We’ve looked at the two relatively new buildings on the 3500 block of Warder Street, NW. The rundown house in the middle has been torn down and a new condo building is set to go in the space. I wonder if they’ll paint it yellow? I’ll be sure to update as the building gets constructed and the units go for sale.
1230 4th Street, NW is filling in with some new rowhouses. Anyone know if there was a fire here a couple weeks ago? I didn’t see any evidence of fire so maybe I’m misremembering. At any rate it’s wild to see the once orphaned rowhouse start to get some company. Here’s what it looked like back in June.
Lots of exciting news has been hitting Georgia Ave lately with the coming soon signs for Sala Thai and Park Place Cafe. Now we can look forward to the coming of Billy Simpson’s which is the new venture coming from the owners of Marvin. It’s a small step but always nice to see progress actually start.
Here’s the other building that will be demo’d. Though remember it is only internal demo as the building itself (first photo above) has historic significance.
Clearly someone is upset by the construction:
Anyone know the details of what’s going on here?
Photo from PoPville flickr user rockcreek
Thanks to a reader for sending this depressing news from the Business Insider:
Small Business Survival Index: 84.795 (#51)
Personal Income Tax Rates: 8.500 (#44t)
Corporate Income Tax Rates: 9.975 (#50)
Property Taxes: 4.13 (#41)
Workers’ Compensation Benefits Per $100 of Covered Wages: 0.26 (#1)
Note: According to the report, the District of Columbia was not included in the studies on the states’ liability systems, eminent domain legislation and highway cost efficiency, so “D.C.’s last place score actually should be even worse.”
From speaking to small business owners this is sadly not surprising. You can see the full list here.
photo by norbert.
Thanks to a number of readers for sending these updates. First for Ft. Totten from the Washington Post:
“The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation received final approval Monday night from the D.C. Zoning Commission to move forward with its plans to transform the landscape of a Northeast Washington neighborhood by building a multimillion-dollar, transit-oriented development in Fort Totten.
The foundation plans to build Art Place and Shops at Fort Totten — a project that will include housing, a grocery store, a children’s museum, a senior center, and cultural and arts space — on 17 acres it owns between the Fort Totten Metro station and South Dakota Avenue NE.”
And for Walter Reed from the Washington Business Journal:
“In the first solicitation, Fenty’s economic development team, headed by Deputy Mayor Valerie Santos, is seeking a consultant to help create a master plan for the site, including transportation, landscape architecture and historic preservation services.
Separately, the city is seeking a real estate development firm to provide a financial and technical analysis of redevelopment potential for the site. Both solicitations were issued Dec. 8 with a deadline of Jan. 8, 2010 and much of the work is expected to be done by the fall of 2010.”
Thanks to all who sent me emails about this development. Washington Business Journal writes:
Wholesale club Costco has signed a letter of intent to occupy a shopping center in the Fort Lincoln neighborhood of Northeast D.C., according to Councilman Kwame Brown, D-At large.
Fort Lincoln President Michelle Hagans has been looking for major retailers for the 42-acre site, bounded by New York Avenue, South Dakota Avenue and 33rd Place, near the entrance to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, for more than a decade.
Hagans said she wants to have Costco — and Target — leases anchor a retail hub in a development once called Washington Gateway but which she is renaming The Shops at Dakota Crossing. She said other major retailers, such as Shoppers Food Warehouse, were still interested.
Minneapolis-based retailer Target has also been planning to enter the shopping center, and Brown said those plans could be finalized as early as this week.
“Dear PoP,
What’s up with all the tree boxes on 17th Street (between N and P I think). On both sides of the street, they’re surrounded by two-foot-high chain-link boxes. Is someone worried a squirrel might escape?”
I believe this is related to the Streetscape project for 17th Street, NW. DDOT writes:
“The $4.5M 17th Street Resurfacing Project is one of the District’s ARRA projects. The scope of work includes 17th Street from Mass Avenue to New Hampshire Avenue and is anticipated to be completed by fall 2010. Work includes, replacement of existing sidewalk with concrete sidewalk, new granite curbs and brick gutters, mill and overlay of the roadway, replacement of Fire Hydrants, installation of new trees in designated areas, new street lights and new traffic signals.”
Borderstan writes that “Construction will start Nov. 30, 2009, and end by Nov. 30, 2010.” Borderstan also reports on a rally this past Saturday because:
“At the November 23 public meeting on the 17th St. renovation project, DDOT reminded the community that a significant number of trees – virtually all the trees between P Street and Riggs on 17th Street – would be removed to accommodate the streetscape project.”
We last spoke about the Sherman Ave. Streestscape plans back in June. Thanks to a reader for sending the notes from a recent meeting on the subject:
“Essentially, construction will begin June 2010 and will last 18-24 months. Trees will be planted in the median where possible. There is one block with no median and there are a few medians with no trees due to underground utilities. We were assured that there were trees planted where feasible. Shrubs and/or ground cover will fill in the areas with no trees. Sidewalks will be widened with new tree boxes where possible. There will be one lane of traffic in each direction and are 14′ wide and designated as a shared lane supporting cars and bikes. New residential scale lighting will be added to provide more evenly spaced lighting with intersections receiving a higher level of lighting using teardrop style light fixtures. Washington globe light fixtures will be installed between intersections.”
A number of readers have written in inquiring what’s going on here. Back in September a reader heard it was going to be a corner/grocery store. But more recently I’ve been hearing it’s going to be residences and maybe an office. Well, it’s been painted and I promise to update as more info becomes available. If anyone who lives near there has any more info please add to the comments.