Clark Enterprises Owner Dies – A. James Clark, the billionaire owner of Bethesda-based Clark Enterprises, died of congestive heart failure at age 87 Friday at his Easton home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, according to an obituary in The Washington Post. Clark, who grew up on a Virginia farm and received an engineering degree from the University of Maryland, led one of the largest construction companies in the country. During his tenure, Clark built projects such as FedEx Field, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Nationals Park, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, numerous Metro stations and large residential and office projects in the region and around the country. At the time of his death, Forbes estimated his fortune at $1.4 billion.
Volkswagen Dealership to Move to Downtown Bethesda in April
Ourisman Volkswagen of Bethesda, currently located at 4800 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Washington, D.C., is planning to move April 13 to Bethesda. The company posted pictures of the work being done inside the new showroom at 7001 Arlington Road on its Facebook Page earlier this month.
Local Bethesda blogger Robert Dyer posted pictures of an announcement promoting the move that includes a moving sale at the D.C. location. The dealership told The Washington Post in November it is leaving Tenleytown due to the rising cost of real estate.
Bethesda Tattoo Co. to Host Grand Opening at its New Location
Bethesda Tattoo Co.'s second-floor location on Woodmont Avenue. Credit: Andrew Metcalf
Bethesda Tattoo Co., which moved from its long-time location on Montgomery Lane to a new second-floor spot at 8227 Woodmont Ave. in December, is planning to celebrate its grand opening April 1. The grand opening party is open to the public and will be catered by 4935 Bar and Kitchen, according to owner James Hughes. The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m.
Montgomery County Greenfest on March 28
The county’s environmental festival will highlight ways for businesses and residents to live more sustainably. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include presentations about landscaping, stormwater management, electric vehicles and home energy. Businesses including SolarCity, Relay Foods and the Chesapeake Bay Roasting Co. will participate in the event alongside nonprofits such as Conservation Montgomery, Friends of Sligo Creek and the Rock Creek Conservancy. The event takes place at three Silver Spring locations: Jessup Blair Park, the Cafritz Foundation Arts Building at 930 King St. and the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center at 7995 Georgia Ave.
Marriott Launches New Online Travel Website
A screenshot of the front page of Marriott's new website
One of Bethesda’s largest employers is entering the online publishing industry. Marriott recently launched Marriott Traveler, a website dedicated to stories about travel. The new endeavor launched with articles focused on New Orleans ranging from a live music guide to where to find the best gumbo. The hotelier is hoping the digital travel publication will be a way to extend its brand and draw future hotel guests, according to a news report by The Washington Business Journal. The hotelier is enlisting freelancers from different cities to create content for the site, according to the news report.
Geico Now Offers Ride-Sharing Insurance in Maryland – Drivers for Uber, Lyft, Sidecar and other ride-sharing services can now get insurance from Geico that will cover them for both personal and ride-sharing use of their vehicles. Chevy Chase-based Geico announced last week it was offering Maryland drivers the insurance after successfully launching the product in Virginia in February. The insurance is “significantly lower than taxi and commercial rates,” according to Geico. The Richmond Times-Dispatch determined that Geico rideshare insurance for a Virginia driver of a 2008 Honda Accord with $100,000 in injury coverage per person would cost a little more than $1,000 per year. As with costs for personal insurance, actual rates for the product will be based on a person’s driving history and vehicle type.
