Prestige Auto Body property for sale in Silver Spring

The property currently home to Prestige Auto Body at 928 and 934 Philadelphia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring is being marketed for sale. It consists of two parcels that total 19,380-square-feet, and two buildings. The online sale listing suggests the portfolio of properties is ideal for continued auto body shop use, or as a future infill redevelopment opportunity. It does not disclose the asking price, however.

Franciscan friars selling campus in Silver Spring

Franciscan friars are selling their campus in the Four Corners area of Silver Spring. The site comprises two lots, currently improved with a 3-story retreat center, and a single family home. Located at 10400-10410 Lorain Avenue, the property also has western frontage on the major Maryland commuter route of Colesville Road. Current zoning allows a variety of institutional and residential uses, as well as major redevelopment potential. The latter is a significant driver behind the listing's asking price of $2,150,000.

Former Fuddruckers space available for lease in Silver Spring

Another attempt to market the vacant former Fuddruckers space at 819 Ellsworth Drive at Downtown Silver Spring is underway. Real estate firm KNLB has posted a for-lease sign on the storefront. Inside, the Fuddruckers interior remains untouched. A liquor license notice from the burger chain's scotched attempt to reopen here in 2024 remains in the window. Maybe Shake Shack or Steak 'n Shake will look into this prime spot. The latter has a new urban store model that could fit well here, and, of course, Shake Shack specializes in urban locations.

Silver Spring church lists property for sale

A Silver Spring church has listed its entire property for sale. First Faith Church is located at 12323 Bluhill Road, but has prime frontage along heavily-traveled Randolph Road. The property includes not only the three-level church itself, but also a classroom building, a parsonage residence, and a 40-space parking lot. It's also within walking distance of the Glenmont Metro, if you're in good health and have high-quality walking shoes. Or you could take the M42 or M44 Metrobus from Glenmont Metro, and get off at the Randolph-Bluhill bus stop for Sunday services. 

This church is notable for several reasons, including its architecture. I do not know the name of the architect, but it clearly was designed to fit in seamlessly among the homes around it, using an identical color scheme and materials. The original church structure was built in 1962. You rarely see this level of sensitivity and community spirit in Montgomery County today. 

But, then again, this was happening amid the early years of the golden age of Wheaton and Glenmont. That vaunted era delivered countless architectural gems that today's developers don't often have the time or financial generosity to provide. We continue to admire those that remain standing, like the fine and sturdy midcentury modern brick homes, or the Aspen Hill Library. And mourn the loss of those that have been mindlessly demolished, such as the Wheaton Youth Center. Yes, Led Zeppelin did play there.

Real estate broker NAIknlb is marketing the property as a turnkey church opportunity. One imagines that the increasingly-bonkers zoning guidelines of Montgomery County may also permit all kinds of lucrative redevelopment options, as well. Cue the rubbing hands of developers. The asking price is $3,200,000, according to the online listing.

Former RadioShack, GameStop building available for lease in Wheaton

It may be a paint store now, but the modest structure at 11147 Veirs Mill Road in Wheaton holds nostalgia for more than one generation in Montgomery County. A few years ago, it was a busy GameStop store. But if we turn the Wayback Machine just a bit further, longtime residents will recognize the building as Wheaton's RadioShack store. Is your Battery Club card still in your wallet? Are you reading this on your Tandy Color Computer? Well, you can lease the old RadioShack yourself now. Just check out the online listing.

Elizabeth House demolition update in Silver Spring

Demolition continues at the Elizabeth House apartments at 1400 Fenwick Lane in downtown Silver Spring. The existing structure will be replaced by a Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County housing project. It will ultimately deliver 887 total housing units. The demolition permit was issued last September, but here we are today. I continue to marvel at the 21st-century trend of slow, manual demolition in Montgomery County. It's a point of pride, apparently, that we don't rapidly demolish structures with wrecking balls or explosive charges.

Silver Branch Brewing Co. to open taproom in Wheaton

Silver Branch Brewing Co. is expanding to Wheaton. It is leasing the retail space in the Montgomery County government office building at 2425 Reedie Drive in the Wheaton Triangle. The 8,589-square-foot space is being subleased to the brewery by the County for a 12 year period, with two 5-year options to extend. The retail space is subdivided into two suites.

Montgomery County has agreed to a base rent abatement of 18 months for Suite A, and of 30 months for Suite B, and a Construction Allowance "equal to $440 per square foot or $3,779,160." This means the County is giving a break on rent, and providing over $3 million reimbursement for construction costs, to Silver Branch. The deal was proposed by County Executive Marc Elrich, and has been approved by the County Council.

Silver Branch currently operates taprooms in Silver Spring, Rockville, and Warrenton, Virginia. The Virginia location is temporarily closed for renovations due to a fire that occurred in December 2024. All three existing taprooms serve food as well as beer, and are highly-rated in online reviews.

Landmark Kensington office building on the market for sale

The phrase "landmark Kensington office building" can apply to multiple properties along Connecticut Avenue and University Boulevard West. But one of them can now be yours for an unpublicized price. 10801 Connecticut Avenue is prominently positioned at the junction of University and Connecticut. The headquarters of The International Eye Foundation was built in 1981, and offers 4,266-square-feet of office space on a 5,754 SF lot. IEF has been a longtime technical advisor to USAID's Child Blindness Program. If I had a dime for every time I passed this building in a car or Metrobus, I could buy it! The broker for the property is One Street Commercial Properties.

Wheaton commercial building hits the market for sale again

A commercial building in Wheaton that has seen heavy turnover in recent years is now on the market for sale once again. 2670 University Boulevard W. is in a prime spot on a heavily-traveled commuter route, but for some reason hasn't been able to find the right tenant since community fixture Wheaton Tile Center moved out. Since 2016, Doña Bessy Pupuseria, Alyssa's Mangonadas, and even an evangelical church have given the storefront a whirl, to no avail. The building was then auctioned off this past January, and the new owner has quickly put it up for sale for the asking price of $1,700,000, according to the online sale listing. 

T.J. Maxx closing today in Silver Spring

T.J. Maxx at Ellsworth Place mall in downtown Silver Spring is permanently closing today, January 3, 2025. The store was one of several buzz-generating additions to the mall when the property was revitalized a decade ago. T.J. Maxx is also closing a location open for a similar length of time in Boston, suggesting this may be more a decision regarding expiring leases and rent increases, rather than a local issue. On the other hand, it's hard to imagine Ellsworth Place would want to see T.J. Maxx depart the property, as a major draw for foot traffic at the retail center.

Silver Spring luxury apartment tower converting to affordable housing

If you needed any further evidence that there is little demand for new luxury apartments at the absurdly-inflated market rate rents of Montgomery County today, look no further than The Premier at 8711 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring. The building, newly constructed a little over a decade ago, has been sold to BrookWynn Capital and Affordable Homes & Communities for $42 million. This partnership plans to convert more than half of the units to affordable housing. Such new buildings across the county - the same buildings our elected officials and the Abundance Bros. tell us all zoning rules must be tossed to make way for over every square inch of MoCo - are riddled with vacant units, which must be filled by other means ranging from college dorms to illegal Airbnb rentals. That an affordable housing partnership would be the winning bidder for a new, luxury apartment tower tells you all you need to know about the lack of demand for 1-bedroom apartments at artificially-inflated rates.

UPDATED: Arrive Wheaton residents return home after flood remediation

UPDATE - 2:50 PM, December 8, 2025: Residents have been allowed to return to their units. The story below has been updated to include Arrive Wheaton's response regarding provision of hotel rooms for all residents, or for reimbursement for rooms paid for with valid receipt.

Over 1000 residents of the Arrive Wheaton apartments at 11215 Georgia Avenue in Wheaton remain homeless this evening, after their building was condemned by Montgomery County. A major flood in the building's sub-basement forced the shut-off of power and water to the apartments above. Most shockingly, according to residents, they are being forced to sleep on cots in an emergency shelter, rather than being put up in hotels by the building owner.

Michelle Rodriguez, a spokesperson for Arrive Wheaton, said that the building management had offered to reimburse residents for hotel rooms if they could show receipts. However, she said they learned that some residents had instead gone to emergency shelters, and they procured hotel rooms for those individuals. It was not immediately clear if the residents who indicated they went to shelters were not aware of the reimbursement offer, or did not have the funds to make the initial payment to a hotel.

Aspen Hill Club sold, longtime owner confirms

The Aspen Hill Club has been sold to a local real estate firm, the owner confirmed in a letter to members. A popular fitness center at 14501 Homecrest Road in Silver Spring, the roadside landmark has been family owned since 1977. Owner Eddie Lenkin said he decided it was time to step aside. 

The club will continue to operate, and the new owners will retain the current management team, Lenkin said. He did not identify the buyer, but noted that the sale will be finalized this month. Some members have expressed concern that the firm might seek to redevelop the prime property the club sits upon.

Inventa Towers is first Silver Spring building to earn WiredScore Platinum status

Inventa Towers at 1 Inventa Place in downtown Silver Spring has become the first building in town to earn Platinum status from WiredScore. Only seven other properties in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia have achieved Platinum status. Inventa Towers earned a 93 out of 100 score in total, as well as a perfect score for connectivity. Property manager American Real Estate Partners credits the towers' multiple high-speed fiber providers, redundant entry points, protected cabling systems, and mobile-ready infrastructure - designed to ensure continuous uptime and secure, seamless collaboration among workstations - for the achievement.

"Achieving WiredScore Platinum underscores our commitment to creating enduring value for our tenants, clients, and communities by positioning them for the future of business," Paul Schulman, Principal & Chief Operating Officer at American Real Estate Partners, said in a statement this morning. "This is a significant achievement for American Real Estate Partners," John Meko, Vice-President, North America, WiredScore, said. "Their commitment to delivering a tech-first environment means that they are creating a space where tenant experience will be significantly enhanced through solid digital infrastructure. This achievement also highlights how AREP is leveraging technology not just for performance, but to elevate wellness, sustainability, and connectivity as core elements of the modern workplace."

These type of recognitions can be critical in setting an office property apart in a very tough office market like we are experiencing today. AREP deserves credit for maintaining the property - formerly the headquarters of Discovery Communications, which moved its Silver Spring operations to Tennessee - as office towers, rather than taking the easy and profitable way out with a residential conversion or demolition. The building is now positioned to take advantage of future upturns in Montgomery County's moribund economy, if the right people are elected to office in 2026. When we are able to attract high-wage jobs, we must have places ready to put them. It's critical that downtown Silver Spring continue to be a job center as well as a great place to live or dine, and not just a bedroom community as downtown Bethesda is on course to becoming.

Downtown Silver Spring lot for lease

A vacant lot at 8111 Fenton Street in downtown Silver Spring is now on the market for lease. To orient yourself, the property is directly adjacent to the small shopping center with 7-Eleven and Manny & Olga's that is at the corner of Fenton and Sligo Avenue. This 0.18 acre lot is well-suited for commercial use. The lease rate is not disclosed in the online listing. Singh, LLC is the broker.

Photo courtesy Singh, LLC

Gas station for sale in Four Corners area of Silver Spring

A gas station is for sale in a very lucrative spot to operate such a business in Silver Spring. The Shell station property is located at 10144 Colesville Road in Four Corners. That's not only one of the heaviest traveled intersections in Montgomery County, but it's also near a Capital Beltway interchange. The asking price is not disclosed in the online sale listing. You will likely have to sign the confidentiality agreement to obtain some details about the potential negotiations and transaction.

Silver Spring construction update: The Guardian apartments (Photos)

"Immediate move-in [is] available" at The Guardian apartments at 8605 Cameron Street in downtown Silver Spring, according to the property website. Work appears to be complete, from the exterior, at least. There is a retail space still to be fit-out by a tenant on the ground level. 

Here's a look at the lobby, which captures the art deco theme of the building to a greater extent than the facade. If you've been following the Guardian story, the building has been converted from an office property to residential, with the addition of several floors on top. This is one of the first successful conversions in Montgomery County in the new trend of repurposing vacant office buildings, although it has been done in downtown Silver Spring before.

Ground floor retail space

Don Pollo space available for lease at Ellsworth Place in Silver Spring

Don Pollo's days appear to be numbered at the Ellsworth Place mall in downtown Silver Spring. The mall has put its space at 905 Ellsworth Drive on the market for lease. The online listing states that the Don Pollo space will be available as of November 1, 2025. A virtual tour found in the listing shows the address, as well as many 360-degree photos of Don Pollo's exterior and interior. Don Pollo opened at the mall in 2020.

Downtown Silver Spring retail building for sale

A retail building on heavily-traveled Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring is now on the market for sale. 8415-8425 Georgia Avenue is a 7,842 SF building with four tenants. One second floor unit with a kitchen is available for lease. The asking price for the building is $2.5 million, according to the online sale listing. Bethesda-based AMR Commercial, LLC is the broker.

Photos courtesy AMR Commercial, LLC

Silver Spring hotel converting to apartments

The shuttered Hotel Silver Spring at 8727 Colesville Road in downtown Silver Spring is getting new life as an apartment building. Preparations are being made to convert the hotel rooms into 227 studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom rental apartments. The parking garage will remain in place, but receive any necessary updates or renovations required for tenant use. Previously branded as a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, the building is 13 stories tall and 190,000-square feet in size.