Historic John A. Belt Building available for lease in Gaithersburg

The historic John A. Belt Building at 227 E. Diamond Avenue in Olde Towne Gaithersburg is now available for lease. Built in 1903, the structure is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was most recently known for being the home of Growlers. The building changed hands amid a renovation project last fall. Now that it is officially on the market for lease, it would appear that the plans for a new brewery and restaurant from the regional Sardi's empire here have been scuttled. The pictures you see here represent the current condition of the building.

With the recent renovations, the way is eased for a new tenant to move in, and get started sooner. The property continues to be a prime location in Olde Towne, and is just steps away from the Gaithersburg MARC station. The proximity and sounds of MARC, Amtrak and CSX trains would bode well for a railroad-themed establishment. Monthly rent charges are not detailed in the online listing for the property (strangely, neither is any contact information for the broker).

John A. Belt was one of the most prominent men in Gaithersburg as the 19th century gave way to the 20th. He started off as the 19th century equivalent of Sid Katz: opening a store in the town in 1879, and gradually became a benevolent civic and political force. According to the Maryland Historical Trust, Belt's advocacy resulted in the doubling of the size of Gaithersburg in 1888. He provided building space for a library, live performances, and public meeting facilities, and helped fund construction of a Masonic lodge. The second floor of the Belt building was one of those later meeting facilities.

"The Belt Building derives additional significance from its architecture, which expresses the prominence of its owner in the rich detailing of its pressed-brick facades," the MHT notes in its statewide register of historic properties. "When constructed, the building was the most ornate and substantial commercial structure in Gaithersburg; today it remains the only substantially unaltered early-20th century commercial building in the city's business district."