WMATA Breaks Ground on Mixed-Use Joint Development

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) celebrated the groundbreaking of a new high-rise residential building being constructed by LCOR at the North Bethesda Metro Station.

The project is the final phase of a mixed-use joint development helping spur the transformation of the surrounding North Bethesda Pike District.

WMATA’s TOD Project

The 354-unit building — to be named Envoi — will be constructed on a 1.6-acre parcel owned by WMATA and ground leased to LCOR, through the agency's Joint Development Program.

Once completed, the WMATA-LCOR partnership will result in two million square feet of mixed-use development at the station. This includes 1,300 residential units, of which 164 will be affordable housing.

"This project at North Bethesda shows the positive impacts of Metro’s partnerships across the region, generating economic benefit, creating new revenue and ridership for Metro, and supporting sustainability through transit-oriented development," said Randy Clarke, WMATA GM/CEO. "We have the most robust joint development program in the nation and plan to accelerate development of Metro's assets in the District, Maryland, and Virginia to help maintain safe, reliable, and affordable transportation."

WMATA, LCOR Agreement

The 12-story Envoi is the final phase of a 2001 joint development agreement between WMATA and LCOR and is the fourth residential building constructed at the site as part of the "The Quad at Pike District."

WMATA has received more than $40 million in upfront ground lease payments, fees, and other payments from the development, which will also generate approximately $350 million in state and local tax revenues over the next 30 years.

The project is also supported by the More Housing at Metro Act, enacted by Montgomery County in 2021, to incentivize development of transit-accessible, affordable housing units on WMATA properties in Montgomery County.

The agency has an additional 13 acres of undeveloped property at the North Bethesda Station and is working with the county on an initiative to create a life science anchored transit-oriented development. A future solicitation is planned to select a development team for that site.

The joint development supports WMATA's Strategic Transformation Plan to maximize regional opportunities and partnerships, support sustainability, and deliver revenue to provide service excellence through safe, reliable transit options.

WMATA’s Joint Development Projects

Since 1975, WMATA has completed 55 joint development projects totaling 17 million square feet (about half the area of New York’s Central Park) at 30 of WMATA’s 98 stations, more than any other transit authority in the country.

Under its 10-Year Strategic Plan for Joint Development, WMATA seeks to advance 20 joint development projects by 2032. Current mixed-use projects are under construction at College Park-U of MD, Grosvenor-Strathmore, and New Carrollton stations.

Predevelopment efforts are underway for projects at Capitol Heights, Congress Heights, Brookland-CUA, Fort Totten, Deanwood, Forest Glen, Takoma, Lottsford Road, West Hyattsville, Landover, Mill Road, Huntington, and West Falls Church.