Rendering courtesy of Grosvenor Americas.
Central, the mixed-use apartment development under construction at the corner of Wayne Avenue and Fenton Street (8455 Fenton Street), is close to being finished.
“The project is nearing completion,” said Jon Carr, senior vice president of Grosvenor Americas, who is managing the development team. “We should be done in late June, July.”
The Bozzuto Group, which is part of the development team, will manage the property once construction is complete.
Pre-leasing is expected at the end of the month, Carr said, and residents should be able to take occupancy beginning in late July.
The building will have 243 units for rent (41 studio apartments, 139 one-bedroom and 63 two-bedroom apartments). Of those, 212 will rent at market rates and 31 apartments will be affordable housing. The property has 240 parking spaces.
Building amenities include a pool and sundeck, three outdoor terraces, a multimedia clubroom with entertainment bar, a 24-hour fitness center, group exercise studio, business lounge, resident bike storage and repair shop, and a pet washing station. In addition, some apartments will have balconies and some units will be loft-style townhomes.
The ground floor will include just over 15,000 square feet of retail space.
“We have four tenants that we’re negotiating leases with right now,” Carr said. “We should be able to announce some leases by the end of this month.”
Central sits on the location of the former First Baptist Church. The development agreement included a plan to build a new church and daycare center. This building will be behind the apartments, facing Wayne Avenue. It will serve three congregations (collectively known as the Federated Baptist Churches of Silver Spring): Eglise Baptists de la Foi, First Baptist Church and Iglesia Bautista Emanuel.
In addition, a public walkway with a sculpture by Rodney Carrol is planned to separate the church from the apartment building and to provide a pedestrian connection between Wayne Avenue and Bonifant Street.
Carr said the church should be completed by Thanksgiving.
This building will replace the original First Baptist Church. Photo by Mike Diegel.