Demolition permit requested for Apex Building/Regal Cinemas in downtown Bethesda

Carr Properties has requested a demolition permit for the Apex Building, located at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Anchored by the Regal Cinemas Bethesda 10 cineplex, the 4-story office building is being demolished to make way for a new mixed-use development and Purple Line station.

The historic
Community Paint and Hardware
building next to the Apex (center)

The permit is a "demolition or move" permission request, which might also relate to the historic Community Paint and Hardware store building that is located just south of the building (however, that building's address - 7250 Wisconsin - is not listed on the permit request). A recent development on that issue - namely, where that building can be relocated to during construction of Carr's project - was a proposal to move it to a Montgomery County public parking lot that borders on East Bethesda.

There is currently no public timetable for the closure of businesses in the Apex Building, much less an actual demolition date. This permit request is simply the first step in the process. All businesses, including the theater, remain open at this time.

Timing is of the essence with this project, which is being carefully coordinated by Montgomery County, the Maryland Transit Administration, WMATA and Carr. However, legal stumbles have delayed the start of construction on the Purple Line indefinitely, so there is likely to be at least a slightly larger window before demolition and station construction must begin.