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Developer Closes On Spot For New Bethesda Police Station

By WTOP Staff

Location of the planned 2nd District Police Station on Rugby Avenue

The Bethesda-based developer selected to build a new 2nd District Police Station in downtown Bethesda has closed on the land and says the project is projected to be completed in late 2016.

StonebridgeCarras, which Montgomery County picked last year to build the 32,000-square-foot station at 4823 Rugby Ave., made the announcement in a press release on Wednesday.

StonebridgeCarras partnered with Bethesda-based Buvermo Investments for the purchase and got $20 million in construction financing from the Bank of Georgetown.

Once the developer transfers the new police station to Montgomery County, the county will give StonebridgeCarras the property where the 2nd District Police Station now stands at 7359 Wisconsin Ave. The developer said it’s planning a mixed-use project for the site under the guidelines to be provided in the new Bethesda sector plan.

It’s not Montgomery County’s first attempt to find a private partner to build a new 2nd District Police Station.

The county put out a request for qualifications and development proposals in 2013 in an attempt to speed up the replacement process for the aging station, which serves as the police headquarters for the Bethesda, Chevy Chase and North Bethesda areas.

The existing facility is 21,700 square feet and, according to the county, too small to meet the requirements of the 24-hour police station. The building also requires major upgrades and faces security concerns. The second RFP process was necessary after developer JBG — originally slated to build the new station – failed to acquire all of the property at a site between Cordell, Wisconsin and Woodmont Avenues.

It will be StonebridgeCarras’ third recent project in downtown Bethesda. The developer is also building The Darcy, The Flats and an underground garage on the former site of Lot 31 and the 8300 Wisconsin Avenue project that will include a ground-floor Harris Teeter grocery store.

The Lot 31 project is also a partnership with Montgomery County. StonebridgeCarras agreed to build 970 county-operated parking spaces in the garage to replace parking lost in Lot 31.

“We are extremely proud to expand our relationship with Montgomery County with another public private partnership that will allow the County to have a new state of the art police station in exchange for our right to development an underutilized asset at such a prime location as Wisconsin Avenue and Montgomery Lane in the heart of the Bethesda Central Business District,” StonebridgeCarras principal Douglas Firstenberg said in the press release. “We look forward to creating an outstanding police station for the Montgomery County Police Department and vibrant mixed-use project that builds on the great success of Bethesda.”

The Rugby Avenue location of the station will likely mean the loss of some parking in Garage 35, the county garage behind the site. Some, including Councilmember Roger Berliner, have asked the county to consider placing affordable housing in the station building, based on a law the Council passed last year.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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