Historic Community Paint & Hardware store moved in Bethesda (Videos + Photos)

Crowds of spectators turned out to watch the move of the historic Community Paint and Hardware store overnight in downtown Bethesda. Some were filled with nostalgia, others were simply trying to figure out why there was a massive police operation up and down Wisconsin Avenue. The police numbers were matched by the number of hard-hatted utility workers, who were charged with making sure neither their infrastructure nor the venerable building were damaged by the move.

The store, originally known as the Wilson Store, was moved to clear the way for the redevelopment of the Apex Building at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue. It was previously moved a short distance south in the late 1980s, when that building itself was constructed.

A massive police presence
was needed up and down
Wisconsin Avenue

Crowds began to gather
as southbound Wisconsin
was shut down

Utility workers would swing
each of these signal arms
aside as the store passed
each intersection

The store is ready to move

Two northbound lanes of
Wisconsin remained open

Utility workers had to
protect their infrastructure
while ensuring clearance
for the historic building

Workers manually turned
off traffic signals at each
intersection 

Finally, it was time to move the building, one half following the other, creeping slowly up Wisconsin Avenue to Middleton Lane. There, a site was prepared for the building's new home, in a Montgomery County public parking lot. It is expected to be leased to a professional or retail business.

Front half of store
rolling onto Wisconsin
Avenue

The rear half of the
building creeping up
Wisconsin Avenue

Rear half on Wisconsin

Police had to yell at drivers
who were snapping cell phone pics
to remind them that's illegal

First half of store reaches
Middleton Lane

Police ask crowd to step back
"in case anything goes wrong"
as store is backed down Middleton

Panoramic view of turn
at Middleton

Both halves pause at
Middleton Lane

Front half arrives
at Middleton

Traveling this far was the
easy part, though

Making the reverse turn
onto Middleton, and clearing
the Wisconsin median, were
the biggest challenge

A loud bang startled the
crew, causing a delay, but
eventually the first (rear)
half made the tricky turn

As the rear half starts down
Middleton, the front half
moves into position to begin
the turn to follow it

Rear half makes it
down Middleton to the
destination site

Front half makes the turn
onto Middleton

Front half moving down Middleton
past Chevy Chase Cars to
public parking lot site

Now all that's left is to put
the two pieces back together