Bethesda construction update: The Astrid apartments (Photos)

The Astrid development is topping out at 5159 Pooks Hill Road in Bethesda. Within two buildings will be 562 residential units, and 517 parking spaces. Each tower will have a rooftop terrace and green roof deck, fitness center, clubroom, and floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize views from the Pooks Hill vantage point.

The Astrid is niche-marketing itself as a hygge-inspired building, referring to the Scandanavian principle of contentment and pleasure derived from comfortable or cozy environments, which has become a hyped lifestyle fad in America in recent years. "The Danish call it Hygge. We call it The Astrid," the development's website says. The Astrid's developer is EQT Exeter, and the property will be managed by Bozzuto. A fall 2023 delivery is anticipated.

Bethesda construction update - The Astrid apartments (Photos)

Construction of The Astrid, a new development at 5159 Pooks Hill Road in Bethesda, has been advancing at an increasingly-rapid pace over the last few months. The photos below are in chronological order. One factor that has speeded construction is the use of prefabricated steel for the floors above the ground level. It is trucked in (as seen in photo at top), and quickly assembled into place. Neighbors report some traffic back-ups during brief street closures, but that the project is otherwise proceeding smoothly.

The Astrid is niche-marketing itself as a hygge-inspired building, referring to the Scandanavian principle of contentment and pleasure derived from comfortable or cozy environments, which has become a hyped lifestyle fad in America in recent years. "The Danish call it Hygge. We call it The Astrid," the development's website says. The Astrid's developer is EQT Exeter, and the property will be managed by Bozzuto. A fall 2023 delivery is anticipated.

Tower crane erected at construction site of The Astrid in Bethesda (Photos)

A tower crane has been assembled, and is now working at the construction site of The Astrid at 5151-5159 Pooks Hill Road in Bethesda. Two 160' tall apartment towers are under construction. They will hold a total of 631 apartments, 15% of which will be affordable MPDUs. The Astrid is named for Princess Astrid, who stayed with other members of the Norwegian royal family in the now-demolished castle of Merle Thorpe on his Pook's Hill estate during World War II.

Car stolen in Pooks Hill

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle in the Pooks Hill area of Bethesda early yesterday morning. The vehicle was reported stolen from a residential parking lot in the unit block of Pooks Hill Road. It is believed the vehicle was taken sometime between 10:00 PM Saturday night and 6:10 AM Sunday morning.

Car stolen in Pooks Hill area of Bethesda

Car thieves are not in the Christmas spirit in Bethesda. A vehicle parked in the unit block of Pooks Hill Road was reported stolen yesterday morning, according to crime data. It is believed that the vehicle was taken sometime between 11:00 PM Monday night and 9:00 AM Tuesday morning.

Construction begins on new apartment towers in Pooks Hill

Another long-delayed development is finally getting started in the Pooks Hill area of Bethesda. Clearing, grading and excavation are now underway for two apartment towers at 5151 Pooks Hill Road. These have been in the works for about seven years, and will be 160' tall.

Car stolen from Pooks Hill in Bethesda

Once again, grand theft auto was committed in Bethesda. Yesterday morning, September 18, 2021, Montgomery County police were called to the 5100 block of Pooks Hill Road to investigate a report of a stolen vehicle at 10:52 AM, according to crime data.

Thief strikes in Pooks Hill parking lots

One or more thieves paid a visit to residential parking lots in the Pooks Hill neighborhood of Bethesda, and the next visitors were Montgomery County police officers. Property was stolen from at least three vehicles in two parking lots along Pooks Hill Road. In at least two cases, auto parts were taken; airbags are a popular target for thieves in recent years.

Crime data indicates the items were stolen between 5:00 PM Wednesday evening and 6:30 AM yesterday morning. Pooks Hill residents who don't park in garages may want to check their vehicles - and as always, lock car doors and remove any visible items from the interior.

Peeping Tom in Pooks Hill area of Bethesda

A Peeping Tom incident was reported to Montgomery County police in Bethesda yesterday. According to crime data, the incident took place at an apartment building in the 5100 block of Dudley Lane in Pooks Hill around 4:30 PM.

Delay sought for review of Pooks Hill project

The developer of the project at the Bethesda Marriott hotel property is asking for a 30-day extension for Montgomery County Planning Board review of its site plan and a site plan amendment. Heather Dlhopolsky, attorney for the applicant, says in a letter to the planning department that revisions are being made to the project based on recommendations of the planning staff.

Staff is recommending approval of both extensions. The board is expected to take up the request at its June 30 meeting. A pair of luxury apartment towers will be added to the hotel site on Pooks Hill Road under the proposed plan.

Robbery in Pooks Hill, assault on East-West Hwy. + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on July 26, according to crime data:

Assault. 4500 block East-West Highway at 9:12 PM.

Vehicle burglary. 7500 block Meadow Lane (Chevy Chase).

Theft from vehicle. 7700 block Oldchester Road (English Village).

Theft. Bloomingdale's (Friendship Heights).

Robbery. 5200 block Pooks Hill Road at 2:03 AM.

Drug arrest. 5200 block Tuckerman Lane.

Stolen car. 5400 block Marinelli Road (Pike District).

Death. 5000 block Westport Road at 6:31 AM (Orchardale).

Death. 5500 block Tuckerman Lane at 6:39 AM.

Weapons offense. 12200 block Wilkins Avenue.

4 assaults in Bethesda, robbery in Friendship Heights + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on July 7, according to crime data:

Assault. 7200 block Woodmont Avenue at 4:30 PM.

Robbery. 4400 block Willard Avenue at 5:49 PM.

Theft from vehicle. 7600 block Old Georgetown Road at 2:11 PM.

Theft from vehicle. 4800 block Bethesda Avenue at 1:13 PM.

Theft. 4400 block Willard Avenue.

Theft. 4400 block Willard Avenue.

"Other sexual offense." 5300 block Tuckerman Lane at 7:17 AM.

Assault. 5300 block Tuckerman Lane.

Assault. Westfield Montgomery Mall at 5:14 PM.

Assault. 5300 block Pooks Hill Road at 2:23 PM.

Assault in Kenwood, sex offense in Pooks Hill + more - Bethesda crime update

A highly-unusual late night assault in Kenwood tops the Bethesda rap sheet for this past Thursday. There was also a second assault within 48 hours in the Randolph Hills neighborhood, which is worth keeping tabs on in the coming days. Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 4, according to crime data:

Theft. 7600 block Old Georgetown Road.

Theft. 4800 block Bethesda Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 7000 block Wisconsin Avenue at 8:27 AM.

Assault. 6400 block Shadow Road at 11:46 PM (Kenwood).

Sexual assault/"Other sexual offense." 5200 block Pooks Hill Road at 7:11 AM.

Burglary. 7300 block Pinehurst Parkway (Chevy Chase).

Drug arrest. 5400 block Edson Lane (Pike District).

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Theft. 5400 block McGrath Boulevard (Pike District).

Assault. 11300 block Schuylkill Road (Randolph Hills).

Car broken into at The Promenade, theft at Bloomingdale's + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 1, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 3700 block Underwood Street (Chevy Chase Section 5).

Theft. Bloomingdale's.

Vehicle burglary. The Promenade (Pooks Hill).

Vehicle burglary. 8900 block Bradmoor Drive.

Theft. 5200 block Randolph Road (Pike District).

Renderings of new towers planned for Pooks Hill in Bethesda (Photos)

A pair of luxury apartment towers planned for 5151 Pooks Hill in Bethesda are moving forward through the planning process. Developer Quadrangle (through Pooks Hill JV, LLC) filed a sketch plan with the Montgomery County Planning Department on May 1.

The plan will first go before the Development Review Committee (a multi-organization body that represents multiple utilities and public agencies) at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, May 26. It is currently scheduled to come before the Montgomery County Planning Board at its July 30 meeting.

A south tower would be constructed first, with the north tower following later. The site is bordered by the Capital Beltway, the Pooks Hill Marriott hotel, and the existing Promenade, Bristol Square, Pooks Hill Tower and Whitley Park Terrace developments.

While the multifamily buildings are very consistent with much of the existing character of Pooks Hill, placing this number of additional units a mile from the nearest Metro station gives many residents pause. Smart growth advocates have regularly cited a quarter-mile to half-a-mile from Metro as the ideal zone for high-density, transit-oriented development. This site is not within that proximity.

The developer is floating the idea of a Metro shuttle. That would seem like a necessary step, with the project potentially dropping 600 more cars into that immediate area. I also doubt that the Marriott parking lots are as underused as described during well-attended events at the hotel. Somebody will have to figure out where those cars are going to go on X-number of days out of the year. There is also the question of how to prevent traffic from the additional development from affecting the nearby single-family home developments. The Bethesda-Chevy Chase master plan's last update recommended turn and entry restrictions to address that matter.

Quadrangle is proposing to offer 15% affordable units, higher than the 12.5% minimum required by Montgomery County. The buildings are planned to be 160' in height, with approximately 625 units in total.

Among the amenities on-site will be a paved central plaza with a water feature, outdoor pools, club rooms, roof decks and landscaped gardens. Parking will be underground, and one of those garages will be constructed in Phase 1. The two towers are described as "chevron-shaped", and are being sited to preserve existing views from the surrounding residential buildings.

Images via Montgomery County Planning Department

Weapon arrest in Pooks Hill, burglary on Weymouth St. + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on April 21, according to crime data:

Theft from vehicle. 7700 block Old Georgetown Road at 9:26 AM.

Weapon arrest. Unit block of Pooks Hill Road.

Drug arrest. East-West Highway at Jones Mill Road.

Burglary. 10600 block Weymouth Street at 7:34 AM.

Theft from vehicle. 10900 block Rockville Pike at 9:15 AM.

BETHESDA POOKS HILL MARRIOTT BEING RENOVATED (VIDEO+PHOTOS)

The Pooks Hill Marriott in Bethesda is getting a makeover, including its guest rooms, meeting space and public areas such as the lobby. Architecturally, the building still looks sharp from the outside; its modern design was ahead of its time, like several other Marriott hotels in the area. But now, it will be the first Marriott property in the market to have the latest guest room design the chain is introducing.

Improvements include 55" TVs
(Photos courtesy Marriott Corporation)

A hotel spokesperson says the renovation should be complete in about 3 weeks. During the work, they aim to keep guests away from rooms near areas where that activity is going on. The renovations and updates will include:

Authentic materials and natural textures

Bathrooms with new showers featuring a sleek, modern design

Modular furniture that moves

New hard surface flooring replace carpets

Natural light, neutral colors and local materials

Workspaces conducive to modern work habits, featuring built-in USB ports and premium connectivity

TVs up to 55-inches

There is a video showing one of the old-design guest rooms beginning the transformation:

BURGLARY IN GLEN COVE, ASSAULT IN POOKS HILL + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

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

Theft. 8300 block N. Brook Lane.

Theft. 4900 block Battery Lane.

Burglary. 5100 block Saratoga Avenue at 3:24 PM (Glen Cove).

Assault. 1 block Pooks Hill Road at 7:20 AM.

Assault. 6700 block Democracy Boulevard at 2:49 AM.

Theft. 6700 block Newbold Drive (Bradley Manor).

Theft. 11300 block Rockville Pike (Pike District).

BETHESDA APARTMENT FIRE DISPLACES 3 FAMILIES, 2 FIREFIGHTERS INJURED (PHOTOS)

Updated: 6:00 AM:

A fire has displaced at least 3 families this morning at an apartment building in the 5100 block of Dudley Lane. The 4-story building in the Pooks Hill area of Bethesda was heavily damaged, but all occupants were evacuated in time. According to scanner reports, the American Red Cross is being called in to provide temporary shelter for the displaced individuals.

The two-alarm fire has been extinguished, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Pete Piringer. Piringer said two firefighters have suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the blaze, which drew a response of more than 150 fire personnel to the scene. He said there was significant extension of the flames to hidden spaces within the building, and that firefighters would continue to search those spots.

Piringer says a guest at the nearby Bethesda Marriott hotel saw the flames just after 3:00 AM, and called 911. His report concurs with scanner reports during the incident, which indicated the blaze began on the second floor, and then spread to the upper floors. Further damage and injury or death was averted in part by the building's functional smoke alarms and sprinkler systems.

Photos via Pete Piringer

GROSVENOR WILD ACRES DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HEARING JANUARY 9

The public will have a chance to speak on-the-record about the EYA development proposal for the Wild Acres property, which includes the historic Grosvenor Mansion. Wild Acres was home to Gilbert Grosvenor, the founding publisher of National Geographic Magazine. The property could become populated by over 140 townhomes, which are expected to sell for well over $1 million apiece. 

A public hearing will be held on January 9 by the Montgomery County Planning Board. Currently, the hearing is scheduled for the 9:00 AM morning session. But always check the planning board website for agenda and hearing time; agendas are subject to change.