SIDEWALK REOPENS IN FRONT OF 7550 WISCONSIN AVENUE - BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

After what seems like a year, the sidewalk in front of future Class A office building 7550 Wisconsin Avenue has reopened to pedestrian traffic.

This restores a significant pedestrian route from "Old Town" Bethesda to the Bethesda Metro Center, particularly for residents of buildings like 8200 Wisconsin Avenue.

Meanwhile, the transformation of the office tower continues, most fully realized now in the gleaming, new main lobby.

PEARL STREET POWER LINES TO BE BURIED FOR 4500 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY PROJECT

Montgomery County officials made quite a publicity stunt out of the groundbreaking for 4500 East-West Highway Thursday.  The current McDonald's site is the future home of a new office building, as I reported many months ago.

One reader, Diarmaid McGleenan, provided some helpful details about the project.  The power lines along Pearl Street will be buried prior to demolition and construction activities.  Also, Montgomery Avenue will be reduced to 1 lane during off-peak hours, but expand back to 3 during most rush hour periods.

A good heads up for drivers traveling through that area.

But I thought the politicians' theatrics were a bit much.  The relevant point is not so much that new, Class A office buildings are rare, as if development in itself solves an economic problem. Rather, it's that new, Class A office buildings are rare because the county has failed to attract the large employers who create the demand for such space.

And that is hardly cause to congratulate themselves. Bring the jobs, and the office space will follow.

BETHESDA'S FIRST NEW CLASS A OFFICE BUILDING IN 11 YEARS DAZZLES AFTER DARK - EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS

FUNCTION FOLLOWS

FORM WITH AMENITIES,

GREEN FEATURES IN

AKRIDGE'S SLEEK NEW

DOWNTOWN ADDRESS

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

Bethesda heard quite a bit about the 7550 Wisconsin redevelopment project when it was announced.  Developer Akridge even won several awards before the work was done.  In essence, architectural firm Shalom Baranes was tasked with turning a pumpkin into Cinderella's carriage.

And I'm rather surprised to report to you that, by golly, they just may have done it.

 Granted, the building's basic shape is simply a boring box.  But check out all that glass.  After dark, this building is a 10-story stunner.    While regular readers know my preference for taller skyscrapers, shortness aside, this is the kind of design we need more of in downtown Bethesda.

The slight contrast of the ground floor with the upper levels is appropriate, given that after business hours, that retail and restaurant space will still be active.

7550's amenities include a fitness center, commuter bike storage, secure underground garage, and one other special feature - the rooftop.

I want to be on the guest list for parties on this rooftop!  Alas, the roof will not be open to the public, but only to tenants of the building.

Not only does the roof have stunning views and a nice design you can't see from street level, but it is part of the LEED Gold environmental design.  Besides being an event space, it is a landscaped green roof.

The fact that this is the first Class A office building to be delivered downtown in over a decade, speaks again to Montgomery County's crippling lack of vision and leadership.  And, of course, that poor stewardship has directed development out to White Flint, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Science City, etc., rather than in more appropriate places like downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring.

There's something odd about claiming we are going to add 100,000 people to the county, and at the same time, having 19 stories be the maximum building height in downtown Bethesda.  We should be building skyscrapers here, rather than trying to urbanize suburban neighborhoods by bulldozing homes and shopping centers.

In short, (pun intended) we need more projects of the quality of 7550 Wisconsin.  Just taller, and more Dubai than MoCo in design.