BAINBRIDGE BETHESDA STREETSCAPE CONCERNS MAY BE RESOLVED...BUT WHAT ABOUT FAIRMONT?

Representatives of Turner Construction and their neighboring property owner met Thursday morning, to discuss the concerns the latter raised regarding streetscape work alongside the Bainbridge Bethesda luxury apartment tower site. They also reviewed Turner's streetscape plans. It now appears that, pending approval of all remediation plans by Montgomery County, all of the streetscape matters impacting the Green Tomato, LLC and 4909 Fairmont Avenue properties can be resolved satisfactorily by Turner.

The consultant to the owner of those properties, architect Steven J. Karr, wrote to county permitting officials to say that, for now, there is no need for them to visit the site. Karr had asked permitting officials Christina Contreras and Ralph Wolfe to inspect the site on Wednesday. 

"Based on these observations and the satisfactory explanations provided by [John] McManus and [Granville] Higgins regarding the layout and grade conditions of the streetscaping work at the BCC Auto drive apron, Green Tomato has no further objection to Turner’s streetscaping work on St. Elmo Avenue; our concerns as I described below are hereby withdrawn at this time," Karr wrote. "Thus there is no need for us to meet with you or Mr. Wolfe at the site."

"Mr. McManus and Mr. Higgins also shared a revised design layout for remedial streetscape work in front of White Flint’s property at 4909 Fairmont Avenue. It is our understanding that the design intent of this remedial work plan, subject to approval by DPS, will mitigate the non-conforming grade conditions along the 4901 Fairmont public sidewalk (adjacent to The [Bainbridge]’s loading dock drive apron)."

There is no timetable yet for the changes, and it is not yet clear if this will further delay opening of the Bainbridge to tenants.

While this matter seems to be on the way to resolution, the pedestrian hazards remain on Fairmont Avenue. I have seen pedestrians continuing to walk in the roadway, rather than use the roundabout temporary path set up on the Bainbridge side. And, of course, the portion along the 7770 Norfolk project across the street remains entirely closed to pedestrian traffic. 

Yesterday evening, a commenter on my blog said he/she had filed a formal complaint with the county regarding the pedestrian safety situation on Fairmont, but that Ralph Wolfe of the county DPS had not returned calls regarding the complaint.