A fall leaf in Bethesda

 

It was a bit misty and gray this morning, which were the perfect conditions for finding this leaf covered in tiny water droplets.

Little Falls robot

 

Over a year ago I first noticed a little blue tent and a solar panel alongside Little Falls Branch stream. I had no idea what it was for, my best guess was some sort of shelter for wayward ducks or a beaver rehab center, but both of those seemed unlikely.  Yesterday I noticed they have a sign explaining it is an automated water monitoring robot that can measure Temperature, pH, Salinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Turbidity, and Water Flow.  I'm not really sure why it has to physically move to the water as opposed to just having sensors in the creek all the time, but that's how it is.  You can learn more at the Little Falls Watershed Alliance Robot Project. You could also take a look at it yourself, it is located where Little Falls branch goes under Massachusetts Avenue, across from Little Falls Parkway.

St. Elmo Apartments construction

 

St. Elmo Apartments is making progress.  I last wrote about the St. Elmo construction in October.  At that time, it was a big hole in the ground.  Now it is rapidly gaining height.

 

St. Elmo Apartments in context

 

From the top of a nearby parking garage, you can more easily see how tall St. Elmo is and what is around it.  To the left is Bistro Provence and to it's right is Bainbridge Bethesda. When it is completed, it will have 276 apartments and 6,000 sq ft of retail in a 22 story building. It will also have four levels of below-grade parking with 220 parking spots.

On the ground, Fairmont Ave

 

Here is the building at ground level on Fairmont Avenue, there is still a lot of work to do.  On the right you can see the side of Bainbridge Betehsda. The pedestrian alley (or promenade as they call it) that currently exists will be widened as part of the project.

St. Elmo from St. Elmo

 Here is the construction from St. Elmo Avenue. The main entrance will be here.

 

Pla-za gets Pain-ted

 

Pla-za Artist Materials on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda has gotten a paint job. No longer is it plain white, now it is a rich blue.  This comes after their parking lot was resurfaced not long ago.

In adition to seeing the blue wall, you can see part of the newly repaved parking lot.

The side of the store facing Cordell Ave. From this side, the blank blue wall seems a little overwhelming, but still better than the old white wall.  This would be a perfect place for a new mural.