Junction Task Forces Hear SSTP Co-op Plans

The planned growth of the Silver Spring Takoma Park Co-op on Carroll Avenue could expand the existing building, or an entirely new structure might be built on the city owned lot next to the co-op, said a member of both the Takoma Junction Task Force and the co-op.

An update on the planned expansion of the SSTP co-op topped the Junction Task Force’s meeting May 26, with major portions of the update focused on parking at the junction.

Task Force and co-op member Lorig Charkoudian made the informal presentation in which she recounted co-op expansion plans that are favored by the co-op. Those plans include that the retail facility needs to be 12,500 square feet, nearly double the existing Carroll Avenue co-op building that is 6,500 square feet, Charkoudian said.

However, what is still undecided is if the existing building (called the “Turner building” for its owners) will be expanded, or if an entirely new facility will be constructed on the city lot next to the Turner building.  Whichever option the co-op decides to pursue, there is support for a community room, a commercial kitchen and the possibility of more local foods and prepared foods being marketed by the co-op. Additional possible features of a revamped, or new facility, include a second floor and possibly a basement, she said.

To help increase the possibility of the co-op’s expansion remaining on course,  a “public private partnership” between the co-op and the city might be pursued, Charkoudian said. “We’re really looking at it as some kind of a public private partnership. We’re not exactly sure what that might look like, but the city…I think that we’re thinking that it is preferable that the city continue to own the lot, and that there be some long-term lease,” she said.

However the project is pursued, the aspect of parking has been discussed and the co-op would seek 63 parking spaces, Charkoudian said. The figure of 63 parking spots for the co-op was determined using a Montgomery County formula of five parking spaces per 1,000 square feet, she said. However, she added that an additional 25 to 30 spaces would also be installed for general use, including for junction businesses.

However, Task Force member Susan Robb said 30 parking does not seem to be enough for the Junction area. “There are 12 business buildings on the 7300 block of Carroll Avenue,” she said. “Three of them are businesses that attract large numbers of people at one time, and 30 parking spaces isn’t very many parking spaces for general use.”

In response, Charkoudian said, “Whatever construction we build, we’ve been using the five spaces per 1,000 square feet for the co-op, which is requirement of Montgomery County.” However, the co-op has “also been told that might not be necessary for the city. Clearly other businesses got around that because no one else in the junction is doing that. Assuming we go by that, that would be 63 spaces the co-op would need. We’ve been assuming the broader community would require an additional 25 to 30 spaces. So we’re imaging that we’ll have to build this in such a way so there are 87 to 93 parking spots,” she said.

Junction Task Force co-chair Howard Kohn said, “The elephant in the room on the parking is the 63 spaces. That’s what needs to be addressed.”

The co-op would “not keep other people off those 63 spaces,” Charkoudian said. The idea is to pursue the “maximum possible” of parking spaces because if the co-op goes with the minimum number of spaces—which would be about 33—the other 30 spaces designated for the community, would end up all being used by the co-op, she said.