BETHESDA DEVELOPER SPEAKS FRANKLY ON MOCO'S WEAK OFFICE MARKET, CRUSHING ENERGY TAX

Some refreshingly-candid commentary on Montgomery County's massive energy taxes, and weak market for office space, was delivered Tuesday by Charles Nulsen, president of Bethesda's Washington Property Company. Nulsen was testifying before the Montgomery County Council, on a slew of new energy and environmental requirements that would impact residents and businesses countywide.

But some of his more general testimony on the current economic development climate in the county jumped out. I recall being in the audience at a council hearing three years ago, and hearing the testimony of the county chamber of commerce regarding job creation. When the statistic of the low number of jobs created in MoCo was contrasted with Fairfax County's number - many times that of Montgomery's during the same period - there was an audible gasp in the room. Listening to Nulsen's testimony, those who might have tuned out local economic matters could quickly understand why we are behind.

Nulsen testified that Montgomery County businesses' utility bills are 30% higher than those in DC or Northern Virginia. He said the county currently "collects more for the distribution of electricity than Pepco itself." In addition to our tremendous traffic congestion (due to the failure to complete our master plan highways), lack of access to Dulles Airport, and high tax burden, these disparities hardly make MoCo the easy choice for large employers seeking to relocate.

That impact is felt in the county's weak office market. The vacant office space in Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring and Wheaton speaks for itself. With no large employer moving to the county in a decade, developers are abandoning planned office space countywide. We were told that "smart growth" would allow people to "live where they work." The factual evidence suggests otherwise: Office space planned for "smart growth" communities such as Clarksburg and King Farm is being abandoned, or converted to residential. An office building in downtown Wheaton was recently flipped to residential, as well. Ultimately, the "smart growth" has actually led to more traffic congestion and sprawl, as we are ending up with more residential than was even planned. And all of those additional residents are going to commute in to the usual downtown DC and VA employment centers.

Nulsen said his own office properties have a 25% vacancy rate, and that "our commercial tenant base is dwindling." He added that he has had difficulty attracting office tenants for a decade. I would point out that that coincides directly with the lack of major firms relocating to the county over the same time period. With a dwindling tax base, and surging population, the county's current economic trajectory is "unsustainable," Nulsen argued.

"We have an A- grade in environmental stewardship. We have an F in economic stewardship," was Nulsen's assessment of where Montgomery County stands at present.

HEY,

WHO TURNED OUT

THE LIGHTS?

Capital Properties Plunges One-Third of

Westwood Shopping Center into Darkness,

Reducing Safety of Patrons, Neighbors

Is County Energy Tax to Blame?

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

A full third of the Westwood Shopping Center property on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda has been shrouded in darkness for consecutive nights. This despite a recent spike in crime in the Westbard area.

In fact, as previously reported here, a resident of the Park Bethesda apartments directly across the street from the shopping center was a victim of armed robbery January 19. The crime occurred in the Park Bethesda parking lot.

Montgomery County Police have added additional officers to the area at night since then. Residents note that those officers continue to be in evidence as recently as last night. No further robberies have been publicly reported since police stepped up patrols.

It is therefore strange that shopping center owner Capital Properties, of New York, would order - or allow - major portions of the parking lot to be pitch black at night.

Ironically, the darkest area is the large parking area between the Rite Aid and the property line alongside the Kenwood Place condominium driveway. Kenwood Place continues to light its driveway. It's ironic, though, because that area of the shopping center is directly across the street from Park Bethesda, where the night robbery took place just four weeks ago.

This darkness is dangerous for several reasons. The robbers who struck in West Bethesda, and across the DC line in NW, are still at large.

Second, many Park Bethesda residents walk across that section of the lot after shopping, to reach the only signal-controlled crosswalk for the building on Westbard. They have no choice unless they drive. We keep hearing about walkable communities, so why would the county and Capital Properties discourage those practicing that lifestyle? The past several nights, those residents have had to make a dangerous walk through a dark area, where anyone could be lurking.

Third, the loss of lighting now makes the job of the police more difficult. If they spot or chase a suspect, they will have to employ their own flashlights or mounted light cannons on their cruisers to illuminate that area.

Fourth, both sidewalks along Westbard are now darker at night, without the illumination usually provided by the shopping center.

Fifth, with lights turned off at the other end as well, more opportunity for would-be thieves to lurk around that wing of Kenwood Place exists.

The portion of the lot directly in front of Giant, Rite Aid, and other businesses remains well-lit.

So why are the lights out? Of course there might be temporary repairs underway. But if this is intended to be permanent, one must assume it is to save money in regard to the county's punitive, draconian energy tax.

The darkened portions of the lot tend to be used only sporadically, for afterschool sports, nighttime patrons of Bowlmor, and those visiting businesses in the commercial wing of Kenwood Place.

But while "smart" growth gurus would claim that's "excessive, wasteful surface parking," the space has been much appreciated by everyone from truckers to the National Treasure 2 film crew. In fact, the Obama campaign used the Westwood Shopping Center parking lot as a staging area on the day of his historic election in 2008.

This is a well-regarded shopping center by longtime residents, and features what is arguably the best Giant in Montgomery County.

It's time to reconsider the unwise decision to severely reduce lighting in the property's parking lot. Particularly at a time when crime activity has been higher than usual in the area. This is another unforced error by Capital Properties, who are seeking to redevelop the Westbard area. Decreasing the safety of the area is not a winning public relations strategy. Also, why were the high-quality shopping center signs replaced with lesser designs that aren't illuminated? That move had reduced lighting already.

Perhaps the blackout was not a decision made in New York. But it's Capital Properties' shopping center now, and they have ultimate control over all decisions there.

In the wise words of Morgan Freeman, "Turn it back on, man!"