From Building The Metropolitan To Renovating It

In 1996, Jay was part of the construction team that built The Metropolitan. At the time, he was working for another company and had no connection to Southway. Now, three decades later, Jay is a Senior Superintendent with Southway and is helping lead the team responsible for the building's renovation. 

The photos say it all: Jay standing in front of The Metropolitan in 1996, followed by Jay in that same spot in 2026. 

It's a pretty remarkable full-circle moment, and a great example of how a career in construction can bring you back to places you never expected to revisit. The Metropolitan has already been an important part of Jay's career. Now, he gets the opportunity to help shape its next chapter.

A Milestone Years In The Making

While the Notice to Proceed marks the official start of construction, Southway’s work on The Metropolitan began years ago. Preconstruction and bidding efforts date back to early 2023, when our team began working through the complexities of bringing this significant renovation project to life.

After years of planning, estimating, bidding, and preparation, the team is now ready to turn that work into action.

Renovating A Mixed-Income Community

The Metropolitan is a 14-story, 308-unit high-rise apartment building with 92 affordable units and 216 market-rate units. While the market-rate units received minor renovations in 2013, the affordable units have not been updated since they were placed in service in 1997.

As part of the project, the affordable units will undergo a resyndication through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, and all 308 units will be renovated. The scope also includes improvements to the lobby and common areas, exercise and recreational spaces, rooftop pool, and mechanical systems.

The work will be completed in phases, with units temporarily vacated during construction while the remaining residents continue to live in the building. This phased approach requires careful coordination to maintain access to the parking garage and common areas throughout construction.

Building On Southway’s Multifamily Experience

The Metropolitan is a natural extension of Southway’s longstanding experience in market rate and affordable housing construction.

Since 1991, Southway has worked alongside developers, housing organizations, and community partners to create and preserve quality housing throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Our multifamily experience spans new construction, renovations, occupied communities, and complex projects that require careful coordination to keep residents and communities at the center of the work.

The Metropolitan brings that experience together with the challenges of a large-scale renovation, a phased construction approach, an active residential community, and a mix of affordable and market-rate housing under one roof. The project also includes resyndication of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), something Southway has supported through construction on other affordable housing projects and understands from both a construction and compliance perspective.

Looking Ahead

For Southway, The Metropolitan is an opportunity to bring decades of experience to a project that will have a lasting impact on the Bethesda community. For Jay, it’s a chance to return to a building that has been part of his career for three decades and help prepare it for the years ahead.

ABOUT SOUTHWAY

Southway Builders, Inc. is a construction management firm founded in 1991, with offices in Baltimore, MD and Durham, NC. Our growth is built on the belief that quality, dependability, and integrity aren’t values you list—they’re standards you demonstrate every day. It shows up in how we build, how we treat our clients, how we develop our people, and how we support the community. We serve others to help them achieve their maximum potential.