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INTERN REPORT RE SSCBVP - 2011
Citation preview
Performance Measures
for
The Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza
By David Zuckerman
Master of Public Policy Candidate University of Maryland, College Park
Produced for Reemberto Rodriguez Director of Silver Spring Regional Service Center
May 7, 2011
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTIONS PAGE Table of Contents 2 I. The Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza 3
A. The Redevelopment Plan 3 B. What Are the Civic Building and Plaza? 7
II. Organization and Management of the Center and Plaza 8 A. The Silver Spring Regional Service Center 9 B. The Community Use of Public Facilities 10 C. Round House Theatre 11 D. Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. 12 E. Other Stakeholders 13 III. Program Theory and Logic Model 14
A. The Program Theory 15 B. Year One Accomplishments 17 IV. The Need For Performance Measures 19
A. Methodology 21 B. Limitations: Cost Restrictions 21
V. Silver Spring Civic Building and Plaza Performance Measures 22 A. Program Outputs – Reasoning and Implementation 23 B. Program Outcomes – Reasoning and Implementation 30 VI. Conclusion: Positioning for the Future 40 FIGURES PAGE Figure 1: Silver Spring Central Business District 6 Figure 2: First Four Steps of the Logic Model 16 Figure 3: Last Four Steps of the Logic Model 20 Figure 4: Output Categories and Performance Measures 24 Figure 5: Project for Public Spaces’ Place Diagram 30 Figure 6: Outcome Categories and Performance Measures 31 Figure 7: Downtown Silver Spring’s Lease Plan (December 3, 2010) 37
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I. The Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza
The Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza (Civic Building and Plaza)
opened on July 8, 2010 as another successfully completed project in the multi-decade
process to redevelop downtown Silver Spring. However, the Civic Building and Plaza
have a unique role in the successful revitalization of the downtown area, having already
become the center of community activities in Silver Spring. As the milestone one-year
anniversary approaches, this report examines the background of the Civic Building and
Plaza in order to develop performance measures that can evaluate the Civic Building and
Plaza’s effectiveness in accomplishing their mission. These performance measures are
essential to connect the everyday activities and events conducted by multiple
stakeholders to the long-term impacts that the Civic Building and Plaza hope to achieve
within the community.
These recommendations have been proposed within the context of a tight budget
environment in which resources for data collection are limited. However, this fact does
not diminish the importance that this information will have in guiding the operations and
strategy of the Civic Building and Plaza in the future.
A. The Redevelopment Plan
Silver Spring’s prosperity that originated after World War II and continued
through the 1970s began to disappear in the 1980s when the major department stores such
as Sears, J.C. Penny and Hecht left after several decades of residence. The mall that took
over the Hecht site was called City Place but because it could not secure prominent
4
anchor retailers, the decline of the area continued through the mid-1990s.2 During this
time efforts began to significantly revitalize the downtown area; County Executive Doug
Duncan convened the Silver Spring Redevelopment Advisory Committee to seek
community input since nearly $400 million was being discussed for this massive
redevelopment.3
Originally, Triple Five Group of Companies (Triple Five) was the unanimous
choice of a 14-member, county executive appointed panel to construct a 1.25 million sq.
ft., enclosed mall in downtown Silver Spring on land that had been public land or had
become public land through eminent domain.4* The Silver Spring community reacted
harshly to this proposal and a new approach to the revitalization of downtown Silver
Spring began; a request for a new developer was issued after Triple Five could no longer
secure financing for the project and Folger Pratt was then brought in.† This new approach
involved creating sector plans in which Folger Pratt worked with the community to
incorporate their voice.5
Initially, the Silver Spring community strongly sought to preserve the old Silver
Spring Armory, which had been constructed in 1927, because of its historical significance
and its importance as one of downtown Silver Spring’s main community spaces.6‡
However, the developers believed that the space where the Armory stood was vital to the
overall redevelopment project. Although nearly thirty civic organizations provided
community input that the Armory should be protected, the Armory was not included in
the final plan. In its place, the sector plan proposed the Civic Building and Veterans * Triple Five Group of Companies was minority partner in Mall of America and lead developer in what was then the world’s largest mall in West Edmonton, Alberta. † Folger Pratt is a prominent construction, development, and management organization in the Washington, D.C. region. ‡ The site of the Silver Spring Armory is now the Wayne Avenue Parking Garage.
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Plaza. However, despite this departure from what the community had advocated for,
within a very short period of time, a large majority of the community and veterans
supported this compromise. Many felt that it would adequately replace the lost public
space and pay homage to local Veterans, who had an important connection to the
Armory, while not prohibiting the redevelopment project.78
The result was that at the beginning of the 21st century, nearly $1 billion in public
and private funds were injected into the downtown area with a strong focus on arts and
entertainment. The American Film Institute rejuvenated the old Silver Theater and
Discovery Communications (home to the Discovery Channel) opened its new
headquarters. New restaurants, Whole Foods and an open-air mall “anchored” by a 20-
screen megaplex Regal Cinema and a Borders Books and Music soon followed.
Intermixed in all this development were several fine dining and retail establishments.
Finally, just last year in 2010, the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza
opened its doors and the Fillmore-style music hall is expected to follow suit this year in
the historic J.C Penney building.9
By June 2010, Montgomery County had invested approximately $188 million into
the redevelopment of downtown Silver Spring and an additional $262 million in other
public investment, such as the District Courthouse, Montgomery College, Fire Station,
Housing, and Streetscape, etc. From private investment, there has more than $1.2 billion
financing 29 real-estate projects, including 2,550 units of housing, 336,000 sq. ft. of
offices, and over 600,000 sq. ft. of retail. The redevelopment plan also contains future
projects, including more than 3,500 units of housing and 3 proposed offices projects.10
6
Figure 1: Downtown Silver Spring is bordered by 16th Street and Eastern Avenue to the west, Spring Street and Cedar Street to the north, Grove and Fenton Streets to the east, and Jessup Blair Park to the south. The Civic Building and Plaza are both labeled 37 and marked in green and blue at the intersection of Veterans Place and Ellsworth Drive.
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B. What Are the Civic Building and Plaza?
The Veterans Plaza’s primary use is as a large public open space that can be
programmed for festivals and concerts. Examples of this include the annual Silver Spring
Jazz Festival, which is held under the portico at the front of the Civic Building, and the
pavilion on the plaza where the Silver Spring Swings summer concert series is
held.11 During the winter, the pavilion area is for a seasonal ice skating rink. In addition,
the Plaza is open to the community for daily use and smaller events that may occur on a
regular basis, such as the new “Plaza Evenings” and the Fenton Street Market on
Saturday mornings.12
The name carries on the legacy from the old Armory that was torn down to allow
for the current redevelopment. However, the name has another meaning too, helping to
contribute to the sense of space by representing how the community has strived to make
the plaza a “dignified place to gather, a place to honor our veterans, and a place for civic
discourse.”13 As such, Veterans Plaza will include a memorial commemorating the
service of veterans of Silver Spring and Montgomery County. 14§
The other component of this public space is the Silver Spring Civic Building,
which has emerged as one of main centers of community activities in Silver Spring.
Private businesses, community organizations, local residents or County officials can rent
the different rooms in the building through Community Use of Public Facilities, which
sets the rates. The largest space is the Great Hall, which can hold a maximum of 725
people and be subdivided into multiple spaces and can be rented for banquets,
§ The memorial will be a free-standing sketched glass art piece by Toby Mendez, a Frederick County artist who created the Thurgood Marshall Memorial at the State Capitol.
8
performances and other meetings and presentations. Additionally, there are five other
community use rooms and a gallery space that houses both local art or small museum
exhibits. There is also a warming kitchen and indoor Courtyard. Other amenities include
free wireless Internet access and “state of the art” multi-media capability.15
Although most of the space needs to be rented in order be used, the public does
have access to the building itself when it is open and the atrium area when it is not rented.
In these spaces there are couches and chairs that can be used by the community.
Additionally, located on the upper floor of the Civic Building is the Silver Spring
Regional Center, while Round House Theatre has administrative offices and a practice
space on the lower level of the Civic Building.16
II. Organization and Management of the Center and Plaza
Although the Civic Building and Plaza are considered County Facilities, operation
and management of the entities are diffused among a variety of stakeholders. As such,
the County has taken a “collaborative, cross agency approach” that includes the Silver
Spring Regional Service Center, the Community Use of Public Facility, the Department
of General Services, and the Department of Police.17 At the same time, community
entities also have a principal role in managing and programming the space. For instance,
Round House Theatre is housed in the lower level of the Civic Building, and Silver
Spring Town Center, Inc. is striving to take a more active role in programming events for
the space. Therefore, in order to better understand the Civic Building and Plaza, it is
imperative to understand the important players who activate the Civic Building and Plaza
through a variety of activities.
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A. The Silver Spring Regional Service Center
One of five regional service centers located throughout Montgomery County, the
Silver Spring Regional Service Center (Regional Center) was originally formed in 1975
as the Silver Spring Government Center. Since many large urban areas within
Montgomery County are unincorporated, the County Council created these regional
service centers because they “ascertained that coordination of community needs with
government services in Silver Spring could best be accomplished through this
expansion.”18 Housed within the original Regional Center in a high-rise office building
several blocks away from today’s Civic Building and Plaza was a multitude of
government services, including the Housing Opportunities Commission, Office of
Landlord Tenant Affairs, Recreation Department of Motor Vehicles hearing Examiner,
Print Shop, and the Administrative Office.19
Today, the Administrative Office, which represents the County Executive's Office
in Silver Spring, is all that is located in the current Civic Building, as the role of the
Regional Center has evolved over the years. Its principal mission today is to help
connect individuals in Silver Spring to Montgomery County government through
“effective and timely liaison.” The staff works with residents, community groups,
businesses, regional Citizens Advisory Boards, and other public agencies to identify,
assess and help find solutions to regional problems or issues by catalyzing “cooperative
efforts, including public private partnerships.”20
Changes to the regional service centers are ongoing, especially in the current
tough fiscal environment in Montgomery County; the most recent budget makes
significant changes to the current structure. As part of a significant reorganization, “the
10
Office of Community Engagement will be created in FY2012 by consolidating the
staffing of the five Regional Service Centers, the Office of Community Partnerships…,
the Gilchrist Center…,the office of Human Rights, and the Commission for Women.”21
The goal of this reorganization is to produce savings for the County and create a more
“effective model for engaging the community.”22 Overall the budget for the five regional
service centers has declined from 29.6 work years in FY2009 to a proposed 7.1 work
years in FY2012.2324**
At the same time that the Regional Center is facing this restructuring, it is the
primary County entity “intentionally activating” the Plaza.25 In order to manage this
responsibility since the resources do not exist to provide programming all of the time, the
Regional Center is taking a two-prong approach that includes “(a) instituting a ‘Plaza
Evening Series;’ and, (b) bringing the Fenton Street Market to the Plaza every Saturday.”
Both of these approaches are low-to-no cost activities that will allow the Regional Center
to successfully engage the community.26
B. The Community Use of Public Facilities
The Community Use of Public Facilities (CUPF) “provides a centralized point of
entry for community use” of public schools, libraries, athletic fields, regional service
centers and other county facilities.27 With one of its three offices in the Civic Building,
CUPF is the scheduler of all rental space events that occur in the Center or on the Plaza
on a first come, first serve basis. It makes no judgment regarding the type of the event;
for example, a non-profit or county event would not receive preference over a private
** One work year equals the amount of work done by one full time staff person. It could also represent that amount of work done by multiple part time staff members.
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affair if it had already been scheduled.††
Furthermore, since CUPF receives no monies from the County General Fund,
“user fees are its sole source of funding for the operating budget.”28 Prices for the
different spaces are annually reviewed and differ based on the type of organization using
the space. “Commercial & Out-of-County” rates are the highest, whereas
“Community Service” rates are the lowest. “Personal & Small Enterprise” are only
slightly more than “Community Service.” These rates created controversy when the Civic
Building and Plaza first opened, which still exists to some extent, as many community
members believed that the prices were too steep and would price out many of the
community organizations that hoped to use the space. However, CUPF’s role is to
maximize revenue intake for the Center and Plaza through space rentals and decisions to
approve the rates came after an “in-depth analysis of what comparable county buildings
are charging.”29
C. Round House Theatre
Round House Theatre (Round House) is the third primary entity housed within in
the Civic Building. Originally called Street ’70, as a program of Montgomery County’s
Department of Recreation, Round House separated and became a formal non-profit in
1993. At that point, it became an independent professional theatre company with
productions at a 200-seat theatre in Silver Spring. In 2002, Round House opened a 400-
seat theatre in Bethesda and, the following year, it opened a 150-seat black box theatre in
††There is; however, a rank priority order for forms received simultaneously based on type of organization and place of residency (CUPF, Policy and Procedures).
12
downtown Silver Spring. Finally, in 2004, Round House’s new education center opened
in Silver Spring, also.30
Although Round House receives “major support” from Montgomery County, the
Maryland State Arts Council (an agency funded by the State of Maryland and the
National Endowment for the Arts), and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery
County, the theater is independent from the County, and as such, its status within the
building has not occurred without criticism from the community.31 When County
Executive Doug Duncan was handling the redevelopment, Round House was promised
free space in the new Civic Building because the “county needed a reliable tenant to
occupy the building's basement.”32 The County has leased two rehearsal spaces and
several offices to the theatre company free of charge, in addition to its other locations in
Montgomery County in which it does not pay rent.‡‡ In return, the theatre would provide
a cultural anchor for the new building by providing “arts and entertainment services to a
redeveloping Silver Spring.”33
D. Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.
Although there are many community organizations actively working to engage the
Civic Building and Veterans Plaza as part of their larger goals, Silver Spring Town
Center, Inc.’s (SSTCI) primary mission is to activate the Civic Building and Plaza area
and to create a “community gathering place that enriches the lives of residents of the
Greater Silver Spring area” through encouraging and supporting local arts, fostering civic
engagement opportunities, and marketing and promoting programs and services that are ‡‡ After outcry from upset community members to both the County and theatre company, Round House gave up its plaza-level rehearsal space in order to appease residents by increasing the amount of space available to the community (Der Bedrosian, Jul 21, 2010).
13
happening.3435 At the same time that Round House relinquished the additional practice
space, there were many questions regarding what would happen to that area. Certain
community members voiced that this space should be turned over to SSTCI so that it
could host community programs, and actually achieve a space that would be “dedicated
to the community at a very low-bar rate.”36 Although that space was eventually
reincorporated into rental space and not allocated to SSTCI, they are still working to
create an arrangement that would allow them to better achieve their mission of activating
the Civic Building and Plaza.
E. Other Stakeholders
There are many other stakeholders that have important roles in helping activate
this public space. The Silver Spring Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) and its many
subcommittees use the space on routine basis. CAB represents residents living in eleven
square miles in North Silver Spring, West Silver Spring, East Silver Spring, Four
Corners, Takoma Park and the Central Business District. Appointed by the County
Executive and confirmed by the County Council, the 18-member board serves as a link
between the community and the County, helping to identify neighborhood and business
concerns and making recommendations to county officials. Additionally, it provides
advice to the Regional Center’s director “on area needs and priorities” such as economic
development, transportation, housing, education, human services and downtown
redevelopment.37
Additionally, the Department of General Services is responsible for maintaining
the premises, providing a clean, working environment for those entities housed in the
14
Civic Building and those community members and organizations that are utilizing both
the space inside the Civic Building and outside on the Plaza.38 Funded through a variety
of methods, including an Urban District Tax, Parking Lot District fees collected by the
County, maintenance charges on optional method developments, transfers from the
General Fund, and other miscellaneous revenue such as contributions and charges for
services, the Silver Spring Urban District also works to maintain a “clean, safe and
attractive manner” in the downtown Silver Spring area.3940 Its services include security,
streetscape maintenance, tree maintenance, sidewalk repairs, marketing, and promotions
and events.41 Although more of its focus is the commercial district (Downtown Silver
Spring), its operations extend to the Plaza. Furthermore, the Montgomery County
Department of Police also provides security for the Plaza and surrounding area, and has
at times, provided overtime officers specifically for this purpose.
There are also other community actors that work to engage the space, including
the many non-profits in Silver Spring, private businesses, other County activities, and
community residents. All of these groups contribute to the long-term impacts that the
Civic Building and Plaza will have on the Greater Silver Spring community.
III. Program Theory and Logic Model
“Logic models are written or graphic representations that describe how a program
or policy is expected to bring about the desired immediate outcomes and longer-term
impacts, that is, they articulate the links between program activities and what they are
expected to achieve” through a “preestablished format.”42 The performance measures this
report proposes are derived from the outputs and outcomes that are part of this model. It
15
is therefore useful to understand some of the earlier steps in this model in order to
understand how these outputs and outcomes were developed.
A. The Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza’s Program Theory
In order to move forward with the redevelopment of downtown Silver Spring, the
old Armory needed to be torn down. The Armory had been the center for gathering and
community activities, and Silver Spring residents demanded a new public space to
replace what would be loss. The Civic Building and Plaza served as the compromise;
although many residents thought it be one of the first projects to be constructed during
the redevelopment, it took nearly a decade.
Following in the footsteps of Armory before it, the Civic Building and Plaza’s
mission is multi-layered because it is drawn from the many stakeholders – explored in the
previous section - that are responsible for managing and operating the space. From these
different groups’ activities and their stated goals, the program theory for the Civic
Building and Plaza is developed. If the Civic Building and Plaza can be effectively
activated by a variety of stakeholders including the county and the community, then the
Civic Building and Plaza can improve community cohesion through community
engagement, act as a catalyst for local economic development, and be a sustainable
revenue generator.
16
Figure 2: First Four Steps of the Logic Model for the
Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza
Problem
Identification
How to effectively replace the Armory as the community’s center while sparking economic development as part of the overall redevelopment of downtown Silver Spring.
Program Theory
If the Civic Building and Plaza can be effectively activated by a variety of stakeholders including the County and the community, then the Civic Building and Plaza can improve community cohesion through community engagement, act as a catalyst for local economic development, and be a sustainable revenue generator.
Program Design
Through a collaborative, cross agency approach that includes the Silver Spring Regional Service Center, the Community Use of Public Facility, the Department of General Services, and the Department of Police, the county will manage the Civic Building and Plaza, while partnering with community groups, such as Silver Spring Town Center, Inc, and Round House Theatre, to develop ownership over the space.
Inputs
County Inputs Direct inputs include:
• Civic Building and Veterans Plaza • County funding • Staff from Silver Spring Regional Service Center, Community Use of Public Facilities,
Department of General Services, Department of Police, and Round House Theatre. • Rentable spaces, free wireless internet, a warming kitchen and public space
Indirect inputs include:
• Silver Spring’s downtown commercial district • Access to public transportation (both metro and buses)
Community Inputs Direct inputs include:
• Volunteers at programmed events and at the front desk • Volunteers for the various Advisory Boards • Non-profit and business resources for various events and programming
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B. Year One Accomplishments
As the Civic Building and Plaza approach their one-year anniversary, recent
activities by the community and County stakeholders help demonstrate elements of the
program theory. The Civic Building continues to be rented for private activities at a
“brisk pace”, helping the facility meet its revenue projection. Additionally, the facility is
also being used extensively by County agencies and committees, including code
enforcement public hearings, advisory board meetings, town halls with elected officials,
etc. Furthermore, there are an increasing number of “public, community engagement
activities that provide opportunities for community members to connected;” in March
2011 alone, some of these included: a local church public event on the Plaza; IMPACT
Silver Spring's awards program; a highly successful youth job fair (41 employees and
nearly 1,000 youth attending); and, a Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home event.43
Also unveiled was the new Arts & Humanities exhibit at the Betty Mae Cramer
Gallery, "Between Fences" and some of the public affairs programming highlights for
April 2011 include: Gilchrest Center's movie night; youth Freedom School; Muslim
Women in the Arts; a housing forum (hosted by DHCR); an urban planning conference
(hosted by the University of Maryland and the Planning Department); and the season start
of the Fenton Street Market at Veterans Plaza on Saturday mornings.44 An Economic
Impact Report conducted in June 2010 reported that market traffic as a result of the
Fenton Street Market helped generate an additional $338,600 in revenue for businesses in
the vicinity.45
For May 2011, two public official events have just been finalized - one with
Congresswoman Donna Edwards, and the other with Congressman Chris Van Hollen. In
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addition, the Regional Service Center is experimenting with "no cost, community driven
Plaza Evenings" for Sunday through Thursday nights. According to Director Reemberto
Rodriguez,
“The purpose of these small, organic, self-started gatherings is to intentionally establish Veterans Plaza as welcoming of all community members not only as a 'special events' place, but a true public square where people come by chance and by choice. While the Plaza (and downtown Silver Spring in general) has become 'the place to be' for the younger generation - particularly on Friday and Saturday nights - it is critically important we establish this public space as family friendly for all community members. It is towards this end that we are experimenting with these "Plaza Evenings".46
The line-up consists of Sunday Drum Circles; Monday Conversations, Tuesday Exercise,
Wednesday Games, and Thursday Performances. In order to be successful, these events
require both community buy-in and community initiative.47
Additionally, potential staff changes for FY12, most likely related to budget cuts,
have prompted County staff to transition the Civic Building’s Welcome Desk to 100
percent volunteer-operated more quickly than anticipated. Additionally, staff are
providing advanced training for volunteers and increasing their recruitment efforts in
nearby senior communities. Customer Satisfaction Surveys will hopefully provide some
valuable information regarding where improvements are needed as well as information
for marketing purposes; “the data clearly indicates by far that [the Civic Building and
Plaza’s primary referral source is from word of mouth.” The most common criticisms
relate to staff shortages.48
All of these activities are in line with the inputs and activities highlighted in the
logic model above. Many of them are working towards the long-term vision that the
program theory hopes to realize. As Rodriguez further explains,
19
“Indeed, as we close 'year one' of operations, we feel increasingly comfortable that we have established this facility as a well run, marketable, fiscally responsible, and community serving facility. The strategic direction for 'year two' will be to position this facility as a 'community engagement hub', intentionally connecting programmed events and organic 'happenings' to our traditional and non-traditional civic infrastructure. Practically, this means simple things like sharing marketing efforts among event sponsors; capitalizing on the growing list of renters for promotional purposes and civic engagement opportunities; and, engaging participants of public affairs programming more intentionally with information about what else is going on in the facility and Silver Spring in general. At the same time, we will focus more on the economic impact of the facility. It is critically important that this facility realizes its full potential as a spark for economic activity in downtown Silver Spring. This means being more proactive in ensuring people coming to the facility know of the wonderful culinary, art, entertainment, and other opportunities within easy walking distance of the facility.”49
IV. The Need For Performance Measures
During this first year of operations, the focus has been on introducing the Civic
Building and Plaza to the wider community. Housed within this building, the Regional
Center has worked hard to activate the space so that it can help build community while
beginning to generate economic development in downtown Silver Spring. Helping to
connect the activities performed on a daily basis by the employees of the Regional Center
and other community and County stakeholders and the long-term vision is necessary to
ensure that these activities are the right ones to realize the long-term goals of the Civic
Building and Plaza. The part of logic model illustrated below shows how performance
measures fill this gap; between the daily activities and the distal impacts are outputs and
outcomes that are vital steps in ensuring that the Civic Building and Plaza are successful
in accomplishing their mission and realizing the program theory.
20
Figure 3: Last Four Steps of the Logic Model for the
Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza
Activities Silver Spring Regional Service Center • Anticipate, identify, and assess community problems and needs and suggest solutions to
County departments and offices • Act as liaison between community and County Executive • Provide information and connect services and programs offered by departments and offices
to community needs. • To fill service gaps, and where possible, facilitate partnership between
departments/communities/businesses. • Create an effective model for community engagement
Community Use of Public Facilities • Schedule rental space on first come first serve basis • Generate revenue through rentals
Round House Theatre • Provide arts and entertainment services to the Greater Silver Spring community • Act a reliable tenant to cultural anchor the new Civic Building • Contribute it services to help a redeveloping downtown Silver Spring
Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. • Activate the Civic Building and Plaza area • Create a community gathering place that enriches the lives of residents of the Greater
Silver Spring area • Encourage and support local arts, foster civic engagement opportunities and market and
promote programs and services that are happening Silver Spring Citizen Advisory Committee and Subcommittees
• Link community and County by helping identify neighborhood and business concerns • Provide advice to Silver Spring Regional Services Center “on area needs and priorities”
such as economic development, transportation, housing, education, human services, and downtown redevelopment
Department of General Services • Maintain the premises, providing a clean working environment
Silver Spring Urban District • Maintain a clean, safe and attractive manner in the downtown Silver Spring area through
security, streetscape maintenance, tree maintenance, sidewalk repairs, marketing and promotions and events
Department of Police • Provide security for the Plaza and surrounding area
Other Community Residents, Private Businesses and Non-Profit Organizations • Activate the Civic Building and Plaza through rentals and programming
Outputs Outputs include: • Operations and Management • Financial Operations • Community Involvement
Immediate/ Mid-range Outcomes
Outcomes include: • Improved “Access and Linkages” • Improved “Comfort and Image” • Improved “Uses and Activities” • Improved “Sociability”
Distal Impacts
Distal impacts include: • A self-sustaining Civic Building and Plaza through revenue generation • A Silver Spring with greater community cohesion and standard of living • A vibrant, thriving downtown Silver Spring and commercial district • Individuals and businesses viewing the Center as public, community asset
21
A. Methodology
Research for this project consisted of three months working as an intern at the
Civic Building for the Regional Center. During this time, interviews with community
members, literature review, and the time spent observing those working in the Civic
Building provided the foundation for the proposed performance measures in this report.
Many of the community members interviewed are involved or part of the County or
community stakeholders that provide the activities for the Civic Building and Plaza. The
literature review focused on work by planners, academics, and non-profits in their efforts
to create successful public spaces. Finally, the time spent in the Civic Building and Plaza
contributed to understanding how the spaces are being used on a daily basis.
B. Limitations: Cost Restrictions
The primary limitation to collecting this data is the cost associated with it. In an
environment, of “shrinking government” and overall consolidation and redeployment of
resources, data collection that involves the spending of additional resources is difficult to
justify. Other times it is simply not possible because the resources simply are not
available. This report recognizes these limitations to data collection when proposing the
following performance measures. Even though cost does restrict some of the measures
that can be proposed, the outputs and outcomes provided in this report help those
working towards realizing the Civic Building and Plaza’s mission begin to connect the
daily activities to the long-term goals they hope to achieve.
22
V. Silver Spring Civic Building and Plaza Performance Measures
Performance measures are divided into two categories – outputs and outcomes.
Outputs refer to what is directly produced from the program’s activities. In this case,
outputs were created to measure different elements that were accomplished based on the
different groups who sought to activate the plaza. Additionally, the outputs should relate
to the program theory and help connect the activities to the outcomes.
Outcomes are the immediate changes that occur as a result of the program’s
activities, and the outputs that those activities produced. In this report, outcomes will
refer to both immediate and mid-range changes. Mid-range changes are sometimes called
proximal impacts as they require more time before they can be observed. If the desired
changes do not appear then the program theory or design should be reevaluated, as it is
unlikely that the long-term impacts will happen.
Outcomes also require a counterfactual – a comparison to what would have
occurred if the Civic Building and Plaza did not exist. During the research stage of this
report, the author encountered questions about the purpose of performance measures
because it seemed to some individuals that the impacts of the Civic Building and Plaza
were not disputed. This author believes that the research shows that impacts in downtown
Silver Spring and the Greater Silver Spring area would be different had the Civic
Building and Plaza not been built; however, it is these outcome indicators that will help
demonstrate these changes over time through an empirical process. With some of these
indicators it is not possible to compare them to the situation before the Civic Building
and Plaza were created; in these cases, the counterfactual will often be represented by
23
different time periods. For instance, comparing data collected from year two to year one,
in order to better evaluate the overall success or failure of specific strategies used to
activate the Civic Building and Plaza.
The data for output and outcome measures should be collected separately for the
Civic Building and Plaza because they are separate entities with specific nuances and
characteristics. However, they are both part of a larger program theory that hopes to
achieve specific long-term impacts. So while the data collection method for the Civic
Building and Plaza may vary for each indicator, the performance measures themselves
are the same for the Civic Building and Plaza. If the data collection method differs
between the Civic Building and Plaza for a specific measure, then it will be noted under
that measure in the following section.
A. Program Outputs – Reasoning and Implementation
In following the logic model outlined earlier, the outputs in this section will be
divided into three categories – operations and management, financial operations, and
community involvement. Each of these categories is an essential output from the
activities done by the different stakeholders who activate the Civic Building and Plaza.
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Figure 4: Recommended Output Categories and
Specific Performance Measures
Operations and Management
The following indicators reflect the outputs from activities relating to the
operations and management of the Civic Building and Plaza.
Percentage of total hours rented
This output measure captures a variety of relevant information – most
importantly, the level of demand for this space in the community at the current price.
There are lot of variables that affect this number including rental prices, knowledge about
OUTPUT PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Operations and Management
• Percentage of total hours rented
• Number of hours of security provided
• Number of hours of maintenance completed
Financial Operations
• Ratio of building revenue to operational costs
• Revenue generated as a percentage of maximum
possible
• Percentage of totals hours rented that are non-
revenue generating hours
Community Involvement
• Number of activities organized
• Number of volunteers
• Average hours per volunteer
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the space, and overall general interest to use either the Civic Building or Plaza. Since
both the Civic Building and Plaza are evaluated separately, this indicator provides useful
data about how the two spaces compare. Both the Civic Building and Plaza have unique
qualities that attract different uses but, overall, the goals for the both spaces are the same.
Therefore, if there was a significant difference between the two in terms of percentage of
total hours rented, those assessing the data can look to the factors mentioned above to
understand why this may be happening and how to change specific activities or
restrictions in order to better achieve the desired goal.
Number of hours of security provided
Security obligations are divided among a variety of stakeholders. With regard to
the Civic Building, it refers to the amount of hours provided by the security guard. When
referencing the Plaza, security hours by both the Urban District and Montgomery County
Police Department are important to count. The security services provided by these three
different groups are instrumental to the operation and management of the Civic Building
and Plaza; therefore, the total number of hours should be considered, especially as
resources for these services are cut or expanded.
Number of hours of maintenance completed
Similarly to the number of hours of security provided indicator, this measure is
useful in illustrating the amount of time and resources needed to create a Civic Building
and Plaza that are marketable and desirable to the community. If these services are
26
overlooked or underfunded, this indicator will help capture whether a decline in use can
be attributed to the decrease in this output.
Financial Operations
The following indicators reflect the outputs from activities relating to the financial
operations of the Civic Building and Plaza.
Ratio of building revenue to operational costs
One of the primary goals of the Civic Building and Plaza is to at least generate
sufficient revenue to cover their costs. A ratio that compares building revenue to
operational costs would provide a useful, concise measure that captures this fundamental
obligation. It will provide essential information regarding the effectiveness of the current
strategy to activate the Civic Building and Plaza and whether it should be reevaluated.
Revenue generated as a percentage of maximum possible
The indicator for ratio of building revenue to operational costs helps provide
information regarding the ability for the Civic Building and Plaza to cover costs; this
indicator helps characterize the potential that the Civic Building and Plaza have to
generate additional revenue. Together these indicators work together to create a more
robust picture. For instance, if the previous indicator demonstrates that revenue exceeds
costs and this indicator demonstrates additional revenue generation capacity, then this
data may influence a strategy that involves lowering costs so that the community can
better access the facility. However, if the alternative is recorded, then a different strategy
27
has to be developed that increases prices because covering costs through additional
rentals would not be possible in this scenario.
Percentage of totals hours rented that are non-revenue generating hours
Since one of the primary goals of the Civic Building is that it generates sufficient
revenue, it is important to capture to what extent revenue is not be collected because of
rentals by public officials or committees. For instance, the percentage of total hours
rented indicator may show that the Civic Building and Plaza are at close to 100 percent
capacity. However, if the revenue generated as a percentage of maximum possible shows
that only 50 percent of the maximum possible revenue is being collected, this measure
would explain the difference because the loss of revenue is a result of distribution of
space within the building to those who do not pay for the space, such as public officials,
advisory committees, or non-profit entities that have free access to the space. This
measure helps provide context for the difficult question over how to balance revenue
generation and community and County access to the space.
Community Involvement
The following indicators reflect the outputs from activities relating to community
involvement aspects of the Civic Building and Plaza.
Number of programmed events organized
One of the easiest and most informative measures about how the space is being
used is the number of programmed events that are organized. This indicator should be the
cumulative sum of all of the events programmed in either the Civic Building or Plaza by
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all of the various entities responsible for activating the space; this includes both County
and community groups. It is a useful measure of the diverse interest in the space,
specifically if this data was collected while noting who was conducting the specific
activity. For instance, community organizations such as Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.
or Round House Theatre might each activate the various spaces with a certain number of
programmed events. However, their use of the space has different implications than if ten
different community organizations each utilized either the Civic Building or Plaza for one
programmed event. This indicator provides information regarding how extensive the list
of stakeholders is that activate the Civic Building or Plaza and the depth of their
involvement.
Number of volunteers
The Silver Spring community is an important stakeholder in activating the Civic
Building and Plaza. Steps are already being taken to transition the Civic Building’s front
desk to being staffed by 100 percent volunteers. Noting how many volunteers are being
recruited is an important output in demonstrating community input apart from the
activities generated by community organizations that hold events in the Civic Building or
on the Plaza. Additionally, as certain stakeholders seek to activate the Civic Building or
Plaza through low- to no-cost methods, volunteers become more essential to the success
of these initiatives, while also providing a tangible demonstration of community “buy-
in.”
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Average hours per volunteer
This indicator helps provide additional context to the previous one listed. While
the number of volunteers describes the quantity, the average hours per volunteer strives to
describe the quality of their involvement. For instance, information that only states that
there are ten volunteers or information that states that volunteers on average commit four
hours each week does not provide a lot of useful data. However, together, information
that says there are ten volunteers who commit on average four hours a week would
provide valuable information if the alternative was twenty volunteers who could only
commit one hour each week. Together these two indicators provide helpful information
regarding the community’s direct output at the Civic Building and Plaza.
B. Program Outcomes – Reasoning and Implementation
The outcome indicators recommended below are presented within the context of
low- to no-cost measures of the immediate to mid-range impact the Civic Building and
Plaza are having on the Silver Spring community. They are crafted with the goal of
aiding those from the County and community that are activating the Civic Building and
Plaza to better guide its operation and ability to achieve its long-term impacts. Many of
these indicators capture “snapshots” in time; in order to capture and measure the actual
outcome, it is important to focus on the change in these indicators over a period of time.
Choosing the Categories
Improvements in four outcome categories are the best way to evaluate the Civic
Building and Plaza: “Access and Linkages”; “Comfort and Image”; “Uses and
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Activities”, and “Sociability.”50 Within each of these outcome categories, this report
proposes specific performance measures the help illustrate the change that has resulted
from these spaces.
Figure 5: “The Place Diagram is one of the tools PPS has developed to help communities evaluate places. The inner ring represents key attributes, the middle ring intangible qualities, and the outer ring measurable data.”51
These four outcome categories were specifically chosen from research conducted
from the Project for Public Spaces (PPS), a nonprofit planning, design and educational
organization that strives to help people create and sustain public spaces that build
stronger communities. Since their inception in 1975, PPS has completed projects in over
2500 communities throughout 40 countries and in every U.S. state.52 In addition, they
train more than 10,000 people each year in how to create more successful public spaces.
Using a variety of techniques including time-lapse filming, systematic observation,
surveys, and town meetings, their research has shown that these four qualities describe
successful public spaces; “every great public space has access and linkages, comfort and
image, uses and activities, and sociability.53
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Figure 6: Recommended Outcome Categories and
Specific Performance Measures
OUTCOMES PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Improved Access and Linkages
• Ratio of unique customers to repeat customers
• Amount of traffic through the Civic
Building/Plaza
• Change in number of people who ask for
information at the Welcome Desk
Improved Comfort and Image
• Change in the number of security incidences
• Ratio of number of security incidences during
programmed activities versus non-programmed
activities
Improved Uses and Activities
• Percentage of rentals that use services from
local businesses
• Ratio of changes in sales growth for business
immediate around Civic Building and Plaza
compared to others in downtown Silver Spring
Improved Sociability
• Changes in distribution of types of
individuals/groups who rent the rooms (e.g.
non-profits, private business, public officials)
• Changes in distribution of demographics who
rent the rooms (e.g. age, race, gender)
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Improved Access and Linkages
Ratio of unique customers to repeat customers
This outcome indicator explains important information about who in the
community is using the Civic Building and Plaza. It aims to capture the ratio of new
customers to repeated users in a period of time. By collecting this information, a more
accurate picture of whether a select portion of the community are the only ones using the
space or whether access is spread throughout the Greater Silver Spring area.
Since data collected by customer satisfaction surveys demonstrated that
knowledge of the Civic Building and Plaza is overwhelming spread by word of mouth, it
is probable that those currently using the space are still a small portion of the Greater
Silver Spring population. This likelihood has been strongly confirmed by anecdotal
questioning of residents who live in Silver Spring but who have little to no knowledge
about the Civic Building or Plaza. Over time this indicator can help provide support for
or against advertising and other outreach efforts based on the information it provides.
Data collection of this information is relatively simple. An additional question can
be added to CUPF’s rental applications, asking whether that individual or organization is
a first time user or a return customer.
Amount of traffic through the Civic Building/Plaza
Counting foot traffic through the Civic Building and Plaza is essential to
understanding whether the community is utilizing the space and whether the spaces are
successful. Central to the mission of the Civic Building and Plaza is community usage
and activity. This indicator provides information that helps inform about how many
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people are showing up during certain periods of day and during certain events. It can
provide information regarding whether programmed events are always necessary to draw
people during a given time. This data is vital to the success of the space as “public.”
Unlike many of the other indicators, data collection of this information is different
for both the Civic Building and Plaza. Collecting this information for the Civic Building
is easier and less costly. Since there is one main entrance and since traffic is not
overwhelming, the person at the front desk with a traffic counter could easily capture the
amount of people entering the building. Each hour that person could record in an Excel
spreadsheet the amount of people they counted. This system would provide a simple
method that would capture most of the foot traffic in and out of the Civic Building, while
also allowing for it to be easily sorted and interpreted by time of day and event if so
desired. Additionally, during times that the Civic Building is opened for private events,
and when there is no one at the front desk, whoever is in charge of watching the entrance
and maintaining security could perform this function. Since there are so few staff housed
in the Civic Building (many of the Round House employees enter through their own
entrance), their movement would not skew the data tremendously; the overall picture
about usage of the building would still be intact.
Collecting this information for the Plaza is more difficult because of the time and
cost required. However, this information is vital to understanding the Plaza’s usage
beyond anecdotal reports. Perhaps the most feasible way long-term to accomplish this
goal would be to integrate a new security camera that would provide additional
surveillance but also be positioned at an appropriate angle to capture a “snapshot” of the
entire plaza. Freeze frames could be recorded on a set-time basis. The process for
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counting the amount of people in a photo is relatively unscientific but using fairly
standard crowd estimation methods could be done by a variety of people.54
Clearly, counting people in large public spaces is not an exact science. However,
a perfect number count is not the goal. What is important is whether this indicator
provides a useful measure for how the space is used and whether it informs those who are
responsible for activating the space about whether their strategies are effective or need
modifying. To these ends, it would.
Number of people who ask for information at the Welcome Desk
Already being collected, this indicator provides useful information regarding what
people are stopping in or calling in and asking about. The overall number illustrates a
basic measure of community interest and access to information about these new spaces.
What is important, however, is how this number changes over time. Are people inquiring
more often about information about the Civic Building or Plaza as the community
becomes familiarized with the space. The focus on this indicator should be on the trends
being observed.
Although it acts mostly as an indicator for the Civic Building, questions regarding
the Plaza could be recorded separately in their own column. As has been occurring, the
volunteers staffing the desks could continue to collect this data. However, instead of
waiting to input this data into a useable form, at the end of each day, the volunteers
should input this information into an Excel spreadsheet that would keep an accessible
running tally.
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Improved Comfort and Image
Number of security incidences
The number of security incidences that occur at or in the immediate area around
the Civic Building and Plaza are an important measure of “Comfort and Image.” A
principal goal of the Civic Building and Plaza, along with the entire redevelopment
project, is to create a “family-friendly” environment in downtown Silver Spring. The
consequences of major security incidences that occur at Center and Plaza, or in the
immediate area, have dramatic repercussions for achieving the Civic Building and Plaza’s
long-term mission, such as the brutal attack on a 32-year old man who was simply
walking by the Baja Fresh restaurant on the Plaza in July 2010 or the large fight that
broke out, before the Building and Plaza opened but at the same intersection, in March
2009 after a youth "Stop the Violence" concert.55
Although clearly infrequent, these incidences can ultimately undermine the entire
reputation of the space. T. Hill, a Takoma, D.C., resident who witnessed the event, stated
to reporters, "I've never seen anything remotely close to this…I'm not going to come here
again or walk here again if these punks are harassing people."56 Even though this
response is clearly anecdotal, a few security incidences are all that is often needed to
create a reputation that would be difficult to change. This measure ensures that those
evaluating the Civic Building and Plaza incorporate the importance that security has for a
community space.
Acquiring this information and using it as a part of an overall evaluation creates
no costs for the Civic Building and Plaza because this data is already recorded by the
County and is public record.
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Ratio of number of security incidences during programmed activities versus non-
programmed activities
In a similar context to the previous measures, this measures provides a more
nuanced pictured of when the safety of the space is compromised. Knowing this
information can best allow those within the county and community to adapt their
approach to activities planning and overall management of the space. For instance,
knowing whether security incidences occur more often during programmed activities
versus non-programmed activities require a difference response than if the situation were
the opposite. This measure provides valuable information with regards to what approach
may be necessary to achieving the desired level of security at the Civic Building and
Plaza in order to successfully create a “family-friendly” space.
Collection of data for this indicator would require someone to categorize whether
the security incidence took place during a “programmed” or “non-programmed” activity.
However, this information would most likely be noted in the incidence report; if not, it
would be easy to compare with the Civic Building or Plaza’s calendar.
Improved Uses and Activities
Ratio of changes in sales growth for business immediate around Civic Building and
Plaza compared to other businesses in downtown Silver Spring
Determining the economic development impact that the Civic Building and Plaza
have on the surrounding downtown Silver Spring is difficult because separating out other
local factors and larger regional influences on the economic activity of the area requires
37
large data collection and extensive statistical modeling. However, this indicator is
designed to eliminate many external factors by focusing specifically on the businesses
immediately around the Civic Building and Plaza and comparing them to other
businesses in Downtown Silver Spring. By comparing businesses that are in same private
complex, the value of the Civic Building and Plaza as a net plus to the surrounding
businesses is isolated. Therefore, a ratio, which compares the percentage revenue
increase for businesses in the rest of the complex to those in Section D, or a composite
between Section D and Section A if possible (see Figure X below), illustrates the added
benefit that the Civic Building and Plaza have in the immediate vicinity.
Collection of this data would involve sharing information with Downtown Silver
Spring. PFA Silver Spring, L.C. (Peterson, Foulger Pratt and Argo Investments), which
manages Downtown Silver Spring, does divide its tenant businesses into sections and
track its tenants’ performances on a monthly basis. This indicator would be easy to
create with the partnership of Downtown Silver Spring and serve as useful indicator of
the Civic Building and Plaza’s economic impact.
Figure 7:
Downtown
Silver Spring’s
Lease Plan
(12/3/2010)
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Percentage of rentals that use services from local businesses
Part of the Civic Building and Plaza’s ability to spark economic activity is
represented by the amount of people who use the space and then decide to frequent local
businesses, increasing traffic. Isolating this type of economic generation is difficult and
costly. However, many of the events that take place in the Civic Building or on the Plaza
involve contracting additional private businesses to provide services at their events.
These services can range from catered food to party planners. In these instances, it is very
easy to capture what affect the Civic Building and Plaza are having on local businesses.
An indicator that measures what percentage of room rentals utilize services from
local businesses versus businesses outside of Silver Spring would be useful in not only
measuring the economic impact of the space but also in helping provide data about
whether resources, advertising, and partnerships would be helpful in improving how the
Civic Building and Plaza can spark economic activity in this area.
Data collection of this information can also be done at little to no-cost by adding
two or three short questions to the current customer satisfaction surveys that individuals
fill out after they rent a space. Asking whether they used the services of a private
business, its address, and the cost would capture the necessary variables.
Improved Sociability
Change in the distribution of types of individuals/groups who rent the rooms (e.g. non-
profits, private business, public officials)
The distribution of the types of organizations that use the Civic Building and Plaza
explain a lot about how the community will perceive it. If the space is primarily used by
39
private businesses for regional conferences or by County officials, residents will view the
space differently than if it used primarily be community organizations and non-profits.
Exactly what balance is the right breakdown needs to be part of the strategy of those
activating the Civic Building and Plaza spaces. However, what is important to observe is
whether the outcome – the change towards the desired distribution - is occurring as a
result of how the Civic Building and Plaza are being activated.
Change in the distribution of demographics who rent the rooms (e.g. age, race, gender)
Demographically, Silver Spring has changed dramatically over the decades. Just
this year, Silver Spring became a majority-minority city with Whites representing 46.6
percent, African Americans 28 percent, and Latinos 22 percent of the population. These
shifts create both challenges and opportunities for the Civic Building in achieving its
vision of actively engaging the community and creating a “community” for all. As
Regional Center Director Reemberto Rodriguez noted in his blog, Silver Spring Speaks,’
first posting, “let’s not forget that what we are trying to do here in Silver Spring has
really never worked before…Where else is there a community where all are welcome –
and all are at the table - regardless of background, ethnicity, or economic status?”57
Consequently, an important indicator would be whether over time the
demographic information for those who utilize the space reflects the demographic
composition of the community. This indicator helps identify what community members
are actively renting the space, while over time noting the change in these demographics.
This change is the important element, helping illustrate whether strategies employed to
40
engage the community and create a better sense of community within Greater Silver
Spring are successful.
Adding questions regarding demographic information to the anonymous customer
service satisfaction surveys for those who use the rental space at the Civic Building or
Plaza would be best way to collect this data, while still protecting the identity and privacy
of those customers and community members.
VI. Conclusion: Positioning for the Future
As the first year of operation comes to a close, it is critical to understand the Civic
Building and Plaza’s accomplishments. This report has provided background about the
history and different entities that are responsible for activating the Civic Building and
Plaza, and how these performance measures will provide empirical data that will help
clarify long-term impacts, confirm the program theory, and provide useful information
regarding future strategies.
In addition to these outcomes, this report recommends that those County and
community-based organizations that are activating the Civic Building and Plaza strongly
consider utilizing opportunities to achieve additional outcome and impact information,
specifically relating to community-engagement, that requires resources to properly collect
– mostly through extensive interviewing and surveys. Although the Civic Building and
Plaza are operating within an environment of limited resources, the stakeholders who
help activate this space should seek partnerships with other anchor institutions and
community entities to maximize their capabilities.
41
Reaching out to the plethora of research institutions in the area may provide
opportunities to partner with academics also interesting in evaluating public spaces.
Examples of this kind of research include evaluations of Patterson Park in Baltimore
conducted by the Urban Studies and Planning Program at the University of Maryland and
Democracy Plaza at Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis by Johnny
Goldfinger of the Department of Political Science at that campus.5859 These opportunities
to collect additional outcome data that gauge changes in community opinion should not
be overlooked.
Acknowledgements The author of this report would like to note the following people that provided input and insight through interviews and conversations for this project: Reemberto Rodriguez, Director, Silver Spring Regional Service Center; Professor Doug Besharov, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, College Park; Doug Call, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, College Park; Jewru Bandeh, Program Manager, Silver Spring Regional Service Center; Gwen Haney, Facilities Manager, Silver Spring Regional Service Center; Kathy Stevens, Chair, Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board; Jennifer Nettles, Chair, Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee, and manager, Downtown Silver Spring; Richard Romer, Policy Analyist, Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin's Office; Sandra Tallant, Montgomery County Department of Park and Planning; Dr. Howie Baum, School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation, University of Maryland; Professor Sidney Brower, School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation, University of Maryland; Alan Friedman, Chair, Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment Committee; Andrew Wexler, Co-Chair; Silver Spring Transportation District Advisory Committee; and Jonathan Bernstein, Member, Seven Oaks Civic Association. 1 Department of General Services Division of Building Design and Construction, Montgomery County Government, 2011. <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/DGS/DBDC/RegionalProjectPages/SilverSpringProjects/sscivicbldg.asp>, Photo retrieved on May 6, 2011. 2 Gretchen Cook, “Downtown Silver Spring: Experiencing a Resurgence After a Bumpy History,” UrbanTurf: The DC Real Estate Guide, Jul 21, 2010, <http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/downtown_silver_spring_experiencing_a_resurgence_after_a_bumpy_history/2281#comments>, Accessed Apr 10, 2011. 3 Impact Silver Spring, Our History, Impact Silver Spring, 2007, <http://www.impactsilverspring.org/history.html>, Accessed Apr 10, 2011.
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4 Timothy J. Mullaney, “Canadian developers may build mall, amusement park in Silver Spring,” Baltimore, MD: The Baltimore Sun, Aug 8, 1995, <http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-08-08/business/1995220138_1_mall-silver-spring-weaver>, Accessed May 2, 2011. 5 Interview with Sandra Tallant, Montgomery County Department of Park and Planning, Apr 18, 2011. 6 Jerry A. McCoy, Robert E. Oshel, and Dana Lee Dembrow, “Silver Spring Timeline – 20th Century and Beyond!” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Historical Society. Apr 2008, <http://silverspringhistory.homestead.com/timeline2.html>, Accessed May 2, 2011. 7 Robert A. Kronenberg, Site Plan Amendment for Downtown Silver Spring: 81999002F, Silver Spring, MD: Montgomery County Department of Park and Planning, Jul 3, 2006, 5. 8 Interview with Sandra Tallant, Montgomery County Department of Park and Planning, Apr 18, 2011. 9 Gretchen Cook, “Downtown Silver Spring: Experiencing a Resurgence After a Bumpy History,” UrbanTurf: The DC Real Estate Guide, Jul 21, 2010, <http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/downtown_silver_spring_experiencing_a_resurgence_after_a_bumpy_history/2281#comments>, Accessed Apr 10, 2011. 10 Initiatives For Development In Downtown Silver Spring, June 2010. 11 Silver Spring Downtown Arts & Entertainment, “Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Downtown Arts & Entertainment, 2008, <http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/go/http-and-and-wwwsilverspringdowntowncom-and-silver-spring-ci>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 12 Reemberto Rodriguez, “Spring Plaza Evenings: Come Join in!,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Speaks, Mar 7, 2011, <http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/03/spring-plaza-evenings-come-join-in.html>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 13 Reemberto Rodriguez, “Veterans Day. Veterans Plaza Dedication. FREE Veterans Concert” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Speaks, Nov 10, 2010, <http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/11/veterans-day-veterans-plaza-dedication.html>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 14 Silver Spring Downtown Arts & Entertainment, “Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Downtown Arts & Entertainment, 2008, <http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/go/http-and-and-wwwsilverspringdowntowncom-and-silver-spring-ci>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 15 “Community Use of Public Facilities,” Rockville, MD: Montgomery County Government, Mar 10, 2011, <https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/cupf/info/sscb.asp#>, Accessed Apr 24, 2011. 16 Silver Spring Downtown Arts & Entertainment, “Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Downtown Arts & Entertainment, 2008, <http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/go/http-and-and-wwwsilverspringdowntowncom-and-silver-spring-ci>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 17 “Several Questions For Project,” Email Interview with Reemberto Rodriguez, Apr 7, 2011. 18 Montgomery County Government, “Regional Center,” Rockville, MD: Montgomery County Government, Feb 9, 2011, <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/Content/RSC/SilSprng/RegionalServices/welcome.asp>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 19 Ibid. 20 Office of Management and Budget, County Executive’s Recommended FY12 Operating Budget and FY12-17 Public Services Program, “Section 26: Community Engagement,” Montgomery County Government, Mar 15, 2011, <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ombtmpl.asp?url=/content/omb/fy12/psprec/index.asp>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011, 4. 21 Ibid, 1. 22 Ibid, 4. 23 Office of Management and Budget, Approved FY10 Operating Budget and Capital Budgets And Amendments to FY09-14 Capital Improvements Program (CIP), “Volume 1: Operating Budget: Regional Service Centers,” Montgomery County Government, Aug 7, 2009, <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ombtmpl.asp?url=/content/omb/fy10/appr/psp_toc.asp#top>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011, 3.
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24 Office of Management and Budget, County Executive’s Recommended FY12 Operating Budget and FY12-17 Public Services Program, “Section 26: Community Engagement,” Montgomery County Government, Mar 15, 2011, <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ombtmpl.asp?url=/content/omb/fy12/psprec/index.asp>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011, 4. 25 Reemberto Rodriguez, “Activating Veterans Plaza in the Spring, Summer & Fall Routinely and Consistently,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Regional Service Center, Feb 25th, 2011, 1. 26 Ibid, 1. 27 Community Use of Public Facilities, “Frequently Asked Questions Related to Community Use of Public Facilities,” Rockville, MD: Montgomery County Government, Nov 2010, <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cuptmpl.asp?url=/content/cupf/html/info-cupf/news.asp>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011, 1. 28 Ibid, 2. 29 Jeanette Der Bedrosian, “Controversy over Silver Spring Civic Center rental rates,” Gaithersburg, MD: Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net, Jul 21, 2010, <http://www.gazette.net/stories/07142010/silvnew201503_32533.php>, Accessed Apr 25, 2011. 30 Round House Theatre, “History and Mission,” Bethesda, MD: Round House Theatre, 2011, < http://www.roundhousetheatre.org/about-us/history-mission/>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 31 Silver Spring Downtown Arts & Entertainment, “Round House Theatre,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Downtown Arts & Entertainment, 2008, <http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/go/round-house-theatre>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 32 Jason Tornassini, “Silver Spring Civic Building welcomes guests,” Gaithersburg, MD: Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net, Jul 14, 2010, <http://www.gazette.net/stories/07142010/silvnew201503_32533.php>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 33 Jeanette Der Bedrosian, “Controversy over Silver Spring Civic Center rental rates,” Gaithersburg, MD: Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net, Jul 21, 2010, <http://www.gazette.net/stories/07142010/silvnew201503_32533.php>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 34 Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., “About Us,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., 2011, <http://www.silverspringtowncenter.com/about-us/>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 35 Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., “Our Vision,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., 2011, < http://www.silverspringtowncenter.com/about-us/our-vision/>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 36 Jeanette Der Bedrosian, “Controversy over Silver Spring Civic Center rental rates,” Gaithersburg, MD: Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net, Jul 21, 2010, <http://www.gazette.net/stories/07142010/silvnew201503_32533.php>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 37 “Service Centers,” Gaithersburg, MD: Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net, Sept 9, 2010, <http://www.gazette.net/communityguide/story.php?id=253>, Apr 23, 2011. 38 Department of General Services, “Facilities Management,” Rockville, MD: 2011, <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/DGS/Facility/Index.asp>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 39 Silver Spring Regional Services Center, “Urban District Advisory Committee,” Rockville, MD: Montgomery County Government, Apr 1, 2011, <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/Content/RSC/SilSprng/BoardsCommittees/urbanadvisorycommittee.asp>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 40 Silver Spring Regional Services Center, “Silver Spring Urban District,” Rockville, MD: Montgomery County Government, Feb 9, 2011, <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/Content/RSC/SilSprng/redshirts.asp>, Accessed Apr 23, 2011. 41 Ibid. 42 Douglas J. Besharov, “Logic Models,” College Park, MD: University of Maryland, School of Public Policy, Spring 2011, 2. 43 “Several Questions For Project,” Email Interview with Reemberto Rodriguez, Apr 7, 2011. 44 Ibid. 45 Reemberto Rodriguez, “Activating Veterans Plaza in the Spring, Summer & Fall Routinely and Consistently,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Regional Service Center, Feb 25th, 2011, 3. 46 “Several Questions For Project,” Email Interview with Reemberto Rodriguez, Apr 7, 2011.
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47 Reemberto Rodriguez, “Activating Veterans Plaza in the Spring, Summer & Fall Routinely and Consistently,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Regional Service Center, Feb 25th, 2011, 2. 48 “Several Questions For Project,” Email Interview with Reemberto Rodriguez, Apr 7, 2011. 49 Ibid. 50 Project for Public Spaces, “What is Placemaking,” New York, NY: Project for Public Spaces, 2011, <http://www.pps.org/articles/what_is_placemaking/>, Accessed May 2, 2011. 51 Ibid. 52 Project for Public Spaces, “About PPS,” New York, NY: Project for Public Spaces, 2011, <http://www.pps.org/about/approach/>, Accessed May 2, 2011. 53 Fred Kent and Phil Myrick, “How to Become a Great Public Space,” Interview with American Libraries, American Libraries, Vol. 34, Is. 4, Apr 2003, 72. 54 Carl Bialik, “Sizing Up Crowd Pushes Limits of Technology,” New York, NY: Wall Street Journal, Feb 5, 2011, <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704709304576124170146934768.html?mod=WSJ_hps_RIGHTTopCarousel_1>, Accessed Apr 25, 2011. 55 Jason Tornassini, “15 arrested following downtown Silver Spring assault,” Gaithersburg, MD: Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net, Jul 13, 2010, <http://www.gazette.net/stories/07132010/montnew133011_32583.php>, Accessed Apr 16, 2011. 56 Ibid. 57 Reemberto Rodriguez, “Spring Plaza Common Values,” Silver Spring, MD: Silver Spring Speaks, Dec 29, 2009, < http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/12/silver-spring-common-values.html>, Accessed Apr 27, 2011. 58 Patterson Park: Putting the Pieces Together (Planning Studio, Urban Studies and Planning Program, University of Maryland, 1994); Patterson Park—How People Use It and Feel About It: Overview and Summary of the 1995 Survey (Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks; and Urban Studies and Planning Program, University of Maryland, 1996); Sidney Brower and Erica Todd, Community Participation in the Plan for Patterson Park: An Assessment (Urban Studies and Planning Program, University of Maryland, 1998); and Sidney Brower and Nkechi Hislop, User Survey of Patterson Park 2008 (Urban Studies and Planning Program, University of Maryland, 1998). 59 Johnny Goldfinger, “Democracy Plaza: A Campus Space for Civic Engagement,” Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, IN: Innovative Higher Education, Vol. 34, 2009, 69-77.