Looking down on Great Falls

Most of the time, when I go to Great Falls, I either walk or bike on the C & O Canal, or I go out to Olmstead Island, or I do the Billy Goat Trail.  All fun things to do and experience.  There is, however, more to do there.  There is a whole network of trails on the far side of the canal from the river, and one of them leads up to this overlook where you can get a nice view of the area (though your view is punctuated by trees).
 

Bike parking at Grosvenor metro

 

There is a new chicken coop going in at the Grosvenor-Strathmore metro station. I think suburban farming is a great idea and look forward to being able to pick up a dozen fresh eggs on the way home from work.

Oh, maybe I got a few details wrong.  They are putting in a Bike & Ride facility that will securely house 100 bikes.  You'll be able to park your bike out of the rain and snow and have it locked up.  There are currently bike racks which have a roof over them on site, but this will be more secure and more attractive.

In the tone of urban planning, this is the bikeshed, the view of the area around the bike shed (the building that will contain the bikes).  Would it be bike shedding to ask what color it will be painted? (Ok, for you pedants out there, I know I am mis-defining this term multiple times, I find it amusing.)

This secure bike building includes a solid roof and wire mesh walls, as well as two doors.  It still looks like a chicken coop to me.

Strathmore Square construction

 

Strathmore Square is a new development being built on the grounds of the Grosvenor-Strathmore WMATA Metro station in North Bethesda, Maryland.  The vision is to have seven new buildings on just about every inch of open space except for a small "central park" area.

As seen from outside the parking garage

The first two buildings are under construction now and planned for a 2024 delivery.  Between them they will have 220 "luxurious" units.  According to their website, "this unique development offers marketing word, marketing word, marketing word".  Both buildings a visible in the above picture, the taller stack on the left is one of them and the longer (slightly shorter) stack on the right is the other.

Here's the second building seen from the edge of the property.

I really like that they do dense construction right next to the metro station.  The area is growing so you can either build where at least some of the trips will be non-car trips, or you can build where every trip is.  Even a housing moratorium just pushes development outside the area and people then drive right back in.  

This development will feed in to  Garrett Park Elementary School, Tilden Middle School, and Walter Johnson High School.

 

The buildings from the bus bays

I took this photo standing at the bus bays, looking across the kiss-and-ride towards the construction.

Cutting down trees and digging up dirt in Amalyn

A trench for a fence

 Last week I saw them digging narrow trenches where they will be putting in a silt fence. They always do this shortly before construction starts, so that is the sign that they will be building here soon.

 

They are opening up a new area of the WMAL radio transmitter site for housing. Yesterday they were cutting down trees to clear the area. The heavy equipment they use makes quick work of it and they made it at least most of the way down the field.  This is the part of the project that is closes to Interstate 495, from Renita Lane to Greentree Road.

In addition to taking out trees they have started grading more of the field. In the background is Renita Lane. Renita will be extended through the site all the way to Greentree Road. When completed there will be over 300 single family houses and townhouses in this 75 acre development. You can read all my posts on this subject.

It looks like they are building another water retention pond. Currently the banks are above the surrounding ground so water won't flow into it, but I wouldn't be surprised if they built up the ground to be even with the top of the bank.

8015 Old Georgetown Road construction update

 

It has been months since I last posted about the former Christ Lutheran Church site. They have been doing lots of work, but it hasn't been very visible.  First, they dug a big hole, and then have been building up.  They have finally reached ground level. The church is being replaced with about 297 apartments in a development called 8015 Old Georgetown Road. Above is the development as seen from Glenbrook Road.

After months spent excavating and building what will be underground, they have reached ground level and are starting to build up.

This is the north side of the 8015 site. To the left (not visible) is Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. There is a significant retaining wall buit here.

 

The smell of smoke hangs in the air

Looking down Old Georgetown Road from Auburn Avenue. The buildings get progressively fainter the further away they are.  June 6, 2023.

 This week has been hazy, and, this morning (and yesterday) I could smell smoke in the air.  Smoke from wildfires in Canada has made its way to Bethesda, leaving us with a smokey haze, a less-than-totally-pleasant smell, and terrible air quality. 

Free smoke on Woodmont: The Bethesda Circulator drives down Woodmont Avenue with the buildings shrouded in smoke,  2023-06-08.

 

Yesterday the Air Quality Index (AQI) was in the 180s, and this morning it is even worse at 283. This is deep in the purple or Very Unhealthy zone.  I sometimes check the PurpleAir AQI map for Bethesda and it shows some readings over 300, wich is Hazardous. Consider wearing a mask if you go outside, especially if you are sensitve to smoke or pollution.  MCPS released an statement reading in part "Therefore, for today (6/7) and tomorrow (6/8), all outdoor recess and other activities will be canceled or rescheduled. Athletics will operate under guidelines similar to heat index warnings, which include reduced outdoor time and increased monitoring of athletes. Field trips may need to be rescheduled or modified depending on the location and extent of outdoor activity. Adjustments could be made to outdoor graduations. Any modifications will be communicated as conditions continue to be monitored.".

Old Georgetown Road at Greenwich Park looking north 2023-06-08.

Bethesda parking garages will require payment on Saturdays

 

Starting July 8th, you will have to pay on Saturdays to park in the public parking garages in downtown Bethesda, MD.  Prior to this you only had to pay Monday through Friday.

The rates are unchanged at $1.50 an hour between the hours of 7am and 10pm.  Parking will remain free all day Sunday.

Amalyn housing development progress

 

It's time for another update on the Amalyn housing development in Bethesda.  This is where the WMAL radio broadcast towers used to be.  When completed there will be over 300 single family houses and townhouses in this 75 acre development. You can read all my posts on this subject.

The house in the center is nearly done and there are two houses nearby that are clad in green boards.  On the right is one that is just a foundation. This is on the east side of the development.

Three houses in a row that are all at the same state of completion on Silver Linden St. near Derbyshire Ln.

Here's a row of townhouses that are just going up. Just the first story walls are up so far. Silver Linden St on the west side of the development. Silver Linden Street is currently the longest road in the development so a lot of construction is occurring on it.

Here's a row of nearly complete townhouses and behind them are completed townhomes. Photo taken from Silver Linden St, but the houses are on Viceroy Alley.

Here's a look at where they are currently building. This is taken from near Renita Lane. There will be many more houses before they are done.

They filled the pool with water earlier this month and the pool furniture has been delivered. The clubhouse and pool are on the corner of Greyswood Rd and Bluestar Ave.

Stratton Place luxury homes

 

There is going to be a bit more infill development here in Bethesda, and, no surprise, it will be luxury homes. This house will be demolished and a new road, Andrus Rd, will be built perpendicular to Greentree Rd with houses on the left side of it.

From the preliminary plan (pdf link)  "proposes eight (8) new lots by subdividing the rear of seven (7) existing lots, for a total of 15 lots, on a total of 5.38 acres of land zoned R-90. Eight (8) houses will be new, six (6) will remain, and one (1) will be demolished and replaced."

 

 Of note, this also excludes a portion of Site Area per Adverse Possession case and including a bit of additional Right-of-Way on Barnett Rd.

These houses will be in the Burning Tree Elementary School, Pyle Middle School, and Whitman High School districts.

For a bit of perspective, here is Greentree Road. The new development is directly on the right. On the left is the Amalyn housing development, in the near-distance on the right is Barnett Road, and directly ahead you can see the chain-link fence that is on the bridge where Greentree Road goes over Interstate 495.

Construction on the C & O Canal near Great Falls

 Right now there is an ongoing construction project on the C & O Canal just north of Great Falls Tavern, I don't think they will be working weekends, but during the week there could be an impact.  I saw them working on Friday, but they were done for the day by 3:30.

 

They have built a gravel bridge across the canal to provide access to the towpath side, and in places, the towpath is a bit torn up from heavy equipment driving on it, but it is still easily passible.

Construction notice

More information is on a sign at the construction site: "Contractors and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are working to remove sediment from select locations along the canal in the vicinity of Great Falla, resurfacing the towpath from Lock 21-23, and removal of debrise from the canal between Lock 20-23.  During these projects, the towpath will intermittently be closed for up to 1-hour to facilitate construction access."

Also, it is gosling season. There were a number of Canada Goose families with young goslings on the canal above Great Falls.