Looking into the easternmost area of Near Southeast, from the M Street exit ramp of the 11th Street Bridge. East M Street/Boathouse Row

The Near Southeast Urban Design Framework describes the East M Street area thusly: "Cut off from rest of the Near Southeast to the west and the Capitol Hill district the north by highway overpasses and rail connections, this sub-area has been physically and psychologically isolated."

Plans to reconfigure the 11th Street Bridges starting in 2009 will also impact the area from 11th Street eastward substantially over the coming years.

Links:
Maritime Plaza | Lincoln Properties | Sales: $115M ('05) | $92M ('04)
Anacostia Community Boathouse Assn. | Boathouse Blog
Boathouse Row Master Planning
Zoning Board Dismisses Petition to Rezone East M (4/11/05)
JD's East M Street News Items & Additional Links


            Overview            Maritime Plaza            Boathouse Row            East M News Items            

The easternmost portion of Near Southeast is bounded by the 11th Street Bridges, the Southeast Freeway, Pennsylvania Avenue's Sousa Bridge, and the Anacostia River. Maritime Plaza is an office development at the northwest corner of the area (along 12th Street south of M) on what was once a huge Washington Gas property. Running along the water's edge, and even continuing east past the Sousa Bridge, is Boathouse Row. (image from Google Earth)



There are two street entrances to the East M area from the west: the lovely M Street entrance (showing the equally lovely 11th Street Bridges)... (10/03)


... and the lovely O Street entrance. Now we know why this area isn't exactly hopping! (10/05)



Here's a four-step panorama of the area as seen from the 11th Street Bridge's M Street exit ramp). First, looking to the northeast, with Maritime Plaza dominating.... (11/05)


Then the east-northeast... (11/05)



... Then the east, where Water Street runs along Boathouse Row.... (11/05)


... And then to the southeast, where someday the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail's construction should cleanup the waterfront considerably. (11/05)



In some spots along the river, you can be mere steps from it and it doesn't seem much like a waterfront. (11/05)


Then, once you get to the river bank, it's not exactly a natural delight. (11/05)



M Street is the northern boundary of this area, and some very nice streetscaping was done to it as it runs past Maritime Plaza. (10/03)


However, once you get past the traffic circle at the northeastern edge of the development, M Street becomes downright rural. A local developer tried to build a residential project on this land south of M and north of Boathouse Row, but could not get the necessary zoning changes passed. (10/03)



If you continue along M Street, eventually you get to Pennsylvania Avenue's Sousa Bridge; this road continues east/northeast, but the bridge marks the easternmost boundary of Near Southeast. (8/23/08)


Turning around under the Sousa Bridge to see the view when arriving in Near Southeast along M. (8/23/08)



            Overview            Maritime Plaza            Boathouse Row            East M News Items            




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