Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – Discovery Communications is close to selecting a buyer for its 10-story, 500,000-square-foot headquarters in downtown Silver Spring – which it is leaving next year – according to Montgomery County Council President Hans Riemer.
Riemer told WMAL there are two buyers in the final stages of negotiations. One is Potomac-based real estate developer Foulger-Pratt. The Washington Business Journal reports the other is Philadelphia-based Rubenstein Partners.
Riemer said his understanding is the sale will be to a company who will own the building and then find tenants.
“The big question looming will be, do they want to go after a big tenant?” Riemer said.
Montgomery County Council member Tom Hucker, who represents downtown Silver Spring, believes a lot of things could do well in the building because it’s located at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road next to Metro, housing and retail. He said a large employer or mixed use development would be good fits.
Hucker told WMAL he has reached out to Foulger-Pratt to talk to them about the space, and he has had conversations with Petersen Companies – which operates downtown Silver Spring – the Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce and County Executive Ike Leggett. According to Hucker Leggett’s staff has reached out to the GSA and federal government so they know the opportunities that are available there.
“I’m really excited to see, you know, and be a part of the next chapter in how that space is gonna be used,” Hucker said.
Riemer believes whoever buys the building will want to move as fast as possible to get tenants in.
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