A second space that faces that heavy-traffic block of Ridgefield Road remains available. Weight Watchers moved from that space to the Shops at Sumner Place a few years ago.
Westwood Center II is one of several buildings expected to be demolished along Ridgefield Road and Westbard Avenue, to make way for landowner Equity One's New Westwood redevelopment plan. Longtime residents will recognize that Equity One is actually using the historically-accurate location name of "Westwood" for the area along those streets, as opposed to "Westbard", which I give them extra points for.
14 comments:
I can't wait until they tear down this crappy failed strip mall.
A big problem with that particular center is getting in and out of it. Traffic backs up on Ridgefield to turn left onto River. I heard this was considered as a potential location for a 20816 post office -- bad choice.
Adding hundreds of new cars that the new EYA townhomes and apartments will bring will no doubt make traffic even worse.
8:56: It's actually not a strip mall, but an indoor mall with some exterior storefronts.
12:13: Particularly since the sector plan includes no plans or projects to add capacity to River Road. Westwood Center II always has been challenging for ingress, egress, traffic circulation and parking. Dr. Tauber tried to do something ambitious on a relatively small piece of land.
I can't wait either. Happy for the improvements to come!
I think that I would agree that everywhere can't handle anymore cars. So it's going to be a problem wherever we develop moving forward. Seems the county wants to try to get people to take alternative transportation as mass transit and bikes and such. But it's still at critical mass now for cars as it is. What's the solution?
I have driven by that shopping center many times. Never had the desire to stop and look nor am I sure stores are there. Maybe a sushi place?
The problems with ingress/egress for Westwood Center II seem to be due to poorly located driveways, not capacity on River Road.
Yeah it doesn't scream retail. Looks like a medical office building or something. Maybe it made sense when they built it.
So what exactly adds value to Westbard now? American Plant Company, Bethesda Bagels, and the bowling alley. Plus the cheap gas at Valero and W. Everything else you can find elsewhere.
3:26: That's true, but I never said they were. I was responding to a second point about traffic getting worse if the current sector plan draft is passed as-is.
7:23: Whole Foods, McDonald's, 7-Eleven, Talberts, Shoe Repair in the back of Westwood Shopping Center, Ernie's, Citgo I and II, Anglo-Dutch, Westwood Pet Center, dry cleaners, Voorthuis, Giant, Rite Aid. These are just a few of the essential neighborhood retail and services. If you used the justification that there are other 7-Elevens in the world, you'd have to demolish every city in America. Not a sensible justification for redevelopment.
1:34pm. I agree that it would be hard to name any streets in Bethesda where people say "Gee, I wish there were more traffic on this road.. there simply isn't enough." so it's a matter of figuring our how to handle the increased needs. The stores in the overall Westbard area are vital to residents, like a grocery store, dry cleaners, drugstore, etc. Taking them away would be a disservice to the community.
I also agree with another poster that Westwood Center II's issue is the driveway.
I think a general re-do of the area (yes, I realize that's waht they're doing) could adress this. River Road has the same number of travel lanes as Westbard, with a much different traffic flow. Surely they can figure out a way to reroute some of the traffic to local businesses over to Westbard.. Imagine if Talberts, McDonald's, Westwoord Center, and Plant Food were all accessed via an access road off Westbard...
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