As the county Planning Department works on a new sector plan for Bethesda, it’s been keeping track of which property owners come in to talk redevelopment possibilities.
We’ve covered some of the higher-profile properties under discussion (including the Bethesda Fire Department, Bernstein Management’s building south of the Farm Women’s Market, Bethesda Metro Plaza and around Pearl Street.
But what about some others?
Here are more than a dozen properties that could be candidates for redevelopment after the new Bethesda Downtown Plan is approved. Planners expect to submit their staff draft to the Planning Board on May 28, with a Planning Board public hearing in June. The Council is expected to take the plan up for final approval later this year.
Le Madeleine building (7607 Old Georgetown Road): The owner of the building that houses the French breakfast chain has been in to talk to planners, who write on their interactive development map that there are “no redevelopment plans yet.” That could change if the owner sells to the property to a development company.
Chevy Chase Garden Plaza (7750 Old Georgetown Road): The office building that’s home to the Bethesda Urban Partnership is a candidate. Bethesda-based developer B.F. Saul, which owns the building, has been talking “possible redevelopment of property with additional height and square footage.”
Southwest corner of Moorland Lane/Arlington Road (4940 Moorland Lane/7509 Arlington Road): Across the street from the B.F. Saul building, the property owner is “discussing possibility of redevelopment with multi-family residential.” Linowes and Blocher land use attorney Heather Dlhopolsky is listed as the representative of the property.
4885 Edgemoor Lane: This patch of trees and grass is next to a series of modern condo buildings and the individual property owners have been in to talk to planners about “coordinated development with additional residential with adjacent already developed property.”
Tommy Joe’s and Pines of Rome buildings (4714 Montgomery Lane): D.C.-based Douglas Development made news when it bought these buildings last year with redevelopment in mind. The company’s representatives have been in to talk to planners, though don’t expect the decades-long run of Pines of Rome probably to end any time soon.
Bank of America-anchored office building (7316 Wisconsin Avenue): This class B office building known for its ground-floor Bank of America location could one day be turned residential, further reflecting the change coming to what was once envisioned as downtown Bethesda’s office-filled “Metro Core.”
Property owner Chevy Chase Land Company has talked to planners about “additional maximum height and square footage for redevelopment with multi-family residential, with street-level retail.”
Valanos Property/Capital One Bank (7126, 7140 Wisconsin Avenue and 4708 Bethesda Avenue): You might know the Valanos Property as the one with the Starbucks across from the Bethesda Farm Women’s Market. The owner of that property has been in with the owner of the Capital One Bank site to the west to discuss a joint development project. Planners gave no other details.
6801 Wisconsin Avenue: This property serves as the parking lot for the St. John’s Episcopal Church, Norwood Parish, which has been in Bethesda since 1874. The church has said it will remain and hopes to expand its services. But a multi-family residential development is possible in conjunction with St. John’s on the parking lot site.
Bradley Shopping Center (6900 Arlington Road): Representatives from the trust that owns the Bradley Shopping Center (home of Strosniders Hardware, Bradley Food & Beverage and others) have talked to planners about “possible redevelopment,” though it’s unclear how likely such a plan is.
6925 Arlington Road: The owners of the office and ground-floor retail complex across the street from the shopping center have talked to planners about retrofitting and expanding the commercial use of the property, indicating an apartment redevelopment project isn’t in the cards. The property owners and planners have also discussed improving the property’s connection to the Capital Crescent Trail, which runs along the east side of an office building and garage.
Aldon’s Battery Lane apartments (4857, 4890 and 5015 Battery Lane): The apartment landlord got a zoning change in 2012 that could allow for three new high-rise buildings with 692 total units along Battery Lane near its intersection with Woodmont Avenue. Aldon representatives have discussed those properties with planners.
They’ve also discussed 5015 Battery Lane, a high-rise apartment building and parking lot on the Old Georgetown Road end of Battery Lane. Planners wrote Aldon “discussed possibilities for future additional development.”
Photo via Chevy Chase Land Company
