When the Montgomery County Planning Board approved the Holladay at Edgemoor project in June 2009, plans called for a six-story building with 48 units in downtown Bethesda.
Since then, developer SJG Residential acquired a lot adjacent to the site and is now submitting the expanded plan. Next Thursday, Sept. 11, SJG will seek the planning board’s approval of a larger project that includes a seven-story building with 120 apartment units. The building would be located at 4831 West Lane, at the corner of West and Montgomery lanes between Woodmont Avenue and Arlington Road and about 950 feet from the Bethesda Metro station.
Planning staff has recommended approval of the expanded project, despite previous concerns from community members that the project would be too dense for the neighborhood and may cause traffic problems. Because the plan required previous zoning changes, which were granted by the County Council in 2013, the expanded plan may be familiar to the local community.
Although the number of proposed residential units has more than doubled, the revised plan calls for the same number of parking spaces. SJG is still planning to build an underground garage with 123 spaces. The project would also include about 18 moderately priced dwelling units, representing about 15 percent of the total number of apartments.
The plan also includes a public space near the entrance of the building at West and Montgomery lanes.
Planning staff noted in a report that some community members have expressed concern about the development and have asked that the plan be closely examined to make sure the building is consistent with the existing low-rise development in the area. Currently the site is home to several two-story buildings.
Images: Streetscape views looking a the building facing east and west on Montgomery Lane