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Sunday, October 14, 2018
Bethesda construction update: 7272 Wisconsin Avenue (Photos)
Here are scenes from the progress at Carr Properties' 7272 Wisconsin Avenue project. The mega project includes a Purple Line light rail station topped by an office tower (The Wilson), and a residential tower (The Elm).
5 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Wow, you can really get a sense of the enormous scale of this project. I still contend that this project, combined with 4747 Bethesda, the Avocet Office Tower and AC Hotel, the proposed twin EYA towers near the WFM, and the new Red Line/Purple Line, the Proposed BRT Station and the Capital Crescent Trail and Bike Parking Structure will likely shift the epicenter of Bethesda to this location. This area will expand the vitality of the Bethesda Row area all the way to Wisconsin, and create an extended pedestrian focused streetscape, likely anchored by the proposed Capital Cresent Urban Plaza.
At the art fair on Saturday, I noted that Brookfield had a booth to gain support for their proposed redevelopment of the Metro Center adding a tower, and reworking the plazas and Metro Entrance/Bus Bays. I hope this effort can help the existing CBD become more vital, but I believe in a few years, when you see a “postcard” photo of Bethesda, it will not be of the existing Metro fountains, but will be a photo of the new Capital Cresent Urban Plaza.
Of course the Woodmont Triangle will continue to get better with more development, but I envision a bipolar Bethesda, no longer focused on the aging core, but split between two neighborhoods. Both the north and south neighborhoods will include lots of mixed use housing opportunities, three hotels each, and lots of restaurants, retail shops, parks and plazas. The core will include older offices, one hotel and lots of banks, but not too much else. It will continue to be a great business area, but I fear it will not become a pedestrian focused area that will attached non-offices workers.
It seems to me that the 4 Metro Center Site is one chance to create a cohesive urban design that could become a desintation.
It also seems that all though the Woodmont Triangle area has seen lots of development, and lots more is possible, many of the developments seem isolated and do not work as a group to enhance the neighborhood as a whole. The area around the Gallery I and II seem like they will create a nice central area, but most other development seem to be in isolation or shouldered together in competition. For example, the 7900 Building under construction, along with the proposed 8000 building and approved 8100 building seem like they will ignore each other. Lots of mid-block developments don’t help, as new corners with terminated vistas are not formed. The Bainbridge is a good example of poor urban planning, and will soon be in the shadow of The Rugby. I hope folks on the southwest side have short leases.
The proposed Claiborne Building seems isolated on the end of Norfolk. The 7770 Building, Lionsgate and The Cheval all seem like afterthoughts attached to the corners of a parking deck. One half of all the units in these three towers enjoy lousy views of the rooftop parking on the deck. Oh look honey, I think that pickup truck that parks in the corner space is new!
Even the plans for the Marriott HQ and new hotel seem to be very self centered nd will not contribute to the hood. The developers of this 22 story office tower could not find enough space to add even a token amount of retail at grade level. I’m sure it will become a dead zone at night and even in the pedestrian walkway between the tower and the hotel.
The massive wall of apartments formed by the Pallasides and adjacent apartment tower is devoid of and street level activity.
On the other hand, the triangular block bounded by Bethesda, Wisconsin and Elm will include three urban plazas, one at each corner, and two across the street at the Avocet and (hopefully) the Farm Women’s Market. Bethesda Row is an area lined with fine grained retail shops with very few dead sections. A stroll around the Row becomes a nice chance to window shop and check out all the outdoor dining under a dense tree canopy. Of course the Row was a master planned area by a single developer, but as more buildings are placed at the perimeter, the idea is extended and enhanced.
Those photos in the middle of the article are really immature, disgusting and a huge disincentive to continue reading the article. If someone had thought of voting for Dyer before I'm sure they don't now.
5 comments:
Wow, you can really get a sense of the enormous scale of this project. I still contend that this project, combined with 4747 Bethesda, the Avocet Office Tower and AC Hotel, the proposed twin EYA towers near the WFM, and the new Red Line/Purple Line, the Proposed BRT Station and the Capital Crescent Trail and Bike Parking Structure will likely shift the epicenter of Bethesda to this location. This area will expand the vitality of the Bethesda Row area all the way to Wisconsin, and create an extended pedestrian focused streetscape, likely anchored by the proposed Capital Cresent Urban Plaza.
At the art fair on Saturday, I noted that Brookfield had a booth to gain support for their proposed redevelopment of the Metro Center adding a tower, and reworking the plazas and Metro Entrance/Bus Bays. I hope this effort can help the existing CBD become more vital, but I believe in a few years, when you see a “postcard” photo of Bethesda, it will not be of the existing Metro fountains, but will be a photo of the new Capital Cresent Urban Plaza.
Of course the Woodmont Triangle will continue to get better with more development, but I envision a bipolar Bethesda, no longer focused on the aging core, but split between two neighborhoods. Both the north and south neighborhoods will include lots of mixed use housing opportunities, three hotels each, and lots of restaurants, retail shops, parks and plazas. The core will include older offices, one hotel and lots of banks, but not too much else. It will continue to be a great business area, but I fear it will not become a pedestrian focused area that will attached non-offices workers.
It's kind of dumb to put your campaign ads right in the middle of your photorrhea. Most readers stop scrolling after the third photo.
On the subject of your campaign, how come you never told your readers that Bethesda Beat did a profile of you?
https://bethesdamagazine.com/2018-general-election-voters-guide/montgomery-county-council-at-large-four-seats/
It seems to me that the 4 Metro Center Site is one chance to create a cohesive urban design that could become a desintation.
It also seems that all though the Woodmont Triangle area has seen lots of development, and lots more is possible, many of the developments seem isolated and do not work as a group to enhance the neighborhood as a whole. The area around the Gallery I and II seem like they will create a nice central area, but most other development seem to be in isolation or shouldered together in competition. For example, the 7900 Building under construction, along with the proposed 8000 building and approved 8100 building seem like they will ignore each other. Lots of mid-block developments don’t help, as new corners with terminated vistas are not formed. The Bainbridge is a good example of poor urban planning, and will soon be in the shadow of The Rugby. I hope folks on the southwest side have short leases.
The proposed Claiborne Building seems isolated on the end of Norfolk. The 7770 Building, Lionsgate and The Cheval all seem like afterthoughts attached to the corners of a parking deck. One half of all the units in these three towers enjoy lousy views of the rooftop parking on the deck. Oh look honey, I think that pickup truck that parks in the corner space is new!
Even the plans for the Marriott HQ and new hotel seem to be very self centered nd will not contribute to the hood. The developers of this 22 story office tower could not find enough space to add even a token amount of retail at grade level. I’m sure it will become a dead zone at night and even in the pedestrian walkway between the tower and the hotel.
The massive wall of apartments formed by the Pallasides and adjacent apartment tower is devoid of and street level activity.
On the other hand, the triangular block bounded by Bethesda, Wisconsin and Elm will include three urban plazas, one at each corner, and two across the street at the Avocet and (hopefully) the Farm Women’s Market. Bethesda Row is an area lined with fine grained retail shops with very few dead sections. A stroll around the Row becomes a nice chance to window shop and check out all the outdoor dining under a dense tree canopy. Of course the Row was a master planned area by a single developer, but as more buildings are placed at the perimeter, the idea is extended and enhanced.
Those photos in the middle of the article are really immature, disgusting and a huge disincentive to continue reading the article. If someone had thought of voting for Dyer before I'm sure they don't now.
Daytime photos?
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