PLANS FOR FRESH GRILL/LOT 667 REDEVELOPMENT UNVEILED IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Greenhill Capital held a pre-submittal meeting for its Lot 667 redevelopment plan last night in Bethesda. The presentation was made by Todd Brown of the Linowes and Blocher law firm. An L-shaped property fronting on Fairmont, St. Elmo, and Norfolk Avenues in the Woodmont Triangle, Lot 667's current structures are mostly vacant. Bold Bite and office space remain active at 4901 Fairmont Avenue, but former tenants Fresh Grill, BlackFinn, Dansez Dansez, Red Tomato Cafe and BCC Automotive have vacated the premises.

The plan unveiled last evening is a interim project, meaning that a more-ambitious redevelopment of the site - such as the proposal designed by architecture firm of Steven J. Karr, AIA, Inc. - is being postponed to a future date. In short, new floors and new structures will be added to the buildings already there, to create a uniform facade. Eventually, after the second phase is completed, all of the structures will be connected, via the new structure in the center. As a reconstruction, no site plans will need to be submitted, Brown said. A preliminary plan will be filed with the county planning department this fall, however. The project will go to the planning board in the fall or winter, with construction beginning in spring of 2015.

The old Fresh Grill structure, condemned after damage caused by excavation on an adjacent property, will be reconstructed to make it habitable again. It will continue to be 1-story.

Bold Bite will remain in place on Fairmont Avenue, and the BlackFinn space at 4901-A Fairmont will be leased to a future tenant as expected. A new, 1-story addition will be added to the rear corner of the Fresh Grill space at the back of the driveway off of Fairmont Avenue.

Vacant storefronts formerly
inhabited by Dansez, Dansez
and Fresh Grill

Bold Bite is here
to stay on Fairmont

The Red Tomato building - also damaged and condemned - will be stabilized and reconstructed in a later Phase II of the project. It will receive an addition in the rear at that point, and a second story. All floors are currently expected to be retail space.

BCC Automotive building

Only the BCC Automotive structure will be razed. There will be slightly over 1000 SF of public space on the St. Elmo side of the property.

Overall, this is an opportunity for the landowner to finally get some revenue coming in from some of the now-vacant, condemned structures on the property. And a chance to reactivate some dead space along Fairmont and St. Elmo, assuming Bainbridge can get some exciting tenants for its ground-level retail/restaurant space next door to Lot 667.

SHOCKER!

FRESH GRILL CLOSED,

DANSEZ! DANSEZ! MOVING

AFTER CONSTRUCTION

DAMAGE RENDERS BETHESDA

BUILDING "UNSAFE"

Fairmont Avenue Storefronts Shuttered

After Building Ruled Structurally Unsound

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Diners hoping to enjoy an Angus Burger at Fresh Grill, and patrons anticipating a much-publicized dance performance at Dansez! Dansez!, were equally shocked and disappointed Saturday night.

Both businesses were locked tight, and surrounded by security fencing. Puzzled diners and dance buffs alike had more questions than answers. A small sign was placed in front of each shop, explaining that construction damage ("in our building," said Dansez! Dansez!, "caused by construction next door," said Fresh Grill) had forced closure of the building they share.

Patrons were advised to stay tuned for updates on when they would reopen. In the case of Dansez!, concertgoers were directed to an alternative site Saturday evening, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center.

It being Saturday night, neither business responded to messages. It is unclear right now who is "to blame" for the construction mishap.

But after some preliminary digging on my part, it is clear that the building's shutdown could be a long one. If not permanent. Especially for Dansez! Dansez!.

Their website says the damage occurred all the way back on February 14, and that their building has been deemed "unsafe to operate." In contrast to Fresh Grill's hopeful "Please Stand By" type of message, Dansez!'s actions suggest they have given up on the damaged structure altogether.

Dance classes have been moved to Imagination Stage temporarily, but Dansez! is moving to a brand new location on April 1, at 8020 Norfolk Avenue.

It isn't known this morning if there is any more hope of reopening the Fresh Grill at their current location, or if they will have to relocate as well.

Ironically, this is nothing new for Bethesda. Last year, South Street Steaks suffered a lengthy shutdown, when a car crashed into its building. I'm not making this up, folks!

The only remaining question in this case is, who caused the damage? My first thought had been that a mishap had occurred at the adjacent site, where a new residential building is being erected. There had been demolition and digging activity.

However, Fresh Grill's sign says, "next door," and - as I mentioned - Dansez! says, "in our building." Although it's hard to imagine what sort of construction inside a dance studio could cause an entire building to be condemned.

So, hopefully we'll have more details soon, but I wanted to post the news so fans of both spots are aware of the situation, and that dance students know where their classes will be. And that the future of that building is possibly in question.