“Dear PoPville,

I wanted to let you know that on December 7, local art students in Southeast DC will be unveiling their art designs on limited edition charity tote bags that will be available exclusively at Lidl’s Skyland store in DC. All sales from the bags, selling for $3.99 each, will be donated to Martha’s Table and will go to support the Joyful Food Markets, no-cost pop-up markets working to increase food access in more than 50 schools in Wards 7 & 8.”

From a press release: Read More

From a press release:

“Lidl US, recently ranked a top U.S. grocer by USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, announced today that it will celebrate the grand opening of its newest store in Skyland Town Center in Southeast D.C. on Wednesday, September 28. The store, located at 2224 Town Center Dr SE, will operate daily from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. This will be the first full-service grocery store to open in Wards 7 and 8 in more than a decade. Read More

2710 Good Hope Road, SE

Roaming Rooster opening their newest spot for deliciousness this Saturday at 1pm!

Full press release and a peek inside: Read More

intersections of Good Hope Road, Naylor Road, and Alabama Ave SE, rendering via Rappaport rendering via Rappaport

From the Mayor’s office Saturday:

“Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) joined leaders from Lidl to break ground on Lidl’s first store in Washington, DC located at Skyland Town Center. Lidl recently ranked a top 3 U.S. grocer by USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards and will be the first new supermarket to serve residents in Wards 7 and 8 in more than a decade. Read More

rendering via Rappaport

From the Mayor’s Office yesterday:

“Today, as part of March Madness, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced new progress at Skyland Town Center in Ward 7, including the beginning of residential leasing and five new food service leases. Once completed, Skyland Town Center will be a vibrant town square with upwards of 450 homes, a grocery store, a medical office building, and up to 156,000 square feet of retail. The Mayor made the announcement with the team from Rappaport and WC Smith.

“I know it’s taking time, but what we’re seeing at Skyland is a development that matches the vision of the Ward 7 community – a site with new housing, a grocery store, good amenities, and jobs and opportunity for DC residents,” said Mayor Bowser. “I’m grateful for everyone who is playing a role in moving Skyland forward – the Ward 7 community, our business partners and community builders, and, of course, our DMPED team. I look forward to the continued groundbreakings, and I look forward to all the ribbon cuttings even more.”

In 2019, Mayor Bowser and the development team announced that they secured a lease with Lidl US, which will open in 2022 and occupy 29,089 square feet within Skyland. It marks the first internationally recognized full-service supermarket to enter Wards 7 and 8 since 2007. The newest food service leases announced today, include: Read More

Thanks to JB for sending this Red-tailed Hawk from Hillcrest yesterday.

*If you spot a hawk or any interesting wildlife and get a good photo please send in an email where you spotted it to [email protected]. Thanks! Hawks around Town is made possible by a generous grant from the Ben and Sylvia Gardner foundation.

Photo by Jim Havard

“Dear PoPville,

My husband and I are starting to look for our first home to buy. Based on both price and proximity to our jobs, homes east of the river are appealing to us. I’m not too familiar with the area though, and wondering what others experience living in the area is like. We also have a young daughter who will start school in about 2 years, so I’m wondering about schools too. We’re looking from Anacostia/Hillcrest to Deanwood.”

Photos courtesy Bil Anderson

Ed. Note: Well a monolith anyway :) Doesn’t look quite as shiny or tall as some of the others spotted but we’ll take it!!

Thanks to JB for passing on the details from Bil:

“The Monolith appeared mysteriously in Mr. Anderson’s front yard in Hillcrest around noon on Sunday. Read More

rendering via Rappaport

From the Mayor’s Office:

“At RECon, the annual meeting of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Rappaport Development, and WC Smith announced plans for Lidl US to open its first store in Washington, DC at Skyland Town Center, an 18-acre site located in Ward 7 at the intersection of Good Hope Road, Naylor Road, and Alabama Avenue SE. In January, the Mayor broke ground on Good Food Markets in the Bellevue community in Ward 8, making Lidl the second major announcement about bringing a new grocery store East of the River in the first six months of the Mayor’s second term.

“Lidl is a fantastic grocery store – a grocery store that we are proud to be bringing to the residents of Ward 7,” said Mayor Bowser. “Lidl knows what we know: Every corner of Washington, DC is a great place to do business. As we continue working to make our city’s prosperity more inclusive, this partnership is a reflection of the work we are doing to bring high-quality resources and amenities to every part of our city – amenities that will set our families and neighborhoods up for long-term success.”

The Skyland Development Team secured the lease with Lidl US, a grocer that operates more than 65 stores across nine East Coast states. Joining CVS and other restaurant and service uses, Lidl will occupy 29,089 square feet within the Skyland development. The store will be the first internationally recognized full-service supermarket to enter Wards 7 and 8 since 2007. Read More