Underground storage tanks have been dug up at the site of the former Shell station at Old Georgetown Road and Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. As you can see from the aerial views, the rest of the site has been cleared and graded.
A small TD Bank will bizarrely be placed on a site clearly suited for a high-rise residential or office building with ground floor retail.
you should do a story on the ridiculously oversized median built by stonebridge at the intersection of woodmont and leland, along with the confusing striping. never seen something so convoluted, all in the name of keep leland st as inaccessible as possible and complicating commutes for drivers residing at crescent plaza. the lack of crosswalks also makes it a pedestrian hazard.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that also. Utter mess. Unfinished striping, poor lane markings, weird median.
ReplyDeleteWhy, oh why would you suggest another high rise in the area, especially at Woodmont & Old Georgetown. Obviously you don't live in the area.
ReplyDeleteI live down the street and believe that a bank is a bad use.
ReplyDeleteDoes it have to be a high rise? No, but it should be a use that will activate that corner. We'll have two banks on either side of Old Georgetown right there. They'll be dead after 5pm and on weekends. It'll be an even worse experience walking down Woodmont in the evening. It's already bad with walled off Christopher, etc.
Folks are suggesting a residential high rise because its right next to our Metro station. Exactly where you want your new housing.
If they can fit a high rise on the old BP station at the corner of Old Georgetown and Fairmont, they can certainly fit one on this site.
After looking at Robert's photos, it appears the site might be too narrow to include an efficient underground parking deck, with out a very expensive vehicular elevator. You need at least 100' of width to park and ramp down into the ground. This could be why no developer has picked this up for multifamily residential over retail. Perhaps a quick speed ramp down to parking, but this would be very expensive and inefficient for any sizable number of cars.
ReplyDeleteNot like any neighboring buildings can lease spaces to residents either.
In a stronger office market this could be a nice slender corporate office tower that would not need off street parking, but I would not hold my breath for that to happen very soon...
Vertical retail uses are just too risky, and an Equinox style fitness center is also a long shot.
I guess we will have to live with a suburban branch bank.
Another bank just makes zero sense and doesn't serve the community at all. Kickbacks must be
ReplyDeleteSOP at the MC planning board!