Wednesday, October 19, 2016

WPC delivers Solaire Bethesda; True Food Kitchen to open in early 2017

Washington Property Company has announced the official delivery of its Solaire Bethesda mixed-use development at 7077 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The Solaire's 139 apartments range from 606 SF studios to three-bedroom units that boast over 1,400 SF of living space. True Food Kitchen, the ground floor restaurant tenant, is now scheduled to open early next year.

Apartment features include stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops, spa-inspired bathrooms with crafted wood vanity cabinets, and plank flooring. Among the amenities are a 24-hour front desk with concierge services, resort-inspired outdoor terrace overlooking the downtown, a pet spa, available onsite storage, modern fitness center, and a fifth-floor resident lounge with entertainment bar, gaming area, and lounge seating.

“Solaire Bethesda sets a new standard for modern urban living in Bethesda,” Daryl South, Senior Vice President of WPC said in a statement. “Our goal is to provide residents with not only an incredible apartment home in a premier location, but also with service and convenience that will make our residents’ lives a little bit less hectic so they can enjoy living in downtown Bethesda.” The Solaire is only 800 feet from the future south entrance of the Bethesda Metro station and Purple Line light rail station.

On a related side note, I have to salute Charles K. Nulsen III, the President of WPC, not only for the completion of the project, but because he has also generously donated $1000 to the effort to pass term limits in Montgomery County. That's really the only way we are going to ever address the many problems I write about on this blog, and which we've heard citizens testifying about at meetings all this week - by "throwing the bums out." It's critical to have leaders like Mr. Nulsen who aren't just contributing to the economy, but to the civic health of our County. Hopefully other business leaders will step up in the remaining 19 days to support voting "Yes" on Question B on November 8.

52 comments:

Anonymous said...

How can I donate money to support term limits? I'd like to give also.

Robert Dyer said...

You can donate through this website to the organization that is leading the movement to vote YES:

http://www.mocotermlimits.org/

Anonymous said...

So much for being a "journalist".

Anonymous said...

That's funny since developers like Nulsen who contribute to the county council are the main reason that people are arguing for term limits

Bethesda Dan said...

Not a fan of the architecture here, but True Foods Kitchen has the best buffalo burger this side of the Mississippi.

Their location at Mosaic District in Fairfax County does quite well I am told.

Anonymous said...

Go to hell Robert Dyer.

Robert Dyer said...

10:38: By October 2016 standards, there isn't a more fair and objective news outlet in the entire region than mine. Facts.

Anonymous said...

@ 1:51 PM - Agreed.

Peter said...

Support term limits by ACTUALLY GETTING OUT THERE AND VOTING!!!

Anonymous said...

I don't see why anyone would be against term limits. Folks elected will have nearly a decade to get something done. If they can't get it done in a decade, time to move on.

We can't have folks like Reamer spending two terms screwing around, riding the bench while other council members shoulder the load. It's amazing that Mr. Berliner is much older than Reamer, but has so much more energy. I'll have what Roger is having!

Anonymous said...

Is Robert Dyer the worst person to ever live? I think the answer is pretty clear.

Anonymous said...

The MoCo Machine is watching everything 24/7. We will never lose. We are gods paid by illegal deals and rampant extortion. You wish you could have a taste of our life Dyer.

Anonymous said...

"there isn't a more fair and objective news outlet in the entire region than mine. Facts."

I'm going to jump out on a limb and guess this was intended to be a joke, because otherwise it's a blatant lie. Objectivity is totally absent in any of the attack jobs/puff pieces posted on this blog. In fact this site is like a mini-Breitbart, except (apart from the NIMBY's) your entire reader base disagrees with your outlandish claims.

Every single mention of the county council is accompanied by nasty insults.
Every single mention of the region's mainstream media outlets is accompanied by nasty insults.
Every single mention of Republicans such as Larry Hogan is accompanied by profuse plaudits.

When the county government, which I admit is oftentimes dysfunctional, does something right, it's either not discussed or spun negatively. When Hogan does something sensible that Dyer doesn't agree with, such as refusing to build an idiotic bridge and moving forward with the Purple Line, it's not discussed.

People and entities seem to be clustered into two groups on this blog: always disparage and always praise, and there's no movement between the two, or middle-ground.

Anonymous said...

"I don't see why anyone would be against term limits"

By being for term limits, you're fighting against democracy. An election every four-years is a check on government power. An elected official (as part of a legislative body) should have to opportunity to remain in office as long as a majority of the electorate are pleased with the way they are being represented. Term limits only serve those in the minority who don't get their way.

Robert Dyer said...

8:05: So if the other outlet in town "always disparages" Hogan, so-called NIMBY residents and highway projects, and "always praises" Van Hollen, all County Councilmembers and Leggett, the Purple Line and urbanization of SFH residential neighborhoods, they are not biased?

If the Post mentions in every election article that the Republican in question has no chance of winning because of the D-to-R ratio, while Republicans in NYC have won in a 1-to-6 GOP disadvantage, and Szeliga has "no chance" among the same electorate that elected Hogan, they are not biased?

Your logic makes no sense. If my "entire reader base disagrees with [my] outlandish claims," why are thousands of people reading this site daily?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Robert Dyer said...

8:09: There's very little chance of getting the clowns in office now out without them. In a healthy political system, their poor performance and tax-and-spend ways would have gotten them voted out long ago. Yet, the worse they get, they keep getting reelected.

You have multiple groups who keep them in power: the local media, which excuse and protect them at every turn beyond the occasional Kabuki theater rap on the wrist from the anti-union Post editorial board; their own media empire, which challengers are barred from appearing on and operates at taxpayer expense; uninformed voters who do no research on the candidates but simply select everyone with their party label; a handful of kingmakers who control the few endorsements available, and give them all to one faction of one party; and centrist and right-leaning voters who have been successfully convinced their votes will not count by the voter-suppression campaigns the Post, Sentinel, and other local outlets execute on behalf of the County Democratic Party.

Term limits are the only tool to even begin to break up what is essentially an authoritarian political machine. A.k.a. the MoCo cartel.

It's not just Republicans who are victimized and shut out from public service by the status quo; it's also Democrats like Beth Daly and Green Party candidates like Tim Willard, both of whom would have been far superior councilmembers to Riemer, Floreen and Leventhal.

Anonymous said...

8:09 So term limits are fine for the US President, Frederick, and PG counties, but not good enough for MoCo? 12 years is plenty. We don't need career politicians in bed with various special interests.

Anonymous said...

"thousands of people reading this site daily"

Hate to break it to you, but people visit this site for the actual local news about development and restaurants, not for your "insight"

Anonymous said...

8:44

And who exactly do you think is going to fill the vacuum when the council members are booted out? Inexperienced candidates who have a steep learning curve facing them, and who are even more susceptible to special interests. Also, the demographics of the county are even more liberal than when they were first elected, so if your end goal is seeing an R on the council, (especially a nut like Ficker) you are very mistaken.

Robert Dyer said...

9:18: Is that why the public discussion has moved toward my talking points, with Leggett now admitting we're becoming a bedroom community, talk of Express Lanes on the legion bridge by same councilmembers who were touting a transit-only solution there until recently, Post declaring MoCo "economically moribund," and former Riemer chief of staff now admitting our private sector economy is "stagnant?"

It sounds like a lot of people are benefitting from my "insight."

Meanwhile, your guys on the Council have been wrong again and again.

People are here for my restaurant and real estate coverage for sure, but they also like getting "the rest of the story" on County politics, as well.

Robert Dyer said...

9:21: The demographics aren't more liberal, it's the gerrymandered Council districts that create that illusion. As far as "learning curve," I'm ready to go right now. I know more about the issues and the solutions we need than the Council. These are the guys who talk about cybersecurity while funding an IT operation that runs on Windows 2000. We are being governed by very stupid people, folks.

Anonymous said...

I've never seen Bethesda Magazine "disparage" Governor Hogan once, let alone "always".

Anonymous said...

9:56 they are always here in the comments section disparaging Hogan.

Anonymous said...

"They"?

Anonymous said...

Duh the Moco Cartel and Bethesda Magazine.

Anonymous said...

If not for the MoCo Cartel and Bethesda Magazine, Dyer's blog would have no readers at all.

Anonymous said...

2:20PM is admitting he works for one or the other.

I don't happen to agree. I work for neither.

Robert Dyer said...

9:56: You clearly have never read Bethesda Magazine if you think their coverage of Hogan isn't negative toward him. Meanwhile, 71% of the actual public, and 63% of Democrats, approve of Hogan in the latest poll.

Anonymous said...

Bethesda Magazine was attacking Governor Hogan even before Larry set foot in the governor's mansion. Go back and read their unhinged attacks during his transition after winning. Even published attacks from the MoCo Young Dems..lol. Total amateur hour.

Anonymous said...

#UnsignedDyer

Anonymous said...

What exactly is a "Kabuki theater rap on the wrist"? What a hilariously idiotic mixed metaphor.

Anonymous said...

What conservative areas of the County have supposedly been "gerrymandered" out of existence?

Anonymous said...

Can folks grow up and evolve a bit. Hogan has the highest approval rating in the country. Has respect from both ends of the political spectrum. And he's a Republican. Get over it.

Anonymous said...

"Hogan has the highest approval rating in the country".

Team Dyer just makes up crap, completely without shame.

Robert Dyer said...

6:04: Potomac, Poolesville, Damascus, and a few pockets of resistance elsewhere where Ehrlich did well in 2006. Surely you're not making the crazy claim that they didn't gerrymander the districts?

9:36: Hogan is the most popular governor in the country. No other GOP governor has 63% support among Democrats. Team Dumass is having a hard time accepting that, I understand.

5:35: It means the Post pretends to chastise them, then endorses them for reelection. Did you miss their editorial against term limits?

Anonymous said...

Dyer, you don't understand how this works. It is YOU who have the burden of proving your claim that "Potomac, Poolesville and Damascus" were "gerrymandered".

Anonymous said...

https://morningconsult.com/state-governor-rankings/ Charlie Baker (D) of Massachusetts is more popular.

Dean Vernon Wormer said...

Mr. Dyer... has no approval rating.

Robert Dyer said...

6:55: What part of splitting up GOP-leaning voters in Potomac, Poolesville and the upcounty do you not understand? Do you even know what gerrymandering means? You're making yourself sound like a complete moron.

7:26: Pretty weak comeback.

7:36: I'm not governor. Why would I have an approval rating?

Anonymous said...

Dyer @8:38 AM - how are Potomac, Poolsville and Damascus "split up"? Potomac and Poolesville are contained entirely within the 1st District, and Damascus, on the opposite side of the County, is contained entirely within the 2nd District.

Robert Dyer said...

3:44: Did you read what you just wrote? Poolesville and Damascus used to both be in District 2.

Anonymous said...

So if all three aren't in the same district, it's a "gerrymander", according to you?

Anonymous said...

@ 5:44 - Sounds like Dyer is the one who wants to have a gerrymander.

Robert Dyer said...

5:44: Do you know what gerrymandered means? Do you know the original boundaries of District 2 prior to the gerrymandering taking place a few years ago? They split up the Republican strongholds.

Robert Dyer said...

6:03: It's your guys who have the gerrymander blood on their hands. Let's get term limits first, then expose the MoCo cartel.

Anonymous said...

The previous, U-shaped 2nd District seems much more like a "gerrymander than the more compact current 2nd District.

Robert Dyer said...

11:36: The "compact" 2nd District is offset by the sprawling, wacky 1st District that provides poor representation for its residents as a result. Let Republicans be represented by Republicans, rather than break up their areas to cynically reduce their representation. The current gerrymandered districts are truly "taxation without representation."

Anonymous said...

How is the current 1st District "sprawling" or "wacky"? How does it "provide poor repsesentation for its residents"?

Robert Dyer said...

10:45: Uh, because a councilmember who lives in North Bethesda is representing Friendship Heights and Poolesville all at once? Nuts.

Anonymous said...

And having one Councilman represent Darnestown, Olney and Damascus all at the same time is magically better? You're such a birdbrain, Dyer.

Robert Dyer said...

5:28: Makes more sense than Berliner representing Poolesville, Katz representing Leisure World(!), and Navarro representing Olney. Whoever came up with that map is the birdbrain.