29-Story, 420-Unit Development Pitched For Middle Of Downtown Bethesda

• 1:20 PM EST

by UrbanTurf Staff

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A major new residential development is on the boards for a series of properties in downtown Bethesda. 

Back in August, MRP Realty and Prime Finance Special Situations acquired a four-parcel assemblage that wraps the intersections of Wisconsin Avenue with East West Highway, Waverly Street, and Montgomery Avenue (map). The site—currently home to a series of aging and largely vacant office buildings—is poised to be transformed into a large-scale residential development. 

The first phase of the redevelopment focuses on the two most underutilized structures on the site. Phase One would demolish the 7475 Wisconsin Avenue and 4650 East West Highway, replacing them with a 29-story 420-unit multifamily building with ground-floor retail, 274 parking spaces, and approximately 6,500 square feet of public open space.

Although the office building at 4600 East West Highway is expected to remain in use for the foreseeable future, a second multifamily building could eventually be built at 7401 Wisconsin Avenue. 

The building in Phase 1 is designed to take full advantage of its zoning envelope, reaching a maximum height of 302 feet at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and East West Highway, then stepping down to 187 feet mid-block. The design also incorporates tower separation distances of 25 to 35 feet from adjacent properties to ensure adequate access to light and air and to facilitate the future redevelopment potential of the Phase 2 parcel. There will also be a pedestrian tunnel linking the site directly to the Bethesda Metro Station. 

The development team plans to pursue an expedited Commercial to Residential Reconstruction Plan (CRR Plan) in early 2026. Later this week, they will seek early feedback from the Downtown Bethesda Design Advisory Panel on the massing and architectural concept before advancing to more detailed designs. 

For a rundown of the other developments in the works for downtown Bethesda, click here. 

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/29-story_420-unit_development_pitched_for_middle_of_downtown_bethesda/24139.