Dominican restaurant Punta Cana Tropical Grill in Montgomery Hills has hit a snag in construction due to a Stop Work Order issued by the county.
We reported last year that the restaurant would be taking over the space formerly occupied by Tropics Ice Cream & Jerk at 9324 Georgia Ave., which closed last October.
“As soon as I saw the post about it closing, I went for it! It’s a busy road, and I know people will stop here to try it out,” owner Margarita Rodriguez told The MoCo Show in December. “Silver Spring has a unique, diverse community with an appetite for Dominican dishes. I understand how hard it is to stop for food and get good food, so I came up with the idea to open a fast-food Dominican carryout.”
Exterior signage was installed in February.
Construction work has been paused since mid-June following the county’s Department of Permitting Services issuance of a Stop Work Order. The order was issued due to a violation of Montgomery County Code 8-24a related to construction permits:
It is unlawful to construct, enlarge, alter, remove or demolish a building or change the occupancy of a building from one use group to another requiring greater strength, exitway or sanitary provisions; or to change to a prohibited use; or create or alter any ownership unit when a use under an occupancy certificate or a structure exists on the parent lot; or to install or alter any equipment for which provision is made or the installation of which is regulated by this chapter, without first filing an application with the department in writing and obtaining the required permit therefor; except, that ordinary repairs as defined in Section 8-3 which do not involve any violation of this Chapter are exempt from this provision.
Rodriguez told the Source on Monday that she is awaiting county approval for a new commercial building permit application filed shortly after the Stop Work Order was issued. Construction will resume once the application is approved and new permits are issued.