Battery Lane District advances toward Preliminary Plan submission
Imagine the future of Battery Lane District
Thank you for your continued interest in the Battery Lane Districtredevelopment project and Brown Development’s vision to fashion the future Battery Lane District into the most beautiful and livable, urban-edge residential neighborhood in downtown Bethesda. The redevelopment plans include an attractive, vibrant, mixed-income neighborhood that offers a variety of multifamily building and unit types.
As part of our commitment to being open and transparent about our project’s approval process, we wanted to share the very latest update with you. To learn more about our vision and plans, get the latest information and share your feedback, visit BatteryLaneDistrict.com.
Latest development update
As you may have heard, last December the Montgomery County Planning Board approved the Sketch Plan for the redevelopment of Aldon Management’s properties along Battery Lane. Following the approval of our Sketch Plan, we anticipate another hearing before the Planning Board to approve the Preliminary Plan in the coming months.
Since the approval of the Sketch Plan, the Preliminary Plan introduced a few changes we want to bring to your attention. These changes include a reduction in height of the tallest building from 180’ to 160’ (Site D, located between Whitehall Condominiums and Sunrise Senior Living), and expanded green space at Site E to improve the transition from the single-family homes, which also provides better access for a potential connection to Battery Lane Urban Park. The two-way cycle track, at the request of M-NCPPC and MCDOT, has now been moved to the south side of Battery Lane. The Preliminary Plan also removes Site B (located at the corner of Battery Lane and Woodmont Avenue) from the application, which will likely be submitted as part of a future plan.
For a complete summary of the changes first introduced and approved as part of the Sketch Plan, see our previous update.
Perspectives of community amenity spaces near Site D, featuring an open greenway, two-way cycle track, widened Bethesda Trolley Trail, and more. Please note, all images are conceptual in nature and subject to change. See more images.
Our vision remains the same
Our plans will make Battery Lane the most beautiful and livable residential, urban-edge neighborhood in downtown Bethesda, Maryland, while also introducing a number of public benefits, such as:
advancing the goals outlined in the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan;
35% green space on sites 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” along the road and median-separated two-way cycle track, providing a distinctive amenity that reinforces the residential character of the Battery Lane neighborhood.
What happens next
The remainder of our anticipated timeline remains the same, with Preliminary and Site Plan approval in 2020, followed by engineering and building permits being 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 Preliminary Plan is approved, we will choose the site of our 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 Site Plan approval.
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
Senior Vice President
Aldon Properties
About Battery Lane District
For more than 70 years, Aldon Management has been devoted to providing quality apartment living at market-rate affordable rents in downtown Bethesda, Maryland. Now, Brown Development, LLC, the parent company of Aldon, is redeveloping six of its aging properties along Battery Lane. Our vision is to fashion Battery Lane District into one of the most beautiful and livable residential, urban-edge neighborhoods in downtown Bethesda. 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.