| www.downtowndc.org/update |
November 2009 |
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| BID BIZ |
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Monumental Achievements
Drum roll, please! The impressive list of honorees for this year’s Downtown BID Momentum Awards is in. Th e awardees, representing a cross section of individuals and organizations in both the public and private sectors, will be saluted at an awards ceremony on Thursday, December 3, at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (1250 New York Avenue) from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm.
The celebration will pay tribute to 10 people, projects and organizations that help make Downtown vibrant, inviting and smart. This year’s awardees are:
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Downtown Person of the Year – Assistant DC Police Chief Diane Groomes
Assigned a 10-officer patrol near Gallery Place and the Verizon Center to address quality of life crimes and ensure the area remains user friendly for workers, residents and visitors. |
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Downtown Experience - Washington Capitals
Brought thousands of people from all over the region to Downtown, increasing foot traffic and restaurant and retail sales and bringing excitement to the community, with its phenomenal, division-winning season. |
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Downtown Detail - DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities/Mayor’s Office on Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs
Undertook a major renovation to restore the iconic Chinatown Gateway Arch, also called the Friendship Arch, in an effort to boost Chinatown’s image and attract more visitors to Downtown. |
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Downtown Partnership/Program - National Capitol Planning Commission/US Commission of Fine Arts
Produced the Monumental Core Framework Plan, which aims to create vibrant and accessible destinations in the federal precincts surrounding the National Mall, including Federal Triangle in Downtown. |
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Public Sector - District Department of Transportation
Designed and installed new bus shelters, 70 of which are located in the Downtown BID, equipped with information panels that make it easier for people to travel in and around Downtown. |
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Private Sector - Douglas Development
Brought Guess, the trendy, upscale apparel, denim and accessory store, to a new office building on DC’s oldest retail corridor, thus continuing the company’s vision and commitment to returning fashion retail to the F Street corridor. |
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Landmark Development Project - W Hotel
Delivered its modern luxury hotel concept to the Downtown market and instantly created a magnet for social influencers and trendsetters. |
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Landmark Development Project – District of Columbia Courts
Renovated the DC Courthouse and transformed it into an attractive and accessible fixture on the Downtown landscape, providing a new home for the DC Court of Appeals. |
To register for the Momentum Awards celebration, please visit www.downtowndc.org/momentum.
Wintry Shopping Bliss
Get ready to shop ‘til you drop. The 2009 Downtown Holiday Market will get underway on December 4 and run through December 23 on F Street, between 7th and 9th, in front of the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and National Portrait Gallery.  The 20-day shopping extravaganza is expected to draw Downtown workers and residents and tons of tourists. City Sightseeing, the double-decker, open top bus tour provider, will run a dedicated shuttle between Union Station and the Market.
More than 150 local artisans and exhibitors will sell a potpourri of high-quality gift items during the festive affair, which will also feature live musical entertainment and mouth-watering comfort foods. Wear your walking shoes. There will be plenty to see and purchase, including clothing, jewelry, crafts, fine art and pottery. New this year: an information booth where visitors can get assistance, special Downtown Holiday Market gift certificates and Market Guides.
The Downtown BID produces the Holiday Market in partnership with Diverse Market Management. This year’s media sponsors are The Washington Examiner, WAMU and WASH-FM. For more information, including volunteer opportunities, visit www.downtowndc.org/holiday or call 202.638.3232.
Get Involved
Have ideas about the type of retail needed in Downtown? Look out for the third annual Downtown  Neighborhood Survey, which will be available this month. The survey, intended to gain a better understanding of the Downtown community, aid in attracting more retail and help improve the quality of life, is an invaluable tool for attracting new and better retail to Downtown. All you have to do is answer 30 questions. Participant names will be entered in a drawing for wonderful prizes, including hotel gift certificates. Last year more than 1,000 Downtown residents and workers completed the survey. More information and a link to the survey will be available at www.downtowndc.org/neighborhood later this month. The Downtown BID, the Downtown Neighborhood Association and the Penn Quarter Neighborhood Association will sponsor this year’s survey.
 Reaching Out
For the second year in a row, GSA held its “Customers Connections” program, which informs its customers of everything from stapler purchases to real estate choices, in Downtown. The Downtown, NoMa and Capital Riverfront BIDs and the Mount Vernon Triangle CID, along with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, provided updates on local development activities and responded to GSA’s request to address transit and retail amenities.
Bob Peck, GSA’s Commissioner of Public Buildings Service, and Bart Bush, the Regional Commissioner of Public Buildings Service in the National Capital Region (NCR) and a member of the Downtown BID Board of Directors, both delivered keynote addresses. They spoke about the need to get closer to their federal agency customers and connect them with information from both the public and private sectors. Peck also spoke about using $4.5 billion in stimulus funds to convert federal buildings to high-performance green buildings.
A special thank you to Francesca Ryan, who heads GSA’s Leasing Policy and Performance division for the NCR, for hosting the event.
 Surviving the Cold
Winter’s arrival always raises concerns about the well being of homeless people, who are vulnerable to hypothermia. Chronically homeless individuals suffering from mental health, compromised medical health and substance abuse problems are extremely susceptible to this life threatening condition. If you know of someone who needs help, please notify a SAM or call the city’s Hypothermia Hotline at 800.535.7252 for assistance.
Meanwhile, the Downtown BID’s Homeless Outreach Service Team and Safety, Hospitality and Maintenance (SAM) employees are on the street everyday assisting those who face extreme weather conditions by providing blankets, calling for ambulances, arranging transportation to homeless shelters and connecting the homeless to the DC Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) mobile crisis unit.
Despite sharp budget cuts this year, the city’s Department of Human Services (DHS) will continue to organize an extensive program to address homeless people’s needs during hypothermic season, which runs November 1 through March 31. The Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, the Metropolitan Police Department and the Departments of Health and Mental Health also are involved. United Planning Organization, the city’s designated community action agency, provides a fleet of vans to assist the homeless and transport them to shelters.
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| DEVELOPMENT DOINGS |
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 A New Beginning
By year’s end, it is highly likely that construction will be underway at 945 G Street (northeast corner of 10th and G Streets). The First Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC) has announced a partnership with Skanska USA Commercial Development Inc., the US subsidiary of the global Sweden-based construction firm Skanska. Skanska has bought out PN Hoffman Inc.’s position in the $85 million project, though PN Hoffman will remain involved in the project as a non-equity partner. The project will now include the church, 165,000 SF of Class A office space and about 5,000 SF of ground floor retail.
“This is great news,” said Gerry Widdicombe, economic development director of the Downtown BID. “First, the church congregation will have its new permanent home by the end of 2011. Second, Skanska’s arrival in DC increases and diversifies DC’s development demand and talent, with the Downtown and the city as the beneficiaries.”
First Congregational UCC will occupy half of the building’s first floor and the entire second floor and will have its own entrance on G Street. The other half of the first floor will be used for retail and include the lobby for the office building, both of which will face 10th Street. The eight floors above the church will be Class A office space with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification.
In 2006, First Congregational UCC partnered with PN Hoffman and ER Bacon Development to develop a new church, condominium units and feeding and social service program space for the homeless. After the slowdown in the condominium market, the housing units were scrapped for office space. The project stalled last year after most of the excavation work had already been completed due to the financial crisis, coupled with the absence of a lead office tenant. In the interim, the feeding programs and social services moved to First Trinity Lutheran Church (309 E Street) and reorganized into Thrive DC (formerly the Dinner Program for Homeless Women), which moved its operations to St. Stephen’s of the Incarnate Episcopal Church in Columbia Heights last month. Thus, the current project will not provide space for services to the homeless.
Big Expectations
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to redevelop the historic Franklin School at 925 13th Street. The building was shuttered in October 2008 after serving as a homeless shelter for many years. RFP responses are due by January 19. Proposals that design development programs that stimulate pedestrian activity and include vibrant streetscapes and neighborhood retail will be given preference in the selection process. For more information, including project requirements, visit www.dcbiz.dc.gov.
A Mixed Bag
Although Downtown is located in one of the strongest office markets in the world, it is not immune to the global economy and local supply and demand. The consensus, at the end of the third quarter, is that Downtown and DC’s office absorption will remain weak due to an increase in sublet and new office building space—on average, the latter is only 25% pre-leased. Thus, it is likely that vacancy rates will continue to rise over a few more quarters and rents might decline slightly, with months of free rent and tenant improvement concessions continuing to be widespread. In a nutshell, this remains a tenant’s market.
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Downtown BID Area
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DC
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Direct Vacancy Rate
3Q 2009
2Q 2009
3Q 2008
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9.1%
8.5%
7.3%
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11.0%
10.2%
6.8% |
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Overall Vacancy Rate
3Q 2009
2Q 2009
3Q 2008
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11.2%
10.2%
8.0%
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12.8%
11.7%
7.9%
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Class A Overall Vacancy Rate
3Q 2009
2Q 2009
3Q 2008
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14.3%
12.2%
9.4%
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18.9%
16.5%
10.5%
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Direct Absorption
(millions of SF)
3Q 2009
2Q 2009
3Q 2008
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-0.143
0.033
0.390
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-0.613
-0.381
0.706
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Overall Absorption, Including
Sublet Space (millions of SF)
3Q 2009
2Q 2009
3Q 2008
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-0.599
-0.265
0.431
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-1.442
-0.871
0.562
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| Source: Cushman & Wakefield |
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A long-term tenant market is not good for the city’s fiscal condition, as higher vacancies and lower rents lead to lower office values and lower property tax collections for the city. It is important to note, however, that the primary reason behind DC’s increasing vacancy rate is due to empty new buildings, not job losses. Still, Downtown and DC’s vacancy rates rose over the 3rd Quarter and the past year. Despite such weak market fundamentals, DC is still one of the top downtown office markets in the country in several categories.
For the first time in more than a year, three significant office building sales took place in the third quarter of 2009: 1999 K Street, which sold for $207.8 million, or $835 per SF, DC’s second highest sales price per SF ever; 500 12th Street, which sold for $155 million, or $312 per SF; and 1099 New York Avenue, which sold for $90.5 million, or $510 per SF. Cushman & Wakefield compiled this data.
But three transactions “do not a market make.” Thus, some market participants fear a potential wave of maturity defaults on large volumes of Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities (CMBSs) over the next few years will have an impact on values. Suffice it to say, there is ample uncertainty in the market to keep buyers and sellers apart in the near future, so that office sales transactions volume will continue to be low over the next six to 12 months.
Pushing Office Jobs
Office vacancy rates and sublet space in DC are up, which means the city will need to attract 34,000 office jobs and achieve vacancy rates near 8% before office sector development will restart in a significant way—particularly in emerging markets such as Mount Vernon Triangle, NoMa and the Capitol Riverfront. At stake is the city’s fiscal future, which is critically linked to the ability to retain and attract office jobs and grow tax revenues to fund various social services. Thus, the city, even in tight fiscal times, must continue to invest in the office market.
Simply put, DC’s existing office users’ internal growth will not be enough to restart office development in the short-term. Both jobs and business attraction are essential to restarting office development, which also is critical to restarting residential development and growing DC’s population.
An upcoming Downtown BID leadership paper will examine in more detail what the city stands to lose if it is unable to attract new jobs, as well as what it has to gain with office job growth. It will show, for example, that projected tax revenues from Center City development are approximately $500 million to $600 million per year, based on a development potential of approximately 50 million SF. This is a 10% increase in the city’s revenues, without much of an increase in its expenses. We’ll keep you posted.
Click here for a short anaysis of office employment growth needed to start new office development. >
Boosting Parks
DC and Downtown parks have not met their full potential. That’s about to change. The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) has unveiled proposals for its much-anticipated CapitalSpace plan. CapitalSpace is the first comprehensive analysis of Washington’s parks and open space in nearly 40 years and is a joint initiative of NCPC, the National Park Service and the DC government. The plan recommends action to:
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Coordinate planning and management |
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Attract resources for improvement and upkeep |
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Expand public access |
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Build community stewardship |
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Enhance environmental sustainability |
In particular, the plan seeks to enhance Center City parks, transform small parks, enhance natural areas, improve public schoolyards and playfields and link the Fort Circle Parks. NCPC will begin working with stakeholders soon to develop a demonstration project, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, a draft of the proposal is available for public comment through December 8. For more information, visit www.ncpc.gov. Questions can be directed to Amy Tarce at amy.tarce@ncpc.gov or 202.482.7241.
Your Two Cents
Want more benches, fountains and playgrounds in Downtown parks? The DC Office of Planning (OP) invites you to take an online survey to express your needs and desires. OP, along with federal partners and stakeholders, is examining access, availability and programming for parks and open spaces in the Downtown BID area and neighborhoods north of Massachusetts Avenue. Your input on the type of improvements that will better serve Downtown’s workers and growing residential population is invaluable to this effort, so speak up! Here’s your chance to share those thoughts you’ve been harboring about the area’s existing parks, including the small triangular-shaped parks. Your participation also will help with planning for new parks and open spaces where they are needed.
To take the survey, which will be available through November 15, click here. For more information, contact Thor Nelson at thor.nelson@dc.gov or 202.741.5241.
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| DOWNTOWN DISH |
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 Funny Business
Keep an eye out for FunXion, a new tavern coming to 1309 F Street. The pub will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner and serve burgers, pizza, chicken and salads. Also expect dancing, a cover charge, DJ, an occasional live band and a 20-seat sidewalk café. The tavern is located next door to Organic to Go (1311 F Street) and will operate seven days a week. Check out FunXion’s website, at least what’s currently available. On it, visitors are asked two questions: “Why would a restaurant sell an electric bike?” and “Can a mixed drink make you think?” No answers were provided. Guess that means you’ll have to find out on your own. For more information, visit www.funxion.com.
Most Memorable Picks
Downtown restaurants continue to rack up accolades and outshine the competition. For proof, you need look no further than the October 18 issue of the Washington Post Magazine, which features Tom Sietsema’s 10th Annual Dining Guide. The longtime Washington Post food critic chose 50 of his current favorite restaurants in the Washington metropolitan area. Eleven Downtown restaurants made the cut, including Rasika (633 D Street), which Sietsema gave four stars, his highest rating. He said the Indian restaurant “is in a class all its own.” Only four other restaurants in the Washington area received the “superlative” rating.
Sietsema’s other Downtown picks: Central Michel Richard (1001 Pennsylvania Avenue); J&G Steakhouse (515 15th Street); Jaleo (480 7th Street); Minibar (405 8th Street); Oyamel (401 7th Street); Poste Moderne Brasserie (555 8th Street); Proof (775 G Street); Siroc (915 15th Street); The Source (575 Pennsylvania Avenue); and Zaytinya (701 9th Street).
J&G Steakhouse’s Table No. 43, which captures views of both the Washington Monument and the White House lawn, made the Top 10 Terrific Tables list.
For a complete list of restaurants, visit www.washingtonpost.com/diningguide.
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| HOTEL HAPPENINGS |
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Downtown DC BID Hotels (First Nine Months for 2003 - 2009) |
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Year
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Occupancy
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Average Daily
Room Rate
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RevPar *
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Room Revenues
(millions)
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2003
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72.8%
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$156
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$114
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$279
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2004
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75.1%
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$169
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$127
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$323
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2005
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77.1%
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$191
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$147
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$372
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2006
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73.0%
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$200
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$146
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$362
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2007
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78.3%
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$210
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$165
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$398
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2008
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78.0%
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$219
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$170
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$410
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2009
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79.6%
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$213
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$169
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$415
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* RevPAR = Revenue Per Available Room Source: Smith Travel Research |
The Guests Keep Coming
Even in tough economic times, Downtown hotel revenues continue to grow. Despite a small dip in revenue per available room in the first three quarters of 2009, Downtown hotel revenues were up 1.3% over the same period in 2008. Revenues climbed to $415 million from $410 million (the revenue per available room dipped slightly to $169 from $170). New hotels such as the W (515 15th Street) enable Downtown to contribute an increasing stream of hotel tax dollars to DC government coffers. |
| NIGHTLIFE NATTER |
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 Breaks Aren’t Just for Kids
Looking to chill, max, relax? Recess (727 15th Street) plans to open its doors to a professional and fashionable crowd by December. The establishment replaces Geisha, the trendy sushi lounge and bar that featured live music and DJs. Minus the sushi, Recess also will offer entertainment and an array of specialty cocktails, but says it will focus heavily on music and bring big-name DJs to DC from all over the country. The intimate boutique lounge, nightclub and bar located two blocks from the White House is the brainchild of Fisayo Esconsay and Brandon Howard. Howard worked for Jay-Z’s New York marketing firm and Esconsay, an attorney, has a respectable following on the party scene, including at Tuscana West (1350 I Street), where he has held weekly get-togethers. Recess will be open Thursday through Sunday from 6:00 pm to 3:00 am. For more information, visit www.recessdc.com. |
| RETAIL RAMBLINGS |
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 Presidential Expansion
Ford’s Theatre (511 10th Street) has opened a gift shop at 514 10th Street, the former site of the Lincoln Souvenir Shop, which was not affiliated with the theatre. The new addition is more upscale and sells a motley arrangement of items, from apparel, a unique Victorian line of Christmas ornaments and ladies fans to $150 embroidered pillows, jewelry and solar-powered key chains. The Ford’s Theatre Society owns both the gift shop and the building that it occupies. In 2010, it will renovate the remaining portion of the building, which will become the Center for Education and Leadership, focusing on the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.
The Society also owns the smaller gift shop located in the lobby of the 145-year-old Ford’s Theatre across the street. The theatre re-opened to the public in February following major renovations and operates through a partnership between the Society and the National Park Service, which also runs the bookshop located inside the theatre’s museum. For more information about Ford’s Theatre, visit www.fords.org.
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| AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD |
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Staying Power
 Get ready for more good pickings at the Penn Quarter FRESHFARM Farmers’ Market this year. The market season, which typically runs from April through the week before Thanksgiving, will continue until December 17 for the first time. Chalk up the extension to increased demand for the market’s fresh and popular wares. Now shoppers can get even more bourbon peaches, honey, soups, meat, plants, flowers, and pastries—not to mention the chance to purchase gifts, office party fare and stocking stuffers for the holidays.
About 18 of the market’s 20 farmers and producers will remain during the extended opening on 8th Street, between D and E Streets. Red Apron Butcher Shop, new to the market this year, will offer cured meats, including charcuterie platters and an assortment of patés and terrines. Bread Ovens at Quail Creek Farm will roll out delicious pumpkin and pecan pies, as well as chocolate and fruit tarts. Need a lovely winter blanket? Springfield Farm of Kent Co. makes them from spun sheep wool. Anchor Nursery will continue to delight with its seasonal and holiday wreaths and Chris’ Marketplace will package its tasty miniature crab cakes. You get the picture—the tantalizing list of market goodies is endless!
FRESHFARM Markets, the nonprofit that runs nine farmers’ markets in DC and Maryland, operates the Penn Quarter Market, which is open every Thursday through December 17, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. For more information about FRESHFARM Markets, visit www.freshfarmmarket.org.
 More Fresh Goodness
The move toward locally grown produce and healthy foods is catching on in Downtown. In addition to FRESHFARM Markets, the US General Services Administration (GSA) and the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue) have joined the bandwagon to showcase healthy eating and local food producers and chefs. The International Trade Center underwrites Capital Harvest on the Plaza (CHOP), which debuted on Woodrow Wilson Plaza last month. A second harvest day will take place on Friday, November 13, from 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm. If CHOP proves successful, it will return in the spring as a weekly harvest festival, replete with the live music and celebrity chef cooking demonstrations that already have attracted a large crowd.
Todd and Ellen Gray of Equinox Restaurant and the Reagan Building’s executive chef, Xavier Deshayes, help organize the harvest festival. More than 18 farmers and producers expect to participate in CHOP, including Meatcrafters, Eco-Friendly Foods, The Breadery, Charles Street Gourmet and Crow Creek Farm. They will be able to use the on-site facilities free of charge. For more information about CHOP, visit www.itcdc.com.
Trading Places
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Jean-Francois Gatti |
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Jean-Francois Gatti will return to Washington as the interim general manager of the Willard InterContinental Hotel (1401 Pennsylvania Avenue) until a replacement is named for Hervé Houdré. Houdré has been appointed regional director of operations for InterContinental New York and will also oversee the InterContinental Times Square, opening next summer. Gatti is the general manager of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins in San Francisco. He reopened the Willard following extensive renovations in 1986—so he knows the hotel well.
Houdré will be missed. He is a former member of the Downtown BID Board of Directors and is recognized for his leadership in sustainable hospitality. During his nearly six-year tenure as the hotel’s general manager, he embarked on an ambitious sustainability program entitled “Willard InterContinental – The Next 100 Years,” based on the triple bottom line of economic vitality, social responsibility and environmental protection. Houdré has won several awards for his efforts, including the Mayor’s Environmental Excellence Award and the DC Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year Award. In 2007, he won a Downtown BID Momentum Award for Downtown Citizen.
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| John "Chip" Akridge |
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Stellar Example
The accolades keep pouring in for John “Chip” Akridge, the founder and chairman of Akridge (601 13th Street). He will receive this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The award recognizes a leader from the DC real estate community whose life exemplifies ULI’s mission and who, in addition to committing a lifetime to real estate, has given back to the community through demonstrated civic, charitable and philanthropic endeavors.
Akridge’s company has specialized in commercial real estate in Downtown and suburban Washington markets since 1974. He has worked closely with the DC government to develop innovative legislation that has created the housing linkage program, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and regulatory guidelines to improve the Anacostia River’s water quality.
He is an avid environmental, philanthropic and civic leader, as well as the founder and chairman of the Trust for the National Mall, chairman of the The John Akridge Homeless Foundation (601 13th Street) and a member of the National Alliance to End Homelessness’s Board of Directors. Last month, Akridge also received the Washington Business Journal’s Green Business Giving Award.
On the Fast Track
Kudos to DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc. (1212 New York Avenue) and Blackboard, Inc. (650 Massachusetts Avenue) for making the Washington Business Journal’s 2009 Fastest Growing Companies list, which ranks 50 companies by average annual revenue growth from 2006 to 2008. DuPont owns, develops, operates and manages data centers. The company ranked first out of 50 and had average annual growth of 328.44% over the past three years and revenues of $173.66 million in 2008. Blackboard ranked 49, down from 46 in 2008. The company is a leading provider of education and learning software. It had average annual growth of 30.57% from 2006 to 2008, and revenues of $312 million last year.
All Business
A big round of applause for the five women named honorees in the Washington Business Journal’s 2009 Women Who Mean Business awards. Four Downtown trendsetters and a “rising star” were recognized as the most influential women in the Washington metropolitan area. They represent women who have made a difference in their communities, blazed a trail for others and left a mark on Washington business. They are:
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Anne Corbett, executive director
Cultural Development Corporation (916 G Street)
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Lynda Ellis, chief executive officer, president and owner
Capitol Concierge, Inc. (1400 I Street) |
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Debbi Jarvis, vice president of communications
Pepco Holdings, Inc. (701 9th Street) |
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Veta Richardson, executive director
Minority Corporate Counsel Association (1111 Pennsylvania Avenue) |
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“Rising Star” Lillian Harris, president
Man-Machine Systems Assessment, Inc. (1101 14th Street) |
Congratulations, ladies!
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| GREEN GAINS |
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 Banners Across DC
A successful project that galvanized New York’s Times Square has come to Washington, DC. Mayor Adrian Fenty and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced last month that the Urban Forest Project, an environmental campaign to raise awareness about trees and sustainability, will work its magic in DC. The program calls upon artists and designers to create banner art that employs the idea or form of the tree to make a powerful visual statement about the environment. The banners will be hung on light poles in high-traffic areas in Downtown and other neighborhoods beginning in April—coinciding with Earth and Arbor Days. Once the banners come down, they will be recycled into unique tote bags designed exclusively for the project and sold to benefit local tree planting efforts.
The Urban Forest Project is an initiative of Worldstudio Inc., a New York-based marketing and design firm. DDOT, in collaboration with the Downtown BID and AIGA DC, a professional association of designers, will present the project. The US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service provided a grant to fund the program. Corporate sponsorships also will help fund this innovative project. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities or how artists and designers can participate, contact Andrea Pellegrino at apellegrino@worldstudioinc.com.
Working Together for the Environment
Last month, the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined forces to focus their resources and environmental protection efforts in five key areas designed to improve the quality of life in DC. The agencies signed a Performance Partnership Agreement that will guide their teamwork on environmental priorities through 2011.
The areas of collaboration include:
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Restoring DC’s watersheds, including the Anacostia, Potomac and Rock Creek, by developing an approach that considers all sources of pollution |
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Addressing health risks to sensitive populations such as children and the elderly and assessing Environmental Justice issues impacting low income citizens |
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Updating obscure and outdated environmental regulations and developing new ones |
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Enhancing public education and outreach to foster more environmentally-informed citizens |
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Implementing the Green DC Agenda and showcasing DC's green programs |
Awarding Excellence
The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) is now accepting applications for the second annual Mayor’s Environmental Excellence Awards, which will recognize outstanding businesses and non-profit organizations for their environmental stewardship, innovative best practices, pollution prevention and resource conservation. Applicants can apply for the awards in one of seven categories: Construction/Development; Partner (for associations and non-profit organizations); Restaurant/Food Service; Innovation in Green Products or Services; Hotel; Small Business; and Large Business. The application deadline is January 29. Awards will be distributed in the spring. For more information, including applications, visit www.ddoe.dc.gov.
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| TRANSPORTATION TALK |
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 Streetcars are Desired
The city is aggressively presenting the findings from the DC’s Transit Future Study, which examines short- and long-term surface transit improvements for DC, including additional limited-stop bus services, bus rapid transit (BRT) and streetcar services. Streetcars, however, have received plenty of attention at the public community meetings that began last month and will continue through November 4. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. The public can expect to hear more about DC streetcars in the months ahead.
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) already has begun laying tracks on two streetcar lines, along South Capitol Street in Anacostia and H Street NE near Capitol Hill. The 1.5-mile Anacostia line is expected to begin service in 2012. If all goes well, DC expects to have a network with 37 miles of streetcar tracks, with eight lines in all. They will be built in three phases.
Streetcars, a form of light rail powered by overhead wires, are making a comeback in places such as Seattle and Portland, Oregon, where they are reportedly boosting economic development along their routes. DDOT says the streetcars also will spur economic development here and make it easier for residents to move between neighborhoods. The city wants a new streetcar system to achieve five goals:
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Link neighborhoods with a modern, convenient and attractive transportation alternative |
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Provide quality service to attract and reach new transit ridership |
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Offer a broad range of transit options for DC residents |
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Reduce short inner-city auto trips, parking demand, traffic congestion and air pollution |
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Encourage economic development and affordable housing options along streetcar corridors |
DC had a robust streetcar network with more than 200 miles of track and multiple companies providing service in the first half of the 20th century. The city shelved the streetcars in favor of buses in 1962.
For more information, check out DDOT’s streetcar webpage, including a video of modern streetcars in action: click here.
Making Way on K
Could it be a new day for K Street? The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) thinks so. The agency has applied for competitive transportation stimulus funds to redesign and reconstruct the major thoroughfare between Washington Circle and Mount Vernon Square. A public comment period on the proposed plan concluded last month, and DDOT will announce the city’s preferred design alternative this month. The moment of truth, however, comes in February when the US Department of Transportation will announce whether federal stimulus funding will be allotted to complete the design and construction on this project.
 The implications are huge. As Richard H. Bradley, executive director of the Downtown BID, said at a DDOT hearing on the K Street environmental assessment last month, K Street in gravely congested. “Its ability to move people, goods and services in and around the Center City is constrained by an inefficient design and its deteriorating physical condition.”
“Redesigning and constructing a new K Street will help stabilize and grow employment and population in DC,” he said. “It will drive new development projects in Downtown, the Center City and some commercial corridors in primarily residential areas throughout the city. These investments will help provide employment for DC residents, contribute to quality of life improvements and generate increased tax revenues.”
An updated K Street design has been a priority for both the Downtown and Golden Triangle BIDs, which have partnered with DDOT and others to realize the successful and timely rebirth of K Street as a model of 21st century transportation in the US.
DDOT is eyeing two new design alternatives that include a center transit way and loading zones. The two most significant differences between them are bicycle accommodations and a third passing lane within the transit way on very wide sections of the street. For more information, both plans are available here.
Techy Zone
Four months after rolling out “Where’s My Bus?,” the DC government has outdone itself and introduced a new version of the mobile technology application for the DC Circulator—Apple’s iPhone. The iPhone application has advanced features and adds a cool user interface and uses the iPhone’s location-aware technology to help you find the closest stop on any of the five Circulator routes. To find the application, search for “DC Circulator” in iTunes or the Apple App Store. The application costs 99-cents to download. A free version of “Where’s My Bus?” for all web-enabled mobile devices is still available at circulator.dc.gov. Additional information and a link to the “Where’s My Bus?” application are also available at www.dccirculator.com.
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| NEWS YOU CAN USE |
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Biking for Trees
 Look, over on the curb! It’s a cart … It’s a pedicab … It’s Water By-Cycle! That’s right. Casey Trees (1123 11th Street), the non-profit organization that restores, enhances and protects DC’s tree canopy, has introduced what it says is the nation’s first bicycle-powered program to water and care for the city’s trees. So keep an eye out for street bikes and a custom six-inch cargo trailer carrying water hoses, safety cones and tree care literature. Water By-Cycle is an environmentally responsible and more efficient way to reach trees planted by Casey Trees in eight neighborhoods, including Downtown, with limited parking. The program even has a full-time bike crew chief. Questions? Contact Matthew Fried at mfried@caseytrees.org or 202.349.1891. |
| MEETINGS AND MORE |
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Monday, November 2, 6:30 pm – Until
DC Zoning Commission
Public Hearing on Rewriting Downtown DC Zoning Rules
DC Office of Zoning
441 4th Street
Interested parties are invited to attend this DC Zoning Commission hearing on proposed new zoning rules for Downtown DC. The recommendations focus on simplifying existing regulations that promote housing, the arts and retail. The changes will be presented by the DC Office of Planning and reviewed by the Zoning Commission. To review the full public hearing notice click here. For more information, call 202.727-6311. |
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Thursday, November 5, 7:30 am – 10:30 am
District of Columbia Building Industry Association
Economic Development: The Road Ahead for the District of Columbia
National Press Club
529 14th Street
Join the District of Columbia Building Industry Association (DCBIA) for a networking breakfast and panel discussion on the latest economic development news. Find out about stimulus-supported initiatives, DC-sponsored development, credit markets, economic growth trends and federal space requirements. Moderator Steve Moore, president and CEO of the Washington, DC Economic Partnership, will oversee the panel discussion, which includes Neil Albert, DC’s City Administrator; Nancy Wentzler, chief economist and deputy comptroller of global banking and financial analysis, US Treasury Department; Gregory Leisch, CEO, Delta Associates; and Robert Peck, Commissioner of Public Buildings Service, General Services Administration. Members pay $70; non-members pay $95. To register, visit www.dcbia.org. For more information, e-mail events@dcbia.org or call 202.966.8665.
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Tuesday, November 10, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Downtown Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting
Calvary Baptist Church
755 8th Street
Residents and workers are invited to the Downtown Neighborhood Association’s (DNA) final meeting of the year. This month’s lead discussion leader will be DC Councilmember Jack Evans (Ward 2). Hadiah Jordan with Justice & Sustainability Associates, LLC, will follow him. She works with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to manage the Downtown Streetscape Project. To RSVP, e-mail miles@milesgroves.com. For more information, visit www.dcdna.org.
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Tuesday, November 10, 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
ULI Washington
Annual Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner
National Building Museum
401 F Street
The Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Washington District Council will honor John E. “Chip” Akridge, III, with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Akridge is the founder and chairman of the commercial real estate firm that bears his name. The evening will begin with cocktails at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner at 8:00 pm. A limited number of individual seats are available at $375 each. For more information, contact Bernadine Dullaghan at 301.894.7310 or bdullaghan@uli.org. To register online, visit www.washington.uli.org.
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Wednesday, November 18, 8:00 am – 12:30 pm
Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington
Energy Efficient Buildings Seminar
Capital Hilton
1001 16th Street
Join the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington (AOBA) for this seminar that will review automated building systems, daylight harvesting, wireless sensors and controls, renewable sources of energy and energy management systems. Industry experts will discuss the latest technologies for reducing consumption and carbon emissions in buildings. Members pay $95; non-members pay $125. For more information, visit www.aoba-metro.org.
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Thursday, November 19, 8:30 am – 10:30 am
DC Chamber of Commerce
Technology Series: Session 3, Do You Know Who’s Looking?
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue
This DC Chamber of Commerce meeting will give you valuable information about how cyber criminals target businesses. Learn how lax or non-existent online security can compromise your business. Gain insight into some of the current online threats and how you can protect your business. Understand the ramifications of a data breach and much more. Speakers include Joseph Persichini, FBI director, Washington Field Office; Michael Murphy, Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) counter intelligence manager, US Defense Department; Val Smith, CEO, Attack Research; and Jason Torrice, CEO, Virtual Sentries, Inc. The cost is $40 for members. Non-members pay $65. For more information, contact Annette Coram at acoram@dcchamber.org or 202.624.0605.
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Thursday, November 19, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
District of Columbia Building Industry Association
What the Real Estate Community Needs to Know About the Latest DC Government Initiatives
National Press Club
529 14th Street
The District of Columbia Building Industry Association (DCBIA) invites you to attend this cocktail reception and program that provides an update on real estate tax assessments, DC Green Building Act revisions, zoning modifications and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) priorities. Panelists include program moderator Tanja Castro, partner, Holland & Knight LLP; Mary Cheh, Councilwoman, DC City Council; Harriet Tregoning, director, Office of Planning; and Karina Ricks, associate director, DDOT. The cost is $60 for members and $75 for non-members. To register, visit www.dcbia.org. For more information, e-mail events@dcbia.org or call 202.966.8665 |
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