More details about the proposed redevelopment of the Strathmore Apartments at 7025-7039 Strathmore Street in downtown Bethesda were revealed at a virtual public meeting last night. The Strathmore Street Residences applicant appears to be the current ownership of the property, which has hired Bethesda firm Architects Collaborative to design a brick-facade building that will favor classic aesthetics over current trends. No renderings of the architectural design were available last night. Architects Collaborative is also designing the proposed Apartments at Sumner Place project in Bethesda.
Robert Harris, the applicant's attorney, called Bethesda "the economic engine and arguably the most desirable place to live" in Montgomery County. The general outline of what is being proposed is a 7-story rental apartment building with 160-170 units, with 15% of the units being set aside as Moderately-Priced Dwelling Units, the minimum required by Montgomery County. There are 32 naturally-occurring-affordable-housing units at the current property, so the project would represent a net loss of 7 affordable apartments in downtown Bethesda.
Residents will have 2 levels of underground parking. The current plan is to provide at least one parking space for every unit, but the total number of garage spaces could be reduced by the end of the approval process. Montgomery County's public Capital Crescent Garage is about two blocks from the Strathmore Apartments site via Woodmont Avenue.
Faik Tugberk, principal and founder of Architects Collaborative, said the new development will make the Woodmont-Strathmore side of the property the focal point with a circular design element. The loading dock will be on the alley side of the building, with a lay-by for trucks so that other traffic using the alley will not be blocked. However, Tugberk said the garage entrance will be placed on the Strathmore Street side, so as not to overburden the alleyway. He added that this was not ideal from a design standpoint, but a compromise to be a good neighbor with the surrounding properties and users of the alley.
Tugberk said the new design will allow an uninterrupted pedestrian crossing from Strathmore Street to Wisconsin Avenue via the cut-through at The Camille on Wisconsin. He added that the pedestrian pathway on the Strathmore Street Residences portion of the route will be enhanced with public art. A rooftop amenity is planned, such as a lounge or terrace, but there are no plans for a swimming pool.
Apartment units will have balconies, Tugberk confirmed, but some elements of the project are still in flux at this early stage. The mix of unit sizes hasn't been finalized yet, a factor he said will be determined by market demand. No retail space is planned at this time.
"We're at the front end of a multi-tier approval process," Harris told virtual meeting attendees. He said the applicant is preparing to submit a Sketch Plan for the project to the County, and that a groundbreaking is likely still a couple of years away. The property owner "respects" the current tenants of the existing garden apartments, but it has not yet been decided if they will be offered any discounts or incentives to be able to return in the new development.
Images courtesy Architects Collaborative
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