Bowlmor Lanes to make interior changes

Bowlmor Lanes on Westbard Avenue will be updating their interior. The popular bowling alley bar & grill will spend $120,000 to make alterations for an arcade, according to a construction permit requested from Montgomery County.

BETHESDA URBAN PARTNERSHIP, HONEST TEA DELIVER BIKE RACK TO WHOLE FOODS BETHESDA

Cyclists have one more reason to hit the Capital Crescent Trail out of downtown Bethesda today.  Bethesda's own Honest Tea built a bike storage rack made out of 15,000 Honest Kids juice pouches, and donated it to Whole Foods on River Road yesterday.  Assisting in this effort was Bethesda Urban Partnership.

Whole Foods Bethesda

Now you can take the CCT over to River Road, lock your bike at Whole Foods, and take advantage of what's in the Westbard area.  Obviously, shopping at Whole Foods is one!  You also have Ledo's Pizza, which is one of the few chains that has an original pizza recipe, rather than just a knock-off of Pizza Hut or Dominos.  How about a sandwich at Georgetown Bagelry?  The only McDonald's left in Bethesda is diagonally across the street.  At Westwood Center II, get a steak sandwich at West River Deli, or sushi at Yirasai.  Then bowl a few frames at Bowlmor Lanes.

Not bad for a zero-environmental impact Saturday afternoon.

BOWLMOR GOES

VINTAGE WITH

NEW SIGNS

Westbard Bowling Alley Plays Up

Retro Theme with Revamped Entrance

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Check out the new signs on the front entrance of Bowlmor in Bethesda. The individual bulb design is a throwback to classic American signs of the 50s. What do you think about them?

These are the type of signs you might have found at motels, bars, bowling alleys or in Vegas during the 50s-70s. Although I wonder how Westland parents feel about having a "Bar and Grill" sign so close to the school? I suppose one reason they added that sign was to let people know that it isn't just a bowling alley, and that you can order cocktails and dinner even if you don't bowl.

Of course, the Westbard area continues to lack a family-oriented, sit-down restaurant. The last was Farrell's, which sadly closed in the mid-80s. Today, Farrell's is better known as Anglo Dutch Pool and Toys, which took over the space in the Westwood Shopping Center.

I used to play arcade games, bowl and eat hot dogs at this classic bowling alley when it was Bowl America. The building is a landmark, and I'm glad the interim owner, Strike Bethesda, was able to keep it standing and operational as a bowling alley. I do miss Bowl America, though.

While the overall vibe of the new entrance signs is retro, Bowlmor features upscale food by celebrity chef David Burke.

They also have special events like Sunday Funday, Sundays from 8:00 to close. Games are only $4 and shoe rentals $2.

Bowlmor is great for dates, groups or corporate/office events (which are a specialty for them).

Call 301-652-0955 for more information about planning events.

STILL DARK

Large Sections of Westwood Shopping Center

Remain Unlit for Fourth Consecutive Night

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Two large parking areas at the Westwood Shopping Center remained in darkness for the fourth night in a row.

As I reported yesterday, the reduced lighting has also reduced safety for patrons, Westbard pedestrians, Bowlmor customers and residents of Park Bethesda and Kenwood Place.

Bowlmor patrons were shadowy figures on the sidewalk outside the bowling nightspot, now that illumination from the shopping center is gone.

It remains unknown why shopping center owner Capital Properties has ordered or allowed the blackout, or if the reduced lighting is permanent.

Stay tuned for further updates.

HEY,

WHO TURNED OUT

THE LIGHTS?

Capital Properties Plunges One-Third of

Westwood Shopping Center into Darkness,

Reducing Safety of Patrons, Neighbors

Is County Energy Tax to Blame?

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

A full third of the Westwood Shopping Center property on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda has been shrouded in darkness for consecutive nights. This despite a recent spike in crime in the Westbard area.

In fact, as previously reported here, a resident of the Park Bethesda apartments directly across the street from the shopping center was a victim of armed robbery January 19. The crime occurred in the Park Bethesda parking lot.

Montgomery County Police have added additional officers to the area at night since then. Residents note that those officers continue to be in evidence as recently as last night. No further robberies have been publicly reported since police stepped up patrols.

It is therefore strange that shopping center owner Capital Properties, of New York, would order - or allow - major portions of the parking lot to be pitch black at night.

Ironically, the darkest area is the large parking area between the Rite Aid and the property line alongside the Kenwood Place condominium driveway. Kenwood Place continues to light its driveway. It's ironic, though, because that area of the shopping center is directly across the street from Park Bethesda, where the night robbery took place just four weeks ago.

This darkness is dangerous for several reasons. The robbers who struck in West Bethesda, and across the DC line in NW, are still at large.

Second, many Park Bethesda residents walk across that section of the lot after shopping, to reach the only signal-controlled crosswalk for the building on Westbard. They have no choice unless they drive. We keep hearing about walkable communities, so why would the county and Capital Properties discourage those practicing that lifestyle? The past several nights, those residents have had to make a dangerous walk through a dark area, where anyone could be lurking.

Third, the loss of lighting now makes the job of the police more difficult. If they spot or chase a suspect, they will have to employ their own flashlights or mounted light cannons on their cruisers to illuminate that area.

Fourth, both sidewalks along Westbard are now darker at night, without the illumination usually provided by the shopping center.

Fifth, with lights turned off at the other end as well, more opportunity for would-be thieves to lurk around that wing of Kenwood Place exists.

The portion of the lot directly in front of Giant, Rite Aid, and other businesses remains well-lit.

So why are the lights out? Of course there might be temporary repairs underway. But if this is intended to be permanent, one must assume it is to save money in regard to the county's punitive, draconian energy tax.

The darkened portions of the lot tend to be used only sporadically, for afterschool sports, nighttime patrons of Bowlmor, and those visiting businesses in the commercial wing of Kenwood Place.

But while "smart" growth gurus would claim that's "excessive, wasteful surface parking," the space has been much appreciated by everyone from truckers to the National Treasure 2 film crew. In fact, the Obama campaign used the Westwood Shopping Center parking lot as a staging area on the day of his historic election in 2008.

This is a well-regarded shopping center by longtime residents, and features what is arguably the best Giant in Montgomery County.

It's time to reconsider the unwise decision to severely reduce lighting in the property's parking lot. Particularly at a time when crime activity has been higher than usual in the area. This is another unforced error by Capital Properties, who are seeking to redevelop the Westbard area. Decreasing the safety of the area is not a winning public relations strategy. Also, why were the high-quality shopping center signs replaced with lesser designs that aren't illuminated? That move had reduced lighting already.

Perhaps the blackout was not a decision made in New York. But it's Capital Properties' shopping center now, and they have ultimate control over all decisions there.

In the wise words of Morgan Freeman, "Turn it back on, man!"