A final piece that could create the largest possible parcel for redevelopment next to 8200 Wisconsin Avenue is 8227 Woodmont Avenue, currently owned by Woodmont Properties of Bethesda. It's unknown what their level of interest - if any - would be in selling, however.
At a lot size of 12,800 SF, I'm trying to calculate what the maximum height and density could be on the Monocle site, if it were to be redeveloped alone instead of joined with any adjacent property. If you have an idea, post in the comments below.
I've been inside the Monocle Building many times. Outside, it is an unusual combination of a quite nice 1980s glass facade office wing raised over a parking lot, and a ground-level half that - frankly - resembles a jail, with its tiny windows and vast facade of drab bricks. Overall, I've always had a positive impression of the building, and the surface parking is probably a selling point for a buyer who just wants to keep it as is for a revenue stream.
Let's just hope TD Bank doesn't find out it's available...
51 comments:
Really hoping they assemble all three pieces. Bethesda is so broken up there's no continuity and so many compromised buildings.
$7.5m is either high or Douglas got a good deal one block south for paying under $10m for the entire block.
"Outside, it is an unusual combination of a quite nice 1980s glass facade" I hope you were being sarcastic! This building is a blight and hopefully someone will think it's worth 7.5 million to either replace the facade or tear down and re-build.
Great article. Thanks.
It's hideous I agree.
It's a good piece and good scoop yes. But "great" really is a stretch unless you're a proud mamma.
"At a lot size of 12,800 SF, I'm trying to calculate what the maximum height and density could be on the Monocle site, if it were to be redeveloped alone instead of joined with any adjacent property. If you have an idea, post in the comments below."
This site is more than half a mile from both the Bethesda and the Medical Center Metro stations.
By the "Smart Growth walkshed" standard that Robert Dyer applies to Westbard, the height should be not more than three stories. So the existing building is already a "grandfathered non-conforming concrete canyon".
Why the lack of consistency, Dyer?
7:01: This is no comparison to Westbard, which is more than a mile from Metro. If you disagree with the Montgomery County zoning code, why are.you complaining to me instead of George Leventhal & Nancy Floreen,who rammed the code through?
7:01 AM If you think the distance to Metro from Battery Lane is the same as from Westbard Avenue to Friendship Heights, you're either lying or are misinformed.
6:01: I did say the other half looked like a jail, didn't I? I don't find the glass facade ugly, it looks modern and reminiscent of the 80s.
"I've been inside the Monocle Building many times."
I just checked the tenants for that building. There appear to be several psychiatrists' offices there.
Hahaha. The building housed a property management company "Monocle Management" you know, like the name of the building? That was before Simkowitz went off to manage yachts in Florida, and leave his local disasters behind.
@6:35 AM It's more than you do in a year.
@7:14 AM oh good. See if they have any openings for washed up council staff to talk about their dreams.
7:52AM - np openings. They're totally booked with the staff of various local glossies and PR firms.
7:14 AM Casey Anderson could get those voices he imagines taken care of. That silent majority he keeps talking about, but no one has seen.
"accrue" ??
@ 8:10 AM - I would add "air rights"??
"[T]he glass facade...looks modern and reminiscent of the 80s."
Those can't both be true simultaneously. The 80s were three decades ago. Do you get all nostalgic for Glamour Shots, too?
I can recall when Donohoe first proposed developing the Sunoco station ... it was a joint project with the Gallery project. Must have been at least 5 years ago and they held a scoping meeting in BCC HS. There was talk that the Monocle owners tried to sell but their asking price was too high. At which point they started complaining about the shadow that the development would throw on their building. I also remember Steamer's owners being there. They were quite worried about the Gallery. Guess they should have worried more about after-hours parties.
"Guess they should have worried more about after-hours parties."
And the rats, termites and rotting fabric "roof".
Regarding the question on the maximum SF that the site can accommodate, the max FAR outlined in the draft of the sector plan is 3.5 (1.25 commercial, 3.25 residential) and the proposed height limit is 120' (which it won't reach at that density). So the maximum SF for any new site improvements would be 44,500 SF (plus 10,000 SF density bonus).
8240/8280 Wisconsin Ave. next door (Donohoe) has a square footage of 19,122 SF (plus 12,959 SF for prior roadway dedications) at a 3.5 FAR (all uses) and a max height of 145', as revised by the Planning Board in the new sector plan. Total square footage would be roughly 112,000 SF plus another 25,000 SF with a 22% density bonus would make it about 137,000 SF.
Donohoe will likely end up purchasing for the "Monocle" property. It would give them a lot more flexibility order to accommodate the BRT ROW (although they will be allowed to cantilever over it) and construct a better more financially viable building (which will almost certainly be residential over retail).
I wonder where all those doctors' offices will go, if Donahoe redevelops that entire block.
7:14: Sorry to disappoint, but the recording studio in the basement of the building was my destination. You, however, seem to be in dire need of those psychiatric services. Just do it!
9:00: I was thinking that if the overall size of the assembled lot got bigger, maybe they could fit at least some of the medical offices in office space on the lower floors. Of course, there's currently tons of vacant office space elsewhere in town, so it shouldn't be hard to find a new location for a small medical office.
I think the most important thing would be to have the ground floor retail/restaurant space along all 3 sides of the block to activate all that dead space. Then reopen the Yacht Club space, and with the Toll and JBG projects on the next block south, there might eventually be some life in that area after 5:00 PM.
Re-open the Yacht Club so Dyer can creep on all the local ladies..great idea!
"the recording studio in the basement of the building was my destination"
Any hits from those sessions?
8:33: Your lack of culture is showing - are you aware that there are such terms as "mid-century MODERN" even before the 80s?
"Your lack of culture is showing"
Says the middle-aged dude whose profile pic is of him wearing his high school prom tuxedo.
A fantastic use for this building would be to have the county purchase it and convert it into housing for Westbard residents who are opposing the development of high-end retail offerings at the Giant/Anglo Dutch site. That way, we will get the retail Bethesda needs and all of the opponents will have a place to live far away from it.
This would be a progressive solution. And we all know that progressive solutions always look at everyone's needs.
Says the antithesis of progressive.
What are you kidding? International recording artist!
80s really fall into modern or mid century modern.
Dude, 80's architecture isn't even close to mid century modern, it doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence.. (My apologies if you're joking, the possible sarcasm doesn't always translate well on the written word)
Where in the world do you get 80s and mid century modern being anywhere close to the same thing?
No one here has any right to diss Robert's music unless they can point me to something they did which is better. I can jump on Spotify right now and listen to his music. Can anyone else claim that?
We have as much right to "diss Robert's music" as he does to comment on all the various Burger King products, ho-ho, ding-dongs, and twinkies he reviews
Robert, would you characterize your music as 'Progressive Rock'?
Well, to be fair, Dyer actually tries the things he reviews.
Have you listened to his music? What did you listen to? What didn't you like about it?
I am a recording engineer and the list goes on and on. Staying on key is not a strength - would recommend auto-tune as a start.
It would be cool if Hans Riemer did a YouTube video reviewing Dyer's music.
@11:25, do you think Hans Riemer actually knows who Dyer is?
@11:23 what parts does Robert play on the album? Is that even him singing? Is he the guitar? The organ? And more importantly, who is the woman on the album cover?
Just curious Robert, does Spotify pay you when people play your songs?
9:48
Poppy with all the people opposing the Westbard clusterf**k plan you would need a Trump Tower. The council's idea of creating jobs is to level everything, force Urbanism into Suburban areas, bring tons of people (gentrification) into an area they can't possibly afford (and never will) without a government subsidy (someone else feeling the Bern) for everything- housing, food, health, etc, and letting the chips fall where they may.. This my friend will end.
I think Poppy has a good idea. Most of the Westbard opponents are grey-haired, so the housing need will only be for the next 10-15 years on average. Then they can convert the building to house opponents of some other change. Perhaps for the residents of Chevy Chase? They seem to oppose just about everything.
Poppy for County Council!
Very good point. Especially since Dyer is an international recording artist
"The council's idea of creating jobs is to level everything"
"Everything" is being "leveled"? Really?
"...bring tons of people (gentrification) into an area they can't possibly afford (and never will) without a government subsidy (someone else feeling the Bern) for everything- housing, food, health, etc, and letting the chips fall where they may."
Some people's thoughts seem to be like organized like a pile of fishhooks or Christmas tree lights - they can't just say one thing without having every other thought come out at the same time in a big jumbled mess.
Poppy needs to crawl back to that trailer she lives in.
@9:14 - Robert, did you record with Taylor?
The news of my death are greatly exaggerated....
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