Viva White Oak Developers Say They Are Close to Beginning Construction
Biz Journal is reporting that the developers of the $3 billion, 12 million-square-feet Viva White Oak project say that they are almost ready to begin construction on the 300-acre project.
The first phase of the project involves building 400,000 sq. ft. of bio-tech/office space and 400,000 of residential and retail along FDA Blvd. The project is looking to turn an old waste processing facility and quarry into a mixed use destination.
About Viva White Oak:
From MontgomeryCounty.org:
“The County and Global LifeSci Development Corporation (GLDC) signed a General Development Agreement in June 2016. The Sketch Plan for the entire Viva White Oak project was approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board on November 30, 2017. GLDC held a public meeting on March 1, 2018 for their Preliminary Plan application. A groundbreaking ceremony for Viva White Oak was held on October 22, 2018. The Planning Board reviewed and approved Viva White Oak, Preliminary Plan No. 120180240 on November 29, 2018.
Demolition of the former Site 2 property was completed June 2019.”
From ViVaWhiteOak:.
“Currently, the 300-acre Viva White Oak community is planning for approximately seven-million-square-feet of commercial development and 5,000 residential units. Viva White Oak is being jointly developed as a public-private partnership between Global LifeSci Development Corporation (an affiliate of Percontee, Inc.) and Montgomery County, Maryland.
It is our intention that great neighborhoods and a great village will be the definitive piece in attracting the best and brightest minds to this location. Great housing and great amenities such as fine dining restaurants, theaters and clubs, shopping at national or local stores, and acres of open and recreational space, directly linked to the academic campus, the adjacent hotel, and concentrated blocks of office and research, development and lab buildings, will make this a World Class life sciences center.”
Tropical Smoothie Cafe has made a splash in MoCo in the last couple years.
A new location is under construction at 12263 Tech Road, the former Verizon location in the Shops at White Oak shopping center. Signage has been up for some time, but the interior construction is just getting started.
Though we don’t have an opening date, we’d expect a late 2021 or early 2022 opening.
The cafe offers more than just smoothies as the menu contains flatbreads, wraps, quesadillas, sandwiches, bowls, breakfast, and a lot more.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe has an upcoming location in Germantown, and recently opened in Aspen Hill. They’ve also opened on Elm Street in Bethesda, in the Gaithersburg Square Shopping Center in Gaithersburg, the Travilah Square Shopping Center (10052 Darnestown Road), and in the Burtonsville Town Center.
Yesterday our friends at Just Up the Pike shared a couple renderings from the upcoming White Oak Town Center (we have those and a few more below), so we wanted to provide you with a little more information on the project that was first accepted back in 2014.
The Montgomery County Planning Board will be looking at the preliminary plan in its meeting on July 29th– White Oak Town Center will be seeking approval to construct 105,000 square feet of commercial development.
White Oak Town Center will be located at 12345 Columbia Pike, in the northeast quadrant of the intersection of Prosperity Drive and Industrial Parkway.
Here are some bullet points about what to expect:
• 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.
Renderings
While renderings use generic logos that are examples for the types of stores that are expected to occupy the shopping center, the actual stores the renderings are based on sometimes find their way to the shopping center. In these updated renderings, you’ll see what looks like an Amazon Fresh design rather than the Trader Joe’s design that had been shown in previous renderings.
Full Montgomery Planning document can be seen here.
Double Murder Investigated in White Oak
Around 11:45PM Wednesday, the Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center received calls reporting sounds of gunshots and then shortly after calls for a confirmed shooting in the 1500 block of November Circle in White Oak.
Responders arrived and found two individuals who had been shot multiple times. Tragically, both individuals did not survive their injuries.
The Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division is now investigating. Anyone with information is urged to call 240-773-5070 or 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted online.
Gong Cha and Fuji Teriyaki Will Hold its Soft Opening on Wednesday, 2/3 at the Orchard Center in Calverton
Bubble tea and teriyaki will be available starting tomorrow at the Orchard Center on Cherry Hill Rd in Calverton, as the Gong Cha/Fuji Teriyaki combo shop will hold its soft opening tomorrow (Wednesday, 2/3) from 11am-10pm.
Gong Cha opened its first MoCo location in Rockville Pike under the Galvan apartments in 2018. It is one of the most successful bubble tea chains in the world, and has over 1,500 locations worldwide, including another Rockville location and a Bethesda location.
Fuji Teriyaki Grill is similar to fast-casual hibachi restaurants like Sarku Japan and Quickway/Quickfire.
The two places share a location.
Big Greek Cafe Hillandale is Coming Soon!
Big Greek Cafe has become one of the most popular restaurants in MoCo in recent years, having opened four locations across the county (Bethesda, Downtown Silver Spring, Kensington, and Rockville).
Recently they debuted “Big Greek on Wheels,” a food truck that will bring some of their menu items right to your neighborhood.
Now, according to the Big Greek Cafe website, a new location is coming to Hillandale.
It will be taking over the former home of Urban Bar-B-Que at 10163 New Hampshire Ave in the Hillandale shopping center, next to Chipotle.
No word yet on an opening date.
