Two weeks ago, CVS announced that it planned to close around 900 stores over the next three years. Last week, demolition of the building started at the location that was home to O’Donnell’s, Tommy Joe’s, Boulevard Tavern, and Brasserie Beck in the Kentlands neighborhood of Gaithersburg.
Gaithersburg Councilmember Neil Harris told us that CVS is moving forward with the plan back in 2019. Yesterday he confirmed that CVS would be moving in to the property, where a new building will be erected.
There’s no timetable for when it’ll be ready to open, but construction will start soon after demolition (photos below).
The pile-driving, which installs the piling – or vertical structure – for the support of excavation, began in September and was about 90% complete. It was completed by the start of November. More than 200 of these 60 feet-long steel I-beams will have been installed for Twinbrook Quarter.
Phase One of Twinbrook Quarter is located on the southwest corner of the property at Rockville Pike and Halpine Road and includes residential and commercial space, including a new Wegmans.
The Wegmans and surrounding new development will be right next to Twinbrook metro– occupying the former home of Pizza CS, Hooters, Fuddruckers, Salvation Army, and more.
Phase One is not expected to be completed for a couple years. More information below:
Phase One.
Excavation will continue for the next few months as we dig to create the building’s foundation. You’ll see dump trucks coming and going from the site during the day, exclusively via Halpine Road and Rockville Pike, hauling away the excavated dirt.
Working to Minimize Dirt Off of the Site
We have systems in place to clean each construction vehicle of dirt and debris before it leaves the construction site. Each truck traverses two separate “wash racks” before driving away. The wash racks (one of which is shown midway up the right side of the above photo) include grating and gravel that clean the dirt off of the tires. Construction team-members also drive street-sweeping vehicles on Halpine Road between Rockville Pike and the construction exits.
Construction Hours
Typical hours of operation at the construction site are 7 AM–7 PM Monday through Friday and 9 AM – 7 PM on Saturday.
12/7 Update: Memorandum with updates
Saul has finalized a proposal requesting the approval of three additional infill commercial buildings totaling 21,700 square feet in Kentlands Square Shopping Center.
A 17,700+ square foot “outdoor garden” is also in the plans.
The commercial buildings will be located along Main St., between Great Seneca Highway and Market Square Pl., on the far side of the At Home parking lot next to Lowe’s.
Shake Shack is under consideration as one of the tenants of the new buildings.
A Joint Public Hearing will be scheduled to discuss and potentially approve the proposal.
Per the City of Gaithersburg:
Proposal
SDP-9073-2021
The applicant, Saul Holdings Limited Partnership, has submitted Schematic Development Plan Application SDP-9073-2021, requesting approval of three additional infill commercial buildings totaling 21,700 square feet and associated minor site changes.
Previous Approvals
The Mayor and City Council approved Schematic Development Plan SDP-7712-2017 on July 16, 2018. The approval was for three additional commercial infill sites totaling 16,000 square feet along Kentlands Square Place. The Planning Commission approved final Site Plan SP-8277-2019 on October 16, 2019. The approval was for the first of three infill sites and approved the construction of a 2,100 square foot Starbucks building with drive through and outdoor seating. The Planning Commission approved final Site Plan AFP-8883-2021 on July 8, 2021. The approval was for the construction of a 4,700 square foot Shake Shack building and outdoor seating.
Status
A Joint Public Hearing has not been scheduled. Once a date has been determined, the project page will be updated. If you have any questions or comments about the application, please contact the Planning Department at [email protected] or 301-258-6330.
Updated on 12/3 to include construction video:
Construction of Pleasant View Park, the 28th park in the City of Gaithersburg’s inventory, is scheduled to start on Monday, November 8, 2021. The 9.54-acre park is located at the former Consumer Product Safety Commission site on Rt. 28. A 16-month construction period is anticipated, with completion in February 2023. Work will continue through the winter months, weather permitting.
The contractor for this project is Patriot Construction, LLC. Initial work will involve the mobilization of construction equipment, installation of erosion and sediment control structures, installation of a fabric barrier on an existing fence, the demolition of concrete slabs and asphalt surfaces, and clearing trees and shrubs.
The site will then be graded, a stormwater structure and new electrical service will be installed, and asphalt and concrete pathways will be laid down. Then comes the installation of amenities, including a playground, community garden, trees and shrubs, bike track, fitness pods, a pavilion, a welcome plaza, and more.
Entrance to the construction site is restricted to construction crewmembers and administration staff only. Vehicles will be parked within the site and a trailer will be brought in for staff. All work will be scheduled in compliance with the City’s Noise Ordinance.
Residents in the vicinity of the new park may hear and see the impacts of the construction. Equipment includes excavation and earth moving machines, soil compaction equipment, concrete and asphalt demolition equipment, temporary generators, hydraulic and pneumatic tools, construction debris removal trucks, new materials delivery trucks, and tree removal and tree trimming equipment.
Pleasant View Park is named after the nearby Pleasant View community, one of the first free black communities established after the Civil War. The park’s name honors the historic significance of that community and also reflects the beauty of the natural surroundings.
The land was acquired through the Federal Land to Parks Program of the United States Department of the Interior National Park Service. From 1955 to 1975, this location served as a fire control radar site for the U.S. Army NIKE missile system. After 1975, the site was used by the Consumer Product Safety Commission as the National Laboratory Campus for testing consumer products.
The address of the park is 10901 Darnestown Road.
Purple line construction will cause some minor closures and delays later this month. They can be seen below:
• Beginning on or about October 18, 2021, a segment of Rock Creek Trail will be closed in the work zone (identified in the graphic below) to the public for approximately 3 weeks.
Work may take place from 7.a.m to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, weather permitting. The Rock Creek Trail will be open to the public after 5 p.m. on weekdays and throughout the weekend.
A signed detour will be in place while the segment of trail is closed during daylight hours.
• Beginning on or about October 18, 2021, crews will perform utility relocations on Barron Street between Piney Branch Road (MD 320) and Gilbert Place for one week, weather permitting.
Work may take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and weekends as needed. Temporary lane closures will occur with flagging operations.
• Beginning on or about October 24, 2021, crews will begin utility relocations at the intersection of University Boulevard (MD 193) and Piney Branch Road (MD 320) overnight through the end of November, weather permitting.
Work may take place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. weekdays and weekends, as needed. Temporary lane closures will occur with a minimum of one lane in each direction maintained around the work zone and flagging operations in place as needed. Please obey construction signage near the work zones.
Last September we let you know of Cadence Olney– a new senior living facility that would be coming to Olney.
Construction started in the winter and progress has been made as they move closer to completion, which is currently scheduled for this December.
Below we have a photo of some of the progress, courtesy of Flournoy Development, as well as a rendering of what the completed living center will look like.
Per Cadence Living and Flournoy Development:
Cadence Living and Flournoy Development Group announce that they have broken ground on Cadence Olney, a 107-apartment community located near the intersection of Georgia Ave and Old Baltimore Road in Olney, Maryland, part of the Greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. This luxury community is situated on 37 beautiful acres that includes 31 acres of forest preserve that will serve as a natural amenity for the residents of Cadence Olney and provide a serene environment ideal for a holistic resident experience. The community will feature a 3-story Independent Living and Assisted Living main building and a 2-story Memory Care building filled with indoor and outdoor amenity spaces that will be for the enjoyment of its residents.
Olney is a special place and this location with its natural preserve is idyllic,” stated Cadence Principal Rob Leinbach, “We look forward to creating a an incredible community with Flournoy Development Group that will enhance the lives of Olney residents for years to come.”
“Flournoy’s commitment to developing senior living communities has never been stronger, and we are pleased to have found an opportunity in the high barrier market of Montgomery County, Maryland,” said Justin R. Osborne, Vice President, Senior Housing. “We were able to identify the most attractive location to co-develop with Cadence, which led to the expansion of both our firms’ footprints in the Mid-Atlantic region.”
About Cadence Living
Cadence Living develops, owns and/or operates lifestyle communities throughout theUnited States. What sets Cadence apart is the company’s devoted approach to creating healthy, vibrant communities that offer residents exceptional independent living, assisted living and memory care lifestyle options. The name “Cadence” underlines the company’s personal philosophy that each community should aspire, create and respond to life’s natural rhythms to enliven and enrich the experience of residents. For more information on Cadence Living, visit www.CadenceSL.com.
Progress at Twinbrook Quarter (Rockville Wegmans Location)
Phase One of Twinbrook Quarter is located on the southwest corner of the property at Rockville Pike and Halpine Road and includes residential and commercial space, including a new Wegmans.
The Wegmans and surrounding new development will be right next to Twinbrook metro– occupying the former home of Pizza CS, Hooters, Fuddruckers, Salvation Army, and more.
A couple months back the previous-construction phase began to prepare the site for construction. The preparation work included setting up temporary fencing, signage and disconnecting utilities.
A few weeks back, that work was completed and w began to see the demolition of the vacant retail buildings (seen in the photos below).
This demolition work will continue over the next three to four months, weather permitting. At completion of that work, the site will be ready for groundbreaking before the end of 2021.
Phase One is the first of seven phases that comprise Twinbrook Quarter. Twinbrook Quarter will feature 175,000 square feet of retail, 200,000 square feet of office space and over 1,400 new residential units. Last August, we let you know some details of the upcoming development.
Construction Progressing at Old MoCo Planning Headquarters on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring
Construction is moving fast at the old Park & Planning Headquarters on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring (aka the Montgomery Regional Office).
Two weeks ago former Silver Spring blog, My Line is Red, tweeted that construction of the upcoming MOM’s Organic Market at 8787 Georgia Avenue had started.
Today, Mike Riley (director of Montgomery Parks) posted pictures of the quick progress that has been made at the site.
Back in September, the Washington Business Journal reported that MOM’s Organic Market had signed a lease with Bozzuto Development Co. and Stonebridge to take over the previous Montgomery Planning headquarters in Silver Spring.
It will be located on the ground floor of 8787 Georgia Ave. as part of the planned redevelopment of the Montgomery County government facility.
Per WBJ, “MOM’s will anchor the redevelopment of a government facility in Silver Spring into a mix of retail and residential space that’s been in the works for nearly six years.”
At the time of the original report of the lease signing, it was expected that MOM’s would not open for 1.5-3 years. According to that time line we are just under 1-2.5 years away from opening.
Construction Update on Old Georgetown Road and Executive Blvd
Many who have driven through Rockville have been affected by the closure of the intersection at Old Georgetown Rd and Executive Blvd.
The county is working on a project known as the White Flint West Workaround Project. One goal is to realign Old Georgetown Road and Executive Boulevard for improved traffic flow.
Per the county website, this project will also improve sidewalks, bikeways, trails, paths, and more. Another goal is to make the area more pedestrian friendly by reducing “superblocks”.
To help the construction process continue, the intersection of Old Georgetown Rd and Executive Blvd has been closed since March 22nd.
How much longer will you have to wait?
The intersection is expected to re-open this August.
Having the intersection open during construction has led to unsafe conditions– there have been numerous “near misses” in addition to one fatal injury–a foreman was struck by a vehicle as he was exiting a manhole.
Below you’ll see a current shot of the progress at the intersection.
Construction of Avocet Towers in Bethesda to Close Two Lanes of Montgomery Avenue for Five Nights Each Week Through Mid-Summer
Per Montgomery County:
Construction of a project by Avocet Towers Investors, LLC will close down two lanes of traffic five nights each week on Montgomery Avenue between Wisconsin Avenue and Waverly Street in Bethesda through mid-summer. The road closure will occur near the future building located at 7373 Wisconsin Ave.
The lanes will be temporarily closed overnight from 9 p.m. through 5 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Weather and progress permitting, the work should be complete by mid-summer.
Night work is required to minimize traffic congestion due to existing construction activities during daytime hours, pedestrian safety concerns and impacts to local businesses.
The lane closures are needed to install new water laterals and abandon existing water main as building construction continues. The work will include cutting the asphalt, excavation, pipe placement, water line shut down to abandon existing water main, backfill and compaction of the lines.
The field supervisor on site, Ed Tribull, can be reached at 240-876-3888 to address any questions/concerns regarding the closures during construction.
Photo by Tom Merritt
Updates to Gaithersburg Square’s $6.6 Million Renovation, Including Marshall’s Signage
Back in October, the City of Gaithersburg issued a press release today stating that Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT) has approved approximately $6.6 million in property improvement expenditures for the Gaithersburg Square shopping center located at 524 North Frederick Avenue.
The renovations started a few weeks back at the shopping center, which dates back to 1965, and will include a brand new plaza area with outdoor dining and amenities, in addition to a more streamlined shopping experience.
Below we have some photos of the progress as well as a couple renderings of what the shopping center will look like.
