No Ice Rink In Town Center

Fabricated ice rink from 2008 photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

Don’t plan on skating in Rockville Town Center any time soon. After much delay Federal Realty Investment Trust has indicated an ice skating rink will not be installed this winter.

At last night’s Mayor and Council meeting, Assistant City Manager Jenny Kimball gave everyone the bad news. The engineering for the installation has turned out to be much more complex than anticipated. Tri-State Ice Management, the company which applied to build the rink, will continue to work on it for next year.

Installing an ice rink requires digging up the pavers to install pipes. Of course, there was always the big question of where to store the Zamboni too.

So if you want to ice skate on real ice around Rockville, you will have to do it indoors at the Rockville Ice Arena, or the County rinks at Cabin John or Wheaton. I’ve skated at all three and always enjoy it.

Rockville Real Estate And Foreclosures 12-11-10

Here’s our weekly community-produced real estate listing. Find out about new properties on the market and rental prices over the past ten years.

The Gallery Of New Listings contains pictures and descriptions about the new homes on the market for the past two weeks, click on this link or the photo above for the information.

Neighborhood Facts:

Average Rental Cost Over Ten Years for 20850

Gallery of New Listings and Neighborhood Facts contributed by Lisa AbramsRE/MAX Realty Services, (O)301-652-0400, (C)301-437-6742, [email protected]

Real Estate Listing Map

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Foreclosure Map

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More information on local real estate is also available from Hillstrom Homes, one of our advertisers. They have a site specifically for Rockville: RockvilleHomes.com.

If you are a local real estate broker and you would like to send along the details and a picture of one of your new listings, please email [email protected] and we’ll feature it. Keep in mind, Rockville Central accepts contributions on all sorts of things. The data included in this post is a compilation of many different databases obtained from various sources, Rockville Central makes no claims as to its accuracy, you should not assume it is error-free.

Rockville Real Estate Listings And Foreclosures 12/4/10

Here’s our weekly community-produced real estate listing. Find out about the new houses on the market and what has happened to housing values over the past ten years.

The Gallery Of New Listings contains pictures and descriptions about the new homes on the market for the past two weeks, click on this link or the photo above for the information.

Neighborhood Facts:

Information from Zip Code 20850 provided by Lisa Abrams

Gallery of New Listings and Neighborhood Facts contributed by Lisa AbramsRE/MAX Realty Services, (O)301-652-0400, (C)301-437-6742, [email protected]

Real Estate Listing Map

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Foreclosure Map

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More information on local real estate is also available from Hillstrom Homes, one of our advertisers. They have a site specifically for Rockville: RockvilleHomes.com.

If you are a local real estate broker and you would like to send along the details and a picture of one of your new listings, please email [email protected] and we’ll feature it. Keep in mind, Rockville Central accepts contributions on all sorts of things. The data included in this post is a compilation of many different databases obtained from various sources, Rockville Central makes no claims as to its accuracy, you should not assume it is error-free.

Rockville Real Estate Listings And Foreclosures

Real estate can be the most important investment you ever make. Know our local market. Find properties for sale or in foreclosure with our weekly post.

For a one page Gallery Of New Listings containing pictures and descriptions about the new homes on the market this week, click on this link.

Neighborhood Facts from Lisa Abrams:

Click to enlarge Types of Employment and Average Time To Work (which is about 36 minutes).

Gallery of New Listings and Neighborhood Facts provided by Lisa AbramsRE/MAX Realty Services, (O)301-652-0400, (C)301-437-6742, [email protected]

Real Estate Listing Map

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Foreclosure Map

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If you are a local real estate broker and you would like to send along the details and a picture of one of your new listings, please email [email protected] and we’ll feature it. Advertising in this post is also available each week.

Standard Solar Activates Solar Roof At Rockville Ice Rink

Photo from Wilkinson Shein

Yesterday Standard Solar activated the new 701 Kilowatt Solar Energy System on top of the Rockville Ice Arena. Rockville Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio, Councilmember Bridget Newton, and Karen McManus from Congressman Van Hollen’s office attended along with more than 60 other people celebrating one of the largest single rooftop solar energy systems in Maryland.

Tony Clifford, Standard Solar CEO, Malcolm Woolf, Director, Maryland Energy Administration, Stuart Schooler, Managing Member, The Maven Group. Photo from Wilkinson Shein.

Tony Clifford, Standard Solar CEO, emphasized how such solar systems can solve many of our dire energy problems on the East Coast.

I’m sure that most people in the audience know that Maryland is part of the most congested portion of the national utility grid system. Now the traditional way that utilities have dealt with growing demand on the east coast is to build another coal plant in the Mid-West and upgrade or add new transmission and distribution facilities to move that power to MD, DC and other jurisdictions up the East Coast. Well, about 15 years ago a lot of people started to oppose expensive and unsightly new transmission lines. I think we all know that it is a lot more difficult to site a transmission line in 2010…and it is not going to get any easier.

The real answer is to put the power sources where we consume the power – that is on rooftops and available land near to where it will be consumed. Solar electricity is inherently a source of peak power as it is produced during the day when utilities experience their peak power demands. This 700 kW solar system is certainly going to reduce the peak power demand and improve the reliability of the local distribution grid…with several hundred more such systems we will eliminate the need for a new power plant, truly improve grid reliability and have an noticeable impact on grid congestion throughout the region.

Rockville Blades, LLC, owns the arena and is an affiliate of The Maven Group. Stuart Schooler, a managing member, explained why the solar choice makes so much sense.

This was an easy business decision. Ice rinks are an energy-intensive operation. We need to help our tenants manage costs, while providing activities like skating and hockey that have a more benign impact on the environment. After all, the C&O Canal is only thick enough for skating two to three weeks per year.

The system is projected to meet about 30% of the Arena’s annual electricity needs while reducing carbon dioxide (CO2)-equivalent emissions by about 757 tons each year. A comparison to our household use helps to understand these statistics. The electricity generated by the solar system would power approximately 72 average-sized American homes for a year.

When you visit to skate, you can see the results for yourself. A large screen monitor shows how much electricity the solar panel system is producing at any given time.

We’re lucky to be able to see and monitor this large, green step forward in Rockville. The Arena’s system is a model and inspiration for all the solar possibilities available.

Rockville Real Estate Listings And Foreclosures

Keeping up with real estate trends is a few clicks away. Find local properties for sale or in foreclosure with our weekly post.

For a one page Gallery Of New Listings containing pictures and information about the new homes on the market in Rockville this week, click on this link.

Neighborhood Facts from Lisa Abrams:

58% of Rockvillians are single without children.

Gallery of New Listings and Neighborhood Facts provided by Lisa AbramsRE/MAX Realty Services, (O)301-652-0400, (C)301-437-6742, [email protected]

Real Estate Listing Map

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Foreclosure Map

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If you are a local real estate broker and you would like to send along the details and a picture of one of your new listings, please email [email protected] and we’ll feature it. Advertising in this post is also available each week.

Human Genome Sciences Reports Success With New Lupus Drug; Seen As Potential Acquisition Target

In a Bloomberg piece this afternoon, Rockville-based Human Genome Sciences, Inc. is listed as a possible takeover target by big pharmaceutical companies due to its success with a new drug for lupus.

The drug, Benlysta, looks set to win clearance next month for prescription use. The drug is the first new lupus drug in 50 years. Studies have showed it reduced lupus symptoms like fever, rash, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue, all with fewer side effects than other current therapies.

Human Genome described Benlysta’s successes in its recent 3Q earnings report, late last month.

This would be a big win for Human Genome, as the new drug would have little competition and will likely cost $15,000 to $20,000 per patient per year.

According to Bloomberg:

Human Genome, based in Rockville, Maryland, is co- developing the product with GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the U.K.’s biggest drugmaker. Annual sales for Benlysta may surpass $2.1 billion by 2014, the average of five analyst estimates Bloomberg compiled. A favorable ruling by regulators may spur Glaxo to make a bid, [an analyst] said in a telephone interview.

Other possible suitors include Amgen, Abbott Labs, and Johnson & Johnson.

Liquor Stores To Be Open On Sunday

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

The Washington Examiner reported that County Executive Isiah Leggett will release an executive order on Wednesday to allow Sunday liquor sales at the two dozen county-owned stores.

County spokeswoman Donna Bigler said Sunday sales will begin sometime this month. It’s designed as a six-month trial through the busy holiday season.

Earlier this year, County Councilman Mike Knapp estimated the county would make an additional $1.5 million to $2 million a year by opening its liquor stores on Sunday. County Councilman George Leventhal is sceptical because he believes people don’t buy hard liquor every day so they therefore would not be purchasing it on another day of the week. The County Council does not have to approve the plan.

Since the Twinbrook Liquor store was closed, the two remaining Rockville Liquor Store locations are at 832 Rockville Pike and 12015-B Rockville Pike in Montrose Crossing.

Rockville Real Estate Listings And Foreclosures

Keeping up with real estate trends is a few clicks away on these maps. Find local properties for sale or in foreclosure with our weekly post.

Neighborhood Facts from Lisa AbramsRE/MAX Realty Services, (O)301-652-0400, (C)301-437-6742, [email protected]

Education Levels Prepared by Lisa Abrams

Real Estate Listings Around Rockville

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Foreclosures Around Rockville

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If you are a local real estate broker and you would like to send along the details and a picture of one of your new listings, please email [email protected] and we’ll feature it. Advertising in this post is also available each week.

New Rockville Women’s Business Center Launched

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

At the launch of the new Rockville Women’s Business Center (RRBC) at VisArts this morning, Sally Sternbach, Executive Director of Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI), held a copy of the Washington Business Journal Book of Lists, then passionately revealed that only one category had women-owned businesses making up 50% of the ranked list. Since these are the most successful businesses in the area, she concluded “It’s not enough to start a business. You have to grow it,” then she added, “We’re going to change the landscape of this region.”

The new Rockville Women’s Business Center has been formed to do just that. In short, it’s designed to help Montgomery County’s diverse population of women start and build successful businesses positioned for long-term growth. The RWBC will be located in the REDI offices at 95 Monroe Street.

Speakers at the launch. Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths.

Steve Silverman, Director of Montgomery County’s Department of Economic Development, said it was a “no-brainer” when he was approached to support the new RWBC because the smartest thing the government can do is to pursue true opportunities to work with those outside of government. Such efforts will help get everyone out of this great recession.

By reviewing the details of a 10-month feasibility study, Lori Gillen, the Managing Director of the RWBC, explained why we need such a Center and why it’s located in Rockville. During seven workshops over 300 entrepreneurs were surveyed about their needs. Although the workshops were not advertised as being for women, 64% of the attendees were women. The workshops attracted a diverse group; 60% were minorities while the Montgomery County minority population is 45%. Three-quarters of the attendees were “tire kickers” who were not in business. The largest percentage (26%) preferred a Rockville location which was also considered central to the others. The only drop in center for women in the County is provided by the Commission for Women. Although many volunteer women business organizations exist, respondents wanted more help with one-on-one counseling, business planning, and marketing. The greatest gaps identified for women business owners involved affordability, frequency, and accessibility of services. All this led to the creation of the RWBC.

The Director of the Washington Metropolitan District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Bridget Bean, explained that if an owner spends more than five hours working with a business center, their business is more productive and earns a greater profit. She knows the good work at the RWBC will benefit the entire economy.

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

Barbara Wrigley from the Northern Virginia Women’s Business Center admitted it’s a long drive to Springfield for any entrepreneurs in Montgomery County. They have plenty of people for their two person staff to serve, so they welcome the new Center to the network. The first centers were started 22 years ago when HR 50-50 changed everything for women. The four trial centers formed back then have now grown to 110 in the United States. Over the years they have found that women can train women more successfully when they are based in the community close to public transportation with convenient hours. The mission of women’s business centers is not being “transactional” but rather “relational”. Women never felt comfortable going to small business development centers at universities or working with SCORE counselors who were retired after running large companies. WBC builds relationships while offering coffee and cookies because that’s what women do. She reminded everyone that it was only 22 years ago when HR 50-50 eliminated the requirement for a woman to have a male relative sign for a business loan. Women now strive to bring balance into their lives through entrepreneurship. The NoVA Center can be easily replicated in Rockville and it will be just as successful.

Gwen Cook, one of the 80 supporters at the kick-off event, attended some of the workshops offered even though she lives in Prince George’s County. She wasn’t a business major but had an idea to have her own business, Bezzie’s BBQ Sauce. She intends to use the services at the RWBC to create a more defined business plan and discover financial possibilities. She’s glad she doesn’t have to drive to Springfield anymore.

Training opportunities and seminars have already started and the schedule is here. REDI and RWBC hope to work together to create local companies of all types such as biotech, high-tech, and service, capitalizing on the wealth of talent in our community.

$1 Million In Grants To Novavax In Rockville

Photo from Novavax

Novavax, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company located in Rockville, announced today that it has been awarded approximately $978,000 in grants under the Internal Revenue Service’s Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (“QTDP”). This program was created under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 to provide tax credits or grants representing up to 50 percent of eligible qualified investments in therapeutic discovery projects during tax years 2009 and 2010.

In their press announcement, Dr. Rahul Singhvi, President and CEO of Novavax, stated,

We are gratified to receive this award in recognition of our efforts to develop novel vaccine candidates using our unique recombinant technology. Novavax plans to use these funds to support advanced development of its novel virus-like-particle-based vaccine candidates, which include vaccines for seasonal and pandemic influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV).

The company works to develop the use of virus-like particle (VLP) technology to tackle influenza viruses – including avian strains that have the potential to cause a pandemic outbreak. They’ve created vaccines designed to protect against various circulating strains of pandemic influenza including H1N1 and H5N1 influenza, as well as seasonal flu. Using a unique portable manufacturing system that allows for rapid mass production, their long-term goal is to be able to rapidly deliver a customized vaccine in the midst of a pandemic.

Novavax originally moved its headquarters from Malvern, PA to Rockville because they could build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility housed on site for their research and clinical scientific teams. The company takes advantage of their close proximity to Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland for recruiting. Novavax has publically stated that its employees “enjoy living and working in Montgomery County and feel comfortable raising their families in its exceptional public school system with extensive accessibility to public transportation.”

Insider Trading Case Involves Rockville Biotech

Photo from Clinical Care Options

As reported by many news outlets yesterday, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, a French doctor, Yves Benhamou has been charged with insider trading for telling an unamed hedge fund about drug testing setbacks at the Rockville-based Human Genome Sciences.

During the clinical trial of the hepatitis drug, Albuferon, he allegedly phoned, emailed, and texted messages to an unnamed “co-conspirator” who was a portfolio manager at the hedge fund. Although the charging documents do not name the fund, news reports identified FrontPoint Partners, a unit of Morgan Stanley. FrontPoint has admitted Dr. Chip Skowron is on leave during the investigation.

The Securities and Exchange Commission brought civil charges against Dr. Benhamou while the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan filed a criminal complaint. The documents claim the hedge fund avoided $30 million in loses based on the information provided. Traders were pushed to dump all of the Human Genome shares on January 22, 2008, right before the company announced it would be stopping parts of the Albuferon trial. One patient in the Albuferon trial died and another developed lung disease, possibly as a side effect of the drug.

As the NYT article explains:

The case demonstrates the conflicts that can develop when an expert in the medical field also advises investors. And it shows the pitfalls that can await a foreigner not familiar with American securities laws.

Rockville Real Estate Listings and Foreclosures 10/30/10

Our helpful weekly update of the foreclosures and properties for sale in our neighborhood. Check the price of the house for sale down the street or find out if any nearby homes are going through foreclosure.

Neighborhood Facts from Lisa Abrams
RE/MAX Realty Services, (O)301-652-0400, (C)301-437-6742 [email protected]

Income Comparisons

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Properties for Sale in the Rockville area:

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Foreclosures Around Rockville

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If you are a local real estate broker and you would like to send along the details and a picture of one of your new listings, please email [email protected] and we’ll feature it. Advertising in this post is also available each week.

Choice Hotels Is Moving To Town Center

As we reported when the County Executive spoke with the Rockville Chamber of Commerce, Montgomery County was competing to attract the corporate headquarters for Choice Hotels. Today the offices of Governor Martin O’Malley, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, and City of Rockville Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio announced that Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) signed a letter of intent with the State, County and City to move its headquarters from Silver Spring to Rockville when its current lease expires in 2013.

Choice is one of the world’s largest lodging companies. With a need to add 75 employees to their current 400, Choice was looking for a location with 130,000 square feet of office space. Rockville Town Center was chosen because it’s proximity to public transportation. Concerned about their current employees, the company also desired a location convenient to where the majority currently live. The shops and services in Town Center also helped to sway their decision.

In addition, the Governor’s office announced the company is considering a Cambria Suites hotel near the headquarters to accommodate an estimated 10,000 stays per year generated by employee and franchisee training programs, as well as other community, vendor and hotel developer events.

Washington Business Journal reporter Missy Frederick confirmed that Choice is not revealing the address at this time.

The Gazette provided details of the agreement:

… the state, county and city are providing $4.3 million in conditional loans and grants that are contingent upon job creation at the new headquarters. In addition, the company is eligible for state, county and city tax credits, including the county’s New Jobs Tax Credit, and could also receive Tax-Exempt Recovery Zone Facility Bonds.

On their website, Choice International details the companies profile. Choice currently franchises more than 6,000 hotels, representing more than 490,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 35 countries including Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn.

Looks like we’re going to have a new corporate neighbor.

Four New Eateries Under Construction

Silver Diner

Signs announce the opening of the brand new Silver Diner in Federal Plaza on Tuesday, November 2nd. This long-time political meeting place for Montgomery County is relocating from Mid-Pike Plaza after spending $3.5 million to build the new restaurant. The rotating clock tower sit 30 feet high on top of the stainless steel retro building.

When you hear “diner” you might think greasy but the Silver Diner philosophy is all about healthy meals with produce, eggs, and milk from local farms in an effort to support sustainable agriculture. The menu includes many 600 calorie entrees so there’s always a non-fattening choice. The coffee’s from Greenberry’s in Charlottesville, VA.

The Mid Pike Plaza location opened in 1989. As one of the busiest restaurants in the country, the Diner has been a mainstay of the community and the backdrop for many fond memories. On the Diner’s Facebook page they’ve been giving away a replica tabletop jukebox (which plays MP3s and CDs) each week to a random winner chosen after they shareda short story, picture, or video of why they love the old Rockville Silver Diner.

The new Diner is expected to combine the best of the 1950′s decor including tabletop Seeburg Jukeboxes with modern features such as free Wi-Fi. As a Jersey diner girl, I’ll meet you at the Silver Diner next month!

Matchbox

In the midst of building from the ground up, Matchbox has been rising in the parking lot of Congressional Plaza South. With locations on H Street and Capitol Hill, Matchbox is expanding to Rockville.

Matchbox boasts wood-fired 800 degree masonry ovens to create unparalleled crispy pizza crusts. The bistro offers fancier steaks, scallops, and grilled salmon.

A very strong green initiative forms the basis of their business. They strive to reduce disposable paper and plastic products, use recycled paper, and replace petroleum based products with biodegradable non-petrol based items, while also reducing energy and water consumption whenever possible. The buildings are healthy for people and they donate to organizations in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of the wood-burning ovens.

Voted Best New Restaurant in 2004 by the Restaurant Association, we have to hope the Rockville location receives the same accolades. I can’t wait to experience the finished eco-friendly restaurant.

Woodside Deli
Twenty years ago when we lived in Silver Spring, the Woodside Deli was our regular Sunday brunch stop. When we moved to Rockville, we were glad they followed us and opened a location near Congressional but it didn’t have the same vintage feel and it didn’t make it. When I saw the sign announcing another new location in the mall at 12 North Washington Street, I couldn’t help by take note.

The Deli will be specializing in catering for any occasion from small gatherings to large corporate affairs. With over 45 years of experience, they know how to serve a great spread for anything from a picnic to a Bar Mitzvah to a meeting to Thanksgiving. We’ll have to see what delicious options they’ll have for us when they open around Thanksgiving at the beginning of December.

Subway

Throughout the years, there have been many different shops in the end unit at 12 North Washington Street. To me, Subway will be a welcome addition because the company provides all the nutritional information for each sandwich. I know exactly how many calories I’m ordering and can eat an entire large sub without worrying about it. Although I didn’t eat Subway exclusively when losing my 50 lbs., I could always count on a filling lunch when I did. The hardest part is making the fresh-baked bread and vegetable choices. This will be my “go-to” quick lunch destination.