Redevelopment of an independent and assisted senior living facility in downtown Silver Spring into a newer and larger building with up to 237 affordable units is expected to start next April, according to project plans.
Plans for Seabury at Springvale Terrace approved April 18 by the Montgomery County Planning Board call for the demolition of the existing facility at 8505 Springvale Road and the construction of a larger, 206,464-square-foot facility that will stand three to five stories tall. In addition to the new building, the project includes new sidewalks, outdoor seating areas and increased green space.
Springvale Terrace is operated by Washington, D.C.-based Seabury Resources for Aging, a private nonprofit that runs low-income and affordable housing programs in Northeast D.C. and Tenleytown. The Silver Spring facility sits along the route of the Purple Line light rail that will run between Bethesda and New Carrollton when completed. The rail line’s Dale Drive station will be nearby.
According to planning documents filed with the board, the facility currently has 146 affordable, assisted and independent living units. Originally constructed in 1960, it has been expanded through various additions, planning documents state.
Dawn Quattlebaum, Seabury’s chief executive officer, told planning board members that the aging of the building was a key reason for pursuing the redevelopment.
“We have made improvements to our existing community over the years and have considered significant renovations, but it became clear to us that our existing community was not sustainable for a number of reasons: exceptionally small and ill-equipped units, dropping occupancy, deteriorating building systems, high costs of maintenance and significant operating deficits,” Quattlebaum said.
Before the board voted on the plans, Planning Board Chair Artie Harris praised the nonprofit’s plans to build a new facility instead of continuing to repair the existing building.
“I understand the reason for doing this and am delighted you are able to provide 60% more units,” he said.
Enterprise Community Development, a national nonprofit focused on increasing housing supply, is partnering with Seabury to build the community.
The new facility will have a maximum of 237 independent living units, with units priced at 30% to 80% of the area median income as defined by the county, according to planning documents. In addition, 25% of the housing will be moderately priced dwelling units. Units in the new facility will have one or two bedrooms and a full kitchen as well as an in-unit washer and dryer.
Quattlebaum wrote in an email to MoCo360 that construction on the site is expected to begin around April 2025 and the opening date of the new Springvale Terrace community will be in the spring or summer of 2027.
Springvale Terrace is now closed. According to Quattlebaum, operations at the facility ceased as of April 8 when the last resident was relocated.
“Staff are working in the building to shut it down on April 30,” Quattlebaum wrote. “There will be some activity with shutting down equipment and other activities following April 30.”