JD's Photos Akridge/Half Street News Items
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The western side of Half Street between M and N (across from the Navy Yard Metro entrance) was home to WMATA's Southeastern Bus Garage operations until March 2008. Monument Realty negotiated for a long time to gain control of this land to develop it; but in Sept. 2007 WMATA awarded the sale of the 97,000-acre site (including an adjacent parking lot) to the John Akridge Development Company for a winning bid of $69.25 million. (5/6/08)
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The same location, with the garage three years gone and the Fairgrounds container market in place. After Monument sued WMATA over the bidding process for the site, an out-of-court settlement was reached in June 2008 that gave Akridge the right to buy the bus garage and Monument the right to buy the parking lot across from the garage on Van Street. Both deals were closed in late August 2008. (4/03/12) 
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(Right) A rendering showing the view down the west side of Half Street from M Street, similar to the two photos above. The building seen here is one of the two office buildings (25 M), with a second office building behind it (1201 Half) and the residential building (1299 Half) at the far end of the block. Nationals Park is visible in the distance. There's no announced date for the start of construction on this portion of the site, and for 2012 it's home to The Fairgrounds after a one-year run as Das Bullpen.
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(Left) A rendering of Akridge's planned residential building, on the northwest corner of Half and N, just across from Nationals Park. It will have 280 units, with ground floor retail, and from the second story up will be U-shaped around a private courtyard. Akridge purchased this portion of the block in summer 2008 from Monument Realty. (Bottom left) This corner used to be home to the Good and Plenty Carryout. (02/06) (Bottom right) The same location, where "The Bullpen," with food and drink service and activities for kids, opened in 2009 and ran for three seasons before being replaced by the "Fairgrounds" shipping container market in 2012. (4/03/12)
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Two drawings of the two office buildings' facades along Half Street, looking to the northwest (left) and west-northwest (right). In the second image you can see the "Via," a pedestrian walk that Akridge is envisioning as an open-air market of sorts, with food stalls made for easy "walk-up" sales.
What the middle of the block looked like for a long long time, showing the considerable frontage of the bus garage along Half Street. The entrance to the Navy Yard Metro station is at far right, near the yellow crane. (9/29/07)
A zoomed version of the same location, with the shipping containers of the "Fairgrounds" in place. (4/3/12) 
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The southern edge of the Fairgrounds, on Half just north of N. (4/3/12)
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The Fairgrounds entrance on Half, just south of M, across from the Navy Yard Metro station entrance. (4/3/12)
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The WMATA bus depot building as seen looking north on Van Street, with 20 M Street looming behind. (11/06)
The same spot, one day after the completion of demolition. (4/3/09)
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The bus garage's facade along M Street, looking east from Van Street, in July 2006. (06/07)
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The same location, with the garage long gone, 55 M Street looming across Half Street at left, and the Fairgrounds shipping containers in place. (4/03/12)
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Sneaking a peek at the M Street entrance to the bus garage, and its roof, looking down from the 20 M Street office building. (10/07)
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The WMATA parking that Monument got the option to buy from the lawsuit settlement is nestled between the Public Storage building and Domino's. (05/07)
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JD's Photos Akridge/Half Street News Items
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WMATA operated a bus garage at Half and M Street for years, but sold the property to Akridge in 2008.
