Update on Silver Spring's newest parking garage

Construction is nearing completion at Montgomery County Public Parking Garage 22 at 8615 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring. Although County signage is beginning to pop up around the structure, the parking deck is actually being constructed by United Therapeutics. The Silver Spring biotech firm traded this site to the County in exchange for the Cameron Street Garage property at 8700 Cameron Street, where UT would like to expand. UT is also providing a fiber hub to the County, a parcel of land for future affordable housing, and a new County Department of Transportation parking operations facility at 9150 Brookville Road in Forest Glen. The new garage is expected to open next spring.

Ex-Amazon Fresh store in Silver Spring to be converted to multiple storefronts

The former Amazon Fresh building at 12263 Prosperity Terrace at White Oak Town Center is getting a new lease on life. Multiple leases, in fact. According to a source with knowledge of the plans, the grocery store structure will be subdivided to allow for more than one retail or restaurant tenant to occupy it. Construction on the project is expected to commence this winter.

Purple Line overhead catenary installed on Bonifant St. in Silver Spring

Overhead catenary for the future Purple Line light rail route has been installed along Bonifant Street near the Silver Spring Library station. The apparatus holds the power lines from which the trainsets will draw electricity to operate. Many streetcar lines in the Washington, D.C. area utilized a similar system in the previous century. The Bethesda-to-New Carrollton line is currently expected to begin operation in late 2027, barring any further setbacks.

Update on Wonder food hall in Burtonsville

Wonder food hall is still very much "wonder construction" at Burtonsville Crossing. But permanent signage has just been installed above its future storefront at 15771 Old Columbia Pike. Inside, it's a different story, as you can see in the sneak peek below. Workers are still in the very early construction stage of forming interior walls within the space.

AutoZone nears opening at White Oak Shopping Center in Silver Spring

AutoZone is in the home stretch at 11259 New Hampshire Avenue at the White Oak Shopping Center in Silver Spring. Signage has been installed on the building, which was formerly home to Sears Auto Center. Inside, as you can see in the photos below, workers are now beginning to stock the shelves. The building is looking sharp amid the surrounding architectural gems such as the iconic-but-vacant Sears store, and the Enclave apartments.

Silver Spring's newest parking garage enters final phase of construction (Photos)

Construction of the new public parking garage at 8615 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring is entering the final phase. The structure has been designed to have retail space on the ground floor, and it's a nice touch that the corner stairwell echoes the corner window design of the building next door. When Montgomery County's moribund economy scuppered a planned office building on this site, United Therapeutics stepped in to save the day, making a deal with the County. Under the agreement, the biotech firm has constructed this public parking garage on this site, and the County, in turn, is handing over the Cameron Street Garage property at 8700 Cameron Street to UT for future expansion. UT is also providing a fiber hub to the County, a parcel of land for future affordable housing, and a new County Department of Transportation parking operations facility at 9150 Brookville Road in Forest Glen. 

Purple Line train at Lyttonsville station (Photos)

Here's a look at the construction progress at the future Purple Line station at Lyttonsville, the light rail line's stop between Chevy Chase Lake and downtown Silver Spring. It's a community with a tremendous history, with residents who demonstrated resiliency over decades of neglect and isolation by Montgomery County government. Construction on the station has advanced so far that we are already able to see the displays of historic Lyttonsville photographs. And we have a bonus here, folks: an actual Purple Line trainset at the station!

Purple Line digital signage activated at Silver Spring Library

Digital signage for the future Purple Line light rail has been activated at the Silver Spring Library station in downtown Silver Spring. Currently, it is displaying the name of the station, and the estimated time the next trains will arrive in each direction. Of course, the specific times are currently blank. But trains will be making test runs between now and the start of service in late 2027 or early 2028. In fact, a trainset has already passed through this station, pulled by a truck.

Purple Line catenary poles popping up all over Silver Spring

Green poles for the Purple Line light rail system are popping up all along its route through Silver Spring. The catenary poles can be seen downtown, where the trains will run along the street, at the Silver Spring Transit Center where there will be a Purple Line station, and in the Long Branch area, among others. These poles are part of the overhead wiring that will power the trains. The Purple Line will run from Bethesda to New Carrollton. As of today, it is scheduled to begin operation in late 2027 or early 2028.

Update on Round1 Bowling & Arcade in Wheaton (Photos)

Construction walls continue to block the view of most of the work being done at the future Round1 Bowling & Arcade entertainment center at Westfield's Wheaton Plaza mall. You can see a little bit of what's being done on the outdoor-facing side of the space, which is on Level 1 next to the venerable JCPenney. But the main thing we can see right now are new signs giving mall patrons an idea of what to expect when it opens. And they are also hiring staff for all positions.