Purple Line work scheduled in Lyttonsville this weekend

Just some of the mature forest that
will be felled along the trail

Purple Line Transit Partners says their contractors will be out this Saturday, March 17, 2018 on the Georgetown Branch Trail from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. They'll be engaged in "tree chipping and grinding," a.k.a. clear-cutting mature forest, between Jones Mill Road and Lyttonsville Place. They'll also be violating the Montgomery County noise ordinance in doing so. Such work cannot legally be done before 9:00 AM on weekends, unless they have a noise waiver.

AT&T proposes 3 new cell towers for The Chateau in Silver Spring

AT&T Mobility, LLC has filed a request to attach three new cell towers atop The Chateau apartments, located at 9727 Mount Pisgah Road in Silver Spring. Anyone concerned about the impact of the new towers on nearby historic properties is asked to call 1-717-472-3070. The Chateau is one of my personal favorite apartment buildings in Montgomery County. Beautiful landscaping, fabulous views, and you are right on a ramp to the Capital Beltway.

Montgomery College selects design firm for new Takoma Park Math-Science building

Public process to

begin in spring

Takoma Park residents living near the Montgomery College Takoma Park campus should get ready to weigh in on the design of a new Math-Science building. Montgomery College has announced it has chosen a firm to design it. The new combined-use building will be located at the corner of Fenton Street/Albany Avenue and Takoma Avenue.

SmithGroupJJR previously designed the Cultural Arts Center on the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus, and the Holy Cross Germantown Hospital located on the College’s Germantown Campus. They also have experience with projects that are adjacent to residential neighborhoods. That was a key factor in their selection, Montgomery College VP of Facilities and Public Safety Marvin Mills said.

Nearby residents have bristled at some of the college's past construction plans. A public charrette process led by DC-based LINK Strategic Partners this spring will give residents a chance to comment or suggest changes. The designs show here are preliminary massing renderings from the campus master plan.

Once a final design is chosen, Mills said, the college anticipates construction to start in December 2019. The building would then be expected to open for classes in the fall semester of 2022. Hopefully they can come up with a design that fits with the fantastic architecture of the 1960s-1970s-era buildings on the campus. Like the City of Takoma Park itself, it is a beautiful campus, and those designs were so very appropriate for the suburban residential environment it is located in.

Furniture Place opens at Wheaton Plaza (Photos)

Furniture Place has opened at Wheaton Plaza. The store is located next to Crazy 8, and across from Foot Locker, on the upper level.

The showroom is well-lit and modern, with a large selection of home furnishings. There is another store called Furniture Place at Iverson Mall, er, "The Shops at Iverson," in Hillcrest Heights, but the logo is completely different from the new Wheaton Plaza store's. It is a vintage-style logo - does anyone know how many years that Hillcrest Heights Furniture Place store has been there? I'm curious if the logo is meant to be a retro throwback, or if the store has been there for decades.

MetroPCS to host grand opening at Ellsworth Place this weekend

Prepaid phone retailer MetroPCS will celebrate the grand opening of their newest Montgomery County location this weekend at Ellsworth Place mall in downtown Silver Spring. There will be prize giveaways, face painting for kids, and more. MetroPCS is located on Level 3 of the mall, which is located at 8661 Colesville Road.

Police looking for suspected MS-13 member in Aspen Hill

Suspect accused of 

involvement in 

armed robberies,

MoCo sex trafficking

Montgomery County police are searching for a suspected MS-13 gang member who has been known to hang out at the Home Depot in Aspen Hill as a day laborer. According to ABC7 News, detectives believe 24-year-old Jose Molina Arevalo (alias "Malandro") was involved in a slew of violent crimes in Wheaton, Kensington, and elsewhere in the D.C. region.

Arevalo is 5'4", weighs 140 pounds and in the past has worn an eyebrow ring and earrings in both ears. If you see Arevalo, or know where he is, police warn he is considered armed and dangerous. They recommend you immediately call Detective Dan Krill, of the Montgomery County Police Robbery Section, at (240) 876-0418.

Gussini Fashion & Shoes to open at Wheaton Plaza

Gussini Fashion & Shoes will open soon at Wheaton Plaza. The store will be located near JC Penney. Based in Bladensburg, the local chain has 10 stores. They offer a wide selection of women's apparel and shoes for juniors and plus sizes.