Federal Realty could redevelop site that currently houses Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema in 11 years (Photos)

Development of a new residential building at Bethesda Row could begin in just over two years, and redevelopment of an existing structure at the mixed-use development is as little as 11 years away. But first, a building heights blunder by the Montgomery County Planning Board needs to be fixed.

Federal Realty is asking the board to restore building heights that were reduced on its "Woodmont East" and "Bethesda Avenue South" properties at a board worksession on the Bethesda Downtown sector plan on May 12, 2016. The Woodmont East building currently houses retail and restaurants, office space and the Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema. Bethesda Avenue South refers to a 90' residential building Federal Realty is planning, that would fit behind and above existing retail structures there, including the Apple Store.

In a letter to the board, SVP for Mixed-use Development at Federal Realty Ramsey Meiser argues that the height reductions will reduce the economic viability of redeveloping those sites in the future. He says the company will have the option to move forward on both projects well within the stated 20-year scope of the Bethesda Downtown Plan.

The board voted 3-2 to reduce the height for Woodmont East from 250' to 145', and Bethesda Row South from 90' to 70'.

Meiser points out correctly that the Woodmont East site is directly adjacent to the future Purple Line station and future south entrance to the Metro Red Line station. He writes that the board made an error by using the existing engineering limitations at the site to justify a reduction in height.

Adding stories to the existing building is not possible due to the below-grade theater space, Meiser writes. But when the Landmark lease is up in 11 years, he says, Federal Realty will be free to redevelop the site, and would have no problem constructing a 250' building there.

Proposed 90' residential building
behind Apple Store, existing
Bethesda Avenue retail

For Bethesda Avenue South, the developer needs 90' to be able to place the building above existing retail structures, and still remain a financially-viable project. As the sketch indicates, the building would primarily be on the footprint of the surface parking lot behind Williams Sonoma, the Apple Store and Georgetown Cupcake. It appears to also incorporate the space currently occupied by a massage spa and real estate firm next to Uncle Julio's on Arlington Road.

"Because of the timing of the leases on Bethesda Avenue South," Meiser writes, "[Federal Realty] has the ability to move forward on its redevelopment plan as early as October 2018."

Federal Realty included several renderings that show its 90' building would not be imposing to single-family homes in the Sacks neighborhood adjacent to the Flats at Bethesda Avenue and Ourisman Honda. It is 300' between the proposed building and the closest house in Sacks, the letter says.

View from second floor
rear of house on Leland St.
in Sacks subdivision
(click to enlarge)

View of future residential building
from Leland Street (that's the
Ourisman Honda garage in the
center background, and the
Flats at Bethesda Avenue in
the right background)

It's amateur hour at the Planning Board once again. The board and County Council recently approved building heights of 75' and 110' (now known to be at least 120' with MPDU density bonuses) adjacent to residential neighborhoods in the Westbard area, nowhere near walking distance to any Metro station. Here they are attempting to cap two sites within easy walking distance to Metro, one of which is literally next to two future transit station entrances.

In these seat-of-pants height decisions, I'm reminded of their worksession ruling to set the height for the Westwood Center II property by looking at a warped Google Maps image, which distorted the actual grade of the site. Only in Montgomery County!

Photo: Robert Dyer
Renderings via Montgomery County Planning Department