Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1962-08-02
Rockville
Merchants
Plan Drive

- - ~
Increased effort to revita-
lie the midtown business
area of the County Seat was
pledged this week by newly
elected officers of the Mid
town Rockville Merchants
Association.
Along with plans to focus
shopping interest on the central
business district by promotion
of the midtown area as "the big
gest shopping center" in the
area, the association came out
swinging against further COM
mercial coming.
Irwin Schwartz, newly elect
ed president of the retail
merchants group and owner
of Children's Center and
Young Colony on Court House
Square. said merchants are
particularly opposed to grant
ing coming for construction of
a new shopping center i'm
ROclXville's west end.
The association opposes the
west end shopping facility for
Woodley G ard S, Schwartz
said, because % it is contrary
to the City's master plan; %
too close to the center bushes
district; 90 Residents of the
area have easy access to down.
town; "a establishment of
west end shopping area will en-
danger success of Rockville's
urban renewal plans; 90 the
ratio of commercially-zoned land
to residential land already is
more than adequate for popula-
ton needs; and co. granting of
commercial coming in any sec
ton of the city until urban re-
newal studies are completed will
be injurious to the central bust
ness district already depressed
by indecisions and delays of
urban renewal planning.
Schwartz said he expects to
set up merchants committees to
study ways and means of bring
ing shoppers into midtown
Rockville. He said the Midtown
Association will welcome sug.
gestions from County residents
on goods and services which
they would like to see in Rock
vile stores.
shoppers generally. he add
ed, like to shop where friend
ly hometown merchants can
give perSOnalized services not
available in more urban
areas" Plans already are
afOOt, Schwartz stated, ito
stage a harvest days promo
ton in October and to put on
a real Christmas show in
December" Arthur Lehman
of the Mark Daniels Shop is
in charge of planning for the
October blast and Charles
Merry of Town and Country
Electric is handling the Christ
mas lighting division of the
Christmas program.
In the meantime, Schwartz
stated, "the Association expects
to concern itself with access
problems of various sections of
the town to the central business
district. We expect to ask the
Mayor and Council, why devel-
opment of Park Rd., from the
B & o underpass to Horners
Lane has been allowed to drag"
he added.
Park Rd., properly developed,
would provide easy and con-
venient access from east Rock
vile and the Twinbrook area
and make it easier for people in
those areas to come down town
and shop" Schwartz said. MAR
rowness of the street, the
curves, and general congestion
which always exists at the
underpass are injurious to Rock
vile merchants and should be
eliminated without further de-
lay"
In addition to Schwartz,
other officers elected to run
Midtown merchant affairs for
the next year include, Arthur
Lehman, vice president; Jo-
seph r. Geist, new manager
for F. w. WOOlworth, secre-
tary; and Ronald Kent, new
manager for G. C. Murphy,
treasurer.
The board of directors in
cludes Mrs. Myrtle Briggs, man.
ager for Millers; Morris Stern,
president of Modern Furniture
Co.; Bill Fain, manager of Shoe
Per Mart; and Lila H. Thomp-
son of the Montgomery County
Sentinel.
Other members of the Board
of Directors will be announced
at a later date.