Developers of downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, have temporarily

Developers of downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, have temporarily given up on luring a major cinema chain as part of the city’s million-plus sq. ft. new urban redevelopment. Still, developers say they remain confident, citing the Discovery Communications headquarters under construction adjacent to downtown that will house 1,500 employees. Meanwhile, construction of a “restaurant row” is accelerating, and a significant amount of retail has been built, including grocery, hardware, and video stores. The redevelopment of this Washington suburb’s downtown is one of the largest attempted in the state, and has the potential to set new standards for smart growth in Maryland. (See December 2000 New Urban News).