Bethesda

Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital LLC (BWE), the commercial and multifamily mortgage banking subsidiary of Enterprise Community Investment Inc. (Enterprise), announced in January that it acquired Bethesda-based, Phillips Realty Capital (Phillips).

Based in Bethesda, with offices in Alexandria, Charlottesville and Richmond, VA, Phillips has been a fixture in the Washington, D.C. real estate community for 85 years. Led by C. Stephen Shaw, Jr., now executive vice president, the team of experienced commercial real estate finance professionals will now be part of a national, privately-owned platform that will provide expanded financing solutions for its clients.


Beyond MoCo

PREIT, a real estate investment trust, announced that nearby Springfield Town Center has executed an agreement with Merlin Entertainments, the world’s second-largest visitor attractions operator, to launch the next generation of LEGO(R) Discovery Center in 2023. The 32,000 square foot indoor attraction has been co-created by Merlin & the LEGO Group and will be accessible on one level right off the main entrance to the property. Springfield Town Center is in Springfield, Virginia in Fairfax County, at the intersection of I-95, 395, 495, and Fairfax Parkway. There are currently 14 Legoland Discovery Centers in the United States and 13 overseas, with the closest being in Philadelphia.

“We are delighted to be opening an indoor LEGO attraction in Washington DC at Springfield Town Center. Our LEGO themed attractions have been a huge success across the globe, providing an opportunity for adults and children to spend fun and quality time together in an awesome LEGO world. We look forward to revealing more special details over the coming months ahead of welcoming our first visitors in 2023,” said Meike Lippert, Senior Divisional Director Midway Europe and Global New Openings, Merlin Entertainments. “This new attraction helps PREIT achieve its goal of creating high quality purposeful places that serve as one-stop destinations for customers at a key property in a growing market,” said Joseph F. Coradino, Chairman and CEO of PREIT. “Experiential tenants have proven to be great catalysts throughout our portfolio and we expect that, upon opening, our trade area will expand by a two hour drive time, driving traffic and sales.”


Downtown Silver Spring

2pm Update: Firefighters have extinguished the vehicle fire, 5 cars damaged by fire.

There are approximately 50 firefighters on the scene at a Downtown Silver Spring parking garage at 801 Ellsworth Drive near Fenton Street and Roeder Rd due to several cars being on fire in the garage.


Education

The next superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools is scheduled to be conditionally appointed at this Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting (February 8th, 2022),  according to the meeting agenda.

Back in October, the  Montgomery County Board of Education  announced a national search for the next superintendent of schools for Montgomery County Public Schools, who will begin serving on July 1, 2022.


Boyds

The Maryland Soccer Foundation, in its 23rd year as the governing board of the Maryland SoccerPlex and Adventist HealthCare Fieldhouse, has elected long-time board member Joyce Fuhrmann as its newest president. Fuhrmann is the first woman to hold the post.

Fuhrmann joined the board in 2013 and most recently served as treasurer. She is also Director of the BSE Operations and STEM Initiatives at the Universities at Shady Grove.


State’s Attorney

Judge David Lease sentenced Rebecca Vo to six years (20 years suspend all but 6) and five-years of probation upon release. This stems from a motor vehicle collision on the evening of March 27, 2021 at Darnestown Rd. and Blackberry Drive in Gaithersburg, MD.

She pleaded guilty to two counts gross negligent manslaughter by vehicle for the deaths of Pran and Pamela Sharma and is facing a maximum of six years per a plea agreement which was reached in consultation with the State and the family of the victims.


Business

It has been just under a year since Bark Social opened its gates in Pike & Rose, adjacent to Rose Park and next to Julii and Jinya. BizJournals reports that the “social club for dogs and their owners has raised another $2 million to fuel its growth in Greater Washington and other metro areas along the East Coast.” Per the report, it’s the latest of three funding rounds for the company, for a total of around $5.3 million. Bark Social will start with a new location in Baltimore (Canton) and plan on at least two more locations in D.C. and Philadelphia to be announced soon.

The existing venue consists of a 25,000 square foot dog park plus a 2,500 square foot climate controlled clubhouse as well as a bar/cafe and gift shop. The dog park is off-leash and monitored by trained professionals at all times and there is a separate area for small dogs as well.


Montgomery College

Commercial real estate industry veteran, Michael J. Smith, has been named executive director of the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC) where he will oversee development of a 40-acre innovative science and technology hub in collaboration with academic, corporate and government partners.

Smith has more than 30 years of experience in creating and leading high-profile, transformative, mixed-use real estate development projects throughout the Metropolitan Washington, DC region. Most recently, as EVP of Development for Lantian Development Company, Smith re-entitled a 32-acre, obsolete ‘80s vintage office park in Rockville with plans for a 2.5 million square foot mixed-use community.


Maryland

Maryland is having a successful recovery from new unemployment claims, with last week’s claims lower than in the same week in 2019, according to personal finance website WalletHub’s updated rankings for the States Whose Unemployment Claims Are Recovering the Quickest.

Key Stats for Maryland:


Briggs Chaney

Community Engagement Report highlights the initial outreach process, data, and findings for the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan.

The Montgomery County Planning Department presented the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan Community Engagement Report to the Montgomery County Planning Board at their February 3, 2022 meeting. The report offers a summary of the initial community outreach and engagement activities, preliminary findings, and next steps for the plan.


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