Fairmont Avenue sidewalk closure at St. Elmo Apartments construction site

Here's something you don't see every day in downtown Bethesda: a sidewalk closure with the required notice posted. It is related to the St. Elmo Apartments construction project that impacts Fairmont and St. Elmo Avenues. This particular sign is on Fairmont, and the affected sidewalk segment is in front of 4931 Fairmont.

A Montgomery County law guided to passage by former County Councilmember Roger Berliner in 2014 mandated this sign be posted at sidewalk closures during construction projects displaying the project name, and the projected date of reopening. The law is often ignored, and rarely enforced by the County. 

Escape Quest finally moving forward on Fairmont Avenue

Escape Quest - it's not a story of Bethesda residents trying to escape 24-hour construction, but rather a new escape room attraction at 4936 Fairmont Avenue. Its opening has been long delayed since I broke the story about it in April. 

Now there are signs the Alexandria-based company is again moving forward. They have applied for a liquor license with Montgomery County. Their hearing is scheduled for October 18 at 11:00 AM.

For the uninitiated, escape rooms are a game set within a themed room where players must use their wits and puzzle-solving skills to figure how to get out within a time limit. Escape Quest's existing King Street location has rooms based on a lost Mayan temple, a pirate ship, and even a serial killer's "secret lair."

Perhaps a serial killer can bring some life to dead Fairmont Avenue. Escape Quest's Alexandria location has earned the title of "Best Date Night Ever."

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WSSC repairs close lane of Fairmont Avenue in Bethesda (Video+Photos)

WSSC has an apparent water main break at the intersection of Wisconsin and Fairmont Avenues in downtown Bethesda. The westbound lane of Fairmont is temporarily closed at Wisconsin.

Escape Quest escape room to open in downtown Bethesda

Bethesda is getting a second escape room. Following last year's opening of Xcape Alive in the Westwood Center II mall on Ridgefield Road, Alexandria's Escape Quest is expanding to downtown Bethesda. Escape Quest will be located at 4936 Fairmont Avenue. Escape rooms have become a popular tenant in retail spaces where redevelopment is pending.

New curb on Fairmont Ave. aims to improve pedestrian connectivity in Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle (Photos)

A new curb bump-out on Fairmont Avenue is part of a larger plan to improve connectivity for pedestrians traversing the Woodmont Triangle neighborhood in downtown Bethesda.

The bump-out extends from the current sidewalk alongside the Bainbridge Bethesda luxury apartments, and will make an easier pedestrian connection to the walkway to the public parking garage across Fairmont Avenue when construction of the 7770 Norfolk condo project is completed.

One planning goal as properties redevelop across downtown Bethesda, is to create better linkages between destinations and parking garages. And to improve the ability to cut-through long city blocks in a pedestrian-friendly environment.

NEW IMAGES OF PROPOSED MIXED-USE TOWER ON ST. ELMO AVE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

New images of the future 16-story mixed-use tower proposed for St. Elmo Avenue by the Lenkin Company are in. The St. Elmo Apartments will house 210 residential units, and up to 15,488 SF of office/commercial space. The above image (and many other details) was already seen in my earlier report on the project, but there are some additional sketches, blueprints and plans for the David M. Schwarz-designed tower.

You can see it will be massed as a "C" shape building, and - if all goes as planned - will share an enhanced 10,865 SF public space with next-door neighbor Bainbridge Bethesda apartments. According to a letter to the Montgomery County Planning Department, the developer has already met with representatives of the Bainbridge to begin those discussions.

The sketch plan proposes up to 32 MPDUs, using a higher 15% affordable housing standard than the Montgomery County requirement of 12.5%.

While the current address of the development site is considered 4931 Fairmont Avenue, the future building's lobby will be on St. Elmo Avenue, as will its 4-level underground parking garage entrance. The tower's loading dock will be on Fairmont, however.

Construction would not begin until mid-2016 or 2017, attorney Steve Robins said in August.

Other than the sad news that Chef Tony's and Pizza Pass would have to be demolished prior to construction, most indications seem promising for this project. It will provide high density near Metro, has proposed higher than the required amounts of parking and affordable units, and could create an enhanced public gathering space. What would really make that work best would be if the St. Elmo and the Bainbridge can get some restaurants to lease in their ground floors, so that there will be activity over a greater range of hours, as opposed to a bank or shop that closes at 5 or 6 in the evening. The revitalization of that block of Fairmont Avenue seems stalled out at the present, with no tenants in the Bainbridge ground floor yet, and other future towers still under construction (7770 Norfolk) or in the works (former BP gas station at Fairmont and Old Georgetown Road).

NEW MURAL UNVEILED IN WOODMONT TRIANGLE OF BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Greenhill Capital has added a second public art mural to one of its Fairmont Avenue buildings in Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle. Notice the Greenhill signage, including a street sign reading "Greenhill Way.' There are even shout-outs to EagleBank and Bethesda Urban Partnership.

FAIRMONT AVENUE BRIGHTENED BY NEW STREETLAMPS (PHOTOS)

The block of Fairmont Avenue between Old Georgetown Road and Norfolk Avenue - particularly after the closure of Relic Lounge, and several restaurants - tends to be quite dead at night. Lighting has also been an issue, with so many closed or "for lease" storefronts along the street.

Construction of several residential buildings - hopefully with some ground floor businesses to activate the street at night - and the potential of new tenants for the former Fresh Grill, Dansez Dansez and BlackFinn spaces give some hope for a future transformation. One hint of that future was illuminated this week by the activation of new street lamps along the thoroughfare, by the Bainbridge Bethesda apartments. This improves public safety, and makes the street slightly more inviting at night.

The improved streetscape, which also included new brick pavers, was facilitated by the development of the Bainbridge Bethesda, which spans the block between Fairmont and St. Elmo Avenues.

7770 NORFOLK STREET CLOSURE UPDATE

The previously-announced utility work around the 7770 Norfolk luxury apartment tower construction site in Bethesda is scheduled to begin today. An update from the Clark Construction contractor says the connection and extension of wet utility piping will necessitate detours of pedestrian and automobile traffic on Norfolk and Fairmont Avenues. The utility project will take approximately 7 weeks to complete. Watch for signage if you are walking or driving in that area. Property owners in the immediate vicinity have been informed of the work.

While there appears to be no change in the project itself, the update apparently is to address the fact that the previously-scheduled start date of September 3 has been updated to today. The affected section of Norfolk is between Fairmont and Woodmont Avenues.

STREET WORK TO AFFECT PEDESTRIANS, DRIVERS ON NORFOLK AVE. IN BETHESDA STARTING WEDNESDAY

Clark Construction has notified property owners near its 7770 Norfolk Avenue construction site that street work will affect travel by pedestrians and automobiles over the next 7 weeks. Starting Wednesday, September 3, there will be closures and detours on Norfolk, as contractors make deep utility and pipe connections for the 7770 Norfolk apartment tower project below the street. A second, smaller site by the property's Fairmont Avenue side will also be impacted.

The work on Norfolk Avenue will be between Fairmont and Woodmont Avenues. Given that the sidewalk has already been closed on the 7770 side of Norfolk there, one must assume that pedestrians will be affected on the Veterans Park side of the street. A memo on the project says the utility work on Fairmont will be a utility connection between the center of the street (underground) to the 7770 site (see image above; click to enlarge for detail).

7770 Norfolk is being developed by the JBG Companies.

ST. ELMO APARTMENTS DESIGN UNVEILED IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The future of St. Elmo Avenue got bigger last night, when the sketch design for the 16-story St. Elmo Apartments was unveiled at a public meeting in Bethesda. Steve Robins, with Lerch, Early & Brewer, presented the sketch plan he said Lenkin Companies will submit to county planners within the next month.

A mixed-use project, St. Elmo Apartments will include up to 15,500 SF of retail space, up to 210 luxury apartments, and a potential second floor office space for Lenkin, which has been headquartered at this site since 1970. Chef Tony's and Pizza Pass would be demolished for the construction, currently scheduled to begin in mid-2016 or 2017.

Lenkin has hired David M. Schwarz to design the building, and Robins said they are aiming for a "timeless" design, rather than "trendy or aping past traditional style." He said glass will be the predominant exterior feature. DMS designed the Baltimore Orioles training facility, along with many big projects in the DC region. Lenkin has selected Rhodeside & Harwell for the landscaping and exterior space, a firm that worked on the impressive Intelsat Tysons Tower recently.

Public space is a priority for the developer, Robins said, and Lenkin hopes to work closely with next-door neighbor Bainbridge to realize a pedestrian plaza that will give a strong sense of place.

Speaking of place, the building entrance and parking will front on St. Elmo, as the developer feels that street is "more marketable" than Fairmont Avenue (although the project applicant's official name is 4931 Fairmont Avenue LLC).

Building amenities will include a roof terrace, a pool one flight down from the roof, and dens for some of the 1 and 2 bedroom units.

A St. Elmo Avenue businessperson attending last night's meeting expressed concern about parking, noting that the Cordell-St. Elmo public parking garage is full by midday, creating parking problems for her customers.

In a departure from the trend these days, Robins said St. Elmo Apartments will actually provide more than the required parking on-site - 220 underground spaces in a 4-level garage for 210 (or less) apartments. He also said that the pathway next to the 7770 Norfolk apartments on Fairmont Avenue will make the Woodmont Avenue garage accessible to visitors or patrons of businesses at the St. Elmo Apartments.

As you'll see in the images below (click to enlarge for greater detail), there are alternative plans to capitalize on the space between the St. Elmo and Bainbridge. The most promising would create a large, Bethesda Lane-style public space between the buildings. This is similar to what will eventually exist on Auburn and Del Ray Avenues, when The Rugby is built across from Gallery Bethesda.

There's a lot of potential to do something special with this project, and several high-quality firms involved. Done right, this could be a great addition to the Woodmont Triangle.

Woodmont Triangle and
current zoning

Aerial view that shows several
new and future buildings
in tan color
(Gallery Bethesda, The Rugby upper left;
Bainbridge and 4990 Fairmont center;
7990 Wisconsin, 7770 Norfolk right)

Show me the blueprints,
show me the blueprints

16 stories above
the Woodmont Triangle

Public space

Some individual units

Showing roof terrace and
pool one level down

3 possible configurations for
the public street/plaza between
the buildings

And thank you for
reading!

All images courtesy Lenkin Companies
and DMS Architects, All rights reserved

NEW DATE FOR MEETING ON NEW MIXED-USE PROJECT IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA

The public Pre-Submittal Meeting for the new Lenkin Co. mixed-use residential building proposal has been rescheduled for Monday, August 25, at 7:00 PM, at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, in downtown Bethesda. The project will include properties next to the Bainbridge Bethesda apartments on both St. Elmo and Fairmont Avenues.

THE FIX IS IN FOR FAIRMONT AVENUE SIDEWALK (PHOTOS)

BUMP!

Here is the final fix for the mismatched sidewalk mess on Fairmont Avenue. If you recall, the new sidewalk in front of the Bainbridge Bethesda luxury apartment tower turned out to be 5-6" higher than the adjoining original sidewalk along the street. Which immediately created a tripping hazard, and restricted access for the disabled, where the two met, and where the sidewalk met the surface between the public sidewalk and the doors of the storefronts.

A couple of creative ramps, and a sizable bump in the loading dock driveway, were the elements of the solution worked out by Bainbridge's contractor:

OH, NO, NOT AGAIN

You'll never guess, but pedestrians were blocked out of Fairmont Avenue again on Wednesday. The pedestrian detour around the closed sidewalk was blocked by a dumpster. I know, I know, "stop whining and move it aside yourself!" Or, as one commenter kindly told me on Monday, "STFU!" 

The sidewalk across the street remained closed, as usual. I just don't think anyone can take Montgomery County seriously on pedestrian safety at this point.

Nope, no wheelchairs getting past
here

BAINBRIDGE BETHESDA STREETSCAPE CONCERNS MAY BE RESOLVED...BUT WHAT ABOUT FAIRMONT?

Representatives of Turner Construction and their neighboring property owner met Thursday morning, to discuss the concerns the latter raised regarding streetscape work alongside the Bainbridge Bethesda luxury apartment tower site. They also reviewed Turner's streetscape plans. It now appears that, pending approval of all remediation plans by Montgomery County, all of the streetscape matters impacting the Green Tomato, LLC and 4909 Fairmont Avenue properties can be resolved satisfactorily by Turner.

The consultant to the owner of those properties, architect Steven J. Karr, wrote to county permitting officials to say that, for now, there is no need for them to visit the site. Karr had asked permitting officials Christina Contreras and Ralph Wolfe to inspect the site on Wednesday. 

"Based on these observations and the satisfactory explanations provided by [John] McManus and [Granville] Higgins regarding the layout and grade conditions of the streetscaping work at the BCC Auto drive apron, Green Tomato has no further objection to Turner’s streetscaping work on St. Elmo Avenue; our concerns as I described below are hereby withdrawn at this time," Karr wrote. "Thus there is no need for us to meet with you or Mr. Wolfe at the site."

"Mr. McManus and Mr. Higgins also shared a revised design layout for remedial streetscape work in front of White Flint’s property at 4909 Fairmont Avenue. It is our understanding that the design intent of this remedial work plan, subject to approval by DPS, will mitigate the non-conforming grade conditions along the 4901 Fairmont public sidewalk (adjacent to The [Bainbridge]’s loading dock drive apron)."

There is no timetable yet for the changes, and it is not yet clear if this will further delay opening of the Bainbridge to tenants.

While this matter seems to be on the way to resolution, the pedestrian hazards remain on Fairmont Avenue. I have seen pedestrians continuing to walk in the roadway, rather than use the roundabout temporary path set up on the Bainbridge side. And, of course, the portion along the 7770 Norfolk project across the street remains entirely closed to pedestrian traffic. 

Yesterday evening, a commenter on my blog said he/she had filed a formal complaint with the county regarding the pedestrian safety situation on Fairmont, but that Ralph Wolfe of the county DPS had not returned calls regarding the complaint.

MORE SIDEWALK PROBLEMS ON FAIRMONT AVENUE (PHOTOS)

The ongoing sidewalk closures on both sides of Fairmont Avenue have restricted pedestrian travel for a couple of weeks. But another set of problems unnoticed by the public are being raised by a property owner next to the Bainbridge Bethesda construction site.

That sidewalk construction in front of the Bainbridge has partly been to bring the street up to the established Bethesda Streetscape standards, including brick pavers. It also involves the driveway leading from Fairmont into the Bainbridge loading dock.

However, according to representatives of White Flint Realty Express Group, LLC, the new sidewalk is 6-7" higher than the original sidewalk in front of 4909 Fairmont Avenue. This uneven surface could restrict access for the disabled to future tenants of that property (or a new structure there, should it be redeveloped), could create a tripping hazard for pedestrians, and would trap rainwater on the 4909 patio, according to an analysis by WFREG's consultant, architect Steven J. Karr.

It certainly appears Karr's concern is legitimate, based upon these photos he furnished to Montgomery County and Bethesda Urban Partnership, among other relevant officials. Click on the photos to enlarge for greater detail.

All photos courtesy of Steven J. Karr/White Flint Express Realty Group
All rights reserved