McDonald's closes in White Flint (Video + Photos)

McDonald's has closed at 11564 Rockville Pike in White Flint. The loss is not permanent, however. McDonald's is relocating into a new restaurant building on the former Arby's site just up the Pike at 11710 Rockvile Pike. I had expected they might make an overnight switchover, but it looks like the transition won't be as seamless as I thought. The new McDonald's will have something this one never did: a drive-thru.

First snow of 2025 in Bethesda (Photos)

The first snowstorm of 2025 punched above its weight in Bethesda Monday, shutting nearly everything down from government to schools to even U.S. Mail delivery in many cases. Snowfall totals were around 7", but varied by area. Plows began reaching residential neighborhood streets Monday night, but followed Montgomery County's bizarre practice of recent years in plowing only one path up most secondary streets. This is a ripoff of taxpayers in providing only a half-complete job, and forcing residents to shovel the other 50% of the public street. It is also a safety hazard, turning every encounter with a car struggling the opposite direction into a Mexican standoff. Plows should clear the entire street, maneuvering around parked cars as needed.

Plows did a much better job in downtown Bethesda
than in the residential neighborhoods

State snow removal efforts left
something to be desired on MD 355

Ruby Thai Kitchen closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Ruby Thai Kitchen has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Its kiosk in the Dining Terrace food court has been cleared out, and signage has been removed. Ruby Thai Kitchen has been a longtime tenant of the mall, surviving even as many other food court occupants have opened and closed around it. Perhaps Charleys Philly Steaks was simply too much competition.

Assault in parking garage at Chevy Chase Lake

Montgomery County police were called to a parking garage at Chevy Chase Lake on New Year's Eve, after someone reported having been assaulted there. The assault was reported inside a residential garage in the 8500 block of Chevy Chase Lake Terrace at 8:18 PM, on December 31, 2024. An individual was also accused of damaging property in the same incident. 

Maryland electricity supply so low, out-of-state power needed after leaders shut 8 power plants

Opponents of Maryland elected officials' energy-choking Green New Deal policies have been vindicated on two fronts as the new year gets underway. Among the arguments made by businesses, energy companies, and Republicans in the Maryland General Assembly was that monthly utility bills would rise for Maryland residents. Sure enough, late last week, electric utility Pepco informed customers that their bills would rise at least 5% beginning this month, due to Maryland officials' approval of a new surcharge on electric and gas utilities last year. Maryland Green New Deal opponents also predicted that legislators' plan to force the closure of 8 power plants across the state, and require electricity to increasingly be purchased from "green" sources, would not only add to rate hikes, but reduce the state's electricity supply. Now we have confirmation that Maryland's electricity supply has fallen so low, and so inadequate to meet demand, that more electricity will have to be imported from out-of-state at great cost.

PJM, which operates Maryland's electric grid, has contracted with the Public Service Enterprise Group to construct a new, 70-mile power line through Carroll, Frederick, and Baltimore counties. The estimated cost of construction will be $424 million, The Washington Post reported. PSEG stated in a press release that Maryland's electric grid will face "severe and widespread reliablity issues as determined by PJM" if the new power line is not constructed. PJM Vice-President Paul McGlynn cited the retirement of the eight Maryland power plants as the reason out-of-state power is now needed, as demand simultaneously rises.

McGlynn predicted that Maryland electric utility customers would experience "extreme conditions such as system collapse and blackouts if [the lack of electricity supply is] not addressed." This is exactly what opponents of Maryland officials' Green New Deal predicted would happen, and has already been experienced by customers in California and many developing countries like Cuba. 

The shuttered Gen On power plant in Dickerson, MD

One would be on solid ground in making a new prediction: that out-of-state power will be more expensive than power generated in Maryland, and certainly more expensive than that formerly generated by the eight coal-fired power plants our elected officials shut down statewide in recent years. Those "boardwalk prices," like the new EmPOWER MD surcharge, will be passed onto ratepayers. 

Our elected officials are clueless about how the business world works, as evidenced by their failure to attract major corporate headquarters to Maryland this century. But they don't even understand that new costs and taxes on business aren't paid by corporations; they are passed on to customers in the form of higher prices.

The new power line may wind up crossing farmland and sensitive environmental areas, which has raised opposition to the proposal by groups such as Stop MPRP. PSEG said that its current proposed route for the power line was chosen because it would have the least such impacts, and avoid passing near as many homes and businesses as possible. The irony is that the disruptive new power line might not have been necessary if the eight power plants had been allowed to continue operating, and if Maryland elected officials had spent less time on woke virtue-signaling legislation, and more time exploring construction of new nuclear plants instead of ineffective and costly wind power. 

We've seen how dereliction of duty by our elected officials can have negative knock-on effects down the road in the past, with our unfinished freeway system. Cancellation of the new Potomac River crossing connecting the InterCounty Connector with the Dulles area in Virginia, the Rockville Freeway, and the M-83 Highway resulted in more recent proposals for widening I-495 and I-270 that would impact or demolish homes along those interstates. If those master plan highways had been built, the recent Express Lanes proposal would not have been necessary.

Instead, the Maryland Green New Deal energy policies that have yet to have any major impact on climate change or air quality could wind up causing actual negative impacts on the environment in Carroll, Frederick, and Baltimore counties. Despite closing eight power plants, Maryland's spikes in ozone and particle pollution "are the worst they've been in 25 years," the American Lung Association reported in 2024. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema spared at auction

The future of Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema is that it still has a future, at least for now. No bidder for the Landmark theater chain emerged at a liquidation auction that was ordered by its creditor, Fortress, after Landmark defaulted on its $534 million dollar loan. That means all Landmark theaters remain in the hands of real estate mogul Charles Cohen as of today, and that the immediate threat of closure or liquidation has passed. But the decline of the chain under Cohen's direction remains an ongoing cloud over the business, as the pending closure of Landmark's Hillcrest Cinemas in San Diego after tonight's final screenings reminds us.

The shuttering of the Landmark theater in San Diego is the fifth for the chain since Cohen acquired it. As I reported last August, Landmark has increasingly supplanted the arthouse and foreign fare it was known for with mainstream blockbusters since the pandemic. That hasn't been all bad news in the case of the Bethesda Row Cinema, as downtown Bethesda lost the Regal Bethesda 10 cineplex when the Montgomery County Council declined to require its return in the new development at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue.

But the Bethesda Row Cinema is increasingly out-of-date, with its failure to upgrade to recliners and other amenities and standards expected by moviegoers in 2025. And it is facing the end of its lease in 2027, when Bethesda Row property owner Federal Realty will have the option to demolish the current building that houses the theater, and redevelop the site with a taller and denser one. As we saw with 7272 Wisconsin, the spacial dimensions required by a multiscreen theater are significant, and many developers would rather fill that space with additional tenants at higher rents than a theater chain can afford. 

At the same time, a study conducted for Towson, Maryland, about a decade ago showed that a cineplex showing mainstream blockbusters draws an additional 20,000 people to the neighborhood it is located in per weekend. The loss of Regal was evident in the reduction of foot traffic in Bethesda, and the thousands of once-filled parking spaces that now sit empty in the garages near the Regal's former site even during prime dinner hours. While Landmark has begun showing blockbuster movies, it lacks the number of screens and amenities to compete with newer or upgraded theaters. Restaurant and retail proprietors in downtown Bethesda have a vested interest in ensuring that Bethesda has a cineplex in its future.

Trendy Man closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Was Trendy Man too far ahead of the curve? If Trendy Man is wearing it, is it already too late? Who is more stylish, Trendy Man or Florida Man? We may never know the answer to these and other questions, as Trendy Man has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Trendy Man opened here last March, and began a closing sale this past fall. We do know Trendy Man is smart, because Trendy Man stayed open through the biggest shopping months of the year, hopefully landing some trendy gifts under the tree or on the coat hangers of trendy men in Bethesda, Rockville, and Potomac.

WSSC repairs downtown Bethesda water main break ahead of snowstorm

Water utility WSSC finally got around to addressing the water main break at the intersection of Arlington Road and Bethesda Avenue last night, as the area prepares for another shift in temperatures this weekend. The water main rupture first became apparent last Monday night, December 30, 2024. A WSSC crew got to it just in time last evening, as the plunging temperature threatened to turn the pooling water at the intersection into ice. Expect more water main breaks this weekend, as we go from the twenties back up to a high of 36 degrees on Sunday, prior to the snowstorm arriving Sunday night.

See's Candies closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

See's Candies has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Their space has been cleared out, although they left an odd artwork at the back of the store. Christmas is not officially over yet, as it ends on the Epiphany feast of January 6 or on Candlemas on February 2, depending on how you count it. But we can agree that the holiday gift-buying season is over, so seasonal tenant See's Candies departs for another year.

Maryland 2025 utility bills increase under Wes Moore, MD Gen. Assembly plan

"We helped lower utility bills," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) declared in a New Year's Eve video recapping the 2024 legislative "accomplishments" of his office and colleagues in the Maryland General Assembly. As Maryland utility customers are beginning to realize as 2025 begins, Moore lied. Pepco has just informed customers that, beginning this month, their electric bills will be increasing by at least 5%. The reasons? Laws passed by our elected officials in Annapolis.

While our elected officials try to hide new taxes and fees by having businesses collect them, such as bag taxes, Pepco has been upfront in their billing communications about government being the reason for the new charges and increases. In their message to customers, Pepco cites the new "EmPOWER MD" surcharge of 4% that was rammed through the legislature and signed by Moore in 2023. Moore and those in the legislature who supported the increased surcharge to energy utilities knew full well that the amount would be passed on directly to utility customers. This is theft, not "efficiency."

A second reason Pepco cites is that it is facing a 1% increase in its supply costs, a direct result of "supply and demand by generator plants." Why is the supply of electricity down? Because the same Maryland legislature has ordered the closure of not one, not two, but eight coal-fired power stations across the state over the last 13 years. With AI, data centers, and electric vehicles contributing to an all-time high in energy demands, Maryland is trending in the opposite direction of dwindling supply and rising costs.

In claiming to have lowered residents' utility bills, Gov. Moore lied. His claim would earn Four Pinocchios, if The Washington Post were to fact check our local elected officials' frequent false claims. They don't. Kudos to Pepco for telling the truth.

Bon Venue to replace Claire Dratch in Bethesda

Upscale event venues appear to be the first trend to emerge in Bethesda for the year 2025. The Cordell is soon to open at 4865 Cordell Avenue. Now it is revealed that the secretive demolition and construction project at the former Claire Dratch building at 7615 Wisconsin Avenue is also an event venue. Bon Venue will be a two-level space, with the second level largely being an open rooftop. A dizzying virtual tour on the Bon Venue website places you in the center of a cocktail party/happy hour-style event, and Wisconsin Avenue traffic can be seen rushing past below through a large window wall at the west end of the rooftop deck.

Bon Venue will be "dedicated to creating extraordinary experience by providing a versatile and elegant space for every occasion," the website states. "Whether it is a wedding, corporate event, or social gathering, we deliver unparalleled service, meticulous attention to detail, and a warm welcome atmosphere. Our mission is to transform moments into lasting memories, ensuring every guest feels celebrated and inspired.” The space is scheduled to open in early 2025.

The former Claire Dratch building was gutted in early November 2024, as seen in these photos. A construction permit posted at the site described the new use as being a banquet hall, but did not list the name of the business, which as of this morning we now know is Bon Venue.

The Velvet Room coming soon to Bethesda

The Velvet Room is coming soon to 8020 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda. A bar with karaoke, The Velvet Room is anticipated to open in February 2025. Operating hours will be 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM, seven days a week. First, however, the space has to be converted from its current retail use, so we will see if the target opening timeline holds. 

White Flint Mall parking lot leased by motorcycle safety school

The Dark Side of White Flint, Part 50

Welcome to The Dark Side of White Flint, an ongoing series about the not-so-wonnerful, wonnerful, wonnerful side of urbanizing the suburbs of Montgomery County.

Nature may have reclaimed much of the former site of White Flint Mall at 11301 Rockville Pike, but its fenced-off parking lot has just been claimed by a motorcycle safety school. Motorcycle Safety Academy plans to host safety and training courses on the lot, with the first one scheduled to begin March 22, 2025. Additional courses may be added. 

Minus the island of Pike & Rose, which Federal Realty has singlehandedly steered to great success, the 2010 White Flint sector plan has been an unqualified failure more than a decade after its passage. The financial loss created by the destruction of White Flint Mall, although likely offset by developer-friendly tax breaks, is staggering. Think of all the retail sales, video games played, movies watched, and Cheesecake Factory meals consumed - and monthly tenant rents collected - that would have been racked up if the mall was still standing today. Doh!