Bethesda Bio building begins leasing

Leasing brochure prepared by
Scheer Partners for Bethesda Bio building

Pre-leasing is now underway for the proposed Bethesda Bio building at 8280 Wisconsin Avenue. A partnership between developers StonebridgeCarras and Donohoe, the building is being marketed as a biotech center at the "Gateway to NIH." There are 10 spaces being leased, each of which consists of an entire floor. A brochure is included in an online listing for the property.

Unlike some on the Montgomery County Council, leasing firm Scheer Partners smartly focuses on NIH, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Uniformed Services University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in its pitch to prospective biotech firms. Councilmembers who touted a "research triangle" that would include the FDA in White Oak were apparently unaware that the federal agency is a regulator, not an innovator. In fact, the FDA is often an obstacle standing in the way of biotech and pharmaceutical advances reaching those who need them.

Developers unveil plans for Sunoco station property in downtown Bethesda (Photos)

Developers Donohoe and StonebridgeCarras unveiled redevelopment plans for the current site of a Sunoco gas station and car wash at 8280 Wisconsin Avenue at a public meeting last night in Bethesda. However, few specific details emerged, and no fully-developed renderings are available at this stage. The building was depicted as a simplistic cube. EwingCole will handle the eventual architectural design of the building, and the ubiquitous VIKA will be the engineering firm.

View of the building from two
blocks north on MD 355

Under the proposal's sketch plan, which the applicants' attorney Bob Dalrymple said would be submitted to Montgomery County within the next week, the Sunoco would be replaced with a 144' commercial office building. There would be two levels of garage parking, and no vehicular access from Wisconsin Avenue.

Sketch Plan

While the office market in moribund Montgomery County has been weak, the applicants say they have some advanced interest in this project from more than one potential office tenant. They - understandably - could not reveal those interested parties at last night's meeting, adding to the suspense and speculation. However, they did say that those parties' timeframes for occupancy line up perfectly with the expected timeline for delivery of 8280 Wisconsin.

One other point covered that has been the subject of speculation - the enticing potential to assemble a much-larger building site at this location. Donohoe already owns the Bethesda Medical Building adjacent to this parcel, and the Monocle Building directly behind the Sunoco has been on the market for a while now. Neither will be part of this project however. Asked if they had attempted to acquire the Monocle Building, the response was, "No comment."

Going forward, the project's sketch plan is expected to be reviewed by the Planning Board for approval in July. Site Plan and Preliminary Plan review could then occur in the fall. Groundbreaking for the building would not occur until Fall 2019, with delivery expected in the summer of 2021.