Nearby residents were already wary of potential crime activity taking advantage of the empty building and grounds. But recently landscaping upkeep seems to have ceased, adding to the problem - and potentially attracting new ones.
In contrast to the meticulous maintenance of the landscaping around Equity One's commercial properties across the street, and at single-family homes along Westbard, the nursing home is now standing out for the wrong reasons.
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| Looking toward Ridgefield Road along Westbard Avenue |
Equity One has done an excellent job of upgrading safety at Westwood Center II and the Westwood Shopping Center, particularly with new lighting. Hopefully it can address this issue soon - it's not likely to earn points with residents in the development process ahead by allowing the nursing home property to deteriorate like this.
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| Looking toward River Road from Ridgefield Road in front of the vacant nursing home |
34 comments:
The grass doesn't get mowed in over a week, and according to Dyer, the Zombie Apocalypse has arrived.
It's required to keep the street-facing side of your lawn tidy. Someone should report them, though I doubt the $50 fine will bankrupt them.
It's curious they decided to not maintain this property, but continue to landscape the one steps across the street.
Don't they know this is a gateway property into the neighborhood?
7:04: You consider it a good thing?
While other people report the news, Dyer is busy watching the grass grow.
LOL
3:57- Where would you be, if not for living for choice moments when you can ruminate over Bob's rare coverage of an unkempt lawn?
While Bob is busy covering the entire gamut of hyperlocal news (and oft enough before others), you are ... ? Gawking to see if lawn photos grow?
Those weed seeds are gonna travel. They should tether a bevy of geese there for a week. That'll clip the ole lawn.
3:57: Most of the news I've read this week is stuff I already reported. What planet are you on? "LOL" When you bring Hans Riemer his coffee, can you tell him to take action on this lawn issue?
This is almost as big a scandal as Barrelgate on Bradley Boulevard a few weeks ago.
It's true Dyer has scooped the other news outlets on just about all major stories this week (especially the Hard Times story), except two he didn't report on at all:
1) The Chevy Chase election controversy. This was big, and even the Washington Post put it on their front page yesterday, but it's also not in Bethesda itself (though very much Purple Line related), so I'll give him a pass.
2) The County Council voting to keep the "energy tax" in place, even though when it was implemented, they promised to sunset it by now. Of note is that Riemer voted for it. I'm surprised Dyer didn't report on this, though it's more county-wide than Bethesda-related. I think the Council really dropped the ball (again) -- they are breaking promises. I hope voters remember this at election time.
3) Steamers closing
6:27pm doesn't care about pedestrian safety in the downtown?
The only person who didn't care was the blogger who was too lazy to lift the damned barrel out of the path, so that those with less mobility than he could use it.
8:57: Only Hans Riemer's top stooge would excuse violations of the ADA by county and state government, and developers. Embarrassing.
The barrel was just part of the story.
The crosswalk itself isn't properly set-up, with cars parked right up to it with no pedestrian visibility. Also light signals that aren't working.
Pedestrian issues continue to be a problem.
So, other than the lawn not being mowed in 10 days, what are the other signs of an overall "starting to decline" are there, that justify the headline?
Why not just "Vacant nursing home property lawn not mowed in 10 days" as the headline?
5:29: Are you the editor now? The lawn is part of "the property", as are the trees and shrubs. The property is rapidly becoming an embarrassment for Equity One. Most people would like to know why it wouldn't have been worth it to keep Manor Care there for $1 a month short term, rather than have a vacant building.
"The property is rapidly becoming an embarrassment for Equity One."
Really? Just because they're late in mowing the lawn?
"Most people would like to know why it wouldn't have been worth it to keep Manor Care there for $1 a month short term, rather than have a vacant building."
It was Manor Care that decided to close the facility, not Equity One. Their facilities on East-West Highway and Battery Lane are closing at the end of this month. Not everything revolves around Westbard, you know.
The property looks like shit, let's be honest.
Surprised anyone is defending it.
@ 6:25 AM - ALL of Westbard looks like s**t. You haven't noticed this?
It's my understanding that while Manor Care vacated the property, it is still leased to them and they are on the hook, not Equity One, for maintaining the property.
6:23: Yes, because they are trying to get approval of a development proposal, and thumbing their nose at residents by leaving a property go like this is not a winning strategy.
6:37: Westbard looks fine. Are gas stations made of gold where you come from?
8:43: I've heard that as well. Can they use their landscaping crew and then just send Manor Care the bill?
@ 7:23 PM -
Oh noes! We can't have a nice new Westbard because Manor Care didn't mow their lawn last week.
@ 7:24 PM -
Where I live is not strangled by gas stations like Westbard. Gasoline Alley is sooo 20th Century. Not exactly fetching for the Millennialls.
9:05 I'd pay money to see you as a contestant on Survivor.
5:29 You're seriously suggesting that is 10 days' grass growth.
9:05: It's more than a week. If you're not from here, why are you bossing us around about what the future should be.
No one expects a gas station to be fancy. You're there to fill the tank. Although Sheetz has managed to raise the bar with the best gas station design I've encountered.
Dyer is adding value and trying to improve the Bethesda community.
Anonymous negative guy is contributing what exactly (except snark)?
Gas stations, huge empty parking lots, cheap booze joints = GOOD
Grass = BAD.
It's all starting to make sense to me now.
8:00: Gas stations, convenient parking, and the very popular Talbert's convenience store are all definitely good. Grass is good too, when it's mowed.
Negligent landlord = BAD
#TeamDanReed
Has anyone tried reaching Michael Berfield (Equity One) regarding the upkeep of the vacant nursing home.
Carlos, I'm not sure if anyone contacted him specifically, but at least one nearby resident has talked to both the national office and the local management about this. They apparently promised it would be taken care of, but that was nearly a week ago at least, because it was before I published this.
"Anonymous said...
Where I live is not strangled by gas stations like Westbard.
9:05 PM"
Not "strangled" by gas stations? Perhaps it is mangled by Metro stations then?
Steve - yeah, I'm wondering where the guy lives that there are no gas stations or commercial areas. Every part of the county, except for perhaps downtown Bethesda in a few years, has gas stations and a commercial area like Westbard.
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