GIANT BAKING UTENSILS HOVERING OVER PIKE & ROSE! (PHOTOS)

In a scene reminiscent of Hardware Wars, giant baking utensils have landed at Pike & Rose, and attached themselves to the side of the PerSei apartments. Actually, these are just the latest design additions to the building's facade that recall a legendary area baking equipment company.

WALKING THE STREETS OF PIKE & ROSE, PART III (PHOTOS)

Let's take another stroll around Federal Realty's Pike & Rose development, currently under construction at the intersection of Rockville Pike and the Montrose Parkway (hence the name), and see what new details and easter eggs we can find.

This column molding features
a stylized rose (bottom) and
a vertical "Old George," a
reference to property boundary
Old Georgetown Road

Future tenants are now
getting some publicity
with Pike & Rose-logo
banners on their future
storefronts

Another tenant that will
have stores at this development,
and Federal Realty sister property,
Bethesda Row

Seasons Olive Oil &
Vinegar Taproom has
its own logo sign

Gap, on the other hand,
is just slumming it
when it comes to signs

The future iPic Theaters, one
of the development's activity hubs

Sculpture and signage at
the PerSei apartments

WALKING THE STREETS OF PIKE & ROSE, PART II (PHOTOS)

Let's take another walk around the new streets of Pike & Rose to see what new details have been added to the development:

These doors...speak French

There's dancing going on
behind this door, I'm sure

Sport & Health, the upscale
gym where early PerSei
residents were getting
vouchers

What's the name of the pizza
place opening here again?

Something that will be
disappearing in the coming
years in White Flint:
surface parking

This is another cool Easter Egg to
find - a bookshelf with titles such
as "The Pike," "The White Flint,"
"Pike & Rose," and "Montgomery"

Something like this would be
another great idea for any
new development in the
Westbard area, where there
are many historic names
that could be referenced

Del Frisco's Grille

Del Frisco's will be at
the corner of Old Georgetown
and Grand Park Avenue

Streetlamps along Old Georgetown

Another Easter Egg:
A throwback
water fountain
for thirsty visitors

Can you find the Easter Egg here?

That's right - this plaque with
the quote, "Music in the soul
can be heard by the
universe"

The future Gap store (L) and
iPic Theaters cineplex (R)

I'm temporarily calling this,
"The Boardwalk"

Not that far from The Forum,
for you Roman history buffs

PerSei apartments

PerSei, reflected

Cool truck

Flag poles

The new Pike & Rose mural

MIRAGE NAILS IS LATEST TENANT AT PIKE & ROSE

Mirage Nails is the newest tenant at Federal Realty's Pike & Rose development. The nail salon has just leased a storefront on Old Georgetown Road. It will be in the ground floor of the PerSei apartments.

SNEAK PEEK - WALKING THE FUTURE STREETS OF PIKE & ROSE (PHOTOS)

Are you ready to go inside Pike & Rose, the future Federal Realty development on the former site of Mid-Pike Plaza? Street signs have been erected, design touches are popping up all over, and even the future iPic Theatres is starting to look like its future self. There's even a facade tribute to a classic Washington, D.C. company.

Meanwhile, things seem to be on-track at the PerSei luxury apartments, where a last-minute management swap had some future tenants concerned. The new management is still providing the incentives promised by the former management, including membership at Sport & Health, and a Container Store $500 gift card, according to a source. First floor residents reportedly moved in as scheduled last Friday, and upper floors in the coming weeks, which is typical for a new building.

Corby Baking Co. was founded
in Washington, D.C. in 1890, and
was eventually acquired by
Continental Baking Company;
an interesting exterior tribute
to a local legend

Turn onto Persei Place

Note the finishing decorative touches on
the facade between the windows,
and at the bottom

Lens flare along Old Georgetown Road

Grand Park Avenue ahead

These decorative markers are popping
up all over the streets of Pike & Rose.
They feature the names of tenants
in the future development

Welcome to the PerSei apartments

Pike & Rose ampersand
door handles

Future iPic Theatres cineplex (R) and
Tanzy restaurant (L)

Pad site

PerSei apartments

Intersection of Grand Park Avenue
and Persei Place

Demolition of Bally's and the
remaining remnants of
Mid-Pike Plaza

FEDERAL REALTY SWITCHES MANAGEMENT FOR PERSEI APARTMENTS AT PIKE & ROSE

One week before residents are expected to begin moving into the new PerSei luxury apartments at Pike & Rose in White Flint [a.k.a. Rockville/N. Bethesda/Pike District/your name here], developer Federal Realty has switched management for the property. While as of this writing, the PerSei website continues to list Bozzuto as the management firm, a source tells me Riverstone Residential is taking over the role there as of today.

Riverstone is also a large management firm, operating 170,000 units nationwide. They are best known in Bethesda for their prior management of the Park Bethesda apartments on Westbard Avenue. That property is now managed by its landlord, Capital Properties. The Riverstone PerSei management team is scheduled to arrive on-site today, according to a source.

PIKE AND ROSE MARKETING GOES UNDERGROUND IN WHITE FLINT (PHOTOS)

If you've driven on Rockville Pike, you know there are many signs up advertising the future Pike and Rose development, under construction on the former Mid-Pike Plaza site. But even subterranean dwellers know Pike and Rose is on the way, with these large ads in the underground tunnel beneath the Pike at the White Flint Metro.

While Pike and Rose has a distinct branding from Bethesda Row, both Federal Realty developments share slick and upscale as descriptors of their marketing products. The primary difference is that Pike and Rose is emphasized more as a lifestyle center, given its larger scale and greater number of housing units. A basic theme of the "Inspired" campaign is that the nearby Metro station and trails, and on-site fitness facilities and farm market, will inspire residents to lead healthier lives. Well, except for the "Death by Chocolate" panel.

Phase 1 of Pike and Rose will open this year, and the PerSei apartments are already leasing.

Here's a look at the underground ads: