From Holy Ground to Mixed-Use

By Adrian Maties, Associate Editor

Grosvenor Americas is bringing another mixed-use development to Montgomery County. On September 9, the international property development company celebrated the unveiling and groundbreaking of its newest project in downtown Silver Spring.

Central, as the new mixed-use community is called, will be developed at 8455 Fenton St., on the site of the former First Baptist Church. Construction crews have already started work on the demolition of the old property. Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, his predecessor Doug Duncan, Pastor Duncan McIntosh of the First Baptist Church of Silver Spring, and many other local and company officials were present at the ceremony on Wednesday afternoon. Together, they opened a time capsule from 1950, which was sealed within a cornerstone of the church, and replaced it with a new one, containing new items.

The new community will have 231,000 square feet of space. Once completed, it will bring 243 residential units, including 31 affordable homes, and 16,000 square feet of ground floor retail space to downtown Silver Spring. Grosvenor’s project also includes the construction of a new church building, as well as a daycare center on an adjacent property. The developer did not reveal how much it plans to invest in the project, which is expected to be completed in the fall of 2017.