BETHESDA, MD-Years in the works, plans for North Bethesda Town Center move forward with the Montgomery County Planning Board's approval of preliminary plans for the 2.8-million-sf mixed-use project. Berwyn, PA-headquartered real estate developer LCOR is behind the project, which will sit at the White Flint Metro station on a 32-acre parcel being leased to LCOR by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority under a long-term arrangement.

It was back in 1997 when WMATA chose LCOR to be its partner in developing the sprawling site, then known as White Flint East. The project, expected to cost $625 million, marks the largest joint development agreement in WMATA's history. If all goes according to plan, LCOR will likely break ground on the endeavor late in 2005.

Upon its completion North Bethesda Town Center will offer more than a little bit of everything. The site will feature 1.4 million sf of office space, nearly 1,400 residential units and 200,000 sf of retail space. LCOR has tapped a handful of heavy hitters to help craft the vision of North Bethesda Town Center. Architectural firm Hellmuth Obata & Kassabaum is designing the office segment of the property, while Dorsky Hodgson & Partners is overseeing the design of the residential buildings.

LCOR will serve as the development's property manager. An apartment building containing 350 units will be the first structure to go up on the site once work gets under way. The entire project is expected to take as long as eight years to reach full completion.