PERMIT ISSUED FOR MYSTERY BANK BUILDING ON WISCONSIN AVE. IN BETHESDA

A rumored bank building - for which no documents appear to exist online in the Montgomery County Planning Department system for the public to review - is apparently going forward anyway. The county has issued a construction permit for what is described only as, "NEW BANK," at 8101 Wisconsin Avenue. 

The property was formerly the site of Bethesda's famous "Last Gas" BP/Amoco station, so named for its distinction as the last opportunity to fill up prior to the Beltway north of town.

BETHESDA BP CONVENIENCE STORE ABANDONED (PHOTOS)

The shelves are bare, and the coolers empty, at the old Bethesda BP's convenience store, at the corner of Fairmont Avenue and Old Georgetown Road.

Part of the sign has been removed out front, as well. The convenience store is apparently out of business, but whether auto repairs will continue to be offered is unclear.

The property will eventually be redeveloped as a 17-story apartment building.

BP GAS STATION ON OLD GEORGETOWN ROAD CLOSES SUDDENLY (PHOTOS)

BETHESDA'S DWINDLING

GAS OPTIONS POSE

POTENTIAL DANGER IN

FUTURE WEATHER EVENTS

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

The BP gas station at 7725 Old Georgetown Road at Fairmont Avenue was closed last evening.  The cause and duration of the closure are both unknown.  No one was present to ask questions of.

Note that prices have been
removed from the sign

This is a reminder that we are now down to - by my count - 5 gas stations in downtown Bethesda.  At least one of those will close, at the corner of Battery Lane and Wisconsin Avenue, for construction of a future office building.  4 gas stations may sound like a lot.  But keep in mind the events of the last 4 months.  After the derecho storm in July, and in the pre-Sandy hurricane panic, gas ran out at many Bethesda stations.

And after Sandy hit New York and New Jersey, there were gas shortages on a large scale, leading to rationing.  So the loss of service stations is not a matter to take lightly in future downtown planning decisions.