Burger King Shady Grove Road construction drags on (Photos)

There won't be any Ghost Pepper Nuggets at the Burger King at 16004 Shady Grove Road, on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. I can't recall a fast food restaurant renovation that has taken this long; chains construct entire new restaurants in a fraction of this time. They've added stone to the facade, and put down a new driveway and parking lot since July. 

This BK is the best in Montgomery County; it's not only the highest-rated, but the food seems to always be made fresh when ordered, in my experience. So it's been disappointing to not have it available, as many limited-time menu items have come and gone nationally. Perhaps the construction workers have too often ignored the King's royal dictum: "Don't go to bed before the King."

Thai Chef opens in Rockville (Photos)

Thai Chef is now open at 29 Maryland Avenue at Rockville Town Square. As you can see in these photos, the final product delivered on the architectural renderings released when the new location was announced. Thai Chef has an existing location at Dupont Circle in the District.

Armed carjacking outside Rockville restaurant

Montgomery County police responded to an armed carjacking outside a Rockville restaurant early Monday morning, October 11, 2021. The carjacking was reported outside of a restaurant in the 15200 block of Siesta Key Way at 5:52 AM, according to crime data. That's between the Bell Shady Grove and Mallory Square apartment complexes off Key West Avenue.

Rockville-based Supernus to acquire Adamas Pharmaceuticals

Rockville-based Supernus Pharmaceuticals announced Monday that it is acquiring Adamas Pharmaceuticals, adding to its portfolio of Parkinson's disease treatments. The deal will bring Adamas' GOCOVRI (amantadine) extended release capsules, the first and only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug for the treatment of both OFF and dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson’s disease who are receiving levodopa-based therapy; and Osmolex ER® (amantadine) extended release tablets, which is FDA-approved for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, and drug-induced extrapyramidal reactions in adults.

The deal is a financial win for Adamas stockholders, and will expand the revenue base and cash flow of Supernus. “This acquisition represents a significant step to further build a strong and diverse Parkinson’s disease portfolio, and aligns with our focus of acquiring value-enhancing, clinically-differentiated medicines to treat CNS diseases,” Jack Khattar, President and CEO of Supernus Pharmaceuticals said in a statement. “We have a proven track record of strong commercial execution, and look forward to building on GOCOVRI’s growth momentum so that more patients can benefit from access to Adamas’ innovative neurological therapies."

Once again, biotech - along with residential housing construction - remain the only bright spots in an otherwise moribund and stagnant Montgomery County economy. This is largely because the smart decisions that led to the growth of Montgomery's biotech sector were made before those who wrecked the County's economy took office in 2002, 2006 and 2010. Supernus is located at 9715 Key West Avenue in Rockville.

Rockville construction update: The Ansel apartments (Photos)

Here's a super-sized update on The Ansel, the new apartment building in Rockville Town Center across from Regal Row. At this later stage in construction, you can really see how the architecture is complimentary to its sister Duball, LLC project across Helen Heneghan Way. 

The official address of The Ansel is 33 Monroe Street, and the building is managed by Bozzuto. Construction remained on-schedule for the fall opening despite the pandemic, and leasing information can be found on the property's website. The following photos are in chronological order, from August 30, 2021 through today: