{"id":7666,"date":"2021-07-13T14:02:37","date_gmt":"2021-07-13T18:02:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/?p=7666"},"modified":"2026-03-23T12:21:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T16:21:33","slug":"silver-spring-journey-from-suburb-to-city-and-what-the-next-20-years-may-hold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/2021\/07\/silver-spring-journey-from-suburb-to-city-and-what-the-next-20-years-may-hold\/","title":{"rendered":"Silver Spring: Journey from suburb to city and what the next 20 years may hold"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the last 20 years, Silver Spring has evolved from a DC suburb with blocks of stately single-family homes on lush green lawns to a lively and energetic city in its own right. Today it is a diverse downtown with a multi-modal transit center, office buildings, high-rise residential towers, restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, and a burgeoning night-time economy. With this transformation, the downtown residential population has nearly doubled from just under 7,000 people in 2000 to over 12,000 people who live in the downtown Silver Spring today.<\/p>\n

This growth, which is largely attributed to the success of public and private investment and the 2000 Silver Spring Central Business District Sector Plan<\/em><\/a>, has created several opportunities, but also some challenges. My team at Montgomery Planning and I have heard many of them since July 2020 from those who live, work, play, visit, shop and eat in downtown Silver Spring. This research and community input will help reimagine the area over the next 20 years through the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Throughout the engagement for this plan, we asked community members what they wanted to see happen in Silver Spring in the future. This graphic illustrates the most frequently shared comments, including: more walkability, preserve trees, more affordable housing, help people experiencing homelessness, more pedestrian-only streets, spaces for youth, more jobs, invest in the local art scene, improve and create more parks, maintain Fenton Village, growth in a way that preserves diversity, better bike infrastructure, more diverse housing options, preserve the historic character of neighborhoods and better connections across the railroad tracks.<\/p><\/div>\n

After conducting a series of sessions with the community to create this plan, we found that Silver Spring residents want more resources to serve them: more gathering spaces and parks; better pedestrian connections in and around Silver Spring, particularly across\/under the Metrorail tracks; and more supermarkets. Another theme that came up repeatedly is the need for more affordable housing to ensure that people of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds can continue to live here.<\/p>\n

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Aerial photograph of the United Therapeutics campus in Silver Spring, Maryland, looking South.<\/p><\/div>\n

At the same time, stakeholders want to see Silver Spring continue to flourish as a center for business, jobs, and retail in the future. Though some notable employers have recently left, many community members are supportive of United Therapeutics’ presence in Silver Spring and their commitment to the downtown area. And with business, comes commuters. Community members want a safer, more welcoming pedestrian experience that connects commuters and visitors to the heart of downtown Silver Spring.<\/p>\n

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