Dig restaurant construction update in downtown Bethesda (Photos)

Construction is still in the early stages at Dig, the fast-casual restaurant opening soon at 4733 Elm Street in downtown Bethesda. Windows remain covered. However, the door was open, allowing a sneak peek inside. 4733 Elm was previously home to Mexicue, Kraze Burgers, and Haagen-Dazs, to name a few past tenants. Can Dig conquer this high-visibility but high-turnover space opposite Bethesda Row?

New Ride On Route 23 signs installed in Bethesda (Photos)

Restoration of Ride On Route 23 bus service to Westbard Avenue in Bethesda, following a 20-month detour caused by a road realignment project, faced a minor snag. Bus stops on the now-no-longer-extant block of Ridgefield Road, like everything else on that section of the street, had been demolished. This weekend, that problem was resolved with the installation of two new bus stop signs on what Montgomery County is now calling the 5600 block of Brookside Drive, instead of Ridgefield Road. 

The stop that used to be in front of Domino's Pizza in the Westwood Center II mini-mall (also demolished) has been relocated closer to the intersection with River Road. I suspect that is to put it in proximity to the lobby entrance of the future assisted living facility that will be built on the former site of Westwood II and Citgo.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich touts his top 10 accomplishments of 2023

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D) has released a year-end video promoting his top ten accomplishments of 2023. Among the ten are the passage of a rent stabilization bill, economic development wins orchestrated by his office that include the creation of an Institute for Health Computing in North Bethesda, record low unemployment, combating climate change, and free access to County-operated fitness centers. Elrich's office also compiled a statistical list of the executive's activities over the past 12 months. They calculated that Elrich attended over 300 community related events and gatherings throughout Montgomery County; over 100 legislative meetings, hearings, and events with federal, state, and County Council officials; and over 150 business visits and meetings related to Montgomery County economic development efforts. 

“By many measures, 2023 was a very good year for Montgomery County,” Elrich said in a statement Friday. “We saw several major economic wins while recording a historically low unemployment rate. Our County government retained its 'Triple-A' rating from all three credit rating agencies and increased our reserves of revenues upward to 17%, well beyond the 10% target. We also had historic levels of investment in education and affordable housing. However, this year was not without its challenges. Public safety concerns, juvenile crime and drug overdoses, as well a dramatic increase of hate incidents and fear in wake of war in the Middle East remain issues that we will have to continue to address in 2024.” 

Elrich recently told WAMU-FM that he intends to run for a third term in 2026. Term limits passed in 2016 restrict the executive and County Councilmembers to three consecutive terms. A petition effort to place a ballot question limiting the executive to only two consecutive terms is currently in progress, led by Elrich's 2022 Republican opponent, Reardon Sullivan.  

Fence broken by intruders at vacant Bethesda property repaired

The "security" fence around the property at 8008 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda was repaired yesterday. One or more intruders smashed the fence and crushed it downward to illegally gain access to the vacant buildings there earlier this week. Vagrants and vandals have repeatedly broken into the vacant storefronts at 8008 and 8000 Wisconsin Avenue, as well as the "beer house" behind them at the corner of Cordell and Woodmont Avenues. 

The buildings and lots in question have become eyesores, a danger and a public nuisance while the 8000 and 8008 Wisconsin redevelopment projects have repeatedly stalled out over the last decade. A fire and flood were started in one of the buildings by intruders this past fall. Montgomery County is apparently unwilling or unable to exercise control of the situation.

Christmas break-in at Safeway in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a burglar alarm at the Safeway store at The Shops at Sumner Place in Bethesda on Christmas night. The store, which would usually be open at that hour, was closed for the Christmas holiday. Officers were dispatched to the scene at 9:22 PM. Upon arriving at the supermarket, they found evidence of forced entry.

USPS rolls out latest attempt at theft-proof mailbox in downtown Bethesda (Photos)

The United States Postal Service is beginning to install its latest effort toward a theft-proof mailbox in downtown Bethesda. This one was just placed at the intersection of Cordell and Norfolk Avenues in the Woodmont Triangle, and is the first one I have noticed. It does not have a door you pull open, only a slot. To get your envelope into the slot successfully, as the Joker once said, "all it takes is a little push." The new boxes will only defeat attempts to fish mail out of the box, and won't stop the more aggressive crooks who steal or buy the keys to them, as long as the USPS continues to use their skeleton "arrow keys."

2 Bethesda Metro Center renovations update (Photos)

Concrete is the word of the day in downtown Bethesda. The hyperlocal news this Thursday is turning from concrete frozen dairy beverages at the just-opened Z-Burger to the kind used in building construction, at 2 Bethesda Metro Center. A big concrete pour is underway on the rear plaza and new staircase that leads up to it today. The rain cleared out just in time for the pour. A revamped plaza is just one of the many updates to the property the Chevy Chase Land Co. is making to strengthen the landmark tower's competitiveness in the transformed office space market.

Z-Burger opens in Bethesda (Photos)

Burger lovers, rejoice! Z-Burger has opened at 4827 Fairmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Perhaps aware of the major competition of Dog Haus Biergarten around the corner, this Z-Burger location will be open until 4:00 AM on Friday and Saturday nights (Saturday and Sunday mornings, technically), and close at 10:00 PM the rest of the week. 

Z-Burger is known for its made-to-order burgers, hot dogs, cheesesteaks, subs, signature Z-Burger seasoning, and 75 varieties of milkshakes and concretes made with premium Wisconsin custard. Z-Burger's most famous fans are President Bill Clinton and Sasha Obama, both of whom have been photographed at Z-Burger while in Washington, D.C. President Clinton's order was a double burger without cheese, onion rings and french fries, and a large apple pie milkshake. Z-Burger is now providing another delicious burger choice in downtown Bethesda.

Westbard Starbucks closes at Westwood Shopping Center in Bethesda (Photos)

Take one final look at the interior of the Starbucks at 5438 Westbard Avenue in the Westwood Shopping Center. The coffee shop and community gathering space closed its doors permanently after serving its final customers last evening. Starbucks will return in the new Westbard Square development adjacent to the existing strip mall in 2024. Its exit and reopening are not without controversy among customers, however.

Westbard Square anchor tenant Giant is resurrecting an idea that flopped nearly twenty years ago at this same property. Not only will there be a new Starbucks on the ground floor of the Giant building, but "signs" suggest there will be a second Starbucks upstairs, inside the grocery store. First, a small sign with the Starbucks logo appeared on the building facade under the Giant logo. In recent days, Starbucks signage can be seen through the third floor windows, inside the future grocery store space. 

The supermarket and its little Starbucks are expected to open next month, ahead of the big Starbucks downstairs. Some regulars at this Starbucks are upset that its longtime staff are reportedly being reassigned to other stores, rather than to the big or little new Starbucks.

Those patrons also worry that Starbucks customers will establish their routines at the little one in Giant, causing the bigger one to struggle when it opens later by cannibalizing sales. Some who met daily to drink coffee and hang out at the Westbard Starbucks are concerned that they could end up losing that gathering space in the new standalone Starbucks as a result.

The potential appeal of the second, little Starbucks inside Giant remains to be seen. It sounds good on paper, as an easy way to obtain a drink while grocery shopping, without having to walk all around the property to buy it. But the concept fizzled out quickly at the Westbard Giant a couple of decades ago. Rather than use Starbucks employees, Giant had its grocery store workers make the coffee drinks, and customers complained that the beverages weren't always made properly. The little Starbucks counter was torn down after a short run, and never really impacted the "real" Starbucks a few doors down from the Giant.

Yesterday's closure also brought a conclusion to a mildly-contentious final week, in which some of the loyal customers sought to recognize Starbucks workers who had been fixtures at the Westbard store for years. A farewell banner with customer messages celebrating those employees and the store was created, and the customers said they sought and received permission from property owner Regency Centers to post the banner at or adjacent to the store. But, they said, the banner was ordered removed by Starbucks managers at the district and regional levels, due to a company policy of no customized decor. Eventually, the banner was posted again inside the store during the Christmas weekend. 

The customers who organized the banner said they don't want the Westbard Starbucks staff to be scattered to other stores, and replaced with a new team when the new Starbucks opens...in 2-to-3, or 4-to-6 months, depending upon who is giving the estimate. One thing is for certain - there will be no shortage of Starbucks at Westbard Square by mid-2024.

Piccoli Piatti, District Dabble Lab, Westbard Dental latest tenants for Westbard Square in Bethesda

The new Westbard Square development at 5400 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda has reached a lease agreement with what will hopefully be one of several restaurants to open there, Piccoli Piatti. A Neapolitan pizzeria with an existing Bethesda location in the Wildwood Shopping Center, Piccoli Piatti also serves small plates, sandwiches, mussels and pasta dishes from the same region of Italy. Pizzas are cooked in an oven at over 900 degrees, and topped with ingredients imported fresh from Italy, including Bertozzi cheese and tomatoes grown in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.

Also coming aboard at Westbard Square are District Dabble Lab, and Westbard Dental. The dental clinic will be in office space on the second floor of the new Giant building. District Dabble Lab will offer arts and crafts classes for all ages, and host parties and events, as well. The three new tenants join anchor tenant Giant, Westwood Barber Shop, Oak Barrel & Vine, Starbucks, Voorthuis Opticians, Kumon, and Stretch Zone at the new Regency Centers development, which is on the site of the Westwood Shopping Center.

Signage installed at Ourisman Kia in Bethesda (Photos)

The sign is up at the future Ourisman Kia dealership at 6700 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Signage has also been placed on the glass entrance doors, and behind the reception desk inside the showroom. All that's needed now are the cars and the furniture for the sales cubicles. Ourisman Kia will join Ourisman Jeep at this site in the Adagio condominium building. 

Intruders are back inside vacant Bethesda buildings

Intruders have once again broken into the row of vacant storefronts between 8000 and 8008 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. A fire and flood caused by a burglar inside one of the buildings a few months ago, along with a rampage of window smashing on the block, led to a moderately-stronger attempt to secure the properties. Alas, the most noticeable intrusion since then has occurred during the Christmas holiday. A portion of the security fence was damaged on the Cordell Avenue side of the property to gain access to the site. The situation has been caused by major delays in the two redevelopment projects planned for 8000 and 8008 Wisconsin; the developer of the 8000 site recently acquired the 8008 property from Toll Brothers, but groundbreaking for the Artena Bethesda tower at 8000 Wisconsin has again stalled out despite demolition permits being pulled for that portion of the block.

Merry Christmas from Avocet Tower in Bethesda (Photos)

The exterior LED lights may have gone dark at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, but across the street the Avocet Tower office building was all lit up for Christmas Eve. Accent lights along the facade and rooftop were lit in green and red Christmas colors as the calendar changed to December 25 this morning.

Maryland minimum wage increases to $15 on January 1, 2024

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (L) and
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich

The minimum wage in Maryland will increase to $15 on Monday, January 1, 2024. This statewide increase was signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore (D) earlier this year. Here in Montgomery County, the minimum wage is already $15 or higher for most employers. As a result, only employees of business with 10 or less workers will see their salaries increase on New Year's Day, from $14.50 to $15.00. 

“We applaud Governor Wes Moore’s efforts to help all Marylanders,” Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D) said in a statement. “The minimum wage is ultimately about working people being able to earn enough to put a roof over their heads, feed their families and not have to choose between food on the table and medical visits. I want to thank Governor Moore for making this one of his earliest priorities. I was glad to testify on behalf of the legislation, and I support this important State-wide legislation.”

Party Mania to close in Bethesda in early 2024

Party Mania, a family-owned small business at 4910 Cordell Avenue in Bethesda, is now planning to close its doors in early 2024. The store's owner, Blake Grandon, made clear the party supplies shop was in trouble earlier this year, despite high ratings from customers on Yelp, Google and Facebook. A helium shortage in 2022, and the impact of the pandemic on gatherings and celebrations in 2020 and 2021, put the business into a financial hole going into this year. 

Grandon has sought investors - and is open to a last-minute lifeline from one or more - and crowdfunding over the past year. The former have not yet materialized, and the latter only raised $925 of its $10,000 goal. As such, the store is now preparing to close in early 2024, should a miracle not materialize in the coming weeks. A closing sale is now underway, offering 50%-off storewide, with the exception of balloons and that infernal helium.

Old payphone, old Tommy Joe's temporarily spared in Bethesda demolition (Photos)

The demolition and site clearing at 7340 Wisconsin Avenue left behind at least one visible artifact from the former Exxon gas station going into the Christmas holiday weekend. A payphone housing like those found at most service stations years ago remained standing, even if the old garage and office didn't. 

Demolition has also been limited to the gas station property itself at this initial stage, with the vacant former Tommy Joe's building next door remaining outside the security fencing. Tommy Joe's and another Bethesda landmark on the Hampden Lane side of the assembled lot - Pines of Rome - have both moved on to new downtown locations in recent years, but their old, empty homes remain intact...for the moment. 

After years of delay, the redevelopment of the properties into an apartment tower is moving forward with impressive speed. Where several previous developers have sputtered and flopped here over the last decade, Greystar has been all business since proposing its project, steadily moving through the approval, environmental cleanup, and site preparation processes. Nearby residents and workers alike can now imagine a future in which this isn't a scary, empty lot to walk by late at night anymore.