Bethesda Row Back in Action

Wars, famine, pestilence—none of that seems to compare to lack of parking spaces. Finally, not only is Woodmont Avenue between Wisconsin and Barnes & Noble open again as of this morning for traffic (after being closed almost three years due to massive construction across the street), but the number of parking spaces has been tripled. Glory be!

Here’s Stonebridge Carras principal Doug Firstenberg, left, with team members from his company and partners PN Hoffman and Clark Construction as they show us 960 shiny new public spaces in the "Capital Crescent Garage," all in four levels underground. And this coming May, Doug says, The Big Dig at Lot 31 will be history as 162 apartments ($2k/month for a studio to $5k for two bedroom and den) and 88 condos ($900k to $2M for the remaining units) deliver.

And here’s an historic shot from this morning of a pioneering car traveling on that stretch of Woodmont for the first time in two years. You own car will soon be ferrying you to new shops and restaurants the project’s bringing in: Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids; Paul Bakery; a new bistro concept from Silver Diner; Passion Fish; and Chop’t. Stonebridge and Hoffman first responded to an RFP for this site 11 years ago, then with the help of capital partners Northwest Mutual and Buvermo started construction on the 3.5 acres in the spring of ’12. Doug sees this as “finishing Bethesda Row”: He says Federal Realty did "an amazing job" at the other end near Arlington Road, and this puts “an exclamation mark" at what he calls "Main and Main" (aka Bethesda Ave and Woodmont). Perhaps the most exciting news of all? Parking will be free in the new garage until March 1.