Your spring has sprung

[nacho]

More Wheaton news... Looks like the Royal Mile is gone.

It was one of my "Red Line Stops" and, when I lived out there, a frequent stop... It's also where Cass and I had a hungover breakfast when he first came to visit.

I went a year or so ago and it had really gone downhill... Just an all around bad vibe, and expensive drinks, and bad food. So, whatever. Just the passing of another "old Wheaton" thing, which is how this thread started out. Like Silver Spring, Wheaton has lost its soul.

[RottingCorpse]

That's actually kind of sad. I went there when I lived over off University.

Did it shutter? No hope it simply moved?

[nacho]

There's a huge, six-month-long mega-drama that I've been quietly following. The owner basically had a meltdown, rumors of legal problems... The initial lock-out came as a surprise, even to employees.

The Harp and Fiddle folks were, briefly, going to buy it out...but they've now dropped the project. So that means there is some sort of bad craziness going on.

So, yeah. An ignoble end for a landmark.

[nacho]

Hilarity...

With Silver Spring Transit Center in limbo, why not wake up the living dead?

By John Kelly, Published: March 26

I wonder what the opposite of a transit center is. A transnot center?

That question has been on my mind lately, what with the limbo the Silver Spring Transit Center finds itself in.

The transit center is where all the buses and commuter trains are supposed to neatly come together in downtown Silver Spring. Except, nothing much is coming together now, neatly or otherwise. The county says concrete was poured incorrectly in some places, which is bad news, since the thing is pretty much all concrete. The $101 million project has been delayed indefinitely. The builder insists there’s nothing wrong with it.

Who knows when it will get a clean bill of health and finally become a commuter hub. It may end up like that pyramidal North Korean hotel, which took 23 years to build.

And that’s why I think it isn’t too early to think about what should be done with the uncompleted hulk that is the Silver Spring Transnot Center. Here are some of my suggestions:

Skateboard park. What with its ramps, curbs and concrete outcroppings, skaters will find the transnot center irresistible. They sure liked the old one. I had to dodge them as I went to catch my bus and then would watch as they slowly ground down every curb, bench and planter. The dilemma, however, is how to get them to come to the transnot center. If they think it’s for them, they’ll avoid it like the plague. Posting a “No Skateboarding Allowed” sign should do the trick.

Paintball concession. I’m pretty sure that no Montgomery County paintball facility is currently reachable by subway. That’s inconvenient for car-less war games aficionados and corporate-team-building event attendees. The transnot center’s handy location and post-apocalyptic look make it perfect for paintball. Put in a few burned-out Toyota pickups and you could call it “The Mogadishu Experience.” Of course, for a real end-of-the-world vibe, why not turn the transnot center into a:

Zombie theme park. The undead have never been hotter. Zombies are everywhere: in books, movies, TV shows, Congress. . . . Silver Spring has a proud history when it comes to zombies. It’s the setting for the annual Zombie Walk, when thousands of ghouls walk stiffly through the streets after catching a horror movie at the AFI. With the right additions — some dry ice, funky lighting and animatronic figures — the transnot center could be the Six Flags of zombies.

Hanging gardens. I confess I don’t know what a hanging garden is, only that about 3,000 years ago people were crazy about them. Back then the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were on every tourist’s bucket list, sort of the way South of the Border is today. Two levels of the transnot center overlook Colesville Road. They’d be perfect for planting with interesting vegetation. Speaking of which:

Organic mushroom farm. Or bean sprouts. Or medical marijuana. Let’s grow something there. It would help reduce the carbon footprint and provide produce for area farmers markets.

Reality show set. The headquarters of Discovery is just across the street. Its producers could use the transnot center as a low-cost setting for all kinds of programming. For example: “Deadliest Catch” — Wearing nothing but baseball gloves, contestants have to catch nitroglycerin-filled tennis balls tossed from the top of the transnot center. “MythButhterth” — It’s all about a lady with a lisp who runs a gourmet cupcake shop called “Miss Buster’s.” Whenever she answers the phone, hilarity ensues. “Stromchasers” — Competing teams of historians race to study the curious life of late South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond. “Dirty Jobs” — Teams of lawyers fight to see who’s going to pay up for the mistakes made during construction of the Silver Spring Transit Center.

[nacho]

The transit center... Now two years overdue. It's a hulking, half-finished mess that's a scar on the Silver Spring landscape.


Now these people are starting to agitate:
http://actfortransit.org/archives/letters/2012Jul13LtrTransitCenter.html

They were outside the Silver Spring station with pamphlets.

Of course, here's the problem... There's no way they can fix the structural issue without taking the transit center down. Silver Spring's out of control gentrification gets bit in the ass...and I fucking love it.

At the same time, it's been announced that we will know about a solution -- and an opening date -- soon:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/maryland-politics/post/silver-spring-transit-center-opening-date-to-be-announced-soon/2012/07/19/gJQAY0IcvW_blog.html

http://www.gazette.net/article/20120718/OPINION/707189638/1014/quality-and-safety-at-silver-spring-transit-center&template=gazette

[nacho]

The Silver Spring murder house is up for sale!

http://www.silverspringsingular.com/2011/02/for-sale-silver-springs-most-infamous.html

http://www.comcast.net/slideshow/news-hauntedhomes/11/

http://www.gazette.net/stories/04212010/olnenew211321_32549.php

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/29/nation/la-na-hometown-silver-spring-20100530-19

Oh-ho!

"Homicide House" Has Its History Erased
The ongoing saga of the Silver Spring's internationally infamous "Homicide House" continues to fascinate me. After being on the market for an extended period of time, the house ultimately sold for just $330K this past February. If one disregards the house's disturbing history, this would have to be considered a good bargain for that neighborhood, as the property was recently assessed for $507K and its "Zestimate" is $459K.

Interestingly, the house was almost immediately back on the market, with an asking price of hundreds of thousands more that for what it was purchased - perhaps in an attempt to flip the property for a quick profit. But how would you expect to a long-unsold property for a significantly higher price when a Google search of the address by a prospective buyer would return thousands of references to the tragic events which have taken place there there over the years? Easy - you whitewash its history by changing the address! Meet 9335 Columbia Blvd., the house formerly known as 9337 Columbia Blvd. Now 9337 simply doesn't exist - like the 13th floor of many highrise buildings. A search of the new address returns nothing more than the home's appearance on a variety of real estate sites.

While this is unarguably a clever marketing ruse, if successful it will likely result in some very upset new owners. While by law sellers are not required to disclose crimes that were committed in a property, inevitably any buyer will eventually learn the history of their new house and when they do they are likely to be distressed - and angry. This is apparently what happened when the late Brian Betts initially learned of the double murder that occurred in his home in 2002.

The seller does appear to be motivated, dropping the price in increments of $10-20K a month since the property was put back on the market. Of course, when you only paid $330K, you're still looking at a healthy profit at the current price (it's now @ $479K).

It will be interesting to see at what price this house eventually sells. The optimal situation will be that it is purchased by an unsuperstitious buyer with full knowledge of the house's history who feels they are getting a lot for their money. It's a decent house and it should have someone living there - having it sit there empty for years is a creepy reminder of its past.

Links and idiotic comments at: http://www.silverspringsingular.com/2012/08/homicide-house-has-its-history-erased.html

[nacho]

Tee-fucking-hee...

http://washingtonexaminer.com/silver-spring-transit-center-opening-delayed-as-county-studies-cracks/article/2504829#.UD-2f6D5suK

The opening of the Silver Spring Transit Center, under construction since 2008, has been delayed yet again as Montgomery County officials study what is causing cracks in the structure.

The $112 million project originally was slated to open in summer 2011. Then it was postponed to November 2011, January 2012 and this summer. But the three-story facility, built to hold bus bays, a kiss and ride and a taxi stand and offer access to MARC, Metrorail and Purple Line trains, remains an empty concrete mass in downtown Silver Spring.

The structure was put on hold after the county discovered cracks in the concrete on large sections of the second and third levels, where the buses, kiss and ride, and taxis will be. About 63 percent of the concrete on those floors is either too thick or too thin, and in several places the steel supports are unprotected from weather erosion, an analysis by county-hired engineering consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff found.

The county and general contractor Foulger Pratt have been in discussions about how to fix the problem -- Foulger Pratt suggested a spray-on sealant, while the county talked about more drastic measures -- and who should foot the bill for the delays. Both sides hired consultants to study what needs to be done, and a third consultant was brought in to help settle the differences.

County Department of General Services Director David Dise had planned to brief County Executive Ike Leggett on the latest plans for the facility on Monday, but one more study is needed before a decision can be made, Dise said.

The new study, which Dise expects to take about four days, will "determine the extent of the cracking and whether there are any ... cracks that are in the concrete but haven't surfaced yet," he said. It also will help determine the cause of the cracks -- whether it's related to construction, design, weather or materials -- and help ensure that the county fixes the problem for good.

After getting the results of the study, Dise expects to brief Leggett in two weeks before discussing the matter with Foulger Pratt Principal Bryant Foulger. Foulger could not be reached for comment.

"We're still pushing to have this, whatever we do, done before the cold weather sets in," Dise said. Though he would not commit to an opening date, he suggested the possibility of opening parts of the facility while continuing to repair others.

Meanwhile, residents are tired of waiting for answers and have been flooding county lawmakers with requests for information.

"We understand they don't have an answer, but we also don't know what's going on behind the curtain," said Tina Slater, president of the Action Committee for Transit, which has been leading the charge for information. "I feel like we're being held at arm's length like we're children."

[RottingCorpse]

Not SS, but what the hell are they doing in Bethesda? Shutting down two blocks of Woodmont for 20 months?!

[nacho]

New condo high rise freakouts. Bethesda is going to be nuts for the next year. Whole damn street system will be changed.  There are 12 high rise condos about to go up across the town.

[nacho]

This thread has become all about the Transit Center Fiasco... Here's the latest:

http://www.silverspringsingular.com/2013/03/official-report-transit-center-severely.html

Guess we're stuck with a modern ruin. Awesome.

[nacho]

Oh man...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/metro-could-walk-away-from-taking-over-silver-spring-transit-center/2013/03/20/91d344a0-91b3-11e2-9cfd-36d6c9b5d7ad_story.html

Metro could walk away from taking over Silver Spring Transit Center

By Bill Turque and Dana Hedgpeth, Published: March 20

Metro could walk away from the troubled Silver Spring Transit Center if it isn’t satisfied with repairs Montgomery County will have to make to the $112 million bus-and-train hub, an agency spokesman said Wednesday.

Metro was supposed to assume control of the three-level structure at least two years ago. But an engineering report released Tuesday found the facility unusable and unsafe in its current condition, plagued by design and construction errors that led to cracked, inadequately strengthened concrete. The opening, delayed several times, has been postponed indefinitely, as officials devise a plan to address the problems.

“If we’re not satisfied [with it] we won’t accept it,” said Dan Stessel, Metro’s chief spokesman and director of communications. “If the facility is not safe or there are issues regarding its long-term maintainability, we have the right to not accept it.”

Stessel added that even if the current design and construction issues are resolved, the transit agency might pursue an agreement that would indemnify it from the costs of any future problems. Such a plan, Stessel said, could also deal with matters such as maintenance and extended warranties.

Patrick Lacefield, spokesman for County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), said Montgomery officials had expected that Metro would raise such concerns and were prepared to discuss them.

“We’re going to be sitting down and talking with them on this,” Lacefield said. “We’re committed to giving them a facility that has the safety and durability and life span that they want.”

The report, commissioned by the county from KCE Structural Engineers, found that contractors, led by Parsons Brinckerhoff and Foulger-Pratt, did not follow Metro design criteria specified in the contract. Among the omissions, according to consultants, were failure to follow proper time and temperature requirements for “curing,” or hardening the concrete after it was poured, and to adequately protect it from corrosion.

KCE said that, as currently constructed, the building’s useful life span is less than the 50 years provided for by the contract.

County officials said Metro signed off on the design of the transit center. But the agency raised concerns about the condition of the concrete as early as summer. Notes from a July 20 meeting of project managers say: Metro “does not agree that the strength of the deck is adequate, and wants to know why the deck has cracked and continues to crack.”

The persistent cracking led the county to hire KCE, which eventually took more than 70 samples of concrete from the transit center. Tests showed that concrete supplied by Facchina, a LaPlata company, had an average strength of 6,970 pounds per square inch. The contract called for a strength of 8,000 psi. The concrete was also not thick enough at various locations.

Facchina is a prominent contractor that has worked on numerous high-profile construction projects in the Washington region.

It is part of a consortium competing for a contract to design and build the second phase of Metro’s Silver Line to Dulles Airport.

Ronn Filley, Facchina’s director of human resources and IT services, declined Wednesday to comment on any aspect of the transit center, referring all questions to Foulger-Pratt, the general contractor.

“We’re just a subcontractor,” he said.

[nacho]

Contractor on troubled transit center blames Montgomery County officials

By Dana Hedgpeth and Michael Laris, Published: March 28

The contractor that has overseen construction of the long-delayed Silver Spring Transit Center said Thursday that Montgomery County officials are to blame for the problems that have plagued the project.

In an interview intended to counter mounting criticism, the head of the Foulger-Pratt Companies said that the county had provided incomplete designs and inadequate oversight for the building of the bus-and-rail hub.

The complex, at Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue, has yet to open.

“Montgomery County is the owner of this project,” Bryant Foulger, a principal of the firm, said in one of his first extensive interviews on the transit center. “They have the responsibility to figure out what needs to be done and hire the architect, engineers and consultants to meet the codes.”

In a long-awaited report released March 19, independent engineering experts said they had discovered problems with the transit center that included insufficiently strong concrete and inadequate steel reinforcement.

With its costs estimated at $112 million and its opening more than two years behind schedule, the transit center, in the heart of downtown Silver Spring, has become a very public mess. County officials and contractors have been trading blame, and Metro, which is supposed to operate the complex, has said it could reject the structure if it’s not satisfied with the fixes.

The interview with Foulger, held in the firm’s Rockville headquarters and attended by his lawyer and an outside public relations consultant, was the company’s most forceful attempt yet to deflect criticism of its role in the troubled project.

“They put the blame on just about everybody they could find without accepting responsibility that they’re managing the design and construction of this project,” Foulger said.

Asked to respond to the company’s assertions, John Markovs, the county lawyer overseeing the fallout from the project, said Thursday that Foulger’s criticism was “obfuscation.”

“That’s another attempt by Foulger-Pratt to shift blame for defective construction onto the county.”

The cost of fixing the problems and finishing the project are uncertain, and the stakes for the county and the company are significant.

For the county, the delays are an embarrassing distraction as officials try to accelerate economic development, particularly around transit hubs such as Silver Spring. For the company, the negative publicity could threaten its reputation across the region.

The concrete and steel structure is envisioned as a hub for cabs, bikes, MARC trains and Metro’s rail and bus services. Its construction has been a complex undertaking because it has three levels that each must be able to bear the weight of large buses.

The project is millions of dollars over budget, and the report by KCE Structural Engineers assigned blame to several players in the project.

KCE said there were “errors and omissions” by the designer, Parsons Brinckerhoff; the general contractor, Foulger-Pratt; an inspections firm, Robert B. Balter Co.; and other subcontractors.

In the interview Thursday, Foulger disagreed. He said the county mismanaged the project, and that the “design wasn’t fully completed and coordinated” among Parsons, the county and his company.

Foulger pointed to several poster-size drawings dotted with dozens of red marks, showing a multitude of changes in the plans.

One of the major safety questions in the project involves steel cables in concrete slabs of the structure.

The KCE report found that the steel cables were not put in two critical 10-foot-wide slabs in part of the project. But Foulger said the contract documents and other plans didn’t require the added steel supports in that area.

“We are responsible to build it to the plans and to the specs,” he said.

Markovs, the county lawyer, said that the plans by Parsons called for steel cables on both the second and third floors of the structure but that Foulger Pratt only installed them on the third floor.

“Why would you bother putting it on the top deck and never putting it on the middle deck?” Markovs said.

County officials have said they are worried about the safety of the structure.

They say that if the lack of steel had gone undiscovered, the roadway could have failed, creating a risk that pieces of concrete could fall from the first-floor ceiling onto cars and pedestrians.

Another major issue in the project has been the strength of the concrete.

KCE pulled samples from the site and found a strength of 6,970 pounds per square inch on portions of the project’s second and third floors — below the contractually required 8,000 psi.

“Foulger-Pratt can’t escape liability for giving concrete that’s substandard by hiding behind the reports of an inspector hired by the county,” Markovs said. “The county didn’t get what it bargained for. Why and how that happened is on Foulger-Pratt to explain.”

Foulger defended the way his company handled the concrete.

“All the test results we had, the vast, vast majority of them were telling us we were meeting or exceeding the concrete strength requirements of the contract,” he said.

Foulger said he wants his company to be involved in fixing the project.

“We want to get this open,” he said. “That’s all we’ve ever really wanted to do.”

Pictures of the company’s projects, many of them in Montgomery, line the dark-paneled hallway of Foulger’s reception area.

“We’ve been in business for 50 years,” he said. “We have core values that we follow.” In this project, he said, “We have not been treated well by the county.”

[nacho]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/transit-center-opening-more-than-a-year-away/article/2526746

Commuterslikely will have to wait more than a yearto use theproblem-plagued Silver Spring Transit Center,a Montgomery County official said Tuesday.

County Director of General Services David Dise told the County Council it willtakeanother six weeksfordesign fixes to be drafted. Construction might not begin until late summer at the earliest, and he estimated it would take a year tofix the project, with an August 2014 preliminary date for the center to open.

Though the structure won't have to be torn down, contractors will have to demolish and reconstruct about 8,000 square feet where buses are supposed to pick up passengersbecause the concrete there was poorly constructed. Other fixes include reinforcing concrete beams and casing columns for the middle levels of the structure.

Dise said work is under wayon the project, which was started in 2008 and was originally scheduled to open in 2011.

The fixes will be made by the same companies that designed, built and inspected the structure -- a move that concerns council members.

Councilwoman Nancy Floreen, D-at large, asked Dise how the county would ensure the same types of problemswouldn't happenagain.

"How are we assured that the final plans are the final plans and that's it?" Floreen asked. "I would feel way more comfortable if we have KCE [Engineering Services] supervising the whole remediation process." KCE was hired by the county to investigate problems at the center.

Dise said the county will review theplanned fixes, but the actualworkwould need to be done by the designer, Parsons Brinkerhoff, the builder, Foulger-Pratt and the inspector, Balter.

He said the resumes of the companies are impressive and the county has worked with them before, though a project of the transit center's magnitude might have proved too much.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing," he said. "We went into this project ... with the understanding that we had highly competent, well-experienced consultants and contractors and we have every reason to believe this would be executed seamlessly. That didn't occur."

Councilman Marc Elrich, D-at large, also questioned whether the project was too big for the county to undertake.

Otherlawmakerswere concerned about costs.The companies will pay to fix the center,and Councilman Roger Berliner, D-Bethesda, saidthe county will sue to make sure the companies pony up.

ButDise said taxpayers will incur some costs from consulting fees and employee work hours.

[nacho]

So even if they do get it fixed...half of the second level is now pointless:

Metro backs out of transit center: WMATA does not want to run the Silver Spring Transit Center. While they will still run Metrobuses at the facility, they've abandoned their plan to also use it for intercity buses.

[nacho]

With this, three other major high rise projects almost complete, and many others in the works...it might be time to flee Silver Spring.

http://www.feedly.com/home#subscription/feed/http://greatergreaterwashington.org/rss.xml

Massive townhome project approved... New transplants to make the town more like Bethesda! Yay! hash-mark-nightmare!