PLAZA DEL SOL CLOSED, BETHESDA RESTAURANT SPACE NOW FOR LEASE (PHOTO)

It appears the currently-shuttered Plaza del Sol restaurant on St. Elmo Avenue won't be reopening.

The front window now has a prominent FOR LEASE sign displayed.

It appears the "dispute" the Mexican restaurant's owners referred to has been resolved, and not in their favor. Clearly the landlord is seeking a new tenant.

FORMER AMERICA'S MOST WANTED TV SHOW HQ IN BETHESDA LEASED TO HEALTH FIRM

Downtown Bethesda has hosted more TV networks and shows than many realize.  One of the most prominent was the long-running crime series America's Most Wanted, hosted by John Walsh.

When Fox unceremoniously canned the venerable program (it survives on cable in a different form), AMW left its 8th Floor production headquarters in 2 Bethesda Metro Center.

The space has now been filled by two tenants. Precision Health Holdings has leased 8000' of the space, and another 1600' has been claimed by National Government Services.

Can I get away with calling this the Most Wanted office space in Bethesda?

BETHESDA'S FIRST NEW CLASS A OFFICE BUILDING IN 11 YEARS DAZZLES AFTER DARK - EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS

FUNCTION FOLLOWS

FORM WITH AMENITIES,

GREEN FEATURES IN

AKRIDGE'S SLEEK NEW

DOWNTOWN ADDRESS

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

Bethesda heard quite a bit about the 7550 Wisconsin redevelopment project when it was announced.  Developer Akridge even won several awards before the work was done.  In essence, architectural firm Shalom Baranes was tasked with turning a pumpkin into Cinderella's carriage.

And I'm rather surprised to report to you that, by golly, they just may have done it.

 Granted, the building's basic shape is simply a boring box.  But check out all that glass.  After dark, this building is a 10-story stunner.    While regular readers know my preference for taller skyscrapers, shortness aside, this is the kind of design we need more of in downtown Bethesda.

The slight contrast of the ground floor with the upper levels is appropriate, given that after business hours, that retail and restaurant space will still be active.

7550's amenities include a fitness center, commuter bike storage, secure underground garage, and one other special feature - the rooftop.

I want to be on the guest list for parties on this rooftop!  Alas, the roof will not be open to the public, but only to tenants of the building.

Not only does the roof have stunning views and a nice design you can't see from street level, but it is part of the LEED Gold environmental design.  Besides being an event space, it is a landscaped green roof.

The fact that this is the first Class A office building to be delivered downtown in over a decade, speaks again to Montgomery County's crippling lack of vision and leadership.  And, of course, that poor stewardship has directed development out to White Flint, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Science City, etc., rather than in more appropriate places like downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring.

There's something odd about claiming we are going to add 100,000 people to the county, and at the same time, having 19 stories be the maximum building height in downtown Bethesda.  We should be building skyscrapers here, rather than trying to urbanize suburban neighborhoods by bulldozing homes and shopping centers.

In short, (pun intended) we need more projects of the quality of 7550 Wisconsin.  Just taller, and more Dubai than MoCo in design.

BETHESDA AIR RIGHTS CENTER ON SALE FOR $257 MILLION

TIAA-CREF has put one of downtown Bethesda's most valuable properties on the market.  Cassidy Turley will handle the potential sale of the Air Rights Center for the owners.

This is the third iconic Bethesda property to be put up for sale this year.

It would be a shock, but nothing is shocking after the Montgomery County Council proposed the county seize, and demolish, one or more of the complex's towers through eminent domain earlier this year.  The suggestion went nowhere, and the council eventually resolved to remove the Capital Crescent Trail from the future Purple Line tunnel under the Air Rights Center.

But that brief moment suggested some in the development community may covet the site, for a denser, mixed use project.

DEVELOPER REVEALS BUILDING TO REPLACE BETHESDA MCDONALD'S AT 4500 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY

Carr Properties has unveiled its plan for 4500 East-West Highway in downtown Bethesda.  Currently, the property is home to a McDonald's restaurant and a Prudential insurance building.

The 220,400 square foot office building - for which Carr has just obtained financing - will be 9 stories tall, with an additional 4 underground levels and parking garage.  Carr expects the finished project to be LEED-certified Platinum.  Other features of the commercial property include first floor retail space, a full-height glass curtain facade, and a 1900 square foot conference center, with video conferencing.

Construction is scheduled to be completed by June 2014.

It's hard to take in the full exterior design from just this one rendition.  Right now, I'll give Carr credit for using an all-glass exterior, and wait for more exterior illustrations before giving a final verdict on the design.  The only criticism I have at the moment is that the height could be much taller, if you consider how close the site is to Metro.  Also, from this angle, it is a bit on the boxy side.  Sad to lose this classic McDonald's restaurant, as well.  Maybe McDonald's can reopen in the first floor of the new building.