County makes pitch to lure NPR to Silver Spring

Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008

County makes pitch to lure NPR to Silver Spring

Community is on ‘short list’ of sites for radio network’s move and consolidation

by Sonny Goldreich | Special to The Gazette

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Montgomery County has made a formal offer to lure National Public Radio to relocate its headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Silver Spring, as the network narrows its site selection.

The move follows passage of zoning legislation in November that would raise building height limits and density to make room for NPR, which said at the time that it would decide by the end of May where it would relocate. The network is looking for about 400,000 square feet for offices and studios.

‘‘We’ve presented them an offer,” said Patrick K. Lacefield, spokesman for Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D). ‘‘When they might try to make a decision is unclear.”

County and state officials would not comment on how the offer was received or whether the package included cash incentives, loans or tax breaks.

‘‘We can’t talk about prospects,” said David W. Edgerley, secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. ‘‘We don’t want to potentially embarrass them, embarrass ourselves and embarrass you.”

The Montgomery County Council on Nov. 20 approved a zoning text amendment to increase building heights from 143 feet to 200 feet for developments that incorporate ground-floor retail in the Ripley District in south Silver Spring, which is bordered by the CSX railroad tracks, Georgia Avenue and Bonifant Street.

The amendment also would allow buildings to be constructed even higher if they are used to ‘‘collect or radiate electromagnetic waves,” a provision that would allow NPR to build a transmission tower.

Andi Sporkin, a spokeswoman for NPR, said by e-mail that the network is focused on sites in Silver Spring and two areas in the District, one north of Massachusetts Avenue Northwest and one near the new Washington Nationals ballpark along the Southeast waterfront. The network wants to consolidate its offices, which currently are spread over two buildings.

‘‘We’re continuing to evaluate properties in the three neighborhoods (NoMa, Southeast⁄Ballpark and Silver Spring),” Sporkin wrote. ‘‘Beyond that, I can’t comment.”

Gary Stith, director of the Silver Spring Regional Center, which coordinates redevelopment efforts for the county in the downtown area, would not comment on the details of the offer, but confirmed that Silver Spring was ‘‘on a very short list” of possibilities for NPR’s proposed move.

Philip Olivetti, a member of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and chairman of the board’s Commercial Economic Development Committee, said he had not heard about any terms of the offer, but hoped NPR ‘‘jumps at the deal.”

‘‘Silver Spring desperately needs development south of Wayne Avenue, and we’ve been looking for an anchor,” Olivetti said.

Staff Writer Agnes Jasinski contributed to this report.