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Montgomery County officials have issued a request for proposals for the 2nd District Police Station in downtown Bethesda, perhaps signaling that a change for the station is imminent.

The RFP, released to the public Aug. 8, asks for proposed development plans for the site, which sits at 7359 Wisconsin Ave., in the heart of downtown Bethesda.

The 21,400-square-foot building was built in 1961, and is inadequate for the growing Montgomery County Police Department and the constituents it serves, said Neil Shorb, director of the Management and Budget Division for MCPD.

"Both the station and parking are incredibly cramped," he said. "It's not just a matter of functionability of our staff and officers, but also for the public."

Under the RFP, the site of the current police station could be redeveloped or moved to another site. The project could be a mixed-use development, with the police station alongside homes and businesses. If the station is moved, it must remain within the Bethesda Central Business District.

Shorb said in addition to the cramped space, issues with the showers and ventilation in the station have also sprung up in recent years. The RFP itself also lists a mold problem in the station.

The land the station sits on, including the building and a surface parking lot, is assessed at nearly $2.5 million, according to state tax records. The request was just right for the county fiscally, officials said.

"We believe it would be a good use of the land," said Jim Stiles, acting chief of building design and construction for the county's Department of General Services. "The hope is to be able to build a new police district and at the same time develop the land."

Members of the Bethesda community agree with Stiles. On a strip full of new buildings and high-rises, the three-story building sticks out as much for its drab nature as its lack of a faÁade on Wisconsin Avenue. While the main entrance of the station sits on Montgomery Avenue, a gray brick wall faces Wisconsin Avenue.

"There are places that are just prime for assemblage and development," said David Dabney, executive director of the Bethesda Urban Partnership, a non-profit charged with the promotion and upkeep of downtown Bethesda. "… We want to update that corner and make it alive."

Dabney said his main concern was that the police station stays in the downtown area, a requirement by the county in the RFP.

Patrick O'Neil, vice president for economic development and government relations for the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce, said the station's location will make it appealing to prospective buyers.

"This would be right in line with smart growth, within spitting distance of the Metro," he said. "Most of us are aware how dilapidated that structure is, and I think it would really be a win-win for the community if it's done right."

Proposals for the station are due to the county by Oct. 10.

County documents as far back as 1990 discuss the station's condition, with the 1990 Bethesda Central Business District Master Plan including the line, "The Bethesda police station will need to be either renovated or relocated elsewhere in the Bethesda district."

Combined public and private facilities are not uncommon throughout the county.

Silverplace, a mixed-use development on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, is set to include the new headquarters for the Montgomery County Planning Board in addition to 300 multi-family housing units and public courtyards.

The Planning Board approved a preliminary plan for the site in July.