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Bainbridge Bethesda Gets Go-Ahead To Start Move-Ins

By WTOP Staff

St Elmo Avenue sidewalk closed as crews pour concrete for new brick sidewalk part of the Bainbridge Bethesda project St Elmo Avenue sidewalk closed as crews pour concrete for new brick sidewalk part of the Bainbridge Bethesda project

Sidewalk construction along St Elmo Avenue should be done by Monday and other streetscaping done in mid-August near the Bainbridge Bethesda apartment project.

After a Planning Board hearing on Thursday, Bainbridge will be allowed to start some move-ins at the long-delayed 200-unit building — despite an original site plan that mandated move-ins start only after all required streetscaping work is done.

The Board agreed with county planners who recommended the change. Bainbridge will be allowed to start move-ins for about 112 units on the first nine floors of the 17-floor building. The rest of the move-ins won’t be permitted until all the required sidewalk work around the site is finished.

Because of a six-month delay in the delivery of LED streetlights, the installation of streetlights won’t have to happen right away. The new requirement is that the streetlights go in within six months of final residential use and occupancy permits.

The apartment, nestled between Fairmont and St Elmo Avenues in Woodmont Triangle, has drawn scrutiny and faced delays because of claims of structural damage to an existing set of buildings next door. A next-door property owner won $3.2 million and another $3.5 million in legal fees after a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge determined Bainbridge’s construction contractors continued sheeting and shoring practices that they knew didn’t work.

Also, Bainbridge’s attorneys said a new Montgomery County mandate for energy saving LED streetlights caused another delay because of the six-month gap between the ordering and delivery of the lights.

Crews have completed the new brick sidewalk on the Fairmont Avenue side of the project and cleared up a number of lingering issues with the next-door property owner. For the past few weeks, brick sidewalk construction on the St Elmo Avenue side has meant bridges of wooden planks as the only access from street to business entrances.

During Friday’s lunch rush, crews poured concrete directly in front of Bangkok Garden (4906 St Elmo Ave.), leaving carry-out customers tip-toeing around an active work site.

Streetcaping work, such as installing streetlights and Bethesda’s standard red brick sidewalk design, are often included as requirements for approval of development projects.

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
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