NEW IMAGES OF PROPOSED MIXED-USE TOWER ON ST. ELMO AVE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

New images of the future 16-story mixed-use tower proposed for St. Elmo Avenue by the Lenkin Company are in. The St. Elmo Apartments will house 210 residential units, and up to 15,488 SF of office/commercial space. The above image (and many other details) was already seen in my earlier report on the project, but there are some additional sketches, blueprints and plans for the David M. Schwarz-designed tower.

You can see it will be massed as a "C" shape building, and - if all goes as planned - will share an enhanced 10,865 SF public space with next-door neighbor Bainbridge Bethesda apartments. According to a letter to the Montgomery County Planning Department, the developer has already met with representatives of the Bainbridge to begin those discussions.

The sketch plan proposes up to 32 MPDUs, using a higher 15% affordable housing standard than the Montgomery County requirement of 12.5%.

While the current address of the development site is considered 4931 Fairmont Avenue, the future building's lobby will be on St. Elmo Avenue, as will its 4-level underground parking garage entrance. The tower's loading dock will be on Fairmont, however.

Construction would not begin until mid-2016 or 2017, attorney Steve Robins said in August.

Other than the sad news that Chef Tony's and Pizza Pass would have to be demolished prior to construction, most indications seem promising for this project. It will provide high density near Metro, has proposed higher than the required amounts of parking and affordable units, and could create an enhanced public gathering space. What would really make that work best would be if the St. Elmo and the Bainbridge can get some restaurants to lease in their ground floors, so that there will be activity over a greater range of hours, as opposed to a bank or shop that closes at 5 or 6 in the evening. The revitalization of that block of Fairmont Avenue seems stalled out at the present, with no tenants in the Bainbridge ground floor yet, and other future towers still under construction (7770 Norfolk) or in the works (former BP gas station at Fairmont and Old Georgetown Road).

PHOTO GALLERY: BAINBRIDGE BETHESDA LUXURY APARTMENTS GRAND OPENING

The Bainbridge Bethesda luxury apartment tower celebrated its grand opening last night in Bethesda.  Bainbridge Bethesda is currently offering an incentive of 2 months' rent free, which is definitely a sizable amount of cash you can put towards moving costs, parking, etc.

Right outside your door, you have restaurants like Union Jack's (British pub & nightclub), Chef Tony's, Positano and Bold Bite. There is even a Japanese market with fresh Japanese sushi to the left of the parking garage across the street. Fashionista? Reddz Trading is a short walk from home. Craft beer nut or oenophile? Capital Beer and Wine - and resident expert Justin McInerny - is less than a block away. As are Veterans Park, Tastee Diner, Woodmont Grill, Black's Bar and Kitchen, and Starbucks.

If you are considering the Bainbridge, and have the money, I would say to go for a 2-bedroom. It had more of a resort hotel floorplan than you would expect in an apartment. The city lights view is best on the Fairmont Avenue side. Planning to live here awhile? Ask your leasing agent about what your unit's view will be after the 7770 Norfolk apartment tower is completed across Fairmont, as it will be as tall as the Bainbridge.

Another impressive feature is the large business center, which you will see when I upload video of the Grand Opening soon. For now, here are photos from the event, which you can click to enlarge for more detail:

Part of the spread in the
lobby-level bistro

Man cannot live on
bread alone

Burgertime

Something for the health-conscious

and the not-so-health-conscious

Judging from this, the
brownies were popular

Welcome Welcome

The impressive lobby
chandelier

Books for the
sophisticated reader

Aerial view of the lobby

...and the chairs

Glowing orbs beneath the
lobby staircase

Loft hideaway above the
main lobby & bistro

Relax and read a book
or magazine here

Light fixture in the
loft

Artwork, and an elevator
for a quick getaway

Plenty of wine on hand
in Apartment 206

Dining area in this
1-bedroom unit

Living room

Cozy

Kitchen

Kitchen in Apartment 404,
a 2-bedroom unit

The 2-bedroom dining room
includes this chandelier

Dining set

Living room

The view from your living room
in Apartment 404

Let's check out the 18th
floor roof deck, shall we?

Nice view of downtown Bethesda's
Central Business District

Capital One towers (center), and
the Bethesda Crescent building (right, with
the red light sculpture) are
two iconic downtown buildings

Everybody into the pool

Steel drum virtuoso

VIPs and residents enjoyed a
respite from the earlier rain

Rooftop fire pit

15th floor fitness center

It has the "new car" smell

Practice up for crossing
Wisconsin Avenue at-grade
when they axe the Capital
Crescent Trail tunnel

That's the legendary
Tastee Diner, from
15 stories up

Shall we play
a game?

The Party Room is right off of
the 15th floor terrace

One of several flatscreens

The bar in the Party Room
was mixing up the
Bainbridge Bourbon Slush

A corner nook in the
Party Room

Bainbridge Bethesda

4918 St. Elmo Avenue

866-995-7690