The county’s Planning Board has voted not to recommend historic designation for the former Weller’s Dry Cleaning site at 8237 Fenton St. in downtown Silver Spring.
The decision came in a 3-2 vote at the Planning Board’s meeting last week.
According to Montgomery Planning, the department was directed last year to evaluate Weller’s Dry Cleaning as part of the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan. After meeting two of the criteria outlined in Montgomery County Code Chapter 24A, Historic Resource Preservation, the property was recommended for inclusion in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation last December.
Weller’s permanently closed in April of last year, with Silver Spring Beauty Supply moving into the space in November.
The building was built in 1960, according to a 2011 blog post from Montgomery Planning (based on information from the Silver Spring Historical Society). The business was opened by founder/owner Charlie Weller the following year.
Its unique modernist style is known as “Googie” and the building is said to be a rare example. It was designed by Ted Englehardt (1898-1980), founder and first president of the Potomac Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
The County Council, which makes final decisions regarding historic designations of properties in the county, will be notified by the Planning Board of its vote.
Source file photo