Planning Board hearing scheduled for December 12, 2019
As a third-generation, family-owned real estate company, Aldon Management has been devoted for more than 70 years to providing quality apartment living in downtown Bethesda at market rate affordable rents. As you may have heard, Brown Development, LLC, the parent company of Aldon, is redeveloping six of its aging properties along Battery Lane. We are introducing a thoughtfully phased approach, taking place over the next 10-15 years, to redevelop these properties into six all-new multi-family residences that offer modern living. Our vision is to transform Battery Lane District into one of the most beautiful and livable residential, urban-edge neighborhoods in downtown Bethesda. We also remain committed to offering market-rate affordability, promoting a quality mix of housing options, and improving social, pedestrian and bike connectivity through the district. We are also committed to providing housing for a mixed range of households by incorporating 20% MPDU’s into our new apartment home buildings – on sites where no MPDUs currently exist.
All immediately adjoining neighbors will receive notice of the Planning Board hearings in December and January directly from M-NCPPC. However, as part of Brown’s promise to keep the community informed about this project’s development and approval process, we want to ensure you are aware that the Sketch Plan and Preliminary Plan is ready for Planning Board consideration. The properties to be redeveloped include the existing garden-style, multi-family residential buildings located on the north and south sides of Battery Lane between Woodmont Avenue and Keystone Avenue, which currently contain a total of 477 dwelling units. To see the latest plans and share your own feedback, you may browse the project website at BatteryLaneDistrict.com.
Consideration of the Sketch Plan by the Planning Board is scheduled for December 12, 2019, and the Preliminary Plan is anticipated to follow a few weeks later. The agenda and staff report will be published by December 2 on MontgomeryPlanningBoard.org.
The plans propose six (6) new multi-family mid-rise and high-rise buildings on five CR-zoned sites, identified as Sites A-E, containing 1530 dwelling units altogether; a net increase of 1,053 dwelling units, to be built in a rolling, phased approach over the course of approximately 10-15 years. The plans also propose up to 12,000 gross square feet of total ancillary commercial space, including 6,000 square feet of commercial space to activate the Woodmont Avenue frontage on Site B, as well as 6,000 square feet of commercial space reserved for the lobbies of the residential buildings on Site D if services are later desired to serve the neighborhood and users of the Bethesda Trolley Trail.
While the overall density proposed is unchanged, the individual plans have come a long way since they were presented at our first community meeting in March 2019. Since then, Brown has met with each of its neighbors and other interested stakeholders to get feedback and has made several changes to the plans in response. Brown has also received input from the Design Advisory Panel and the Bethesda Downtown Implementation Committee. Review for the first round of approvals by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Montgomery County agencies is now almost complete.
Changes since the plans were first presented in March 2019 are detailed on the BatteryLaneDistrict.com website, and include:
the reallocation of density between sites with adjustments to building heights, including reducing the tallest building by 2 stories;
the adjustment of building footprints, driveways, and green spaces;
the alignment of the affordable housing strategy to exceed current regulations, producing 20% (306) MPDUs overall — where none currently exist — which will be variably allocated between 15 and 25% MPDUs in each building;
a proposed state-of-the-art landscaped separated median two-way cycle track on the north side of Battery Lane incorporating a third row of trees to make Battery Lane a true “tree canopy corridor”, (if this first of its kind in Bethesda cycle track is approved by MNCPPC and MDOT for the north-side), and;
doubling the width of the greenway from 30 feet to 60 feet and 80 feet variable widths along the Bethesda Trolley Trail on Site D.
These plans advance the goals of the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan and provide several other public benefits, including:
35% green space on sites that were once completely paved with parking lots;
significant improvements to stormwater management and energy efficiency;
new pedestrian through-block connections to Woodmont Triangle proposed on Site C;
a new community gathering space and pedestrian/bicycle greenway along the Bethesda Trolley Trail, proposed on site D;
enhanced pedestrian/bicycle connectivity with a new two-way cycle track along Battery Lane, in accordance with the Bicycle Master Plan, and;
an enhanced “canopy corridor” with landscaped median and third row of trees, providing a distinctive amenity that reinforces the residential character of the Battery Lane neighborhood – if approved on the north-side of Battery Lane by MNCPPC and MCDOT.
The anticipated timeline presented at the community meeting in March 2019 remains the same; Sketch Plan and Preliminary Plan approval in 2019, Site Plan approval in 2020, and engineering and building permits acquired in 2021. We anticipate the earliest construction to begin in 2021 or early 2022. Our existing buildings will continue to operate until each site is scheduled for redevelopment.
Please note that this is just the first step in a long approval process. Once the Sketch Plan and Preliminary Plan are approved, Brown will choose the site of its first phase and begin designing the first building, which will begin the process of community outreach, staff review, and Planning Board consideration all over again for a Site Plan.
You can learn more about our redevelopment plans for Battery Lane District, submit your questions and feedback, and get the latest news and updates on our project website, BatteryLaneDistrict.com. On behalf of our entire team at Aldon Properties and Brown Development, we thank you for your continued interest.
Thank you,
Douglas M. Wrenn
Executive Vice President
Aldon Properties