Happy New Year
Dee Metz, White Flint Coordinator, Retiring January 24
You may not have known Dee Metz nor known of her behind-the-scenes work to make the White Flint Sector Plan a reality, but Dee Metz was, quite simply, one of the greatest drivers of the White Flint transformation, and she will be missed. Her email announcing her retirement is below.
It is with mixed feelings that I am announcing my retirement at the end of January. When I accepted my position, the expectation was for a five-year term. It has now been seven years, and though I’m saddened to leave before many of the private projects go forward in White Flint, I need to spend more quality time with my husband and family. Due to a long-planned vacation, my last day at the office will be Thursday, January 24th.
I’ve truly enjoyed working with everyone on coordinating the redevelopment of White Flint. Together we have tackled many tough issues in trying to transform White Flint from a suburban strip to a lively urban atmosphere. Due mainly to market conditions, we have not realized anywhere near the amount of development projected by this point, but the stage has been set to proceed in the right direction.
Thank you for your input, support, cooperation, and lively discussions. I have enjoyed my job tremendously because of the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with during my tenure.
May the coming year bring you fulfillment of your goals and aspirations. I’m sure I’ll be bumping into you in the Pike District!
My best,
Dee Carl Metz, White Flint Coordinator, Office of the County Executive
New Year’s Fun at Pike & Rose
One of these fun New Year’s activities is sure to be the perfect one for you!
Ring in the New Year at Pinstripes, December 31, 7:30 pm
Enjoy a night of dinner, drinks, live music and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. No Cover Charge.
New Year’s Eve at Summer House
Monday, December 31 Brunch 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Happy Hour 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Dinner 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM
While holiday–goers love a snowy New Year’s Eve, start the final night of 2018 surrounded by beach decor and summer vibes at Summer House! On Monday, December 31, Summer House Santa Monica will be open for brunch (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM) and dinner (4:00 PM – 10:00 PM) and serving up California inspired classics for your holiday feast
Join Owen’s Ordinary on New Year’s Eve for a rollicking night of revelry featuring far too many brews, fine food, mirth and merriment as we bid farewell to 2018 in style. The theme again is all things Steampunk for our third annual NYE fete.
*ALL INCLUSIVE* tickets provide an open bar featuring an impressive selection of some of our favorite brews, as well as select liquors/cocktails and wine, plus a champagne toast at midnight. Our chef and his culinary team will serve a savory cocktail party menu of hors d’oeuvres and savory bites throughout the evening and the DJ will make sure the dance floor is steampunk pumping all night.
Happy Holidays!
Montgomery County Expansion of Dockless Bikeshare Program Starts in North Bethesda
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) last week expanded its dockless bikeshare program by making “e-bikes” available in North Bethesda. The County established a pilot dockless bikeshare program in Silver Spring and Takoma Park last year.
During the first year of the pilot period, adjustments to the program were made based on public input that greatly reduced the number of reported concerns. Town hall meetings were held in October and November to seek community input on the feasibility of expanding the program. An online survey posted on MCDOT’s website received nearly 200 responses.
The expanded area will generally range from Seven Locks Road on the west, Montrose Road on the north, Veirs Mill Road on the east and Beach Drive on the south. More information about the expanded program, including a map of the service areas, is available at the Montgomery BikeShare website.
Representatives from two companies, LimeBike and Bird, made presentations at the recent public meetings. LimeBike offers e-bikes as well as e-scooters; Bird offers only e-scooters. LimeBike has been permitted to extend operations into the expanded pilot area with pedal-assist, electric “e-bikes.” The company has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Montgomery County that spells out operational and performance requirements. The County also has been studying a program to include e-scooters. That concept remains under review.
Dockless electric bikes are not allowed to operate on Montgomery County park trails, must be operated within the pilot area and are not permitted to end trips or park in County villages and towns that do not opt into the expanded program.
Those interested in using the GPS-enabled e-bicycles can register through a smartphone app that then allows users to locate, unlock and lock the bikes and pay for rides. Riders must obey bicycle laws and are encouraged to wear helmets and reflective items.
The evaluation of the initial phase of the pilot program found that it was quite successful in providing short, point-to-point trips. Riders took a total of about 18,000 trips over a six-month period using bikes from the companies operating in the pilot area. Most trips were conducted within the pilot area boundaries. Incidents of improper parking of the bikes reduced over time as the companies improved their “in-app” communications and users became more familiar with the rules. During a six-week observation period, bikes were found to be in good operating condition.
Quite a celebration yesterday for improved red line service
State, local, and national officials celebrated the end of the Grosvenor Turnback yesterday at a ceremony at Rockville metro. Enjoy these photos from the event.
WMATA CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld and Friends of White Flint Executive Director Amy Ginsburg
(Not pictured, Councilmembers Tom Hucker and Sidney Katz)
Read more at https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=22667 and https://www.mymcmedia.org/montgomery-celebrates-end-of-metro-turnbacks-at-grosvenor/
No more Grosvenor Turnbacks starting today!
County Executive Elrich, Senator Van Hollen, Metro General Manager Wiedefeld, Montgomery County Director of the Department of Transportation Al Roshdieh, and Friends of White Flint will celebrate the end of red line turnbacks at Grosvenor Station today at 10:30 am at the est side of entrance to Rockville Metro Station entrance.
Friends of White Flint and its resident, business, and property owner members advocated vigorously to end these turnbacks, and we’re thrilled to celebrate this achievement.
Since 1984, the operation of the Metro Red Line during morning and afternoon rush hours has had every other train heading out of Washington, D.C., stop at the Grosvenor Metro Station and turn back to return downtown rather than travel to the terminus at the Shady Grove Station. The Metro Board of Directors recently agreed to change this scheduling and have all trains go all the way to Shady Grove. Monday, Dec. 17, will be the first day this new schedule is in operation.
Today’s Pike District Promenade is canceled.
Sadly, the rain beat us, so we’re canceling today’s Pike District Promenade. Join us next month on January 19th … hopefully the weather will cooperate better.
The weather isn’t cooperating, but we’re not cancelling yet.
Tomorrow’s Pike District Promenade has only an 89% chance of being rained out (according to my weather app) so we’re not cancelling … yet.
If the weather predictions turn out to be wrong (fingers crossed!), we’ll meet tomorrow, Saturday December 15, at 10 am at the North Bethesda Market plaza for a wonderful, easy stroll along the Trolley Trail.
Check www.whiteflint.org, Facebook, or Twitter tomorrow morning to see if we’ll be promenading in the Pike District.
Oh the weather it may be frightful but the walk will be so delightful.
Mark you calendar for our next Pike District Promenade, Saturday, December 15, 10 am. We’ll meet at the North Bethesda Market plaza between Starbucks, Seasons 52, and CVS. Dress warm and enjoy fresh air, great companionship, and holiday spirit!
There’s free parking at NoBe Market off Marketplace Street or on the surface parking lot across from Quincy’s at the corner of Woodglen and Nicholson. Or better yet, walk or bike to NoBe Market.
Best of all, the NoBe Market Starbucks is providing free coffee and cookies right before our walk to Pike District Promenade participants!
If it’s raining, we’ll cancel. Check www.whiteflint.org, Facebook, or Twitter Saturday morning for updated info.