Boardroom Salon sets opening date in Rockville

Boardroom Salon for Men has set a new opening date for its first Maryland location at 12031 Rockville Pike in the Montrose Crossing shopping center. The salon is now scheduled to open March 31, 2021. As you can see, the salon interior does emit an upscale den-steakhouse-lodge ambiance. 

Various member tiers are available, including limited Founders memberships at a special price, with a silver Founders tumbler while supplies last. You can sign up for memberships, and schedule appointments, on the Boardroom website.

As an example of the level of service you will receive at Boardroom Salon, the their signature The Benchmark appointment includes the following:

• Personal consultation

• Tailored haircut with precision neck shave
• Personalized shampoo + conditioning
• Scalp massage
• Pressure-point facial massage
• Steamed towel
• Paraffin hand dip
• Stress-relieving hand massage
• Expert styling and tips to replicate the finished look every day

 

Boardroom Salon is the latest tenant in the new, Rockville Pike-facing retail structure at the Federal Realty-owned property. “We are thrilled to partner with Boardroom Salon for Men on their expansion into Maryland and know the salon will be well-positioned for long-term success at Montrose Crossing,” Federal Realty VP of Asset Management Mickey Papillon said in a statement Thursday.

 

Rockville planning commission postpones decision on Fallsgrove office-to-residential conversion

The Rockville Planning Commission last night postponed a decision on a developer's request to allow a parcel at Fallsgrove designated for future office space to be developed as housing instead. Originally on the agenda for last night's meeting, the decision has now been postponed "until further notice." 

The proposed plan amendment had the support of city planning staff. But such conversions remain controversial, when master plans for places like Fallsgrove, King Farm and Clarksburg were sold to the public as mixed-use communities that would offer housing, retail and job centers.

Plaza Oaxaca "opening soon" at Rockville Town Square

Plaza Oaxaca is "opening soon" at Rockville Town Square, signage at 141 Gibbs Street now declares. Owners Cecilia Pastor and Maria Barragán promise authentic Mexican cuisine, focused on their home state of Oaxaca. One of the signature dishes will be their Oaxacan Mole, and the pre-Spanish spirit mezcal will be the featured drink from the bar. Oaxaca produces the most mezcal of any state in Mexico.

The restaurant has some of the most-detailed coming soon signage seen. It includes large black-and-white portraits of iconic Mexican legends.

Armed robbery at Rockville restaurant

An armed robbery at a Rockville restaurant drew a response from Montgomery County police last night. At least one person was assaulted in the incident, which took place at a restaurant in the 5200 block of Nicholson Lane in the White Flint area around 7:17 PM, according to crime data.

Assault in Rockville parking lot

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an aggravated assault in Rockville early yesterday morning. The assault was reported in the 5100 block of Crossfield Court around 2:23 AM, according to crime data. 

Indecent exposure at Rockville restaurant

City of Rockville police were called to a restaurant at Rockville Town Square on Tuesday afternoon in response to a report of indecent exposure. The incident occurred at a restaurant in the 100 block of Gibbs Street around 4:47 PM, according to crime data. 

More Rockville office space to become residential

The moribund Montgomery County economy, and the failure of County officials to attract even a single major corporate headquarters to the county in over 25 years, continues to severely impact the real estate market. With little demand for office space, the county has watched revenue plummet as higher taxes must replace the lost commercial revenue, and those taxes impel the wealthy to flee to lower-tax jurisdictions. Now more planned office space in Fallsgrove is expected to become residential, when the Rockville planning commission approves an amendment allowing that on March 10, 2021.

This is far from the first time land in Rockville that was meant to provide jobs and eliminate commutes for a number of residents has been lost to residential housing. The latest flip will allow 210981 square feet of potential office space to instead be used for up to 350 units of multifamily housing. This will not only eliminate planned office space, but also exceed the caps on building height and total multifamily units allowed in the Fallsgrove master plan.

The proposed residential building would be 76' tall. Parking would be above-ground underneath the residential floors, and on surface lots around the building. A 19000 SF pocket park, a small playground, and a shared-use path along Research Boulevard would be constructed as part of the new development.

Developer Lerner Enterprises' "statement of justification" for the request states that "unsuccessful efforts to market the Property for office use for more than a decade due to the lack of market interest, coupled with the challenges the Applicant has had in leasing their two office buildings in Fallsgrove proper, are the driving forces behind the subject Project Plan Amendment.” It also notes that existing office buildings at 14955 and 14995 Shady Grove Road currently have a high number of vacant units.

Rockville planning staff has made including 2000 SF or less of retail space a condition of approval for the amendment. Lerner says there is no market for retail at that location, and that including it will compromise the successful design of the planned residential building. The company also notes that the retail market in Rockville is weak, citing Rockville Town Square as an example. 

Staff is recommending approval of the project plan amendment, with 13 conditions. If passed, the approval will be transmitted to the Mayor and Council for their approval.

Lerner's statement calls the possibility of Montgomery County's office market rebounding "a remote event." The developer hired Avison Young to study MoCo's office market in general. "The Avison Young reports confirmed that the office market overall in Montgomery County is not strong," Lerner wrote.