Real Estate Marketing and Business Recruitment. Through a contract with Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the GGARC promotes investment opportunities in South Silver Spring. Numerous available sites are large footprint tracts including obsolete industrial structures or mid- and high-rise commercial buildings. GGARC has developed a data base for all commercial sites within the Gateway area that can provide key information to developers, including lot and building sizes, owners, agents, tenants, and permitted uses. Many of the sites are viewable under the "available sites" tab of this web page. The GGARC Executive Director can arrange physical inspections of most of the sites.

Business Capacity Building. Through a contract with District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development, the GGARC works on a daily basis to provide capacity-building services to D.C. businesses along upper Georgia and Eastern Avenues, N.W. Capacity building includes assistance with promotions and marketing, which is done through GGARC newsletter, web site, and at GGARC-sponsored community events. Capacity building is also aimed at the development of collective initiatives, such as the Vision Planning process (see "Planning and Reference Documents" ) and Facade improvement Program (listed below). The GGARC data base also includes detailed information about all commercial properties above Fern Street in District of Columbia.

Georgia Avenue Storefront Improvement Program. Through a contract with District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development, GGARC manages grant funding for facade improvements along Georgia Avenue. The GGARC promotes the program and explains the requirements among store owners. GGARC enrolls property owners in the program, coordinates owners toward common design themes, and manages subcontracts with architectural and construction firms to accomplish the design upgrades. (See "Projects").

Parking Assistance Program. Through a contract with Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs, GGARC manages the enrollment and distribution of discount monthly parking decals for new employees using public garages or lots in South Silver Spring.

Data Base Development. GGARC has created a comprehensive commercial properties data base for all properties within its service area between Fern St., N,W. and Blair Mill Road in Silver Spring. The data base includes owners, tenants, footprints, square footage of lots and buildings, and permitted uses. The data base also includes mailing addresses for thousands of residents in south Silver Spring and the surrounding communities in DC, north Takoma Park, and East Silver Spring.

Community Planning. The GGARC works with community-based organizations such as The Gateway Coalition and with commercial stakeholders to develop and revise planning documents. (See Planning and Reference Documents).

Community Relations. The GGARC assists interested developers and investors with community relations in both DC and Montgomery County. This assistance includes introduction to community leaders and organizations as well as counseling through the planning process in both jurisdictions.

Events and Promotions. The GGARC sponsors several community events each year, including public safety programs (National Night Out) neighborhood cleanups, and community flower box plantings.

Promotion of Government Revitalization Programs. The GGARC promotes a menu of Government revitalization and special incentive programs among investors interested in locating in the Gateway.

These include: