The Lenkin Company is planning to construct a 16-story apartment building at the site of the development company’s current headquarters between Fairmont and St. Elmo Avenues in downtown Bethesda.
Steve Robins, of Lerch, Early & Brewer, the land use attorney for the project, said the building will contain about 200 units as well as an estimated 15,000 square feet of ground and second floor retail and office space. The lot is the current location of Lenkin's office building and a parking lot.
Robins said the developers are interested in coordinating with the Bainbridge Bethesda, which is adjacent to the lot, to make a uniform connector between St. Elmo and Fairmont Avenues. Currently, Bainbridge has a public space at the location that’s home to picnic tables and artwork.
“We’re going to have a similar space next to theirs, so our buildings will be set apart from each other,” Robins said. “We’re going to look at ways to unify that space so it feels like a single, open type space.”
A community meeting to detail the project was scheduled for Aug. 11 at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, but Robins said that meeting was later rescheduled to Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. The architect is David M. Schwarz Architects, a D.C.-based firm that has designed major projects nationwide.
Construction has been a concern for businesses on the street since two large apartment projects—Bainbridge Bethesda and The JBG Companies’ 7700 Norfolk project—have been being built simultaneously. However, the Bainbridge finished major construction last month and Robins said they’ll work with the county to mitigate any effects of construction.
He added that by the time construction begins on this project, JBG may have completed its own project.
“This is just the beginning of the process,” Robins said.
Editor's Note: We found this rendering of the "St. Elmo Apartments" on the David M. Schwarz Architects website. This may be what the building will look like, but Robins said renderings won't be provided until the meeting later this month.
Photo: The current office building that fronts Fairmont Avenue at the site. Credit: Andrew Metcalf