Canopy by Hilton hotel at Pike & Rose accepting first reservations for April 2018

Canopy by Hilton, the future hotel at Pike & Rose, is now accepting its first reservations. Rooms can be reserved for dates beginning April 1, 2018 and later.  All rooms in the hotel will have free WiFi, a 55-inch TV, mini-refrigerator, Nespresso machine, plush robes, and beds custom-designed exclusively for Canopy. Canopy suites will feature separate living/dining areas, and there will be filtered spring water stations on every floor.

There will be free evening beer, wine and spirits tastings, free Canopy Bikes and a pedicab to get around Pike & Rose, and a 24-hour fitness center. Ground floor and second-floor retail tenants will include Taylor Gourmet, Nando's Peri-Peri and a Red Door Salon and Spa. The hotel is located at 940 Rose Avenue.

Public hearing on allowing breweries, distilleries in Rockville set for Sept. 11

The Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed zoning change that would allow breweries and distilleries to operate in the City of Rockville at their September 11 meeting at 7:00 PM. If approved, the change would allow full production of alcoholic beverages in light and heavy industrial zones, and in mixed-use employment zones.

Microbreweries and pub breweries with limited production would also be allowed to locate in mixed-use business, mixed-use transit district, mixed-use corridor district and mixed-use employment zones. To testify at the hearing, call (240) 314-8280 before 4:00 PM on September 11 to sign up.

Public meeting scheduled for Saul Centers project in Rockville

Saul Centers has scheduled an informational public meeting on its proposed Twinbrook Metro Place development project. The required Pre-Application Area meeting will be held on Thursday, September 14, at 6:30 PM at the Hilton Hotel located at 1750 Rockville Pike.

The meeting location is across Halpine Road from the site of the massive, 10-building project. That project will encompass properties assembled from 1500-1616 Rockville Pike.

77 Upper Rock retains Transwestern to handle leasing, property management

DSC Partners has retained real estate giant Transwestern to handle leasing and property management of their 77 Upper Rock office building. The 232282 SF building, constructed in 2005, is currently vacant but available for immediate occupancy. New owner DSC, led by former First Potomac execs Doug Donatelli and Nick Smith, plans to revitalize the building by adding contemporary fitness facilities, conference rooms, tenant common areas, green space and other tenant amenities.

In addition to the upgrades, DSC is also wagering that the transformation underway in the Upper Rock area will make the LEED Silver certified office building more appealing to prospective tenants. Coming soon within a block of 77 Upper Rock will be MOM's Organic Market, and Cava Grill, among other retail and dining options. It's a commendable move in a time when many other developers are converting existing or planned office space in Rockville to residential, forcing more Rockville residents to drive into D.C. and Northern Virginia to employment.

Rockville construction update: New retail building at Montrose Crossing (Photos)

The frame structure of the new retail building at Montrose Crossing is now taking shape at the shopping center. With 8 in-line spaces, Pieology, Cava Grill, Honeygrow, Five Guys and Allure are already confirmed tenants.

The new building replaces Timpano Italian Chophouse. You can expect this to serve a role similar to the modernized one-story structures out front at neighboring Pike & Rose. When Montrose Crossing is redeveloped as mixed-use at some point in the future, these businesses will remain open and generate revenue for Federal Realty, even as other structures are demolished.

Honey Pig Korean BBQ to open in Rockville

The latest addition to Montrose Crossing is the rapidly-expanding local chain Honey Pig Korean BBQ. It will occupy a 6200 SF space at the shopping center, located at 12015 Rockville Pike.

This is not to be confused with another future Montrose Crossing tenant, Honeygrow. Both are Asian eateries, but Honeygrow is a Chipotle-style stir-fry bowl concept.

Honey Pig Korean BBQ says the Montrose Crossing location will open in Spring 2018.

Saul Centers moving forward with 10-building project on Rockville Pike (Photos)

Saul Centers is preparing to begin the process of redeveloping 18.36 acres of commercial property at 1500-1616 Rockville Pike. The mixed-use project is like a small city, consisting of 10 buildings of residential, office and retail use. It will directly abut the Pike, Halpine Road and the Metro/CSX tracks at the rear of the site. Saul won key concessions from the city after lobbying the Mayor and Council, which included deletion of a long-planned access road on the east side of the Pike.

Sketch plan of
Twinbrook Metro Place

The development will have its own road network, including extensions of Chapman Avenue and Congressional Lane, and a main road called Festival Street. This project will be only 150 feet from single-family homes in Twinbrook, and 600 feet from the entrance to the Twinbrook Metro station.

Notably, Saul is requesting a cap on the total number of vehicle trips generated by the project, rather than specific limits on the number of housing units, etc. The company says that will allow them flexibility for a project that will take a significant number of years to complete. Saul will also request a parking reduction, and designation as a "Rockville Champion Project," which will give them more flexibility on retail tenant spaces and signage restrictions. However, the developer is giving a rough estimate of what will be included in the development as follows: up to 1865 residential units, 431440 SF of office space, 472950 SF of retail (including shopping, dining and grocery store), a 9000 SF theater, and a 226-seat "cultural amenity" space.

1.1 acre Central Park shown
in upper right corner

A 1.1 acre "Central Park" is the dominant green space feature planned. An anchor building for the park will have two levels of dining, with dining terraces that overlook the park. Attorneys for the applicant say that this building will become "a destination for the entire City of Rockville." The park is expected to host regular events and activities.

Seven of the buildings will have elevated courtyards for residents and office workers to use. The residential buildings and office building fronting Rockville Pike are expected to have two levels of retail at their bases. All parking will be in garages, with a proposed total of 3900 parking spaces for all uses on the site.

The properties assembled by Saul for this project are: 1500 Rockville Pike, 1580 Rockville Pike, 1582 Rockville Pike, 1584 Rockville Pike, 1592 Rockville Pike, and 1616 Rockville Pike.