Westwood Center II makes its last stand in demolition (Photos)

There's just one small piece left of the Westwood Center II mini mall at 5110 Ridgefield Road in Bethesda. The structure is being removed to make way for an assisted-living senior housing development, and a realigned Westbard Avenue that will connect directly to River Road.

Westwood Center II demolition update (Photos)

About 35% of the Westwood Center II mini-mall at 5110 Ridgefield Road in Bethesda has been demolished as of today. It looks like the whole parking deck overhang has been brought down. The Yirasai Sushi "wing" is completely gone, as well. This building and the already-razed Citgo station next door are being cleared away to make room for an assisted-living development, and a realigned Westbard Avenue that will connect directly to River Road.

Westbard Square update/Westwood Center II demolition (Photos)

Demolition work is fully underway at the Westwood Center II mini-mall at 5110 Ridgefield Road in the Westbard area of Bethesda. It's interesting that the contractor has already destroyed a sizable piece of the garage parking deck at this first stage. I guess it could not support the weight of any of the demolition equipment that might have had an easier time reaching the upper floors from there.

What you can probably expect to happen after Westwood Center II is razed, if not sooner, will be the demolition of the vacant Manor Care Springhouse of Westwood nursing home across Ridgefield Road. That will likely be the construction staging area for the assisted-living development and road construction project that will be ongoing in the space where Westwood II and the already-demolished Citgo station stood.

Across Westbard Avenue, construction is still in a very early stage at the Westwood Shopping Center, which is being redeveloped into Westbard Square between now and 2027. By my observation, the extensive and complicated stormwater management infrastructure is taking awhile to complete. During the Westbard sector plan process, it was often noted that stormwater is a complex issue for this site. Not only does the system have to meet the latest requirements, but it also has to take into account and solve the many drainage issues that exist there today, including downflows from the Kenwood Place property.

The new Giant grocery store will open, and Westbard Avenue will be realigned to meet River Road, by late 2023, according to property owner Regency Centers. Demolition of the remaining original Westwood Shopping Center strip mall will begin shortly thereafter. A civic green "town square" will open to the public in early 2025. An EYA townhome development on the site of the Manor Care Springhouse of Westwood nursing home will welcome its first homeowners in 2026, as will the EYA townhouses on the upper parking lot area of the Westwood Shopping Center near Kenwood Place.

Throughout 2026, Regency will also take delivery of the new shops and apartments where the current Giant, Starbucks, etc. are located; and Springfield Park on the Westwood Shopping Center site will open. Between now and the completion of finishing touches on the Westbard Square development in 2027, there is no point where the Westwood Shopping Center site will be fully closed to the public. When the existing center is torn down, new retail and dining spaces will already be open in the new Giant building, underneath the grocery store.

Demolition preparations ramp up at Westwood Center II, Springhouse Manor Care in Bethesda (Photos)

The Citgo gas station at 5471 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda was demolished this week. Now preparations are ramping up for the razing of two neighboring properties, Westwood Center II at 5110 Ridgefield Road, and Springhouse Manor Care of Westwood nursing home at 5101 Ridgefield. Fencing has gone up around Westwood Center II, and is beginning to encircle the long-vacant and crumbling nursing home across the street. Jiffy Johns have been delivered to the site, as well, reflecting the longer demolition time for these larger structures.

Fencing begins to encircle the vacant
Springhouse Manor Care of Westwood

An assisted-living senior housing development will take the place of Westwood Center II and Citgo. About 50 EYA townhomes will eventually replace the nursing home, but I suspect that site will first be used as a staging area for the senior housing project, and the realignment of Westbard Avenue.

Additional fence sections await
installation in front of the vacant
nursing home

Barricades erected at Westwood Center II, Citgo station in Bethesda (Photos)

Metal barricades were erected yesterday across vehicle access points at the Westwood Center II at 5110 Ridgefield Road, and the Citgo gas station at 5471 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda. Both are facing demolition to clear space for a new assisted-living senior housing development, and a realigned Westbard Avenue that will directly connect to River Road. The structures are vacant and power has been shut off to both for several weeks. On a side note, it was so foggy when these photos were taken, that the landmark TV tower is hidden behind clouds in all but one picture.

Westwood Center II powers down ahead of demolition

Electric power has either been turned off to save energy, or entirely cut off at the Westwood Center II mini-mall at 5110 Ridgefield Road in Bethesda. The building and adjacent Citgo gas station are expected to be demolished in the near future. They will be replaced by an assisted living senior housing development, and a realigned Westbard Avenue that will directly connect to River Road. With no light coming from the mall or the vacant nursing home across the street, it's pitch black on that block of Ridgefield at night.  

Demolition permit notices posted at Westwood Center II in Bethesda (Video+Photos)

The end is nigh for the Westwood Center II mini-mall at 5110 Ridgefield Road in the Westbard area of Bethesda. Notices have been posted at the property indicating that demolition permits have bee requested. Most tenants are now out of the building, most having relocated in the area. An assisted-living development and a realigned Westbard Avenue will take its place in the coming years.

Westwood Center II has always been an underrated building, but struggled with a lack of high-profile tenants and questionable decisions regarding parking. It seems like the building should have been extended down as far as possible towards River Road, so that a better configuration of garage parking could have been designed. Instead, there was a small, cramped surface lot and a small, cramped garage. The architecture was quite nice, however, with the interior often aping classic American indoor mall designs on a smaller scale.

Westwood Center II opened in 1983. Original tenants included The Candy Bar, Chase Gifts, Chelsea Florists, Citizens Bank, Gallery Petalouth Ltd., Kenwood Jewelry, Kenwood Custom Tailors, Pier Donati of Roma, the Adjustable Bed Co., Laurie's of Westwood, The Lemon Twist, Martin Design Group, Nita's, Razi Studio, Sunshine Hair Studio, VIP Travel, West River Deli, the Spa Lady and the Safe Depository of Washington.

Notable past tenants in the office spaces included a local Burger King franchisee, and Dynasty Construction, which gained notoriety as an absurdly-unexpected bit player in the scandal of Backstreet Boys/N'SYNC mogul Lou Pearlman. Domino's Pizza was the biggest name in the building's history, until its recent closure. Other memorable tenants were the once-ubiquitous video rental store, Kim's Yirasai Sushi (which will reopen in Park Potomac next month), Westwood Cleaners (which has relocated to the Collection at Chevy Chase in Friendship Heights), and the West River Deli that closed in 2013.

The atmosphere at Westwood Center II was always one of unrealized potential. Or a red flag that there just isn't much demand for retail in that spot. New property owner Regency Centers appears to have taken it as a warning sign that retail on that site isn't viable, handing it off to an assisted-living developer. Let's take what might be our last look at this classic building in these photos and video: