Owners of a vacant Silver Spring office building are planning to tear down the structure and replace it with one that will have as many as 85 apartments, stores and green space.
The existing 53-year-old, eight-story office building at 850 Sligo Ave. has been vacant for several years and was condemned last year, according to Planning Board documents.
The new building would be five stories and in walking distance of the Silver Spring Metro station and transit center and a future Purple Line light rail station.
In April 2017, the Washington-based developer Moonlight Inc. purchased the 27,647-square-foot property and completed exterior repairs to improve the building’s appearance prior to redevelopment, including removing graffiti, replacing broken windows and installing a perimeter fence.
Moonlight’s latest plans address concerns that were made by neighbors in April, when the Planning Board approved initial sketch plans.
Changes include using exterior materials that blend with nearby homes, moving the building 34 feet from the curb, adding a garage door to conceal loading docks and trash collection areas and on-site underground parking.
Roughly 11 of proposed apartments would be designated as moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs), which would provide affordable housing in the Silver Spring central business district and are mandated by the county.
“The Project facilitates the transformation of the vacant Property, which has become blighted and an eyesore, into a vibrant residential community that will contribute to the revitalization of the Fenton Village,” according to Bethesda-based Lerch Early Brewer, the law firm representing Moonlight.
The updated plans will be reviewed later this month by the county’s Development Review Committee (DRC), a group that reviews proposed projects prior to Planning Board consideration. The DRC transmits recommendations to the Planning Board as part of the public hearing on the proposed plan.
