Demolition clearing way for JBG's Upper Rock retail project (Photos)

Demolition of an existing office building at 5 Choke Cherry Road in Rockville is underway. The JBG Companies project there will revamp an office park just off I-270 and Shady Grove Road, and provide convenient retail for the new housing already built in the Gables Upper Rock community.

Tenants on-board already include a 14,600 SF CVS Pharmacy opening next summer, and a 16,000 SF MOM's Organic Market expected to deliver by next fall. MOM's CEO and Founder, Scott Nash, is a Montgomery County resident.

"Our customers have told us over the years how much they’d love a MOM’s between our Rockville and Frederick locations,” Nash said in a statement yesterday. “We’re thrilled to provide what they’ve been asking for with the opening next fall of our Northern Rockville/Gaithersburg store.”

An additional 4100 SF building will be offered for lease to a restaurant and smaller-scale retail tenants. JBG's portion of Upper Rock is 4.5 acres out of the total 20 being redeveloped. New Urbanist architect Andres Duany, the master planner for the Upper Rock redevelopment, is locally best known for his work on the Kentlands.

Renderings courtesy The JBG Companies

Dawn Crafton Dance Connection opens in Rockville (Photos)

The first visitors to
Dawn Crafton Dance Connection
enter moments after the
ribbon cutting; note the
boatload of trophies high above
the reception desk

Dawn Crafton Dance Connection, the newest tenant at Rockville Town Square, officially opened its doors yesterday evening. A dance performance by students went forward as planned, despite a passing storm.

Rockville Chamber of Commerce
director Ed Harrington (John Marshall Bank)
and the Chamber's
President/CEO Michelle Day

Then city and Rockville Chamber of Commerce officials helped cut the ribbon before a large crowd that had jammed onto the sidewalk on Gibbs Street. After the ribbon cutting, it took several minutes for the many visitors to stream into the newly-revealed lobby and studios for tours and free lessons.

For more information, or to register for classes, visit their website.

Dawn Crafton Dance Connection

152 Gibbs Street

301-840-8400

Residents to hold meeting Sept. 8 to fight bus depot plans at Blair Ewing Center

With the Blair Ewing Center and Mark Twain Park on Avery Road back in the crosshairs of a Montgomery County desperate to find a new school bus depot site, local residents are planning to meet on Thursday, September 8, at the Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center at 14625 Bauer Drive in Rockville. Blair Ewing, and the Oaks Landfill at 6001 Olney-Laytonsville Road in Olney, are the two known finalists on the County Council's list.

A couple of things are clear right now. First, there is no other "perfect" or even serviceable site that can hold the number of buses proposed anywhere in the County beyond the handful already fought over, and the two alternatives now on the table. If there were, the County would have acquired it in 2015.

Second, County politicians are now engaged in a cynical game. Rather than face the legal consequences of admitting they blew it, and that their "smart growth initiative" was simply a scheme to benefit developers, the County Executive and Council are now going poke the hornets' nests in Aspen Hill and Olney, and see if they can figure out which one will emit the fewest angry bees.

Conversely, they may also tally up the number of votes they believe will be lost in a particular community. During the Westbard controversy in Bethesda, it accidentally slipped out that some on the County Council were literally having their staff tally the number of votes they might lose, if they enraged the voters in the Westbard area. Ultimately, their math told them they could take the hit and survive.

Counting votes probably won't help here, though. Aspen Hill has vigorously fought the previous bus depot plan, and Walmart, and won both times. Olney, with its strong civic association, likewise was the only community in the County that was able to kill a planned Bus Rapid Transit route.

Unless they've come up with a magical third option, or go back to Westmore and Carver, it looks like the Council will have to pick its political poison.

Assault on Rockville Pike this morning

Paramedics were called to what a 911 dispatcher described as a "garage behind Bed Bath and Beyond" on Rockville Pike just after 5:00 AM this morning. They were told they would find the victim of an assault at that location. No further details were immediately available.

Nighttime sewer replacement near Rockville Town Center

A contractor will be replacing sewer lines along E. Middle Lane and Park Road in Rockville starting in September. The work will be performed at night, between the hours of 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM. It will require lane closures, and for that reason, the City of Rockville requested the project be completed at night.

This will require a noise waiver from Montgomery County. Heads up if you live in the Upton apartments, Rockville Town Square, Americana Center (to a lesser extent), or any of the single-family homes off of Park Road.

Rockville construction update: King Farm townhouses (Photos)

The transformation of King Farm's business district into a residential area continues. Michael Harris Homes is making significant progress on their new townhome development, right near the Sheraton hotel and exit ramp from I-270.

Chuy's throws a party in Rockville (Photos)

Tex-Mex restaurant Chuy's celebrated its upcoming first restaurant in Montgomery County with a Redfish Rally last night. The new restaurant is scheduled to open in October at Federal Plaza, but the party was held at another nearby Federal Realty property, Montrose Crossing. Chuy's pitched a tent atop the parking garage there, and served up food and drink samples.

Chuy's chefs make fresh
guacamole on the spot

To emphasize the chain's commitment to fresh ingredients, chefs were making fresh guacamole and bartenders were squeezing fresh lime juice for margaritas all night long. To emphasize the company's commitment to the community, Chuy's announced that the local charity they will support is Hero Dogs, a Brookeville-based non-profit that trains and places service dogs with veterans who need them free of charge. Several hero dogs were in attendance, joining Chuy the Redfish and former Rockville City Councilman Tom Moore among the notable guests.

Chuy's plans to hire an impressive 175 employees at this restaurant. Those interested can apply in-person Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Chuy’s hiring office located at 1776 E. Jefferson Street, Unit #117, in Rockville.

Banner touts that
"everything is made
from scratch" at Chuy's

Another promotes their
fresh hatch green chiles

Free t-shirts

...although you could make
a charitable donation if you wanted

I can report that the
fresh-squeezed lime juice
made a noticeable difference
in the margaritas

Fiesta essentials
on display

Stringed lights hung
over the crowd

Chuy himself (herself?) made
an appearance

Montgomery County is
gaining on Austin in the
weird department every day

Sauces are so important
at Chuy's, that they have
their own webpage

Speaking of sauces,
a chef adds one to
an attendee's nachos

Chuy's brought along
some of their trademark
interior design accents -
hubcaps and...

...redfish

Meet hero dog
Mitch