Landmark downtown Bethesda building for sale

Three months after a historic building at a major Bethesda crossroads sold at a loss, the owner of a landmark building at another busy downtown crossroads is hoping for a better result. The iconic PeriPoint Building at 5001 Wilson Lane is now on the market. Interested parties must contact Bethesda-based real estate firm RELM, Inc. to inquire about the asking price, which is not given in the online listing. 

The PeriPoint is currently fully-leased, although the listing does not detail the tenants, nor the duration of their leases. It sits at the intersection of Wilson with Old Georgetown Road, Arlington Road, and St. Elmo Avenue near Bethesda Elementary School. Longtime residents will recall the PeriPoint's early years, most likely for the vacuum cleaner repair shop it housed for many years. Additional stories and a rooftop space were added to the one-story building in 2008, creating an architectural gem in the process. The original base structure is nearly 100 years old.

New open-air fitness studio now testing for 2020 launch in Bethesda

More and more green space and open sky disappear by the day under the Montgomery County Council and Planning Board's urbanization vision of a sea of concrete, glass and steel. Should fresh air and the natural sunlight source of Vitamin D be a part of your fitness regimen in an urban area? sōheira, a new open-air fitness concept, believes they should.

The new business has leased rooftop space at the Peripoint Building at 7800 Old Georgetown Road. They are hosting drop-in classes over the winter, in preparation for an official studio launch in 2020. A limited number of beta test classes will be offered this month, and spaces are limited. See the sōheira website for details on how to register, and for more information about the use of the rooftop space and courses.

One downtown Bethesda hair salon closes, another opens

Golden Crown Hair Design on Norfolk Avenue has closed, and the space is cleared out. A new hair salon is just getting started over at the Peripoint Building at 5001 Wilson Lane. I believe Salon Gerard has already been taking clients, but the sign was installed Tuesday evening. They finally took down the signs for Soup Up, which closed in that space quite a while back.

Art exhibits around Bethesda this month

There are several special art exhibits around downtown Bethesda this month. Two are pop-ups, and one is at a gallery.

Bethesda Library - Today to December 31

Gel Jamlang of Artworks Fine Art Studio at 7740 Old Georgetown Road has organized an exhibition of paintings by 16 female artists at the Bethesda Library at 7400 Arlington Road. The women are from the studio's Adult class, and come from a variety of professional backgrounds and countries around the world, and their media and subjects are equally diverse.

Join them for the opening reception from 3:00-5:00 PM today, or stop by throughout the month to view the works.

Waverly Street Gallery - Friday, December 9, 5:00-9:00 PM

The gallery at 4600 East-West Highway is hosting "A Bright Night for the Arts," to kick off a holiday exhibition on Friday, December 9, from 5:00-9:00 PM. All of the artists and designers will be from the Washington, D.C. area. Media will include paintings, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, glass art, jewelry and photography. Artists will be on hand at the event.

Food and beverages will be served, and the event is free. There is a Montgomery County public parking facility right next to the gallery.

Peripoint Building - Today to December 18

Works by Elyse Harrison
on display at the Peripoint Building

Art Pop Up Bethesda is showcasing three artists in the Peripoint Building, the distinctive triangular building at 5001 Wilson Lane, where the lane meets Old Georgetown Road and Arlington Road. The artists are Lisa Brotman, Marta Gutierrez, and Elyse Harrison.

Hours of the exhibit are as follows:

Thursday-Friday: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, 3:00-6:00 PM
Saturday-Sunday: 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Art pop-up returns to Peripoint Building in Bethesda

A pop-up art exhibit has popped up again in the Peripoint Building at 5001 Wilson Lane. It is in the ground floor space vacated by Soup Up. The website shown on the sign was not yet active as of press time this morning.

Peripoint Building seeking tenant in Bethesda (Photos)

The Peripoint Building at 5001 Wilson Lane has a vacant ground floor space after the closure of Soup Up. Now they are soliciting potential tenants with a new sign. That 1800 SF space has been used for retail as well; prior to Soup Up, the tenant was Bang + Olufsen.

Soup Up installs signage at future Bethesda location (Photos)

Soup Up, a restaurant specializing in healthy soups coming to the Peripoint Building in downtown Bethesda, installed its permanent signage yesterday. The restaurant, an outgrowth of an existing soup vending business in the District, is scheduled to open this fall at the corner of Wilson Lane and Old Georgetown Road. Bang & Olufsen previously occupied this space.

Soup Up posts coming soon signs at Peripoint Building in Bethesda (Photos)

Bethesda's distinctive Peripoint Building, formerly home to Bang + Olufsen, is getting a new tenant. Soup Up Bethesda has posted signage announcing a fall opening. There's also a website, but like the Silver site I told you about yesterday, there's nothing on there yet.

Soup Up does have a website for its DC location, which has a recent sample menu, and a long list of soups they've offered. According to some of the signs, the soups will be gluten, dairy and oil-free.

Here are some more pictures of the signs, as well as of this great building, which will likely be preserved from redevelopment thanks to a potential density transfer to Douglas Development's 8008 Wisconsin project.

Art exhibit " A Cat in the Aviary " opens in Bethesda (Photos)

"A Cat in the Aviary," an exhibit by artist Elyse Harrison, opened yesterday at the Peripoint Building in downtown Bethesda. Within the space formerly occupied by Bang & Olufsen, mixed-media sculptures and acrylic prints are on display Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, through March 29. Works can also be purchased from the artist through her website. Below are some photos taken as the exhibit was in the process of being installed.

"A Cat in the Aviary"

5001 Wilson Lane

(301) 718-0809

BANG & OLUFSEN SET TO MOVE OUT OF BETHESDA STORE (PHOTOS)

As I exclusively reported in May, Bang & Olufsen is moving out of its Bethesda store, and consolidating with its sister store at Logan Circle in the District. Operations at the Bethesda shop are winding down, inventory is moving out, and hours may be limited and sporadic until the final day in Bethesda, November 20.

Store manager Torsten Severtson said previously that Bethesda customers would not have cause for concern with product support, as B&O representatives will travel to them as needed. The store at 5001 Wilson Lane, in the distinctive Peripoint building, has been for lease by Bethesda real estate firm Streetsense for about six months.

During the remaining days in Bethesda, the store says it is best to call 303-951-5870 before venturing in, so you can be assured of an appointment if the store is not open full hours. Alternatively, you can go to the Logan Circle showroom at 1604 14th Street NW in the District.

UPDATE: BANG AND OLUFSEN STORE FOR LEASE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Exclusive!

Update on May 4, 2014

Audiophile destination Bang and Olufsen's space at 5001 Wilson Lane is up for lease, by Bethesda real estate firm Streetsense. Although the store will eventually move, and be consolidated with the current Logan Circle location (as I mentioned in my initial report last Friday), Bang and Olufsen currently remains open for business on Wilson Lane, as usual. Furthermore, the store's manager, Torsten Severtson, says that even when the store moves in the future, Bethesda residents will still have the same high level of service, as store representatives "will travel to support our customers wherever they are."

So, despite the leasing situation, you can still be fully confident in doing business at Bang and Olufsen in Bethesda. The independent franchise will continue to provide the same on-site consultations, assistance and support with their products now, and even when the store consolidates with the Logan Circle location at a future date (currently unknown, but likely dependent on Streetsense finding a new tenant). The status of the Bethesda showroom will have no impact whatsoever on customers, who will continue to enjoy the same - or better - service, Severtson said.

So stop in to check out their latest products at 5001 Wilson Lane, they've got a lot of cool stuff for your home audio set-up.

ONE NATION, UNDER DOG IN BETHESDA - WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS? (PHOTOS)

One of the strangest things I've noticed recently, is the flag that has been raised high atop the Peripoint Building, at the intersection of Wilson Lane and Old Georgetown Road.

Click to enlarge these photos, and zoom in, if necessary.

You will notice the flag waving over the building features a dog.

What is this about, or is it just an attention-getter/conversation starter?

If it is, it worked.

BANG AND OLUFSEN

LEAVING

BETHESDA ROW

High-end Audio Retailer to

Open New Location in

Peripoint Building

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Bethesda audiophiles may be shocked to find out that Bang and Olufsen is leaving its Bethesda Row location.

The longtime neighbor of Mon Ami Gabi exemplifies the high-end fashion and specialty boutiques synonymous with aspirational Bethesda Row.

There's no need to panic, however. B&O will open a new store in a famous Bethesda landmark, the Peripoint Building. Located at the intersection of Wilson Lane and Old Georgetown Road, the odd, art deco structure was once known as a vacuum repair shop.

More recently, a total refit earned the Peripoint "green" and Silver LEED status, as an environmentally-friendly building. Its latest, best-known tenant was the Neptune art gallery.

Now Bang and Olufsen will bring its 87 years of sonic excellence to one of Bethesda's busiest intersections.

The new store will open with regular hours on April 1, 2012.

B&O's management says it wants to stay in touch with its customers during any time it is unable to be open during the transition. They invite you to leave them a voicemail or send an email with any questions.

Then, on April 1, they expect everything to be back to normal, and their new store to be fully operational.

It's sad they are moving out, but now it's time to restart the Bethesda Row "Hot Stove League," meaning, passionate arguments among Bethesda Row patrons about what should take over the storefront on Woodmont Avenue.

What new store, restaurant, business or entertainment would you like to see replace B&O? Leave your suggestion in the comments below, if you like.

Then, on April 1, Bethesda will once again experience "AErlig musikgengivelse!"