Skip to main content

Town Of Chevy Chase Not Happy With Apex Building Plan

By WTOP Staff

Elm Street Park, where a Capital Crescent Trail tunnel could be builtBesides the potential loss of a movie theater, there hasn’t been much controversy over the plan for a reimagined Bethesda Purple Line station.

But the Town of Chevy Chase, a longtime opponent of the Purple Line, has a number of concerns. In the Town’s testimony for a Planning Board public hearing set for Thursday, Mayor Pat Burda said the desire for a redesigned Bethesda station is another example of skyrocketing costs the Maryland Transit Administration should have anticipated.

The Town is also concerned with how the so-called Bethesda Purple Line Station Minor Master Plan Amendment would affect the open space in front of the Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema and how a new Capital Crescent Trail tunnel would impact Elm Street Park:

Only a few years ago, the Planning Board responded to a public outcry and required the developer of what was then called Woodmont East to create a plaza with a substantial amount of open space in front of the Landmark Theaters – the only remaining open space in the downtown Bethesda area. The proposed minor master plan amendment would likely result in the redesign of this site and the elimination of this open space. It envisions that the new Apex building developer will transfer development density to adjacent areas including the Woodmont East site with the likely outcome that the amount of open space on this site will be reduced from what was required in earlier project approvals. The minor master plan amendment should specify that adequate open space in front of the Landmark theaters should remain a priority

The Town says the Trail tunnel for bikers (planners have proposed two options) should be mandatory regardless of the Apex Building owner’s decision on whether to sell, redevelop or keep the existing building.

But the Town does not like either of the two options planners came up with:

The first option suffers from an unacceptable 8 percent grade as it exits onto Elm Street. The second option avoids this problem, but appears to take additional land from Elm Street Park because it has separate spurs for the tunnel portal and the surface route. We would prefer an option that maintains grade changes to 5 percent, but which also minimizes the amount of land taken from Elm Street Park.

The Planning Board public hearing is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday at Planning Department headquarters (8787 Georgia Ave.).

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote