South Carolina-based real estate developer Greystar is moving ahead with plans to reduce the amount of retail included in a 200-unit mixed-use multifamily building it plans to construct in the Westbard Square redevelopment in Bethesda.
The Montgomery County Planning Board unanimously approved an amendment to Greystar’s previously approved 2019 site plan during its May 15 meeting.
In the amendment, Greystar proposed the reduction of 18,792 square feet of commercial space in the multifamily building as well as the relocation of parking and changes to the loading and garage access, building elevations and location of transformers, according to planning documents.
Pat Harris, an attorney with Lerch Early & Brewer representing Greystar, said during the meeting about the site plan amendment that the reduction in retail would result in the elimination of space for one of the planned retail locations.
“As we know, the world of retail is a very different world now than it was in 2019, and as indicated, this project actually was starting to be planned … in the 2016 time period,” Harris said.
“The original shopping center, which was just a plain old vanilla shopping center with a surface parking lot had 17 tenants with approximately 100,000 square feet of retail,” Harris added. “What’s being proposed now are 25 tenants and an increase of 50%, so 150,000 square feet of retail.”
In response to the proposed change, the planning department received correspondence from local residents concerned about the loss of retail space, according to planning staff.
“The residents in the area feel as though with the original and design and development that they were promised amenities that are not going to be coming through with this reduction of retail,” Grace Bogdan, an urban planner, said during the May 15 meeting.
Due to the change in retail space, developers are also shifting the planned parking at the building from underground to above-ground within the building. The planned retail and residential units will wrap around the parking levels to conceal it from the outside, according to planning documents. The amount of parking was also reduced from 420 to 390 spaces.
Phase one of the Westbard redevelopment included the construction of a commercial building with a new Giant Food store and space for retailers and eateries. Photo credit: Elia Griffin 
Seventy townhomes are being built by Bethesda-based developers EYA. Photo credit: Elia Griffin 
A green recreational space at Westbard Square. Photo credit: Elia Griffin
Previous plans for the entire Westbard Square redevelopment included a maximum density of more than 540,000 square feet. Nearly 370,000 square feet was set aside for residential uses for 200 multifamily units and 70 townhouses, and more than 171,000 square feet for non-residential uses, planning documents state.
Those plans consist of a now-complete commercial building that contains a new Giant Food store and other retailers and eateries such as Silver & Sons BBQ, Tatte Bakery & Café and a county-owned Oak Barrel & Vine liquor store. This portion was the first phase of the redevelopment.
According to the Regency Centers website, which operates Westbard Square, two other restaurants coming to the development are Piccoli Piatti Pizzeria and Sense of Thai.
The second phase of construction consists of construction of the multifamily building, a recently completed central green space, retail spaces and townhomes. The townhomes in the project are currently under construction by Bethesda-based real estate developer EYA.
At the May 15 meeting, developers said they plan to begin construction on the mixed-use multifamily building around the end of the year. Currently, the development team is in the design and permitting process for the multifamily building, they said.
Before the board voted on the site plan amendment, Chair Artie Harris said it was important for the plan to continue moving forward.
“We need housing … but also retail too,” Harris said. “In my thinking, the amount of retail has only changed by 11% so I would recommend moving forward with this project.”
No other commissioners commented.
