New public art on Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda (Photos)

A strange cast of characters has appeared at 7904 Woodmont Avenue. No, it's not the people waiting in line for hot dogs at Dog Haus Biergarten, or even the Montgomery County Council. It's new artwork on the side of the building that is mainly home to a trash dumpster.

Masked burglars appear to be breaking into the building, while a purple-haired heroine hovers on a star. Art may be imitating life, as Montgomery County grapples with increasing violent crime, including a 31% spike in murders last year. A triple murder last week has the county on-track for another high-homicide year in 2018, thanks to our soft-on-crime County Council. The Council may be represented by the fellow at ground level who is looking the other way as the crime is committed.

Ritz Camera closes in Bethesda (Photos)

Ritz Camera has closed at 6917 Arlington Road in Bethesda. It's a big loss for those who haven't switched entirely to digital or cellphone photography. Ritz Camera traces its history back to Benjamin Ritz's portrait studio at the Ritz Hotel in Atlantic City, which opened in 1918.

The contents of the store have been cleared out. One great irony is that the last regular post on their Facebook page April 16 was advertising a GoPro digital camera. Hope you picked up your photos!

Donohoe's Gallery Bethesda II apartment tower expected to open late summer (Photos)

The lights are on, but nobody's home at the future Gallery Bethesda II apartment tower at 4850 Rugby Avenue in Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle. I have some night shots mixed into this construction update to show the interior lighting. The latest news from the building's management firm, Vantage Management, is that delivery is currently on-target for late summer.

Other new details include apartment features like GE Energy Star appliances, Kaindl plank flooring, Moen bath fixtures, Modern West End Collection six-panel interior doors, keyless entry, and built-in USB charging stations in the kitchen and bedrooms.

Gallery II will include 219 units and a generous 12425 SF of retail and restaurant space. Developer Donohoe is aiming for tenants that will draw foot traffic to the plaza Gallery II shares with sister building Gallery Bethesda, compared to the tenant-focused retail in the first building. In fact, the curved corner of the building at Del Ray and Rugby is anticipated for a restaurant use.

Donohoe is also the construction firm for the project, which was designed by WDG Architecture. The award-winning original Gallery Bethesda was the first post-Great Recession project to deliver in downtown Bethesda, and still holds the record for fastest lease-up of this generation of luxury buildings.

Impressive new images of 7272 Wisconsin project in Bethesda (Photos)

An impressive new set of renderings of Carr Properties' future 7272 Wisconsin development may inspire more optimism than the hole currently occupying the site. Click on any image to enlarge for greater detail. One view looking down from the office building across Elm Street gives the best and most-detailed view yet of the pedestrian plaza around the Purple Line station entrance. People can be seen through the transparent walls of the office building, whose tenants will include WTTG Fox 5. A pool of water and patches of green dot the plaza and sidewalk area.

A lobby space with a staircase features an abstract wall design that resembles tall library bookshelves. Icicle-like modern lighting fixtures dangle from the high ceiling.

The view along Elm Street gives a preview of what the garage entrances there, which will include a circular drop-off inside the building, will look like.

A new day in Bethesda dawns on a rooftop space, where one man reads the morning paper, while others sit inside a glassed-in structure with tables and chairs with dramatic lighting and a high ceiling.

Finally, a vision of how the new development will interface with the adjoining JBG Smith and Federal Realty properties is shown. The triangular green patch was just purchased at great expense by Montgomery County, but its future is far from certain. Everything from the low standards MoCo uses for parks, to the "secret" plan to extend the Purple Line to Westbard and Sumner, could end up sabotaging this promising public space at the corner of Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues. Hard to see in this particular rendering is the staircase that will make a pedestrian connection between Elm Street and this Woodmont plaza area, which architect Robert Sponseller predicted would remind one of "a nice Italian villa with that graceful staircase."

All renderings courtesy Shalom Baranes Associates, Architects
All rights reserved

Flower Child restaurant to open at Wildwood Shopping Center

Flower Child, another healthy dining concept from the creator of True Food Kitchen, is coming to Montgomery County. Fox Restaurant Concepts has leased spaces at Wildwood Shopping Center in Bethesda, and at 10016 Darnestown Road in Rockville. Flower Child's menu consists of trendy vegetable and grain-based bowls, plates and wraps, with the option to add chicken, steak, salmon or tofu.

As expected, there is an emphasis on organic, non-gmo and superfood ingredients. Salads, and a short starters list with hummus, soup and avocado toast round out the menu. Beverage selections include local craft beer, wine and, of course, kombucha.

Thelo Greek Grill to open this month in Bethesda (Photos)

Thelo Greek Grill had been scheduled to open on April 20, but remains dark. Now the owner says it will open in May, but the exact date is not yet known. They are hiring for all positions, seeking potential employees "with humor. Work ethic a plus." Thelo Greek Grill is located at 8009 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda.

The Baked Bear to open May 19 at Pike & Rose

Just in time for warmer temperatures, The Baked Bear will open its doors at Pike & Rose for the first time on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 1:00 PM. Is there any reason to get there early? You better believe it.

The first 300 people in line will get a free ice cream sandwich. The first 20 people in line will also get a free Baked Bear t-shirt. And the first 100 people will be entered to win 50 pre-made sandwiches for a party or event.

The Baked Bear has a Cookie-of-the-Month on the menu, and this month's sounds pretty interesting: Mexican Hot Chocolate. Find The Baked Bear at 929 Rose Avenue #404.

Bethesda outdoor movies return July 24-28, 2018

Bethesda Urban Partnership has announced the lineup for this summer's Bethesda Outdoor Movies event, which will be held nightly at 9:00 PM from July 24-28 this year at the corner of Norfolk and Auburn Avenues. A limited number of chairs will be available, so bring your own to ensure a seat, and pick up food and beverages at any of the many nearby restaurants in the Woodmont Triangle.

This year's movie selections will be:

Schedule

Tuesday, July 24 – Remember the Titans

Wednesday, July 25 – Casablanca

Thursday, July 26 – The Big Sick

Friday, July 27 – Mean Girls

Saturday, July 28 – The Post

JINYA Ramen Bar opening early summer at Pike & Rose (Photos)

We knew JINYA Ramen Bar was opening at Pike & Rose, but now we know what the restaurant at 910 Prose Street will look like inside when its doors open early this summer. The chain sent me these renderings of the exterior and interior of their first Montgomery County location, and photos of a few dishes.

In addition to traditional, Americanized and custom ramen options like Spicy Chicken Ramen, Slurp Up Cilantro Ramen, Old Skool Ramen, and Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen, JINYA will also offer salads, bowls, small plates, mini tacos (salmon, tuna or pork chashu & kimchee), desserts, and even Tokyo Curry Rice.

Japanese-cocktails, local craft beers, whiskeys, sake and seasonal house-made beverages will be among the beverage options. Outdoor patio seating will also be available. JINYA will share a building with the already-open L.L. Bean store, overlooking Rose Park.

Permanent signage installed at Truebody Bethesda (Photos)

New, permanent signage on the historic facade of the old Bethesda Post Office at 7400 Wisconsin Avenue may help wayward postal customers realize this is actually a gym now. Truebody Bethesda will be hosting a Vino + Vinyasa event this Saturday, May 12, 2018 from 4:00-6:30 PM. A yoga class will be combined with red wine tasting for a health-boosting combination. You can book your spot online.

Free cone day TODAY at Haagen-Dazs in Bethesda

Today, May 8, 2018, is Free Cone Day at Haagen-Dazs, located at 7237 Woodmont Avenue at Bethesda Row, or on Level 1 in the Old Navy wing at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Stop by between 4:00 and 8:00 PM to get your free cone. You are also invited to make an optional donation to the Haagen-Dazs Loves Honeybees Initiative, to help endangered bees.

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Bosch Beauty Bar moves into former downtown Bethesda furniture showroom

Bosch Beauty Bar has taken over the space at 7215 Arlington Road that was previously home to Urban Loft/Loft Living Company. The lash and brow specialty salon has already earned a solid five-star rating on Yelp that carries over from its previous location. Bosch Beauty Bar touts its standing as the "area's leader in eyebrow microblading."

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Orano USA leases space at JBG Smith's 4747 Bethesda Avenue development

Orano USA will consolidate its D.C. and Virginia operations at developer JBG Smith's under-construction 4747 Bethesda Avenue trophy office tower in downtown Bethesda. A subsidiary of Orano, a global nuclear fuel cycle firm headquartered in Paris, Orano USA has leased 21748 SF of office space on the future building's 10th floor. JBG Smith announced the lease this afternoon.

JBG Smith itself will relocate its Chevy Chase headquarters into 4747 Bethesda, but the addition of Orano USA bolsters the tenant roster, which already includes space leased by Booz Allen Hamilton and Host Hotels and Resorts.

Orano USA's D.C. area divisions are focused on decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear plants, and uranium contracts with utility companies. An existing TN Americas division is already located in Howard County.

“We are very pleased to welcome Orano at 4747 Bethesda Avenue along with Booz Allen Hamilton and Host Hotels and Resorts. Orano is a leading global company in their field and they represent the type of best-in-class organizations we sought to attract when we embarked on the development of the building,” David Ritchey, Executive Vice President at JBG SMITH said. “We would like to thank the Orano team, along with Brian Wood of CBRE, for their collaboration and partnership.”

Firefighters responding to Westland MS in Bethesda

UPDATED: 2:29 PM

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services responded to a report of smoke at Westland Middle School, located at 5511 Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda, around 2:20 PM.

A fire was located and extinguished in a trashcan in a boys bathroom, according to MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer. Firefighters are investigating the incident, and placing fans inside to clear the building of smoke.