Montgomery College Expansion into South Silver Spring. The largest expansion of a community college in the history of the State of Maryland is taking place along the Georgia Avenue gateway in South Silver Spring. The Takoma Campus of Montgomery College, which has been struggling for years with serious space constraints in North Takoma Park is constructing a pedestrian bridge across the Metro/CSX tracks which will link South Silver Spring with the stable neighborhoods in North Takoma and East Silver Spring. The campus will relocate and dramatically expand its nursing school and allied health program in a 170,000 square foot mid-rise along Georgia Avenue between King Street and Jesup Blair Drive. This facility will matriculate nursing students, surgical assistants, physical therapists, and radiology assistants.

In addition, the college will create a Cultural Arts Center at the eastern point of the foot bridge in the northern corner of historic Jesup Blair Park (see "Community Amenities" in Picture Gallery tab). The Cultural Arts Center will house a black box theater, an arts exhibit space, and an auditorium equipped for musical performances or lectures. The CAC is expected to make gracious Jesup Blair Park once again a vital destination in Silver Spring. Phase 1 of the project-construction of the bridge and nursing school--will begin in late 2001.

Discovery Communications. While the headquarters of Discovery Communications ("The Discovery Channel") is being constructed just north of the gateway in the Silver Spring CBD core, the first Discovery building in Silver Spring is the re-converted Caldor store on East-West Highway and Newell Street. Here, in the gateway, Discovery Communications has stationed 400 of its production and computer technology staff in a Creative and Technology Center. The corporation has transformed the vacant department store into an architectural gem. The move of Discovery Communications to Silver Spring was initiated and has been facilitated by Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan.

Jemal Mini Mall. At the prominent corner of Eastern and Georgia Avenues, developer Douglas Jemal has leased an architecturally attractive mini mall with several quality retailers and services. The most prominent vendor in the facility is Jimmy's Deli, serving the finest New York style deli fare on the east side of Rock Creek. Also among the lease-holders are the Medicine Shoppe discount pharmacy, the Granger industrial tool supply, the Country Wide Mortgage Company, and a branch of the U.S. Social Security Administration.

Inner Visions Worldwide Institute. Celebrity best-selling author Iyanla Vanzant has established world headquarters for her spiritualist non-profit organization in South Silver Spring, Maryland. The Inner Visions Worldwide Institute plans a dramatic expansion of its facility and has recently acquired a 40,000 square foot former catering facility near the corner of Georgia Avenue and 13th Street. This structure will be transformed into a multi-use facility, including a café, bookstore, aerobic dance studio, spa, lecture hall, and administrative offices. Ms. Vanzant is the author of numerous national best sellers, including, Value in the Valley, In the Meantime, and Until Today. Her television program "Iyanla" is syndicated on major network TV and appears on WUSA Channel 9 in the D.C. metro area.

The Photogroup. The Photogroup is the largest industrial photography studio between Manhattan and Miami. It is also the earliest pioneer in the South Silver Spring revitalization movement. Having opened in 1996, Photogroup redeveloped one of the many obsolete industrial structures in South Silver Spring with a state-of-the-art high tech facility at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Blair Mill Road. In addition to the core business, Photogroup principal Barry Soorenko is developing the entire triangular parcel bordered by Georgia Avenue, East-West Highway, and Blair Road into a high-tech industrial park.

DC Streetscape Program for upper Georgia Avenue. Beginning in the summer of 1999, the District of Columbia Department of Public Works initiated a streetscaping program along upper Georgia Avenue. The program has repaved and re-curbed the Avenue; laid new sidewalks; planted new shade trees; installed decorative street lanterns, provided flower boxes (which the are maintained by the Gateway community-see Photo Gallery, "Community Involvement").

Aceco development. Aceco development company is transforming the dilapidated retail structure on the eastern side of the 8000 Block of Georgia Avenue into an architecturally distinctive structure which will serve as headquarters for the corporation. The bold design at this prominent site will reinforce the technology theme in South Silver Spring redevelopment.

Maryland College of Art and Design. The Maryland College of Art and Design is negotiating a merger with Montgomery College Takoma Park Campus to relocate the MCAD program to the South Silver Spring Arts-Education-Technology hub. The likely site for MCAD would be the former Giant Bakery industrial plant on Jesup Blair Drive. Here, the MCAD would abut the northern border of historic Jesup Blair Park and merge with the South Silver Spring expansion of Montgomery College.

Pyramid Atlantic. The world-renowned institute for lithography, etching, bookmaking, and associated paper arts has acquired a property at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Ripley Street in Silver Spring. The property includes two structures, former headquarters for The Little Tavern Corporation and a 1950's era Little Tavern hamburger stand. The headquarters will be converted for studio use including paper making, pulp painting, print making and book binding. The hamburger stand will be converted to a gallery and store. Pyramid Atlantic will add immeasurably to the arts theme in Gateway redevelopment and find vital synergy with MCAD, and other arts and technology entities in the revitalized Gateway.