By Amy Reinink
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Jason McCool ambled along a leaf-strewn path through Falkland Chase Apartments on a recent weekday, walking his mixed-breed terrier, Fenway, and taking in his favorite things about the place he lives.
He likes that Falkland Chase, which consists of 20 garden-apartment buildings on 22 acres at 16th Street and East West Highway, sits a few blocks from the Silver Spring Metro and downtown Silver Spring. He likes that the complex caters to pet owners not only by allowing cats and dogs, but also by offering fenced dog parks throughout the complex and by keeping dog treats in the main office.
And he likes that the complex is full of green space and a sense of history that can only come with age: It was built in the 1930s as one of the first apartment projects backed by the Federal Housing Administration.
One thing he doesn't like is the uncertainty that has surrounded the complex's future since New York-based Home Properties, which bought Falkland Chase in 2003, unveiled plans to demolish several of the complex's buildings to make way for new ones.
Current plans call for high- and mid-rise buildings with residential and retail space on the northern third of the complex.
Michael Eastwood, vice president of development at Home Properties, said plans are still subject to change during the review process but that "the fundamentals of the project remain pretty constant."
"Two-thirds of the complex will remain completely intact," he said. "The piece we're proposing to redevelop is the one with the highest percentage of asphalt, the least amount of trees and has already been impacted by the widening of East West Highway. We think it makes a lot of sense to redevelop."
Eastwood also said Home Properties has taken care to plan for new construction that is in keeping with both the existing portions of Falkland Chase and the surrounding properties in Silver Spring.
The pending redevelopment has sparked debate in the greater community and within Falkland Chase. Some say the new construction would bring amenities such as a swimming pool, new fitness centers, additional parking and a possible grocery store, and would retain the most architecturally significant portions of Falkland Chase while adding high-density housing. The owners and other proponents of the plan also argue that the location, just blocks from Metro, makes it among the best spots in Silver Spring for new high-density housing.
But some residents, along with historic preservationists, say replacing garden-apartment buildings with high-rises would compromise the community's historic character, part of the reason they moved there.
"There's so much history in this town, and this place is a part of that," said McCool, 33, an actor and Montgomery College professor who shares a two-bedroom apartment with a roommate. "It just seems like a shame to bulldoze that."
The Montgomery County Planning Board voted on Sept. 4 to designate two-thirds of the complex as historic, and to recommend one-third of the complex be redeveloped, according to Planning Board spokeswoman Valerie Berton.
The fate of the plan hinges on a county council vote that has not yet been scheduled. Montgomery County Council Legislative Attorney Jeff Zyontz said that meeting is likely to be at least a few months away.
Until then, residents such as Victor Henriquez, 39, who has lived in Falkland Chase for four years, are left wondering whether change will come and how they will be affected.
"When they flatten those buildings, it will lose that pseudo-small-scale feeling," Henriquez said. "It will lose its neighborliness -- you don't have that when people are shuttling in and out on an elevator. And it will lose the beauty of the landscaping and the trees, and become more urban in nature."
Falkland Chase has seen change before. In 1994, part of the complex was demolished to make way for the Lenox Park apartments, a luxury high-rise community.
The uncertainty about Falkland Chase's future hasn't dampened residents' enthusiasm for the things they praise: easy Metro access, proximity to downtown Silver Spring, the quiet, leafy grounds, and the historic appeal of the brick buildings with black shutters and red doors.
"You're walking distance from almost everything," Henriquez said. "And there may be cheaper places near here, but do they have hardwood floors? Do they have the trees and landscaping this place does, or were the grounds just flattened to make way for the development? Do they have a good, responsive maintenance staff? Those are the reasons I choose to live here."
Property Manager Douglas Scott, who lives in the complex himself, said the property's aesthetics are a draw for many residents, including himself. He said the swaths of open space, including a large parcel with mature trees called the play area, represent one of his favorite parts of living in Falkland Chase.
"When I walk through the play area right now, with the leaves changing colors, I just look around and think, 'Wow,' " Scott said.
Affection for the community hasn't erased what residents say are some small annoyances.
Parking can be hard to come by without one of the designated spots available to residents for additional rent. McCool said he's been towed three times for accidentally letting his parking permit expire.
"We have issues with limited parking," Scott said in response. "We do not hide that. But we find that with us being so close to the Metro and other conveniences, residents can park and stay parked."
And old buildings have maintenance challenges as well as charm.
Scott said management has taken steps to ensure the complex's historic appearance is matched by modern convenience, offering a promise to resolve any maintenance issue within 24 hours of it coming to management's attention.
McCool said that whenever he has had a problem, including a broken dishwasher and chipped drywall, "they've been really friendly about it and have taken care of it right away."
He said friendly service in the front office represents another of his favorite things about Falkland Chase -- the sense of camaraderie shared by residents and staff members alike.
"People are really friendly in the main office. It's a nice sense of community," McCool said.
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