Legally-stymied self storage project seeks extension in Rockville

Siena Corporation is keeping its options open, should it find a legal recourse to force the City of Rockville to allow its approved self storage facility at 1175 Taft Street to go forward. The company has had no luck with either legal motion it has filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court so far.

By the time either motion reaches the end of the line in court, the approved site plan for the facility will expire. City staff is recommending the Planning Commission - which originally granted the approval, before the project was blocked by a Zoning Text Amendment forbidding self storage within 250 feet of a school (Maryvale Elementary School, in this case), passed by the Mayor and Council in February 2015 - approve the 1-year extension for the self storage project. The commission will take up the matter at its meeting tonight at 7:00 PM at City Hall.

Rockville names new City Manager

The City of Rockville has named Robert DiSpirito, who is the interim senior manager of the Sarasota County (Florida) Planning and Development Department, as its new City Manager.

DiSpirito also served as the city manager of Dunedin, Florida for nine years, and as city manager of Oberlin, Ohio for eleven years.

In Dunedin, DiSpirito oversaw 400 employees and an $80 million budget. He created the city's Housing & Economic Development Department, and is credited with guiding Dunedin's award-winning downtown and redevelopment citywide. This could be an asset for a town center in Rockville that some consider to be currently underperforming in certain respects.

"My wife, Evangelina, our children and I truly look forward to making Rockville our new home," DiSpirito said in a statement. "This is an amazing and diverse community of strong neighborhoods, beautiful parks, high-performing schools, a lively town center and engaged citizens. As city manager, I look forward to reaching out and hearing what matters to our employees, residents, civic groups, schools, businesses and other partners."

Streetsense marketing retail space at Metropolitan at Rockville Town Center (Photos)

Bethesda-based real estate firm Streetsense is marketing 6033 SF of retail space at the future Metropolitan at Rockville Town Center apartment building at 255 N. Washington Street. The space, which has outdoor patio seating adjacent to it, will face onto Beall Avenue.

The Metropolitan will include 275 apartments, and is scheduled to deliver in the 4th Quarter of 2017.

Renderings:
(Top) Kettler
(Bottom) Streetsense

SunTrust installs signage at future Galvan location in Rockville (Photos)

The permanent sign is up at the future Galvan at Twinbrook branch of SunTrust bank. Much progress has been made on the interior, and the ATM is already installed. This will be next to the eagerly-awaited Pie 360 pizzeria at the JBG Companies development, which is located on Rockville Pike near the Twinbrook Metro station (but officially addressed as 1801 Chapman Avenue).

Rockville construction update: Modern Market (Photos)

Modern Market is opening soon at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike. A new outdoor patio dining area has been created adjacent to the new restaurant.

Rockville construction update: Montgomery County Liquor store (Photos)

The Montgomery County Liquor store moving into the former Kam Sam Supermarket at 300 N. Washington Street appears close to opening. Shelving and signage are in place. Sadly, the top flight Chinese restaurant🍲 that had been planned for this space fell through. While the County liquor monopoly store will provide some convenience to nearby residents (at monopoly prices💸), liquor stores don't bring a lot of halo 👼effect to a neighborhood.

Trump supporter victim of hate crime in Montgomery County (Photo)

Montgomery County Police are investigating an incident of vandalism in Silver Spring they believe is "bias-based." On Sunday morning, a Donald Trump supporter in the Four Corners neighborhood in Silver Spring awoke to find a swastika had been spray painted on his front storm door, and his American flag had been stolen. Police responded to the home in the 200 block of Williamsburg Drive at 7:22 AM.

A preliminary investigation determined that this was the third time the Trump supporter's home had been targeted. The home was previously vandalized on October 16, police said, and a Trump-Pence sign was stolen from the front yard of the property in late October.

This incident shows the danger of jumping to conclusions, as the Montgomery County Council has, in regard to a handful of hate-based vandalism incidents since the election. With no evidence, and not a single suspect having been arrested and questioned, our County Council has alleged these incidents were inspired by Trump and/or perpetrated by his supporters.

The Council has now been wrong twice in the last week; the only physical hate violence in the County so far has been directed against a Trump supporter, during a student protest last Wednesday in Rockville. And now in Four Corners, the only case where we have a clear motive, all evidence again points to anti-Trump forces.

Fortunately, the police are not taking a political approach, and are examining all cases objectively in their investigations. In a statement, detectives said they believe the homeowner's support for Trump is the motivation for the thefts and vandalism in the Four Corners case.

Anyone with information about these thefts or the vandalism incidents is asked to contact the 3rd District Investigative Section at 240-773-6870.  For those who wish to remain anonymous, Crime Solvers of Montgomery County is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for any information that leads to the arrest of the suspect(s).  Tipsters can call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Photo courtesy Montgomery County Police