DEVELOPER REVEALS BUILDING TO REPLACE BETHESDA MCDONALD'S AT 4500 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY

Carr Properties has unveiled its plan for 4500 East-West Highway in downtown Bethesda.  Currently, the property is home to a McDonald's restaurant and a Prudential insurance building.

The 220,400 square foot office building - for which Carr has just obtained financing - will be 9 stories tall, with an additional 4 underground levels and parking garage.  Carr expects the finished project to be LEED-certified Platinum.  Other features of the commercial property include first floor retail space, a full-height glass curtain facade, and a 1900 square foot conference center, with video conferencing.

Construction is scheduled to be completed by June 2014.

It's hard to take in the full exterior design from just this one rendition.  Right now, I'll give Carr credit for using an all-glass exterior, and wait for more exterior illustrations before giving a final verdict on the design.  The only criticism I have at the moment is that the height could be much taller, if you consider how close the site is to Metro.  Also, from this angle, it is a bit on the boxy side.  Sad to lose this classic McDonald's restaurant, as well.  Maybe McDonald's can reopen in the first floor of the new building.