Comments on: Tonight’s ESSCA Meeting: First Baptist Church

By: LizBrent

LizBrent — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:45:06 +0000

Hah! Thank you Woodsider.

By: Brains from my father

Brains from my father — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:50:50 +0000

There’s a right way and a wrong way to bring development to the east side of Fenton Street. It sounds like the plans for the First Baptist church site are the right way. The Silver Spring towers was the wrong way–that building looms over everything to the east of it and is completely out of character with the neighborhood. That said, the Towers offers relatively affordable rents and they shovel and salt their sidewalks, which is much appreciated.

Given the plans to build the library and purple line stop across the street and the existing development across Wayne Avenue, it makes a lot of sense to bring additional residential and retail to the corner of Fenton and Wayne, and if they step down the building heights to the east, it may help blend into the surrounding neighborhood.

I wonder if this development would help the prospects of the homeonwers on Easley Street and Bonifant street that want to assemble their land for a package deal?

By: Anthony Juarez

Anthony Juarez — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:42:32 +0000

I glad Pastor McIntosh and First Baptist Church found a developer. (It’s been in the works for sometime now) We live in Downtown not in Poolesville. Do you really think the traffic will go away if FBC builds nothing?

By: Thayer Avenue

Thayer Avenue — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:07:58 +0000

I understand the traffic issues. Fenton backs up a-plenty as it is. But I think we can figure out the traffic bit and still endorse what appears to be a solid project if the implementation is sound.

By: Kathy J, Washington Gardener Mag

Kathy J, Washington Gardener Mag — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:34:12 +0000

I really like his presentation – most of the carping seemed to center on the potential traffic it would bring and parking woes – so glad I’m car-free .

By: Woodsider

Woodsider — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:56:41 +0000

Maybe we could get Liz Brent to “stage” all the empty lots in DTSS. If she did for them the way she stages her houses for sale, they’d be selling for top dollar to tons of developers

By: LizBrent

LizBrent — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:43:08 +0000

I’m right with you guys here. This is a perfect corner for this kind of development.

By: Thayer Avenue

Thayer Avenue — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:05:17 +0000

Bring on the cynical commentary!

By: paul_silver_spring

paul_silver_spring — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:45:58 +0000

Wait… I thought smart growth meant lots to do downtown and efficient transit for the sole benefit of a few lucky people who happened to own the handful of single family homes in the area (whose home prices have quadrupled thanx to said development) and now don’t want anything else built…… sorry… now that the penguin is shuttered I guess I need somewhere new to vent my nimby-cynical commentary

By: Thayer Avenue

Thayer Avenue — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:47:13 +0000

Yup. I get the feeling this will be built – or some semblance of it – much to the chagrin of a select few. It’s really well done.

I felt sorry for the presenting architect having to take shit from some boneheaded people in the room. He said it was the toughest group he’s presented to yet (not surprised at all), but he did great.