The company building a new Marriott International headquarters office tower in downtown Bethesda is looking into modifying work schedules after complaints from neighbors about nighttime noise.
Hensel Phelps, the project’s general contractor, is having discussions with county officials to potentially shift construction work at the site between Woodmont and Wisconsin avenues, although there hasn’t been an official proposal, the project team said Friday.
Hensel Phelps informed businesses about possible changes, which could include narrowing lanes on Woodmont Avenue between Old Georgetown Road and Norfolk Avenue during the day, and one business owner is concerned the shift could affect sales.
“I know it has to be done, I just hope we can find some sort of compromise,” said Connie Cissel, owner of The Blue House. Her home goods store is adjacent to the site, and she’s worried the noise could deter customers during the busy spring season.
Hensel Phelps received an updated temporary noise waiver for bedrock blasting from the county in February.
This month, it has been reducing lanes on Woodmont Avenue to accommodate work at night.
Overnight construction work from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. began Feb. 1, and Hensel Phelps tries to get the noisier work done between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., the project team said.
Dump truck activity around the site increased in January.
Developers broke ground on the $600 million project in June 2018 and work is expected to be finished in 2022.
