A developer is beginning the process of redeveloping the commercial property at 7000 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The proposal includes up to 200 residential units, and a relatively generous 15000 SF of non-residential space, compared to many other mixed-use projects downtown these days that are minimizing retail and restaurant tenants.
Representatives for the developer have scheduled a public meeting on the project's sketch plan for Tuesday, February 26, 2019 at 7:00 PM at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center at 4805 Edgemoor Lane.
14 comments:
Does the project include a movie theatre? In a previous post, I believe you reported that the developer of this site (Washington Properties ?)
had requested additional building height to allow room to accommodate a cinema. 15,000 SF seem kind of small for a multiplex cinema. I believe it is currently zoned to allow a 120’ high building, so roughly 12 stories. I believe they could add up to 2 stories and 24’ of height if they included at least 25% MPDU’s.
It is nice to see some additional density in this area. With the new southern Metro entrance, Purple Line Station and the planned EYA food hall at the Farm Women’s Market, this area seems viable for much more density.
I hope they loose the pair of mattress stores.
This was an article in the Bethesda Magazine in April of 2017 that stated the county raised the allowable building by 10’ to 120’, to allow the developer requested height to permit the return of the Regal Cinema. Sorry, it is a different developer.
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/entertainment-events/bethesda-developer-in-early-talks-about-bringing-regal-theater-back-to-wisconsin-avenue/
AMC indicates that the average new cinema is about 74,000 SF and 11 screens, so at only 15,000 SF of non-residential, at most it would be a very small cinema. The attached article indicates that some new cinemas are as small as 15,000 SF, but apparently not very many are built tha small.
https://retail-index.emarketer.com/company/data/5411e319ddb53b4e043d24e5/5411e31dddb53d765417c8bc/lfy/false/amc-theatres-real-estate
No movies? We're doomed.
DOOMED.
6:17: Actually, downtown businesses are doomed until the clowns on the County Council figure out how to undo the mess they made by not requiring the replacement theater for the Regal at 7272 Wisconsin. Maybe less time weighing in on national issues, and more time focused on helping constituents like restaurant and bar owners?
6:16 AM Yup, sounds like no theater then.
Seems like every morning I get up and Robert Dyer is reporting on another new development!
Worst photos ever. I couldn't even figure out what block this was.
Stick with stealing daytime photos from Google Street View.
Agreed, Roald! Despite assertions to the contrary, it’s clear there is a lot of investment in our vibrant community these days.
as long as saphire stays - only real business that everyone enjoys
@ 10:25 AM - I realize that it's hard to tell with the poor photographs posted here, but this is the 7000 block of Wisconsin which is nearly a mile south of Saphire (7940 Wisconsin).
Of course the Saphire Cafe will be gone once they start on the Aetena apartment tower which will I suspect will start demo very soon. Only the Bethesda Chocolate Shop will remain in that stretch.
Sorry, it’s the ARTena building. Not a fan of the ARTful spelling though. I don’t think they have Site Plan Approval yet, so it may be awhile.
I see that the meeting announcement sign states that the site is only 0.70 acres, so only 30,492 SF. So this is not a big long block of sites grouped together, but likely only the 7000 Wisconsin Building and the adjacent parking lot to the south. Not a very large footprint for 120 units, so likely a tall and slender tower with about 10 floors of apartments (12 units per level), a roof terrace with amenities on level 12. this would likely be on a base that fills the site with 15,000 SF of retail, a residential lobby, loading area and a ramp down to two levels of parking. Maybe parking and loading from the rear alley.
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