Montgomery County Development News

[DCboom]

Originally Posted by shakman

During mid-1990's Downtown Rockville had an amazing proposal by RCI which would have given Rockville an amazing skyline. Even the first Foulger Pratt proposal would have added some nice density to Rockville's core. Unfortunately RCI highrises never materialized. By the time the RCI sold the land in front of the Regal Cinema, the NIMBY's started to take over City Council and Mayor's office. The first owners was Akridge. Rockville gave them an extremely difficult time about their highrise proposal. Akridge eventually sold the land to Duvall. Duvall's proposal, although much smaller than RCI's, still met stiff resistance. After the dust settled, Duvall was ready to move forward but that never happened due to market conditions. I am not sure if the project is on hold or has been shelved.

I am trying to find a link which has renderings of the proposal by RCI and the first Foulger Pratt proposal but to no avail. I have plenty of literature and renderings of both proposals. When I find those, I will try to scan and post.

That's right. Duball purchased the 3.6 acre site for $34 million in April of 2006. I had thought the Choice was comitted to building a hotel there....there really aren't any hotels in DT Rockville, or really anywhere close.

[shakman]

Originally Posted by DCboom

That's right. Duball purchased the 3.6 acre site for $34 million in April of 2006. I had thought the Choice was comitted to building a hotel there....there really aren't any hotels in DT Rockville, or really anywhere close.

The last I heard about Choice building a hotel on that site was still in negotiations. There are no hotels in Downtown Rockville. Under the Duball proposal, an A-Loft hotel was to be part of the project. Something happened which caused A-Loft to back out.

[hpal3]

New 300 footer proposed for White Flint

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/...n-white-flint/

http://www.planetizen.com/node/52912

[NovaWolverine]

This article has some renderings of the Mid-Pike Plaza development: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...N1zQ_blog.html

[ValenciaSon]

Originally Posted by NovaWolverine

This article has some renderings of the Mid-Pike Plaza development: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...N1zQ_blog.html

I wonder if the Rockville Town Center, Mid-Pike Plaza future Town Center and the future White Flint Town Center will eventually merge into one indistinguishable massive strip of mixed development. Any thoughts?

[shakman]

Originally Posted by ValenciaSon

I wonder if the Rockville Town Center, Mid-Pike Plaza future Town Center and the future White Flint Town Center will eventually merge into one indistinguishable massive strip of mixed development. Any thoughts?

Rockville is currently working on a master plan for the Pike which calls for a more urban feel with multiple floor structures to be built closer towards the Pike. Higher density will occur closer to Twinbrook Metro and Downtown.

Development Update: Installation of the tower crane for the Judcial Center Annex is nearly complete.

[DCboom]

Originally Posted by ValenciaSon

I wonder if the Rockville Town Center, Mid-Pike Plaza future Town Center and the future White Flint Town Center will eventually merge into one indistinguishable massive strip of mixed development. Any thoughts?

You can throw Twinbrook Station and everything in the Twinbrook area of the pike into that mix. The area at Woodmont Country Club is the largest choke point on 355 preventing a continous walkable urban blob. Although, I could see the country club selling off some of the front acreage because it's so goddamn valuable a la the former Indian Springs CC.

Also, Mid-Pike plaza is not in the City of Rockville, it's just South. Still technically "North Bethesda."

[NovaWolverine]

Originally Posted by DCboom

Also, Mid-Pike plaza is not in the City of Rockville, it's just South. Still technically "North Bethesda."

Yea, this is a sticking point for a lot of people who like to have Bethesda in their address versus Rockville.

[mkstn5]

Choice Hotel has broken ground on its hotel/hq at Rockville Town Center. NW corner of the Pike/E Middle Lane intersection.

[shakman]

Originally Posted by mkstn5

Choice Hotel has broken ground on its hotel/hq at Rockville Town Center. NW corner of the Pike/E Middle Lane intersection.

Yeah it has been u/c for a couple of months. I posted a comment or two about this project in the Rockville sub-forum.

Currently they is one more sub-grade floor before one starts to see the structure rise above ground level.

Also the tower crane for the Judicial Center Annex is up and swinging. It is a fairly tall tower crane since the swing radius has to clear the exisiting Judicial Center. It is an interesting drive traveling norhtbound on the Pike at Edmonston Rd. From that vantage point one can see both tower cranes flanking the city skyline.

[NovaWolverine]

That's what's planned for Mid-Pike Plaza in North Bethesda(Rockville). http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2012/02/mi...d-by-moco.html

[ValenciaSon]

Originally Posted by NovaWolverine

That's what's planned for Mid-Pike Plaza in North Bethesda(Rockville). http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2012/02/mi...d-by-moco.html

I wish something of this scope and sophistication would be done for the proposed Wheaton Town Center.

[shakman]

Speaking of which, the tower crane for the Patriot Realty apartment tower is up and swing away. One can see that crane from I-495 and Georgia Ave interchange.


...and few blocks away another residential project in the works for Wheaton.
http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2012/03/wp...roject-to.html

[hpal3]

Originally Posted by shakman

Speaking of which, the tower crane for the Patriot Realty apartment tower is up and swing away. One can see that crane from I-495 and Georgia Ave interchange.


...and few blocks away another residential project in the works for Wheaton.
http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2012/03/wp...roject-to.html

17 floors corect??

[shakman]

Originally Posted by hpal3

17 floors corect??

17-floors above grade. I am sure the rendering is floating around somewhere in this thread.

[shakman]

Not sure if this has been posted. If it already has been enjoy reading it again.
Twinbrook Developments: DHHS Renovation:
http://dcrealestate.citybizlist.com/...Twinbrook.aspx

The link below shows a rendering of the new building for National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases being constructed across the street from DHHS Parklawn.
http://rockville.patch.com/articles/...x-in-twinbrook

I am really pleased to see the DHHS building being renovated. Architecturaly it is currently a huge eye sore.

[desertpunk]

DC Mud

Planning Board to Consider New Trillium Site Plans



May 2,2012

New plans for a single 9-story apartment building with a grocery store and a public plaza at 8300 Wisconsin Ave. will make its way Thursday to the Montgomery County Planning Board.

StonebridgeCarras submitted its amended plans for Bethesda's former Trillium site back in January, and now it will seek approval from the Board. StonebridgeCarras and Walton Street Capital purchased the site in early 2011 for $29.25 million from Houston-based Patrinely Group, which had planned to build three residential towers designed by Davis Carter Scott.



StonebridgeCarras now plans a U-shaped building designed by WDG Architecture with up to 360 apartments - nearly double the Trillium plan - and 55,000 s.f. of retail encompassing a 22,000 s.f. public plaza that extends to the adjacent National Institutes of Health open space.

Ellen Miller, principal at StonebridgeCarras, said the apartments will range from efficiencies to large three-bedroom units - the size and price of which are not finalized.

The plan amendment submitted to the Board shows 30 efficiency, 185 one-bedroom, 127 two-bedroom, and 18 three-bedroom units. Of those, 45 units -- or 12.5 percent -- will be moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs). Patrinely planned 198 units in its three buildings. A grocery store Miller declined to name will anchor the building with entrances at the intersection of Woodmont Avenue and Battery Lane with a second entrance from the public plaza. Parking for 599 vehicles will be located on four levels below ground.



[...]

UPDATE:

Heated Discuaaion Ends In Trillium Approval

In a slip-of-the-tongue Thursday afternoon during the developer’s presentation at the Montgomery County Planning Board Meeting, Harris Teeter was named as the grocery store slated for the StonebridgeCarras residential and retail development at the Trillium Site in downtown Bethesda. Residents speculated and hoped for various stores including a Harris Teeter and Whole Foods, but it had not been confirmed before today.

In a heated discussion, the StonebridgeCarras team proposing a 9-story, 360-unit apartment building for the recently purchased Trillium Site pushed back against a few key conditions placed on their proposal by Montgomery County Planning Commission staff: calculated vehicle trips and required gateway architecture.

[desertpunk]

DC Mud

Woodmont Central Office Building Up for Bid, Construction to Begin Midsummer



May 7, 2012

Donohoe Development's Bethesda office building at 8280 Wisconsin Avenue, one of three components of the developer's ambitious Woodmont Central megadevelopment, went up for bid last week, with an eye towards breaking ground in midsummer.

"Right now we're pricing it among subs as a GMP [Guaranteed Maximum Price]," said an estimator at Donohoe. "Assuming things go forward as planned, it's supposed to start construction in July."

The rectangular six-story building, designed by WDG Architecture, will feature just over 81,000 square feet of office space, including 10,500 square feet of ground floor retail. Developers anticipate LEED Silver certification. In renderings, the Wisconsin-facing facade is a visually interesting massing of planes, mostly metal and glass with a few precast concrete panels for contrast. On the northeast corner is a vertical element that denotes the entrance to the Battery Lane District.

The first phase of the Woodmont Central project, the Gallery of Bethesda, kicked into gear last month, when demolition began at 4800 Auburn Avenue, the planned site of the residential tower. That 17-story building will feature 234 dwellings, just under 200 below-grade parking spaces, and 4600 s.f. of ground floor retail space. A second 16-story residential tower is also planned at 4850 Rugby Avenue, separated from the Gallery of Bethesda by a large plaza, but is reportedly still in the design development stage.

[hpal3]

Former First Baptist Church to be razed for future residential development

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...VUfV_blog.html

[New_Balto]

Originally Posted by hpal3

New 300 footer proposed for White Flint

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/...n-white-flint/

http://www.planetizen.com/node/52912

Looks like a deck of cards.