The Guardian building, a mostly vacant office property in downtown Silver Spring, could be reborn as a 11-story apartment complex with businesses on the ground floor.
Developers plan to build 177 apartments and about 7,500 square feet of retail space by adding five stories to the existing structure at 8605 Cameron St., according to a proposal submitted earlier this month to the Montgomery County Planning Department. Housing in the roughly 135-foot building would be “targeted towards millennials,” with a minimal number of parking spaces and an emphasis on cycling and other alternative modes of transportation.
Most of the homes would be studio or one-bedroom units, but there would be a few apartments with two or three apartments. The apartment complex might feature a rooftop dog run, terrace, lounges and a reflecting pool, project representatives said during a January community meeting.
The site is at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Cameron Street and is less than a half-mile from the Silver Spring Metro Station. The developers, Guardian Building Associates, are proposing to construct underground parking and set aside about 1,200 square feet of public open space on the side fronting Georgia Avenue.
The current office building, constructed in the 1950s, is about three-quarters vacant, the development application stated.
Construction could begin as early as fall, the documents state. The plan is awaiting a review by the development review committee, an interagency group of planners and representatives from transportation agencies and utilities.