Saturday, April 15, 2023

Village of Friendship Heights updates branding as efforts begin to reverse area's decline


There have frequently been signs of change in the Friendship Heights area of Chevy Chase over the last decade. Most often, they've read, "Going Out of Business" or "Closing Sale - Everything Must Go!" Yesterday, the Village of Friendship Heights announced two more positive signs of modest change - an updated welcome sign at the corner of S. Park Avenue and The Hills Plaza, and new graphics on the village shuttle bus. The village hasn't been the problem, though - it's one of the most effectively run municipalities in the state. Decline has been led by policies of the Montgomery County Council, which have slashed profit margins for businesses, and led to a flight of many of the County's wealthiest to lower-tax jurisdictions in the region.


The Council has appeared befuddled by the retail collapse in Friendship Heights. It still hasn't come to terms with its central role in that crash, but until this past week, it hasn't even taken the smallest step to arrest the decline.

This past Tuesday, the Council voted to create a Friendship Heights Urban District. Similar to organizations that operate in downtown Bethesda and downtown Silver Spring, the district will be teamed with a corresponding one on the D.C. side of the state line, which has been hit as hard by the flight of Montgomery's rich as the Maryland side.

Members of the new committee will be appointed by the County Executive, and confirmed by the Council. The proposed five-member committee will include two commercial property owners nominated by the Friendship Heights Alliance, one residential renter who lives in the district, one residential property owner, and one business owner nominated by the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce. 

This past Thursday, the Montgomery County Planning Board gave unanimous approval to the sketch plan amendment and site plan for the redevelopment of 5500 Wisconsin Avenue. The Donohoe Companies/Carr Companies project is the first major real estate development in Friendship Heights since Wisconsin Place.

5500 Wisconsin is anticipated to increase the population who will patronize neighborhood businesses. The developers have also promised they will try to make the retail component of the project successful by targeting the ground floor tenants to the downward-adjusting demographics of the area. It's the latest private sector acknowledgement that the demand for high-end boutiques along what was once called "Montgomery County's Rodeo Drive" just isn't there anymore.

The public sector is still lagging behind though. Councilmember Andrew Friedson (D - District 1) was famously quoted in a Washington Post article as believing the problem is Friendship Heights "needs nice local places to grab a cup of coffee, to have a nice meal, to pick up some groceries and enjoy an evening out." Starbucks at 5454 Wisconsin Avenue, The Cheesecake Factory, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market, and Clyde's and The Hunter's Hound have all eluded Mr. Friedson's notice, apparently. It's hardly the first time the Council has indicated it doesn't get around much in its districts.


Anti-business policies, ferociously-high taxes, and - most recently - a failure to control crime are the real issues at the crux of Friendship Heights' recent struggles. The Council hasn't passed a single bill to address any one of those. In fact, it's preparing to raise property taxes and recordation taxes even higher in the FY-2024 budget this May. And guess what comes with a business district organization? That's right, more taxes. They'll be collected from both residential and business property owners in Friendship Heights - who will pass the cost onto Friendship Heights residents and business owners in the form of higher rents.

Top two photos courtesy Village of Friendship Heights

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rebranding appears to be using the default Times New Roman font from Microsoft Word 2000.

Anonymous said...

“Village” of bland high rises, with more to come.

With a 25%+ vacancy rate already along the Wisconsin corridor, how are more vacant, mixed use high rises going to work out? Especially with the planned 30% tax increase?

Anonymous said...

Ooo I'm loving 10:19's made up numbers. So perfectly round.

Anonymous said...

The color combo and font choice on those signs make it look like a retirement home, not an upscale neighborhood. Looks depressing and dated.

Anonymous said...

What? It's not a retirement home? You are absolutely correct that's the big vibe! The bus doesn't help either; it sure gives off that geriatric feel. Would a simple bile rack on the front help dispel that notion?

Anonymous said...

But basically true.

Anonymous said...

The comments section of this blog continues to be a veritable "font" of wisdom. . . .

Anonymous said...

As I have been there many times the biggest issue is the beggars between the 2 metro enterances walking back and forth on Wisconsin Ave begging for money and they roam up and down the METRO escalators too………..

Anonymous said...

There is a cool movie on Helvetica, fwiw. Search it, you won't be disappointed if you're into that sort of thing.

Anonymous said...

And the regular guys I see are smokers! I quit because I couldn't afford it, why give them money for tobacco?

Anonymous said...

The problem with Friendship Heights is that it straddles two jurisdictions (DC & MD) and each little parcel is owned by different developers.

If somehow all the parties came together to formulate a cohesive plan, this area could be turned into a dynamic commercial area spanning from the Saks on one end (with the huge Saks parking lots developed into something), down to Jenifer Street in the District, and over to a repurposed Lord & Taylor.

Would never happen, but if Costco took over the Lord & Taylor area that would be a massive anchor tenant for revitalization.

All the surface parking lots (Saks, lots behind Mazza, Lord & Taylor lots) with their dead space are really just a waste of space.