Gym to open in former Bethesda homeless shelter-turned-retail space (Photos)

The mystery is mostly over at the former Catholic Charities homeless shelter for men at 4848 Cordell Avenue. It's not going to be a restaurant, folks. And it's not going to be a retail store.

An interior build-out has been underway for some time at the building. I had previously confirmed the new tenant is a gym. Yesterday, exercise bikes were loaded into the space. What I can't find out is - what is the name of the gym, and does it have any relation to the New York/Las Vegas mural on the side of the building?

BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: HOMELESS SHELTER-TO-RESTAURANT CONVERSION (PHOTOS)

Interior demolition and asbestos removal are among the early stage projects at the former Bethesda House men's shelter at 4848 Cordell Avenue. The building is being transformed into a restaurant space, based on a design by local architecture firm Steven J. Karr, AIA, Inc. That firm is also involved in renovations at other Woodmont Triangle buildings, including the Saah Building and Greenhill Capital's Lot 667 collection of properties along Fairmont, Norfolk and St. Elmo Avenues.

Here's how the interior looked
about 2 weeks ago

This glass is now gone

3-D ANIMATED RENDERING OF FUTURE CORDELL AVE. RETAIL/RESTAURANT BUILDING (VIDEO)

The former men's shelter at 4848 Cordell Avenue is about to be transformed into a restaurant/retail space. Architecture firm Steven J. Karr, AIA, Inc. posted an animated, 3-D rendering of the future renovation on Facebook yesterday. Construction is scheduled to begin on September 15.

BETHESDA MEN'S SHELTER EMPTIED OUT ON CORDELL AVENUE (PHOTOS)

Bethesda House, a Catholic Charities-operated homeless men's shelter on Cordell Avenue has closed, and the building has been vacated. The shelter is moving to White Flint, and this structure is being turned into a retail/restaurant space. Note: the art design shown in the linked article was preliminary, and may change on the final facade.

SKYSCRAPING PUBLIC ART PIECE COULD BE COMING TO 4848 CORDELL AVENUE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

You may remember when I broke the story on December 2 about the proposed revamp of the homeless shelter at 4848 Cordell Avenue into a retail/restaurant space. The men's shelter is moving to White Flint. Those initial renderings have just been updated by Andrew Bzdega of the architectural firm of Steven J. Karr, AIA, Inc. They include an intriguing new element, a two-story exterior wall transformed into a mural. It certainly would turn heads. Karr's firm is also responsible for the "windows on Woodmont Triangle" design of the new Norfolk-Cordell II building, which I am hearing highly-favorable feedback on so far.

I wonder if the painting shown is a stand-in for a final design, or the actual work planned. The design shown includes the Statue of Liberty, which is fine, but that is obviously not located in Bethesda. Do you think that - assuming the art theme remains a city skyline - it should feature Bethesda/Montgomery County/DC landmarks, or do elements from other cities make it more interesting, in your opinion?

All images courtesy of Steven J. Karr, AIA, Inc. All Rights Reserved.