Retail space at Cheval Bethesda branded as "The Corner at Cheval"

Ongoing efforts to lease the ground floor retail space at the Cheval Bethesda condo tower at 4960 Fairmont Avenue have resulted in a new marketing strategy. CBRE is now promoting the space as "The Corner at Cheval." Despite the prime corner location at Old Georgetown Road, it has remained vacant for several years after the completion of the building.

A bank was once rumored to be the tenant for the spot, but it never materialized, if it was even true (and the silver lining is that many people would prefer retail or restaurant use to yet another bank branch). The rest of the ground floor commercial space houses the Triangle Art Studios, which hosts local artists, and famously exhibited the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Sphinx in 2019.

The challenge of filling retail spaces in today's Montgomery County and pandemic environment has vexed Cheval developer Duball, LLC in Rockville, as well. It is currently seeking permission from the City of Rockville to convert all of the approved retail space at its new Ansel development in Rockville Town Center into additional residential lofts. Duball did have great success in attracting desirable tenants to its sister Rockville Town Center development, including World of Beer and Panera Bread.