My Blairs ‘Wish List’ Now in Color
By Silver Springer • Apr 21st, 2008 • Category: Business and Economic Development, Real Estate, Silver Springer
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. - Silver Spring Scene July 2007
…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…- Silver Spring Scene July 2007
Back in July I wrote a piece on my vision for the Blairs complex because the owner, The Tower Cos, had put it on the market but that effort seems to have dematerialized and The Tower Cos is keeping the complex (for now).
At first I thought no one understood what the hell I was writing but MC-MNCPPC planning department has released a draft for a “Green Space Plan†in the Silver Spring Central Business District (PDF over 12MB).
The purpose of the study is to find a large public green space inside the CBD (1 acre+?) because some people are complaining that there’s no green space in the CBD [cough]Jessup Blair Park; 14+ acres[/cough].
The renderings from the planning dept for a potential Blairs redevelopment (above) have an uncanny resemblance to my own description back in July 2007 Calling for a “Market Commonsâ€. Note the lack of above grade parking garages and the desire by the Planning dept to keep it that way. Most of all there is a 1 acre+ park in the middle of the existing parking lot and a highrise structure on top of the Giant Grocery store. Also note the midrise residential structures across the park, opposite the grocery store and the separation of the long blocks with new alleys and streets; to a ‘T’ if I must say. Although the planning board and County Council would have to allow more than 450,000 additional square feet for all of this to be possible. There’s no reason why this can’t materialize in the next 10 years if not sooner, Giant probably wont be around by that time anyways.
Emulation is a form flattery but it would be nice to get a little credit too.
Thansk to reader/poster Woodsider for pointing this out!
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It looks like they kept all the existing Blairs buildings . . . guess you can have your cake and eat it too. These and other re-imaginings of Downtown Silver Spring from the Green Space Plan are awesome. I’m glad to see the Planning Department is taking it to the next level - with design, with green spaces, everything. No more will Ben Forgey say “there are so many bad buildings in Silver Spring, it’s hard to do any good.”
[quote comment="4210"]It looks like they kept all the existing Blairs buildings . . . guess you can have your cake and eat it too. These and other re-imaginings of Downtown Silver Spring from the Green Space Plan are awesome. I’m glad to see the Planning Department is taking it to the next level - with design, with green spaces, everything. No more will Ben Forgey say “there are so many bad buildings in Silver Spring, it’s hard to do any good.”[/quote]
Hmmm :). I’d keep Blair Plaza for nostalgics but Blair East definitely has to go. It’s a 300+ foot wide waste of space.
I think architects who blame the surrounding existing environ for the difficulties of creating quality architectural designs simply aren’t good architects. They should look within themselves for these shortcomings.
The 1 acre site in front of the Giant would be a long, thin (and small)park indeed and subject to very heavy pedestrian traffic similar to “the turf” at Fenton & Ellsworth.
A great example of how this park could be designed so it doesn’t get destroyed is The Market Common in Clarendon: http://www.mccafferyinterests.com/content/current/mcc.htm
While everyone might not like the specific materials selected, this developer generally did it right:
Wide, paved pedestrian paths
Small walls & low fences to prevent pedestrians from trampling/killing the landscaping
Prominent water feature(s)
Lots of large trees to provide instant shade Tons of vandal resistant seating
Music via hidden speakers in the landscaping
We all love lying around in the grass on a nice day, but the fantasy of the colonial-style “commons” just doesn’t hold in an urban setting. Imagine “the turf” area today if it were real grass).
Isn’t that Pentagon Row or a different project all together?
Different project alltogether…and actually a good bit smaller than Pentagon Row, which, now that you mention it, would have been a better example to illustrate.
What came to mind first is that the Silver Spring space is long and narrowly rectangular (like Clarendon’s Market Common). Pentagon Row’s is much more square-ish, but the density of housing/retail is much closer to the SS site.
SS you know it’s the bloggers that are bringing the creative ideas now. The fact that one of your regular posters knew that it was your plan should be satisfaction enough. I’ve realized that many good things have come from your blog but never given credit. Well here is to you SS for doing your thing and setting the pace so that others can follow/ copy/ bite whatever
You are right about the length of time. It would take about 2-3 years just to do the preliminary zoning and feasibility studies. Then it would go into approval, and ground could break in about 4-5 years. Let’s hope it happens, because we need more true ‘green’ areas around where all these new developments are going up (and green turf does not count).
Hey, if The Blairs is hip on this green space thang, then why are they buzzing down yet another apparently healthy tree outside my window?
It’s the fourth one this month. Looks like they’re trying to make room for more parking.
HAPPY EARTH DAY!
Dear Silver Spring,
I am the urban designer who designed the green spaces in this report. I have to say I never read your blog. Just goes to show that great minds think alike!
-John Marcolin, ASLA, LEED AP,CNU
Love the idea, I think it would create a great space. But, if a grocery store stays there (Giant or other), and the other retail stays there (as it should), what about parking? Boston has a huge park in the city center that has a ton of below-the-park parking structure. Is the planning board thinking of putting parking beneath the park?
[quote comment="4245"]Love the idea, I think it would create a great space. But, if a grocery store stays there (Giant or other), and the other retail stays there (as it should), what about parking? Boston has a huge park in the city center that has a ton of below-the-park parking structure. Is the planning board thinking of putting parking beneath the park?[/quote]
That’s exactly what they’re planning.
Dear Woodsider,
I am the urban designer who put these plans and renderings together for Silver Spring. I had a lot of fun doing it. I have NEVER read your blog before and was unaware of your July Post. IT IS uncanny how similar your suggestions and my design are. Just goes to show that great minds think alike!
-John Marcolin, ASLA, LEED AP, CNU
Hi John,
Did you mean to write to Silver Springer? If not, the reasons my comments/suggestions are uncannilly similar to yours is that I have the same degree and professional background as you, though I now work in the private sector as the client, not the consultant (a much easier position to be in, for sure).
Hello Woodsider,
You are right, I meant to write to Silver Springer. But I do agree with your comments regarding The Market Common at Clarendon, this space does resemble the one shown above. As a matter of fact it was one of the models that I had in mind while working on this space!
I am not surprised about your background, I thought from your comments that you were in an architecture-related field.
Hello Woodsider,
You are right, I meant to write Silver Springer. But I thought you might be an architect by the way you described the project and talked about the Market Common at Clarendon. Also, you would be interested in knowing that I had the Market Common in mind as I was working on this project. It is a model that gets a lot of study by designers around the country.
-John
I’m glad to know that project is well-received. It is a fine example of how the American notion of biggger is better is completely wrong. We should be designing with 30% less space, but keep the same budget…that would allow for construction of memorable places with character, which have been proven countless times to generate more than enogh revenue to cover the extra expense.
Makes a lot of sense!
I live in a building that faces the Blair Shops, and I’m not happy to hear that yet another big construction project is planned for this area. As I look out my window — which is almost exactly the same as the artist’s rendition — I see several construction projects underway now, and of course construction of the new transportation center will be going on for years. And, like “Silver Spring Penguin” I see existing trees being cut down. I suggest for everyone who thinks this is a good idea to live next to construction for several years. And if Giant moves out I’m certain many people (the car-less green folks) must move out too.