Avalon Bay AVA Wheaton apartment project finally moving forward

The long-planned Avalon Bay project at 11501 Georgia Avenue in Wheaton has been stalled for over a year. In the spring of 2014, the developer requested an extension for the project, and then all went quiet. There's now a sign the AVA Wheaton apartment building is moving forward at last.

A construction permit has been requested from Montgomery County for the project, which will include 319 residential units - 3 less than than the last total unit number given in 2014. There will also be a parking garage on the site.

During the delay, the closed office and bank building have been sitting vacant. There is now some light at the end of the tunnel, however. The current building failed to attract office tenants despite its location, only .4 miles from the Wheaton Metro station. That's largely due to the abysmal office market in Montgomery County, which hasn't attracted a single large corporation in over a decade.