New banners posted around the construction site of The JBG Companies' new retail building on Bethesda Avenue feature renderings of it, and how it will fit into the larger context of the developer's block-long makeover. Notable in the images is a feature that just started taking shape over the last week - a rooftop deck. The renderings suggest the structure could be marketed as dining space, as well as retail.
With rooftop dining and nightlife a rare commodity in downtown Bethesda, one must hope they will have a winning tenant to take full advantage of what should be a fantastic view during the warmer season.
You can also see the larger office/retail building that will replace the older office building east of the retail building's site. It shows an activated streetscape with ground floor commercial space.
23 comments:
This will be an awesome retail building. Too bad Greenhill is developing garbage in Woodmont Triangle while real developers are making moves down in Bethesda Row.
How come Dyer couldn't produce any renderings of this project until it was already two stories above ground?
Although I commend him for his restraint in not using "cookie-cutter", "concrete canyon", "skyscraper", or "Soviet-style" in this article.
5:47: I did have renderings a long time ago. You must have missed it. These are the first new ones since then.
You expect a concrete canyon in an urban area like Bethesda. You're talking about two different environments.
So with this building, we'll have good retail/restaurants on all 4 corners of this intersection. I think they should change the crosswalk and light cycle so there's a cycle where all directions of pedestrians have the walk signal, and then add in a diagonal crosswalk. This intersection is busy enough to merit it.
This looks really cool! An interesting looking building and hopeful they do something with the in between space that's fun.
I have just contacted my favorite restaurants in New York City, Aspen and the Back Bay and made them aware of this new building. With any luck, one of them will see what a great opportunity it is and open a location for all of us to enjoy.
Maybe The Inn At Little Washington can open a second location there? That would be très awesome.
"You expect a concrete canyon in an urban area like Bethesda. You're talking about two different environments."
Thirty years ago, this site used to be a lawn mower repair shop, in a suburban light-industrial strip just like Westbard is today. You're such a hypocrite, Dyer.
@6:12 How silly of me to ignore that possibility. That would be fantastic!
@ 6:20 AM - not all of us can do that two-hour voyage on a regular basis. And the availability of EV charging stations along US 211 is so poor.
It would be so hilarious for Bethesda to have a gaslight quarter considering that during gaslight times it was a rural cross roads with a post office in a tavern and maybe a feed store.
""Gaslighting" is a form of mental abuse in which information is twisted or spun, selectively omitted to favor the abuser, or false information is presented with the intent of making victims doubt their own memory, perception, and sanity. Instances may range simply from the denial by an abuser that previous abusive incidents ever occurred, up to the staging of bizarre events by the abuser with the intention of disorienting the victim."
Yep, sounds like Dyer's M.O.
"Gaslight Quarter" sounds like a dumb-down version of San Diego's Gaslamp District. What a extreme lack of originality this displays.
7:09: Couldn't agree more.
7:12: Inn at Little Washington wouldn't be caught dead here, sorry.
5:56AM said "This looks really cool! An interesting looking building and hopeful they do something with the in between space that's fun. "
I know! It is a good-looking building, and the rooftop actually looks like it could be successful.
Great spot next to the Purple Line. Seems like the infrastructure investments made by the council and Hogan are paying off.
"With rooftop dining and nightlife a rare commodity in downtown Bethesda"
More utter bullshit from Dyer.
You're wrong. Dyer favors development in Metro-served, commercial downtowns. Westbard is a small, neighborhood center adjacent to single-family neighborhoods. Very different animal.
This building has everything to do with the Red Line. Purple Line is a great add, but not a driver.
Utter BS how? Yes, there's Tommy Joe's, but not much else,
"Westbard is...adjacent to single-family neighborhoods."
And so is downtown Bethesda.
Keep Weidmeyer away from the rooftop and I predict success for the restaurant!
There aren't many rooftop places. Just TJ's and Tia Queta. Anywhere else I'm missing??
I always forget about Tia Queta.
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