BETHESDA TV TOWER LIGHTING ADJUSTED AFTER CITIZEN COMPLAINTS (PHOTO)

I promised to keep you updated on the River Road TV tower lighting problem in Bethesda. 

Yesterday, the tower's owner, Crown Castle, had technicians adjust the lighting. I checked it out after the sun went down, and the lighting is vastly improved. Red tower lights still would be preferable in a highly-populated area, and that is what virtually every other area tower has. But as far as white lights go, the intensity of that bottom bulb has been reduced from a firework-style burst, to a flashing bulb again.

The biggest issue was for those living on upper floors in nearby apartment buildings. But the light could also be seen reflecting off objects blocks away.

As I mentioned over a month ago, this happened before, and was fixed within 2 days.

This time, it kept going on. While I heard complaints about it, I don't know if anyone actually called.

Two weeks ago, I finally placed a call to Crown Castle myself. An operator at the company's 24-hour hotline, Jeff, took my complaint. I have to say, the "customer service" is very good at Crown Castle, and he immediately said they would send out a crew to investigate the light pollution issue.

I expected it would take some time, as it was not an emergency situation, and somebody actually has to climb up there unless it is simply a control panel adjustment.

In any case, they came out yesterday, and set the lighting back to normal. So I have to commend Crown Castle for taking the concerns of the community seriously, once it was brought to their attention.

Here is a photo of the lights last night. Below the tower, you can see the signs for the Westbard Giant and Bowlmor bowling alley.  The tower itself is located on River Road, behind the McDonald's.

7535 OLD GEORGETOWN ROAD: NEW IMAGES OF KETTLER 15-STORY LUXURY BUILDING AT COMMERCE LANE

Kettler has provided new images of its planned 15-story mixed-use "tower" at Old Georgetown Road and Commerce Lane, near the Bethesda Metro Center.

The project includes 120 apartments, and 5000 square feet of retail space.

New details include a rooftop with spectacular views, a roaring fireplace, seating areas, and even grills to put your steaks, burgers, hot dogs, etc. on.

The bad news? It's for building residents only!

With the Akridge Class A office building nearby having a private rooftop, as well, perhaps those of us on the ground may hear shouted queries of, "Would you happen to have any Grey Poupon?"

But, of course!

There is a mystery sculpture that the developer says is still under wraps, planned for the Old Georgetown Road entrance. The planning documents promise the sculpture will be of sufficient quality as to become a defining Bethesda landmark.

Let's hope so. Because the building concept itself is still lacking.

To try to explain, if I come up out of the Metro (assuming escalators are functioning!), if I look at the Capital One Building or the Bethesda Metro Center, I know I'm in downtown Bethesda immediately.

If I look at this proposed building, however... where am I?  Ballston? Rockville?  This building could be anywhere.   It's a decent, shoulder-shrugging design on the curved side.  But then they lapsed into that intolerable, "multi-color" trend so prevalent in our region in recent years, on the other sides of the building.

I don't get the message of that color concept. "Help, I've run out of the materials I was using - let's finish it with these other materials we have left over from another project?"

"I like all 3 of these designs. Instead of choosing one, let's just make it 3, 3 buildings in one!?"

It is a Frankenstein Effect, in my opinion. Most great buildings in the world do not look like a mash-up of  3 buildings.

My reaction to these multi-color, mixed use designs is similar to that of Jacques Pepin's when making an unannounced visit to a college dining hall kitchen.

Just pick one design and stick with it.

This one needs work.

It's just frustrating to add a lot of traffic, and whatever the effects will be on nearby residents structurewise, and not be getting the very best in design.