Pets Are Home second location, at 10038 Darnestown Rd in the Travilah Square Shopping Center, is now open. It has taken over the space previously occupied by Michael’s Noodles near Title Boxing Club. The first Pets Are Home Location was opened by a husband and wife team in Kensington (10414 Derrick Ave, Suite 300) in August 2021. Additional information on the story behind Pets Are Home, courtesy of its website:

“Nathan and his wife Ross moved to Kensington MD in 2019 where they now share a home with Cotton, their  French Mastiff.  As soon as they moved to Kensington, they quickly realized that buying food for Cotton involved either traversing through 40 minute traffic or buying online. Neither were desirable options for them, and they were not alone in this struggle. They discovered that other pet parents in their neighborhood also disliked driving through heavy traffic in North Rockville, competing for parking space in Downtown Bethesda, and buying online from big name retailers. It was immediately clear to Nathan and Ross that there was an unmet hunger for a pet supply store in Kensington.


In December 2021, about a year and a half after Flower Child closed permanently, H&R Retail listed Holy Cross Health as the new occupant of the space at 10072 Darnestown Road in the Travilah Square Shopping Center. Flower Child initially closed when the pandemic shut down indoor dining back in March of 2020 and made the decision to close permanently a few months later. Holy Cross Health, an Urgent Care center operated by Holy Cross (a member of Trinity Health), signed on and even started construction in the space. The space has recently been listed as available to lease again by H&R Retail. Prior to Flower Child, the storefront was home to Sweet Frog.

Travilah Square has seen changes in recent years. One of the first moves made was to demolish the existing office building and Burger King and replace it with a new building containing a 12,500 square foot Trader Joe’s grocery store, along with a second, smaller retail space (upcoming tenant below). The late 1980’s look of the center was dated and Finmarc brought on MV+A  to revitalize the center and give it a new, clean, vibrant appearance. The new building blends with the shopping center utilizing the same patterned brick and steel trim to create a permanent, “timeless” appearance. A landscape plaza fronts the Trader Joe’s, and a curved brick and steel pergola shades this new outdoor amenity for the shopping center. More recent changes below:


In December, we let you know that Dunkin’ is continuing its massive expansion across the country and in MoCo, with an upcoming location coming to the Traville Village Center in Rockville. We then learned that it will be taking over 1,500 SF in the back half of the building that was previously home to Capital One Bank building at 9761 Traville Gateway Drive (rendering available below). Construction recently began on the location that will also have a drive-thru.1,700 SF on the front side of the building is still available to lease.

Since Inspire Brands acquired Dunkin’ and Baskin Robbins in late 2020 for $11.3 billion, the company has been opening in former bank locations that allow for easy installation of a drive-thru window. Dunkin has also aimed for non-traditional development that includes opening in airports and on college campuses, including the University of Maryland. Featured photo by Ted Pescado


The Applicant, Trammell Crow Company (TCC), was granted  approval of Site Plan No. 820220250 which is limited to the 66.5 acres of the northern portion of the 107-acre Overall Site on March 30th. This Site Plan is the subject of a ground lease between the Trammell Crow Company and the Property Owner Johns Hopkins University, and which includes future Parcel A, Block C of the Johns Hopkins University Belward Campus subdivision and Belward Campus Drive. Additional information from the site plan can be seen below:

The Applicant, Johns Hopkins University (JHU), is seeking approval of Final Forest Conservation Plan (FFCP) No. F20230020, which encompasses the entire 107 acres referenced as the Belward Tract or Overall Site. The Forest Conservation Plan was approved for the Overall Site with Amended Preliminary Plan No. 11996110A and amended in the JHU Medical Office Building Site Plan No. 820210120. This current submission of JHU’s Final FCP amendment is triggered by the proposed development with the TCC Site Plan application. The purpose of JHU’s FCP amendment is to modify the previously approved FFCP for the Overall Site to accommodate TCC’s proposed development in their Site Plan application (“TCC Site Plan”).


Pets Are Home will open its second location at 10038 Darnestown Rd. in the Travilah Square Shopping Center, taking over the space previously occupied by Michael’s Noodles near a Title Boxing Club. The first Pets Are Home Location was opened by a husband and wife team in Kensington (10414 Derrick Ave, Suite 300) in August 2021. We have been told by a representative at the Kensington lcoation that the store expects to open in May. Additional information on the story behind Pets Are Home, courtesy of its website:

“Nathan and his wife Ross moved to Kensington MD in 2019 where they now share a home with Cotton, their  French Mastiff.  As soon as they moved to Kensington, they quickly realized that buying food for Cotton involved either traversing through 40 minute traffic or buying online. Neither were desirable options for them, and they were not alone in this struggle. They discovered that other pet parents in their neighborhood also disliked driving through heavy traffic in North Rockville, competing for parking space in Downtown Bethesda, and buying online from big name retailers. It was immediately clear to Nathan and Ross that there was an unmet hunger for a pet supply store in Kensington.


Quickway has opened its 7th Montgomery County location right next to Trader Joe’s in the Travilah Square Shopping Center (photos below). The restaurant signed on nearly a year ago, and only recently began and completed construction. Their signature hibachi chicken dish is available for $7.95 and additional meals range in price from $9.95 to $12.75. Bento boxes, beef, shrimp, tofu, salmon, sushi, poke bowls and more are also available.

The regional chain opened its 6th location in Olney last year and and its 5th MoCo location in Stone Mill Square (Korean Korner shopping center) before that. Quickway which can now be found in 10 different counties across the DMV since opening its first location in 2012, will be joining Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken– another new fast casual restaurant that recently opened in the shopping center.


(~145a) 15200blk Dufief Dr, off Darnestown Rd, SFH, kitchen fire @mcfrs PE731, PE732, PE708, PE703, PE722, T731, PAT708, RS703, M731, BC703, BC705, RS729, AT703, A732, ALS708 & others responded, all occupants got out, fire extinguished, no injuries , 1 family displaced pic.twitter.com/Hgs97dc2Xm

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) March 13, 2023


On Feb. 3, DuFief Elementary School in North Potomac welcomed Montgomery County Chief of Police Marcus Jones to speak to students on community leadership. The school is celebrating Black History Month by looking at ways to serve the community through leadership.

Along with the parent community and the DuFief Diversity Committee, the month will include guest speakers, including Robert Frost Middle School students and students from the Thomas S. Wootton High School Minority Scholars Program. Featured photo: Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones speaks to students at DuFief Elementary School.


In December, we let you know that Dunkin’ is continuing its massive expansion across the country and in MoCo, with an upcoming location coming to the Traville Village Center in Rockville. We have since learned that it will be taking over 1,500 SF in the back half of the building that was previously home to Capital One Bank building at 9761 Traville Gateway Drive (rendering available below). The location will also have a drive-thru. 1,700 SF on the front side of the building is still available to lease.

Since Inspire Brands acquired Dunkin’ and Baskin Robbins in late 2020 for $11.3 billion, the company has been opening in former bank locations that allow for easy installation of a drive-thru window. Dunkin has also aimed for non-traditional development that includes opening in airports and on college campuses, including the University of Maryland.


Planners release report on current conditions, community input for master plan focused on communities along I-270 Corridor

The Montgomery County Planning Department presented the Great Seneca Plan: Connecting Life and ScienceExisting Conditions Report to the Planning Board Thursday, January 19. The Great Seneca Plan is a comprehensive update to the 2010 master plan for communities in the heart of the I-270 Corridor that border the cities of Gaithersburg​ and Rockville, and includes the Universities at Shady Grove, Adventist Healthcare Shady Grove, and surrounding areas. The Existing Conditions Report evaluates the status of the plan area and provides critical community input and data that inform the Great Seneca Plan going forward. The final plan will make recommendations for land use, zoning, urban design, transportation, environment, and community facilities, as well as incorporate countywide initiatives and policies.


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