As reported in the Washington Post, Montgomery County is considering redevelopment plans for the Wheaton Metro area that would change the nature of the community.  As described,

The county, in partnership with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, recently chose developers StonebridgeCarras and the Bozzuto Group to lead a $200 million effort aimed at turning the neighborhood into a more walkable, urban community that would take better advantage of the neighborhood’s Red Line Metro station.

The County has offered three properties for use the project, which includes plans to build new county offices.  These elements will help establish the development as centered on public, rather than commercial use.  As described by Doug Firstenberg, a principal at StonebridgeCarras,

. . . the overhaul would bear little resemblance to downtown Silver Spring, which attracted chains such as Red Lobster, Fuddruckers and Chick-fil-A, because it includes very little new retail.

“In Wheaton, they’re looking for a project that’s going to lead a broad-based revitalization of the core, that is going to have great public space and an anchor that is a county office building, ” Firstenberg said.

The project requires approval from the county council.

For more information, see the full story from the Post.