Citibank "Bethesda Row" construction update (Photos)

Part of the interior of the new Citibank branch at 4760 Bethesda Avenue looks finished, but when you zoom out, there's still work to be done. That finished wall features a slick-looking Citibank logo sign, with the words "Bethesda Row" underneath. There's little new about the idea of referring to this area of the downtown as Bethesda, but this is the first time I've seen a company put it in official branding. The building is not actually part of the Bethesda Row development. Bethesda Row is owned, and was developed by, Federal Realty. The Flats at Bethesda Avenue, in which the Citibank branch is located, is owned by BlackRock.

ATM installed at new Citibank branch in Bethesda

Workers installed the ATM machine outside of the future Citibank branch at 4760 Bethesda Avenue yesterday. The bank is filling the space that was vacated by Paul Bakery several years ago in the ground floor of the Flats at Bethesda Avenue apartments. Citibank is the new Chase and TD Bank, two other banking giants who made aggressive moves into Bethesda over the last decade. Their other new branch will be at 8101 Wisconsin Avenue, only a few blocks away from this one. Sound familiar?

By the way, did you know BlackRock now owns the Flats at Bethesda? They acquired it back in 2018. So the next time someone tells you it's only a conspiracy theory that BlackRock has been buying up a large percentage of housing across America, and are thereby helping to drive up prices...yep, they are just gaslighting you.

Bethesda Paul Bakery space to be filled with...a bank

April Fool's Day isn't until next week, so I'm afraid the truth is real, and it's going to hurt. One of the prime vacant storefronts in downtown Bethesda is going to be filled by yet another bank. Paul Bakery closed in December 2023 at 4760 Bethesda Avenue in the Flats at Bethesda Avenue apartment building, and its large space has sat empty since then. It has now been leased by Citibank for the purpose of opening a new bank branch. Over the last few months, the Corner Slice pizzeria was lost to a bank, and now we are getting a bank in exchange for a charming French bakery. Mon Dieu!

Paul Bakery closes in Bethesda

A devastating blow for Francophiles in Bethesda: Paul Bakery has closed at 4760 Bethesda Avenue, in the Flats at Bethesda Avenue apartments. The French bakery cafe opened here in June of 2015, as one of the big names attracted to the ground floor retail spaces of the massive Lot 31 development. Mon dieu! 

Residents launch petition to stop WSSC's planned 5-month closure of Woodmont Avenue segment in Bethesda

Not long after the Woodmont Avenue block designated as a Bethesda Streatery reopened to traffic after a two-year closure, water utility WSSC is proposing to close the next two blocks for as long as five months. The WSSC needs to replace an aging 60" large valve vault in that area of downtown Bethesda. It has settled on a construction option that will require the closure of Woodmont between Bethesda Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) for 16 to 22 weeks, and subject nearby residents to water outages of up to 8 hours at a time. Needless to say, residents are not thrilled by this, and have created a petition asking the WSSC to reconsider the possible options for the project.

Top concerns for residents are lack of access for fire and rescue vehicles, impact on deliveries, possible violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and unsanitary conditions during extended water outages. It should also be noted that there is an ingress/egress for the Capital Crescent Trail public parking garage on one of those blocks. Should a fire or other emergency occur near the remaining access point, people and their cars could be trapped in the garage. Most of the impacted residents live in the apartment and condo buildings along Woodmont.

The concerns are amplified by the fact that many people work from home these days. There is also the unique configuration of The Darcy and Flats at Bethesda Avenue properties, which are connected to the very deep underground CCT parking garage. The petition mentions potential impacts on building stability, and that would probably extend to the garage, as well. 69 residents have signed the petition as of this morning.

PN Hoffman, StonebridgeCarras win national PPP award for Bethesda Lot 31 project

Monty Hoffman (PN Hoffman) and
Doug Firstenberg
(StonebridgeCarras) at
ribbon-cutting for
The Darcy/The Flats

Developer PN Hoffman has announced that it and partner StonebridgeCarras have received the 2016 Project Innovation Award from the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships, for The Darcy condos and The Flats at Bethesda Avenue apartments. Both partnered with Montgomery County on the massive Lot 31 redevelopment project that also delivered a 900-space public parking garage.

“The NCPPP National Public-Private Partnership Awards recognize those organizations and individuals going above and beyond to advance the concept and implementation of public-private partnerships across the country,” NCPPP President Sandra Sullivan said in a statement. “We are proud to recognize innovators and leaders whose work serves as exemplary partnership models.”

Perhaps the most complex real estate project ever built in Montgomery County, both buildings were delivered last year.

Chopt opens on Bethesda Avenue (Photos)

Chopt is "now chopping" across from Bethesda Row. The salad eatery has opened in the ground floor of the Flats at Bethesda Avenue luxury apartments, on the side of the building that faces the Capital Crescent Trail.

Along with the regular menu, they also have a set of Destination Salads that change every 30 days. So you have only a few more days to try out the featured Destination Salads for this month.

The Chopt menu also features salad sandwiches.

Current Destination Salad 1

Current Destination Salad 2

...and 3

First look: Chopt in the Flats at Bethesda Avenue (Photos)

Fast-casual salad chain Chopt has installed the permanent lighted sign, and it was lit this weekend, facing runners and cyclists passing it on the Capital Crescent Trail. Here's the first look inside the new restaurant, which joins Paul Bakery, Pottery Barn and Silver on the ground floor of the Flats at Bethesda Avenue luxury apartments.

Let the Sweetgreen vs. Chopt debate begin!

Sneak preview of Silver restaurant interior in Bethesda (Photos)

Here's another sneak preview of Silver, the new restaurant from the Silver Diner owners opening September 22 in the Flats at Bethesda Avenue luxury apartments. This is the best and most detailed look yet at the finished dining room. There is even a list of some of the local farms where the ingredients are coming from on the wall.