Berliner met privately with Westbard developer in Spring 2013

Another sign of what Montgomery County officials knew about the proposed redevelopment of the Westbard area, years before they revealed it to the public, is a 2013 meeting between developer Equity One and County Council President Roger Berliner. In an email from Equity One's then-Executive VP of Development Michael Berfield dated May 2, 2013 obtained by Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row, Berfield thanked Berliner for meeting privately with him and attorney Barbara Sears a few days earlier.

Montgomery County officials already had advance notice of the redevelopment, as they were legally bound to sign off on the 2012 sale of the "Westwood Complex" by Capital Properties to Equity One. That's because Westwood Tower, leased by the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission, was among the properties changing hands. (Equity One is now known as "Regency Centers.")

Equity One found Berliner
so helpful, they used his
letter as promo material

Many in the community questioned why a Westbard sector plan update delayed for over 30 years was suddenly on the front burner. Indeed, my 2012 article on the Equity One purchase noted that Montgomery County suddenly announced it would take up the sector plan, just hours before the sale became public knowledge. 

In response, Berliner himself wrote in November 2014 that, "First and foremost, this plan is not being done 'for Equity One.' as has been asserted by some in the community." Yet Berliner had participated in the private meeting over a year earlier, and according to Equity One, had coached the developer on "the best way to engage the community during this process."

Berliner's chief of staff tweets
an endorsement of the
Equity One-EYA partnership
during a Spring 2014
community meeting

In fact, Berliner's office tipped its developer-friendly hand early, two years before the councilman voted "Yes" with gusto to pass the Westbard sector plan in May 2016. During a Spring 2014 community meeting hosted by Equity One at Walt Whitman High School, Berliner's Chief of Staff Cindy Gibson tweeted approvingly of Equity One's partnership with local developer EYA at Westbard. "Seems like a good choice," Gibson tweeted about the proposed development, which would come before her boss in his regulatory capacity on the District Council for approval.

Westbard developer Equity One to disappear into Regency Centers after acquisition

Equity One, the real estate firm proposing to redevelop 22 acres of commercial property in the Westbard area of Bethesda, has been acquired by Jacksonville-based Regency Centers, a firm whose portfolio is also dominated by shopping center holdings. The new, larger Regency Centers company will remain headquarted in Florida, retain its REG trading symbol, and be led by current Regency CEO Martin E. "Hap" Stein, Jr.

With 307 retail centers, Regency is a giant compared to Equity One (the merged company will now hold 429 properties in total). 223 of those centers have been developed by Regency in the last 16 years alone. They do not have the level of mixed-use experience of firms like Federal Realty or The JBG Companies, something they share with Equity One. CityLine Market in Texas, with almost 4000 housing units, is the only mixed-use property highlighted on the Regency website. But they are definitely a giant in the retail business.

In Montgomery County, they currently own Cloppers Mill Village in Germantown, Firstfield Shopping Center in Gaithersburg, King Farm Village Center, Shoppes of Burnt Mills in Silver Spring, Takoma Park Shopping Center, and Woodmor Shopping Center in Silver Spring.

Some tenants in the Westbard properties Equity One plans to redevelop as a mixed-use urban center have expressed concerns about what the Regency takeover may mean for them. Equity One had made certain public statements about their intentions regarding the transition for existing tenants. But none of these were codified in the Westbard sector plan, and some tenants have reported Equity One would not respond to their wishes to negotiate future leases now, leaving them unable to plan for their future.

Now with new people in charge, whatever tenuous suggestions of goodwill there had been could be out the window - or Regency could take a more proactive approach and reassure tenants of long-term stability via lease extensions or other tangible assurances. So, too, could Regency take a more responsive approach to community concerns about the realization of promises to naturalize the Willett Branch stream, which runs alongside part of the "Westwood Complex" of property Regency now controls; the lack of green space in the plan; building heights and massing along Westbard Avenue; and the relocation of Westbard Avenue and above-ground utilities along it.

We will find out what Regency's approach is in the coming months.

RESIDENTS STILL NOT ON BOARD AT WESTBARD SECTOR PLAN SCOPE-OF-WORK MEETING

Rain didn't stop a flood of Bethesda residents from turning out at the Montgomery County Planning Department's Plan Westbard Scope-of-Work preview last night at Walt Whitman High School. After a brief assessment of where the 1982 Westbard Sector Plan succeeded and failed, Project Manager John Marcolin outlined what the broad goals of the new plan might be. It would be designed within the context of the Westbard area as a smaller-scale, low-density area; preserve light industrial uses that serve the residential neighborhoods around it; "embrace the community's character;" and create new public gathering spaces while improving stormwater management. The Scope-of-Work report will be presented to the Montgomery County Planning Board on October 30.

Residents were more concerned about the elephant in the room. Namely, developer Equity One, which is planning to redevelop the properties it controls within the so-called Westwood Complex - Manor Care Springhouse at Westwood nursing home, two Citgos, Bowlmor Lanes, Westwood Tower apartments, the Westwood Shopping Center, and the Westwood Center II. And Equity One was literally in the room, as were partners EYA and their development attorney.

While planners said they know nothing of Equity One/EYA's specific plans, other than having a grocery store at the Westwood Shopping Center, speaker after speaker insisted residents are being denied information by the developers about their designs for their Westbard properties.

"The developer doesn't have any vision? You're kidding me!" said Charles Kauffman, a nearby resident and member of the Montgomery County Commission on Aging. One Kenwood resident argued, "something is being hidden from us here."

Paul Mortenson, a senior urban designer with the county, laid out an event-packed week of November 10, in which planners will hold walking tours and meet with residents, business owners, government agencies, and landowners (developers). All of those meetings will be open to the public, Marcolin assured attendees. One businessperson from the Westwood Shopping Center expressed doubt that her primary concerns would be addressed, if the conversation only centered on designs for redevelopment like loading dock configurations. Many current tenants there are uncertain if rising rents and redevelopment will allow them to stay through the upheaval.

Planners would also spring into action on designing some sketch plans that very week, for presentation to the Planning Board. Resident Phyllis Edelman questioned the intense schedule and short timeframe of the process Mortenson outlined. "It's almost unfair to our community to expect us to come out every night of the week," she said. Marcolin said residents would only need to come out once or twice to be heard that week.

Schools remain the third rail for any future Westbard growth. Marcolin promised that planners would "ensure school capacity meets current and future demands." That's a hard sell when MCPS has been so off-base on projections of student population in recent years. Sumner resident Sally McCarthy, speaking on behalf of parents at already-overcrowded Wood Acres elementary, noted that out of 500 school families, only 2 parents were present in the room last night. Planners should recognize the challenge for young parents to attend evening meetings, she said. Marcolin said more morning sessions could be added to accommodate those residents.

What I found concerning, was the insistence that the intense dialogue of the Charrette week in November would bring about "consensus." But how? There is a development partnership that clearly wants high-density multifamily housing. And there are residents and parents of children in overcrowded schools who clearly don't buy into that concept. We saw recently in areas like Chevy Chase Lake that it was the residents who were absolutely steamrolled in the process, much as the Westbard area was during the Betco property decision disaster several years ago. Do you provide a plan so appealing that parents give the green light to losing their school's music room, and replacing it with a cart? Or does the plan just drop the hammer on the residents, as in Chevy Chase Lake? Or can Equity One come up with a proposal that preserves the character and popular businesses of the area, provides needed new restaurants and some additional retail and office space, and protects the Little Falls Stream watershed - while at a density that doesn't impact schools and roads? Only time will tell.

SPRINGHOUSE OF WESTWOOD NURSING HOME TO CLOSE, FIRST DOMINO TO FALL IN WESTBARD REDEVELOPMENT

We've been hearing that the redevelopment of the Westwood Complex is several years off, especially given that the Westbard Sector Plan rewrite is only in the earliest stage. But the first major move on the game board is taking place now. I received a tip that the Manor Care Springhouse of Westwood assisted living residence at 5101 Ridgefield Road will close its doors this Friday. To confirm this, I contacted Manor Care yesterday. Ken Connelly, Director of Marketing Development for Manor Care, confirmed that the nursing home will close before the end of the year, but has yet to confirm Friday as a closing date. Connelly has not yet responded to a follow-up message. However, in his original response, he said the closure is "due to the re-development of the land in which Springhouse of Westwood is located."

Last night around 9:00 PM, all rooms appeared darkened on the Ridgefield Road side, with lights only on at entrances and windows on the ends of hallways. One light appeared to be on at the back of the building, and a car was parked by a door in the driveway.

I invited property owner Equity One to comment, but have received no response to my inquiries as of this writing. Equity One owns the Westwood Complex, which also includes the Westwood Shopping Center, Westwood Center II, two Citgo gas stations, Westwood Tower apartments, and the Bowlmor Lanes bowling alley. All are expected to be redeveloped in the coming decade.

What does this mean? I am hopeful to get further details from Equity One, and will bring that information to you as soon as I receive it. I followed up with Equity One's PR firm, as well, but also have not yet heard back as of this writing.

In the absence of such information, one can only speculate - and that speculation is quite troubling.

We are now facing the real potential of having a large abandoned building and grounds in a residential neighborhood for an extended period of time. That's not something you often - if ever - find in the 20816 zip code. I think most people assumed Manor Care would be allowed to continue to operate the home beyond its 2015 lease expiration, until Equity One and partner EYA were prepared to redevelop the site. Unless they have a secret project plan they've been discussing, and the public has been lied to at recent meetings held by the developers and county, this site will either be a vacant building or empty field (if the building were to be demolished) for at least several years. That has great potential for crime activity on the abandoned property, which would impact nearby residents. It could be a hangout, with plenty of places for people to hide at night. What would they do? Put a huge fence around it? That would only make an unacceptable situation seem even more ugly.

This site is likely to become an EYA luxury townhome development, if they and partner Equity One have their way. However, the development process of Montgomery County is lengthy. Nothing can be built without going through a long public process, even under the current zoning for the site.

Personally, I think the closure is a shame. Residents of the surrounding neighborhoods found the Springhouse facility a good way to keep relatives close to home, and the nursing home has been a "good neighbor." The building is still usable, and could easily be retrofitted for senior housing, of which there is a shortage in Montgomery County. Absent that, the most appropriate use of the land would be as single-family homes, the housing type that directly abuts the nursing home property. It could also figure into the green space equation in the overall Westbard-area redevelopment. Early missteps on that could rival the planning blunder of the Hoyt property decision, which has already preemptively hobbled any effort to extend a green stormwater buffer around the stream that flows through there.

What's up with this closure, and why won't anyone involved share the details of what is going on? I don't think keeping residents in the dark is good PR in the larger redevelopment process in Westbard. The Springhouse property is a gateway to the community, and its status is of great interest to that community.

CROWDED SCHOOLS TOP RESIDENT CONCERNS AT WESTBARD SECTOR PLAN MEETING (PHOTOS)

Already-overcrowded public schools, along with traffic and building heights, were among the hot-button issues discussed at a Westbard Sector Plan "Primer" last night in Bethesda. The meeting was organized by the Sumner Civic Association, after Sumner residents expressed alarm in May at the rapid pace of the redevelopment process, now driven by developer Equity One's plans for the Westwood Complex. The association's president said the short-notice meeting was needed to alert residents before school ends, and many families leave for summer vacations.

At the River Road Unitarian Church last evening, Montgomery County planning officials laid out the timetable and public input process for the Westbard Sector Plan rewrite, which launches next month.

Planning staff work - including a Scope of Work - will begin in July and run through February 2015. A draft sector plan will go before the public and Planning Board between March and August 2015. The public will speak at a County Council hearing in November 2015, and the council review period and approval will stretch into Spring 2016.

Westbard Sector Plan timeline
from Montgomery County Planning
Department presentation

Pamela Dunn, of the Planning Director's office, explained that the county's new zoning code would be applied to the Equity One properties once the county council passes the map amendment. According to Dunn, the Westwood Shopping Center would be then eligible for a 45' building height, and a .75 FAR density ratio. However, Equity One could - and almost certainly would - request additional height and density through the Westbard Sector Plan rewrite. That puts such factors ultimately in the hands of the Planning Board and County Council.

EYA, the development partner selected by Equity One, has made sizable campaign contributions to county elected officials. Campaign signs promoting Councilmember Nancy Floreen (D-At Large) were erected on the Westwood Shopping Center and Westwood Center II properties owned by Equity One last week.

Pamela Dunn of the Montgomery County
Planning Department explains how the
new NR and CRT zones would apply
on Westbard Avenue as early
as this summer

That is where citizen input in this process is going to be critical. Bob Cope of the Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights urged residents to get involved at every stage of the process. Schools were on top of Cope's list, as they were on many other participants'. If the new sector plan doesn't address current and Westbard-related school overcrowding, Cope said, there shouldn't be a sector plan at all.

Rob Snow, representing the Wood Acres PTA, outlined the grim situation at Wood Acres ES, as well as in the Whitman Cluster. Wood Acres was built in 2002 for 550 students, but currently houses about 800. A new addition scheduled to open in fall 2016 will bring capacity to the mid 700s, still short of today's 800 student population. That is before any new students are added from new development on Equity One's sites along Westbard Avenue and Ridgefield Road. Incoming Wood Acres PTA president Jason Sartori noted at a recent community meeting that Wood Acres could lose its music room, if it has to be converted to a classroom in the coming years. The music program there would be reduced to a cart rolling to classrooms. There simply is no more room at Wood Acres, the assigned elementary school for all of the Equity One properties. According to the county, Wood Acres ES cannot be expanded any further after this addition is constructed. End of story.

One attendee commented that, while she recognized the Equity One retail and commercial sites were not modern in design, and that they could be enhanced, that she did not want the high-density, urban-style development proposed by Equity One. Her remarks generated enthusiastic applause among the crowd.

I thought it was notable - and reason for concern - that planners are going to use the "Visual Preferences Survey" for the Westbard plan, as they currently are on the downtown Bethesda Plan.

The "data" generated by these surveys are in no way scientific. If you ask anyone who works in the field of scientific surveys, they will tell you that the data generated by this sort of anonymous online poll is absolutely, positively useless (unless you are seeking junk data!). A majority of poll-takers may not even be actual residents. I recall seeing someone on Twitter referring to taking the downtown Bethesda survey, whose Twitter bio stated he lived in the District.

What's troubling, is that the planners know this. So why do they want to sort through bad, useless data? If they are really serious about a Visual Preferences Survey, they should mail either a paper survey to residents, or a password to take a locked survey online. You have to ask yourself why they aren't doing that. In effect, a developer can have its own people click on these surveys repeatedly, to generate the results they want.

With jammed schools and roads already a problem, either the residential component of the Equity One plan - and the larger Westbard Sector Plan vision - will have to be scaled back, or developers will have to foot the bill for a new elementary school, at minimum. Pyle MS and Whitman HS are over-capacity, as well.

One issue that didn't come up last night, was the health of the Little Falls Stream. Councilmembers recently curtailed development plans in the Ten Mile Creek watershed in Clarksburg. What residents in Bethesda need to know is, will those principles apply to the Little Falls watershed, which is in far worse condition than Ten Mile Creek's? Some of the Equity One property is literally on the banks of the stream, with the Westwood Center II being the most notable case.

The Ten Mile principles did not apply here in the Hoyt property case two years ago (which also involved EYA). Will they apply now with the Ten Mile precedent being set?

Certainly, the 1982 Westbard Sector Plan is in need of an update. But since the county took its time all these decades, and allowed the area to become the self-storage capital of the world, it can certainly take the time now to create a plan that puts residents first.

EQUITY ONE MAKES SAFETY UPGRADES AT WESTWOOD SHOPPING CENTER, WESTWOOD CENTER II (PHOTOS)

There may be disagreement about what the future of the Westwood Complex along Westbard Avenue and Ridgefield Road should be, but give credit to new landlord Equity One for making several safety-related upgrades to 2 retail properties over the last few weeks.

Bright lights were added to the lower surface parking lot at Westwood Center II, which also helps add some illumination to the dangerously dark corner of Ridgefield and River Roads at night. Several shops at the Westwood Shopping Center are now lit after closing at night, which improves safety along the majority of the strip mall, where many stores close earlier in the evening than Giant or Rite Aid.

Finally, in the last few days, they have repainted the parking spaces and crosswalks. Given the poor job previous owner Capital Properties did maintaining the properties, the upgrades are a welcome change. Longtime readers will recall that, just prior to the sale to Equity One, CP had turned off most of the lighting around the Westwood Shopping Center at night, except for the parking area directly in front of Giant and Rite Aid. After writing about it several times on here, the lights eventually were turned back on. And then there was that wooden "light pole" that was about to collapse...

WESTBARD REDEVELOPMENT FIRM EQUITY ONE'S CEO STEPPING DOWN

Developer Equity One has big changes planned for the Westbard area of Bethesda - and big changes at the top of its own company. A day after the firm hosted a major public meeting regarding its redevelopment plans for properties it recently acquired around Westbard Avenue, its CEO, Jeff Olson, announced he will not seek a renewed contract when his current one expires on December 31, 2014.

Olson said he is moving on to "pursue another business opportunity," in a statement released by the company.

The company is immediately launching a search for Olson's replacement, it said. Neighbors of the Bethesda properties in question likely will take great interest in that search process, and the eventual choice for new CEO. That individual's industry experience, political style and public outreach skills could have a tremendous impact on both the Westbard development, and the firm's ability to get existing residents on board.

Olson's most-memorable public statement on Westbard was his diss of the Westwood Shopping Center, one of multiple properties that make up the larger "Westwood Complex." "You could do a Back to the Future movie there," Olson said last year.

EQUITY ONE ADDS EYA TO WESTBARD REDEVELOPMENT TEAM, RESIDENTS WARY OF PLAN (PHOTO)

Developer Equity One gave its first indication of a specific plan for the properties it recently acquired in the Westbard area of Bethesda at a Design Principles presentation, held at Walt Whitman High School last night. Equity One's Executive Vice President of Development, Michael Berfield, led the presentation. A question and answer session followed.

This was a far more productive meeting than the initial design workshops. The venue and parking, in contrast to those events, were ample. While Equity One is still holding much close to the vest, there was a specific overview diagram of a possible plan for the entire suite of properties, known as the Westwood Complex. And Berfield took questions from the audience. Some at the initial meetings felt their voices were not heard. At last night's meeting, every person who wanted to ask a question was allowed to speak, and the meeting was extended beyond the expected end point for that purpose.

Berfield's presentation started well enough. He promised to make every effort to retain the small businesses that currently constitute the majority of tenants within the Westwood Shopping Center. Equity One plans to enhance those local retailers with national brands. Many people in the room had different interpretations of what that meant.

Some expressed opposition to the potential for big box stores; Berfield responded that in his daily work, that definition is not always determined by the square footage of a store. He and other company representatives gave examples of high-end stores that have large footprints, while also suggesting that there simply won't be the square footage needed for a Best Buy or Walmart on this site.

Historically, during the golden age of the Westwood Shopping Center, it was a retail center dominated by national and regional brands. Farrell's, Radio Shack, Baskin Robbins, Crown Books, Drug Fair, a hardware chain and others leased there prior to the 1990s; Radio Shack remains, and Rite Aid replaced Drug Fair. Much like in Wheaton, Glenmont, Kensington, and other areas of the county, the lure of rezoning was dangled by county politicians funded by developers. Landowners began to dream of a day when shopping centers could be mixed-use mini-cities. Suddenly, solid brand-name tenants in these commercials areas began to move out, as landlords implemented rates and terms that would position them well for a quick demolition, when the new zoning passed.

Alas, it took about 30 years to accomplish the zoning change, passed just this year by the Montgomery County Council. In the meantime, small businesses filled the spaces that weren't allowed to stay vacant. Now tenants like Anglo Dutch Pools and Toys, the venerable Westwood Barber Shop, and Beyda's Lad And Lassie have become old standbys for local residents. But the changes coming have some tenants "quaking in our boots," according to one who attended last night's meeting.

Berfield said Equity One will not demolish the existing Westwood Shopping Center first; such a move would leave the firm with no income during construction, he noted. But the plans make such a demolition all but certain eventually.

An urban "Main Street" is the "Westbard Vision" for Westbard Avenue, a heavily-traveled commuter route during rush hours twice daily. A rendering showed an urban, Bethesda Row-style streetscape of shops and cafes. Equity One representatives said their goal is to improve the safety and ambiance for cyclists and pedestrians along the street. The intersections at Ridgefield Road and Massachusetts Avenue have always been challenging to cross. Montgomery County's Department of Transportation recently installed all-new signal apparatus in all directions at the Ridgefield intersection, but have not activated it yet. Whether this will be an improvement won't be clear until they do, but I'm assuming that was the point of the new equipment.

Yet the Equity One plan, and the idea of an "urban boulevard" along Westbard are at cross purposes. The plan calls for a major influx of new residents, and an undetermined increase in retail and restaurant traffic. Meanwhile, the firm's traffic expert says they will implement various methods of slowing down drivers. Unfortunately, that is a formula for traffic disaster not only on Westbard during rush hour, but on already-nightmarish River Road. It simply cannot be done.

What really stood out for me at last night's meeting, was the size of the residential component. Most of the communication from Equity One tends to emphasize enhancing the retail experience. I'm on board for that, and I think many others are, too. There hasn't been a real, sit-down, family restaurant in the Westbard sector since Farrell's closed in the mid-80s. Given the income level of the surrounding neighborhoods, the current dining situation is as improbable and absurd as it gets. Yet the landlord previous to Capital Properties and Equity One was determined to wait it out with no restaurants. So one or more restaurants would be welcome, in my personal opinion. There's room in the parking lot (especially over in the unused one currently zoned as residential) to add retail and restaurants. And I was one of dozens in the room who applauded one resident's suggestion of Wegman's (if Giant were to decline to renew its lease in 2017).

So there's a lot of room for Equity One to come up with a fantastic design for a new retail center, with the existing services already there, and some national retail and restaurant brands that would really benefit the neighborhood. It would be profitable. But not as profitable as the residential-heavy plan Equity One appears to be pursuing.

A giant, atomic crab is going to land on the Westbard Sector. At least, that's what the Equity One rendering suggests:

The Giant Atomic Crab
that will land on Westbard

The colors remind one of those satellite images that confirm dense cities generate more heat than green suburbs. That's appropriate, given the urban character being proposed for this currently-suburban area.

Nothing is final about this plan. Equity One is perfectly sensible in not getting too specific, as no one can predict what the real estate market - or economy - will be like by the time they're a few years into this massive project.

But the design principles shown make residential surprisingly dominant. Surprising, for two reasons: First, the type of high-density residential that is certainly on the table is exactly the type that will generate traffic and school congestion. If Equity One selects that route over the "world-class retail center" alternative, it will be actively seeking confrontation with public school parents and residents. With 6 trailers outside, WoodAcres simply can't hold this many students. And if you're one who buys the bunk that families with kids don't live in apartments, I urge you to go by Westbard when school buses are circulating twice a day. You'll find a sizable crowd of students from the existing multi-family buildings on Westbard.

The diagram shown could literally double the population of the nearby neighborhoods now. Equity One has introduced local development firm EYA as a new partner in the redevelopment. EYA builds high-density, multi-family housing. Based on the document shown above, one can expect apartment buildings of some height, where the existing parking lot is now above the Westwood Shopping Center. And possibly some townhomes on the edges of that property, where it meets garden apartments, single-family homes, and Westland Middle School.

What's shown as "mixed-use" where Bowlmor, the two Citgo stations, and the Westwood Center II are today, will surely be apartment towers with retail on the ground floor. There is no demand for office space in Bethesda, or anywhere else in the county right now. And the "residential" area on top of the Springhouse by Manor Care nursing home property would almost certainly end up as an EYA townhome development. Notice how the red extends in a strip west along River Road, behind single-family homes on Westbard. That must be the odd property acquired by Equity One a few months back, which has a River Road address. 

The potential total number of units is enormous, when you add all of those potential projects together.

Here's the really odd part: Equity One specializes in retail and shopping centers. That is their area of expertise. Residential development is not something they are known for. But when the giant atomic crab design made the large residential component really stand out, I had to ask Berfield about this during the Q and A.

I mentioned that, in my review of the company's large portfolio, I had not found another project with heavy residential development like the one being proposed for Westbard. Could he point to a similar project the company had successfully managed of this type, or is this endeavor an entirely new frontier for Equity One? 

Commendably, Berfield was totally candid in his answer. He said this is a very unique project for the firm; they have done nothing comparable to this in the past. And, he added, that is why they are bringing EYA on board.

There are a couple of problems there. First, if Equity One hasn't done this before, what if they make mistakes during this new venture that cause the whole project to collapse when it is halfway finished? Doesn't this make a high-income residential area, in effect, a guinea pig for a novice in the urbanization field? After decades of neglect by the county, there is little room for error in the redevelopment of the Westbard Sector.

Second, EYA was the firm that was able to essentially take over a portion of Little Falls Stream Valley Park, build a bridge over a stream, and extend a road into the park. And made misleading statements regarding its community outreach leading up to the approval of that luxury townhome project. In a nutshell, the company met with the Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights and a local stream advocacy group, and then cited their support as representing the entire community. In fact, many of those individual communities were never consulted. Neither of the two groups I mentioned had any legal authority to negotiate on behalf of residents in neighborhoods adjacent to the project. Confronted well into the process by a constituent at a town hall meeting, County Councilmember Roger Berliner said he had never even heard of the proposal.

The resulting project has turned out just about like I testified it would at multiple hearings before the Planning Board, NCPC, and a county hearing examiner. A formerly uninterrupted stretch of Little Falls Parkway now has a street jutting out, and the massing of the townhomes asserts itself into the park to a greater degree than the factory they replace. In my opinion, the county should have acquired the Hoyt property to convert it to parkland, as a stream buffer.

EYA would do best to follow the example of Equity One on this project, and have these sort of high-profile community meetings.

Conversely, despite my opposition to that project, in my personal opinion, EYA may have the best townhome designs in the DC region. If you look at their portfolio, they don't just generate the same cookie-cutter townhomes you find elsewhere; each project has a distinct design. Some have been tailored to fit existing historical neighborhoods in the District; others create a new, original community, such as at Potomac Place.

But the bottom line is that the concept suggested will entirely change the character of the existing neighborhood, which theoretically, no sector plan or project should ever be permitted to do. A doubling of resident population would not only flood roads and schools, but also reduce the political power of the existing residents in future decisions. 

Parking is sure to be a problem as well. There doesn't appear to be room for any significant surface parking for the Westwood Shopping Center. People don't choose to live in the suburbs to spend time in dungeon-like parking garages. Those are simply inappropriate for a green, residential area, whether the parking is free or not.

Parking problem No. 2: Buildings and townhomes without adequate parking will lead to residents, and guests, parking in the adjacent neighborhoods. That will be used by politicians as a convenient excuse to introduce permit parking in those neighborhoods, gouging residents with expensive permits that rise in cost with each additional vehicle registered, as in anti-car DC. That is completely unacceptable, intolerable, and a total non-starter.

I would urge Equity One to scale back the plan, and put greater emphasis on retail and restaurants, as well as having distinctive architecture and retaining the suburban, residential character that surrounds this neighborhood commercial center. 

PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR BAINBRIDGE WISCONSIN, WESTBARD REDEVELOPMENT TUESDAY NIGHT IN BETHESDA

Two important public meetings are being held in Bethesda tomorrow night, and immediate neighbors of both projects may want to attend.

Linowes and Blocher is holding a meeting regarding the proposed 17-story Bainbridge Wisconsin luxury apartment building at 7 PM Tuesday night, in Room A on the second floor of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center, at 4805 Edgemoor Lane. The property at 7340 Wisconsin Avenue was previously an Exxon station.

This project would help to reactivate a dead stretch along Wisconsin between the Hyatt and Elm Street. Bainbridge has opted for residential on this Central Business District site, due to the weak market demand for office space in Montgomery County. 

Another significant meeting will be taking place the same evening in suburban Bethesda.

Equity One is holding a Design Principles presentation for its proposed redevelopment of several properties along Westbard Avenue and Ridgefield Road in Bethesda. Those properties include the venerable Westwood Shopping Center, Westwood Center II,  Bowlmor Bethesda, Springhouse by Manor Care, Citgo I and II, and the Westwood Tower apartments.

The meeting will be held at 7:30 PM Tuesday, in the Walt Whitman HS auditorium at 7100 Whittier Boulevard. This meeting was rescheduled after a previous snowstorm.

The meeting announcement emphasizes retail, but most of the controversy related to any redevelopment of Westbard centers on how much of the construction will be residential. WoodAcres ES, the elementary school that serves the properties in question, is already well over capacity, with at least 6 trailer classrooms outside the building. In contrast to the Bainbridge Wisconsin, which would literally be on top of the Bethesda Metro station, the Westbard area is not within walking distance of Metro.

Here are some pictures of the 7340 Wisconsin Avenue site, which has already undergone some environmental remediation:

WESTBARD EQUITY ONE REDEVELOPMENT MEETING A LOGISTICAL DISASTER

Equity One, the new owner of the Westwood Complex along Westbard Avenue and Ridgefield Road in Bethesda, deserves credit for holding a public meeting last night about their future redevelopment plans. Unfortunately, they scored few points for party planning beyond the refreshments.

The venue - The Ballroom on Landy Lane, off River Road - was a disastrous choice. Perhaps the size of the crowd was underestimated. But I arrived, prior to the start time, to find a line of cars backed up on River Road in both directions. The relatively tiny, poorly lit parking lot behind The Ballroom was jammed full. I was nearly sideswiped, as frustrated attendees attempted to turn around in the tight lot. Many cars were illegally parked in fire lanes around the venue. Quite a few people finally just left. Any venue that requires valet parking is the wrong venue for a public meeting such as this.

A second meeting time will be held this Saturday at The Ballroom, from 10 AM to noon.

Attendees expressed frustration with the parking fiasco, and said it was difficult to hear or be heard in the cramped space. After breaking into groups, the groups were still too large, and not everyone had a fair chance to be heard.

The Westwood Complex includes the Westwood Shopping Center, Westwood Center II, Springhouse nursing home, two Citgo gas stations, Westwood Tower apartments, and the Bowlmor Lanes bowling alley.

There are essentially no concrete details about Equity One's plans, beyond the sorts of environmental promises previously heard from developer EYA two years ago. More meetings are to be scheduled in March.

For Pete's sake, PICK A LARGE ENOUGH VENUE! Preferably where some spillover parking is available.

In concept, the meeting was a good start. In execution, not so much. Beyond better logistics, future meetings have to provide a better process for attendees to have a chance to speak and give input. And Equity One needs to meet with the individual neighborhood residents at their civic association meetings, such as Kenwood, The Kenwood, Kenwood Place, Springfield and Westbard Mews, which are directly adjacent to the proposed redevelopment. But I applaud the idea of ongoing meetings, when the previous developer held zero public events.

EQUITY ONE LAUNCHES WESTBARD REDEVELOPMENT PLAN IN BETHESDA

DEVELOPER TO

HOLD COMMUNITY

WORKSHOPS IN

EARLY 2014

Exclusive

Equity One, which took over several large Westbard Avenue parcels from Capital Properties last November, has launched its effort to redevelop a significant portion of the Westbard sector plan area in Bethesda. Over the weekend, a letter from Equity One CEO Jeffrey Olson was delivered to residents of nearby neighborhoods, announcing the company's plan to improve multiple sites. Equity One has closed on a Citgo gas station, the Bowlmor bowling alley, Westwood Tower apartments, Manor Care Springhouse of Westwood nursing home, and a piece of land along River Road. As expected, the firm states that it plans to close on the Westwood Shopping Center and Westwood Center II early next year. Residents were directed to a website called Westbard Vision, which has some basic information and offers registration for email updates.

The letter and site invite residents to two introductory meetings, one on the evening of January 29, 2014, and an alternative meeting on the morning of February 1. Representatives of Equity One will be in attendance to explain what they have in mind for the area, and to get feedback from residents.

I think this is a positive first step by Equity One, given that Capital Properties never held any such meeting. Capital Properties never even contacted residents at all. It will be especially useful if it is not one of those "coloring book" charettes, where a developer already has a finished plan it introduces, and then essentially asks residents what colors it would like to use.

Some of the issues that should be front and center are: the history of the Westbard area (although that is somewhat weighted towards the properties down on River Road more than Westbard Avenue, and includes significant African American and Native American sites), the modern history of neglect by county planners and politicians of the Westbard area, overcrowding in schools that serve Westbard Avenue, transportation issues, transferring Full Service from one Citgo to the other in light of the many elderly residents who currently rely on it, the topography of the land in relation to adjacent residential areas, the fate of residents of the nursing home on Ridgefield Road, and the question of what redevelopment - if any - is appropriate in height and density for these properties.

The Westbard area is not a town center, but rather a commercial area that provides essential services to residents of nearby neighborhoods. Like most suburban areas of the county, it has a few apartment buildings scattered here and there. But that is quite different from a dense, concrete canyon. The ultimate question will be, does the proposed redevelopment serve the nearby residents and continue the essential service and retail functions, while not being cookie-cutter,  oversized or incompatible with a tree-dense suburban area? Developments most directly impacted by any changes would include Park Bethesda, Westwood Tower, Westbard Mews, Springfield, Kenwood, The Kenwood, and Kenwood Place. While there is good but limited hours access to Metro via Ride On Route 23, the Westbard area is not within walking distance of Metro by any planning metric. Therefore, dense, transit-oriented development is not possible at this site.

It would go a long way if Equity One can demonstrate - at the appropriate point in the process - that the architecture would be distinctive, and that the new spaces created might acknowledge some of the history of the area unknown to most people. That it will bring elements that are actually needed, such as a real, sit-down family restaurant on Westbard Avenue, an ice cream store, a hardware store, etc. And can the Westwood Shopping Center either keep Giant, or get Wegmans? If redevelopment doesn't benefit the residents, it won't gain much support.

But again, I believe this is a good start by Equity One. Capital Properties' ham-handed approach was a compete disaster from the beginning, in contrast. Let's see how the meetings go and what they and residents have to say.

WESTWOOD SHOPPING CENTER, OTHER WESTBARD PROPERTIES SOLD TO EQUITY ONE IN MASSIVE BETHESDA REAL ESTATE DEAL

NEIGHBORHOOD
COULD LOSE
GIANT FOOD
STORE IN 2019

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

The future of the Westbard Sector in Bethesda has just been upended again.  In a shocking development, Capital Properties has sold the retail Westwood Complex - including the venerable Westwood Shopping Center-  plus the Manor Care nursing home, and Westwood Tower apartment building, to Equity One for $140 million.

Terms of these properties' leases have become public in the transaction.  Giant Food's lease in the Westwood Shopping Center expires in 2019, meaning that Giant could be lost in any redevelopment.  It is important to note that Giant once held a 99-year lease, which began in 1959.  Strangely, Giant signed a new lease just a few years ago.  My guess at the time was that Capital Properties offered them a lower rate, in exchange for a shorter lease.  Now it appears that is likely what happened.  Could the neighborhoods around Westbard lose the Giant in 2019?  Would Giant sign a new lease in the existing space, or in a new, redeveloped space on Westbard?  The point is, we don't know at this point.

Even worse, we now know that Manor Care's lease is up in 2015, and Westwood Tower's in 2017.  Of the two, the nursing home is more likely to be demolished to make way for a new development.

In any case, the game has changed again, and until I can do some research on Equity One, I can't tell you what kind of company they are to deal with.  Capital Properties was widely considered one of the toughest and most formidable in citizen-developer negotiations.

Coincidentally, or not (hmm....), Montgomery County's Planning Board announced just hours before Equity One made its announcement, that it will take up the Westbard Sector Plan in 2015.  Just in time to make changes favorable to the developer - how convenient.  And the first lease expires that year.  Just a coincidence, folks!

To be more optimistic, maybe the new developer will be more willing to work with the community.  Like bringing Farrell's back to the Westwood Shopping Center.

Strangely, the Park Bethesda and Bowlmor were not announced as part of the deal.  There are also two Citgo gas stations on Westbard.  Kenwood Place Condominiums is owned by the residents, and not subject to sale.

Stay tuned for more details!