B.F. Saul acquires Violin House of Weaver property in East Bethesda

B.F. Saul has made an intriguing purchase at the border of downtown and East Bethesda. Through a shell company, the firm has acquired the Violin House of Weaver, located at 4706 Highland Avenue. The sale price was $1,840,752, according to real estate records.

The house was actually built
in 1927; the Weaver violin business
is what the "Since 1898" refers to

What is the plan for this property, which outwardly has the appearance of a single-family home, but sits adjacent to commercial uses and Delicia's Carryout? It's notable that the shell company is called Tilbury, LLC. Tilbury Street is the first cross-street on Highland east of Wisconsin Avenue. Equally-notable: the Bethesda Downtown Plan draft encourages demolition of the entire block, offering heights of 90' at the edge of a new greenway along the west side of Tilbury.

This graphic in the Bethesda
Downtown Plan draft says
you'll only get the greenway if
you demo the whole block

When you consider that B.F. Saul already owns the commercial property along the 8100 block of Wisconsin, and remember the LLC is called "Tilbury," the whole-block scenario certainly seems possible. The exact heights and zoning allowed for such a redevelopment won't be finalized until the Montgomery County Council approves the final Bethesda Downtown Plan, however.