It
was long time coming, but—finally—on Saturday, January 26, the 5 Salesians
who make up what is termed the Washington community relocated 6.7 miles from
their residence in Silver Spring, Md., to a new one in College Park, Md.—2.3
miles closer to Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Takoma Park, Md., where
they serve as teachers, administrators, or volunteer staff.
The house in Silver Spring (317 Southwest Dr.) |
A
fine little ranch-style house in the Burnt Mills section of Silver Spring had
been the SDBs’ rented home since mid-2013 when the province withdrew the
community from Nativity Parish in Washington (hence its designation). Until
June 2017 it was a 3-confrere community and the house served its needs well.
But
in a reconfiguration of the province at that time, the community grew to 5 men.
The 4 confreres freshly assigned that summer (after 2 others were given new
assignments) were solemnly advised not to unpack except for what was essential
“until November” because the community was about to move to new, larger
quarters.
One of the moving vans at the garage door in Silver Spring |
Part of a long unloading process at the new residence. |
Which
didn’t happen as quickly as anyone hoped.
At last, in March 2018 the province settled on and purchased a 1930s
boarding house on U.S. 1 in College Park, about a mile south of the University of Maryland campus. Ten months
of design, debate, and renovations followed before the house was ready for
occupancy at the end of January 2019.
There’s still some additional work being done.
The
new house features a roomy chapel, a large dining room, and a large, modern
kitchen. The original living room got some updating but is much the same as it
was. A 3d bathroom was added upstairs,
leaving 7 modest bedrooms (or in the present arrangement, 6 bedrooms and an
office for the confrere who works for the province)—1 for each of the 5
confreres and a guest room.
Office being unpacked--3 bookcases in, 3 to go |
One
way of measuring the difference in the morning commute to school is this: your humble blogger regularly could say 5
decades of the Rosary along New Hampshire Ave. between Silver Spring and
DBCR. Now on Baltimore Ave. (U.S. 1) and
East-West Hwy, it’s just 2 decades or maybe 2½.
The house at time of purchase, March 2018 |
After renovations, January 2019 (different angle from photo above) |
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