Rockville construction update: Barnes & Noble at Congressional Plaza (Photos)

More news from Congressional Plaza in Rockville today. Construction on the future Barnes & Noble bookstore, opening in 2020, has begun in earnest across several empty storefronts. A covered pedestrian shelter has been erected to protect Plaza patrons during the work, and it also shows that this will be a more-complicated build-out than the typical tenant switchover.

Orangetheory Fitness, CorePower Yoga opening at Congressional Plaza in Rockville

After losing several tenants, Congressional Plaza in Rockville has been adding new ones in spades. Orangetheory Fitness and CorePower Yoga are the latest two officially announced by property owner Federal Realty. Both fitness facilities will be part of a new section of Congressional Plaza they are branding as FITRow.

One space remains to be filled in the FITRow section, which will be next to the future Barnes & Noble bookstore in the north wing of the property. Federal Realty says it found success with its original test of the FITRow concept at its Assembly Row property in Boston. I can say there has been a huge response to the recent announcement of Orangetheory's future location at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda, which bodes well for a warm reception in Rockville.

“FITRow is a lifestyle, a community where people have access to several boutique studios that can evolve with their fitness wants and needs,” Federal Realty Director of Asset Management Kari Glinksi said in a statement this morning. Orangetheory and CorePower will both open in 2020.

Rockville strip mall to be redeveloped as Rock Grove (Photos)

The Shady Grove Professional Building's retail strip mall at the corner of MD 355 and Shady Grove Road is going to be redeveloped as Rock Grove, a more-modern strip retail center. A rendering shown by JBG Smith promises a more modern and attractive appearance, while keeping the same retail use.

Dunkin' Donuts (which is not in the strip mall structure, but rather in the building itself) and Minerva Indian Cuisine are still operating, but other storefronts have been cleared out. It's uncertain which vacated tenants might return in the new center, as JBG Smith is advertising spaces as available in the future Rock Grove Center. It would be nice if they added a fast food restaurant with drive-thru to the parking lot, such as Steak and Shake, Jack-in-the-Box, or Hardee's - any chain currently not found in Montgomery County.

 

Friendship BBQ opens at Rockville Town Square

Friendship BBQ has opened at 33-E Maryland Avenue at Rockville Town Square. It's not Carolina or Texas barbecue, but Chinese barbecue. The cuisine, and even the wood used to grill the skewers, are native to the Xinjiang region of China, according to property owner Federal Realty.

Rockville construction update: Jersey Mike's Fallsgrove (Photos)

Jersey Mike's looks pretty close to the finish line for opening at the Fallsgrove Village Center. Even the chip bags are in place. What's better - Jersey Mike's at Wintergreen Plaza or Firehouse Subs at Upper Rock? Let me know in the comments below.

Bank with drive-thru proposed for site of shuttered Rockville supermarket

A bank branch with a drive-thru has been proposed for the former Meixin Supermarket location at 460 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. It's interesting to see another Town Center Phase II property going to a low-density, traditional automobile-oriented MD 355 use. Their application has been deemed incomplete by planning staff, however, so there may be at least a brief delay in this moving forward.

Panera Bread closed for renovations in Fallsgrove

Panera Bread has temporarily closed for renovations at the Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville. No reopening date has been announced. You can see a lot has been removed from the interior.