Friday, December 12, 2014

LANDOWNERS HAVE IDEAS FOR BETHESDA'S FUTURE PEARL DISTRICT (PHOTOS)

Three property owners have shared potential ideas for redeveloping their land in what planners are calling the Pearl District of downtown Bethesda. The future Pearl District is in the area between East-West Highway, Wisconsin Avenue and the Capital Crescent Trail.

Two adjacent landowners are considering partnering on a single, mixed-use project. 4422 East-West Highway and 4425 Montgomery Avenue would be combined into a single, 27000 SF plot addressed as 4422 East-West. Ground floor retail would be topped with residential and commercial space. The 7-story development would be included in the area's Parking District, but also include on-site, underground parking. There would also be public space on the site.
4422 East-West Highway concept
A second project at 4300 East-West Highway would combine several smaller plots into a single Bethesda Gateway residential building.

Images via Montgomery County Planning Department

14 comments:

Jim Walters said...

Very cool. Is there a source link?

Anonymous said...

Source is the property owners.

Anonymous said...

Not really, I doubt Robert Dyer got the images directly from the property owners. The source is the Planning Department's map here: http://montgomeryplanning.org/community/bethesda_downtown/projects.shtm

Anonymous said...

It is probably pretty pie in the sky to believe that this area of Bethesda will transform significantly given the way the roads are set up there. It is always a mess at rush hour and people treat it like a highway when it is not rush hour.

Maybe if the plans to create more cross streets and potentially two way traffic this area might not be so frustrating to drive, walk, or bike. As of now it is about as pleasant as the the shoulder of the beltway.

G. Money said...

6:39: I don't see anything there about "transform[ing] significantly," just developing a couple of pieces of property that are now mostly used for surface parking.

It seems like a pretty reasonable location for the type of development proposed. It's a block from Metro, less than a block from BCC, it's right next to plenty of office space, and it's a block from the trail. I'd guess, though, that there are limited retailers that would have success in that spot because no one from the rest of Bethesda is going to go over there.

Anonymous said...

G. Money, I am referring to more than this development which you are right is modest and probably a better use of space than what's there now. Most of the recent planning docs released this week for Bethesda envision more in the so-called "Pearl District." Check those out, I am not sure if this website did much about them but other Bethesda news blogs did.

There is also an idea floating around by planners of Pearl Street serving as a "main-street" in Bethesda.

Wrol said...

It's weird that Robert doesn't quote or cite his sources.

Anonymous said...

9:40am Your name is weirdest thing of all right now.

Flynn said...

Makes it seem like he makes shit up. Which I don't believe he does - he has good scoops. But without sources it adds to the questionable personality of Dyer. Especially since he seems to be ignoring all these requests.

Anonymous said...

What about the questionable nature of the anonymous negative guy that posts here everyday. He admitted to stalking Bob at public meetings. He won't talk to Bob at the meetings, but admires him from a distance.

Robert Dyer said...

"Wrol" and "Flynn," there's a credit right there at the bottom that indicates the source of the images.

Wrol said...

Thanks Robert, but what about the source of the information? Sources? Website? Email? Press release? Other? Thanks!!! Love the blog.

Flynn said...

Hey look my name is in quotes!

Anonymous said...

Well, I work in the office buildings between these two sites and it's been hellish dealing with the construction of the new 4500 East-West Highway building that's just been completed. Sidewalks blocked, lane closures and trucks parking on Montgomery and E-W causing horrible backups every morning. I'm not ready for another round of this! Ugggghh. However if retail and restaurants move in to these new buildings, that will definitely be appreciated by the people who work in the area. And access to the trail could definitely be improved. So far, I don't see anything happening with the retail space at the new 4500.