invest in their community.