Gaithersburg Archives - Page 282 of 411

Progress at Sweetgreen in Gaithersburg

Published October 24, 2022 at 4:28PM

Last October we let you know that Sweetgreen would be taking over the Verizon Wireless storefront, located next to Downtown Crown Beer & Wine, in Gaithersburg’s Downtown Crown development. Verizon has since moved within Crown, and signage for Sweetgreen went up in August. Earlier today we stopped by and were told by workers that construction will be complete in “a couple months”, giving the fast-casual restaurant an expected early 2023 opening. We were also told permanent signage is going up very soon.

Sweetgreen currently has three MoCo locations, in Bethesda, Downtown Silver Spring, and Pike & Rose. Crown has been without a fast-casual salad restaurant since Chopt closed in early 2020 and has since moved that location to the Kentlands neighborhood.

Courtesy Review of Plan That Would Bring 180 New Units to City by Gaithersburg’s Historic District Commission Takes Place October 26

By MCS Staff

Published October 24, 2022 at 1:51PM | Updated October 24, 2022 at 2:29PM

The City of Gaithersburg’s Historic District Commission (HDC) is scheduled to provide a non-binding courtesy review of the Park and Brookes Avenues Concept Site Plan (CSP-9149-2021) at its October 26 meeting. The Planning Commission is expected to review the Concept Site Plan after the HDC courtesy review. MBW and Haris Design and Construction Co. submitted Concept Site Plan application (SP-9149-2021) on December 16, 2021, to demolish the buildings located at 9, 11, and 15 Park Avenue and 201 Brookes Avenue in anticipation of redevelopment into a pair of multifamily buildings totaling 180 units with 2,217 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. The building at the intersection of Park and Brookes Avenues will stand four (4) stories tall, and the building to the south along Park Avenue will stand five (5) stories tall. A City-owned alley extends between the two (2) buildings.

Status: Before any demolition permit is issued, the HDC reviews each structure or building fifty (50) years old or older to consider a building’s potential historic or architectural significance for historic designation either individually or as part of an historic district, under the criteria specified in Sec. 24-226 of the City Code. The HDC initially reviewed SP-9149-2021 at its June 22, 2022, meeting. The application was deferred to its next meeting so the HDC could receive more historical information on the properties. At its July 27 meeting, the HDC determined there was reasonable probability 9, 11, 13, and 15 Park Avenue and 201 Brookes Avenue could be locally designated as an historic district, or, in the alternative, 9 and 15 Park Avenue and 201 Brookes Avenue could be locally designated as individual sites. The HDC directed Staff to prepare a petition resolution to the Mayor and City Council, and the HDC approved the resolution at its August 24 meeting. At its October 3 meeting, the City Council voted not to accept the HDC’s petition to designate the properties as historic. The HDC is scheduled to provide a non-binding courtesy review of the Park and Brookes Avenues Concept Site Plan (CSP-9149-2021) at its October 26 meetingAs currently designed, the project also will require a height waiver from the City Council.

Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen Aiming for an Early 2023 Opening at Rio Lakefront

By MCS Staff

Published October 24, 2022 at 8:16AM

Coming soon signage recently went up at Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen at 229 Boardwalk Pl. in Rio. The restaurant will be located in the 2,741SF space previously occupied by BGR, which closed back in June. We have been told by Rio Lakefront that the restaurant is currently anticipating an early 2023 opening. Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen in Rio will be a fast-casual restaurant, while the recently opened Miss Toya’s Creole Kitchen at 923 Ellsworth Dr in Downtown Silver Spring is full-service (wait staff, etc.).

The restaurant is part of Jeffeary Miskiri’s Miskiri Hospitality Group, which describes itself as a unique collective of Black, family and woman-owned products and restaurants in the DC area. Miss Toya’s will serve southern-influenced dishes such as red beans and rice, macaroni and cheese and a southern fried chicken sandwich. It will be joining the recently announced Sportrock Climbing Centers, Charley Prime, Le Macaron, as well as the recently opened Donutchew, as locally-based businesses opening in Gaithersburg’s Rio. Below you’ll see a video of the recently opened full-service Miss Toya’s restaurant in Downtown Silver Spring:

MoCo Ghost Story: The Headless Horseman of Game Preserve Road

By MCS Staff

Published October 24, 2022 at 7:57AM

From the Montgomery County Sentinel in 1876: “As the story goes, during the Civil War a soldier was decapitated by a saber in a skirmish around what is now Game Preserve Road. After the fight, his fellow soldiers hastily buried him in an unmarked grave, even though they couldn’t find his head to bury with his body.”

The story has been passed down for many generations and many have told tales about the supposed unmarked grave of the headless man. Some have recalled strange noises and apparitions with glowing eyes. Others have seen the figure of a headless soldier (sometimes on a horse and sometimes without it), while many have driven down the Gaithersburg road several times and have stated they’ve never noticed anything out of the ordinary. Below you’ll see a few responses to this story in years past:

Detectives Investigate Fatal Pedestrian Collision That Occurred on Midcounty Highway Saturday Night

By Patrick Herron

Published October 23, 2022 at 6:14PM | Updated October 23, 2022 at 6:40PM

At approximately 8:42 p.m., 6th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the location for the report of a pedestrian struck. The victim was pronounced dead on scene. For reasons still under investigation, the victim, who was located in the roadway, was hit by a red Saturn Aura. The driver of the Saturn remained on scene following the collision.

Charley Prime, a New Concept by the Restaurant Group Behind Quarry House Tavern, Expected to Open in Rio in Early 2023

By MCS Staff

Published October 23, 2022 at 4:55PM

Coming soon signage is now up around the exterior of Charley Prime Foods, the new restaurant from Jackie Greenbaum & Gordon Banks (Little Coco’s, El Chucho, Bar Charley, Quarry House Tavern) that will be replacing Tara Thai on the Rio Lakefront boardwalk at 9811 Washington Blvd in Gaithersburg. Originally aiming for a Fall/Winter 2022 opening, the restaurant had its Class B: Beer, Wine, & Liquor license hearing on August 4th and construction continues as Rio representatives have let us know that the restaurant is now scheduled to open “early 2023”.

According to a press release, the Charley Prime team envisions the restaurant as a mature version of their popular DC restaurant Bar Charley, with an expanded menu, but keeping its lively cocktail forward energy. The broader menu will remain steak focused, but will also feature house made pastas (a la Little Coco’s) as well as other items unique to just this location. The group has tapped Editlab@Streetsense to design the space. Explains Greenbaum, “We can’t wait to do our first suburban project and think the timing is perfect. We’ve always done restaurants that are near and dear to our hearts and that we feel are right or needed in the particular neighborhood. My partners both have young families and Rio has been a frequent destination for them for years, as it is for tons of people in north Montgomery county. This is especially true for our chef and partner in this project, Adam Harvey, who lives nearby. We’re really thrilled to bring something unique to the mix out there.”

MCFRS Respond to Fires in Gaithersburg and Silver Spring on Sunday

By Patrick Herron

Published October 23, 2022 at 4:32PM

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services responded to several fires in Montgomery County on Sunday, October 23.

MCFRS investigative units continue to investigate as suppression units start to pack up and leave. https://t.co/oI6P7qGrUd pic.twitter.com/OLbcrsvWp2

Update on Fatal Pedestrian Involved Collision in Gaithersburg

By Patrick Herron

Published October 23, 2022 at 9:25AM

A 39-year-old male pedestrian was pronounced dead after a collision on Midcounty Highway in Gaithersburg on Saturday night. According to Montgomery County Police, detectives were originally investigating this as a hit-and-run, but after further investigation, they do not want to definitively call it a hit-and/run. Below is a summary of events from MCPD:

“On Saturday, October 22, 2022, at approximately 8:42 p.m., 6th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the area of Midcounty Hwy. and Miller Fall Rd. for the report of a pedestrian struck. A 39-year-old male pedestrian was located in the roadway that had been struck by at least one vehicle, which remained on scene. At this time, the circumstances leading to the pedestrian being struck in the roadway is under investigation. The victim was pronounced dead on scene. This is an active and ongoing investigation.

Halloweentown Star, Kimberly J. Brown, is From Gaithersburg

By MCS Staff

Published October 23, 2022 at 8:55AM | Updated October 24, 2022 at 7:13AM

Actress Kimberly J. Brown, best known to audiences for her portrayal of the teen witch Marnie Piper in the Halloweentown films, is from Gaithersburg. In a 2016 interview with a Maryland-based blog, she referenced growing up in Gaithersburg in the 80s and early 90s. “There were certain areas near where I lived that were so serene. I love that whole country, green feel. Our family ritual was going to duck ponds in the area and playing with the baby chicks. I love being able to have a bat and a ball, and not caring where the ball lands if that makes sense. In Los Angeles, you don’t have that luxury all the time.” In the interview she also refers to Washington as her favorite NFL team.

Brown got her first big break playing the role of Marah Lewis on the daytime soap opera Guiding Light– the daughter of “super couple” Josh Lewis and Reva Shayne. When she was 13 she was cast in Halloweentown as Marnie Piper, a young witch who is determined to learn magic from her grandmother Aggie, portrayed by Debbie Reynolds. Halloweentown aired on October 17, 1998, and was well received by audiences, leading Disney Channel to produce three sequels; Brown reprised her role as Marnie in two of them, but was replaced by Sara Paxton in the fourth installment, Return to Halloweentown, a decision over which Brown expressed confusion and disappointment.

Police Investigating Fatal Pedestrian Involved Collision Saturday Night in Gaithersburg

By Patrick Herron

Published October 22, 2022 at 10:11PM | Updated October 23, 2022 at 8:55AM

Updated Sunday 10/23: A 39-year-old male pedestrian was pronounced dead after a collision on Midcounty Highway in Gaithersburg on Saturday night. Montgomery County Police originally stated that the incident was being investigated as a hit and run, but are now reporting that the owner of the vehicle did remain on the scene. Below is a summary of events from MCPD:

“On Saturday, October 22, 2022, at approximately 8:42 p.m., 6th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the area of Midcounty Hwy. and Miller Fall Rd. for the report of a pedestrian struck. A 39-year-old male pedestrian was located in the roadway that had been struck by at least one vehicle, which remained on scene. At this time, the circumstances leading to the pedestrian being struck in the roadway is under investigation. The victim was pronounced dead on scene. This is an active and ongoing investigation.

Midcounty Highway in Gaithersburg Closed Due to a Collision Involving a Pedestrian

By Patrick Herron

Published October 22, 2022 at 9:19PM | Updated October 23, 2022 at 8:57AM

Sunday 10/23 Update: A 39-year-old male pedestrian was pronounced dead after a collision on Midcounty Highway in Gaithersburg on Saturday night. Montgomery County Police originally stated that the incident was being investigated as a hit and run, but are now reporting that the owner of the vehicle did remain on the scene. Below is a summary of events from MCPD:

“On Saturday, October 22, 2022, at approximately 8:42 p.m., 6th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the area of Midcounty Hwy. and Miller Fall Rd. for the report of a pedestrian struck. A 39-year-old male pedestrian was located in the roadway that had been struck by at least one vehicle, which remained on scene. At this time, the circumstances leading to the pedestrian being struck in the roadway is under investigation. The victim was pronounced dead on scene. This is an active and ongoing investigation.