Project Benefits | Falkland North, Silver Spring, Maryland | Proposed Redevelopment

II. Project Benefits

The Project addresses all the goals of the CBD Sector Plan and provides a number of additional important benefits to Silver Spring and Montgomery County by private investment and no use of public funds as highlighted below:

Transit-Oriented Downtown
- Located within 800 feet of the Metro entrance and on the same side of the street.
- Reserves land for the right-of-way for the proposed Bi-County Transitway.
The metro station is in the lower right and the North Parcel of Falkland Chase is in the upper left of this aerial photo. One plan for the proposed Bi-CountyTransitway is to locate the right-of-way along the CSX railroad on the North Parcel which would require the removal of two buildings.
Commercial Downtown
- Includes 65,000 square feet of retail space with a much desired first class supermarket.
- Increases annual tax revenue by over $2 million plus substantial sales tax revenue from the retail stores with very little added demand on the school system.
This is the Harris Teeter grocery store entrance facing East-West Highway. (The existing overhead power lines in front of the North Parcel will be relocated underground.)
Residential Downtown
- Adds a net of 877 rental apartments. This is accomplished by the efficient use of the land without increasing sprawl or sacrificing the environment. (This is an excellent alternative to urban sprawl as an equivalent number of single family homes would require over 200 acres of farmland.) An increase in the area's rental housing stock is necessary to simply replace the depletion caused by condominium conversions.
- Provides 133 Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs) for moderate income households earning 65% or less of the Area Median Income. The MPDU commitment is for 99 years.
  
  Currently there are 90 low- and moderate-income residents who enjoy substantially reduced rent from a bond program that was established in 1986 and lapses in 2014. All of these residents now located on the North Parcel are moving to the East and West Parcels so the program for all 90 bond units may be continued to 2014.
- Restores the 268 apartments that are 70 years of age in the East and West Parcels. It is planned to install insulation to reduce heating and cooling costs and upgrade the plumbing to reduce water consumption.
- Takes the initiative to designate all of the buildings in the East and West Parcels, in addition to the Cupola Building, as historic and have them indicated as such in the Master Plan to guarantee that these parcels will not be redeveloped.
Civic Downtown
Site plan of the North Parcel.
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- Enhances the quality of living of the existing residents in the East and West Parcels by restoring their homes and providing them with access to all the amenities of the North Parcel including the pool, exercise facility, business office and playgrounds.
- Provides an opportunity for all residents of the North Parcel to move to the East or West Parcels before construction starts.
- Provides a vibrant streetscape and sidewalk along 16th Street and East-West Highway plus a large public park that will serve as a meeting and gathering place for residents, pedestrians, visitors and shoppers.
- Creates new buildings and landscapes that relate well with the surroundings and provides an appropriate transition from the center of Silver Spring CBD to the less dense peripheral areas.
- Utilizes existing infrastructure including potable water, storm sewers, sanitary sewers and electrical services.
- Filters and detains storm water in the North parcel to reduce erosion and avoid the need for bigger pipes downstream.
- Exceeds the Leeds point requirements of Montgomery County for the new green buildings.
Looking west across the entrance to the North Parcel.
Green Downtown
- Includes a lush, green public park of over 1.5 acres along East-West Highway that is planned to have a large water feature adjacent to large, green lawn areas.
- Saves the trees in the North Parcel along 16th Street and East-West Highway.
- Substantially improves the forested area along the creek in the East Parcel and provides for public use.
- Hides the parking underground and provides for servicing the property primarily from the back along the railroad.
Entrance to the North Parcel for both residents and retail customers.
Pedestrian-Friendly Downtown
- The improved sidewalks and streetscapes along 16th Street and East-West Highway will enhance the pleasure, safety and convenience of walking and bicycling along this busy pedestrian area.
- The new six-story buildings along East-West Highway will not be much higher that the present buildings and will relate well to the sidewalk.
The sidewalk in front of the convenience stores that are located under 5-story buildings.