Intruders have once again broken into the row of vacant storefronts between 8000 and 8008 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. A fire and flood caused by a burglar inside one of the buildings a few months ago, along with a rampage of window smashing on the block, led to a moderately-stronger attempt to secure the properties. Alas, the most noticeable intrusion since then has occurred during the Christmas holiday. A portion of the security fence was damaged on the Cordell Avenue side of the property to gain access to the site. The situation has been caused by major delays in the two redevelopment projects planned for 8000 and 8008 Wisconsin; the developer of the 8000 site recently acquired the 8008 property from Toll Brothers, but groundbreaking for the Artena Bethesda tower at 8000 Wisconsin has again stalled out despite demolition permits being pulled for that portion of the block.
7 comments:
If they're not damaging anything they do need a place to stay, especially this Winter.
Think you mean trespasser or vandal rather than burglar.
These buildings need to be leveled to ground level. Then this will stop.
The "shelter" is literally yards away...
@6:18 Are you referring to an actual shelter (or shelters) for unhoused people in downtown Bethesda?
Years ago, Catholic Charities ran an overnight shelter for men on Cordell Ave, but that building was sold and is now a CrossFit(?) site.
Bethesda Cares on Woodmont assists unhoused folks and provides drop-in services during the daytime but is not a shelter per se.
Lasko Manor on Hampden Lane provides transitional housing and sober living for men.
Maybe others are aware of additional services and housing in the downtown area.
:-)
Why doesn't the county require the developer to knock it down. It is a dangerous eyesore.
Instead of requiring it to be knocked down, the County should ensure there are viable business and construction plans in place before forcing existing businesses out of their leases. That army navy store did a brisk business, and now we all have to drive up to Rockville and Gaithersburg to find any similar offerings.
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