This story, originally published at 11:38 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2024, was updated at 4:25 p.m. on Oct. 25, 2024, to include a statement from Erickson Senior Living.
Developers got the go-ahead for the second phase of a senior living community under construction in North Bethesda with Thursday’s approval by the Montgomery County Planning Board of construction plans for up to 700 independent living units in four high-rise apartments and 5,300 square feet of retail space.
Planning Board Commissioner Shawn Bartley described the development as a “beautiful project” before voting to approve the plans. The development is under construction on the former site of the Marriott International headquarters in the Rock Spring suburban office park. The site is near Westfield Montgomery mall.
“It’s exciting to see commercial space turn into residential space, especially for our aging community,” Bartley said. “… It looks outstanding, and its approximate location to shopping and other amenities in the county looks like it’ll be enhanced.”
The phase two plans are part of a larger senior living development project from Erickson Senior Living called The Grandview. The property at 10400 Fernwood Road consists of 33 acres on the grounds of the former Marriott headquarters.
“Erickson Senior Living is happy with this outcome that allows us to continue development of The Grandview, which will help meet the demand for senior living in Montgomery County,” Scott Gensler, the senior vice president of real estate acquisitions and government affairs at Erickson Senior Living, said in a statement Friday.
“We look forward to growing our partnerships in Bethesda and are excited for the anticipated opening of the community in late 2025,” Gensler said.
Once the three-phase development is complete – which developers said would be around 2030 – the community is expected to include 1,300 independent living units, 210 assisted living and memory care units, and 50 skilled nursing units. Of the residential units, 15% will be moderately priced dwelling units, per county requirements.
According to planning documents, phase three is expected to include the construction of a 153,000-square-foot continuing care building, which would accommodate 210 assisted living units and 50 beds in the nursing unit.
In addition, the community is expected to include an urban park, a woodland park with a trail, an urban greenway and other private common open spaces throughout the development, according to planning documents. Plans for the outdoor space include lounge areas, dining spaces, shade structures, a bocce court and a potential outdoor kitchen.
County planner Parker Smith noted at the meeting that there is a high demand for senior housing in the county.
The first phase of the project, which includes two apartment buildings, is currently under construction. The buildings, which include 248 independent living units and amenity spaces, are slated to open in late 2025.
Construction on the urban park is also underway and expected to be completed around the same time as the two residential buildings included in the development’s first phase, developers said Thursday.
Pat Harris, an attorney with Lerch, Early and Brewer law firm, which represents Erickson, said the senior living company will maintain the urban park for five years and then ownership will be turned over to Montgomery Parks.
“We’re thrilled with the progress of the project,” Harris said Thursday. “I think this project is going to be very helpful in transforming the Rock Spring suburban office park to the mixed-use community which the sector plan envisioned.”
Planning Board Chair Artie Harris also praised the senior living development, calling it a “transformational project.” He noted the reuse of the existing garage on the property and that he liked how it was “environmentally a good thing to do.”
Developers plan on keeping an existing 695-space parking garage, which will be utilized by both residents and their visitors as well as employees, according to planning documents.
