Wednesday Eclectica
I think the headline in today’s Gazette “Residents embrace new hotel project in Silver Spring” might be a bit of a generalization, but I think it’s a job well done. Dr. Glee and his peeps were at the ESSCA meeting on Monday (review live tweets from the meeting here), and it’s a sound project with lots of community input. And by input, I mean people from the community working with the developer, owner, and architect to come up with a good, solid plan. This could be a good model going forward for future development.
Formerly the Moda Vista, the project, now dubbed Silver Spring Park and set at the southeast corner of Fenton and Silver Spring, will include 58 residential units in a 45′ structure, office space, ground floor retail, and a hotel (Fairfield Inn by Marriott) that maxes out the 60′ height set by the zoning amendments adopted in 2008 by the Montgomery County Council.
Of course, we’ll lose a couple of older homes on the block, and people are decrying both that and the general change in the neighborhood (echoed by one ESSCA non-member: “Inch by inch, house by house, these people are eroding, taking away our neighborhood.” Whatever.), but it looks like the plan will go forward and break ground in spring 2011.
Capital City Cheesecake coming to Takoma Park
I saw one of these Capital City Cheesecake vans driving down Georgia the other day and immediately got hungry. The next day, I got this press release:
Currently operating out of Colonel Brook’s Tavern and online, Capital City Cheesecake is moving into the old Savory space on Carroll Avenue. Anticipated opening date is on or around end of Spring/early Summer. Open kitchen, classes, children’s parties, weekend brunch, vegan and gluten-free options, Capital City Cheesecake has a bit of deliciousness for everyone!
Of *course* they would have vegan and gluten-free options. It’s Takoma Park. I hope they do better than Savory did. I never went there, mainly because I can’t pass up a trip to Mark’s Kitchen whenever I go to Takoma Park.
Your Silver Spring Photo of the Day
I can’t wait for Hook & Ladder to open.
On a different note: Did anyone go to the Fillmore meeting last night? Reports? I was unable to attend.
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How about reporting the important details: What kind of food did Jackie’s provide? And did that boost attendance?
Shame on me. I don’t think it boosted attendance all that much, but Jackie did get to talk about the new “Sidebar” that’ll be opening up soon. I;ve seen it, and it’s an awesome space.
As for food, there were deviled eggs and toasty crackers topped with a variety of things: smoked (?) tuna with mushroom duxelle, rolled flank steak with tasty things inside, and shrimp with more tasty stuff. And maybe one more thing. How’s *that* for reportage?
That development seems pretty massive. I guess it just isn’t practical to build individual buildings (with individual character). Everything gets massed into these large blocks of development (like Fenton btwn Wayne and Ellsworth). Just seems like it is going to feel like a bit of a rat’s maze down there. I’m not anti-, just wishing for better atmosphere.
I was at the Fillmore meeting last night. Presentation seemed to be well-received in terms of what the buildings will look like and the layout of the Fillmore itself. Not a big crowd of residents in attendance. The goal is to get the plans approved by Park and Planning in time for a fall groundbreaking and a Sept. 2011 opening.
Anyone who wants to keep up with development can send an e-mail to FillmoreNow(at)verizon.net and get on the list.
How far up Fenton St. does this project go? I assume the building with Hook & Ladder goes. What about the towing business and 7-11? Also, which houses are going to be taken out?
I know corporations like Marriott don’t just build hotels without first doing major studies on the local market and occupancy rates and all that stuff, but I have to wonder whether there really is so much demand for hotel rooms in Silver Spring that another hotel is justified. In the past 4 or 5 years we’ve added a couple more hotels in DTSS so I’m thinking we must be near saturation point.
Also, I really must respond to the following:
“I can’t wait for Hook & Ladder to open”
by providing a quote from the Washington Post of March 5th, 2007 (yes, you read that right, that will be 3 years ago next week!!):
“Where coils of fire hoses once rested, pints of ale will soon be poured.”
I guess “soon” is relative. Glad I’m not thirsty!
Anyone know the open date for Hook & Ladder? Went to Velati’s, good not great caramels imho. My wife makes better toffee. But, I do hope it stays, it is a level of stores not seen often around here.
Couldn’t agree more on why so many (mid-level) hotels propagating in SS.
I can’t answer whether we’ve hit the saturation point, yet. But, I do know as a business point you want to put businesses down where your competition is. That’s to say, if you want to have a successful restaurant, put it where a lot of other restaurants are.
So, I’d think more hotels here will generate more business.
I’m hoping the hotel provides another option that’s not the Days Inn. And it’ll be on the same block as the bus station.
@Ed – No new news on Hook & Ladder opening. Thought spring of this year, but present work status makes me wonder.
@Big Bubba – 7-11 Stays. Two Sears kit houses east of the parking lot on south side of Silver Spring Ave go. I believe office building and towing lot go as well.
on hotel room #s, when Walter Reed goes to NIH, I seriously wonder how all these hotels will stay in biz – hope they have a big back-up plan