Bethesda Magazine: Old Metro Car’s Next Stop: Retail Kiosks at Grosvenor-Strathmore Station
A sculptor is cutting up the 4000-series rail car in Brookeville to serve as pop-up shops, benches and art
APR. 21, 2017 | Written by Andrew Metcalf | BETHESDA MAGAZINE
An old 4000-series Metro rail car is being turned into small shops for the plaza at the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro station Credit: Provided photo
Fivesquares Development has acquired a former Metro rail car and hired a sculptor to slice it up and turn it into new pop-up shops that are scheduled to debut at the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro station in May.
The decommissioned 4000-series rail car is being repurposed by the developer as part of its plan to bring small retailers selling items such as flowers and prepared family meals and service providers such as dry cleaners to the station plaza, according to Fivesquares.
Fivesquares has hired the Brookeville sculpting firm Rusted Rebels to transform the 80,000-pound rail car into several kiosks and benches as well as industrial art, which will be placed in the plaza.
The shops are scheduled to open May 17 after an afternoon event featuring Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld.
Metro’s board of directors agreed in February to allow Fivesquares to try a pilot retail program at the station and waived the transit agency’s longtime ban on selling food and drinks at stations. The retailers will be permitted to sell items in the afternoon and evening, when commuters are passing through the station on their way home.
Fivesquares is also pursuing a mixed-use development project that will bring at least 534 residential units and four to six new buildings to what is now a 412-space surface parking lot at the station. Metro plans to replace the lost spaces by expanding the existing parking garage at the station.
A sculptor at rusted rebels works on part of the rail car. Photo provided by Fivesquares
The plaza at the station where the pop-up shops will be placed. Credit: Andrew Metcalf
Clarification: An earlier version of this story said the sculptor was from Brookeville. In fact, Rusted Rebels is from New York, but the work is taking place in Brookeville.
https://bethesdamagazine.com/2017/04/21/old-metro-cars-next-stop-retail-kiosks-at-grosvenor-strathmore-station/
