Author: MCS Staff

Damascus

Damascus High School Alumna, Ava Piedrahita, named Penn State Student-Athlete of the Week

By MCS Staff

Ava Piedrahita, a 2022 graduate of Damascus High School has been named Penn State student-athlete of the week. Ava, a native of Gaithersburg, also attended John T. Baker Middle School in Damascus. According to her website, Ava started gymnastics because her sister Kaitlyn was in gymnastics back in 2007 and she was just tagging along running around in the waiting room. She started with recreational classes for a couple of years then was invited to team at Hill’s Gymnastics in Gaithersburg.

Penn State on Ava: “In the first Big Ten meet of her career against No. 16 Minnesota, Piedrahita shined with three career-highs in a fantastic all-around competition for the freshman. The freshman started off her night with a 9.800 on bars as one of four Nittany Lions to post a 9.800-or-better on the apparatus. She continued with a career-best 9.875 on vault, which led the team in the event and became Penn State’s best mark on the apparatus this season. Her career-best 9.775 on the balance beam closed out the night for her and helped her set a new lifetime best 39.225 in the all-around to claim second place in the meet. The score also became Penn State’s best all-around mark in the 2023 season. In a tough Big Ten road environment, the freshman rose to the occasion and performed extremely well for the Nittany Lions”

Go to Damascus High School Alumna, Ava Piedrahita, named Penn State Student-Athlete of the Week Read more
Events

Montgomery Parks Announces Brookside Gardens’ Annual Symposium GreenScapes

By MCS Staff

Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, announces Brookside Gardens’ annual symposium GreenScapes on Friday, February 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The focus of this year’s program is “Designing with Purpose.” The symposium features experts discussing the latest advancements in landscape design strategies to achieve a range of goals, from public gardens that engage diverse audiences to landscapes that reduce carbon footprints and are resilient to climate change. The following topics will be explored:

GreenScapes will be offered as a series of live online lectures using Zoom with audience Q&A incorporated into the program. Each session will be recorded and a link to watch the symposium will be emailed to all participants. Tickets for GreenScapes are $55. Register online or call 301-962-1470. Continuing education credits are available from a variety of landscape design and master gardener professional organizations.

Go to Montgomery Parks Announces Brookside Gardens’ Annual Symposium GreenScapes Read more
Crime

Police Investigate Armed Robbery That Occurred Early Tuesday Morning

By MCS Staff

On January 24, at approximately 4:20 am, Takoma Park Police responded to the 7600 block of Maple Avenue for the report of an attempt armed robbery. The victim was walking towards her front door when a suspect approached and blocked her from entering her building.  The suspect attempted to take property from the victim unsuccessfully.  The suspect fled in an unknown color older model jeep.  The victim reported seeing a handgun protruding from the suspect’s front pocket.

The suspect is described as an unknown race male, last seen wearing a blue winter jacket, white t-shirt, black jeans, black shoes and a black ski mask. Investigation continues under case #23000394.  Anyone with information about this crime is asked to please call us at 301-270-1100. Information per Takoma Park Police. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.

Go to Police Investigate Armed Robbery That Occurred Early Tuesday Morning Read more
Business

12101 Tech Road in White Oak Area Sold for Over $12.8 Million in 2022

By MCS Staff

Edge, a full-service commercial real estate firm with offices in Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania brokered the sale of 12101 Tech Road, a 58,280 square foot flex/office building located in the Silver Spring section of Montgomery County, Maryland for over $12.8 million in mid 2022. 12101 Tech Road features 22-foot ceiling heights and a free, surface parking lot that can accommodate more than 100 vehicles. The premises also features multiple loading docks and is home to a total of three tenants making the property 100% leased at the time of the sale. Kingdom Fellowship Church, which occupied over 40,000 square feet, was expected to vacate later in the year.

The asset is in close proximity to MD Route 200 (Intercounty Connector), Interstate 95, and Interstate 495. The property is also within walking distance to the upcoming White Oak Town Center Development, WesTech Village Corner, and minutes away from Orchard Center, which offers numerous sit-down and fast-casual restaurants, shopping, and hotel options. The property is also conveniently located close to Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center. “Acquiring assets of this size in the Montgomery County submarket has become increasingly difficult, given the lack of available properties for purchase, combined with the large volume of investors seeking investments in the Washington, D.C. suburbs.”, stated Robert Pugh of Edge. “The new owner acquired a high-quality and well-maintained asset that will easily support its business operations, which makes this an extremely sound business decision on many levels,” stated Kenneth Fellows of Edge.

Go to 12101 Tech Road in White Oak Area Sold for Over $12.8 Million in 2022 Read more
Montgomery Planning

Owners of Historic Properties May Be Eligible to Receive 25% Tax Credit; Applications Due April 1

By MCS Staff

The Montgomery County Planning Department is accepting applications from county property owners who may be eligible for a 25 percent property tax credit for restoring the exteriors of their historic structures during 2022. To be eligible for the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Tax Credit, the property must be listed in the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic Preservation. Search our map of designated historic sites and districts(opens in a new tab) to determine if your property is included.

Owners must file an application, including documentation of the repairs that were done, with the historic preservation staff of the Planning Department by 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, 2023. The Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission will then evaluate the applications to determine whether the scope of the work meets the eligibility requirements for the program. The work must have been completed no later than December 31, 2022. Download the tax credit application. Repairs, restoration, or preservation of exterior features of designated structures are considered for the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Tax Credit. New additions and interior work are ineligible. Examples of eligible exterior projects include, but are not limited to:

Go to Owners of Historic Properties May Be Eligible to Receive 25% Tax Credit; Applications Due April 1 Read more
Calverton

Compass Health Center Executes 15,732 SF Lease at 11941 Bournefield Way In White Oak Area

By MCS Staff

Compass Health Center, a group that provides intermediate levels of behavioral health care, including outpatient psychiatry, partial hospitalization (PHP), and intensive outpatient (IOP) programming, has signed a lease with SJ Capital Partners to occupy 15,732 square feet of space at 11941 Bournefield Way in WestTech Business Park (in the White Oak area). Kenneth Fellows and Robert Pugh, Partners with Advisory Services with Edge, represented the landlord and Brandon Nasatir of Savills represented the tenant in this transaction.

Compass Health Center, headquartered in Illinois, is one of the leading providers of PHP/IOP and psychiatric services in the country. Compass is expanding by opening its first Washington, D.C.-area location. Founded in 2011 by psychiatrists David Schreiber, MD, and Claudia Welke, MD, Compass Health Center works to achieve successful outcomes for patients struggling with symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, OCD, and bipolar disorder. Compass’s Silver Spring location will open in September 2023 with adolescent, young adult, and adult in-person and virtual programs, with plans to add child programming in 2024.

Go to Compass Health Center Executes 15,732 SF Lease at 11941 Bournefield Way In White Oak Area Read more
Gaithersburg

4th Graders Are Invited To Enter Essay Contest to Become ‘Junior Mayor’ of Gaithersburg

By MCS Staff

Each year the Maryland Municipal League (MML) & the Maryland Mayors Association invite 4th grade students throughout Maryland to participate in a statewide essay contest. This is a great opportunity for students to learn about local government and to showcase their creative writing talents. The digital entry form with instructions is available here. The 2023 submission deadline is midnight on March 31. Additional information below.

The City takes the MML Mayor’s Essay Contest one step further by selecting a winner specifically from our own community, a winner who will be named Gaithersburg’s Junior Mayor for a year.

Go to 4th Graders Are Invited To Enter Essay Contest to Become ‘Junior Mayor’ of Gaithersburg Read more
MoCoSnow

Winter Weather Advisory as Close as Frederick County; Not Much Expected for MoCo

By MCS Staff

While many have been asking about possible winter weather on Wednesday, there hasn’t really been much of a threat for accumulating snow here in MoCo for this one. There is a Winter Weather Advisory as close at Frederick County from 7am until 4pm, with 1-3 inches expected in the Catoctin mountains (includes parts of northern Frederick County) and a coating to an inch for other parts of Frederick County.

Not much of anything is expected in MoCo, with a coating possible for grassy areas in the northern part of the county, but temperatures would keep the roads wet from any snow that may fall. So while there may be some flakes, it shouldn’t have any impact on MCPS and barely any on the roads.

Go to Winter Weather Advisory as Close as Frederick County; Not Much Expected for MoCo Read more
MCPS

Blair High School Entered A Brief Lockdown Tuesday Afternoon After Reports of Gunshots Near the School; Incident Was Determined to be Fireworks

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Police responded to reports of gunshots at the neighboring Woodmoor shopping center at approximately 1PM on Tuesday, along Colesville Rd near University Blvd East.

The incident sent Blair High School into a lockdown from 1:18pm until 1:29pm and remained in a shelter-in-place until 1:40pm, when it was determined that the disturbance involved fireworks and were not gunshots. Montgomery County Police maintained an increased presence in area following the incident and Blair High School principal Renay Johnson tweeted the following at 1:50pm, “We will have dismissal as scheduled today. Lockdowns can be unsettling for students and staff, our counselors and administrators are available for support.” Additional information can be seen in the tweets below.

Go to Blair High School Entered A Brief Lockdown Tuesday Afternoon After Reports of Gunshots Near the School; Incident Was Determined to be Fireworks Read more
Business

New 390 Unit Townhome Multifamily Development Project, ‘White Oak’, Announced by CP Capital and The NRP Group

By MCS Staff

A joint venture of CP Capital, a highly disciplined U.S. real estate manager specializing in multifamily investments, and The NRP Group, a leading real estate development, construction, and property management firm, today announced they will be developing ‘White Oak’ – a 390-unit, wrap-style and townhome multifamily development project. The multifamily community is situated in Eastern Montgomery County, part of the White Oak Science Gateway area. White Oak is a centrally located suburban neighborhood that is well connected to the broader Maryland and Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, with direct access to Montgomery County’s new FLASH Bus Rapid Transit System, MD Route 29, I-95, and the MD-200 Intercounty Connector. The site is also a short commute to Downtown Silver Spring with connection points to Metro’s Red Line and the to-be-built Purple Line. The project is expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2023. First units are expected in the third quarter of 2024, with construction expected to be completed in the second quarter of the following year.

“Silver Spring has benefited tremendously from its central location within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, as nearly a quarter of its population is employed by a governmental agency – insulating the local economy from recent economic downturns,” said Kristi Nootens, Co-Head of CP Capital. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with The NRP Group and delivering White Oak in this thriving suburban submarket while creating lasting value for investors.” White Oak will feature Class-A unit interior finishes such as stainless-steel appliances, quartz countertops, and vinyl wood flooring. Community amenities will include an enclosed courtyard, sundeck and pool, outdoor cooking and dining areas, work-from-home amenities, a dog park, pet spa, and an expansive fitness center.

Go to New 390 Unit Townhome Multifamily Development Project, ‘White Oak’, Announced by CP Capital and The NRP Group Read more
Bethesda

10 Foot Trench Collapses Around Worker in Bethesda

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a collapsed trench on the 5300 block of Cromwell Dr off of Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda later Tuesday morning.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, crews arrived to find a 10 foot trench collapsed with the patient already out of the trench after self-extricating. The incident occurred at a residential construction site while a crew was digging a trench that was not “shored up” properly. The dirt walls collapsed entrapping the worker who was able to get himself out. Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) was notified and the patient was evaluated by responding units.

Go to 10 Foot Trench Collapses Around Worker in Bethesda Read more
View More Stories