17700 Muncaster Road under conversion to a Dunkin with proposed drive-thru, shared-use path and stormwater improvements while traffic permits are reviewed.
Derwood, August 25, 2025
Construction is progressing at 17700 Muncaster Road as a former childcare building is being repurposed into a 2,500-square-foot Dunkin restaurant with a single drive-thru lane. A conversion permit was issued earlier and crews are continuing work while county traffic permits remain under review, leaving the opening date uncertain. Planned site improvements include architectural upgrades, an 8-foot shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists, a proposed left-turn lane to improve circulation, and new stormwater management measures to reduce runoff and enhance the property’s appearance.
A plan to turn the existing commercial building at 17700 Muncaster Road in Derwood into a 2,500‑square‑foot Dunkin’ with a single drive‑thru lane is advancing even though approval of traffic permits has slowed final sign‑offs. A building‑conversion permit was issued in August 2024, construction work is underway, and officials and developers are working to clear traffic‑related permitting issues that briefly stalled the project.
The project is an adaptive re‑use of a commercial structure that formerly operated as a childcare facility. Developers plan to remodel the existing building with architectural enhancements, new stormwater controls where none now exist, and streetscape improvements that include an 8‑foot‑wide shared‑use path for pedestrians and cyclists. The team also proposed adding a left‑turn lane from Muncaster Road into the site to help ease circulation and reduce potential backups, even though a transportation report indicates that lane is not strictly required.
A conversion permit was granted in August 2024, but the project later hit a minor snag in the approval process tied to traffic permits. Work on the site has continued while developers and county reviewers try to resolve the outstanding traffic‑related items. The opening date for the new Dunkin’ remains uncertain as the parties work through final permitting details.
The application materials show the applicant expects the changes to significantly improve the visual appearance of the property and to provide missing stormwater management on site. The proposed streetscape work and the new 8‑foot shared‑use path are meant to improve access for people walking and biking, while the proposed left‑turn lane is intended to improve vehicle circulation and reduce congestion at peak times.
The development is being advanced by a local Dunkin’ franchisee identified in project filings. The franchisee remains committed to the Derwood location and to carrying out the adaptive re‑use plans for the property.
The Derwood proposal is part of a broader expansion in the county. Several other Dunkin’ projects are in various stages, including conversions and new storefronts that range from drive‑thru sites to units with walk‑up windows. Nearby projects include a recently reworked store in Rockville occupying the back half of a former bank building with a drive‑thru, two planned locations in Chevy Chase with differing service models, a new ground‑floor store planned in Downtown Silver Spring, and a conversion in Wheaton‑Glenmont that has a larger construction permit. Many of these projects list start or opening timeframes as TBD while work and permits progress.
Records show a separate reported permit of about $285,000 tied to earlier work to convert the building for daycare use; the current filing repurposes that same commercial structure for restaurant use under adaptive re‑use plans.
County reviewers and the project team continue to work through traffic permitting. Construction continues in parallel, and officials expect to publish a firm opening date once traffic permits are resolved and final inspections are complete.
The project combines a building re‑use with pedestrian and bike facility improvements and added stormwater controls on a site that lacked them. If completed as proposed, the changes would alter both the look of the property and how people move through that stretch of Muncaster Road.
The existing commercial building is being repurposed into a 2,500‑square‑foot Dunkin’ restaurant with a single drive‑thru lane and upgraded exterior features.
A conversion permit was issued in August 2024, but the project later ran into traffic‑permit issues that are still being resolved. Construction work has continued during this process.
Yes. The plan includes an 8‑foot‑wide shared‑use path along the site to serve both pedestrians and cyclists as part of streetscape improvements.
The applicant proposes a left‑turn lane from Muncaster Road into the property to improve circulation and reduce congestion, even though a transportation report does not require that addition.
No official opening date has been announced. Work is ongoing and an opening timeline will be posted once final permits and inspections are complete.
The project is being developed by a local Dunkin’ franchisee identified in filings; the team has confirmed commitment to the Derwood site.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | 17700 Muncaster Road, Derwood |
| Building size | 2,500 square feet (proposed) |
| Drive‑thru | Single drive‑thru lane proposed |
| Pedestrian/bike path | 8‑foot‑wide shared‑use path proposed |
| Traffic changes | Left‑turn lane from Muncaster Road proposed to improve circulation |
| Permit status | Conversion permit issued August 2024; traffic permits under review |
| Site history | Former childcare facility; earlier permit activity reported for daycare conversion |
| Developer | Local Dunkin’ franchisee handling the conversion |
| Opening date | Not yet announced — dependent on final permits and inspections |
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