Silver Spring has emerged as a vibrant and exciting location for arts and entertainment, with AFI, Roundhouse Theater, Discovery Communications and The Majestic Theaters. It is designated by the State of Maryland as an Arts and Entertainment District and is host to SILVERDOCS - an international film festival that celebrates independent filmmakers and attracts artists, broadcasters and distributors from around the world. But Silver Spring's revitalization is incomplete and must expand beyond the core downtown, particularly to the north side of Colesville Road. A live music center would round out the entertainment mix, and provide legions of new customers to shop and dine in downtown Silver Spring.

2. What type of performances will the music center host?

It is intended for the music center to be multifunctional to allow for varied entertainment and private rental events. Activities such as musical concerts, comedy acts, film debuts, film festivals, art festivals, corporate rentals, public rentals for functions such as school musicals, small graduations and ceremonies are possible.

3. Can the music center be used for private events?

Yes, it is anticipated that the music center will be available for rentals for community events, private parties, school functions, exhibitions, meetings, fund raising and charity events.

4. How many people will the proposed music center accommodate?

The proposed music center could accommodate 900 to 1,000 seated patrons - comparable to AFI and the Majestic. The music center will be built with flexibility to accommodate up to 2,000 for standing room events. It is not anticipated that all shows or acts would maximize the occupancy.

5. What is the physical size of the proposed music center?

The site could accommodate a two to three story building containing approximately 32,000-square feet on a 10,800 square foot footprint, as originally planned. Any new music center operator will use the same size footprint.

6. What is the exact location of the proposed music center?

A music center is the first and central piece of a proposed future redevelopment on Colesville Road in Silver Spring on land long-owned by Lee Development Group. LDG will be donating the property, vacated by J.C. Penney in 1989, to Montgomery County. Click here to view site location.  Click here to view site location.

7. What about historic preservation of the former J.C. Penney building?

Actually, all that remains of J.C. Penney, which was built in 1949, is the facade. Several years ago, in order to stabilize and preserve the facade, LDG demolished the interior portion of the building and facilitated its designation on Montgomery County's Historic Preservation Register. The new music center will preserve the historic facade of the old store, and build a modern, new music center behind it. Click here to see old and new facade.

8. Will the new building utilize any green building principles?

The proposed music center building will be LEED Silver Certified based on the new county standards adopted in 2006.  Click here to see a rendering of the proposed green roof.

9. How late into the night will performances run?

Performances are anticipated to regularly begin at 8 p.m. Special events could run later into the evening, but no later than the close of nearby Metro and mass transit.

10. Where will people park?

There is ample public parking surrounding the area and within one to two blocks of the proposed music center. There are two public parking garages on Cameron Street, another on Colesville Road and Spring Street. In addition, there are two new public garages on Fenton and Ellsworth and Wayne Avenue. The property is one and a half blocks north of the Silver Spring (Red Line) Metro stop. In addition there is a surface lot behind the proposed music center that will eventually be a parking garage when the larger redevelopment project is completed. The amount of available night time public parking far exceeds the music center's needs.  Click here for map of parking options.   

11. Where will delivery trucks and performers' equipment carriers unload and park?

There will be a sufficient parking area provided for a performance bus and a tractor trailer truck behind the music center which is serviced by a public alley off of Georgia Avenue. Future parking and unloading will be incorporated into the future development with access that may be provided from either or both Georgia Avenue and Fenton Street. Engineering and architectural test fits for future projects have been reviewed by the design team so a performance bus and a tractor trailer truck can be accommodated.

12. Traffic is a concern. Has this been looked into?

Yes. A traffic study was commissioned by Lee Development Group for the entire project. The study measured the future music center for maximum occupancy. The study also included the possible changes from the Annual Growth Policy the county council is currently working on. The traffic study results are favorable as the hours of operations for the music center are in the evening, after peak rush hour times. The study concluded that the area would be able to accommodate the entire future project under the current traffic conditions. Click here to download traffic report. Click here to download traffic report.

13. If the county secures an operator, how soon before LDG could break ground?

The Montgomery County approval process for Phase 1 (the music center) and the future project could take 12 to 18 months. In partnership with Montgomery County, LDG hopes to be in a position to break ground on Phase 1 in 2009. There is a strong probability that the rest of the future project would not be built for several years after the delivery of the music center due to market conditions and construction costs. Lee Development can not afford to build the other future buildings without them being pre-leased.

14. What is the official process for Montgomery County to require a developer to contribute a public amenity and how does the developer benefit?

Montgomery County requires developers to provide a public amenity and provide public use space as part of any proposed Optional Method project. Typically, the project is defined and approved first and the public amenity and public use space are committed to and delivered afterwards. Because LDG does not have firm details on what the larger project will be but shares a common goal with Montgomery County to bring a music center to Silver Spring, the county is asking that LDG satisfy this requirement now rather than later. LDG is willing to donate this valuable land in advance of any future redevelopment project, but wants to ensure that this will count as its contribution in connection with the larger project and will be allowed to develop the larger project one day. LDG is not asking that additional height or density be added to their site but to be allowed to build within the envelope of the current zoning for its property.

Land use and development is very complex and risky, especially when a proposed project such as this could top $110 million. It was not until the county approached LDG five years ago with the idea of a music center that LDG began to look at possible redevelopment scenarios. Both LDG and the county agreed that it would be better to open a live music center sooner rather than wait until the larger development is a reality.  

15. What is the larger redevelopment project?

LDG owns approximately 72,000 square feet of land and improvements between Georgia Avenue, Colesville Road and Fenton Street that has been in use as a parking lot since 1990. The developer is currently exploring a variety of redevelopment options that could include a mix of uses or a single use of office, hotel and/or residential. The music center, which will be the public amenity and public use space for this project, is Phase 1. The intent is for the planning of the larger project not to affect the timing of the development of the proposed music center. Never before in Montgomery County has the public amenity and public use space been built first before a future project. Click here to view the proposed redevelopment plan. Click here to view the proposed redevelopment plan.

16. Silver Spring seems to be a hot market. What kind of interest is being received?

LDG has had discussions with some large office users and hotel operators interested in relocating to Downtown Silver Spring. LDG has even done .Test fits for these types of businesses have been done. The companies LDG has talked to like Silver Spring and see Silver Spring as the place to relocate their businesses. Because these companies are large, negotiations are a long way off. The good news is that there is interest in the site even before LDG has started marketing the property. The companies have said that they like the idea of a live music center, along with so many other great nearby amenities.

17. How much is the land worth that you will be donating?

The land has not been appraised but based on the booming commercial real estate market, the value could be somewhere between $3.5 million and $4 million.

18. What is the public sector's financial contribution?

The State of Maryland will contribute $4 million and Montgomery County will contribute another $4 million to build the music center which the county will own and lease to the music operator. Neither the state nor the county will participate in any cost overruns and there are no ongoing public subsidies to the operator or to LDG.