Next Stop, Sarbanes Center
Correction: The Washington Post credits US Sen. Paul Sarbanes with scoring $24 million in fed funds for the transit center project. However, a MoCo press release gives props to Sarbanes, US Sen. Barbara Mikulski, US Reps. Albert Wynn and Chris Van Hollen for bagging a total $54 million in fed funds. Either way, it's a lot of cash. (Nov. 28, 2006)
Local pols break ground today on Silver Spring's new transit hub (above), which they'll name after the dude who scored mad federal money for the project.
County exec Doug Duncan will officially tag the Silver Spring Transit Center for retiring US Sen. Paul Sarbanes (below), the Washington Post reports. Sarbanes is credited with bagging $24 million from the feds for the transit center.
"It is fitting to acknowledge his devotion and dedication to the residents of Montgomery County," write Duncan and county council prez George Leventhal in a letter to Metro bigwigs.
The $75 million hub puts Metro's red line, MARC trains and buses galore under one roof on Colesville Road. The joint also has wiggle room for whatever form the purple line takes, the state transit authority said recently.
On top of the transit center, developer Foulger-Pratt plans to construct two apartment buildings and a 200-room hotel, The Gazette reports. Whether the 420 residential units are condos or rentals will depend on the housing market, says Bryant Foulger, the developer's first half.
The transit center is slated for completion in 2009. The hotel and apartment project goes before the county planning board in January.
Thanks to the Washington Post and Sen. Sarbanes for the pics.
"In Transit, a Name for Silver Spring Hub" (Washington Post)
"Foulger-Pratt to Develop Portion of Transit Center" (The Gazette)
"Color Me Purple: Roller Coaster of Love" (The Daily Penguin)
4 comments:
Where'd you hear about this first . . . ?
Terry, that's true...in fact the groundbreaking today was essentially ceremonial only since the real construction won't start until next June. Until then, the bus stops will gradually be relocated along the adjacent streets. At least "the people" will have six months or so to get used to their new, if temporary, stop locations.
Has anyone seen more recent plans or illustrations of the project since the prior version (that Silver Spring Scene dubbed the worst of the worst)?
Final designs for the private development above the transit center (ie, the apartment buildings, hotel and accompanying retail space) are still in the works. Architects for the transit center and the private job are in cahoots to pull the final look together.
What is known: The hotel and two apartment buildings will be 200 feet tall, and there will be 25,000 square feet of retail, The Gazette reports.
Designs (hopefully final) go before the county planning commission in January.
The Gazette does mention that sound buffers will be used to reduce noise in the proposed buildings.
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