Comments

• On the article 1 Dead, 1 Seriously Injured in Parking Garage Collapse at Bethesda Mall

  ED

  7:32 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013

  What is it with Montgomery County and concrete? If these structures are passing inspections as they are being built, there must be something drastically wrong. If I'm not mistaken, the Macy's garage at Westfield Wheaton was delayed due to faulty concrete construction, Costco was delayed due to faulty concrete, the Silver Spring Transit Center has faulty concrete construction, and now one construction worker is dead and another severely injured at Westfield Montgomery Mall. I pray for any construction worker in Montgomery County.

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• On the article A Guide to Memorial Day Weekend 2013 Events

  ED

  11:18 am on Wednesday, May 22, 2013

  Battley Harley-Davidson in Gaithersburg always has events on Memorial Day weekend. The police escorted "Ride to the Wall", from Gaithersburg to the Pentagon for Rolling Thunder on Sunday morning, is always fun. For those that do not ride, the lines of motorcycles can be seen from the over-passes on Routes 270 and 495.

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• On the article Got Great Gatsby Fever?

  ED

  1:26 pm on Sunday, May 12, 2013

  F. Scott Fitgerald was not always buried at St. Mary's Church in Rockville. I visited his grave at Rockville Union Cemetery in the early 1970's. At the time of my visit, it was my understanding that the Catholic Church refused to bury F. Scott Fitzgerald in St. Mary's when he died. It's amazing that, after F. Scott Fitgerald became so famous, the Church reconsidered.

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• On the article Councilmembers Divided on Wheaton Redevelopment Approach

  

  ED

  6:26 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013

  Commentous - I'm glad that we agree that something needs to happen. Although an urban planner may have stated that residential is the way to go, most businesses will state (and have stated) that they need the "lunchtime crowd". The only way that it can be accomplished is with offices in Wheaton.

• On the article Councilmembers Divided on Wheaton Redevelopment Approach

  

  ED

  5:34 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013

  From what I understand, that is the "split project" that Navarro, Reimer, and Ervin agree with. I agree with this option. I don't even think the "urban park"(Lot 13 park) is part of it. There was some question about ownership of the park if MNCPPC is building on Lot 13, but if they build on Reedie, that may be moot. Let Park & Planning build their building, free up 8787 Georgia Avenue, and give some closure to at least one office building in the Triangle. If the County wants another public/private partnership that they can argue about for the next ten years, so be it.

• On the article Councilmembers Divided on Wheaton Redevelopment Approach

  

  ED

  3:38 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013

  In the beginning of the meeting, MNCPPC stated clearly (from what I heard) they want to own and control their building if they are going to let 8787 Georgia Avenue go. I agree that MNCPPC may not be "fully on board", but why should they? They own the property that the County really wants and the County has jerked them around, yet again. The County Council plan was originally that the multi-agency building would be on Lot 13. Then they moved it to Reedie. Now it's back up in the air. Residents were told that the Park and Planning Headquarters would be faster than a public/private partnership. As far as someone "growing up" on this, I believe it's the County, not MNCPPC.

• On the article Councilmembers Divided on Wheaton Redevelopment Approach

  

  ED

  2:43 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013

  From what I understood, the MCS land, even if they added more land, would not be able to hold all three departments, while Lot 13 could. I could be wrong. I don't think this is about MNCPPC not wanting to share a building with other agencies. I think this is about land ownership. MNCPPC is a totally different, bi-County (PG & MC) entity. Since MNCPPC owns the 3+ acres at 8787 Georgia Avenue and a different County entity (Executive Branch) wants it, it is important for MNCPPC to own and control the land that will be swapped. I think Leggett needs to quit the "maybe DPS/DEP will be in Wheaton or maybe not". If he wants MNCPPC in Wheaton, swap the Reedie Drive land, give them money to expand the land area, and go ahead with his public/private partnership on Lot 13, other Parking Lot District lots, and 8787 Georgia Avenue. 8787 Georgia Avenue can not be redeveloped until MNCPPC is housed somewhere else. I don't see this as an MNCPPC created problem, I see it as an Executive - County Council created problem. Jeez, I thought this was all settled, with residential uproar, last year.

• On the article Councilmembers Divided on Wheaton Redevelopment Approach

  

  ED

  1:01 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013

  Commentous - the Sector Plan and even the BF Saul project was hoping for Class A office space so that people can live and work in Wheaton. Retail jobs alone don't cut it. The Silver Place project that was originally proposed in Silver Spring included the Park and Planning Headquarters, residential units, and ground floor retail. Right now, the funding is out there for residential units, so this County expenditure for P&P may be our best shot at getting quality office space soon. Other than the small BB&T project, almost every other project in Wheaton (Safeway, Baptist Church site, Office conversion on Georgia Avenue), so far, is for residential development. I'm not saying P&P has to be on lot 13, I'm just saying DO SOMETHING. If P&P will be on Reedie, I hope a public/private partnership on Lot 13 uses the available FAR and has residential, office (DPS & DEP) with ground floor retail. Not just 6 stories of residential (as BF Saul proposed) with ground floor retail. Just like Councilmember Ervin, I feel like yesterday was Groundhog Day.

• On the article Councilmembers Divided on Wheaton Redevelopment Approach

  

  ED

  11:04 am on Thursday, May 9, 2013

  If I'm not mistaken, Phil Andrews went to Einstein - he knows quite a bit about Wheaton and he is running for County Executive, so he may be concerned about the residents (and their votes). Berliner now has Kensington constituents and the redevelopment of Wheaton will be good not only for Wheaton, but for Kensington. I don't think anyone ever knows what Rice will do. They probably voted for the Sesker plan last year, so they should just stick with what they told the residents last year - a Park and Planning headquarters building would be quicker than the proposed BF Saul public/private partnership.

• On the article Councilmembers Divided on Wheaton Redevelopment Approach

  

  ED

  10:29 am on Thursday, May 9, 2013

  Sorry, I was wrong. The original study to determine that a new Park and Planning Headquarters was needed - 2003! "2004: The County Council appropriates $850,000 in the Capital Budget to fund planning studies and the developer selection process." (MNCPPC website) Ten years later and we are still studying!