Middlebrook Apartments sold in Bethesda

The Middlebrook Apartments at 5015 Battery Lane have officially changed hands, according to Maryland real estate records. Those records indicate the property was sold on September 15, 2023 for $22,250,000, a massive increase in value over its 2015 purchase for $1,000,000. The seller was I Warehouses, Inc., and the buyer was 5015 Battery Lane, LLC, located at 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 400, in downtown Bethesda. The 1962 building was appraised at $16,591,600 only 10 months ago.

John Astin, the original Gomez Addams, grew up in Bethesda

John Astin, the original Gomez Addams on TV's The Addams Family, grew up in Bethesda. He lived with his family in a house on Battery Lane. His father, Allen V. Astin, was the Director of the National Bureau of Standards. Known as NIST today, the bureau was located in the District at that time, and Allen Astin played a major role in the planning and development of its future Gaithersburg campus.

John Astin married actress Patty Duke in the backyard of the Battery Lane home in 1972, according to an Associated Press account at the time. His soon-to-be-adopted son, actor Sean Astin, was an 18-month-old guest at the ceremony. Sean Astin would go on to star in The Goonies, Rudy and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and visited his grandparents on Battery Lane during his childhood. Allen Astin would live in Bethesda until his death in 1984, according to The New York Times.

Alas, the Astin home at 5008 Battery Lane was later demolished to make way for condos near the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. But John Astin is still a Maryland resident today. He lives in Baltimore, and is the Director of the Theater Arts and Studies Department and Homewood Professor of the Arts at Johns Hopkins University. Astin graduated from Johns Hopkins in 1952.

Photo courtesy ABC

Bethesda landlord responds to apartment lease controversy

"We will be homeless!!!" a flyer received by many residents of The Glens on Battery Lane warned this week. It said leases in two buildings expected to be demolished in the future would be "ending as early as July 2021," and urged residents to contact Montgomery County to complain. Yesterday, property manager Aldon Management responded in a letter to residents of those buildings to dispute the assertions made in the flyer, which it said had been distributed by "one of our Residents."

"Aldon Management is offering every Resident of 4890 and 4900 [Battery Lane] the option of extending their lease until February 2022 at no increase," the letter stated. It said demolition and redevelopment of the two buildings will not happen prior to March 2022, and could even be delayed further under unforeseen circumstances. 

Aldon vowed to go beyond the 60-day rule Montgomery County has for informing residents of a non-renewal of their lease, promising to alert residents "at least 75-90 days ahead of the expiration." It said residents who wish to stay on in a different building at The Glens when demolition of theirs begins "will have transfer fees waived and will be given first option for available apartments."

4890 and 4900 are "Site C" in the larger redevelopment plan of developer Brown Development. The full redevelopment of all of its Battery Lane properties is expected to take place over the next fifteen years, in five staged phases.

Auto parts stolen from multiple vehicles in Battery Lane theft spree

One or more auto parts thieves went to town on Battery Lane over the night between Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5, 2020. Parts were stolen from vehicles parked in lots outside of residential buildings in the 4800-5000 blocks of Battery. At least 13 vehicles were victimized, according to crime data. If you park outdoors on one of those blocks, you may want to check your vehicle.

Electrical fire in underground vault on Battery Lane in Bethesda

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services personnel responded to a fire in an underground electrical vault outside the Middlebrook Apartments on Battery Lane around 11:00 AM this morning. MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer said the fire was extinguished and the apartments were not affected. It's unclear if the problems in the electrical vault are in any way related to the landline telephone outages reported earlier by residents of Battery Lane.

Developer seeks extension for Battery Lane District plan review

Aldon Management is asking the Montgomery County Planning Board for an additional extension in the review of the preliminary plan for its Battery Lane District development in downtown Bethesda. Nancy Regelin, attorney for Aldon, says that the delay is needed to address two new issues with the plan, which is expected to dramatically transform Battery Lane over this decade.

Issue number one - the question of which side of Battery Lane to place a cycle track on - has now been answered by the County Department of Transportation, which has formally recommended it go on the south side of the street. Now MCDOT wants Aldon to resubmit the preliminary plan so that it can review all of the implications of placing it on the south side.

A second issue is stormwater exiting into the stormwater management pond by NIH. Regelin says the County has asked for an additional flood plain study for the relevant stormwater outlet there. This will require additional engineering study by Aldon, and further review by the County.

For these reasons, Aldon is asking to postpone the end of the preliminary plan review period to April 30, 2020. Planning staff is recommending approval of the extension. The extension request will be taken up by the Planning Board at its January 30, 2020 meeting.

Battery Lane Park reopens in downtown Bethesda

Battery Lane Park has officially reopened at 4960 Battery Lane, Montgomery Parks announced Thursday. The renovated urban park now has a new playground, new picnic tables, a fitness station, a resurfaced basketball court, and the Bethesda Trolley Trail that winds through it has been widened.

Some lawn areas in the park remain fenced off for further renovation. Parks officials said Thursday that they expect that work to be completed by this fall.

Public meeting scheduled for Battery Lane redevelopment

A proposal to redevelop several older apartment buildings on Battery Lane will be presented at a public meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 7:00 PM at Imagination Stage, located at 4805 Auburn Avenue in Bethesda. The plan would make an even swap of six buildings for six new buildings. It is a controversial plan, as these and the apartments on Bradley Boulevard are among the last remaining naturally-occurring affordable housing in downtown Bethesda.

WSSC nighttime work on Rugby Avenue starting Sunday night

Another part of the WSSC project to replace the Battery Lane water main is scheduled to begin tomorrow night, Sunday, October 14, 2018. That night, Monday night, and Wednesday night, expect lane closures and nighttime work on Rugby Avenue, according to a WSSC service bulletin. In case of inclement weather or unexpected problems, the schedule will be moved to the next business day.

Generators, pumps and heavy vehicles and equipment will be employed, increasing noise levels. WSSC says residents nearby should not experience a loss of water service during the work. They might experience discolored water, or air trapped in their pipes. Customers are advised to flush their cold water lines in both cases.

2 burglaries on Battery Lane, assault on Spring Lake Drive + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 8, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 4400 block Montgomery Avenue.

Burglary. 4900 block Battery Lane at 10:22 PM.

Burglary. 5000 block Battery Lane.

"Other sexual offense." 3200 block East-West Highway.

Burglary. 6800 block Greentree Road.

Theft from vehicle. 10900 block Rockville Pike.

Theft. 6100 block Tilden Lane.

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Theft. Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Assault. 7500 block Spring Lake Drive at 2:01 PM.

Assault in Chevy Chase Lake, burglaries on Battery La., Singleton Dr. + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 5, according to crime data:

Burglary. 4900 block Battery Lane.

Drug arrest. Fairfax Road at Bradley Boulevard.

Theft. 4600 block N. Park Avenue.

Theft. 5900 block Bradley Boulevard.

Assault. 3600 block Chevy Chase Lake Drive.

Theft from vehicle. 5400 block Butler Road.

Burglary. 9700 block Singleton Drive (Ashburton).

Fire at Middlebrooke Apartments on Battery Lane in Bethesda

An apartment fire at the Middlebrooke at 5015 Battery Lane forced the evacuation of residents around 7:45 PM last night. Firefighters responded and quickly extinguished the blaze in an apartment bedroom. Smoke spread through the building and had to be dispersed, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer said.

No injuries were reported. The Middlebrooke was also evacuated in October 2013, as the result of a carbon monoxide leak.

WAR ON PEDESTRIANS CONTINUES IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

If you've tried navigating downtown Bethesda on foot this year, you know that pedestrian safety has been more of an afterthought than a priority. The Montgomery County Council is now finally discussing the issue of illegal sidewalk closures at downtown Bethesda construction sites - four-and-a-half months after I first reported it on here, and nearly as long since citizen complaints were filed regarding the closures on Fairmont Avenue. Norfolk Avenue, St. Elmo Avenue, Old Georgetown Road, Arlington Road and Bethesda Avenue are just some of the places where sidewalks closed (or remain closed) for extended periods, in violation of county code.

But there's an additional pedestrian safety problem now at the intersection of Old Georgetown Road and Battery Lane. Would you believe...there are no controls or crossing signals for pedestrians to cross Battery Lane at this intersection?

Walk? Don't Walk?
Hello?

"Press button to cross?" There is no button to press! And no signal to tell you when to cross, even if there had been.

Button? What button?

The new controls are at the intersection, but they remain in their packaging! Your taxpayer dollars at work. How about less poster ads of teens with tread marks on their faces, and a little more breaking out the old tool box and installing the dang signals?

While developers have been responsible for the majority of sidewalk closures in Bethesda, this problem is strictly a government one. As a state highway, Old Georgetown Road falls under the jurisdiction of the State Highway Administration.

What's the explanation here?

See the box tied around
the pole at right? The
pedestrian controls are
in there

This is a busy, state highway
intersection

ASSAULTS ON BATTERY LANE, KIRKWOOD DRIVE + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on September 9-10, according to crime data:

September 9

Assault. 4900 block Battery Lane at 8:21 PM.

Assault. 5400 block Kirkwood Drive (Springfield).

Theft. 5200 block Carlton Street.

Theft. 5100 block Scarsdale Road.

Theft from vehicle. 5800 block Plainview Road.

Theft from vehicle. 9500 block Kingsley Avenue.

Theft from vehicle. 5400 block Linden Court.

Burglary. 8700 block Burdette Road.

September 10

Vehicle burglary. 4500 block Montgomery Avenue.

Theft. 10200 block Old Georgetown Road.

Theft. Macy's at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

WOODMONT VIEW SITE PLAN AMENDMENT RECOMMENDED BY PLANNING BOARD STAFF FOR APPROVAL (PHOTO)

Woodmont View, a luxury residential building that - in an unusual stipulation by planners - is required to have a "quality restaurant" on premises(!!), is nearing approval of its site plan.

As I reported a while back, Duball, LLC has requested a reduction in parking spaces (from 101 to 83). Planning staff recommends they be allowed to do so, citing the proximity of the public parking garage on Woodmont Avenue to the development. Woodmont View will be located on the northwest corner of Battery Lane and Woodmont Avenue.

They also recommend the planning board allow the deletion of the rooftop pool and Jacuzzi from the site plan.

I'm not sure how the proximity to a pocket park equals aquatic facilities, but, welcome to Montgomery County planning!

A new rendering of the building was included. It continues to look pretty good, compared to some other Bethesda projects. It has a distinctive appearance, particularly the roof. That roof, and the overall elite prep school-meets-Charles Dickens facade, window design and street-level entrance will give a sense of place at the Woodmont gateway to Bethesda.

The same cannot be said for the generic 1970s hospital design of the project directly across Woodmont from it, where construction is just getting started.

Rendering courtesy: Maurice Walters, Architect

CHEVY CHASE LAKE SECTOR PLAN LATEST TO DECIMATE EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LOWER MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Montgomery County's elected officials continue to say one thing, and do quite another, when it comes to affordable housing.

One myth postulated by developer-backed "smart growth" advocates and politicians, is that this form of planning will generate affordable housing. But in practice, Montgomery's smart growth sector plan and zoning rewrites do the opposite.

You may recall that, a few months ago, the County Council and Planning Board endorsed demolition of hundreds of relatively-affordable housing units on Battery Lane in Bethesda. In return, the county will get a handful of MPDUs it will control.

This pattern is repeating itself all over lower Montgomery County.

The typical ratio is anywhere from 10-20 moderately-priced units generated for every 100+ apartments demolished.

Just do the math.

The latest example came up at last night's public hearing on the Chevy Chase Lake sector plan before the County Council.

While the loss of affordable units in Chevy Chase Lake will be far less than in Wheaton or Glenmont, due to its smaller land area, the unnecessary inclusion of existing housing in the plan is reminiscent of those two rewrites.

Newdale Mews is - relative to usual Chevy Chase living costs - an affordable apartment complex.  Rents start around $1300-1400.  The apartments are not brand new by any means. But that doesn't mean they cannot be renovated.

But should the sector plan pass as-is, Newdale Mews will be demolished, and replaced by luxury apartments for the rich.  According to nearby homeowner Jeff Rule, who testified against the plan last night, only 10-12 MPDUs would be in the new luxury complex.

Again, do the math.

I'm still trying to do the math for the current Glenmont sector plan rewrite. With the exception of the plan to tear down the beautifully-landscaped Privacy World apartments - which has such an overkill of new units planned (1000+!), it could possibly equal the number of affordable units destroyed - several other apartment complexes have been explicitly targeted by planners for demolition.

Why?

Developer greed.

When I testified before the council last year against the zoning changes in downtown Wheaton, I presented an alternative plan.  One that would exempt existing affordable housing, and shopping centers with small businesses (many with Asian or Latino owners), from rezoning.

Instead, I suggested, limit rezoning to properties where the business owner also owns the land.  That way, struggling folks don't get forced out of their homes and shops by landlords who want to cash in on the new zoning.

The bottom-line question was, if you don't mean for these apartment buildings to be demolished, and the occupants tossed out on the street, why in the world would you apply the new zoning to them?

But, predictably, the council went ahead anyway.  They're also going to give a small fortune to a construction company, to build a completely-unnecessary government building on the current parking for Wheaton Triangle businesses. With parking difficult, customers will be turned away. And that means that - guess what? - more shops go out of business. It's an ingenious plan to speed redevelopment of the Wheaton Triangle shopping centers at the expense of taxpayers, and business owners.

And how about affordable housing? Not to long ago, I heard that a plan is coming forward to redevelop the Ambassador apartments. That is one of the affordable apartment buildings I referred to in my testimony. No one is saying it's the Ritz Carlton. But where are those folks going to go?

And which building is next?

Even an affordable complex dedicated by Eleanor Roosevelt herself, on the edge of downtown Silver Spring, is now facing the wrecking ball. What would she say about that? Don't worry, a developer could probably give a smart aleck answer that would be favorable to new development. Save it for the Planning Board.

Problems in development-crazed Washington, DC, are giving us a glimpse of Montgomery County's future, should we continue on this path.

A spike in the number of DC residents, including hundreds of children, trying to get into homeless shelters. Others are moving to Prince Georges County. Recent news stories have cited the loss of affordable housing as the primary cause of the surge.

Meanwhile, unit after unit of affordable housing is demolished in DC, and replaced by luxury apartments. Wealthy politicians, developers and residents lecture us on the success of "vibrant, walkable, smart growth" redevelopment.

Sound familiar?

WOODMONT DRY CLEANERS MOVES INTO FORMER TATTOO SPACE, RENAMED MILAE CLEANERS (PHOTOS)

The dry cleaning business next to the Woodmont Market has moved diagonally across the street into the building at the Northwest corner of Woodmont and Battery Lane.

One big advantage downtown residents will like: the new location has its own surface parking lot!

This new location's signage refers to it as Milae Cleaners. Milae already has one location in Bethesda, on River Road.

KRIS KRIMINAL? ROBBERY, ASSAULT ON CHRISTMAS IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA - BETHESDA CRIME REPORT

Criminals celebrated Christmas their own way in downtown Bethesda this year, and Santa Claus has some names on his Really Naughty list already for next December 25.

According to crime data, a robbery occurred Christmas Day in the 4900 block of Battery Lane.

An assault was also reported at the Bethesda Row Cinema, of all places. It's important to note that the address from which an assault is reported is not always the location at which the assault took place.  Remember, for example, the jogger who was assaulted on the Capital Crescent Trail; the crime was listed in data as having been reported from the nearby home where she sought help afterward.

BATTERY LANE RESIDENTS OPPOSE PLAN TO INSTALL PARKING METERS

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett has proposed installing parking meters on Battery Lane, between Old Georgetown Road and Woodmont Avenue.  Some residents are organizing to oppose the plan, and have posted a petition online to stop it. 

Lauren Lefkowitz, who started the petition, says the recent repaving of Battery left only about 20 street parking spaces.  These are relied upon heavily by visitors and servicepeople like plumbers or electricians.  Private lots, not surprisingly, utilize permit parking at the various residential buildings.

Friends and Residents of Battery Lane emphasizes the quiet, residential nature of Battery Lane.

As always, these are complicated issues.  Obviously, the County Executive, and if they approve it, the County Council, want revenue.  Once again this year, the county budget is scheduled to grow, rather than shrink, despite an ongoing structural deficit.  Politicians who won't make tough cuts or restructure government have received little criticism in the local press.  Is anyone surprised that they have gained a false sense of invincibility?

So, there's no question, they are scrounging through the sofa cushions and knocking off the citizens' bank accounts for every last dime, to fund a budget bigger than last year's.

At the same time, parking will be getting even worse on Battery in the next few years.  Two major developments are moving through the planning process now.

What officials don't want is the same thing they didn't want when other parts of downtown Bethesda redeveloped:  free parking.

Back in the 90s, if I recall correctly - and please correct me if I'm wrong - where there wasn't "free" parking outright, you didn't have to feed the meter after a certain hour.  As politicians sought more money to play with, they turned to parking meters in Bethesda.

This led to the Pajama Parkers:  exhausted residents running outside at various hours to put more money into the parking meter.  In some cases, older buildings didn't have enough spaces; in others, street parking was cheaper than leasing or buying a space.

I'm foggy on the details, but clearly remember the uproar and the Pajama  Parkers.

Guess what?  Government won.

Fast forward to today.

I think it may be premature to install meters on Battery, until we know exactly what type of businesses, restaurants, bars, etc. will be on the ground floor of these developments.  It might make more sense to go to a permit system, by which residents could give guests a permit to park.

Plus, the demand for parking will be less the further west on Battery you are.  Surely, the grocery store in the Woodmont/Battery development on the old Ramada Inn site will offer its own free parking.  I'd also expect at least 2 of these new, private garages to be open to the public.

Unfortunately, if the new developments contain popular businesses that attract many patrons, meters on Battery would be almost unavoidable, if there is not free parking available within the new buildings.  There would be spillover, and those cars would be hogging the spaces that visitors of residents on Battery Lane need.

I think the best approach would be to not make county revenue the top priority in this situation.  The real priority is, how do we preserve or create parking spaces for visitors of Battery residents?  How do we avoid charging someone who simply wants to park his or her car, and jog or cycle along the Bethesda Trolley Trail?  And how do we balance the current parking problem with the pressures of the future development?

I'm not very optimistic.  Every time I'm hit up for paid parking in the rural exurbs (I'm talking about you, downtown Frederick), or at a hospital parking lot nowhere near a Metro station, or anything else people would want to snag a space for, I feel ripped off.

We're moving towards a future where every inch the car moves, and every parking space the car fills - including in front of suburban homes! - will incur a charge.  I predict that - as we move towards more play money budgets of $6, 7, 8, 9 billion - the council will float the concept of paid permit parking in single-family residential neighborhoods countywide.  Write that down.  Each additional car will be an extra charge.  Scary, right?

So even if you don't live in downtown Bethesda, pay attention to parking issues like those on Battery.  Today's urban parking penalties are tomorrow's suburban parking payday for big-spending politicians.