Bethesda Under Construction

Here is a roundup of the projects currently under construction (or about to start construction) in the Bethesda Central Business District.

Arlington East
Federal Realty is constructing a mixed housing and retail complex on the east side of Arlington Rd. between Bethesda Ave. and Elm St. where Giant Food used to be located. The new building will contain 180 "luxury" apartments as well as retail establishments on the ground floor (207,340 square feet of housing and 67,651 square feet of retail).

Adagio
This mixed residential-retail building is located on Wisconsin Ave. practically on top of Staples. Approved at the height of the Bethesda housing frenzy, the Adagio will contain 92 residential units (150,660 square feet of housing) priced at $650,000 to $1.6 million. Washington Sports Club is the major retail anchor (44,146 square feet of retail). After much delay, WSC has finally announced to its members that its club at Bethesda Ave. and Woodmont Ave. will close in September and be relocated to the Adagio. However, no information has be issued about the parking situation.

Lionsgate
Another mixed residential and retail development, Liongate is located at the intersection of Old Georgetown Rd. and Woodmont Ave. (also known as Woodmont Corner where Olsson's, Flanagan's and Outback were located before the cranes went up). This twelve floor building will have 158 "luxury condominiums" (in 267,516 square feet) as well as retail on the ground floor (in 17,000 square feet).

Trillium
Located in the Woodmont Triangle, Trillium is at the leading edge of an expected spate of new development in this section of Bethesda since the adopted of the Woodmont Triangle Amendment to the Master Plan for the Bethesda Central Business District. Located on Battery La. between Wisconsin Ave. and Woodmont Ave., this nine-story building is being constructed by the Patrinely Group. It will contain 198 new residential units (in 260,662 square feet) as well as retail space (in 16,595 square feet).

Air Rights Hotel
A new 216-room Hilton Garden Inn is being constructed as part of the Air Rights Center. However, the hotel will only compose 132,421 square feet of this development--office space will comprise 364,100 square feet in the building with retail comprising the remaining 4,600 square feet. Located just north of Elm Street Park, Chevy Chase Councilman Mier Wolf informs me that the developers have agreed to stage the construction from Waverly Ave. rather than the park and to pay for improvements to the park.

4933 Fairmont Avenue
Located on the same block as Ben & Jerry's, this relatively small mixed residential-retail-office development will contain just two residential units in 2,626 square feet as well as 1,092 square feet of retail space and 1,490 square feet of office space.

In upcoming posts, I hope to detail the many pending and future projects which are at various stages of planning approval process.