Costello Debuts New Civic Building in Downtown Silver Spring

Construction is complete on the community outreach facility located at Veterans Plaza

July 8, 2010 – Columbia, Md. – Costello Construction, in conjunction with Montgomery County, celebrated the grand opening of the highly-anticipated Civic Building at Veterans Plaza today. The $22 million project, which includes a grand reception hall, ice rink, open-air courtyard, art gallery, and state-of-the-art meeting rooms, will serve as the hub for community activities and special events in the heart of downtown Silver Spring.

Construction on the Civic Building began in late 2008, and required careful planning and execution on behalf of the Costello team. Both the project’s site work and concrete work were completed with Costello’s own crews and equipment. Great care was taken to ensure the area’s thriving community remained undisturbed throughout the building process. July 8th, 2010 marked substantial completion of the project, and a ribbon cutting ceremony was held in celebration of the occasion.

Designed by the Boston-based firm and world renowned architects, Machado and Silvetti Associates, the 42,000 square foot Civic Building will house the Silver Spring Regional Center and County offices as well as the Round House Theatre School, located on the lower floor. The remainder of the facility will be available for use by the public for activities that include weddings, banquets, performances and meeting spaces.

The thee-story structure is visually impressive and stands out amongst the area’s surrounding buildings. Serving as an unmistakable focal point, the new Civic Building includes some eye-catching design features. The exterior is partially covered by Ipe wood, a cultivated Brazilian hardwood that does not need to be sealed or treated. This material will turn a gray color with time. Additionally, visitors to the facility may notice the fritted glass (glass with many small dots on it) in the all-glass atrium. This will reduce sunlight coming in and cut down on heat gain. The floor of the Civic Building was constructed of natural stone and bamboo, both sustainable building materials.

The completed Civic Building brings a new vibrancy to downtown Silver Spring. Costello made sure every detail of the project was constructed with the utmost quality to ensure that the community’s vision for an attractive, family-friendly outreach facility would be realized.