Sometimes starting over is the preferred method when developing a community, but at National Park Seminary in Silver Spring, MD, the charm of the historic neighborhood was enough to make EYA and The Alexander Company decide to take what was there and recreate it or make it better. It is history in the making. “The eclectic mix of architectural styles, the phenomenal location, the beauty of the site, the restoration of so many historic structures all stand out,” says Bob Youngentob, president of EYA and developer of 90 townhomes designed to match the existing historic buildings. “The Alexander Company is a fantastic partner,” adds Youngentob, who founded EYA with Terry Eakin, chairman and CEO. “It’s been a tremendous experience to watch them come in and save buildings that looked beyond hope and to navigate with skill and ease through a complex approval and funding process.”
While The Alexander Company is repurposing the 26 historic buildings in the community into condominiums, apartments, and residential homes, EYA is building new townhomes in Arts and Crafts, English Tudor, Colonial Revival, and Spanish Mission styles to correspond with existing architecture. EYA recently opened its Stratton and Forsythe models.
Accentuating the Angles
Carlyn and Company Interiors + Design uses accent colors throughout the Stratton and Forsythe models to enhance the townhomes’ architecture without adding trim and moldings. “This created an added layer of design,” says Holly Polgreen, president and co-founder of Carlyn and Company. “For example, in the loft of the Stratton, we used an accent color of blue to showcase the two-sided fireplace and two tones of neutral to highlight and contrast the interesting angles of the walls.”
“We designed the balcony as an extension of the loft space,” adds Missy Sinsel, design director at Carlyn and Company. With a younger couple in mind, the four-level Stratton was designed “with clean lines and a hip, modern look…adding soft blue, textured linens, and merlot woods for an updated feel,” Sinsel says.
“In the Forsythe, we selected a palette of warm gold, rich chocolate brown, and sizzling red for a sophisticated look,” Sinsel adds. This model targets empty nesters.
“Each home, from the space plan to the accessories, tells the story of the homeowner,” Polgreen says. “We not only select pieces that fit the scale and function of the room, but that also appeal to the market on an emotional level.” The designers also integrated photographs of National Park Seminary, as it appears today, into the decor. “We featured these pieces in the living and dining rooms creating focal points of interest in these high traffic areas,” Sinsel adds, and tying the old with the new.
Quite a Pair
Building in other historic districts in the past, such as Old Town Alexandria and Capitol Hill, as well as recently preserving a neighborhood icon in Arts District Hyattsville, EYA knows the processes involved in an undertaking such as National Park Seminary. “We spent a lot of time working with the historic preservation officials, the surrounding neighborhoods, and Save Our Seminary to achieve just the right balance,” Youngentob says of National Park Seminary. “We had to strike a balance between creating attractive and appealing new homes and staying true to the existing historic environment.”
EYA knew about National Park Seminary and its location near Rock Creek Park and Forest Glen Metro due to its previous involvement in revitalization efforts in downtown Wheaton and Silver Spring. “National Park Seminary is a one-of-a-kind community with a phenomenal story. The historic architecture is unlike anything else in the country, let alone Montgomery County, and the natural charm of the site is incredible,” Youngentob adds.
“People tell us they want to live in National Park Seminary because it’s not a cookie-cutter community. It’s different, it’s high quality, and it’s beautiful,” says Youngentob, who adds that visitors to the models mention how they feel right at home. “Favorite elements in the models are the indoor-outdoor spaces and how they work so well together,” he says. Current prices range from the high $600,000s to more than $1 million for the five EYA floor plans.
Youngentob says, “Given all the unique attributes of the site, the eclectic architecture, the community involvement in saving the property, and the great location, National Park Seminary is a perfect match for EYA and its mission of developing special projects that make a difference in the community.”
