Tower crane erected at Westbard Square in Bethesda

A tower crane has been assembled at the Westbard Square development in Bethesda. It will assist with construction of a new 200-unit apartment building, which is the final phase of redevelopment on the former Westwood Shopping Center site at 5400 Westbard Avenue. The stack-and-pack style building will have ground floor retail space, and above-ground structured parking. Greystar is the developer, and the building was designed by MV+A Architects. A mid-2027 delivery is expected for the project.

Canal House taking shape at Westbard Square in Bethesda (Photos)

The Canal House structure that will anchor The Green town square at Westbard Square in Bethesda is beginning to round into shape at the top of the civic green. First seen in renderings released by developer and property owner Regency Centers in 2021, the Canal House is meant to resemble the lock houses along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. Its facade utilizes the local quarry stone seen on many older structures around Bethesda - including the Westwood Shopping Center that was demolished to make way for Westbard Square. 

Regency Centers has kept its plans for the Canal House close to the vest. The architecture firm hired by Regency has described it only as "a retail pavilion." Others have speculated it could be used as a restaurant space. Its two story height and large front porch lend themselves to many possibilities. 

First residents move in to Brownstones at Westbard Square in Bethesda

The first residents have moved into the new Brownstones at Westbard Square development at 5331 Zenith Overlook in the Westbard area of Bethesda. Lights and TV sets were on inside some of the homes Thursday evening. Street signs have also been installed for the latest street to be named within the development, an alley called Goshawk Alley - so we now have bird-themed Goshawk, jewel-themed Topaz Lane, and not-sure-what-the-theme-is Zenith Overlook. Construction continues on the remaining unfinished homes in the development, and on a second Brownstones site nearby at River Road and Brookside Drive. The developer is EYA of Bethesda.

Internal street signs installed at Westbard Square in Bethesda (Photos)

Street signs for internal roadways have been installed at the new Westbard Square development in Bethesda. Signs are now in place for Zenith Overlook - which runs from Westbard Avenue back to the rear parking garage driveway - and Topaz Lane, which runs parallel to Westbard and will be behind the "Canal House" building and future apartments. Neither name has any local significance. While most of the historic names in the Westbard sector plan area are more related to River Road than Westbard Avenue, there were possibilities such as "Posey," for the farm of Peter Posey that made up most of the area around the Westbard Square development, or "Tauber," for the late Dr. Laszlo Tauber who developed the original Westwood Shopping Center.

Bethesda construction update: Brownstones at Westbard Square (Photos)

Construction is now well-advanced on the Phase 1 Brownstones at Westbard Square, located on the former Westwood Shopping Center parking lot at 5400 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda. A street grid lined with streetlamps and homes is taking shape as a new neighborhood developed by Bethesda-based EYA within the Regency Centers development. I wonder if the townhomes closest to the parking garage are the Moderately-Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs). From the top of the parking deck, you can also see the "Canal House" restaurant or retail building coming together at the top of The Green, wrapped in yellow Tyvek. Its future tenant is currently unknown.

Signage installed at The Kensington Bethesda (Photos)

The first permanent signage has been installed at The Kensington Bethesda, the new assisted living facility at 5485 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda. It is over the future garage entrance. Developed by Kensington Park Senior Living, the facility is scheduled to open in mid-June. It features assisted living, memory care, and couples care residential options. More information and tour scheduling are available at the property website.

Bethesda construction update: Brownstones at Westbard Square (Photos)

Progress continues on the construction of Phase 1 of the Brownstones at Westbard Square, townhomes on what was the parking lot of the Westwood Shopping Center in Bethesda, but now are part of the redeveloping town center that replaced it. Phase 1, encompassing the homes that you see taking shape here, is already sold out. A Phase 2 set of homes is expected to be offered for sale before the end of spring. There will ultimately be 101 brownstones between the shopping center site on Westbard Avenue, and on the former nursing home property at River Road and Brookside Drive.