* LOT LAYING: Enough people have written (and progress has been so slow) that I finally have to post that the work many of you are seeing on the Congressional Square block at 1st and I isn't the beginning of development there--the word is that the parking lot on the west side of the block is being extended eastward.

* PILE DRIVING: Pile driving has started at 800 New Jersey/Whole Foods, if your ears haven't already alerted you.

* TRAILER PLACING: A building permit just came through the pipeline for a temporary sales trailer at 1000 1st St. SE. The land. owned by Akridge, is unlikely to be about to see any large-scale construction, so might this instead be the beginnings of a leasing center for Toll's River Parc across the street?

* FERRY DOCKING: Following up on the ferry news from last week, I finally heard back from the office of Frank Principi in Woodbridge--it sounds like the routes and docking locations are still not 100 percent decided on. There is a stakeholder's group that will ultimately make the decisions, and it is meeting later this month to work on the project. So reports of a "Navy Yard" destination or a St. Elizabeth's destination or a Bolling destination appear to be premature.

The purveyors of food that is more healthy than should be allowed by law* are planning a soft opening on Wednesday, June 18, from 11 am to 4 pm, where you can pay what you want for food ordered during their test run, with proceeds going to FreshFarm Markets.

Then it's anticipated the restaurant will open on Thursday, June 19 for regular business, with hours of 10:30 am to 10 pm seven days a week.

This is Sweetgreen's twelfth location in the DC area. It's in the same block as Vida Fitness, TaKorean, and Harris Teeter, all of which should be opening over the coming months. Twelve12 expects its first move-ins this month.

The recommendations are:

* A 7,000-square-foot gymnasium with basketball court that can also be divided into two smaller courts when needed;

* A 3,600-square-foot day care center, which would also include a secured outdoor play area;

* Three multipurpose fitness rooms (for yoga classes or the like):

* Two multipurpose classrooms;

* One individual fitness area, which could include treadmills and weights; and

* A small "soft play area" for little kids.

The recommendations are not a written-in-stone marching order, however. Soon the Housing Authority will be putting out an RFP to find the organization that will run the community center (though apparently we're now calling it a "community building," because #branding). The operator would then have "flexibility" in what it offers, while ostensibly guided by the survey results.

There were 473 responses to the survey, and the meeting slides show both the demographic breakdown of respondents as well as the top vote-getters in both fitness and "enrichment" activities.

The slides also include conceptual drawings of how the two-story building could be laid out to handle the recommended offerings, though it was stressed that the operator will be making the final decisions on layout and whatnot. (You may remember that there was at one time a basement planned for the building, but it's now been removed from the design.)

Attendees at the meeting did not rise up in fire-breathing opposition to the presentation, though concerns were raised about the lack of garden space, the seeming preference of fitness activities over learning/cultural/enrichment activities, and the need for space and kitchen access to accommodate private events like kids' birthday parties.

Even though the consultant's report is due to DCHA next week, the team still wants to hear comments, if you've got them.

The slides also said that the groundbreaking for the building is "about to happen," which of course translates to JDLand Speak as "Any Minute Now."

Plans are for a 126-unit condo building with 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, in addition to integrating the chiller facility into the building.

The deal still has to be approved by Metro's board of directors, but the press release says "construction is expected to begin in 2016."

The press release does not say if the team plans to also purchase the 7,700-square-foot lot next door, which is for sale (and which has a bit of a history).

This will be MRP's second foray into the neighborhood, after having entered a deal in 2011 to co-develop the (still pending) first phase of the Florida Rock development.

The path to developing this site has not been a short one, given that WMATA has been trying to get the site developed since 2006. Three bids were received for the site earlier this year, two residential and one for an office building.

* MANAGING WATER: The EPA has released the case study about Canal Park entitled Integrating Stormwater Management and Public Amenities through a Public-Private Partnership, saying that the park "exemplifies how a public-private partnership can be used to create a public amenity that enhances the community and provides environmental benefits."

* FRONTING WATER: I came *thisclose* to posting a link that just popped up in my RSS reader about how the developers of the Florida Rock site just said that they expect to begin construction on Phase I of RiverFront on the Anacostia in "mid-2014"--but then I thought to look at the date on the release, and it was May 7. So I guess could still technically be considered news, but we're now reaching "mid-2014" with no sign of movement....

* CROSSING WATER: A reminder that tonight at 6:30 is your chance to meet the four finalists in the Bridge Park design competition. The event is at 1801 Mississippi Ave., SE.

And in the No Water Connection At All Department:

* COMMUNITY CENTER: Tomorrow night, Wednesday, June 11, is the public meeting on the results of the Capper Community Center survey.

* VAN NESS: Greater Greater Education looks at the drive to reopen Van Ness Elementary School.

And, in case you don't believe me, I have proof! Witness dirt being dug! A press release from WC Smith officially announcing the start of the $87 million construction project says that pile driving operations will be getting underway this week.

But of course the excitement in the neighborhood surrounding this project isn't for the arrival of still more residential units--it's for the building's 35,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, which will be home to a long-sought Whole Foods after the building is completed in late 2016.

And, just like with its sibling to the south, 800 NJ's construction will include the construction and opening of a "new" street between 2nd and New Jersey--this time it will be H Street, running from just north of 200 I over to New Jersey just south of the freeway.

This is the second of three residential buildings on the block, with a third, 393-unit building fronting 2nd Street to follow. Residents in all three buildings will be able to use the facilities in every building, giving them "unparalleled access" to club rooms, game rooms, rooftop pools, an indoor lap pool, exercise facilities, dog walk areas, a demonstration kitchen and the 15,000 square foot courtyard.

As for the Park Chelsea, having been topped out a few weeks ago, work continues, with the bricking of the exterior being the next obvious milestone now underway.

My camera got a tour of the Park Chelsea this afternoon, and everyone better appreciate the 12 flights of stairs I walked up to get some of these pictures. (I do and I do and I do for you people.) It is expected to open in Spring 2015.

See the gallery for more photos.

(I've been a bit slow in posting on this because I've been trying to find out whether it's really to "the Navy Yard" (or "the Naval Yard") or to Diamond Teague Park and Piers, which would seem to be the logical location and which was the spot used in the 2009 study of possible service. Haven't come across a firm answer on that in any coverage, but maybe someone else has....)

According to WTOP, the money will be used to buy two ferry boats and operate them during business hours.

WTOP's piece also says that "[g]etting the ferry service off the ground is not a huge technologically complex issue that some would think. But growing it and sustaining it will be more difficult." Prince William County Supervisor Frank Principi, longtime advocate for water-based commuting opportunities, says that it will require partnerships, such as local governments, the military, and the private sector, to sustain the service.

Principi says that the service could be up and running within a year--but there isn't as yet a dock location identified in Alexandria.

UPDATE: As mentioned in the comments, the Post reports today that the destination will be Bolling and St. Elizabeth's (and that's what the actual FTA release says). Maybe earlier reporting was assuming people could swim to the Navy Yard from there.

"Finally, the site is located about a block east of one entrance to the Navy Yard Metro station, and across M Street from the west entrance[.] Both entrances can be quite congested, particularly during rush hours and on baseball stadium game/event days. WMATA has indicated a desire to increase capacity and convenience to passengers by providing an additional entrance to the Navy Yard Metro station on the south side of M Street on Parcel A. To faciliate this, OP is proposing that, as part of Zoning Commission review of any development on Parcel A, facilitation in the site and building design for a new entrance be provided - this would not require [Forest City Washington], the developer, to provide the new entrance, but rather would ensure that any construction on the site would accommodate this additional entrance."

Not something that would happen anytime soon, I imagine, but good to know that it's at least being thought about.

This means that folks on the eastern end of Capitol Hill will no longer have to get off at 6th Street and wind their way eastward--they will arrive at 11th just north of L, and can either turn left on 11th or right to the Navy Yard and across the 11th Street Local bridge to Anacostia.

The map at right provided by DDOT shows the various new movements that this new ramp will put on the table.

Coupled with the entrance ramp to the westbound freeway that opened a while back, 11th Street is now quite the access point for the Southeast/Southwest Freeway. And someday, it will be a full intersection that will include traffic traveling to or from Southeast Blvd., in whatever form that ends up taking.

Now to the tidbits:

* The latest on the Xavier Cervera mess. (WSJ)

* Apparently there is a void that can only be filled by a PROFESSIONAL. (City Paper)

* The 11th Street Bridges project receives an Award of Excellence in Concrete from the National Capital Chapter of the American Concrete Institute. No, really. (Hill Rag)

* The Courtyard touts its makeover. (Press release via Yahoo)

* How does DDOT see the city's multimodal future evolving? Check out the MoveDC draft transportation plan.

And, on the agenda:

* On Thursday, the Nats play the Phillies at 4 pm, which clears the evening for the first NatsLive concert of the season, with the Plain White T's. The show is free for anyone with a ticket to the game, though there's no truth to the rumor that they will just play "Hey There, Delilah" 17 times in a row.

* Then at sundown the Capitol Riverfront Summer Outdoor Movie Series kicks off at the northern end of Canal Park with the Sandlot.

* On Friday, Sam O brings reggae to the Yards Friday Night Concert Series, starting at 6:30 pm.

* If you can think this far ahead, it's been announced that Snallygaster is returning to the Yards, on September 13. "An epic day of inimitable imbibery and monstrous merriment featuring over 200 craft drafts."

This is in preparation for what the company "hopes" is a start date later this summer for its 324-unit residential building at 1111 New Jersey (I'm not quite ready to call it "The Gallery at Capitol Riverfront" just yet).

Note that the building will not be directly on top of the Metro station, as 55 M is over at the west entrance. But the big concrete retaining walls and small hill of grass will go away, and the new building will be right at street level.

If 1111 does in fact get underway (my caution is well earned!), it will join the now-lengthy lineup of under-construction residential projects in the few years: Twelve12, Park Chelsea, River Parc, Parcel N, the Lofts at Capitol Quarter, and 800 New Jersey (which should be getting started Any Minute Now, and did in fact get its excavation permit last week). Including 1111 NJ and 800 NJ, that makes about 2,100 new units in the active pipeline. (And maybe 320 more if Grosvenor gets the residential and hotel part of Ballpark Square off the ground this year like it seems to be planning.)

That's a lot of new neighbors....

I put a hard hat on my hard head for the first time in what feels like forever, and got my first look inside the soon-to-open Twelve12 apartment building on 4th Street at the Yards.

There's still a lot of finishing touches underway, but I got some photos of the model unit as well as some of the other parts of the residential portion of the development.

Forest City says that the building is somewhere in the neighborhood of a quarter leased, with the first move-ins coming later this month. Current prices range from $2,100 to $3,100 for studios/1 BRs, and from $3,500 to $4,500 for the two-bedroom units.

I didn't get inside the various retail offerings (though I did press my nose up against the windows). Sweetgreen, TaKorean, and the various components of the Vida Fitness empire (including Aura Spa, Bang Salon, and the Penthouse Pool Club) should be opening over the next few months, and the Harris Teeter Twitter account recently pegged Oct. 1 as the opening day for its new home at 4th and M.

Go look at the entire gallery for lots more shots.

It's a lot of building to knock down, but a milestone of sorts was reached late last week at Building 213 when the demolition punched through from the west to the east, splitting the remnants in two and giving a peek at the vistas to come once it all comes tumbling down.

So I've added a bunch of new photos of the destruction to my Yards Parcel A page, and I also think the destruction is now far enough along to add the 171st entry to my Demolished Buildings Gallery.

In addition, I've scoured the archives and have come up with more than more than 40 vantage points where Spooky Central has been visible from and will be for just a bit longer.

But if you want a few more moments of the building not looking torn apart, go stand about halfway between M and N on first and look eastward above the "Event Parking" sign, as I did above. (I didn't even notice this quirk until I got home and looked at the photo.)

A few blocks away another man-made creation that won't be much lamented is being dismantled, as seen here in its before-and-after, with the Park Chelsea now looming:

Then there's some signage I have needed to officially record, that of the Subway Café and the Big Stick at 20 M (which got its tenant layout building permit approved recently), and the new Homewood Suites banner at 50 M. Plus there's now a tower crane at the Hampton Inn site.

To bring some green to the page, I'll close with this lovely photo of the increasingly lush Monument Valley just north of the ballpark.

And I'll have an even more interesting batch of photos coming soon.

The trapeze school is currently occupying the site, but they will be moving to the corner of New Jersey and Tingey once the NGA building demolition is completed.

This would be not only the first condo building at the Yards, but the first condo building in the neighborhood since Velocity was finished back in 2009. Judging by my inbox over the years, the demand for ownership opportunities in the neighborhood is strong.

The press release about the project gives some small amount of detail: "These luxury condominium residences will echo the unique industrial past of the site both in building architecture and unit finishes. A range of residence sizes are currently planned from studios to two-bedroom units. A rooftop resident’s lounge, outdoor kitchen and fire pits, private terraces and balconies, and front desk staff are just a few of the features."

Hoffman is a busy company these days, since they are the behind the massive Wharf development in Southwest. The company has been tied to the Yards before, having been attached way back when to the renovation of Building 202 (the big red brick building now just behind Twelve12), but that project seems to be in perpetual turnaround.

There won't be shovels in the ground next week--scuttlebutt says that Hoffman could start the project in late 2015 (about the time that the under-construction 327-unit apartment building across the street delivers), but there's nothing stated officially one way or the other.

This would be the fourth residential building at the Yards, following the 170-unit Foundry Lofts, the about-to-be-completed 218-unit Twelve12, and the aforementioned 327-unit building on Parcel N, which needs a name desperately.

The site, on the northern part of the hole and just south of 55 M Street, was going to be the hotel portion of Monument Realty's block-long Half Street development.

This is the third time in the past few years that Lehman has taken ownership of property in Monument's once-vast holdings just north of the ballpark. Lehman was one of Monument's investment partners on these properties, in addition to being the lender.

In both of the other cases, the "foreclosure" by Lehman ended up being a precursor to the sale of the property--both at 50 M, bought by investors in May 2013 and now the site of the planned Homewood Suites hotel, and at 1244 South Capitol, bought by JBG in late 2013 and likely to be a residential project. (The company's 55 M Street office building was sold in late 2013 without a Lehman takeback.)

Whether this is another precursor to another sale, we will have to see.

As of now, Monument retains an ownership stake in only two properties in the Ballpark District: the southern half of Monument Valley, where a residential project was planned, and the old Domino's site at One M Street, where back in 2012 Monument had been starting to shepherd an office project through zoning.

The park, which will use the piers still standing after the demolition of the old outbound 11th Street Bridge, would create a new type of connection between the east and west sides of the Anacostia River, and is described by its supporters as "an iconic new civic space that will provide a unique venue supporting the community’s environmental, economic, cultural and physical health."

The design teams chosen are made up of landscape architects, architects, and structural engineers, and have been given $25,000 to create their submissions. The teams are:

• Balmori Associates / Cooper, Robertson & Partners / Guy Nordenson Associates

Sayeth DCHA: "Over the past three weeks, almost 475 members of the Southeast neighborhood answered the 130-question surveys. Of those, more than 85 percent were from within a 10-block radius of the proposed facility. About 46 percent of those surveyed indicated they rented their home. Almost three-quarters of the surveys were completed online."

The first community meeting was held in April, and included some initial "strategic visioning," in advance of the surveys going out.

* CRUISING BY THE HOOD: The Near Southeast Community Partners group, in concert with the 11th Street Bridge Park Project, Living Classrooms, and Anacostia Riverkeeper, are having a "Community Vision Cruise" along the Anacostia River on June 16 from 6 to 8 pm. Cruisers will ride the river on a 1928 boat and learn about the bridge park and programs to clean up the river, with food provided by Agua 301 and Ice Cream Jubilee. Tickets are $60 (and can bepurchased online), but note that space is limited.

* LOOKING AT THE HOOD: Urban Turf surveys the current state of the neighborhood, after the "rain delay" of the 2008-2012 time frame: "Now, Capitol Riverfront is seeing long-planned projects come to fruition, parks, restaurants and retailers are drawing visitors from across the city, and the streets no longer resemble a ghost town."

* FATTENING UP THE HOOD: The Tour de Fat is this Saturday at Yards Park, so get your bike and your liver tuned up.

* CROWDING IN THE HOOD: DDOT recently released the M Street Southeast/Southwest Special Events Study final report, which looks at the traffic impact along M Street of a number of potential entertainment venues, including of course Nats Park but also the potential new soccer stadium at Buzzard Point, all the attractions to come at the Wharf, and the movie theater eventually coming to the DC Water site. (The entire report is an 81 MB PDF, so get a cup of coffee.)