Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Video of future Douglas Development luxury apartments in downtown Bethesda

Just came across this video rendering of what the 14-story 8008 Wisconsin apartment building may look like from all 360 degrees. The video's YouTube page does not permit embedding of the video elsewhere, so you'll have to click on the link.

The video was posted over a year ago, so keep in mind several changes have been made to the project since then. I reported on a major change in the building's footprint yesterday, proposed to accommodate a possible Bus Rapid Transit line along Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355).

8008 is being developed by Douglas Development, and is being designed by WDG Architecture.

Video still courtesy WDG
All rights reserved

4 comments:

Betsy said...

Fun video rendering, good find!

A few fun/funny/interesting notes as a computer gal:

- When viewed from the front, you can see the clouds behind the building through the translucent building.

- wouldn't the shade be cast in front of the building towards the north side rather than behind towards the south as it's shown now?

- Funny how all these renderings seem to have Audis and Bentleys.

On the subject of the building itself:

- They need more retail!

- That garage and loading dock right in the middle is a block killer. Any hopes of this building helping to bridge Wisconsin and Woodmont are thwarted by that garage and the building's entrance taking up the entire north east corner. A lobby does not activate anything. See Upstairs at Bethesda Row as an example.

- Too bad this building couldn't have merged with the projects to the south of it. It would have brought a more cohesive design, limited the garage and loading docks, etc.

Robert Dyer said...

Excellent points. The only way I can imagine the lobby activating the area around it would be if it was all glass along the street, had a 24-hour desk staff, and had some kind of art and/or water features that would display to passersby.

I'm not sure if there is much hope for activating the Cordell side without retail. The positive potential along Woodmont is that small plots that were not taken into the large projects could be redeveloped into the smaller-scale retail/restaurant buildings like Steven Karr has designed at the corner of Norfolk & Cordell (Smashburger/Urban Heights). If the Doubletree would try to get a nightclub tenant for the old Yacht Club space, and Donohoe redevelops the Medical Building by 8200, Woodmont could have a lot of potential in the future.

Anonymous said...

"Just came across this video"

Suuuurrre.

Betsy said...

Not sure water features or a 24 hour concierge would do much to liven up the space. Look better, certainly, and it will be a huge improvement of what's there now.

The Karr and Greenhill buildings need more density! I know they are small, but perhaps some lower rent offices or apartments above would bring more people and action.

That yacht club space is so dreary. It would be nice to see the Doubletree (and 8200 for that matter) redeveloped.

Can't wait for Donohoe's new building at the gas station, although I hear there are more delays.....