Police called after assault at Rockville restaurant

Rockville City police officers were summoned to a restaurant in the Fallsgrove Village Center late Sunday afternoon, December 10, 2023, after an individual reported having been the victim of an assault there. The assault was reported at 5:05 PM Sunday. 

Aggravated assault at store in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an aggravated assault at a store in Rockville on Thursday afternoon, September 28, 2023. The assault was reported at a business in the 14900 block of Shady Grove Road at 2:22 PM Thursday. That appears to be at the Fallsgrove Village Center. A weapon other than a firearm was employed in the assault, which was not a domestic incident, according to police.

Masked man testing car doors in Fallsgrove area of Rockville

Lock your car doors, but also remove any valuables visible inside your vehicle's cabin. Rockville City police say a masked man was spotted testing car door handles to see if they were unlocked in the Fallsgrove neighborhood around 10:51 PM on August 16, 2023. The suspect was seen at that time in the 200 block of Jay Drive. 

He apparently did not let a locked door stop him in some cases. Three vehicle owners later reported to police that their car windows had been smashed. RCPD did not specify if any items were taken from the three damaged vehicles. If you have any information about this incident or suspect, call police at 240-314-8900.

Shoplifters strike at 2 Rockville liquor stores in 90 minutes

Surveillance camera footage has been showing us the recent handiwork of well-organized shoplifting teams in Montgomery County businesses. The County itself was the latest victim Friday afternoon in Rockville. Shoplifters hit two Montgomery County-owned liquor stores within 90 minutes. The first 911 call came from the 300 N. Washington Street store at 2:07 PM; the second, from the 14937 Shady Grove Road store at the Fallsgrove Village Center at 3:36 PM.

Car stolen in Fallsgrove area of Rockville

Montgomery County police are investigating the theft of a vehicle in the Fallsgrove area of Rockville. The vehicle was taken from a residential parking lot in the 700 block of Fallsgrove Drive. It is believed the vehicle was stolen sometime between 8:00 PM Monday night, March 27, 2023, and 6:30 AM Tuesday morning, March 28.

Rockville woman arrested as co-conspirator in armed robbery of delivery driver

An alleged co-conspirator in last month's armed robbery of a delivery driver in the Fallsgrove area of Rockville has been arrested. Rockville City police say that Demia Lincoln-Scott, 20, of the 700 block of Fallsgrove Drive intentionally made a delivery order for food she had no intention of accepting. Instead, they allege, she had the delivery drive sent to the fourth floor of a different apartment building, where Gerrard Harrison allegedly lay in wait to rob him at gunpoint. Harrison was arrested March 3.

Lincoln-Scott was arrested yesterday by Rockville police detectives without incident, the department said in a press release. She was transported to the Montgomery County police Central Processing Unit, and has been charged with Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery,Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Assault, and Conspiracy to Commit Second Degree Assault.

Rockville man arrested in robbery of Girl Scouts

Rockville City police have arrested a suspect in connection with the robbery of Girl Scouts who were selling Girl Scout cookies at the Fallsgrove Village Center Safeway on February 12, 2023. Gerrard Luke Harrison, 24, of Rockville is also accused in the February 18 armed robbery of a food delivery driver in Fallsgrove. Harrison has been charged with armed robbery, robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, use of a handgun in connection with a felony, 2nd degree assault and "handgun on person." Detectives are still reviewing evidence to determine if Harrison is connected to any other crimes. 

Armed robbery at Rockville restaurant

Rockville City police responded to a report of an armed robbery at a restaurant in the Fallsgrove area of Rockville late Saturday night. The robbery was reported at a restaurant in the 14900 block of Shady Grove Road at 11:52 PM, February 25, 2023. That is in the Fallsgrove Village Center. A food delivery driver was robbed at gunpoint in Fallsgrove a few days earlier, on February 18.

Rockville delivery driver robbed at gunpoint

Rockville City police responded to a report of an armed robbery in the Fallsgrove area yesterday afternoon, February 18, 2023. A delivery driver was stopped in the 700 block of Fallsgrove Drive near the Thomas Farm Community Center at 4:00 PM. Two male suspects in their late teens or early twenties approached the driver and displayed a handgun. They demanded cash, and the delivery driver complied.

The suspects fled on foot, and the victim was not injured, police say. No physical description of the two suspects was given by police, but they were wearing all-black clothing. Anyone with information about this incident, or about the suspects, is asked to call RCPD Criminal Investigations detectives at 240-314-8938.

Items stolen from vehicles in Fallsgrove area of Rockville

One or more thieves struck several residential parking facilities in the Fallsgrove area of Rockville Sunday evening, October 16, 2022. Items were reported stolen from vehicles in the parking garage at the Axis at Shady Grove apartments, a residential parking lot in the 9400 block of Blackwell Road, and a residential parking lot in the 700 block of Fallsgrove Drive. If you have a vehicle parked in any of those locations, you may want to check if anything is missing, and report it to Montgomery County police to assist in solving this case.

Car stolen from home in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle in the Fallsgrove area of Rockville yesterday morning. The vehicle was parked outside of a townhome in the 300 block of Casey Lane. It is believed the car was stolen sometime between 10:00 PM Monday night, and 6:05 AM Tuesday morning.

Assault at Rockville shopping center

Rockville City police were called to a shopping center to investigate a report of an assault Wednesday afternoon, May 11, 2022. An individual told officers they had been the victim of a 2nd-degree assault in the parking lot of the Fallsgrove Village Center at 1:28 PM, according to crime data.

Purse snatching at Rockville grocery store

Rockville City police responded to a report of a purse snatching at the Fallsgrove Village Center late yesterday morning. A purse was snatched at the Safeway grocery store at 14939 Shady Grove Road at 11:45 AM, according to crime data. The thief also shoplifted merchandise from the store as a bonus.

European Wax Center update at Fallsgrove Village Center

European Wax Center looks just about ready to start waxing at Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville. The spa is way ahead of neighbor Bethesda Bagels in its construction. Texas-based European Wax Center was founded in 2004, has over 800 spas nationwide, and recently went public and exceeded earning forecasts.

Rockville construction update: Bethesda Bagels at Fallsgrove Village Center (Photos)

Construction is advancing slowly, but not so surely, at the future Bethesda Bagels location at the Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville. All that has been completed since July are primarily some frames of interior walls where the kitchen, office and restroom spaces will eventually be, as well as some ceiling substructures. 

Bethesda Bagels, European Wax Center under construction at Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville

Interior fit-outs are underway at the future Bethesda Bagels and European Wax Center at the Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville. These photos were taken about a week ago, and you can see they are both in the early stages of construction at this point. European Wax Center is slightly ahead, with interior walls already taking shape last week.

Bethesda Bagels coming soon to Fallsgrove in Rockville

Bethesda Bagels is "coming soon" to the Fallsgrove Village Center, according to signage posted on the future storefront. It will be located between Moby Dick and Bellevue. Bethesda Bagels currently has five other area locations.

More Rockville office space to become residential

The moribund Montgomery County economy, and the failure of County officials to attract even a single major corporate headquarters to the county in over 25 years, continues to severely impact the real estate market. With little demand for office space, the county has watched revenue plummet as higher taxes must replace the lost commercial revenue, and those taxes impel the wealthy to flee to lower-tax jurisdictions. Now more planned office space in Fallsgrove is expected to become residential, when the Rockville planning commission approves an amendment allowing that on March 10, 2021.

This is far from the first time land in Rockville that was meant to provide jobs and eliminate commutes for a number of residents has been lost to residential housing. The latest flip will allow 210981 square feet of potential office space to instead be used for up to 350 units of multifamily housing. This will not only eliminate planned office space, but also exceed the caps on building height and total multifamily units allowed in the Fallsgrove master plan.

The proposed residential building would be 76' tall. Parking would be above-ground underneath the residential floors, and on surface lots around the building. A 19000 SF pocket park, a small playground, and a shared-use path along Research Boulevard would be constructed as part of the new development.

Developer Lerner Enterprises' "statement of justification" for the request states that "unsuccessful efforts to market the Property for office use for more than a decade due to the lack of market interest, coupled with the challenges the Applicant has had in leasing their two office buildings in Fallsgrove proper, are the driving forces behind the subject Project Plan Amendment.” It also notes that existing office buildings at 14955 and 14995 Shady Grove Road currently have a high number of vacant units.

Rockville planning staff has made including 2000 SF or less of retail space a condition of approval for the amendment. Lerner says there is no market for retail at that location, and that including it will compromise the successful design of the planned residential building. The company also notes that the retail market in Rockville is weak, citing Rockville Town Square as an example. 

Staff is recommending approval of the project plan amendment, with 13 conditions. If passed, the approval will be transmitted to the Mayor and Council for their approval.

Lerner's statement calls the possibility of Montgomery County's office market rebounding "a remote event." The developer hired Avison Young to study MoCo's office market in general. "The Avison Young reports confirmed that the office market overall in Montgomery County is not strong," Lerner wrote.

Rockville GameStop closing at Fallsgrove was home store for Bethesda Softworks

The GameStop store closing soon at the Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville has a special significance for the area. It's far from the only GameStop location to close in Montgomery County, or even Rockville. But it has a historic place for fans of Fallout, Skyrim and other classics - and for the creators of those games themselves. That's because the Fallsgrove store was the home GameStop for Bethesda Softworks, (a.k.a. Bethesda Game Studios) whose headquarters has for many years also been in Rockville, only a short distance away.

Among the Bethesda gaming memories at this spot: In 2011, Bethesda employees appeared in the store for the midnight launch of Skyrim. Employees of Bethesda handed out donuts and Dovahkiin face masks that night at the store. Four years later, Bethesda staff again appeared to sign copies of Fallout 4 at this GameStop. I'm still a bit steamed that there wasn't any Nuka Cola left at Target on launch day! 

Which GameStop will be the new home store when Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI are released? Stay tuned!

Rockville GameStop closing

Devastating news for gamers and those trying to pass the extended time at home in Rockville with the diversion of video games: GameStop is closing its store at the Fallsgrove Village Center at 14929 Shady Grove Road. 

A closing sale is now underway. As you can see, many of the shelves are starting to look sparse as popular titles are snapped up.