Commercial Broker Quarterly: Summer 2003 - GWCAR, Greater Washington Commercial Association of REALTORS(R)

CBQ >> Summer 2003 Issue

'Silver Celebration' AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Md.

The newly renovated AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Md., was site of the "Silver Celebration" Maryland Regional Breakfast held July 29. More than 50 people attended the event.

Bryant Foulger briefly described the work Foulger-Pratt Construction put into renovating the existing Silver Theatre as well as projects the company is involved with in downtown Silver Spring.

Susan Hoffman from Montgomery County government spoke of the general impact the new developments are having on the surrounding area.

Barbara Henry from Discovery Communications spoke of how Discovery is trying to be a "good corporate neighbor." Discovery's new headquarters opened in Silver Spring in May. More than 650 people work in the headquarters building with about 7,000 visitors estimated per year. The building sits on a 4.5 acre site, 60 percent of which is a park.

Carrie Johnson of the Peterson Companies gave a detailed presentation of what is to come via her company's 450,000 square-foot Silver Spring downtown revitalization project between Georgia Avenue, Colesville Road, Wayne Avenue and Cedar Street. The project is to include a multi-story shopping strip mall, an outdoor pedestrian breezeway and a 20-screen movie theater. Austin Grill, Panera Bread and Red Lobster are slated to open this fall. Most of the other tenants, including Borders Books & Music, Pier One Imports, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Lebanese Taverna, Washington Sports Club, Bank of America and Office Depot, are to open in May 2004.

The breakfast meeting was sponsored by Trizec Properties and J&J Deli.