Equity One May Break Ground on Westbard Sooner Than Expected

Equity One’s rendering of its plans for Westbard

BETHESDA, MD—Earlier this week, Montgomery County Council voted 9 to 0 to adopt the proposed and, in some quarters highly controversial, Westbard sector plan. The plan is the brainchild of the North Miami Beach, FL-based REIT Equity One: it calls for the addition of some 1,200 new housing units and the replacement of the aging Westwood Shopping Center, currently anchored by a Giant grocery store, with a walkable, urban commercial area. Commuter buses will take residents and visitors to the Friendship Heights and Bethesda Metro stations, which are located some two miles away.  Green space is part of the design and Willetts Creek, now running through a culvert, would be transformed with more natural landscaping.

“This has been a long process, and we appreciate the time and hard work the community, planners and the Council have invested in updating the Westbard Sector Plan,” said CEO David Lukes.