alleged_office_creeper
July photos of alleged “office creeper”

From an email (also posted on the Petworth Parents listserv):

“I know this is an unusual thing to post but since a lot of you work in office buildings in DC, I figured we are more likely to catch this thief if people know she is coming. Share this with your building’s security staff and ask them how to handle it if you see her.

This thief successfully stole cash from out of several people’s work spaces here at EPA. I actually met her as she was I returned to my cubicle and she was standing in my cube. She quickly said something about “Oh! I was just fixing my hair”. I thought that was strange but quickly forgot about it as she engaged me in a (long!) conversation about the holiday party we will be having (she had a flyer for the party in her hand) and she was so friendly. I just gave her the benefit of the doubt since she was inside the building, very friendly/relaxed and there are often detailees here I don’t know. She was very engaging, had a lovely smile and was dressed professionally. Her hair was shorter than in these photos – shoulder length, very glossy and soft. I have no idea how she got into our building but the fact that she got in is what really bothers me.

This security alert below came from a colleague who’s husband works at the Wells Fargo office on 14th street. When she told him about what happened at EPA, he realized it was the same thief as was highlighted in a security alert he had received – that alert is below.”

Back in July and August, we sent out a couple of Alerts regarding a female office creeper that we dubbed the Law Firm Creeper because she specialized in hitting buildings with large law firms as tenants. She is very smooth and will often try to talk her way into the back area of the building so that she can hop into the freight elevator to access tenant spaces. Other times, she will go for the regular elevators.

She studies her targets on the Internet and sometimes greets people by name if their pictures are on the firm’s web site. She was arrested in August, but it appears that she is back on the street, doing what she does best: larceny. She attempted to enter a building on K Street last week the Downtown Bid just sent out a photo of her trying to enter buildings in his area.

She is a prolific office burglar who will dress like she belongs in a Class A building. When trying to talk her way past security/concierge with a variety of stories, she will drop the names of senior partners in the law firm that she intends to steal from. If she can’t get to the freight elevator or the main elevators, she will walk up the stairwell from the garage to the floor that she wants and knock on the door until someone lets her in. Now that it is cold, she will leave her overcoat in a women’s bathroom, pick up a file, and walk through the space like she is a temporary employee who belongs there until she can find wallets or purses to steal from.

She is 5’5”- 5’7”, dark complexion, 30-ish, medium build.


From a press release:

“The Park At CityCenter, part of CityCenterDC, the 10-acre, landmark, mixed-use development located in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. will ring in the 2014 holiday season with its first annual holiday tree lighting ceremony, taking place on November 29th.

The free evening event is open to the public and will celebrate the sights and sounds of the holidays. Hosted by Eun Yang of NBC4, the event will also help support the DC Central Kitchen. All attendees are encouraged to bring and donate non-perishable food items to this worthy cause.

The 70-foot American made tree was designed by internationally recognized holiday decoration company Barrango and will be on display until early January. The monumental tree includes a dazzling 6-foot in diameter manzanita starburst topper with 16 arms as well as 4525 ornaments adorned with 30,000 6”x6” hand-crafted silver-leaves. In addition, the 5200 LED lamps on the starburst and 150,800 LED lamps around the tree will help light the night, all managed by 128 lighting controller channels. Two twenty-five foot reindeer, made from 37,000 manzanita twigs, will also be on display in The Plaza at CityCenter for visitors to enjoy.

All event attendees are encouraged to stay for dinner or shop at the many exciting retail and restaurant offerings at CityCenterDC. Other highlights of the evening’s planned festivities include:

• Holiday music performed by the renowned Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC.
• Upscale Thai restaurant Mango Tree by Richard Sandoval, which is expected to open soon at CityCenterDC, will serve their signature hot Thai tea to attendees.
• Celebrated dessert company RareSweets, also part of the lineup of new eateries coming to CityCenterDC, will be on hand with delicious hot cocoa and seasonally inspired cookies. In addition, RareSweets will have gift baskets and other individual gift items on display for holiday ordering.

When/Where: Saturday, November 29, 2014, beginning at 6 pm at The Park at CityCenter, located at the corner of 10th and I Streets, NW in Washington, DC.”


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1129 20th Street, NW

“Dear PoPville,

I went to get lunch at Newton’s Noodles today and they were closed during prime lunch hours without any activity inside or a sign on the door. I am bummed because I love this place. Any idea about what’s going on? It reads like the signs of a business closing to me.”

Newton’s Noodles opened with much fanfare back in October 2013. In response to a query on their facebook page, Newton’s Noodles wrote on November 17th:

“We are moving to a new location. A little smaller of a space that supports both a lunch and dinner business. More info to come shortly.”

Stay tuned.


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1025 Vermont Ave, NW

Last week we learned Which Wich Superior Sandwiches was coming to Vermont Ave just north of K Street in addition to 1800 E Street, NW. A rep from Which Wich writes with a brief update:

“The Vermont Ave location will be opening hopefully December 15, and the second location at 1800 E Street NW will be opening a few days later.”

You can see Which Wich Superior Sandwiches menu here.


franklin_school_dc_development

“Dear PoPville,

What gives with the Franklin School? Seems like more than 6 months have passed since the bid was accepted by DC

ICE-DC will restore the building’s exterior and original interior details, while transforming the rehabilitated building into exhibit space for contemporary art, sculpture, installations and performances. The proposed development also includes adult and student art education programs, a new restaurant and café, and an arts bookstore. Further, ICE-DC plans to work closely with the National Park Service (NPS) and the District to integrate art and to coordinate educational programs and events in the redesigned Franklin Square Park. The team demonstrates the skills and experience to successfully lead the rehabilitation and reuse of the Franklin School, and offers learning and training opportunities for District residents interested in contemporary art, curatorial practice and culinary art.


conrad_hotel_citycenter

Thanks to a reader for sending:

“Just saw they put signs up for the Conrad (by Hilton) across from City Center. Looks like this will be a huge hotel.”

From CityCenterDC:

“Hines, the international real estate firm and Qatari Diar, the real estate development entity of the Qatar Investment Authority, together developers of CityCenterDC, and D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray, announced today that the parties have closed on the agreement allowing Hines and Qatari Diar to proceed with the design and construction of a 370-room luxury hotel and 70,000 square feet of large-format retail space, at CityCenterDC, the 10-acre, landmark, mixed-use development located in the heart of the nation’s capital. It was further announced that the hotel will be the Conrad Washington, D.C., the newest property in the Conrad Hotels & Resorts luxury brand portfolio operated by Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HTL).

The Conrad Washington, D.C. project is being designed by Herzog & de Meuron Architekten, the internationally acclaimed design firm headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and HKS Architects, Inc., a Dallas-based design firm with offices worldwide, including the District of Columbia, as Architect of Record. Herzog & de Meuron is known for sophisticated projects around the world including the Walker Arts Center in Minneapolis, The Tate Modern in London and the iconic 56 Leonard, a new condominium tower in New York’s Tribeca neighborhood.”

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Rendering via CityCenterDC


golden_triangle_haiku_contest

From a press release:

“The Golden Triangle Business Improvement District is holding a contest with the Japan Information and Culture Center, which is located in the neighborhood. Writers can submit their original haikus Wed. Nov. 12–Fri., Dec. 12 here.

The winning poetry entries will be displayed in the flower beds lining the streets of the Golden Triangle neighborhood this winter, becoming the first temporary community art project of its kind in the nation’s capital. The neighborhood is comprised of the 43 blocks from the White House to Dupont Circle.

The grand prize winner will have the opportunity to visit the Embassy of Japan’s traditional Japanese tea house, Ippakutei, for a guided tour and tea. (more…)


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From a press release:

“Lightening fast and incredibly delicious pizza newcomer, DC Pizza, will be treating customers to a free four topping pizza and a soft drink to commemorate the restaurant’s arrival in the Golden Triangle. Patrons will get to pick from a wide variety of fresh and authentic toppings to customize their creations. Plus the first 20 customers in line at 11AM will receive free pizza for a year!

“We are thrilled to invite the neighborhood in to see how great our pizza is” said Lisa Lakin, founder of DC Pizza. “Customers will be blown away by how fast we make these amazingly tasty pies.”

WHERE:DC Pizza – 1103 19th Street NW
 located at 19th & L Streets
WHEN:Thursday, November 13th 2014 11AM – 3PM & 6PM – 9PM


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