Car stolen in Silver Spring

Montgomery County police investigated a report of a stolen car just off of Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring yesterday afternoon. The vehicle taken was parked along the street in the 2100 block of Medical Park Drive, just south of Dennis Avenue, according to crime data.

La Colombiana restaurant to return in Wheaton

Good news for fans of Colombian cuisine in Wheaton. The return of La Colombiana at 11216 Grandview Avenue is in the works. Operating hours will be 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Stay tuned for an opening date.

J. Hollinger's steakhouse coming to Silver Spring

Sizzling steaks are returning to the ground floor of the Lee Building in downtown Silver Spring. Award-winning restaurateur Jerry Hollinger will be opening J. Hollinger's, a traditional steakhouse with a full bar in the landmark building at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road. 

Hollinger is also behind two other popular Montgomery County ventures, The Daily Dish and The Dish & Dram. J. Hollinger's could open as soon as this month. Steak fanatics have made the Lee Building their destination in the not-so-distant past, when it was home to Ray's The Classics, and later simply, The Classics.

Strong-arm robbery at Burtonsville grocery store

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery at a grocery store in Burtonsville last Friday night. The robbery was reported at or outside of a supermarket in the 15600 block of Old Columbia Pike around 9:48 PM Friday, according to crime data.

25' luminous kinetic art installation coming to Downtown Silver Spring (Photos)

Downtown Silver Spring is about to add one of the most unique - if not the most unique - displays of art in Montgomery County. By height alone, at 25' tall, it will stand out at the corner of heavily-traveled Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road. But the FoldHaus-designed piece will also light up spectacularly, and those lights will be animated - as will be the flowers themselves.

Luminescent, animated "flowers" under
construction at artists' workshop

The movements of the flowers will be governed by the weather. Official, real-time weather data from the National Weather Service will determine whether the flower petals are open or closed. This adds a hometown element to the installation, as the NWS is headquartered in downtown Silver Spring. The installation, just one part of a multimillion dollar renovation of the Peterson Cos. property, will officially open to the public on April 15, 2021.

Photos courtesy Peterson Cos.

Glenmont Metro Center Phase 2.1 moving forward

Gaithersburg-based Buchanan Partners is gearing up for the next phase of its redevelopment of the Privacy World property by the Glenmont Metro station. A virtual meeting for Glenmont Metro Center Phase 2.1 was held last night, and featured the first renderings of a new apartment building that will be located on Glenallen Avenue.

Between the new building and one that is already under construction to its east will be a park. Buchanan hopes to break ground on the new building within the next 18 months.

Proposed park concept

Renderings courtesy Buchanan Partners and Lessard Design International

Flip'd by IHOP coming to Downtown Silver Spring

IHOP is coming to Downtown Silver Spring with a new fast-casual concept called Flip'd by IHOP. The new restaurant model features only a kitchen and a front counter for ordering, pickup and delivery. While the concept was devised by the chain two years ago, the timing is perfect here, as takeout and delivery are where most of the pandemic-era dining profits are to be made.

Flip'd by IHOP's menu will include - of course - their famous pancakes, but also a Build Your Own Pancake Bar custom ordering option, pancake bowls with toppings, egg combos and egg sandwiches, breakfast bowls and burritos, burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, wraps, baked goods, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and signature coffees, including Nitro and specialty espressos. 

Ordering can be done online, or at a kiosk in the front of the restaurant. The chain says it wants to offer a fast way to get IHOP breakfast items to compete with frozen and fast food breakfast products.“Today, millions of Americans are settling for sub-par breakfast foods that are either microwaved or have been sitting under a heat lamp because they’re forced to grab something while at their usual coffee spot,” IHOP President Jay Johns says. 

Flip'd by IHOP will be located between Panera Bread and Red Lobster at Downtown Silver Spring. Also coming to the Peterson Cos. property is a new Sleep Number store, at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Ellsworth Drive.