Monday, November 07, 2022

Future site of The Claiborne condos in downtown Bethesda cleared (Photos)


After more than five years as a small jungle of an overgrown lot, the property at 4820 Auburn Avenue in Bethesda has finally been cleared. Formerly home to Steamers seafood restaurant, the parcel is one of several assembled for the future site of The Claiborne condo development. That project has been stalled since 2016. There were signs once again of it moving forward late this past spring, and perhaps the clearing of a lot is another. Just another indication of how our Montgomery County Councilmembers are very unfamiliar with the streets of Bethesda they are grossly overpaid to represent.






12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not sure what the County Council Members have to do with the developer not cutting weeds on a construction site. If anything, the county building department should fine developers who do not maintain their property. Like the broken glass in the existing windows on the site of the future Artena. These vacant buildings should be properly and safely secured by their owners.

Anonymous said...

9:04am The brush literally grew out enough to block the sidewalk. It became a safety issue.

Robert Dyer said...

The Council has everything to do with it. To leave a lot in that condition for five years in a busy downtown area of the county means that two District 1 councilmembers, and seven at-large councilmembers over that time either never bothered to travel around downtown Bethesda in five years, or saw it and did nothing about it.

What are we paying them $144,000 a year for? This is part of their job! I've gotten more fixed in downtown Bethesda than any councilmember over the last decade. It's embarrassing.

Anonymous said...

You actually suggest the Council members should be responsible for weed ordinance enforcement? Clearly the building department and code enforcement folks dropped the ball here. I suppose you think the President of the United States should be responsible for checking the air in the tires of Air Force One as well…

Robert Dyer said...

12:06: Yes, the buck stops with the Council, who should be more in touch with what is going on in the communities they represent.

Anonymous said...

The tree and many of the bushes being left behind makes pretty clear the owner still isn't redeveloping particularly soon. Maybe they're having a competition with Lerner in North Bethesda over who can be the most incompetent, slow developer?

Anonymous said...

The patch of natural growth was nice to have. How do you know councilmembers received and ignored complaints about it?

Robert Dyer said...

4:02: Because it stayed there for 5 years.

Anonymous said...

It's funny what Leftists will choose to support - eyesore lots in upscale areas, illegals begging for money and trampling the grass in public medians, criminals who were 'just turning their life around', and of course, abortion.
A funny bunch they are.

Anonymous said...

So if you were on the county council and a private developer didn’t cut weeds on his vacant lot - you would be held personally responsible also?

Anonymous said...

What have you gotten fixed in downtown Bethesda? Do tell!

Anonymous said...

@2:49am - Trampling grass oh my. We are a nasty lot.