Silver Spring hotel developer seeks 4' of additional height

The Renaissance Inn extended-stay hotel planned for 8600 Georgia Avenue may get an extended height. Under the current zoning code, the starting point for measuring building height is in the center of the property. Developer Starr Georgia, LLC will ask the Montgomery County Planning Board for permission to count from the corner of the lot, which planners estimate will give them another 4' in height.

Getting permission to do so should not be a problem for this project, Area 1 Regulatory Supervisor Elza Hisel-McCoy told the applicant Tuesday. "You're at the intersection of Main and Main in downtown Silver Spring, and you need 4 feet," he explained. The site is at the crossroads of Georgia and Colesville Road, two of the heaviest-traveled commuter routes in the state of Maryland. It is currently home to a gas station.

The Board isn't likely to take up the matter until September, and the applicant may need to request an extension for the review before then.

Rendering via Montgomery County Planning Department