There are many curious aspects to the proposed redevelopment of 8787 Georgia Avenue, the sketch plan for which will come before the Montgomery County Planning Board on July 24. Many residents in the neighborhood directly across Spring Street from the site - which just happens to be the Planning Board's headquarters - have expressed concerns about the height, density, and massing of the project, as well as the viability of retail on this parcel.
Planning staff have addressed one major issue - the proposed shrinkage of Fairview Park - by getting the developer to agree to remove that from the plan. But many questions remain.
It's interesting that, for a project that is part of a public-private land swap with the County, only the required minimum of 12.5% affordable units is being demanded by planners. The Board and County Council last year approved a requirement of 15% affordable units in the Westbard sector plan area, which is nowhere near Metro.
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This is how much public/green space
was recommended by residents and
planners in 2008 |
Second, the amount of green and public-use space is far smaller than the original 2008 "Silver Place" charrette proposed should be part of any redevelopment of this site.
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...and here's what you're actually
going to get. "Holy shrink ray, Batman!" |
Third, this is one of the least transparent sketch plans I've seen. There's no clear number of housing units being given, only a promise that the number will be determined later. A number of the renderings in the staff report are deceptive in terms of what the true height and massing of the new buildings across from the homes on Spring Street will be.
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Notice how the tree in the
upper-right corner conveniently
blocks out the recessed upper floors
that will be seen from Spring Street? |
Having said that, it's also interesting that the step-down to those homes on the Spring Street edge, and the overall site density, are much lower than that approved for buildings directly adjacent to, and across from, single-family homes in the Westbard plan. Westbard is 2 miles from the nearest Metro station and poorly-served by transit. 8787 Georgia is on a major bus corridor, and is only a few blocks from Metro. And this is not the first time the Board has done this within walking distance of Silver Spring Metro. Again, it's amateur hour at the Planning Board.
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View from townhomes across
Spring Street seems more distant
than the actual proximity |
Planning staff is recommending approval of the sketch plan with conditions.
"It's interesting that, for a project that is part of a public-private land swap with the County, only the required minimum of 12.5% affordable units is being demanded by planners."
ReplyDeleteThe county's selling the land to partially offset the cost of the new HQ in Wheaton. Putting requirements on the parcel, e.g. a higher MPDU ratio, would be detrimental to the land value and sales price. I'm shocked you'd be in favor of that; the county rightfully maximized the land's value by selling it at market price.
Considering that only half of the Wheaton project will be realized (no housing) increasing the affordable units here is appropriate.
DeleteThe Wheaton apartment building isn't part of the county project; it'll get built when the market demand is there. Ditto for this 8787 project.
DeleteOf course the County will say it isn't part of the same project. But Lot 13 redevelopment is under one RFP and the supposed apt building was part of a single proposal, but with a different timeline. and your comment about "market demand" doesn't make much sense. the demand for multi family is either the same or more today than it was in 2014 or whenever this apt was proposed.
Delete"the demand for multi family is either the same or more today than it was in 2014 or whenever this apt was proposed."
DeleteWell that sure is cute. Inaccurate, but cute. Anyways, the point is Bozzuto/Stonebridge aren't building it until they think it makes sense. Your uneducated guess is meaningless.
"There's no clear number of housing units being given"
ReplyDeleteBecause it's a sketch plan which doesn't usually have a fixed total number of units. That's what the site plan process is for.
It is also very early in the process, and the developer wouldn't be able to break ground for at least another two or three years. In that timeframe the market could shift considerably, which is why they shouldn't be tied down to a fixed number of units.
Great location for affordable housing in the downtown.
ReplyDelete