SILVER SPRING, MD. — BKV Group has designed Artspace Silver Spring Arts Campus, a mixed-use development in Silver Spring featuring affordable housing and studio space for artists. The development cost for the project was $32 million. Construction of the project took about 18 months to complete, and now the project is open.
Formerly the Third District Police Station, Artspace Silver Spring Arts Campus has workspaces for artists to rent out studio space and is anchored by 7,500 square feet of communal space. BKV Group worked with nonprofit developer Artspace, as well as the Montgomery County
Department of Housing and Community Affairs, to redevelop the building into a creative hub.
The project includes 68 affordable housing units that are intended for local artists. Rental restrictions include households whose income is below 60 percent of Area Median Income, with some units having further restrictions to income at or below 50 percent or 30 percent of AMI. The rental units feature one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans with hardwood-style flooring, stainless steel appliances, in-unit washers and dryers and full-size balconies available in select floorplans. The property also includes 11 mixed-income rental townhomes on the eastern end of the site along Grove Street. Leasing is now underway.
Building amenities include a courtyard, private meeting room for resident functions and community programming, private artist studios and shared maker spaces for rent. The courtyard, which was designed by VIKA Civil Engineering & Site Design, will feature open green space and an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant ramp that can double as a platform for outdoor performances and gatherings. Additionally, the property’s two-story lobby will function as a public gallery showcasing original works and murals created by the resident’s artists. The lobby will also feature 20-foot ceilings, concrete floors and built-in seating nooks.
Located at 801 Sligo Ave., the property is located 6.2 miles north from Washington, D.C., 4.8 miles from Bethesda and 4.6 miles from the University of Maryland. The property is also situated near many restaurants and retailers such as Tropicana Laundromat, Debab Ethiopian, Lotus Café, Papa John’s Pizza and Fenton Café.