Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-01-19

short of the downtown expendi-
lures, he may ask adjustment OF
the separate bookkeeping cate.
CORY.
This years Rockville budget
does set aside $4,000 for park
ing lots. None of the appropria-
ton has been spent. Mayor How
sepian says it will be used "the
first time someone asks us to
pave a piece Of land for park
ing
Meanwhile the town has only
one municipal lot, bounded by
Commerce and Middle Lanes, the
Safeway and Acme Stores. The
area Is leased from the County
for a token sum. There Is a two
hour limit on parking.
The other areas, behind the vii
la Theater and behind IIickinan's
Cab company, were once town lots
but are no longer maintained by
the city. The Board of Trade
has suggested leasing or buying
the theater property.
The Board of Trade also wants
the town to negotiate for free
night and Saturday use of the
Board of Education parking lot. Z
The city would install lights.
In long-range proposal, the
Board of Trade has asked the
town ITO establish as soon as pos
sible specific program for the5
location and development Of park
ing lots in order that the bust
ness people of Rockville may adj
just their plans for the future to-
conform with the proposed park
ing facilities"
Centers Provide Parking
AS the Mayor and Council grope
for an acceptable solution to the
downtown parking problem, try
ing to prevent the area from be-
coming "blighted," four shopping
centers, being built or planned,
will entice shoppers with the lure
of easy parking.
Largest project is the so acre,
75-store Congressional Shopping
Center to be started "in the
spring" on the site of Congress
sional Airport with 1900 feet of
frontage on the Rockville Pike.
Corporation president Arthur
Hyde says his center will provide
parking spaces for 4,000 automo-
biles.
Major stores in the Congress
sional center will irclude ]. c.
Penney, S. S. Kresge, and Giant
Food. The first group including
the Giant, will be open by Christ
mas of this year, says Mr.. Hyde.
Some grading has already been
done at the planned Joseph Geer-
aert Center on Viers Mill Road at
Atlantic Avenue. The center, COW
ering ten acres and fronting for
300 feet on Vlers Mill Road. will
provide LOCO parking spaces for
shoppers in IS stores.
Already set for the center are
Safeway, Highs, Blue-Ribbon
Laundry, Berk-lee Children's
Shop, McIntire Hardware, Drug
Fair, and Farmers Bank and
Trust. Twenty-six bowling al
leys, run by Recreation Centers,
Inc, Of Baltimore, are likely
The rental agent says all stores
in the Twinbrook Center will be
leased by the end of this month.
The first stores will open in the
fall, he believes.
George Kimmel holds that his
28-store development on North
Street Is not an out
lying shopping center but an ex-
tension Of the central business dis
trict. Ten of the stores are al
ready open, served by 200 park
ing spaces. Eighteen more stores.
including eight under construc-
ton, are planned, to be served by
a thousand more parking spaces.
Mr.. Kimmel declines to reveal the
leases Of his stores under con-
struction, expected to be COM
pleted soon.
Rockville's other Twinbrook
shopping center, being built by
Donald Gingery and William Ha.
nan among others, across the road
from the Geeraert project, will
provide 500 parking spaces when
completed, more than three feet
Of parking for each foot of build
ing.
Already open Is an APP store in
the center and Mr.. Hannah says a
Peoples Drug Store and "105 feet
If other stores" will be open by
June.