Central on the corner of Fenton St. and Wayne Ave. will have space for retail. Photo by Mike Mowery.
A new apartment building on the corner of Fenton Street and Wayne Avenue is scheduled to open in the summer with ground-level retail spaces facing Fenton, and East Silver Spring residents are dreaming about what they’d like to see in those spaces.
A recent thread on the East Silver Spring Civic Association listserv asked residents to voice their views on what should occupy the first floor of Central, which will have more than 240 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments.
Independent restaurants were mentioned most often, with various suggestions including an Italian or French bistro, family-friendly Mexican or Tex-Mex, a soul food place, a 24-hour diner, a sports bar, and calls for upscale vegetarian as well as an organic juice/smoothie bar focusing on raw foods.
Similarly, several posts expressed hopes for a good bakery specializing in breads rather than just sweet goods. In addition, there are those who’d like to see a coffee bar that offers beer, wine and music, not unlike Bump ‘n Grind.
There were also a number of suggestions for specialty stores such as a home goods store, a party supply store, office supplies, a place to sell local art, jewelry and ceramics, a fabric store, a good quality toy store, a new book store, an import/export store, a clothing store catering to older women, and a place to buy exotic pets.
One person would like to see a walk-in outpatient medical clinic.
Then there were the big dreamers hoping for a grocery option—Harris Teeter, Aldi’s, Trader Joe’s and even Wegman’s were mentioned for somewhere in the neighborhood, if not part of Central.
Oh, and a cat café.
Central’s amenities are reported to include an outdoor swimming pool, a rooftop lounge, an indoor/outdoor entertainment area, a business center, a Wi-Fi lounge, a fitness center, a yoga studio, clubroom with a kitchenette, storage lockers, a bike repair station and a dog-washing station.
Residents can sign up for the complex’s mailing list to get updates.