Developer seeks to convert Rockville office building to residential

The already-weak office market in Montgomery County hasn't been helped by the pandemic. Now a developer is seeking to convert a Rockville office building to residential apartments, and then add 17 townhomes to the surrounding property. A virtual public meeting on the proposal for 22 W. Jefferson Street has been scheduled for January 18, 2022 at 7:00 PM. 

To participate in the event, join the meeting at that time and enter Meeting Number (access code): 2633 580 7334 and Meeting Password: Y6MySgEaZ88. You can also join by phone (or for those joining by computer without a microphone) by dialing +1-408-418-9388 United States Toll, and entering Access Code: 2633 580 7334.

Pupuseria Mama Emilia opening in Rockville

Pupuseria Mama Emilia is coming soon to Rockville. The Salvadoran restaurant will be opening at 785-H Rockville Pike, in the Ritchie Center, where the sign is already up and lit. This space was previously home to Dokiya Ramen. Pupuseria Mama Emilia is a new venture from the owners of Pupuseria La Familia in Beltsville, which also features the recipes of Mama Emilia.

Water main break at New Mark Commons in Rockville

There is a water main break at 138 New Mark Esplanade, in the New Mark Commons community of Rockville. Thirty-five nearby homes will be impacted by water outages during the repairs, which the City of Rockville says are now getting underway. A city public works crew is now on-scene to excavate the water main.

Rockville Planning Commission to review Fortune Terrace development this week

A proposed residential development on Fortune Terrace in Rockville will go before the Planning Commission this Wednesday night, January 12, 2022 at 7:00 PM. Developer EYA has proposed building 99 townhomes, 96 multi-family units and 213 multi-family senior housing units at 11511 Fortune Terrace. An existing office building would be demolished to clear the way for the development if it is approved; 70,000 square foot Lifetime Fitness gym would remain on the site. Planning staff is recommending approval of the plan, with conditions.

MCPS drops 5% threshold for virtual learning

MCPS Interim Superintendent 
Monifa McKnight

Montgomery County Public Schools announced its latest coronavirus policy about-face this afternoon. After starting the spring semester with a 5% threshold for Covid-19 cases that would trigger a school to switch to virtual learning, eleven schools were forced to go online. But when more than 100 schools met the threshold days later, MCPS canceled a scheduled Thursday email update to parents. It then announced in the past hour that it is dropping the 5% threshold for virtual learning.

"Moving forward, MCPS and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will examine schools on a case-by-case basis to determine if any particular school needs to transition to virtual learning for a designated period of time," Interim Superintendent of Schools Monifa McKnight and Acting Chief Health Officer James Bridgers wrote in this afternoon's statement. "Factors considered will continue to include the number of students and staff who have tested positive; the number of students in quarantine; the number of staff absent for COVID-related reasons; and the level of spread of the virus in the school."

McKnight and Bridgers cited the fact that the state of Maryland does not call for a specific threshold to suspend in-class learning. Their statement did not explain why the threshold was adopted if not recommended by the state. It said the Thursday emails will resume next week. Take-home rapid test kits will also be distributed to all students and staff next week, the statement added. Students who test positive will have to isolate for 10 days from the date of the positive test.

Photo courtesy MCPS

New public parking garage opens in Rockville Town Center

Parking is always a hot topic in Rockville Town Center. Now there is a new option for drivers: the public parking garage at the Ansel apartments at 33 Monroe Street. The just-opened garage is operated by Colonial Parking.

There aren't any businesses to patronize at the Ansel yet, but you can still park there when going to any other nearby destination in the town center. In fact, there may never be any businesses in the Ansel. Despite developer Duball, LLC's success in attracting desirable national brands like World of Beer and Panera Bread to the sister Upton/Cambria Suites building across the street, the company is now seeking permission to convert the ground floor retail spaces in the Ansel to residential apartments.

Sexual assault reported at Rockville store

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a sexual assault at a retail store in Rockville Tuesday night, January 4, 2022. At least one individual reported being fondled, as well as being the victim of a 2nd degree assault at the store, which was in the 5700 block of Bou Avenue. Target is on that block. The incident was reported at 7:12 PM Tuesday, according to crime data.