Division: Park Development

Project Description

This project will creatively repurpose two surface parking lots into a vibrant, public park. Built on top of a new underground parking structure, the new park when combined with the adjacent Elm Street Urban Park, will provide approximately four acres of urban green space in downtown Bethesda. The new park will be located adjacent to the historic Bethesda Farm Women’s Market and will include an extensive array of active and social park amenities inviting multi-generational use.  

Background

The creation of the new urban park in downtown Bethesda fulfills the vision of the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan which was approved and adopted in 2017.  It also meets the social, active and environmental stewardship goals of the 2022 Park Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan. The new park will be developed as a public/private partnership between the Montgomery County Department of Parks, Montgomery County Department of Transportation, State of Maryland, Town of Chevy Chase and Wisconsin Columbia Venture LLC., owners of the Bethesda Market project, co-developed by Bernstein Development Corporation and EYA Multifamily. A Sketch Plan for the overall development, #320190030, was approved by the Planning Board on October 24, 2019.  

Status/Project Update

The project is in the initial community engagement/preliminary planning phase.  It is anticipated that a site plan will be submitted for review and approval by the Planning Board in the late Summer of 2023. 

Calendar and Meeting Notes

October 24, 2019
Sketch plan approved by Montgomery Planning Board Planning Board meeting

Dates
Events /Activities
Locations
March 15, 2023, 6:30 p.m.
Community Meeting #1
Jane E. Lawton Community

Recreation Center,
4301 Willow Lane,
Chevy Chase, Md., 20815

March 16, 2023, 7:00 p.m.
Community Meeting #2
Bethesda Elementary School
7600 Arlington Road
Bethesda, Md., 20814
March 17 – April 17, 2023
Open Town Hall site to submit
public comments
Web link to come
May TBD, 2023
Community Meeting # 3: Virtual 
Zoom link to come

Project Manager:
Linda Komes, PLA, ASLA | Landscape Architect
Linda.Komes@MontgomeryParks.org