David Garber says: (4/3/13 9:45 AM)
Although this project doesn't have any "traditionally leased" retail space -- we did negotiate that the ground floor meeting room facing L Street be changed to a retail space operated by the hotel, with a separate entrance and sidewalk seating on L Street. It will likely be a restaurant, cafe, or bar.

JES says: (4/3/13 9:48 AM)
@David, you mean facing N? The L hotel on N street... not gonna be confusing at all ;)

David Garber says: (4/3/13 9:55 AM)
Haha -- yes, meant N Street!

JD says: (4/3/13 9:59 AM)
The power of suggestion! Thanks for the clarification, David--I didn't catch that in the zoning filings.

F says: (4/3/13 10:00 AM)
Is there also an N-shaped hotel coming to L ST?

vahoya says: (4/3/13 11:02 AM)
Navy Yard is about 1 billion times better than all other options out there (Capitol Riverfront, Near Southeast, blah blah blah)as a name for our neighborhood..

I don't get the resistence, JD. It's the most defining identifier for the area with the most history. Seriously.

JD says: (4/3/13 11:09 AM)
My problem with it in this case is completely specific to the wording: "specifically the Navy Yard." No, it's not in *the* Navy Yard. Period. End of sentence.

vahoya says: (4/3/13 12:44 PM)
Oh come on!! You can be in Dupont Circle without being IN Dupont Circle... Same difference.

JD says: (4/3/13 12:52 PM)
Does the actual Dupont Circle have thousands of employees, numerous buildings, and its own retail outlets? Is it completely out of the realm of possibility that a hotel that might be for naval employees or contractors could be built within the walls of the Navy Yard? (compared to being built within the actual Dupont Circle)

And so the city's oldest operating installation just becomes an afterthought when people say "Navy Yard"?

Say "AT Navy Yard". Say "in the Navy Yard District."

I know it's a lost cause, but is it so hard to be a bit precise? If something isn't in THE Navy Yard, don't say it's in THE Navy Yard.

As I've said before -- try going to the Navy Yard Bank of America, or the Navy Yard Dunkin Donuts, and tell them you live in the Navy Yard, and see how far that goes.

Packinblackandred says: (4/3/13 1:19 PM)
@JD I've always wanted to get kicked out of somewhere!

Packinblackandred says: (4/3/13 1:21 PM)
In all seriousness, it is mildly annoying. You have to go out of your way to add "the" to Navy Yard! Be lazy, omit articles!

MJM says: (4/3/13 1:25 PM)
But this is gonna displace the Rockland BBQ foodtruck and picnic tables!

JDLand Office Pool - when will construction start:
With a late 2015 delivery, 18 months to build once the hole is dug, looking at a post baseball start later this year (Nov/Dec)?

JD says: (4/3/13 1:54 PM)
OT, but I'm not sure how much people go back and check previous comment threads (I had posted this in another one):

On the Park Tavern and Xavier Cervera in general, there's now an answer to the question that's been around for a while:

"Last night Xavier Cervera confirmed that he has closed a deal to sell all nine of his Capitol Hill area restaurants to a Boston equity firm experienced in the restaurant business and seeking to enter the Washington market. ...

"The equity group that bought out Cervera is reportedly headed by his brother and has other restaurant franchises. Xavier’s brother is currently in Washington and is actively managing the restaurant group. Part of the deal was Xavier’s continued involvement in the management as a consultant. According to regulars of some of the restaurants, the new owners have made some personnel changes involving long time employees which Xavier is not happy about. "

link

MJM says: (4/3/13 2:33 PM)
If Xavier is not happy then he should not have sold

Eric says: (4/3/13 5:18 PM)
I agree you shouldn't say "in the Navy Yard". "At Navy Yard" works just fine.

I also think Capitol Riverfront BID should give up the hopeless dream and rename themselves to NYD or NYN BID (Navy Yard District/Neighborhood).

link

JD says: (4/3/13 5:24 PM)
@MJM, it's quite possible he was overextended and didn't have much choice but to sell.

VelocityChris says: (4/3/13 7:40 PM)
I posted this in another thread and no more comments came after so I don't know if it was not seen or no one cared (if no one responds this time I'll let it go but i thought this was interesting).

I read the historical signs at Canal Park and one said in the context of the working class houses in the mid '1800s built at the canal opening on the Anacostia: "While Washington, DC expanded and modernized, this area, known as the Navy Yard section, saw little change. Small businesses and row houses gave the look of an aging small town." Sounds to me like Navy Yard is at least one of the original names for the neighborhood. Am I reading that wrong or does anyone know a different story? If that name is the historical name does that change anyone's mind?

JD says: (4/3/13 7:47 PM)
I like "Navy Yard Section." Kind of different. All I am saying is, don't call the neighborhood just "Navy Yard." Navy Yard Section or Navy Yard District or "at Navy Yard" gets rid of the god-awful "in Navy Yard" formulation and references that this is the neighborhood around the Navy Yard. And also might help eradicate the incorrect "in the Navy Yard" references.

Eric says: (4/3/13 7:50 PM)
Well, we can all agree Capitol Riverfront BID is great, but they need a name change. It's so generic and I've lost count of how many people get "waterfront" (SW) mixed up with "capitol riverfront".

vahoya says: (4/3/13 10:38 PM)
You're standing on semantics. This neighborhood will join the countless ranks of other neighborhoods who's names are set by their most defining destination. Hell - we have one to the north. I can go to Capitol Hill without going ON to the actual Capitol Hill. In, By, Near... Use whatever preposition works for you, but if you want to tell people where you live, Saying "________ Navy Yard" is the best way to let them know...

All the other names are just plain stupid. Near Southeast is vague and stuffy... And nobody likes Capitol Riverfront. The BID is awesome, but the name clearly was picked by committee in a board room.

Face it JD. It's Inevitable...

link

Shogungts says: (4/4/13 3:00 PM)
'Near Southeast' never made any sense to me; it reads as if the neighborhood is close to SE, not actually in it.

Westnorth says: (4/4/13 8:10 PM)
In other news, it appears that most of PM's hotels are of various Hilton flags: 9 Hilton, 4 Starwood, 2 Choice, 1 Marriott. 165 rooms is a little on the small size for a full-service hotel, 550 sq. ft. per key is too small for an all-suite brand, and Starwood's aloft is just down the street at the Wharf, so I'll place my bets on Hampton or Hilton Garden.

And sure enough, the updated drawings show a "Pantry" on the ground floor, a feature in both HI and HGI. That said, I'm a little suspicious that the dining area facing N St. doesn't seem to have a kitchen attached, so it could just end up being a place for the free breakfasting to happen.

Also, the corridors will wrap around the inside of the L so that any future construction on the corner won't block any room windows. That means half the rooms will face a light shaft at the interior of the block!

Westnorth says: (4/4/13 8:13 PM)
And "Near X Side" is a common usage in the midwest, where it denotes the part of the X side nearest to downtown.