And with $587 million in DC's budget already earmarked for the project, DDOT can move forward with the next big step: choosing the design-build team, presumably from among the "final four" bidders identified back in February 2014, a process that is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016.

The current Douglass Bridge is now 66 years old, and has been classified as "functionally obsolete." DDOT says that if it is not replaced "within the next five years, the bridge would require an estimated $110 million in major rehabilitation work and would need to be closed for more than a year."

(And, maybe I'm just getting older and turning into even more of a fraidy cat, but holy moly is the traffic making the current bridge vibrate like crazy when you walk the pedestrian path. I just don't remember it moving that much even six months ago. Which perhaps might explain this bit of crumbling I saw on Saturday.)

This is now at least my 120th post on the bridge and the plans to replace it, so I'll go with a very quick summary (this post from last December is a good catch-up option). As you can see in the pilfered-from-DDOT graphic above, the new bridge will run immediately parallel and downriver of the existing bridge, with two new large traffic ovals on its approaches. There will also be a much-needed reconstruction of the I-295/Suitland Parkway interchange.

The eventual second phase of this overall "South Capitol Street Corridor Project" will be streetscape improvements to the north end of the street, similar to the spiffening that the blocks from N to Potomac received back in 2007 that give the street more of an "urban boulevard" feel. This will include a full redesign of the M Street intersection and a reconfiguration of South Capitol's interchange with I-395.

The full Request for Proposals is expected to be released in the spring of 2016.

While waiting for the new bridge to arrive, I may have to put out calls for volunteers willing to let me tether myself to them when I need to take pictures from the existing bridge, because otherwise the authorities will probably have to respond to calls of an old lady frozen in place on the pedestrian path, holding a camera but too terrified to move.

* SIZZLING EXPRESS CLOSED: The handwriting was no doubt on the wall the instant that Harris Teeter and its vast food bar/carryout options opened up a stone's throw away, but it's still a little sad to see that the Sizzling Express at 4th and M SE closed for good in mid-August. For quite a while it was the only "new" food offering in the neighborhood, having arrived in the ground floor of 300 M at some point in 2001 or 2002. No word on what might someday arrive in its place.

* DUE SOFT: In case you haven't yet ducked into Due South, the neighborhood's newest restaurant, at 3rd and Water, SE, be advised that it has been and is still operating in "fine-tuning mode," with a limited dinner menu and drinks. It expects to become fully operational on Tuesday, Sept. 8, opening daily at 11 am for lunch and dinner along with weekend brunch.

* NOVEMBER WILD WINGS: A little birdie has told me that Buffalo Wild Wings is working toward an opening date of November 2, though we know how I feel about the validity of estimated restaurant opening dates more than about three days in advance. (If you haven't been paying attention, they are coming to Half Street SE just south of the Metro station entrance.)

There are no renderings included with the filing, and the company has let me know that they are not quite ready to offer up details on the project, but the BZA documents do show that the building would be 110 feet/13 stories high, with three levels of underground parking, and is being designed by Shalom Baranes Associates.

The site is the western half of the block where the 1015 Half Street office building has stood since 2011, and has served as Nats Parking Lot K since 2008.

This would be Lerner's second development project in the neighborhood, with the company having built the 20 M Street office building back in 2005-2007. (The other neighborhood project owned by the Lerner family, the one with the Curly W logo, has its headquarters a few blocks further down South Capitol.)

This 1000 South Capitol project actually came to ANC 6D way back in 2006 (no, really) with a request to close a portion of the alley that runs between this lot and 1015 Half, and in fact the alley closing is still marked as "proposed" on the new BZA documents.

For your zoning nerds, Lerner is looking for variances from side yard requirements and loading requirements, and a special exception from roof structure requirements. In addition, the project will have a 15-foot setback along South Capitol, which is not currently required since the site is not within the Capitol Gateway Overlay boundaries, but will become a requirement once/if the city's zoning rewrite is ever completed.

The BZA hearing is currently scheduled for Nov. 24.

More as I get it.

But, while I'm working on them, here's a little brain teaser, like you'd see in the Sunday comics, for the 12 of you who still know what a "newspaper" is:

(click to enlarge)

The top photo was taken from the Douglass Bridge in February 2006, and the bottom one on Saturday, just a smidge over 9 1/2 years later, and I count 14 differences (combining "x building demolished, y building now in its place" into single items). Do you see them all? And no, cranes don't count.

The southern-themed restaurant is the latest from the Bo Blair empire, he of the Fairgrounds, and Jetties, and the Bayou, which is where Due South executive chef Rusty Holman made his home before moving to the Yards.

It will be just dinner service starting at 5 pm during the first few weeks, with weekday lunch and weekend brunch offerings coming probably in early September.

Philz is described as a company "on a mission to better people’s days by reinventing the coffee drinking experience," with not only "an impressive array of exclusive, handcrafted, flavorful blends," but also excellent customer service.

DC is the first place Philz is expanding outside of California (with another outlet coming soon to Adams Morgan), and this move also will bring back a coffee shop to the Yards, after the recent closing of Buzz Bakery.

The Philz will be located in a 2,400-square-foot space on Tingey Street across from the Boilermaker Shops, and will open in spring 2016. (Arris's retail spaces total 19,000 square feet.)

Pre-leasing at Arris is expected to begin this fall, with move-ins targeted for early 2016, according to Forest City.

Also today Forest City is finally officially confirming the news that's been out there for a while, that locally-based Pacers Running will be taking the final retail space at the Boilermaker Shops, with an opening expected in October. Forest City says that "While Pacers Running stores carry top-of-the-line footwear, as well as running and exercise clothing and gear, along with personalized expert advice and fitting, they have also branched out to be a major organizer and promoter in the area of events aimed at runners who are serious and even not so serious about their running."

Also tucked into the press release is that Due South is expected to open in "late August," and that there is no announced opening date for Nicoletta Pizzeria.

I've managed to summon the herculean strength necessary to pull myself out of the summer doldrums, but I'm left with only just enough energy to pass along these tidbits:

* SCARLET L(BR)UNCH: Lunch service at Scarlet Oak is expected to begin around Aug. 13, with a menu that will include more salads and sandwiches, according to City Paper. Brunch service is expected to begin later in August.

* 25 M AGAIN: Many many many moons ago, Akridge unveiled plans for 373,000 square feet of office space in two buildings at 25 M, the southwest corner of Half and M Streets, where the Fairgrounds currently resides. Now, nearly eight years and two property sales later, it's been announced that Akridge and new landowner Brandywine Realty Trust will be developing a 275,000 square feet of office space in one building on the site, which will also include 25,000 square feet of retail. It will be designed by HOK "to create a landmark presence at one of the most visible intersections" in the city, offering tenants "incredible visibility, branding, and communications opportunity." No timeline for this was mentioned. (And we're still waiting to hear what JBG will be doing with the south end of the Fairgrounds block.)

* FOR THE LADIES: There's now a nursing room at Nats Park.

For those not keeping up, this southern-themed restaurant will be helmed by chef Rusty Holman, he of Bayou, and in fact owner Bo Blair is shutting down Bayou during August "in order to focus on the opening of our brand new restaurant, Due South in Navy Yard."

The photo above is a peek in from the Water Street side of the space, below left is the view looking in from the front door, and below right is what you see looking in from the west. Click to enlarge, as always....

And, while we're talking restaurants, Scarlet Oak did indeed open on Saturday evening, and so here's a requisite photo of the exterior, and a quickie of the interior (didn't want to bug the other diners). The bar already looked like a pretty popular spot to hang out.

The fare is "casual American," and the menu is available for your perusing, showing a range of small plates and "nibbles," pizza, and entrees, plus some intriguing cocktails.

If and when you venture in, take to the comments to let us know your impressions.

"Very happy that Las Placitas is staying on Barracks Row! They'll move this fall to the old Quiznos space at 8th and M on lower 8th Street."

Las Placitas with its Mexican fare is of course one of the mainstays of 8th Street, but it had been announced a few weeks back that its lease was not being renewed, and that next-door neighbor Matchbox would be expanding into the space.

As for the new location, there hasn't been much going on since Quizno's left a few years back, and other restaurants in the 1100 block of 8th--Chicken Tortilla and Levi's Port Café--have been closed for a while as well.

This space, on the northeast corner of 8th and M, is immediately to the north of the Navy Yard's Latrobe Gate, and is also across the street from the Blue Castle, which was bought late last year by the National Community Church. Plus, one block to the north is where The Brig will open, someday. And this may be especially good news for the eventual tenants of the Lofts at Capitol Quarter, now under construction at 7th and L, who will have a sit-down restaurant a block away.

Contained therein were three slides that I think will be of particular interest: the latest schedules for expected street closures and lane reductions as well as when the various intersections with Virginia Avenue will be temporarily closed to install decking.

(I'm also including CSX's graphic of what the be-decked intersections will look like.)

If you aren't bothering to click to enlarge (for shame!), here's some highlights:

* Expect the section of Virginia Avenue between 3rd and 4th to be completely closed in early October.

* The work to begin creating the temporary decking on the cross streets will begin first at 11th Street, with 8-10 weeks of reduced lanes starting next month. (A shame this didn't happen during all of that OTHER work along the same stretch of 11th....)

* It appears that the intersection at 4th and Virginia won't have a complete closure during its decking, but will see 3-4 weeks of reduced lanes beginning in October.

* The intersections with 3rd, 5th/6th (man, I hate that intersection), and 7th will be the ones that will have up to two weeks of complete closures while the decking is installed, with another few weeks of reduced lanes, but this schedule indicates those won't happen before spring of 2016.

In other Tunnel Disruption Alerts, CSX sent out word earlier today that there will be interruptions to Comcast Services on Aug. 6 and 7 while the company performs "cable splicing," though the alert indicates that this will primarily impact very nearby residences and businesses south of the freeway.

CSX's next quarterly open house is scheduled for Aug. 13, plus you can have Coffee with Chuck on Aug. 19, Sept. 30, and Oct. 21.

Reserving the space also apparently gets you an "all-inclusive food and beverage package, including beer and wine, starting 2 hours before game time," along with "Infield Box seating close to the action."

(Though I imagine if someday some restaurant operator somewhere reallyreallyreally wanted that space....)

* SCARLET OAK, ALMOST: With this tweet earlier today, Scarlet Oak let it be known that it is close to opening, with a soft opening expected "next weekend" and a "grand opening soon to follow." The modern American restaurant and bar on the northwest corner of New Jersey and K comes from the same folks who brought you Southern Hospitality in Adams Morgan.

* DUE SOUTH, ALMOST: HillNow quotes a Forest City prediction that Bo Blair's Due South southern restaurant will "likely" open in the Lumber Shed in August. We Shall See.

* BDUBS CONSTRUCTION, ALMOST: A little birdie tells me that the Buffalo Wild Wings folks have said that the hope is to have its new Half Street location open by October (let's see, what else happens in October?), and that construction should start within the next few weeks.

* ANOTHER COFFEE SHOP, ALMOST: The official Yards twitter account lamented last week's loss of Buzz Bakery, but then added, "Fear not coffee aficiandos! We have a new coffee shop in the works." My understanding is that an announcement should be made in the coming weeks (along with perhaps some other retail announcements).

From the release: "Each theater in the new Showplace Icon at The Yards will feature wall-to-wall screens and premium sound, deluxe leather recliner seats and reserved seating. The facility will also have exclusive VIP levels with adults-only access and tables for enjoying food and beverages inside the auditoriums. The theatre's Lobby Lounge will feature a full bar, along with a tasty menu of appetizers, small plates, snacks and desserts for enjoying before, during or after the show." The theater will also have its own 320-space parking garage.

Word of Forest City's plans for a movie theater first leaked out in the spring of 2013, but it wasn't until just a few months ago that the deal to take control of this portion of the DC Water site was locked down. Though note that the press release also says that "the theatre construction start is dependent upon DC Water’s timetable for vacating that portion of the property."

There are also plans for two residential buildings along 1st Street, though no timeline for those has been announced.

See my Yards at DC Water page for more details, or read my previous posts on the theater.

(PS: deep in the release, it mentions that the Due South restaurant at the Lumber Shed is expected to open "this summer." No date for Nicoletta, though. It also says that the PN Hoffman condo building and Forest City's apartment building immediately to its south on the current trapeze school lot are expected to break ground in early 2016.)

"For our friends in DC, the last day of operations for our Yards location will be tomorrow, Friday, July 17. As our neighborhood has grown and developed, we have always tried to meet the desires of our community, and have found that our guests would benefit from more programming and offerings from our adjoining brewery & restaurant, Bluejacket and The Arsenal. They'll be transforming the space into a bottle shop & tasting room in the coming weeks."

Buzz was first announced as coming to the Boilermaker Shops in June 2011, then opened in the fall of 2013, not long after Bluejacket and the Arsenal debuted.

The restaurant was to be a venture by owners of Beuchert's Saloon and Sonoma, a duo who also opened Stanton & Greene on Capitol Hill earlier this year.

The official quote from Forest City is that "We have a signed lease in place with Navy Yard Oyster Co. but are currently in discussions with the tenant, at their request, as to whether they intend to continue," but City Paper quotes Michael Stevens of the BID as saying that the owners "have pulled out of their lease."

The restaurant was slated to go in the space between Agua 301 and Osteria Morini on the Shed's south side, facing the Anacostia River.

Speaking of brick, up at 7th and L the Lofts at Capitol Quarter mixed-income apartment project is just starting to get its masonry on--though that's an awful lot of square footage to cover, as you look at that loooooong wall stretching west from 7th Street.

While the beer garden coming to 8th and L known as the Brig will win no awards for its speed of construction, progress is evident (below left), with light fixtures now in place along the roof line. Over at 5th and K the Community Center continues to move closer to looking like its renderings.

And thanks to everyone who stopped to say hi while I was roaming around on Sunday, though I can't imagine how people guessed that the old lady standing in the street taking pictures of construction was me.

Photographic evidence obtained through cyclone fences shows that 800 New Jersey (at right), aka the building that's going to have a Whole Foods in the ground floor, is currently looking like it will be the next development to arrive at ground level, now a little over a year after excavation began.

The other five sites have at least partially gotten to the lowest part of their excavations, and cranes have sprouted at four of them.

From left, in order of time spent shoring and sheeting and excavating: 1111 New Jersey, 801 New Jersey, 909 Half, the Homewood Suites at 50 M, and the Residence Inn/F1rst hotel/residential project at 1st and M:

Which one will make it to ground level next? (Please, no wagering.)

The closure of Virginia between 4th and 5th Streets, SE (seen here) has probably had the greatest impact so far, preventing vehicles from taking Virginia toward 8th Street (and its outbound ramp to I-695) unless one goes south on 4th to K, then north on 5th.

According to CSX, there will be increased prep work at this location this week, and it could see the start of drilling for steel and concrete pilings as early as the week of July 20.

Immediately to the south, the stockade fences are going up in front of the nearby townhomes, and the little stub of I Street has been closed east of 4th and east of the alley that runs between the townhouses and St. Paul's (see below left, click to enlarge). The I Street "hook" into Virginia Avenue will not reopen--the pocket park in this location will be reconfigured and enlarged once construction is finished.

Some moving of dirt has actually begun, as you see above in the shot of Virginia Avenue east of 2nd, alongside the stretch of road that was closed a few weeks ago.

The initial cutting down of trees along Virginia is particularly noticeable west of 3rd, as shown in this comparison of a 2007 photo and one from today (more before-and-afters of this intersection here):

According to the latest updates from CSX, parking will be restricted this week on Virginia between 3rd and 4th to allow for more cutting down of trees. And it's expected that perhaps as early as next week Virginia Avenue will be closed between 8th and 9th. (The numbered cross streets remain open.)

One other closure worth photographing is the underpass just to the south of Garfield Park, where skateboarders can still congregate (yay?), but is now closed to any attempts to get completely south of the freeway.

CSX is holding another one of its "Coffee with Chuck" events on Thursday, July 23 from 7:30 to 9 am at the Courtyard by Marriott at 140 L St., SE, in case you'd like to hear the latest updates and ask questions of the chief project engineer. (RSVPs requested.) Slides from the June ChucKlatch have been posted as well.

There's also now the option to receive updates on the project via SMS, should you wish.

The Virginia Avenue Tunnel official web site has more, and I've started getting my own Virginia Avenue Tunnel page prepped for the expected onslaught of before-and-afters