Construction project could close street

Residents worry about Woodmont Avenue closing during work at Lot 31 site

‘‘This is a massive project with a large number of units and it’s going to take a long time to do,” said Bernard Fisken, a Bethesda resident.

The meeting was held by developers PN Hoffman and Stonebridge on Thursday at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center.

The two developers were awarded the project by Montgomery County, and plan to submit initial site plans for the development to county planners by Tuesday.

The firms plan to build two mixed-use buildings for 357,000 square feet of ground-level retail space, condominiums and townhouses with a four-level, 1,300-space underground parking garage.

Buildings would sit on the current Lot 31 parking lot and the adjacent lot across Woodmont Avenue.

‘‘It was definitely a tough project,” said Doug Firstenberg, Stonebridge executive. ‘‘We’ve got every kind of neighbor around us.”

He added that most complaints are over closing a portion of Woodmont Avenue between Bethesda Avenue and Miller Avenue for most of the construction. Traffic would still use Bethesda Avenue, and sheltered tunnels would be built for walkers, bikers and joggers using the adjacent Capital Crescent Trail.

The thought of losing Woodmont Avenue for two years alarmed Bethesda and Chevy Chase residents who use the road to get into their neighborhoods.

‘‘We’re going to get that opened as soon as possible,” he said. Traffic patterns and detours have not been established yet, but signs will direct motorists to stay away from the intersection.

Firstenberg said the builders have taken resident comments into consideration when designing the project, which will include a park behind the building and provide easy bicycle access to the Capital Crescent Trail.

‘‘We’ve held several of these meetings, and listened to everyone,” he said.

Around $3 million will be spent on upgrading the intersection with a more significant curve, extended sidewalks and parallel parking spaces to slow traffic and provide safer pedestrian crosswalks.

If approved by county planners, the project could break ground late next summer.

‘‘Pretty quickly after we break ground, we will close Woodmont,” Firstenberg said.

According to the developer, the project would be complete in 2011.

Firstenberg told residents the project focused on solving Bethesda’s parking deficit, encouraging use of the trail and improving the Woodmont and Bethesda avenues intersection.