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Near Southeast DC Past News Items
In the Pipeline
25 M
Yards/Parcel I
Chiller Site Condos
Yards/Parcel A
1333 M St.
More Capper Apts.
Yards/DC Water site
New Marine Barracks
Nat'l Community Church
Factory 202/Yards
SC1100
Completed
Thompson Hotel ('20)
West Half ('19)
Novel South Capitol ('19)
Yards/Guild Apts. ('19)
Capper/The Harlow ('19)
New DC Water HQ ('19)
Yards/Bower Condos ('19)
Virginia Ave. Tunnel ('19)
99 M ('18)
Agora ('18)
1221 Van ('18)
District Winery ('17)
Insignia on M ('17)
F1rst/Residence Inn ('17)
One Hill South ('17)
Homewood Suites ('16)
ORE 82 ('16)
The Bixby ('16)
Dock 79 ('16)
Community Center ('16)
The Brig ('16)
Park Chelsea ('16)
Yards/Arris ('16)
Hampton Inn ('15)
Southeast Blvd. ('15)
11th St. Bridges ('15)
Parc Riverside ('14)
Twelve12/Yards ('14)
Lumber Shed ('13)
Boilermaker Shops ('13)
Camden South Cap. ('13)
Canal Park ('12)
Capitol Quarter ('12)
225 Virginia/200 I ('12)
Foundry Lofts ('12)
1015 Half Street ('10)
Yards Park ('10)
Velocity Condos ('09)
Teague Park ('09)
909 New Jersey Ave. ('09)
55 M ('09)
100 M ('08)
Onyx ('08)
70/100 I ('08)
Nationals Park ('08)
Seniors Bldg Demo ('07)
400 M ('07)
Douglass Bridge Fix ('07)
US DOT HQ ('07)
20 M ('07)
Capper Seniors 1 ('06)
Capitol Hill Tower ('06)
Courtyard/Marriott ('06)
Marine Barracks ('04)
 
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This Week's Events: Lower 8th Visioning, Marine Barracks, ANCs 6B and 6D (and Trapeze School?)
A few items on the agenda this week, should you choose to accept any or all of these missions:
* The Lower 8th Street Visioning Process is having its final public meetings on Tuesday (Feb. 23) at 8:30 am and 7 pm at the People's Church, 535 8th St., SE. In case you haven't been following along, here's a good description by Barracks Row Main Street of what the process has been and hopes to achieve (via The Hill is Home): "The Lower 8th Street SE Visioning Process Advisory Committee has coordinated a vision process with property owners, other community stakeholders, and Barracks Row Main Street along the Lower 8th Street, SE corridor. Sponsored by the Capitol Riverfront BID, this process is an attempt to gain consensus on a vision for the area and to address issues of height, density, mix of uses, parking and access, as well as what should be the character of a redesigned Virginia Avenue Park as an amenity or community benefit for the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood and Capitol Hill. If consensus can be reached on the vision, it could serve as the basis for asking the Office of Planning to develop a small area neighborhood plan that could then be used as justification for any agreed upon zoning or density changes. This final meeting will attempt to synthesize a community consensus on the vision of Lower 8th Street." (A lot of qualified statements in there.)
* Alas, at the same time as the 8th Street evening session is the rescheduled ANC 6B monthly meeting, at 7 pm at the Old Naval Hospital at 921 Pennsylvania Ave., SE.
* Also via The Hill is Home, news that the first community workshop on the Marines' "Community Integrated Master Plan" as they look for a new location for their barracks and other facility needs is scheduled for Wednesday (Feb. 24) from 6 to 8 pm at the Van Ness Elementary School at 5th and M, SE. This first workshop "will focus on the goals and objectives" of the CIMP, according to the project's web site.
* On Thursday, Feb. 25, ANC 6D is having its snow-postponed monthly meeting, at St. Augustine's church at 6th and M, SW, at 7 pm.
* The Trapeze School posted on its Facebook page this afternoon that they're getting their inspections on Tuesday, and are hoping to have their first classes in their new home at Fourth and Tingey at the Yards on Thursday.
 

2011 NHL Classic at Nationals Park?
As I tweeted last night, a New England blog called hockeyjournal.com posted yesterday that the Capitals are a favorite to host the NHL's 2011 Winter Classic, the game played outdoors on New Year's Day, and that "if approved, the game will be held at Nationals Park," with perhaps the Penguins being the chosen opponent. Nothing confirmed by the NHL yet, but certainly an interesting rumor....
 

Virginia Ave. Tunnel Project Doesn't Get TIGER Funding
On Wednesday the US Department of Transportation announced its TIGER grant awardees, and while the massive National Gateway rail project did receive $98 million, it was for a stretch of rail in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, and not for the projects planned in DC, including the expansion of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel, which would result in a multiyear closure of the street in order to add a second track and lower the track bed to allow for double-height cars.
ANC 6B03 commissioner Norm Metzger received a statement from CSX that says: "The Virginia Avenue tunnel piece is a 2-3 year project that we would like to have finished in time for the expansion of the Panama Canal in 2015. Our original intent was to pursue funding through the transportation authorization bill, and this will continue as will seeking other funding opportunities." (I'm trying to find out more about this authorization bill they're talking about, using my best source for what's going on in Congress, but don't have anything just yet, other than the fact that there isn't an actual authorization bill currently written or under debate.)
In other words, as of now there's still no indication of when this project will start, which may or may not be good news for the people who have put down deposits for the row of Capitol Quarter townhomes along Virginia between Third and Fourth, since the lack of impending construction may be offset by the uncertainly of when the hammer might finally drop. For more on the project, read my various past entries, and also the documents that CSX submitted last year to the National Capital Regional Transportation Planning Board for some additional details.
 

A Few Tidbits While Waiting for Normalcy to Return
Some small items I've tweeted (or just forgotten to post) recently:
* Construction delays related to last week's epic snows have put the kabosh on the trapeze school's planned opening today--they may open for business on Friday, Feb. 19, but are still in need of their certificate of occupancy. Check their web site or Facebook group for updates.
* ANC 6B commissioner Norm Metzger is following CSX's plans for expanding the Virginia Avenue Tunnel pretty closely, and has recently passed along a link to a new "National Gateway Project Updates" web site, including this page on the Virginia Avenue portion. CSX still isn't really giving any details about how the construction will impact the area, but they are certainly touting all the public meetings they've been to! In a similar vein, Norm also posted a link to a new blog, "Capitol Hill Against Railroad Tunnel Expansion," by folks who are unhappy with the plans.
* Look for ANC 6D's monthly meeting to be rescheduled to some day this week--they didn't send out any announcements as their attempts to hold the meeting last week were postponed, so checking their web site for the new date will be necessary. ANC 6B has rescheduled its meeting to Feb. 23.
* WBJ reports that the city used $10 million in surplus receipts from the ballpark tax to "shore up its fiscal 2010 budget," instead of paying off the ballpark debt early, which was what businesses who pay the tax expected to happen in the event of surpluses. And they're not happy.
 

Partial Roof Collapse at 1008 Third Street SE
DC Fire & EMS reported on their Twitter feed a few moments ago that the two-story apartment building at 1008 Third Street SE (one of the pre-redevelopment-era private residences in the neighborhood) has suffered a partial-roof collapse with cracks in the walls, and that an "evacuation zone" has been set up. Two folks over at 909 New Jersey and Capitol Hill Tower have passed along these pictures of the EMS response. I took this photo yesterday that shows the building, which is four three doors down from Cornercopia.
Another DCFireEMS tweet just sent gives additional details: "end of row unit appears to be separating - cracks, etc - 4 person evacuated so far - no injuries".
I will update here when I get more information, but follow my Twitter feed (also available on Facebook) for the fastest updates.
(PS: Just also want to pass along, not that it has anything to do with the above news, that tonight's scheduled ANC 6D meeting has been postponed until Wednesday.)
UPDATE: First off, my apologies, I had the wrong building, after getting confused by the phrase "apartment building." The house with the initial roof collapse is a little yellow rowhouse, the third one down from Cornercopia (now properly circled here and also seen a bit better in this 2004 photo). Unfortunately, an update from DC EMS says that the apartment building I had originally keyed on might have problems, too, with six residents there possibly to be evacuated. Third Street is closed between K and M.
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Some Day-After-the-Snow Photos
I was one of the 750,000 people wandering around DC with a camera today, and I trudged around a bit through Near Southeast to get photos of what it looked like the day after the Blizzard of 2010*, because it's always fun to go back during the next great snowstorm to compare how deep the drifts were. And because I needed the exercise before the Super Bowl Smorgasbord begins.
I'll eventually put the whole batch in the photo archive, but for now here's a Quick Gallery of my favorite images. I especially like the trapeze school tent, which looks like Ice Station Zebra. Also, you'll see a shot of the icicles along the roofline of 1100 New Jersey Avenue, which is posted more as a public service to remind people to watch out for falling debris. I almost got clocked when a chunk of ice fell off of 100 M, though I must admit it would have been poetic justice if I had met my maker thanks to the redevelopment of Near Southeast.
And, there's even a surprise contained in the gallery: my first photos of the "slinky" pedestrian bridge now under construction in the Park at the Yards. Let's give a big shout-out to the five-foot-high piles of snow in the parking lot just to the north of the bridge, which I climbed to be high enough to take photos over the fence:
See the gallery for these shots, and more. And, for people wondering, I can report that the surface parking lots in the Yards are pretty much clear of snow. Parking lot F at First and M hasn't been touched, and neither have lots T and U on Third Street. And Subway is open, but Five Guys isn't. Half Street hasn't been plowed, and K and L are pretty dicey. First, New Jersey, Third, and Fourth are plowed, but narrow and not down to the concrete. M isn't clear, but is mainly slushy. (Until tonight when it all freezes.)
(* Apologies, but I don't go in for all the silliness of hash tag titles for snowstorms. Call me old school. And cranky. You kids get off my lawn, while you're at it!)
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Blizzard of '10 Open Thread
I don't intend to do much blogging over the next few days as the Blizzard of 2010 ramps up--there's only about 18,000 other places around the web where you can get all the general DC news, and I figure I don't need to repeat all of it here, though here's a Tommy Wells post with things residents might need to know. (I do operate under the assumption that this is not the only blog you folks read.) If there's some Near Southeast-related news, of course, I'll post.
But feel free to chat in the comments about what you're seeing. CVS running out of supplies? Traffic-be-damned sledding down the neighborhood's biggest hill (M from Seventh to Fifth)?
In the meantime, I'm in my own person Snow Tracking Center, living a weather geek's dream weekend.
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More Details on the Marines' Space Needs
Voice of the Hill has just posted an informative article giving a lot more detail on the Marine Corps' plans to replace the aging barracks building "20" on the north side of the freeway at Eighth and I, along with their desire to build additional facilities, including a fire station, child development center, gym, pool, parking, meeting space, post office, basketball and tennis courts, an indoor parade field, and a new Marine Barracks Washington museum. All in all, the Marines are looking for 173,000 square feet of space, some of which would be accessible (they say) to Hill residents.
Possible locations they're looking at for the new barracks appear to be north of the freeway (and outside of my boundaries!), including the Potomac Gardens public housing project at 12th and G, SE, and the Tyler Elementary baseball field at 10th and I, SE, but they are also considering the Marine Corps Institute site within the Washington Navy Yard. Also shown on their maps as a possible site is Square 882 (across from the barracks annex built in 2004), currently Nats Parking lot W on the site of the old Capper Seniors building, but the Voice article says that the DC Housing Authority has taken that block off the table--I've been hearing that DCHA is close to securing financing for the mixed-income apartment building they intend to build on the north side of that block, and would possibly begin construction by the end of this year.
The article also says that the current owners of the Blue Castle, Madison Marquette, have expressed an interest in leasing space in the old trolley barn to the Marines.
The Marines' web site for the development project has been updated with the packet from last week's open house, an FAQ, and other materials. There apparently will be a series of community meetings, which are described by the FAQ thusly: "The current plan is for the first workshop (February) to focus on needs and goals, the second workshop (March) to focus on potential development sites, the third workshop (April) to focus on CIMP alternatives, and the fourth workshop (May) to focus on CIMP consensus elements. Additionally, a charrette focused on the CIMP way forward will be held in fall 2010." (If you're interested in these, you should plan to attend rather than waiting for a JDLand report--I tend to stay away from community meetings that are pure planning sessions, because, well, they drive me insane.)
And note that this is a *different* armed forces expansion plan from the one we heard about last week, where the Navy is looking for additional office space outside of the walls of the Navy Yard. Got to keep your service branches straight these days!
 

Fireworks Testing at the Ballpark on Wednesday
From the MPD-1D mailing list: "The Nationals will be conducting firework tests on Wednesday, February 3rd starting at 7pm. DCFD and MPD will be monitoring and there will be some street closures around the stadium during this event that should be temporary."
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Navy Yard to Expand, Will Need Additional Office Space
From today's Washington Business Journal (subscribers only): "The Navy plans to expand its space in Southeast D.C. by perhaps 700,000 square feet, a move that could dramatically boost office demand and foot traffic in the fledging Capitol Riverfront neighborhood near Nationals Park. Thanks to employee transfers and new programs, the Navy intends to hire an estimated 1,100 workers at the Washington Navy Yard by 2011 and as many 2,400 more four years later[.]" They are expecting to issue a Request for Proposals through the GSA to either buy or lease space, though as of now there's no timetable for the RFP.
The article specifically mentions the Yards as a possible beneficiary, since it's right next door. But there's also a quote from Michael Stevens of the bid cautioning that the expansion "would be a huge driver, but it does come with huge security requirements," though Eleanor Holmes Norton is then quoted as saying "These should be GSA-leased buildings. These are not, mostly, [high-level] security employees[.]"
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Robbery on Tuesday at Ann's Wigs
A police alert went out on Tuesday afternoon about a robbery at 125 L St., SE, the address of Ann's Beauty Supply & Wig (which I forwarded to my Twitter followers, so there's another good reason to follow me there or on Facebook). I sent a message to the MPD 1-D mailing list asking for details, and here is what Lt. Durbin wrote:
"I would like to update the community on the Assault with Intent to Rob in the 100 block L Street SE. On Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 1D officers responded to the 100 block of L. St, SE, where 2 subjects entered the business producing handguns as they entered. One subject grabbed the complainant by the hair, trying to force her to the cash register area. She resisted and was able to exit the front entrance with the first perpetrator still holding her hair.
"The perpetrator threw her to the ground just outside the front entrance. She yelled out "help police!" The perpetrator let go and fled on foot down the alley next to the building towards M Street. The second perpetrator fled the store by exiting the rear door of the business.
"Both suspects left without taking anything. Both, then entered the Navy Yard Metro Station elevator. One got on a train, the other made good his escape on M Street SE.
"Both weapons were recovered they were replicas of a Glock handgun
"The suspects are described as
"-B/M 20-25 skinny, med-dark complexion close hair, light moustache, jeans, and dark hooded jacket
"-B/M 20-25 skinny, light complexion. No further clothing description
"The victim received minor abrasions.
"On January 27, 2010, a follow-up was conducted with the victim, who is doing fine(abrasions). PSA 105 officers will continue to monitor the area.
"We are still investigating this case and anyone with information is encouraged to call our tip line 888-919 CRIME or text to 50-411. Thanks."
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Dave Matthews Band at Nationals Park, July 23
From the Nationals: "Dave Matthews Band announced today they will perform at Nationals Park - the home of the Washington Nationals -- on Friday, July 23 with Zac Brown Band as support. This will be the ballpark's second-ever show, following Elton John and Billy Joel's sold-out show in July 2009. Tickets and parking will go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 26 at 10:00 a.m. online at www.tickets.com and by phone at 888-632-6287. The show will be held rain or shine and will be promoted by Live Nation."
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Jan 26, 2010 10:23 AM
Justin's Cafe Liquor License Hearing March 22
For those keeping track, the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration has finally posted the hearing date for the liquor license for Justin's Cafe, and it's scheduled for March 22 at 10 am. From the notice: "NATURE OF OPERATION: New cafeteria-style restaurant serving salads, sandwiches, and pizza with 33 seats. Occupancy load of 61. HOURS OF OPERATION AND SALES / SERVICE / CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: Sunday 11:30 am - 10 pm, Monday through Thursday 11:30 am - 1 am and Friday & Saturday 11:30 am - 2 am."
As I've written, Justin is also asking for a stipulated license, which will allow him to open the restaurant and sell alcohol before the March 22 hearing date. But I haven't heard of an opening date yet, though a reader reports that the amount of construction "stuff" in the space seems to have lessened.
 

Jan 21, 2010 10:35 AM
Tidbits From the Past Few Days (Foreclosure, Marines, WMATA Cuts, 11th Street Bridges, 1015 Half)
Rounding up some new and Tweeted tidbits, now that I've recovered from cranking out the State of the Hood:
* (h/t "reader X") The second foreclosure sale held yesterday for the boarded-up apartment building and surrounding lots at Potomac, Ninth and L brought no bids above the $2 million starting point, so the properties will now return to the lender. An earlier auction back in October had brought a $2.461 million winning bid, but that deal fell through. The properties were originally bought by ICP Partners in 2006, along with the gray building at Eighth and Potomac, for $9 million.
* Via ANC 6B03 commissioner Norm Metzger, the Marines have created a web site for their "Community Integrated Master Plan." The site describes this planning process as evaluating "community-military development partnering options" because "[t]here are unmet facility needs and security requirements at Marine Barracks Washington and a potential to meet common community and military needs through the process" and that their goal is "to use a coordinated planning process to create a win-win in meeting the development needs of the local community and Marine Corps." Now that that's cleared up, you can go to the open house they're having on Jan. 27 from 5 to 8 pm in the North Hall of Eastern Market, to "assist the planning team in identifying issues, concerns, and potential opportunities for military-community development partnering."
* One of many service reductions proposed by WMATA to help close their FY2010 budget gap is to shut down one of the two entrances to the Navy Yard metro station on weekends. (They don't say which one.) The public hearing on their various proposals is Jan. 27 at 5:30 pm. UPDATE: From Michael Perkins, in the comments, it would be the west entrance, at Half and M. I wonder if this would only be when there are no stadium events?
* Via the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce's Twitter feed, there will apparently be one more Lower 8th Street visioning session, on February 22. After this final session, the group will forward its recommendations to the Office of Planning on what sort of development should be emphasized for these blocks south of the freeway.
* In Sunday's Post, Dr. Gridlock took a look at the 11th Street Bridges project, telling drivers what to expect as the construction unfolds, and that the "new bridges will forge a link between Maryland, the District and Virginia that has been missing since the original highway plan for the District was abandoned decades ago. And it will create a new link between neighborhoods on both sides of the Anacostia while relieving them of some of the commuter traffic that spills onto local streets."
* As part of the start of work on the bridges, a raze permit application has been filed to demolish the old red brick buildings between the current bridges that housed the Anacostia Community Boathouse, whose operations are now moving up-river to a temporary (maybe permanent) home at the Anacostia Marina.
* A little time spent trolling through public records shows that within the past month a bunch of the liens brought against Opus East when they liquidated and stopped work on 1015 Half Street have been settled. No indications from the new owner (Douglas Wilson Companies) as to when construction might restart, despite their statements back in October that it would be happening soon.
 

Jan 19, 2010 1:22 PM
2010 State of the Hood: Looking Back, and Ahead (and Updated Residential Occupancy Numbers, Too)
It's become a tradition for me to do a yearly overview of what's happened in Near Southeast over the preceding 12 months, and what the next 12 months are looking like, and in my typically understated way, I've dubbed it "the State of the Hood." This year's missive is now posted, and while the expectation would be that 2009 was a whole lot of nothing, there were more milestones of note than perhaps it seemed--two residential buildings and one office building were finished, the first residents moved into Capitol Quarter, water taxis and Circulators arrived, Cornercopia opened, and work began on the new 11th Street Bridges. There were less auspicious events, too, with construction being halted on two projects, foreclosures hitting various commercial properties and private homes, and the drying up of the "development pipeline." But there's still a few new things coming in 2010, like the Park at the Yards and Justin's Cafe.
Whether you're new to the neighborhood, or an old hand, I hope you'll take a few minutes to plow through the whole thing. (And maybe even read the old ones, too, to relive the insane years of 2006, 2007, and 2008.)
As part of putting the SOTH together, I got the updated residential occupancy numbers from the BID--they say that nearly 2,800 people now live in the "Capitol Riverfront." Here's the breakdown of leasing/sales percentages for the multi-unit buildings:
Rentals
Onyx 95.5% leased, 94% occupied (250 of 266 units occupied)
Axiom 91% leased, 89% occupied (219 of 246)
Jefferson 77% leased, 76% occupied (340 of 448)
909 New Jersey 82% leased, 75% occupied (178 of 237)
400 M 100% leased and occupied (138 of 138)
Condos and Co-ops
Capitol Hill Tower (Co-op) 83% sold and occupied (285 of 344)
Velocity 32% sold, 8% occupied (16 of 200)
Capitol Quarter

 82% sold, 28% occupied (32 of 113)
(ownership units, 56 still under construction)
(Note that Capitol Quarter's numbers are a little behind the others, so these are higher now as the move-ins continue)
 

Jan 19, 2010 7:59 AM
Happy Anniversary (Version 7.0)
I'm starting to feel like the aged relative pulling out the slide projector and retelling stories as the kids roll their eyes, but I do always feel the need to stop and recognize January 19, since it was on this date in 2003 that I forced my husband to drive around the neighborhood south of the Southeast Freeway while I snapped photos (crooked and poorly framed) of this little-known neighborhood that supposedly was starting to be targeted for redevelopment. Then I tossed them up on my personal web site mainly so that my parents could check them out, not ever imagining that it was the first step toward creating the obsessive-compulsive monstrosity that now rules my life.
Definitely take a moment to browse through the photos from that chilly Sunday seven years ago, to see the buildings that are gone as well as some that are still here (hello, trash transfer station!). Enough time has passed that some of the vistas--like this one of the boarded up rowhouses that stood until 2006 where the lobby of 909 New Jersey now sits--are now completely alien to the many new residents who have arrived in Near Southeast in the last two years. These photos also bring home what I feel is as important a part of JDLand.com as the never-ending stream of tiny tidbits of news, and that's the keeping alive of the history of this neighborhood, letting newcomers see what their surroundings looked like not all that long ago, before the city decided it was time for the area to get a makeover and before it was even considered a remote possibility that the Montreal Expos would be brought to DC and be given a shiny new stadium on South Capitol Street.
This anniversary is also always a good time to thank all of you who wander by and read my ramblings and look at my photos, and who send along tips and rumors, because there's no way I'd still be keeping the site going if I didn't feel the energy coming back from the folks who live and work in Near Southeast or who just find its redevelopment oddly fascinating. I will admit that much of 2009 was tough for me as I dealt with a persistent bout of flagging enthusiasm, but I feel like the doldrums have finally passed, and hope to keep chugging along for the foreseeable future.
Check back later today for my other January 19 ritual: the State of the Hood!
(Note to Mom and Dad: See, I told you that ditching journalism school and getting my degree in history would work out okay.)
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Jan 15, 2010 2:37 PM
WeLoveDC Profiles Near Southeast
The WeLoveDC blog is highlighting Near Southeast today in its Where We Live series, and gives a pretty good overview of the history and current state of the neighborhood, which I would say even if they weren't quoting me and saying all sorts of nice things about JDLand!
(And, as an aside, "Near Southeast" and the "Capitol Riverfront" are actually slightly different areas, with Near Southeast being a subset of "the Front." The BID's boundaries include Buzzard Point in Southwest, an area just past my western borderline, the South Capitol Street median. My firm desire to *not* expand my zone keeps me tied to "Near Southeast" as my coverage area.)
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Jan 15, 2010 12:47 PM
Lots on Potomac/9th/L Back Up for Auction
(thanks to reader C for the tip) If you are desperate to own the nine lots along Potomac Avenue, Ninth, and L that were foreclosed on earlier this year, you've got a second shot. They were picked up at auction in October for $2.461 million, but apparently that sale has fallen through, because the lots are once again on the Alex Cooper Auctioneers web site, scheduled to be auctioned again on January 21. The properties were owned by ICP Partners, who defaulted on a $2.3 million loan in 2009. ICP tried hard earlier this year to drum up interest in these lotsplus the gray building at Eighth and Potomac that houses Quiznos (which is not part of this foreclosure), after a previous sale attempt in 2008 went nowhere. ICP paid $9 million for all 10 properties in 2006.
 

Jan 14, 2010 10:56 PM
Tidbits (Parking Data, Opera, Lower 8th, More)
Some small recently-Tweeted items (which you can have delivered directly to your Facebook news feed if you become a "fan" of JDLand.com). Some of these probably deserved their own entry, but goodness, 140-character blogging sure makes me lazy!
* I wrote back in December about the DDOT public meeting that gave a lot of updated information about how the Performance Parking Pilot around the ballpark is going; DDOT has now posted a 21-page report with all the details, which is worth reading for anyone interested not only in how parking is being handled in the neighborhood, but about the non-automotive improvements that the meter income will be funding.
* The Third "Opera in the Outfield" at Nationals Park will be on September 11, a simulcast of the Washington National Opera's season premiere, Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" ("A Masked Ball").
* The Lower 8th Street Visioning project has posted both the materials from its December sessions, and the agenda for the upcoming meetings on Jan. 19, which "will progress to looking at best mix of uses, breakout workshops on land use, density and parking, and closing with a Q&A."
* Peeking at the building permits feed, I noted the approved permit for the ballpark, described as "INTERIOR DEMOLITION AS PER PLANS TO SUIT TENANT 'PNC DIAMOND CLUB'." A Twitter follower indicated that they had seen the work on the Diamond Club already underway. No word from the Nationals on what exactly is coming.
* The Nats put out this "Nats in Your Neighborhood" newsletter, detailing good works around the city, including the work last month by the Dream Foundation on the United Southwest Health Center a few blocks from the ballpark, in Southwest.
 

Jan 14, 2010 3:42 PM
Reminder: Lane Closures on SE Freeway
From DDOT:
"The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is scheduled to temporarily close lanes on the eastbound side of the Southeast Freeway this weekend to complete the demolition of two RFK access ramps. The ramps cross over the freeway.
"Last Saturday, crews demolished the concrete on the ramps; this weekend they will remove the steel structure. The work is scheduled to take place from 5 am to 10 pm on Saturday, January 16. There could be additional closures on Sunday, January 17, but only if the work is not completed on Saturday.
"The left lane and shoulder will be closed just prior to the I-295 South and Pennsylvania Avenue split. That means all traffic approaching the split will have to take the I-295 exit. There will be no access to RFK Stadium or Pennsylvania Avenue from the SE Freeway."
They haven't posted the new advisory yet, but here's the link to last weekend's, with the graphics for detours and whatnot. Expect delays on the freeway.
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