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from the wrecking ball in the 1990s, and
in 2003 it became the American Film
Institute’s screening center.
In 1947, the Hecht Co. opened its
first department store outside of Wash-
ington, D.C., at the intersection of Fen-
ton Street and Ellsworth Drive. Other
stores followed, including J.C. Penney
and Sears, Roebuck & Co., making the
downtown a pleasant, walkable destina-
tion for many. Restaurants and specialty
establishments completed the mix.
Meanwhile, Montgomery Blair High
School gained a certain mystique thanks
to high academic achievement, athletic
victories and standout graduates includ-
ing Goldie Hawn, Ben Stein, Connie
Chung and Carl Bernstein (the last of
whom nearly flunked out).
As with many communities, the good
times began to fade in the 1970s. Whea-
ton Plaza and the Beltway had opened,
shifting traffic and business away from
Georgia, Colesville and other main
streets. Crime became a major concern.
With the opening of the county’s first
Metro station in 1978, however, the scene
was set for a downtown revival. There
were a few missteps, notably a proposed
mega mall to be named, with no sense
of irony, the “American Dream.” But in
1999, county leaders broke ground for a
redevelopment plan that created pedes-
trian streets and brought major busi-
nesses to the area.
“For a while, it looked like downtown
Silver Spring would remain a ghost town
forever,” Gottlieb, the filmmaker, says.
“Now there’s foot traffic again, a sense of
life on the streets—like we used to have in
the old days, but in an updated setting.” n
Locals
”
“
Emily Bruno, left,
and Julie Verratti
of Denizens
Brewing Co.
Two of the co-founders of Denizens Brewing Co. in Silver Spring ”
“Silver Spring is a very diverse community. When you look at our
200-seat beer garden,
you’ve got folks from
all walks of life—all
different ages, all
different backgrounds,
all different colors. It’s
like a great community
melting pot.
Emily Bruno
I love that there
are so many small
independent businesses
run by people who live
in Silver Spring that
employ people who
live here. Also, I love
the walkability. You can
always find something
great and fun going on
in the town.
Julie Verratti
