Smashburger opening in Rockville on April 6

"Better burger" chain Smashburger will open at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, April 6 at 1800 Rockville Pike. Part of The JBG Companies' Galvan at Twinbrook development, this will be Smashburger's first franchised location in the DC area (the others in our region are company-owned).

We are excited to bring Smashburger’s better burger to Rockville. Satisfying and real, basic and good, affordable and fresh – Smashburger is a place with a burger soul,” said Smashburger Co-Founder & Chief Concept Officer, Tom Ryan yesterday. “With a broad menu of handcrafted burgers, chicken, salads, signature sides and handspun shakes, Smashburger has something for everyone and we are proud to be opening another location in the area.”

Smashburger restaurants have special regional items in each part of the country, and here once again, they will offer the local-only Capital Burger with grilled onions, aged Swiss cheese, baby arugula, applewood-smoked bacon, tomatoes and mayo on a brioche bun.

Beyond their 400 degree grill smashed Angus beef burgers, Smashburger also offers grilled or crispy chicken sandwiches, fresh salads, signature side items such as Haystack onions and Veggie Frites, and hand-spun Haagen-Dazs® shakes.

Having tried their other area locations, I can attest that the high quality, never-frozen Angus beef definitely makes their burgers stand out.

Rockville construction update: Floyd's 99 Barbershop at The Galvan (Photos)

"The original rock and roll barbershop" looks just about ready to go at Galvan at Twinbrook, JBG's new development at 1801 Chapman Avenue (but which fronts directly onto Rockville Pike).

Floyd's 99 Barbershop has rock paraphernalia covering its walls, but probably won't have plastic wrap covering its barber stools much longer. Traditionalists will be glad to know they still have a classic barber pole out front.

Rockville construction update: Galvan at Twinbrook Metro (Photos)

The signs are up for Smashburger and Floyd's 99 Barbershop at The JBG Companies' Galvan development, by the Twinbrook Metro station on Rockville Pike. While both tenants' spaces are still under construction, the Safeway grocery store has been open for awhile. There is both garage and street parking available at Galvan.

The sign is up

Smashburger storefront

Smashburger interior
under construction

Floyd's 99 sign

No haircuts just yet

Floyd's still
under construction

Safeway and public art

JBG pursuing Gold LEED for Homes certification for The Terano in Rockville

The JBG Companies announced it is pursuing a Gold LEED for Homes certification for its Terano development at 5720 Fishers Lane in Rockville. A 214-unit apartment building near the Twinbrook Metro station, The Terano has several features designed to meet the indoor air quality and health standards required for the certification under the LEED for Homes program.

These include a no-smoking policy, a mechanically ventilated HVAC system that delivers a constant flow of fresh air, high-efficiency HVAC filters that reduce airborne dust and particles, energy-saving low-emittance windows, low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, adhesives, and Green Label Plus-rated carpet.

Light-colored roofing cools the "heat island" effect of urban buildings, and Energy Star appliances and built-in Smart Meters add to energy efficiency.

This is the first project JBG has applied to the U.S. Green Building Council LEED for Homes pilot program for certification.

Photo courtesy The JBG Companies

Lavande Patisserie posts Coming Soon signage in Rockville (Photos)

Coming Soon signage has been posted in the window of the future Lavande Patisserie, located in the new JBG retail/restaurant center at 275 N. Washington Street in Rockville. Marketed as a "farm-to-table café," the eatery is scheduled to open this fall.

Locally-owned by Julie Yi and Andrew Liang of Gaithersburg, Lavande will serve breakfast, lunch and French pastries with an Asian twist. It is one of four Asian-owned businesses at the JBG property, and one of many in the vicinity, which is becoming known as the DC area's new Chinatown.

Floyd's 99 Barbershop coming to Rockville

Floyd's 99 Barbershop is the latest business to sign on at the JBG Companies' Galvan development near Twinbrook Metro in Rockville. The retail portion of the project has been on a tear leasing up recently, with Pie 360, Taipei Tokyo and Dunkin' Donuts coming aboard in the last couple of weeks.

Offering a modern twist on the small-town barbershops of simpler times, Floyd's 99 is a national chain that also has a location in JBG's Downtown Crown development in Gaithersburg.

Other retailers who have leased space at Galvan include Smashburger, Capriotti's, and anchors Safeway and Ethan Allen. The 356 apartment residential portion of the project is expected to open late this year.

“We welcome these new arrivals to Galvan as well as to the greater Rockville Community as a whole,” said Anthony Greenberg, a principal at The JBG Companies, in a statement. “We believe these merchants and the apartments above them will be successful and attractive, and offer excellent options to nearby workers and others in this busy corridor.”

Rendering courtesy JBG

Pie 360, Taipei Tokyo latest restaurant tenants at Galvan in Rockville

Just a week after Dunkin' Donuts announced it was opening a new store in the JBG Companies' Galvan development, two other eateries have signed on. Pie 360 and Taipei Tokyo will join anchor tenant Safeway at the mixed-use residential project, now under construction at 1800 Rockville Pike. The development is within walking distance of the Twinbrook Metro station.

Pie 360 is a new venture by Coal Fire, and is the latest entry in the new customizable pizza trend. Like Blaze Pizza and &pizza, customers will select every component of the pizza Chipotle-style, and it will be cooked in just a few minutes. Their menu also features panini, salads and desserts, which include a popular banana pudding. Pie 360 has an existing location in Baltimore, and others planned for Alexandria and the District.

Taipei Tokyo will occupy a 4,447 SF space; Pie 360's will be only 2,007 SF.

Galvan is expected to deliver in late 2015; Dunkin' Donuts will open in 2016, as I reported last week.

Yesterday, Davis Construction workers at the Galvan site enjoyed a preview of Pie 360's menu, as the Coal Fire company provided lunch for them. The crew sat down to a feast of 480 slices of pizza, 180 sub slices, and six trays of pasta. And, of course, hundreds of cold drinks, as temperatures reached the upper 90s.

Photos courtesy Maier & Warner

Another Dunkin' Donuts coming to Rockville - this time in Twinbrook

The latest addition to the growing Dunkin' Donuts empire in Rockville will be at The JBG Companies' Galvan development at 1800 Rockville Pike. Near the Twinbrook Metro station and the Hilton hotel, the mixed-use project will be anchored by a Safeway grocery store.

Meanwhile, construction continues inside another Dunkin' Donuts store in the Mallory Square development further north at 15251 Siesta Key Way. Boris Lander, principal of the Luis Group that owns the franchises, says he expects the Mallory Square location to open in late August. They plan to have a free coffee giveaway to celebrate that opening, so stay tuned as the time approaches.

Lander says the Galvan Dunkin' Donuts will open in 2016. The Galvan building is still under construction.

Photo: Boris Lander

Bank of America opening Town Center II branch in Rockville today (Photos)

The first major opening in the Phase 2 construction of Rockville Town Center will be today at 275 N. Washington Street, in the JBG Companies' new retail/office project. Bank of America will open its new branch there this morning.

This branch will replace the one that closed recently in the now-demolished Suburban Trust Building down the street (a.k.a. The Pink Bank).

Rockville construction update: Kung Fu Tea (Photos)

Kung Fu Tea is one of several Asian-owned businesses moving into the 275 N. Washington Street development by JBG. The restaurants and shops hope to open this summer. This development is part of Town Center Phase II.

JBG FULLY LEASES RETAIL AT 275 N. WASHINGTON ST., ASIAN BUSINESSES TO DOMINATE NEW ROCKVILLE BUILDING (PHOTOS)

The established and still-growing Asian community in Rockville has shown its economic power strongly in the retail mix the JBG Companies are bringing to their new 275 N. Washington Street project. JBG has announced the mixed-use building's retail space is fully-leased, and that four Asian-owned businesses will be among the tenants.

Those businesses will be French-Asian cafe Lavande Patisserie, Kung Fu Tea, Quickway Japanese Hibachi Grill and Amber Door Day Spa. Rockville's Asian community has founded many businesses, and the city has increasingly become a major shopping and dining destination for the larger, regional Asian community around the DC area.

In addition to the many Asian restaurants nearby, there are several Asian markets in the vicinity - including one only steps away, and a new one in the College Plaza that replaces the venerable Magruder's grocery store. This synergy, which will be enhanced by the new businesses, is creating what JBG's Anthony Greenberg calls "an organically emerging district" of Asian-owned businesses near downtown Rockville. New additions in the adjacent Rockville Town Square include Peter Chang's Bistro, and the Asian-owned Hair Design Zone, both opening this spring.

Quickway Japanese Hibachi founder Bob Liang says the diversity of Rockville, and 275 N. Washington's town center location, were the major factors in deciding to open his 10th area location here. The restaurant will feature fast casual Japanese cuisine.

Lavande Patisserie is owned by mother and son Julie Yi and Andrew Liang of Gaithersburg, and will serve breakfast, lunch and French pastries with an Asian twist, including kumquat fruit tarts. "Buy local" will be a mantra for Lavande. "Everything is fresh and purchased within 50 miles, nothing is store bought or pre-processed,” says Liang. Meat butchering, flour milling and more will be done in-house in this farm-to-table café.

Kung Fu Tea is a New York-based chain serving tea beverages, and this will be its first DC-area location.

Amber Door Day Spa is locally owned, offering massages, facials, body treatments, makeup and other spa services.

All four businesses are moving in, and expect to open this spring. The project's anchor tenant is Bank of America, and 12,000 SF of Class A office space is still available for lease on the building's second floor. This is one of many projects Chevy Chase-based JBG is developing in Rockville.

HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION DECLINES TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC DESIGNATION FOR 5 CHOKE CHERRY ROAD

The demolition reprieve the Sullivan and Associates-designed building at 5 Choke Cherry Road received from Rockville's Historic District Commission was short-lived. Last night, the commissioners voted unanimously that the structure did not merit historic designation by the city. Jack Sullivan has been recognized as one of the most significant architects in the history of Rockville.

The motion was made by Commissioner Anita Neal Powell, and seconded by Commissioner Craig Moloney.

Commissioner Jessica Reynolds urged the city to begin considering which of Sullivan's buildings in Rockville should receive such designation, to be preserved from demolition in the future. Moloney said he concurred.

The vote removes one of the last hurdles for developer JBG's planned Upper Rock retail project to proceed.

HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION NOT READY TO GIVE UP ON 5 CHOKE CHERRY ROAD IN ROCKVILLE

The Rockville Historic District Commission wants more information before rendering its decision on whether or not the office building at 5 Choke Cherry Road merits historic designation. At the outset of last night's meeting, Commission Chair Robert Achtmeyer asked if this matter was essentially a rubber stamp action for the body (the property is part of The JBG Companies' Upper Rock development, which received initial approval from the Mayor and Council, and a housing component has already been constructed). It quickly became apparent that that would not be the case.

Ironically, the commercial structure in question had previously been slated for a retrofitting by JBG, to transform it into a mixed-use, live-work housing development. That would have preserved the arguably-historic exterior. More recently, JBG determined that there was no market for additional housing in that immediate area, and has now asked for permission to demolish 5 Choke Cherry Road to make way for a retail development.

The building was designed by highly-regarded local architect John "Jack" Sullivan, who was responsible for many notable buildings in Rockville, including the County Council building. Now many of them are threatened with demolition, which concerned Commissioners Craig Maloney and Jessica Reynolds. Reynolds said she was still lamenting the demolition of the Suburban Trust Building (a.k.a. The Pink Bank), and the commission's decision last month to allow demolition of the Gillette Building.

Nancy Pickard, speaking on behalf of Peerless Rockville, testified that the building deserves consideration for historic designation on several of the criteria required to meet current preservation standards. 

While the staff report found 5 Choke Cherry Road did not meet any of the criteria for historic designation, Reynolds and Maloney disagreed. Maloney noted that the Brutalist architecture element of the 1973 structure predated the height of that style's popularity, making it an early example ahead of its time. There was also a sense during the discussion that the importance and prominence of Sullivan's work in Rockville met the criteria for having been designed by a master architect.

Ultimately, the commission voted to postpone the question. Reynolds asked city staff to provide more information on Sullivan's buildings, how many remain in unaltered form and which ones have been demolished already. She said that information would help the commission begin to reckon with which Sullivan buildings it should prioritize preservation of. The commission also felt that it would help to discuss the matter with JBG at a future meeting, to determine if there is any viable way for the developer to utilize the existing building, such as removing floors to allow higher ceilings for contemporary retail.

Given that the ground floor currently houses individual retail such as a credit union, it seems that retrofitting this building for retail would be possible. It also has prime placement along Shady Grove Road, giving it - and future tenants - high visibility.

The two single-family homes, whose owners were seeking a finding to allow demolition last night, were both found to not meet historic designation criteria by the commission.

HOME, OFFICE BUILDING DEMOLITIONS ON HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION AGENDA

The Rockville Historic District Commission will examine requests for demolitions of two homes and one office building at its next meeting, Thursday, December 18, at 7:30 PM, in the Mayor and Council Chambers at City Hall.

Property owners of homes at 417 Park Road and 515 Crabb Avenue are asking for a determination of historic significance, as they seek to demolish the structures. The JBG Companies seeks the same ruling for an office building it wants to demolish at 5 Choke Cherry Road.

275 N. WASHINGTON STREET CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

A lot of progress has taken place at The JBG Companies' 275 N. Washington Street project in Rockville. One of the first Town Center Phase II developments, the building will include 28,000 SF of retail and restaurant space. A battle over how much parking the development would include was resolved by the Rockville Planning Commission recently. One part of the structure has a very traditional brick facade, which contrasts with the glass facade of the rest.