Tenleytown Target opens to huge crowds (Photos)

Customers are lining up in droves at the new Tenleytown Target store, which opened at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and River Road N.W. in Washington. The store has a CVS Pharmacy, and is well-stocked for Christmas and holiday shopping. As I've mentioned before, this store is larger than the downtown Bethesda Target, but smaller than the Rockville store.

Chevy Chase Lake/Purple Line construction update (VIdeo+Photos)

Chevy Chase Lake is a chaotic destination at the moment. You have a major redevelopment project by the Chevy Chase Land Company underway at the site of the former shopping center. The Purple Line light rail project is under construction adjacent to that. And finally, the pavement has recently been all torn up along the Chevy Chase Lake-area stretch of Connecticut Avenue. Here's a look at the progress as of yesterday.

 

Gartenhaus Furs to move in Bethesda

Gartenhaus Furs at 7101 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda is moving. They do not have a new location yet, however. A moving sale is underway. Gartenhaus has been in business for 101 years

Countdown to happiness begins at Neuhaus at Bethesda Row

Large, cardboard-boxed Advent calendars with chocolates behind every door are now ubiquitous in grocery and drug stores across America. Neuhaus at Bethesda Row is now offering what may be the ultimate Advent calendar - the limited-edition 2019 Countdown to Happiness Advent Calendar.

Neuhaus invented the praline at its now-iconic shop in Brussels, the Galerie de la Reine. That shop and pralines take center stage in the Countdown to Happiness calendar. In fact, as you open each door leading to Christmas, the package itself transforms into the famous shop. Behind each door you will find a variety of pralines.

The ultimate Advent Calendar comes with an ultimate price. A Countdown to Happiness calendar will set you back $73. But as the great Joe Namath said, "If you're not gonna go all the way, man, I mean, why go at all?"

Montgomery Mall decorates for Christmas (Photos)

The holiday season is fully underway at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. They've broken out the Christmas decorations, and even Santa's photo area - though Santa himself wasn't on the premises yet. Some of the decorations return again from the last few years, like the giant "JOY" letters. But this year, there are some brand new, supersize ornaments scattered around the mall.

Battery Lane Park to officially reopen Saturday in Bethesda

Battery Lane Park will officially reopen tomorrow, Saturday, November 9, 2019. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held from 10:00 AM to noon. There will be games to play and refreshments will be served. The park is located at 4960 Battery Lane. It actually reopened to the public this past July.

Improvements you will find when visiting include a new 5500 SF playground, a new outdoor fitness station, accessible picnic areas with concrete surface, new color-coating on the basketball court, a wider and resurfaced Bethesda Trolley Trail, realigned and repaved pathways, and new benches and lighting. Two new features you won't see are an improved stormwater management system, and new tree plantings, the latter because they won't be planted until next spring.

The Elm apartments website launches with new renderings

Here's some non-construction-related news from Carr Properties' 7272 Wisconsin Avenue redevelopment project. The official website has launched for The Elm, the apartment tower portion of the development. It features some new renderings of the project, all of common areas in the future tower, as opposed to apartment interiors.

Future residents of The Elm on its
glassed-in skybridge above downtown Bethesda

The website also reveals that Bozzuto will be the property manager for the residential tower. Bozzuto has been in charge of several of the post-recession properties delivered in recent years in Bethesda, including the Flats at Bethesda Avenue across the street, and Flats 8300. Insight Property Group is the residential developer chosen for the project by Carr. You can see impressive views of the skybridge from both exterior and interior viewpoints here. See more on the website.

Renderings courtesy Carr Properties
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Westbard Rite Aid to close December 6

The Rite Aid at 5350 Westbard Avenue is scheduled to close December 6, 2019. A closing sale is underway. Both the Rite Aid and the Capital One bank next door in the Westwood Shopping Center will be demolished in Phase 1 of the redevelopment of the property by Regency Centers.

However, a source tells me the bank is required by law to give its customers 90 days' notice of a branch closure, and has not done so yet. The bank and drug store stand where a public square and new retail structure will be in the future development. Construction office trailers have been appearing at the far end of the shopping center parking lot over the last several months, but I haven't seen any demolition permits requested yet for the property.