Construction Cranes To Rise Soon Over Woodmont Triangle
Two large construction cranes will soon loom over Woodmont Triangle, another sign of the coming wave of apartment and condo development in Bethesda’s longtime restaurant and retail core.
Donohoe Construction, developer of the Gallery of Bethesda project at Auburn and Rugby Avenues, has installed the base for a 200-foot construction crane that will be built in the next few weeks.
The crane will be up for about a year, according to a Donohoe Construction official at last week’s meeting of the Woodmont Triangle Action Group.
The Gallery of Bethesda will include two towers, one that is 17 floors and one that is 16 floors, with 235 units and 221 units, respectively, according to a development map produced by the Bethesda Chevy Chase Regional Services Center.
Construction crews at Bainbridge developer’s 17-story, 200-unit project on Fairmont Avenue are also expected to have a crane in operation soon.
Bee Stings Send 12 Kensington Preschoolers to Hospital
Twelve two-year-olds at the Temple Emanuel Early Childhood Center at 10101 Connecticut Ave. in Kensington were transported to the hospital this morning after suffering “multiple” bee stings during a fire drill, according to the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service.
They sustained minor injuries and are in stable condition, according to MCFRS spokesman Scott Graham, via his Twitter feed.
A front desk attendant at Temple Emanuel said the synagogue would not be commenting. She did add the children, “were fine and taken care of.”
The Early Childhood Center has a year-round preschool program for children ages 2-5.
Bethesda Green Holding 3rd Annual Gala
The environmental nonprofit that works on sustainability programs and education in Bethesda is holding its annual gala and major fundraising event on Oct. 11 at the LEED Platinum certified 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd. building in Rockville.
The gala helps fund many of Bethesda Green’s most prominent initiatives, including its annual Fields of Green Internship Fair (set for February), its solar and green home expo and its green business incubator program at its headquarters on the corner of Woodmont and Cordell Avenues.
The event includes an auction and the announcement of Bethesda Magazine’s annual Green Champion award winners.
“At the core of what we do is education and information to connect the community with ways to improve energy efficiency,” said Bethesda Green’s Dave Heffernan.
Advance tickets are $100 a person. Attendees can claim $40 of each ticket as a tax deductible donation to Bethesda Green. For more information, visit the Gala website.
Council to Target Special Tax for Bikeshare Funding
Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda) and Councilwoman Valerie Ervin (D-Silver Spring) will introduce a bill tomorrow that would allow funds from a special development tax to be used for downcounty bikesharing stations.
Montgomery County is hoping to join the Capital Bikeshare program with 350 bikes and 50 downcounty docking stations in Friendship Heights, Bethesda, the Medical Center Metro station area, Silver Spring and Takoma Park by next spring.
A recent report from Examiner.com cited one county transportation official as saying a $1 million state grant would cover only about 30 of the 50 planned stations. In May, the county estimated the total cost for the downcounty bikeshare system to be $2.15 million.
The county expects a portion of the $500,000 annual operating cost to be offset by membership fees and private sector sponsorships.
Berliner and Ervin’s bill would allow the county to use transportation impact tax funds to build and maintain the system, potentially as a way to help close the gap.
Developers of new projects must pay the special impact tax “to fund, in part, the improvements necessary to increase the transportation or public school systems capacity, thereby allowing development to proceed.”
Improvements under the tax now include the creation of new roads or the widening of existing roads, new Ride On buses and new bus shelters, among others.
Berliner and Ervin will also introduce a zoning text amendment that would allow building permits for bikeshare facilities without an approved site plan.
Capital Bikeshare passed the two million rides mark in May and recently launched in Alexandria, Va. The program provides bikesharing stations in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Va.
Flickr photo by James D. Schwartz
Morning Notes
Bethesda man, 66, competes in his first triathlon — Bethesda resident Rick Linden turned 66 on Friday. On Sunday, he finished his first triathlon, part of the growing number of baby boomer-aged triathletes. Linden finished the Nation’s Triathlon in 4:12:24. [Washingtonian magazine]
B.F. Saul President Quits to Start New Development Company — B. Francis Saul III, the president of Bethesda-based developer Saul Centers and a descendant of the man for whom the company is named, is leaving to start his own commercial development firm, also in Bethesda. [Washington Post]
‘Discussions and Desserts’ Thursday in Town of Chevy Chase — NBC4 meteorologist Doug Kammerer and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate scientist Dian Seidel, both Town of Chevy Chase residents, will be giving a talk on weather-related topics at 8 p.m. on Thursday at Town Hall. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP to the Town Office today.
Flickr pool photo by AmyMarieMoore
