A second tower crane is coming to Bethesda’s most scrutinized construction site, where work has begun on a garage that will sit under Woodmont Avenue at Bethesda Avenue.

Concrete work has started at the former Lot 31 site, according to a construction update from Montgomery County. Crews are pouring footers and the Garage P4 level columns. Workers are also waterproofing the walls in front of the sheeting and shoring, installing below-grade storm water tanks and removing rock and soil under the shoring system on the east side of the site.

The project is a public-private partnership between the county and developer StonebridgeCarras, which will build two apartment buildings on what was the public surface parking lot known as Lot 31. Woodmont Avenue was closed off south of Bethesda Avenue, in one of Bethesda’s busiest intersections, late last summer.

One tower crane already rises above some nearby Bethesda Row shops, the Ourisman Honda Dealer and a section of the Capital Crescent Trail. A second crane pad has been poured in the north/northeast quadrant of the site, closer to The Seasons building at 4710 Bethesda Ave. The crane will be installed next week.

Excavation has also begun on the construction ramp that leads to the southeast corner of the site, according to the update. That process is expected to be completed in July.

The project is scheduled for completion in summer of 2014.

Photo via Montgomery County