Per the Maryland Department of Transportation:
(June 30, 2022) – The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is installing a new traffic signal system at the US 29 (Columbia Pike)/Oak Leaf Drive intersection in White Oak to help improve operations, safety and pedestrian access. Work is expected to be completed by the fall, weather permitting.
In addition to a full-color traffic signal, the nearly $200,000 project includes a marked crossing on the south side across US 29, with countdown pedestrian signals and accessible pedestrian signals activated by push buttons. The system will significantly improve pedestrian safety at this busy location. The signal will include a protected left-turn phase for northbound US 29 left turns onto Oak Leaf Drive to improve overall traffic operations.
US 29 at Oak Leaf Drive is a six-lane major arterial route with a posted speed limit of 45 mph. Approximately 60,300 vehicles use this section of US 29 each day. The closest protected pedestrian crossing at this location is 800 feet to the south of Oak Leaf Drive at Prelude Drive. However, pedestrians cross US 29 near Oak Leaf Drive to access nearby bus stops.
During work to install the new traffic signal system, motorists can expect daytime off-peak single-lane closures on US 29 and Oak Leaf Drive between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Motorists should plan extra travel time during work hours. MDOT SHA’s contractor for the project is McLean Contracting Co., of Glen Burnie.
MDOT SHA works hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones for our crews as well as our customers. Drivers need to stay alert, focus on driving, and look for reduced speed limits as well as other driving pattern changes. Please drive like you work here and slow down in construction zones.
Motorists in need may dial #77 on their mobile device for roadside assistance.
For a list of all major MDOT SHA projects, go to Project Portal. Visit our homepage at roads.maryland.gov. For a look at real-time traffic conditions, go to md511.maryland.gov.
Per MCPD:
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 3rd District Investigative Section, are investigating an attempted robbery of a person that occurred at the Chick-fil-A in the 12000 block of Tech Road.
On Saturday, March 26, 2022, at approximately 8 a.m., 3rd District Officers responded to the location for the report of a robbery that just occurred.
The investigation determined that the suspect entered the Chick-fil-A and snatched the victim’s purse inside the restaurant. The victim chased the suspect outside of the restaurant, and recovered the purse. The suspect and victim began to scuffle, and the suspect ultimately kicked the victim in an attempt to regain possession of the purse, but the victim did not let go. The suspect then fled the scene.
The suspect is described as black and possibly male or female, approximately 5-feet, 10-inches tall, around 140 pounds, wearing a black vest with white fur, and a black hoodie underneath. The suspect also wore black pants and black and white Jordan sneakers.
Anyone with information regarding this suspect or this crime is asked to call the 3rd District Investigative Section at (240) 773- 6870 or (240) 773- TIPS, or contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS(8477). A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect. Callers can remain anonymous.
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Amazon announced on Wednesday that it plans to close all 68 of its brick-and-mortar bookstores, pop-ups and shops carrying toys and home goods (including Amazon 4 Star) in the United States and United Kingdom, per Reuters.
Amazon has an Amazon 4 Star location in Montgomery Mall in Bethesda and one that was planned for Germantown, with signage at that location recently going up. The Montgomery Mall Amazon 4 Star location will be closing permanently on march 19th, the store confirmed today. The Germantown location will no longer be opening, despite the recent signage that was erected prior to Amazon’s announcement.
Amazon Books at Bethesda Row will also be closing permanently, but the store does not have a closing date yet.
The company also stated that it would continue its focus on Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market grocery chains. An Amazon Fresh grocery store recently opened in Chevy Chase and one is planned for Gaithersburg. It was recently announced that an Amazon grocery store is in the plans for White Oak Town Center as well.
Per Montgomery County:
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Cicero Salles today was named the White Oak Planning Manager by Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. The planning manager serves as the County Executive’s representative for the White Oak Science Gateway (WOSG) Master Area and other East County development efforts, including the US29 Corridor.
Among his previous positions, Mr. Sallas worked for the Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation, where he was chief of the Traffic Studies Section. In the private sector Mr. Salles worked on the implementation of National Harbor, the large and successful mixed-use development project along the Potomac River in Prince George’s County, and Beech Tree, a prestigious golf-course community with approximately 1,700 homes.
“I am excited about the appointment of Cicero Salles, who comes to us with a strong background with unique qualifications needed to accelerate our efforts to advance developments in East County,” said County Executive Elrich. “I am committed to supporting the residents and continued investment in East County, and Cicero will be an important part of that effort.”
The WOSG Master Plan, which was adopted in 2014 by the County Council, provides the foundation for the development of White Oak’s major centers including Hillandale, White Oak/Fairland and the Life Sciences/FDA Village. The planning manager will work closely with the East County Regional Office Director and serve as a liaison between community stakeholders, advisory groups, businesses, development partners and County departments.
In addition, the planning manager is responsible for promoting and facilitating timely delivery of County services, as well as making recommendations to resolve issues related to development and area revitalization.
Mr. Salles has more than 35 years of professional experience, working for both the public and private sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park, where he also obtained a Master of Science degree in Transportation Engineering.
Mr. Salles’ prior experience includes serving as special assistant to the director at the Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation and positions at the Prince George’s County Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission’s transportation planning division and the Sao Paulo Transportation Regulatory Agency in Brazil, where he oversaw various highway concession contracts.
Mr. Salles was a planning commissioner for the City of Rockville during the planning and approval of the Rockville Town Center Master Plan.
“Mr. Salles will bring experience needed in building broad-based consensus on issues from a variety of engaged stakeholders and groups in the region including developers, residents, businesses and elected officials,” said Jewru Bandeh, director of the County’s Eastern Regional Services Office. “He will be working closely with the East County Regional Director to advance developments and community building goals in East County”
Hunan Manor, located at 11237 New Hampshire Avenue, will close permanently.
The restaurant has been in the White Oak shopping center for the last twenty years (by current ownership) and will close at the end of business tomorrow (Sunday, February 21st).
There is no news regarding a new tenant for the location at this moment.
Sad to hear #Chinese #restaurant #HunanManor at #WhiteOakShoppingCenter in #SilverSpringMaryland is #closing Monday February 21, 2022 after 20 years in #business. Get Some #CombinationFriedRice, #ChickenLoMein, #BeefChowFun 🥡❤️😀 @SourcetheSpring @TheMoCoShow#Maryland #MD pic.twitter.com/z7J3ZGoDC1
— Amy Woo 胡愛媚 🦋💜🐼 (@awoo1283) February 19, 2022
Back in July we shared preliminary plans for the upcoming White Oak Town Center that included updated renderings. In the renderings there was a noticeable change in the grocery store that was depicted. In earlier drawings, the grocery store designs resembled Trader Joe’s, but the updated renderings resembled Amazon Fresh.
This morning, BizJournals reported that “Amazon has reached a deal to open a new supermarket at a long-planned Silver Spring redevelopment fewer than three miles from the Food and Drug Administration’s campus”, referring to White Oak Town Center. “The team behind the White Oak Town Center has swapped a 41,000-square-foot Amazon-branded market, likely an Amazon Fresh, in for what had been a roughly 16,000-square-foot Trader Joe’s.”
White Oak Town Center will be located at 12345 Columbia Pike, in the northeast quadrant of the intersection of Prosperity Drive and Industrial Parkway. Below you’ll see some bullet points about what to expect, along with the renderings from our July update:
• The Site Plan is limited to a maximum of 105,000 square feet of commercial development on the Subject Property.
• The development is limited to a maximum height of 40 feet, as measured from the building height measuring point(s), as illustrated on the Certified Site Plan. Each building will have its own building height measuring point.
• The Applicant must provide a minimum of 29,206 square feet of public open space (10% of the Site
Area)
• The proposed development will be comprised of two buildings – Building A and Building B, both oriented to Industrial Parkway. A surface parking lot is located between the two buildings
• The proposed development removes the existing free right turn from Industrial Parkway onto Prosperity Drive and provides for dedication on Industrial Parkway and Prosperity Drive.
• Building A is a commercial building with approximately 63,100 square feet of density divided into 3 retail spaces. The space adjacent to Prosperity Drive is proposed to be a 41,000-square foot grocery store that anchors Building A and the entire development. Two other retail spaces complete the building, with outdoor tables for a potential restaurant. All front doors open onto the parking lot, with a loading area and additional parking to the rear.
• Building B is a two-story commercial building with approximately 40,000 square feet of density, with retail and office uses. While Building B is oriented to Industrial Parkway, it can also be accessed from the parking lot. There is a plaza with a Sign/ Clock Tower at the west end of Building B, as well as a seating area at the east end.
• The Project will provide a sufficient number of on-site parking spaces to support the proposed development and visitors, in accordance with Division 59.6 of the Zoning Ordinance. The Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum of 368 parking spaces and allows for a maximum of 630 spaces. In total the Project will provide 405 spaces, which exceeds the minimum but remains within the maximum permitted amount.
TGI Fridays is recognizing delivery drivers across the country by offering them a free appetizer of their choice on February 10th. The restaurant has two Montgomery County locations, Rockville and Silver Spring (near White Oak).
Additional information via the press release below:
Since February is the month that celebrates love, TGI Fridays®, the world’s first and most recognized casual bar and grill, is dedicating Thursday, February 10th, as a day of “app”reciation to those who deliver, those who show up each and every day to ensure restaurants, businesses, and much more, run smoothly. That’s right. Every truck driver, every FedEx, UPS, USPS, and DHL delivery person; every courier, carrier, and crusader, who not only made sure holiday gifts were delivered, but also that food makes it to each Fridays™ restaurant and to guests. Thanks to these hard-working individuals, the global supply chain never snapped — no matter how crazy things got over the last two years. Their hard work and dedication is love, delivered.
On February 10th, all delivery drivers have to do is show up at any participating Fridays in their work uniform or simply show their credentials, and tell the bartender or server, “I work in the delivery business,” and Fridays will deliver everyone’s heartfelt “app”reciation with their choice of one of the following appetizers:
- Green Bean Fries
- Loaded Potato Skins
- Philly Cheesesteak Eggrolls
- Warm Pretzels
- Chips & Salsa
- Pan-Seared Potstickers
- Spinach & Artichoke Dip
“Delivery workers continually feel the stress of supply chain challenges. Despite the pandemic and staffing shortages, they load up and drive, fly and deliver all the stuff the rest of the world is constantly tracking because they know everyone is depending on them,” said Sara Bittorf, Chief Experience Officer at TGI Fridays. “These are the unsung heroes, and we want to celebrate them because they deserve our thanks and gratitude.”
Fridays also invites everyone on social media to share their appreciation for delivery drivers everywhere by using the hashtag, #FridaysAPPreciation, and simply saying, “thanks.”
To learn more information about Fridays or find a location, visit Fridays.com.
About TGI Fridays
As the world’s first casual bar and grill, TGI Fridays is the birthplace of fun, freedom, and celebration, bringing people together to socialize and experience “That Fridays Feeling™” a sense of celebrating the fun in everyday moments, big and small. For over 50 years, Fridays has been lifting spirits around the world with nearly 700 restaurants in 54 countries, serving high-quality, classic American food and iconic drinks backed by authentic and genuine service. Visit www.Fridays.com for more information and join Fridays Rewards®. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
White Oak Bowling lanes has been operating in Montgomery County for over 60 years.
Located at 11207 New Hampshire Ave, the owners of the bowling alley are currently involved in a dispute with their landlord and insurance company after damage caused by Tropical Storm Ida uncovered a few more serious issues, causing the bowling alley to close temporarily.
The owners of the bowling alley have shared their points of view in the description of a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $5,000 in just 14 hours (with a goal of $500,000).
The description of the GoFundMe can be seen below.
”I can’t believe we have reached this point but here we are. The landlord (BF Saul/Saul Centers) has backed us into a corner and we are doing everything we can to protect ourselves and White Oak Bowling Lanes. White Oak Bowling Lanes has been a staple of the community since 1959 with many of our customers being long time return customers. Many people such as myself have had birthday parties there, met life long friends, met their eventual spouse, worked there, or just stopped by for a night out. White Oak Bowling Lanes has been a place many would consider a home away from home. Here is our story:
The week leading up to Labor Day weekend we were hit by Tropical depression Ida. That Thursday we noticed water coming in from the floor behind our bowling machines (the lowest point in our center). We immediately made our landlord and insurance company aware of the situation as we knew this was a big problem. Our insurance company denied the claim as the water came through the floor; therefore, was considered a building issue that needed to be resolved by the landlord. Since Labor Day weekend was around the corner, our rep from the landlord along with her boss were on vacation and out of the office so we dealt with a back up to a back up. He stopped by to view the damage and recommended that we do everything we can to remediate the problem until our contacts from the landlord were back in the office.
Over the weekend we assembled a team of friends to try to extract the water as all the remediation companies were too busy to come out until Monday at the earliest. We spent all weekend carrying buckets of water out of the back to try to contain/fix the problem. No matter how much water was extracted, more just poured in to cover the work we just did. The remediation companies we hired worked all week to extract the water but again, the water just kept coming in. All of these expenses at this point have come out of our pockets.
The landlord launched their own investigation and found a pit that was completely bolted and sealed in the affected area. When their plumber opened up this pit they discovered a sump pit but no sump pump. They immediately turned the blame on us saying that we removed the sump pump and the reason this disaster happened was due to our negligence. We have owned the space for the previous 3.5 years and the owner, George Sloan, previously worked there for 15 years prior to buying the center and never knew of this pit. When we asked the previous owner, Ralph, who owned it the 42 years prior, stated that he didn’t know about the pit either and had never been in it.
As time went on, an obvious mold issue was present. As the odor from the mold became worse and many customer complaints came in, we decided to bring in a company to test the air quality to make sure we were operating in a safe environment. The test came back that we had elevated mold levels and people could get sick, particularly the elderly and immunocompromised. We felt it was in the best interest of everyone to close the lanes while we dealt with the logistics of this problem as we did and do not want people to get sick in our bowing center.
The landlord received our report about the mold as they did not agree we should be closed. After reading the report they had a company refute the report without even stepping foot into the facility. Not sure how a company could say we didn’t have a mold problem when they never visited us. After challenging their findings, they decided to do an on site investigation. The company they used decided to write a false report stating there was no visible mold and there wasn’t an active mold problem. We had an expert review their reports and the lab work they did confirmed that we DID have a mold problem and it was significantly worse than when we did our tests. The written report that was given to us was a blatant lie to pressure us to reopen because the landlord made it clear that we shouldn’t be closed. It’s clear the landlord values their rent money more than people’s health.
Currently, we are still battling it out with the landlord and our insurance company. Neither feel they should have to pay for this which has left us in a horrible position. Isn’t this what insurance is for? Our insurance has maintained the stance that this is the landlord’s responsibility while the landlord has tried to find every loophole to blame us for this disaster that we had no control over. Saul Centers has also repeatedly mentioned their reluctance to help as they don’t see us surviving due to our declining numbers from COVID even though things were starting to pick back up. We had to cancel numerous parties and reservations due to this issue. There’s no reason to believe things were going in the wrong direction as you can tell by the reservations that were coming back along with email inquiries.
As you could imagine, expenses have piled up with many many more to come including legal fees to pursue this further. We ask for any help you could potentially give whether it be a donation or even a share to get our story out there. We truly feel that we have gone about this the right way and are essentially being bullied by the landlord in an attempt to get out of paying this. Please help us keep this huge part of the community open!!!
Yesterday we received word that Naz’s Halal would expanding to Germantown and Rockville, but we have now learned of two additional MoCo locations– Takoma Park and White Oak.
Germantown- 13025 Wisteria Drive
Rockville- 1040 Rockville Pike
Takoma Park- 7653 New Hampshire Ave
White Oak- 11209 New Hampshire Ave
Naz’s Halal will provide opening updates for all of these locations on Instagram, @NazsHalal
The first location outside of New York was also in MoCo, at the Burtonsville Town Center, next to Tropical Smoothie Cafe. That location opened in August 2020 and has become a local favorite with late night hours, remaining open until 2am Sunday through Thursday and 4am on Friday and Saturday.
Since the Burtonsville opening, Naz’s Halal has expanded to California and Rhode Island.
The restaurant offers rice platters, sandwiches, gyros, wings, salads, and more.
Five additional Maryland restaurants will be opening in the upcoming year. Those will be located in Baltimore, Bowie, Denton, Ellicott City, and Waldorf.
Naz’s Halal Food began as a food truck in Queens, NY in 2009. The first brick and mortar restaurant opened in 2018 and there are currently five locations, all in New York. It was founded by cousins Naz and Kareem, who were both public-school teachers at the same New York City school.
Update: Brooke Weaver has been located safe and unharmed.
Per MCPD:
For Immediate Release: Friday, November 5, 2021
Gaithersburg, MD – Detectives from the Montgomery County Police – Special Victims Division are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a 17-year-old from White Oak.
Brooke Weaver was last seen in the morning hours of November 4 at her residence on Old Columbia Pike.
Weaver is approximately 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighs 115 pounds. She has black hair which she may be wearing in a ponytail and brown eyes. Weaver was last seen wearing a plain gray zip-up hoodie, black jeans and yellow crocs.
Police and family are concerned for her welfare.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Brooke Weaver is asked to call the police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000 (24-hour line) or the Special Victims Investigation Division at 240-773-5400.
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Montgomery County Council Release Statement in Support of Viva White Oak Development, “Deeply Disappointed” in County Executive Marc Elrich
Montgomery County Council President Tom Hucker, Vice President Gabe Albornoz, and Councilmembers Nancy Navarro, Hans Riemer, Sidney Katz and Andrew Friedson issued a statement today in support of the Viva White Oak Development.
In the statement, they were critical of County Executive Marc Elrich, saying “we were deeply disappointed to read County Executive Marc Elrich’s continued opposition to one of Montgomery County’s top economic development priorities – Viva White Oak – the public-private partnership which plans to bring approximately seven million square feet of commercial development and 5,000 residential units to White Oak.
Full statement below.
For Immediate Release: Monday, September 20, 2021
ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 20, 2021—Council President Tom Hucker, Vice President Gabe Albornoz, and Councilmembers Nancy Navarro, Hans Riemer, Sidney Katz and Andrew Friedson issued the following statement in support of the Viva White Oak Development:
“We were deeply disappointed to read County Executive Marc Elrich’s continued opposition to one of Montgomery County’s top economic development priorities – Viva White Oak – the public-private partnership which plans to bring approximately seven million square feet of commercial development and 5,000 residential units to White Oak.
“Over the last three years, Montgomery County has been last in the region in job creation. And, like the rest of the major jurisdictions in the metropolitan Washington region, Montgomery County leaders have declared a housing crisis and adopted ambitious housing production goals, which the current administration has failed to meet.
“Viva White Oak is not only a significant step toward reaching our job creation and our housing production goals. It also promises to create high-wage jobs in East County, exactly where Montgomery County needs them most. Attracting more jobs near FDA headquarters and convenient to East County communities also aligns with the County’s racial equity principles and reduces overall commute times in service of our climate goals.
“Percontee Inc. recently announced its plans to begin development on the first phase of the project in early 2022. This is a vital opportunity to bring a vibrant live-work-play community to White Oak and bolster Montgomery County’s position as a leading biotech and life sciences hub.
“The project, centrally located between the new Washington Adventist Hospital and Food and Drug Administration headquarters in White Oak, will expand commercial and residential opportunities in every direction and the new development will raise the value and the marketability of the surrounding area.
“The County has invested $40 million in transportation and infrastructure improvements to support Viva White Oak and must continue to support the revitalization efforts in White Oak that community leaders and residents have been counting on for years. The County government, which analyzes all policy decisions through a lens of racial equity and social justice, has an obligation to significantly invest in East County. That investment needs to be leveraged in order to create economic opportunities for East County residents, particularly the most vulnerable.
“This project is adjacent to a designated Equity Emphasis Area with extraordinary opportunities. It is home to mixed-income residents that would benefit greatly from a variety of new jobs, amenities, and new housing, achieving continuous investment and providing support in bringing this mixed-use space to life is pivotal.
“Viva White Oak also is conveniently served by Flash, the County’s first Bus Rapid Transit line, and its success will help to guarantee the continued success and ridership levels of the Flash bus line in that corridor.
“We expect that East County will continue to be one of the fastest growing areas in the County over the next decade; a majority of schools in this area are already at varying levels of overcapacity. We urge the County Executive to join us in supporting the White Oak community and Viva White Oak, rather than continuing to publicly disparage one of the County’s top economic development projects, which will bring housing, jobs and opportunity to the area.
“We will support the White Oak community and facilitate coordination among these stakeholders in the development of Viva White Oak and revitalization of East County.”
