Bethesda construction update: Hampden House apartment tower (Photos)

Construction is in the home stretch at Hampden House, the new apartment tower at 7316 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda. An official website for the property is now live. Hampden House will provide 366 residential units, and 10,110-square-feet of restaurant and retail space. The latter currently includes designer lighting retailer Visual Comfort & Co., and restaurant The Food Market. One retail space remains available for lease. Developer Saul Centers anticipates a late-2025 delivery.

Bethesda construction update: Hampden House apartments (Photos)

Here's a look at the construction progress on the Hampden House apartment tower at 7316 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. On either side of the building, you can see 7272 Wisconsin Avenue to the left, and the under-construction Charles apartment tower on the right. The ugly white bunker next to it is a temporary enclosure for the astronomically-behind-schedule Purple Line project. So far behind schedule, that some kids in Bethesda have never known an Elm Street that was open to Wisconsin Avenue.

Hampden House will provide 366 residential units, and 10110-square-feet of restaurant and retail space. The latter currently includes designer lighting retailer Visual Comfort & Co., and restaurant The Food Market. One retail space remains available for lease. Developer Saul Centers anticipates a late-2025 delivery.

Bethesda construction update: Hampden House apartment tower (Photos)

Here's a look at the latest progress on the construction of developer Saul Centers' Hampden House luxury apartment tower at 7316 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The large white "shed" you see at the bottom of several of the photos is not part of the project; it is a noise suppression enclosure for the blasting and excavation related to the future Purple Line and Red Line station elevator access. While it blocks views of the lowest floors of the tower at the moment, Hampden House is beginning to resemble the renderings shown during the approval process.

When completed, Hampden House will hold 366 residential units, and 10,110-square-feet of retail and restaurant space. One ground floor retail space has been leased by designer lighting retailer Visual Comfort & Co.; two retail spaces still remain on the market for lease. A late 2025 delivery is anticipated for Hampden House.

Bethesda construction update - Hampden House apartment tower (Photos)

Here's a look at the latest progress on the construction of developer Saul Centers' Hampden House apartment tower at 7316 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The building will hold 366 residential units, and 10,110-square-feet of retail and restaurant space. One ground floor retail space has been leased by designer lighting retailer Visual Comfort & Co.; two retail spaces remain available. A late 2025 delivery is anticipated for Hampden House.

New Bethesda high-rises jockey for skyline prominence

Downtown Bethesda's post-2017 high-rises haven't been subtle newcomers to the town's skyline. Unlike most earlier downtown buildings (with the notable exception of the Chevy Chase Trust Building), they can be clearly seen on the horizon from higher vistas in the Westbard area, for example. Now that even more are being built, we're seeing some of the first examples of rivals muscling their slightly elder siblings out of their prominent spots in the sky after only a few years. Construction on the Hampden House apartment tower at 7316 Wisconsin Avenue has progressed to the point where it is now almost entirely eclipsing The Wilson and The Elm towers at 7272 Wisconsin on the next block down, for those heading south towards Washington, D.C. A 2025 delivery date is anticipated for the B.F. Saul development - which could soon be eclipsed itself by a project starting on the next block north of it, at 7340 Wisconsin.

Future Bethesda high-rise Hampden House signs Visual Comfort & Co. as anchor retail tenant

Bethesda-based B.F. Saul has found an anchor tenant for the ground floor retail portion of its future Hampden House apartment tower at 7316 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Designer lighting retailer Visual Comfort & Co. has reached a lease agreement for the showcase storefront facing onto Wisconsin Avenue. The company has existing showrooms in our region in Baltimore, Georgetown and Richmond. Visual Comfort sells indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures, as well as fans and gas lanterns.

Apple logo on renderings of the tower

Pre-construction renderings of the building had sparked rumors that the Apple Store might be relocating to Hampden House, as an Apple logo was shown on the storefront, and interior blueprints resembled a two-level design employed at some larger Apple Store locations. It's quite unusual for a brand logo to be employed in renderings if the company in question hasn't been signed as a tenant. 

The signing of Visual Comfort follows nearby neighbor Bethesda Row in another way, though, as that Federal Realty property has focused on upscale home goods and furnishings in recent years. Visual Comfort was founded in 1987 by Andy Singer, who recently merged his sister Gale's Circa Lighting into the company, making the firm a true family affair. Here are some photos from late-night construction at the tower, which will host 366 apartment units and 10,110-square-feet of retail space when completed.

Bethesda construction update: Hampden House apartment tower (Photos)

Hampden House is about two stories above ground level at 7316 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. There appears to have been a momentary setback, though. A demolition crew is on-site today, and it is demolishing part of the second floor of the structure that was already built with jackhammers. Perhaps one of our resident construction expert readers can clue us in on what would cause them to do so in the comments section below. When completed, Hampden House will contain 366 rental apartments, and 10,110 square feet of retail and restaurant space. Developer B.F. Saul anticipates a 2025 delivery date for the project.

Demolition crew working today

August 26, 2023