7340 Wisconsin project headed to Planning Board, as are 7900 Wisconsin plan changes

7340 applicant in negotiation with

Douglas Development for 

tower separation with adjacent site

A senior housing project proposed for the site of a former Exxon gas station at 7340 Wisconsin Avenue is headed to the Montgomery County Planning Board for review after years of delay, and multiple developer proposals. Latest developer South Bay Partners is submitting a sketch plan for 200 independent living units, 100 assisted living/memory care units, and up to 4500 SF of ground floor retail/restaurant space. Up to 5000 SF of retail was proposed last September, and is still referred to in some parts of the staff report, but 4500 is stated at the beginning of the report.

Proposed public open space along
Wisconsin Avenue

There are still no fully-developed renderings of the proposed building, and the sketch plan application mostly contains those same massing illustrations and landscaping plans I posted last fall (in fact, my article has more and more-detailed renderings than those). However, one bit of news is that South Bay is negotiating with Douglas Development on how to create separation between the future towers on their adjacent properties. Of course, it would have been much more exciting to hear that they were assembling the two properties for a larger, taller residential or office tower. Both sites are right atop the Bethesda Metro station, after all.

Two tower separation options for
7340 Wisconsin (left in both images) and
Douglas Development's adjacent future
development

Alas, the discussions are simply about a mutually-beneficial distance between their two towers. Right now, both parties are considering a "splayed" option, where the facades of both buildings will angle different directions on the sides where they face each other. They will then bump out at the bottom, where the distance will be shorter between them.

Loading docks and garage access will be from Hampden Lane. A separated bike lane will be added alongside the property on Montgomery Lane.

The Planning Board will review the sketch plan at its April 30, 2020 meeting (which will be online only). Planning staff is recommending approval of the plan.

* * *

The blue hatched areas will be converted from
public open space in the promenade to outdoor
dining space at JBG Smith's 7900 Wisconsin
development (which is actually branded as
8001 Woodmont now)

Also at the April 30 meeting, the Board will take up JBG Smith's proposed amendments to its 7900 Wisconsin Avenue project and site plans. The developer wishes to reduce 7900's public use space from 10,953 square feet to 10,323 square feet. JBG also is asking to decrease the number of residential units from 450 to 322 units, while maintaining 15% MPDUs; to decrease non-residential uses from 21,630 square feet to 21,600 square feet; reduce public use space from 11,329 square feet to 10,323 square feet; modify the building's footprint, stormwater, landscape and hardscape elements; make minor changes to building elevations; reduce parking from 445 to 340 spaces; and make minor adjustments to streetscape elements within the public right of way.

The reduction in public space is to allow more patio space for outdoor dining purposes on each side of the through-block promenade.

Staff is recommending approval of the plan amendments.