NOISE WARNING AT THE LAUREN CONSTRUCTION SITE + NEW BANNERS (PHOTOS)

New banners have been posted on the fencing around The Lauren ultra-luxury condos construction site at Hampden Lane and Woodmont Avenue. Another sign posted is a noise warning from the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, advising that there can be no noise above 55dBA before 7:00 AM weekdays, or 9:00 AM on weekends. The Lauren replaces the now-demolished The Hampden, at a net loss of affordable housing units in downtown Bethesda.

BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: THE DARCY AND THE FLATS AT LOT 31 (PHOTOS)

Things are really taking shape at the Lot 31 construction site of The Darcy condos and The Flats luxury apartments at Bethesda and Woodmont Avenues.

TOLL BROTHERS LAUNCHES SITE, POSTS RENDERINGS FOR HAMPDEN ROW CONDOS IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Toll Brothers City Living has launched the official website for its future ultra-luxury condo development, Hampden Row. They also have posted some new renderings (including interiors), which are not currently on the website. There are also images of formally-dressed couples out on the town, and a promise of an "unparalleled lifestyle" for residents of Hampden Row. Construction is still in the earliest stage at the corner of Hampden Lane and Arlington Road, in downtown Bethesda. Click photos to enlarge for greater detail:

BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: THE LAUREN ULTRA-LUXURY CONDOS (PHOTOS)

Construction of The Lauren on Hampden Lane is still in the very early stages. Humans aren't the only residents curious about the site - a rabbit (one of several who live in green areas nearby) was also looking around when these pictures were taken. With units "from the several millions," it will take more than carrots to get a spot here.

There's that rabbit,
doing his best to blend
into the dirt at the site

BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: 4825 MONTGOMERY LANE ULTRA-LUXURY CONDOS (PHOTOS)

You can now get an idea of what the facade design of the future luxury condos at 4825 Montgomery Lane in Bethesda will be like, in these new photos from the construction site. I like the nautical theme portholes. Perhaps it will be a good fit for yacht-owning tenants. Just to refresh your memory, this is the building where each floor above the ground level garages consists of a single condo unit - about as exclusive as it gets.

PERMIT FILED FOR WOODMONT VIEW ULTRA-LUXURY CONDOS IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The first step toward construction of the Woodmont View ultra-luxury condominiums has been taken. Developer Duball has filed for a construction permit for the project with the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services. One of the better architectural designs on the boards in downtown Bethesda, the building will be at the corner of Battery Lane and Woodmont Avenue. It is one of several new condo buildings positioned as "ultra-luxury," and will compete with The Lauren, Hampden Row, and 4825 Montgomery Lane.

Groundbreaking is expected for the fourth quarter of this year, but demolition of existing structures on the site will begin first. Delivery is scheduled for 2016. 46 two-bedroom condos will sit above 3000 SF of retail, including a Montgomery County Planning Board-mandated "quality restaurant." 9 units will be affordable MPDUs.

Not-so-typical typical
interior at Woodmont View

Your view from around
the driveway to the
Monocle Building
on Battery Lane

Where Jeeves will bring the
car around out front

Looking north along Woodmont
towards NIH

Renderings courtesy Duball, LLC; All rights reserved

HAMPDEN LANE DEMOLITION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

The houses on Hampden Lane are gone. Demolition continues at the future site of the Toll Brothers City Living project, Hampden Row. If you look at the pictures below, you can get a sense of the footprint of the future condo building, between Arlington Road at one end, and the building by the yellow backhoe on the other.

UPDATE: TOLL BROTHERS SETTING UP OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

UPDATE: September 18

I have now confirmed the purpose of the new Toll Brothers City Living office at 7940-A Wisconsin Avenue. The space has been leased as a business office for the City Living operations team. Toll Brothers' Hampden Row condo sales office (which has been more of a display ad so far) will remain at 4912 Hampden Lane.

The less-than-swanky setting is a bit out of sync with the product being sold, though - the office will be located above the Sapphire Cafe, in a decidedly unluxurious office building.

Demolition work for Hampden Row continues at the corner of Arlington Road and Hampden Lane.

BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: THE LAUREN ULTRA-LUXURY CONDOS (PHOTOS)

Construction is still in the early stages at the Hampden Lane site of the future ultra-luxury condos called The Lauren. Schnabel (whose logo you will see on a piledriver in these photos) is a foundation and earth retention firm, and that's where this project is at for the moment. 

You can see that piles have been driven into the earth around the edges of the lot. Unlike some stick-built projects (such as the old Arlington Road post office site), The Lauren will have a 2-level underground parking garage, requiring significant excavation, if not to the extreme of the Lot 31 site a 2 blocks south on Woodmont Avenue.