Board members of the Bethesda Fire Department briefed a standing-room-only crowd in the vehicle bays of the firehouse last night on potential redevelopment options for the site. Doing nothing was the only option off the table at this point, they said.
40 members of the public signed up, and at least 15 additional people attended the meeting at Station 6, on the corner of Bradley Boulevard and Wisconsin Avenue. Speaking on behalf of the BFD were President John Murgolo, Treasurer Grant Davies (a resident of the Town of Chevy Chase), and Director Nat Finkelstein (a resident of Somerset).
Finkelstein noted that the station house was built in 1969, and that the department was exploring options to preserve the station site and provide the best service to the community. He said that press reports and community emails were exaggerating the timeframe and specifics of the redevelopment possibilities, and that the process will take considerable time before anything happens. Referring to explosive residential growth in Bethesda, Finkelstein said the station site is essential to fire and rescue operations. Davies defined the department's service area (with 3 station houses total) as ranging from the DC line in Friendship Heights out to Grosvenor, and along Democracy Boulevard. Personnel are also first responders to incidents on both interstates that pass through Bethesda, Davies said. The station's board is a non-profit organization.
The station is functional but technologically-obsolete. New technologies in firefighting call for updated facilities, and there are more residential units than ever to respond to. BFD also faces challenges in the near future, they said, such as the development of a new Fire Master Plan, the Purple Line light rail, loss of firefighting assets from NIH and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, increased construction, and the potential consolidation of Stations 6, 7,11, and 20 into only two stations.
As "bottom line" objectives, the BFD included ensuring Station 6 continues to be located at Bradley and Wisconsin, serve the community's needs, retain the station as a community asset, provide high quality public safety services, and partner with community stakeholders.
The BFD defined "stakeholders" as including residents, businesses, citizen associations, incorporated municipalities, the BCC Chamber of Commerce, BCC Rescue Squad, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services, volunteer and career firefighters, community organizations and schools, and County officials.
Options on the table at this point are refurbishing the existing station, building a new station (either as another standalone facility, or as part of a residential development), or another alternative not yet thought of.
Doing nothing is not an option, they said.
Refurbishment would require identifying funding sources, which is what makes redevelopment of the site an attractive option for the department at this point. The latter venture would not be without funding concerns, and the department insists it would factor community concerns into the architectural aesthetics of any redevelopment.
One potential concept was floated for a residential project at last night's meeting, which would include a 6-story building with townhomes at the rear of the site. 180 total units was floated as a possible number. Residents in proximity to the station have expressed concerns about the visual and traffic impacts of redevelopment, among other issues.
Attendees discussed some of these concerns at last night's meeting.
One concern was the location of loading docks, as well as access to the site from Wisconsin Avenue. The department believes that traffic lights could allow fire equipment to access Wisconsin via Bradley. The question of how the department could operate during construction was raised. Davies said a two-stage construction process could permit operations to continue. On the basic question of why residential would be appropriate at a fire station, the department is using the future Bethesda District 2 police station as a model.
There was some criticism as to how the County is spending tax dollars, if there was not enough money for a new Bethesda Fire Station 6 after all of the new real estate development that has, and is, taking place. Another citizen made a point by suggesting opening a casino or bordello on-site if generating money was paramount, as opposed to residential development.
Davies said that although residential is still just an option, without "shovels in the ground," the department wants to get residential zoning in the new Bethesda Downtown sector plan, so that the option can remain viable. One resident said the community had been fighting to keep commercialization from crossing Bradley. Davies said that the BFD board has a fiduciary duty to explore every option for the site.
The topic of affordable housing was raised by a firefighter in the crowd. He said he had to live in a group home until he could afford to buy a house in Bethesda. He urged nearby homeowners to consider that redevelopment of the station could raise their neighborhood's Walk Score, and by extension, the value of their homes.
One of those nearby residents on Chevy Chase Drive expressed reservations, and Davies reminded everyone that residents are welcome to apply for the department's board, which currently does not have a member from that street.
