The classic, green strip center that housed popular restaurant Foong Lin and the One Plus convenience store in downtown Bethesda is near its demise.
Multiple John Deere vehicles have encircled the building, and parking is now prohibited alongside the shopping center, which wraps around the corner of Norfolk and Fairmont Avenues.
Evidence of utility-related digging adds to the air of finality. Once demolished, the site will become home to a 17-story mixed-use building by developer JBG.
One of the few examples of damage from Hurricane Sandy in Bethesda was the front awning at the former home of Sweet Basil.
The damaged - and, eventually, collapsing - canopy has been an embarrassment on Fairmont Avenue since the super storm passed through in October.
Finally the mess at the now-shuttered Thai restaurant has been cleaned up.
The entire building is scheduled for demolition, and recently found itself as a backdrop for a holiday shopping safety report on WUSA9 news.
Reporter Debra Alfarone discussed safety with a martial arts expert in front of the green complex, and its brown-papered windows did not give viewers a flattering impression of downtown Bethesda. I realize the building is being demolished, but even a vacant storefront is better than brown paper all over the place.
