Helen Heneghan Way is "choice" in Rockville street name change

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Helen Heneghan Way

Former Rockville City Clerk Helen Heneghan's big contributions to the city will be memorialized in a big way. In a 4-1 vote by the Planning Commission last night, commissioners chose to rename Renaissance Street to Helen Heneghan Way, barring final objection by Montgomery County officials.

No current street in the county is named Helen or Heneghan, according to city staff who researched the many names submitted. The name change was initiated by Choice Hotels, which is headquartered across E. Middle Lane from Renaissance Street, and who have a new Cambria Suites hotel along it.

Commissioners whittled down the dozens of choices to 5 finalists, through straw votes. The 5 candidates were Randy Caruso Lane, Helen Heneghan Way, variations on Cairo or Cinema, and Crutchfield.

Randy Caruso Lane had a lot of emotional support from many in the community, garnering the most votes from the public. Caruso is fondly remembered by many residents, including two who spoke at last night's meeting. "Randy touched a lot of lives in the city," one said. Caruso "was a special needs person," he continued, "and this was during a time when people were not very kind to special needs persons." Yet he affected a generation of residents with his positive interactions at community and sports events, supporters testified. Caruso was known to many as the "Mayor of Rockcrest."

Commissioner David Hill said he thought the heartfelt support of residents who submitted Caruso's name, and who don't ordinarily engage in government meetings, deserved extra consideration from the commission.

Heneghan had numerous supporters who had worked with her during her time as City Clerk, or were familiar with her many contributions to the community.

Former mayor Steven Van Grack testified in support of Heneghan last night, saying naming the street after her would be "a certain way of letting people know about" her contributions to the city. Heneghan passed away on July 13.

Van Grack recalled a time when he remarked that "Bill Hanna may have been the finest mayor in the history of Rockville." Rockville racked up 2 of its 4 All-American City awards during Hanna's time in office. Van Grack said Hanna responded, "there wasn’t much done during that tenure without Helen Heneghan." Heneghan's contributions to the city weren't merely in the civic and government realm, Van Grack added. "She raised 5 boys in Rockvllle, who have all excelled in many ways," he noted.

Several commissioners also voiced support for Heneghan. "She did yeoman duty for the city of Rockville," Commissioner Anne Goodman said. Commissioner John Tyner credited Heneghan for the flag in Veterans Park, and in particular, raising the funds for it. "She, frankly, kept St. Mary’s [Church] running," Tyner recalled, adding jokingly that she also "kept Steve Van Grack out of trouble." Commissioner Jack Leiderman said his former neighbor was greatly missed since her passing.

"I'm speechless," Chair Don Hadley said. "It's really a very tough decision." In a second set of straw votes, both Heneghan and Caruso received unanimous support from commissioners.

Ultimately, the commission voted 4-1, with Hill dissenting, for Helen Heneghan Way. Commissioners were eager to ensure Caruso would not be forgotten, suggesting the potential for renaming Hillcrest Park after him. There would also be additional street names in Town Center Phase II to be decided, as well.

Heneghan's name surfaced late in the search process. After resident Patricia Woodward asked the Mayor and Council Monday night to consider Heneghan for the street name, she was encouraged to approach the Planning Commission by Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton. Woodward testified at last night's meeting.

Is Choice Hotels satisfied? Choice representatives declared City Center Way and Peerless Way their favorites prior to the commission's deliberations.

The name now will be run by the County to find out if they have any objections to it.

Choice Hotels street renaming request needs more...choice in Rockville

The decision on what - if anything - to rename Renaissance Street to in Rockville Town Center has been delayed again by the Rockville Planning Commission. Last night, representatives of Choice Hotels appeared before the commission in person. Previous discussions, at which Choice did not appear to personally plead the company's case for the name change, were unsuccessful.

Despite the in-person plea, the commissioners did not find the present options any more appealing than they were a few weeks ago. Commissioner Charles Littlefield, echoing the efforts of many in the community to establish a Rockville Science Center and promote science in the city, suggested Galileo as a potential alternative. Chair Don Hadley said he didn't think most people visiting the street were there for science. Hadley and some commissioners thought Hospitality might be an appropriate name. He said it would show the city's appreciation for Choice locating its headquarters there, and also emphasize that the town center is a welcoming place.

Commissioner Jack Leiderman wasn't as enthusiastic, noting that there are Hospitality Ways all over the country, "one off every off-ramp." He said he wasn't so much concerned with having a name that reflected a particular industry, as having one that was specifically related to Rockville. "I'd like some more choices," Leiderman said.

More choices are what the commission will get, a Choice representative promised. "I appreciate that none of these names resonate with the [commission]," he said. He added that the company was very appreciative of the commission's time in taking up the request, and that it is very important to them. Choice will now try to generate some additional name possibilities over the next couple of weeks, and submit them to city staff.

The commission will then revisit the discussion of the change at its July 22 meeting, Staff Liaison Andrew Gunning said.

Choice Hotels' street name proposal on hold until June

Choice Hotels' decision to not send a representative to last night's Rockville Planning Commission meeting, to discuss the company's request to change the name of Renaissance Street, didn't exactly grease the wheels for a redesignation. Some on the commission suggested it would have been more helpful to have someone from company there to discuss the issue.

The new street, which runs between E. Middle Lane and the Regal Cinemas alongside the Cambria Hotel & Suites, shares a name with a competing hotel brand. As it turned out, the one point the commission agreed upon was that the names suggested by Choice weren't adequate to justify the change.

Among the names floated by Choice's application request are Exchange Drive, Catalyst Drive, Synergy Road and Innovation Drive. Commissioner Jack Leiderman found those "frankly, boring" compared to the existing Renaissance name. He said that one company's anxiety over branding shouldn't outweigh the interests of citizens, businesses and other stakeholders, and that there was a substantial public investment in the redevelopment there over the years.

Commissioner David Hill argued that Choice Hotels had made a significant investment in the city, by locating its international headquarters there. Leiderman noted that the city had already acquiesced to allow Choice to name its tiny street in front of its building a few years ago.

Chair Don Hadley and Commissioner John Tyner were willing to consider the request, even offering some potential names or concepts. Tyner felt the name should reflect activity, while Hadley suggested that the city contemplate a name that reflects public use. Hill threw out "Agora", the Greek term for "gathering space."

Commissioner Charles Littlefield said he would be more inclined to take the request seriously if the company showed it, too, was serious by sending a representative to engage the commission.

Staff Liaison Andrew Gunning said he would attempt to get some public input on the name change, if feasible. The issue will return for further discussion and update at the next two meetings, on June 10 and June 18.

Choice Hotels street name change on Rockville Planning Commission agenda tonight

The Choice Hotels request to change the name of Renaissance Street alongside its new Cambria Hotel and Suites in Rockville Town Center was withdrawn temporarily a few weeks ago. But it returns to the agenda of the Rockville Planning Commission tonight.

Importantly, the proposed options for the new name have changed. The new choices (no pun intended) are Exchange Drive, Catalyst Drive, Synergy Road and Innovation Drive.

This is the only main agenda item for the commission tonight. The meeting will be at 7:30 PM at City Hall, and will also be broadcast live on Rockville Channel 11.

Cambria Suites hotel opens in Rockville (Photos)

Cambria Hotel & Suites, a Choice Hotels lodging property, has quietly opened with little public relations fanfare in Rockville's town center.

The hotel chain's headquarters is directly across E. Middle Lane.

I'm surprised there was no ribbon-cutting announced to the press. How will the public know the hotel is open without press coverage?

Rockville construction update: The Upton apartments/Cambria Suites hotel

The Upton luxury apartments are scheduled to open May 1, and the Cambria Suites hotel is nearly ready to open, as well. A second tower will eventually be built on the remaining half of the municipal parking lot in front of the Regal Rockville theater.

Choice Hotels requests street name change in Rockville Town Center

Choice Hotels is requesting permission from the Rockville Planning Commission to change the name of Renaissance Street, which is the current address for its Cambria Suites hotel that will soon open across from Rockville Town Square. The hospitality chain, which is also headquartered across the street from the hotel, has suggested the following possible names for the street:

Bainum Way, Quality Court, Gatsby Way, or Convergence Avenue

Gatsby Way would seem to have the most logical connection to Rockville. However, city staff is recommending against Gatsby, stating that there is already a street named "Gatsby" in the county. It cites the zoning ordinance forbidding name duplication of streets already existent in the county.

The other most logical name, to my mind, would be Quality Court - named after an earlier Choice Hotel brand, Quality Courts. That is a bit of a relic of the 1970s and earlier, but does have a connection to the company. But that, too, has been rejected by city staff, who argue that the street will not technically be a "court," causing driver confusion.

Staff is recommending Bainum Way or Convergence Avenue. Bainum refers to Choice founder Stewart Bainum, and the staff memo suggests Convergence is symbolic for the "coming together of activities in Town Center."

Renaissance apparently fell out of favor with Choice, as it is a brand associated with a competing chain of hotels.

The matter will be taken up by the Commission at its April 22 meeting at 7:00 PM at City Hall. You may recall the Commission rejected an earlier attempt by Choice to rename part of E. Middle Lane as "Choice Hotels Lane" in 2011.

ROCKVILLE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: THE UPTON/CAMBRIA SUITES (PHOTOS)

Things are coming along quite nicely at the construction site of the future Cambria Suites hotel and Upton apartments in Rockville Town Center.

ROCKVILLE CHOICE HOTEL HEADQUARTERS CONSTRUCTION NEARLY FINISHED (PHOTOS)

The new headquarters of Choice Hotels at Rockville Town Center is just about finished. Employees will move in on April 8.

The interior design takes cues from the hospitality industry: the reception area conjures a hotel lobby, and a red and yellow color scheme pays tribute to the original Quality Court hotel and motel chain.

Here is a photo gallery of the new building: