Chase Bank opening branch in downtown Bethesda
The JBG Smith building in Bethesda's downtown is almost finished, and among its tenants is Chase Bank. The institution has been expanding in the Washington, D.C. area, and will take the spot that was to be a Dean & DeLuca grocery.
Late in 2016, Dean & DeLuca said it planned to occupy the premises in Bethesda Row across from Barnes & Noble, which has since closed. However, the grocery company decided against the move in 2018. The entire development was expected to be finished in 2017, but delayed completion when the grocery said it wanted to redesign its space.
The developer said that when the Dean & DeLuca deal was not finalized, it took another look at the project and decided to bring a number of tenants into it, rather than just one user. The developer also said they had considered the way in which the retail picture is changing in Bethesda, and decided an assortment of tenants might be best for the neighborhood. Developers of projects like this can use brochure printing to illustrate a site's amenities for potential tenants.
Last spring, JPMorgan Chase said it hopes to expand into as many as 20 additional markets, starting in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland. It hopes to open 70 new branches locations in the area, which will create about 700 jobs.