Vision Takes Shape For High Rise At Old Georgetown Road, Commerce Lane

Developers Kettler are moving forward in seeking approvals for a 15-story retail and residential building at the corner of Old Georgetown Road and Commerce Lane, across the street from the Bethesda Metro.

A United Bank is housed at the site now.

Plans were submitted to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission late last year, Alberto Donoso, Kettler senior development associate, told Patch. The project will soon head to the Montgomery County Planning Board.

Rough renderings for the project, attached to this story, were submitted along with the plans. More refined renderings are in the works, Donoso said.

At a November meeting of the Woodmont Triangle Action Group, developers described the building as “tall and skinny,” with amenities on the roof and a “pocket park” at the building’s main entrance.

“It’s smaller than what we’ve typically done in the past, but location drives everything,” Asheel Shah, Kettler senior vice president for real estate investments, said at the meeting. “We think it’s an opportunity to take the intersection of Commerce and Old Georgetown—somewhat of a forgotten intersection right across from the Metro station—and put a marquee building on it."

Between 104 and 120 rental units are proposed for the site.

Units will range from 600 square feet for a studio and 1,500 square feet for a three-bedroom, Shah said. Parking will be provided for residents of the building only—not retail customers—with a garage entrance on Commerce Lane.

Pending approvals, construction could begin in 2014 with leasing in mid-2015.

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