PopUp Bagels opening in Bethesda

PopUp Bagels, the viral bagel sensation, is coming soon to downtown Bethesda. Their shop will be located in the ground floor of the Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown apartment tower at 7607 Old Georgetown Road. Founded as a side hobby during the pandemic by Adam Goldberg and Jeff Lewis in Westport, Connecticut, PopUp Bagels has grown into a chain of bricks-and-mortar bakery shops with locations in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, North Carolina, and California. Bethesda will be the chain's first D.C.-area location.

Bagels are served hot and fresh out of the oven every 3-4 minutes, and they are the main attraction on a very simple menu - not the bagel sandwiches you typically see on social media. Smaller than the typical bagel, PopUp Bagels are served unsliced, to keep them warm. They are crisp on the outside, while their interiors are characterized as pillowy and fluffy. Customers are encouraged to "grip, rip, and dip" their hot bagels in a selection of schmears. Cream cheese, scallion cream cheese, butter, and vegan scallion butter are always on the menu, but a rotating list of limited-time-only schmears changes weekly, ensuring there will always be a new flavor to try.

PopUp Bagels have become a viral phenomenon on TikTok and Instagram. That has caught the attention of bigger enterprises like Kraft, which just partnered with PopUp Bagels to create a Kraft Mac and Cheese schmear. With Bethesda Bagels and Georgetown Bagelry, and Call Your Mother Deli and PopUp Bagels arriving soon, Bethesda may be about to reach peak bagel. With bank branches filling so many new spaces downtown, Solaire owner Washington Property Company has really hit one out of the park with PopUp Bagels.

Sign installed at Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown apartment tower in Bethesda

The permanent sign is now up at the Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown apartment tower in downtown Bethesda. It is directly over an entrance to the new building, the latest in Washington Property Company's Solaire portfolio of apartment developments in Montgomery County. 

There's probably a fire code reason why the red FDC sign and water connections are in that specific spot to the left of the door, but it's rather unfortunate from an aesthetic and design standpoint, as they stick out like a sore thumb. The building recently opened, and we are awaiting the posting of the first residents' early online reviews of the tower.

Pricing shows that residential housing continues to remain detached from market forces in Montgomery County. Despite two decades of promises that relentless construction will reduce rents, 1-bedrooms here start at $2,592, and 2-bedrooms at $3,603, according to Apartments.com. The official website is currently offering 2 months of free rent, if you sign a 13-month lease, and move in by May 31, 2024.

New public benches installed outside Solaire Bethesda 7607 Old Georgetown apartments (Photos)

New public benches have been installed on the sidewalk outside of the new Solaire Bethesda 7607 Old Georgetown apartment tower. They are backless, and include a mid-bench divider to discourage rough sleepers. You can also see the new landscaping and street tree that have been planted behind the bench in the photo above. The Solaire will begin welcoming residents in "early 2024."

Sidewalk reopens at Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda

The sidewalk in front of the Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road apartment tower construction site in downtown Bethesda has reopened to the public. You can get your first close-up look inside the future lobby and ground-level retail space. If you're looking for retail or restaurant space to lease in Bethesda, they want to talk to you (see the sign below). This building is on the former site of La Madeleine. Solaire 7607 finally has a website, as well.

Bethesda construction update - Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown (Photos)

The lobby is now under construction inside the ground level of the Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown in downtown Bethesda. That lengthy branding is now written in stone - or at least, affixed to the glass of an entrance door. The door is much further along than the lobby itself, however. Hours for the leasing office have also been posted on the glass. The 22-story Washington Property Company-developed building will house 198 apartments, 1,500 square feet of retail space, and a four-level underground parking garage.

Bethesda construction update: Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road apartment tower (Photos)

The finishing touches are being put on the exterior of Washington Property Company's new Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road apartment tower in downtown Bethesda. Inside, workers are now completing the interiors of the individual apartment units. Some of the first kitchens and appliances are now visible in lower level apartment units from the street below. As of this morning, I still cannot find any official website with leasing information online, or an opening date for first residential move-ins.

Bethesda construction update: Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road apartments (Photos)

The Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road apartment tower is in the home stretch of construction on the former site of the La Madeleine restaurant in downtown Bethesda. The Solaire 7607 will house 198 residential units, 1500 square feet of retail space, and a four-and-a-half level underground parking garage. This will be developer Washington Property Company's second Solaire-branded property in Bethesda. Clark Construction is forecasting a 2024 delivery for the tower.

Bethesda construction update: Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road apartment tower (Photos)

Construction continues at the apartment tower with the name that's quite a mouthful, the Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road development. There's a new frame-like structure attached to the very top floors, which looks a bit like a giant grill from the front of a car. Perhaps a construction-savvy reader can explain what this is. My guess is it's related to the eventual screening of the mechanical equipment up there. 

When completed, the 22-story tower will hold 198 rental apartments, 1700 square feet of ground floor retail space, and 4.5 levels of underground parking. Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road was anticipated for a late 2023 delivery, which has slipped to "2024" according to Clark Construction, who ought to know better than anyone as the lead contractor. Developer Washington Property Company's webpage for the project has never listed a delivery date.