Pike & Rose is a mixed-use neighborhood North Bethesda, Maryland. It will occupy over 32 acres when complete, with buildings ranging up to 20 stories. It’s approximately $1.5 billion in new construction and replaces an old strip shopping center with huge parking lots, a great exercise in East coast density and reuse.

It’s becoming a place with public areas that help the local community get off the beaten path of the two passing highways and simply slow down. New shopping streets are topped with contemporary apartments, office space, condos and a hotel. Foreseer was responsible for positioning and creating the new vision of this place in the greater D.C. market area and delivering the placemaking and wayfinding, plus instrumental in setting the tone for the marketing teams.

Foreseer was brought in on the planning team early with the master planner and landscape architect. This triptych design team was what set the groundwork for a richer, urbane place with greater detail and consideration of the streetscape and public realm. Placemaking plans with comprehensive sign plans and art programs are developed in advance for Montgomery County’s approvals. Custom designed and fabricated items included metal work, custom tiles, architectural detailing (such as building textures, column bases, window spandrels, cornice details, railings) custom light fixtures, chandeliers, sculptural features, fountains, landscape features, street plaques and even street names. Art is a big deal at Pike & Rose as the local community is very involved in the visual arts as well as patrons of the nearby music venue of The Strathmore Center, which brought an alternative younger music venue to Pike & Rose. There is an iPic luxury movie theater and a variety of restaurants are hopping.