Police Station Development Solicitation Draws 'Multiple' Responses

A request for qualifications and development proposals for Bethesda's new 2nd District Police Station has drawn multiple responses, according to Greg Ossont, deputy director of planning and development for the Montgomery County Department of General Services.

Those interested had until 4 p.m. Monday to respond to the solicitation with their proposals.

"We received multiple responses and we are quite pleased with the encouraging response," Ossont wrote in an e-mail to Patch. "Over the next few weeks we will evaluate the proposals and follow up with the offerers accordingly."

Ossont would not comment on the number of responses received.

The county initially issued a request for proposals for a project to replace the aging Bethesda station in 2008. The JBG Companies, based in Chevy Chase, offered the winning bid. But after years of negotiations, the developers backed out of a land-swap deal with Montgomery County that called for building the station as part of a mixed-use residential project at 7900 Wisconsin Ave.

JBG's plans for the modified project without the police station [PDF] were approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board Feb. 14.

Looking to act quickly to get the stalled development project back in gear, the Montgomery County Department of General Services issued a new document soliciting proposals for the project in February.

The solicitation requires proposals to include concepts for both the 2nd District police station at a location in downtown Bethesda and “creative, feasible” proposals for developing the site of the current police station “into its highest and best use.”

Officials believe the “land swap" is still the most cost-efficient way to get the station up and running. Under the swap, a developer would receive the station’s current site at 7359 Wisconsin Ave. from the county. The value of the site would defer some of what the county would pay to the developer for building the new station. The county would pay the rest.