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Your Weekend of Natitude in the Neighborhood of Natitude
The plans are now coming together both inside and outside the stadium for all of the hoopla to mark the return of postseason play to Nationals Park. The updates have been coming from all directions, so let's see if we can bring a little order to the red-tinged chaos.
Yards Park "Nationals Celebration"
The pre- and post-game festivities two blocks east of the ballpark have expanded somewhat since the initial announcement a few days ago. This is all free, open to both ticket holders and schlubs, and is the work of the Capitol Riverfront BID:
Friday, Oct. 3:
* Game viewing beginning at 3:07 pm EDT.
* Post-game concert on the Yards Park boardwalk by White Ford Bronco.
* CBS Radio/106.7 TheFan broadcasting from the park.
* Local craft beverages from Bluejacket available for purchase, along with tasty cuisine from local restaurants and food trucks.
* Raffle prizes
Saturday, Oct. 4:
* Pre-game concert at 3:00 pm in Yards Park by fan favorite Hand Painted Swinger.
* Family-friendly activities such as face painting.
* Broadcasting from CBS Radio personalities with Nationals-focused commentary and interviews.
* Raffle prizes.
* Bluejacket beverages and food from local restaurants and food trucks will also be available at the festivities.
* A march to the stadium led by the Ballou High School Majestic Marching Band
At 5:37 pm EDT, fans without tickets can stay in The Yards to watch the game. Attendees can bring a picnic to the park or grab take-out from surrounding eateries, but note that outside alcohol is prohibited.
Neighborhood Establishment Specials
* Fairgrounds: Party among the shipping containers at the Nats Playoff Viewing Parties, starting at 11 am on Friday and noon on Saturday. All drinks are $5 at the Bullpen Bar (starting in the 3rd inning!), and the games will be shown on the 16x16 outdoor screen with audio. Admission is free.
* TaKorean: After 2:00 pm, all beers are $4. Show a ticket on game day before or after the game and receive $3 off your meal!
* Agua 301: Patrons wearing Nationals gear get the following Nats game day drink specials 2 hours before, during the game, and 2 hours after the game: $5 margaritas, $5 sangria, & $4.50 Corona Light Draft.
* Justin's Cafe: Progressive Happy Hour on Friday with $3 drafts, $4 rail drinks, and $5 Firefly Vodka from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm; $4 drafts and $5 rail drinks from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm; and $5 drafts from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Fifty-cent wings on Saturday.
* Osteria Morini: Get a White Label Burger with house-made potato chips and a pint of beer for $15 at the bar and lounge tables before, during and after the games.
* Ice Cream Jubilee: Get a Deluxe Ballpark Sundae to celebrate the Washington Nationals' post-season games: three scoops of ice cream - Caramel Popcorn, Chocolate Chocolate, and Strawberries & Cream, and topped with homemade salted caramel sauce, hot fudge sauce, toasted peanuts, whipped cream, and Curly W waffle cone cookies, and of course, a cherry on top.
* Harry's Reserve: New Amsterdam vodka (all flavors) 1.75 ML now $16.99; Pinnacle vodka (all flavors) 1.75 ML now $15.99; and store-wide specials on beer, wine, and spirits.
* EVO Furniture: Any customer wearing any Nationals apparel will receive a free red vase with any EVO Furniture Sofa purchase! Limited Quantities available.
* Toll Brothers: Visit Parc Riverside in your favorite Nats swag & apply between October 2, 2014 & October 12, 2014 to receive one month free rent on any apartment with a December move-in & 12-month lease.
(Don't know where these places are? Check my food map!)
At the Ballpark
* A limited number of Standing Room Only tickets will go on sale at the box office on Friday at 9:00 a.m. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and fans can purchase up to two tickets per customer. Each ticket will be $30--note that there will be no same-dame grandstand seating sales.
* All gates will open at 12:30 p.m. - expect congestion.
* Fans entering the ballpark through all gates will receive a postseason white rally towel, while supplies last.
* Half Street will include pregame entertainment by a drumline that will begin three hours before first pitch. Stilt walkers will also be present on Half Street two and a half hours prior to first pitch.
* DJ Stylus Chris will be spinning music at the Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk. Music will begin once the ballpark gates are open until first pitch.
* Face-painting will be available at the Family Fun Area inside Center Field Gate. Activities will begin once the ballpark gates are open and continue an hour into the start of the game.
The pre-game ceremony includes the ceremonial first pitch by Olympic swimming gold medalist Katie Ledecky, game ball delivery by General Larry O. Spencer, Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, National Anthem performed by the Quantico Marine Corps Band, lineup card delivery by Taajah McDonald, Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, and the "Play Ball!" announcement by Mayor Vince Gray.
Getting There
Sell-out crowd coming to South Capitol Street at 3 pm on a Friday? {snicker} For those not actually in the neighborhood, here's Dr. Gridlock's tips for getting to and from the ballpark. If you're brave enough to drive, here's my Parking Lot map, though I imagine the prices will probably see some inflation from the regular season amounts.
Nearby game-goers might be the most interested in the Capital Bikeshare corrals that will be set up at 1st and N for every home game--no dock blocking!
Also, not only baseball fans will benefit from the expanded Circulator hours, running until 10 pm on Friday and from 10 am to midnight on Saturday. (Winter hours for the buses started on Wednesday.)
And if, like me, you will be sitting in your office at 3 pm on Friday, feel free to take out your frustrations in the comments field below.
Did I miss anything? (I checked for announcements of promotions at Biersch and Bluejacket and saw nothing as of this point.) If so, watch for updates.
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More posts: Nationals Park
 

Telling the Story of Monument Realty's Rise, Fall, and the Half Street Hole
The Post's Jonathan O'Connell has posted a story today detailing the rise and fall of Monument Realty on Half Street--how the company snapped up parcel after parcel of land just north of the ballpark footprint during 2004 and 2005, how they spared no expense to market their holdings, and how just as they dug the hole for the residential portion of their project, the economy collapsed, taking with it Lehman Brothers, their big financial backer.
It also gets itno how it's now been sold to the MacFarlane/Lynch partnership, even though "Monument wanted to see the project through as well, but had its hands tied by the Lehman estate, which wanted to sell."
You may recognize some of the photos accompanying the piece, and I also cop to being the owner of all of the "swag" displayed in the article, thanks to attending various Monument shindigs over the years, and thanks also to being an unrepentant pack rat. I spent years holding onto t-shirts, brochures, and even trading cards all because "someday someone might want to see them." And that someday is today!
It's a good read, and I'd say that even if I hadn't provided some assistance.
 

Gallery at Capitol Riverfront--aka 1111 NJ--Officially Underway
Though my feelings are desperately hurt that I had to find out about this via a Twitter .jpg, I'll still pass along Donohoe's announcement that the Gallery at Capitol Riverfront project is now officially underway, thanks to the formation of a joint venture with MetLife, Inc.
This is the 324-unit apartment building planned for 1111 New Jersey Avenue, where site clearing work has been on-going since the demolition of St. Matthew's church a few weeks back. (So don't feel bad if you thought it already was underway.)
There will be three levels of underground parking, 11,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a lineup of amenities that are now more or less standard in new "luxury" developments: a penthouse clubroom/pool/deck, a second clubroom and lounge on the ground floor, a courtyard on the second floor, a fitness center, a pet spa (!), secure bike storage, and private balconies.
The Gallery won't have the Metro station built into its ground floor like, say, 55 M, but there will be a landscaped pedestrian plaza running the 125 feet from the building's front door to the subway entrance at New Jersey and M.
Delivery is expected in the summer of 2016.
It now joins the cavalcade of residential projects in the neighborhood, with Twelve12 open, River Parc/Parc Riverside leasing, and the Park Chelsea, Arris, the Lofts at Capitol Quarter, and 800 New Jersey in various stages of construction. That's a smidge over 2,100 new rental units coming from 2014 through 2016.
And who will be next? {eyes glancing furtively toward Florida Rock and 82 I.}
 

VIDA Fitness Now Open, At Last
A tweet late this morning from Richie Poe, general manager of the VIDA Fitness complex at the Yards:
"It is with pride, accomplishment and tears of joy that I can finally announce @VidaFitnessDC Yards opens today at 12noon. "
And now the press release has arrived, saying that VIDA and its Aura Spa and Penthouse Pool Club have indeed officially opened today, with Bang Salon following tomorrow, Oct. 2. (And don't forget Bang's Cut-a-Thon on Sunday for Ovarian Cancer.)
I got my tour before all the equipment was placed, but I'm sure you can poke your head in the front door on Tingey Street and sneak a peek. The Post got a tour as well.
This leaves the Harris Teeter and the not-yet-officially-announced-but-totally-Banfield Pet Hospital as the Twelve12 tenants yet to open. Last word was that Teeter is shooting for an opening in early November.
 

Fence Peeking, Part III: Signage, Glass, and Urban Forestry Edition
The final installment of this week's Fence Peeking is a bit more haphazard. Let's start with looking on fences:
(Left) The new Parc Riverside signage has been hung along 1st Street by the sales trailer, though at least I have the River Parc signs recorded for posterity.
(Right) There's a bunch of new signage on the black fences along Half and N, presumably to at least in part draw attention away from the big hole in the ground behind them. One portion of the sign is a map of places to see things, eat food, drink beverages, and spend money, placed by the Capitol Riverfront BID. And it helpfully provides confirmation of the Unleashed by Petco coming to the Boilermaker Shops, and lets the cat out of the bag (ahem) that the pet hospital at Twelve12 will be a Banfield.
(Left) While we wait to see when Willie's is going to open, I did at least finally get a photo of the ready-to-go interior. (Yeah, yeah, the glass isn't technically a fence, but work with me here.)
(Right) Speaking of the spiffy new signage on the black fences across from the ballpark, I finally got an updated photo from on high of exactly what those fences are hiding. Let's imagine the potential interim uses while Jair Lynch and MacFarlane Partners decide what to build -- Urban campground? ATV track? Wildlife sanctuary?
 

Yards Park to Host 'Nationals Celebration' for Games 1 and 2
The Capitol Riverfront BID is announcing plans to host a "Washington Nationals Celebration" in Yards Park for the Nats' first two playoff games, on Friday Oct. 3 and Saturday, Oct. 4. These events will feature "favorite local bands, broadcasting from CBS Radio, and family-friendly activities to celebrate the Washington Nationals' home stand during the first round of the National League Division Series postseason playoffs."
On Friday, the festivities will be held post-game, where a not-yet-named local band will play on the boardwalk while food trucks and the nearby restaurants will offer eats for your picnicking pleasure. (The start time for Friday's game will not be known until after Wednesday's NL Wild Card game, but it is expected to be either 12:07 pm or 3:07 pm.)
On Saturday, the Natitude will start in Yards Park at 3 pm, "with a pre-game concert by fan favorite Hand Painted Swinger, family-friendly activities such as face painting, and broadcasting from CBS Radio personalities with Nationals-focused commentary and interviews." (And don't forget to walk the Riverwalk to the 1st Base Gate!)
All this is free and open to the public.
UPDATE: Since this just arrived in my inbox, I'll add that the Fairgrounds is offering "viewing parties" for all home playoff games on their 16x16 oudoor big screen, with full audio.
 

Oct. 6 DC Mayoral Forum on Southeast/Southwest Issues
If you are wanting to hear from the city's mayoral candidates about issues of interest to Near Southeast and Southwest, a mayoral forum is being held on Monday, Oct. 6, at 7 pm, in the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage.
Co-sponsored by ANC 6D, the Navy Yard Neighborhood Association, and the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, the event is billed as your chance to get answers on the pressing neighborhood issues of the day, such as: "Van Ness School and DCPS boundary realignment issues, how to get our long promised Community Center off the ground, how to improve Metrorail, the Circulator, timing of an M Street streetcar, parking solutions, cleaning up the Anacostia, how to attract more community serving retail, better coordination during major construction projects, pace of development and concentration of new apartment units, CSX, possible big box stores, the $1 billion South Capitol Street and Bridge reconstruction project ... "
The organizers also promise to get you home before the Nats game that night, though I fear that's a political promise that maybe should have been kept in the quiver until the full NLDS schedule is known. (The Redskins game that night doesn't start until 8:30, at least.)
And, speaking of elections, watch this space next week for the now-traditional JDLand ANC Candidate Questionnaires.
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More posts: politics
 

Fence Peeking, Part II: Cleared, Being Cleared, Ready to Be Cleared
Having gotten out of the way the vertical construction going on behind neighborhood fences, we can now move on to the "clearing" portion of this fence survey.
The roof of Nats Parking Garage C gives a great view of Yards Parcel A, and how far the site clearing has come along since the final days of Spooky Building 213.
Next up will be the creation of a park on the far end of the site, a parking lot in the corner closest to this intersection, and the new home for Trapeze School New York at far right. (Here's a map if that's too many words.)

Meanwhile, along New Jersey Avenue....
(Left) This isn't my best work, but you can compare the rubble in this photo to the lush grass-covered hill that used to run along New Jersey Avenue between L and M. All this dirt is being moved to build the 324-unit Gallery at Capitol Riverfront residential building, aka 1111 New Jersey Avenue.
(Right) Up in Whole Foods land at 800 New Jersey Avenue, the hole is still being dug. But the new block of H Street between New Jersey and 2nd is looking like a real street, though no doubt it will continue to taunt us by remaining closed throughout the construction of 800 NJ, like its sibling I Street a block to the south has sat unopened, waiting for the Park Chelsea construction to finish.

Next, do you like construction trailers? How about construction trailers on sites where work isn't yet underway?
(Left) Here's the Capper Community Center site at 5th and K, where a ceremonial groundbreaking a few weeks back was not quite enough to jolt the project into action.
(Right) Looking down upon the vast Florida Rock footprint from the ballpark, and noting the new construction trailer visible at the far end. As I mentioned a few days ago, there's not as yet been an announcement of construction financing for the planned first-phase 350-unit apartment building, nor are the initial necessary building permits approved.
 

The Latest from Natitude Land: Nothing But October
The Nats' regular season came to a close on Sunday, and did so in stunning fashion thanks to Jordan Zimmermannnnnnnnn's no-hitter, making it especially memorable for people who were at the game. (Let's not talk about people who were at the game but who left early because the sun had come back out and there were tons of pictures needing to be taken and the starters were being pulled anyway and no-hitters never actually happen. But who on earth would ever do THAT?)
The Natitude outside the ballpark had already started ramping up over the past few weeks, as evidenced here, but no doubt there will be much more to come before Friday's opening game of the National League Division Series.
Over the weekend, the Post featured and article about how the neighborhood isn't just tied to the ballpark anymore (uh, okay....), and this morning it was announced that American University will foot the bill for "special late-night train service, as needed, following post-season games Sunday through Thursday nights that are still in play as of 10:30 p.m.,” and that "in the event of a rain delay or extra innings, provisions are in place to extend service as late as 1:20 a.m., if necessary."
There will of course be more news later in the week as Friday's game time is announced and as fans and nearby establishments gear up for the onslaught, etc. UPDATE: The Nationals have tweeted that Game 1 will be at either 12:07pm or 3:07pm on Friday, Oct. 3, depending on whether the opponent is the Pirates or the Giants. Game 2 will be at 5:37 pm.
In the meantime, I did throw together a gallery of the shots I was taking inside the ballpark as JZimm was marching toward history, knowing that these will be forever tied to my most embarrassing day as a Nats fan.
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More posts: Nationals Park
 

Fence Peeking, Part I: Vertical Construction at Lofts, Arris, Hampton Inn
As a public service, I bring you the latest views behind some neighborhood fences. And on some neighborhood fences. And even behind some glass.
In fact, there's so many fence-related photos of note that I've broken up all this fence news into multiple posts, so that you don't miss a single fence-related factoid.
(All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them)
Let's begin along L Street west of 7th, where concrete is sprouting for the Lofts at Capitol Quarter, the 195-unit mixed-income building being built by the DC Housing Authority on the older Capper Seniors site.
The footprint is on a decent-sized hill, so what's two levels underground on the project's east end is more or less ground-level at the west end.

Over at Arris, the 325-unit residential building along 4th Street south of Tingey in the Yards, there's an awful lot of square footage to build up, but progress toward ground level is being made.

And the showiest construction these days is the Hampton Inn on the northwest corner of 1st and N. It's even visible now from certain spots inside the ballpark, and here takes up a good chunk of the view northward from Nats Parking Garage C.
(The "Go Nat's" signage has brought much mocking on Twitter from the Apostrophe Police, and hopefully that will be rectified before long.)
Next up: Site work that is (and isn't) happening behind neighborhood fences.
 

Tidbits: Vet Hospital Permit, Winter Classic Now Official, Ramp Reopened
* VET HOSPITAL PERMITTED: An approved building permit made it through the pipeline on Thursday for the "construction of a new pet veterinary boarding hospital and vet uses" at Twelve12 in the Yards. There has as yet been no official announcement from Forest City as to the name of the operator, but this new retail offering was telegraphed thanks to some necessary zoning reworkings earlier this year. Look for a lot of pet traffic along Tingey Street between this store and the still-as-yet-not-officially-announced Unleashed by Petco that got its building permit for a space in the Boilermaker Shops earlier this month.
UPDATE: A reader reports that promotional signage on Half Street by Nats Park showing the neighborhood's offerings does let the cat out of the bag, that it's going to be a Banfield Pet Hospital.
* CLASSIC UNVEILED: The publicity machine for the NHL Winter Classic at Nats Park on Jan. 1 is beginning to ramp up, with the official announcement (finally) of the game, alongside the unveiling of the Capitals' throwback jerseys, which begat lots of photos of somewhat uncomfortable looking hockey players at the ballpark. There was also the cool outline of where the rink will be set up.
* RAMP REOPENED: This week saw the reopening of the new-ish ramp from 11th Street SE to the westbound SE Freeway/I-695. It had been closed down in June to allow for demolition of the old flyover exit ramp from the inbound freeway to I Street SE. And some day I will actually get over there again to check it all out.
* TRAILER PARKED: A few readers have passed along the news that a construction trailer has appeared within the past week or so on the Florida Rock site along the Anacostia River just south of the ballpark. While plans are to get underway Any Minute Now on the first-phase 350-unit apartment building at the site's eastern end, next to Diamond Teague Park and Piers, there's not yet been any news that the construction financing has been finalized, nor is there as yet an approved shoring/sheeting/excavation permit. But the time does appear to be drawing nigh that development of this 5.8-acre parcel will finally get underway, at which point people will shift from complaining about the empty lot right across from the ballpark to complaining about a tall building ruining the views of the river.
 

A Very Big 10th Anniversary: The Announcement of the Ballpark
I dropped the ball and missed by a few days marking a very important 10-year anniversary for this neighborhood: on Sept. 22, 2004, the Washington Post reported that "District officials disclosed plans yesterday to build a publicly financed stadium costing more than $400 million on the Anacostia waterfront near South Capitol Street, amid growing signs that Major League Baseball will attempt to move the Montreal Expos to Washington."
After my jaw came up off the floor, I raced down to get this batch of "before" photos of the ballpark's footprint and immediate surroundings. A lot of my all-time favorite shots are in this lineup, including the one at left, of Half and M.
While there were plenty of plans for the neighborhood already in the pipeline, the jolt that this provided changed the trajectory of the area's redevelopment from a somewhat leisurely pace to a rocket blasting off. And it certainly changed my life.
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More posts: Nationals Park
 

Bang Salon Oct. 5 'Cut-a-Thon' to Benefit Ovarian Cancer Education
While Bang Salon in the VIDA Fitness spread at the Yards is still a few days away from its slated opening date of Sept. 30 (fingers crossed), the operators already have in the works a "Cut-a-Thon" on Sunday, Oct. 5, from 9 am to 9 pm in support of ovarian cancer education and awareness.
For 12 hours, 100 percent of the proceeds from every haircut will be donated to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. If going to a salon is stressful, the complimentary champagne and small appetizers may serve to soothe you.
More than 20,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, but because of the disease's somewhat vague symptoms and a lack of reliable detection tests, most cases do not get diagnosed until the cancer has reached later stages--approximately 15,000 women die annually from the disease.
So if you're getting a little shaggy, see if you can hang on for an extra week or so and contribute to the cause. It's easier than pouring an ice bucket over your head.
(Note that this is only for getting your hairs cut [as Mom used to say], not coloring or other chemical services.)
UPDATE: Following up on reader JES's question in the comments, Bang is taking taking walk-ins for this event on Oct. 5 but appointments are suggested--appointments can be made online at bangsalon.com or (202) 628-3222.
 

First Look: Inside the VIDA Fitness Complex, Edging Toward Completion
It's still a few weeks from opening, but today my camera was taken on a tour of the mammoth VIDA Fitness space on the northeast corner of 4th and Tingey, including the Bang Salon, Aura Spa, and Penthouse Pool Club offerings. (Does walking through four floors and 30,000 square feet of a fitness center count as a workout?)
I've put a pile of photos in this gallery as a narrated walking tour, so that you can see spots like the "experiential cycling studio" with a virtual reality wall, the "inner fitness" room (with its own HVAC system to allow for hot yoga and rapid cooling afterward), the locker rooms, the pool deck, and much more--you'll just need to pardon their dust as they race toward an opening probably in the first week in October.
The VIDA web site has much more information on all the offerings, which also will include a Kids Zone for babysitting while Mom and Dad sweat. I was told that VIDA expects to have about 900 memberships within the next few weeks--and pre-opening membership rates are still available. (There's also 50 on-site parking spaces, though be sure to appreciate the irony of driving to the gym.)
Here's a couple of shots, but check out the full gallery.
Meanwhile, just up the street, in the same Twelve12 complex, the Harris Teeter is looking very spiffy with its signage--but alas is seeing its own opening date slip, probably to early November.
 

Tidbits: Unleashing the Tunnel Decision on Half Street, Or Some Such
A few tidbits to throw your way, but first let's start off with one of my favorite photos, taken eight years ago yesterday while standing at 1st and M. You can see more shots from Sept. 17, 2006 in the archive.
* UNLEASHED BY PETCO: It was rumored back in May, and there's still been no official announcement from Forest City, but a building permit issued last week seems to be the final confirmation that Unleashed by Petco is coming to the Boilermaker Shops.
* CSX: The Post reports that "It could be a few weeks before the Federal Highway Administration releases a decision on the proposed expansion of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel in Southeast Washington." The "Record of Decision" hasn't yet been finalized. In the meantime, the Committee of 100 has let it be known that any decision short of an indefinite delay will result in a lawsuit. (Shocker!)
* HALF STREET: WBJ talks to new Half Street poobah Jair Lynch about his group's plans for the Half Street hole, now that they've bought it from Monument Realty. "While the project is expected to remain a mix of residential, retail and hotel, Lynch said he is now considering condos in addition to apartments, tweaking unit sizes, adding green features and amenities and bringing in a 'completely different retail mix.'" (Longtime area observers note that in Monument's original plans, the two residential buildings at the south end of the block were planned to be condos and apartments. And of course it's easy to "change" the retail mix when there isn't any to begin with.) They hope to get underway by 2016, WBJ says.
* MLB LATE NIGHT WITH METRO: WTOP: "Although the Washington Nationals have clinched the NL East, the team has not reached a deal with Metro to keep trains running past midnight during home playoff games." The Metro policy is that the Nationals would have to pay at $29,500 deposit to stay open an extra hour during the week; some of you may remember that back in 2012, the Nats did not step forward to pay, so Livingsocial offered to foot the bill.
 

Did We Say River Parc? We Totally Meant Parc Riverside
It always seemd a little odd that Toll Brothers chose "River Parc" as the name for the new apartment building now in its final stages on the southwest corner of 1st and K--after all, there's been the mid-century goodness of the River Park townhouses and apartments over in Southwest since, well, the middle of the 20th century.
A few weeks ago, promotional signage went up across street from the new building, trumpeting RiverParc.com, and all systems seemed go. However, a reader passed along the news today of an e-mail from Toll Brothers announcing that River Parc is now the Parc Riverside.
River Parc/Parc Riverside, which according to the e-mail is now expected to deliver in November, does now have a functioning web site, with floorplans, lists of amenities (hey, everyone gets a garbage disposal!), and a few new renderings, but not the rental prices that I'm sure people would like to see at this point.
And now I shall go do a River Parc/Parc Riverside search-and-replace all across my site.
UPDATE: And, oops, I guess I should have included that the leasing office will open this coming Monday, Sept. 22.
 

Is the Long Willie's Brew and Que Wait Almost Over?
A reader pointed me today to a new Facebook page for Willie's Brew and Que, the long-delayed sports bar that was first announced as coming to the Boilermaker Shops back in 2011.
It's been a busy day on the page, with a new logo posted ("Willie's, Est. 2014") as well as photos of the interior, including shots of the point of sale kiosks with the caption "Computers almost up and running!" There's no news there of an opening date, but the About page is well filled out with details. (The WilliesBBQ Twitter feed is silent so far, however.)
Certainly with October baseball looking staggeringly likely, it would behoove any restaurant or bar in the neighborhood to rush preparations to completion in order to capitalize on hordes of wild-eyed Nats fans converging on the area. However, the long delay in building out the space, followed by the bankruptcy and associated falderal surrounding owner Barracks Row Entertainment earlier this year, have made it easy to be skeptical that the restaurant would actually ever open.
So, keep an eye on the western end of the Boilermaker Shops (at the corner of 3rd and Tingey) to see if white smoke from barbeque equipment signals the arrival of a new restaurant.
 

Meanwhile, On the Akridge Side of Half Street, a Capital Search
Does everyone want some more Half Street news? Last night's Monument Realty news about the east side of the street isn't enough for you? Are you tapping your toes, wanting to know when the shipping containers are going to disappear from the other side of the street?
The Washington Business Journal, having now heard the same rumors I heard a few weeks ago (hence my sneaky comment in my Monument post about "whether Akridge is currently making any moves"), is reporting that Akridge is working to market its Half Street project to potential investors, with the company needing to replace a capital partner "that desires to leave the project." WBJ says that Akridge "expects to have some closure on a new partner by the fourth quarter," and that "All forms of transaction are on the table."
Akridge has been planning since 2008 to build two office buildings, a residential building, and 55,000 square feet of retail on the west side of the street. Whether those plans will stay the same once capital is found, well, We Shall See.
 

Monument Realty Exits Half Street
Documents filed today show that Monument Realty, which sunk its teeth whole-heartedly into the Nationals Park-fueled land rush of 2004 and 2005, is exiting Half Street, with the sale of the company's two remaining parcels, best known to baseball fans and residents as the location since 2009 of the big hole in the ground on the east side of the street.
The buyer of the properties is officially Half Street Residential PJV, LLC, which the Washington Business Journal is reporting is a new partnership of MacFarlane Partners and Jair Lynch Development Partners.
WBJ: "MacFarlane already owned a 50 percent stake in the residential portion of Half Street. With local partner Jair Lynch, MacFarlane essentially bought out Monument and Lehman," with an expectation that the "new team will bring this languishing project to life."
The price of the sale is roughly $12.5 million. (UPDATE, 9/17): A follow-up WBJ story on the new owners' plans for the site says that a check was cut for $34 million.
Monument had planned a hotel and 320 units of residential on this site, and went ahead and dug the hole back in 2007 and 2008 as it built the 55 M Street office building at the north end of the block. But the economy tanked, and the "Monument Valley" hole languished (and became quite the urban forest).
This move isn't exactly a surprise: it had looked a few months ago like something was coming, as Lehman had taken back a portion of this stretch of Half Street just as it had with two other Monument properties that quickly ended up being sold: the 50 M site that is soon to be a Homewood Suites, and the lot on the northeast corner of South Capitol and N that JBG is now planning to develop as a residential building.
Monument now is involved in only one property in the neighborhood, the old Domino's site at South Capitol and M that they made initial moves to develop as an office building a few years ago. (But, in what may or may not mean anything, there have been permits issued in recent days for soil borings on that site, which is often a precursor to a sale. I'm not saying--I'm just saying.)
This is the end of quite a chapter in the neighborhood's rise--and the beginning of a new round of toe-tapping about progress on what was once envisioned to be one of the liveliest stretches of street in town. It will be interesting to see how quickly MacFarlane/Lynch move, and what their new plans may be, (And, for that matter, whether Akridge is currently making any moves on its side of Half Street.)
 

Commemorating the First Anniversary of the Navy Yard Shootings
It seems hard to believe that Tuesday, Sept. 16 will be the one-year anniversary of the terrible shooting rampage at the Washington Navy Yard that left 12 people dead.
The Navy will be holding its official remembrance ceremony within the walls of the WNY at 8 a.m., lead by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. Vice Adm. William Hilarides, commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command, will read the names of the victims, and a bell will toll for each of them.
Later that same day, there will be a community remembrance of the event, starting at 6 pm at Canal Park. Mayor Vince Gray, Councilmember Tommy Wells, Vice Adm. Hibarides, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), and other officials will be in attendance, as will the US Navy Ceremonial Guard. The memorial is described as including "prayers, readings, meditation, and music to honor the Navy Yard victims, survivors and heroic civilian and military first responders who acted to save lives."
This public ceremony is being organized by the Near Southeast Community Partners group, to honor not only the importance of the Washington Navy Yard to the neighborhood's past and future but also the many residents of Near Southeast who are connected to the military.
The remembrance at Canal Park is free and open to the public.
UPDATE: There is another remembrance scheduled on the 16th: the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic church at South Capitol and M will be holding a memorial mass at 12:10 pm for those killed in the shooting.
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