While actual construction isn't underway just yet, the shovel-wielding VIPs did their duty. Mayor Bowser, Ward 6 councilmember Charles Allen, DC delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, NAB chairman Gordon Smith, and other luminaries made remarks, and noted local radio personality Tommy McFly acted as master of ceremonies (his radio station is after all only a block away).

You can see all my photos here, if microphones and shovels are your thing. But here's a few, if that one extra click is more than you can handle:

It's expected that construction will get underway later this summer on both the 120,000-sq-ft NAB HQ (which will have about 4,800 sq ft of ground-floor retail) and a 163-unit condo building immediately to its south, also fronting South Capitol but with an address of 10 Van Street. Both are being developed by Monument Realty, and you can see my project page for more details. If both do get started this summer, the buildings would probably be completed in 2018.

It's open to the general public of all ages, with gear and bait provided, along with instruction should you need a little help.

See the flyer for more details.

Lead by DC HSEMA director Chris Geldart, fire chief Gregory Dean, and Department of Energy and the Environment director Tommy Wells, the session will provide training "about safety during a derailment involving hazardous materials; sheltering-in-place vs. evacuating; emergency vehicle access; and emergency communications."

The meeting is at 10 am at 200 I St., SE. Contact ANC 6D07 commissioner Meredith Fascett for more information.

The Brig is located on the northwest corner of 8th and L Streets, SE (1007 8th for your GPS). See my project page for photos and links to posts on the long and winding road to this milestone. And see you all there for a JDLand Happy Hour at some point in the relative near future.

UPDATE, 6/17: Yup.

The real work of construction, I'm told, is slated to start later this summer, but the NAB bigwigs were apparently going to be gathering in DC for a board meeting this month and so will take the opportunity to mark the occasion.

(And of course there is no statutory requirement that ceremonial groundbreakings take place x number of days before or after the start of actual digging.)

This headquarters will be a 120,000-square-foot offering with about 4,800 square feet of ground floor retail, and is expected to open in 2018. NAB and Monument announced the deal in April of 2015, calling it the "culmination of a rigorous search for a location with easier access to Capitol Hill that will allow NAB to improve its advocacy efforts."

Monument also tells me that the current plan is to also start this summer on 10 Van Street, the NAB HQ's 163-unit residential sibling immediately to the south, which you can see here and on my One M/10 Van project page.

And the big news that I'm burying all the way down here is that Monument tells me that the decision has been made that 10 Van will be condos, with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units as well as multi-level two-bedroom townhouses facing both Van and South Capitol.

Once it gets started, the NAB HQ would be the second office project under construction, joining Skanska's on-spec 99 M a couple of blocks to the east. The 10 Van project will become part of the long list of residential projects currently being built, and will be the second in this block of South Capitol Street, along with JBG's 290-unit rental building at 1244 South Capitol that is expected to be completed in 2017. These will also be the first projects to get underway in 2016, unless the Yards Parcel O condo and rental buildings get started first.

I guess we'll know for sure that NAB/10 Van construction is truly at hand when the surface parking lot there stops accepting Nats gameday parking....

On Monday night, there was an initial presentation to ANC 6D about the project, and some renderings were shown to the assembled masses, shots of which have arrived in JDLand's inbox.

I think there is still some tweaking going on--6D was not asked to approve these specifically and there is as yet no zoning filing--but the general idea of a terraced building that would be a large focal point from the Yards Park just to the south probably won't change.

The top image, obviously, is that Yards Park view. These others are the view looking west on Water Street and then looking southeastward from Tingey Street.

Note that this building would not front Tingey Street--there are eventual plans for a hotel to be built along Tingey to the north of the residential project.

Forest City told me last week that a 2019 completion date is the target for this Parcel L project.

As for what used to stand on this site, the old Southeast Federal Center Building 159 was in residence until about 2000, long enough for me to remember it but not long enough to have photographed it with the JDLand camera. (Waaaaaaah!) However, a few years back I did uncover this photo, taken in about 1992, as part of the Library of Congress's Carol M. Highsmith archive. Building 159 is the white building directly between the DC Water Main Pumping Station and what's now the Foundry Lofts building. (You can also see two low red brick buildings fronting M Street next to Spooky Building 213 that I also didn't get to photograph, along with a little red brick annex on the north side of the still-empty Building 170 at 3rd and Tingey.) If you want to see more photos of the neighborhood taken from above in the early 1990s, check them out.

"Members of the First District are currently investigating a shooting that occurred at approximately 9:24pm in the 900 block of 5th St SE. Members of the First District responded to the location for a report of multiple gunshots and found an adult male victim who had been wounded. The victim was quickly transported to the hospital for treatment. This case is being actively investigated by the First District Detectives Unit. If you have any information, please call 202-299-2025."

The 900 block of 5th is home to some private residences on the west side and the Capper Seniors public housing building for older folks on the east side.

If you are interested in discussing this event or any other public safety issues with members of the police department, the monthly PSA 106 meeting is this Wednesday, June 15, at 7 pm at 200 I St. SE.

Getting the bad news out of the way first: the negotiations between DCHA and its original unnamed choice to operate the center "reached a natural conclusion without an agreement to move forward," according to DCHA spokesman Rick White. This means that the agency is "looking at alternatives," but any new agreement does not appear to be in the immediate future. That said, I have heard unconfirmed rumors that there will be some sort of "programming" at the center this summer--if that indeed turns out to be the case, the building will at least then not stand completed-but-empty while waiting for a deal to be struck with a new operator.

But there is a more pressing issue, which is that because of construction at Van Ness Elementary, the new building has been tapped to function as the Precinct 131 polling station for DC's primary election day on Tuesday, June 14. Even though the center does not yet have its official Certificate of Occupancy, spokesman White says that a temporary certificate of occupancy is in the works, and that DCHA is "not expecting any issues around the election."

So, other than snagging a peek in the gym on Tuesday when you go vote (because OF COURSE you are going to go vote), everyone will just have to gaze longingly at the new building's exterior a little while longer. At least it looks nice in the bright early June sun.

And in case you don't quite remember what this site used to look like, this slider can help. As can the project page.

It would have 270 rental units and two levels of underground parking, and currently has a targeted completion date of 2019 (which just isn't as far away as it used to be).

No renderings are available for public (or blogger) consumption, but my understanding is that it has a "terraced" design, and will be a U-shaped building with a courtyard that opens southward toward the Yards Park and the river. There will be retail along 3rd Street, but I don't know the exact amount.

Also, it should be noted that for the very north end of this parcel, along Tingey, there are also plans to have a "boutique" hotel, but there's no time frame for that.

Forest City is on the agenda for next Monday's ANC 6D meeting to give an initial presentation on the residential plans, in advance of heading off to Zoning Land later in the year.

This is not the only Yards residential project in the near-term pipeline, as the condo and apartment projects two blocks east on "Parcel O" at 4th Street are expected to begin construction in coming months. These projects would join the lineup of already completed Yards residential buildings Foundry Lofts, Twelve12, and Arris. It's also expected that there will be additional residential buildings along 1st Street SE near the planned movie theater.

As you can see in the photo taken this weekend, the basics of the street are now finished, its creation having been tied to the construction of the Bixby, DCHA's 195-unit mixed-income apartment building that is expected to open this summer and which is itself getting some infrastructure built, as seen below.

I don't know anything about traffic control, i.e., whether there will be a four-way stop at 6th and L, or whether left turns will be allowed from 6th onto M (and from M onto 6th). I've asked DCHA, but haven't yet heard back. UPDATE: Apparently it was set out in the zoning that there will be no cut in the median on M Street, so only right turns onto and off of 6th will be allowed.

UPDATE 2: DCHA tells me that they are still "working out details with DDOT as to whether or not this portion will be a one way from M to L." Sounds like they found some unexpected infrastructure underneath the planned intersection that forced a reduction in the size of the 6th and M corner--if I had actually looked at the work from the M Street side, I'd have more insight, but alas....

As for any more precise estimations as to when this new block of 6th will open, I am so not going there. It will open when it opens, right?

Due South owner Bo Blair tells me that there will be a "streamlined menu of Due South's best items," along with frozen drinks, beers, and wines and a kids menu (presumably not including beers and wines).

An April 2017 opening date is being targeted. But I will note that there is apparently not yet a completed agreement with Forest City, as an inquiry to them about the plans was greeted with the standard statement about the company not commenting on any potential deals until a lease is signed.

The early plans were presented to ANC 6D's ABC committee earlier this week, and my understanding is that the committee voted to support a liquor license for the project.

This will require a zoning variance, so that hurdle needs to be passed first, but Splash owner Tim Temple tells me the hope is to start construction in spring of 2017. Splash will remain open in the meantime.

This is a separate project from the plans to redevelop the McDonald's next door as a two-phase residential-and-maybe-more-residential project.

If you look at my favorite overhead photo of this area just south of the Southeast Freeway, you can see Splash's footprint to the north-northeast of the McDonald's and just to the west of the Capitol Power Plant operations.

More as I get it.

First, there's Philz Coffee on Tingey Street, which already looks to be a popular addition to the neighborhood. (I'll leave it to folks who actually partake of this particular beverage to speak to the coffee itself.) The Conte's Bike Shop pop-up is next door through this weekend, though its permanent space will be around the corner on 4th Street when it opens in 2017.

Next I pressed my camera up against the windows at Whaley's, in advance of what I hope is a visit that involves actual eating before too much longer. (There's also this shot that better shows the high ceiling of the space.)

The Yards Park Marina is said to be opening in June, and the entrance to the slips is looking pretty close to ready. These three shots are a pseudo-panorama, showing the view from the entrance to the east (with a big hole in the horizon where the Barry should be), straight ahead down the ramp where vessels such as water taxis will be able to dock, and to the west. (The large gates will lock.) There will be 50 slips all told.

I did not take any photos of the other "news" in the Yards today, of some initial site work underway at the Parcel O site on the southeast corner of 4th and Tingey. Don't look for a big hole to open up just yet, though.

I also took what might be a final "before" shot of the lot at 4th and Water where construction is expected to start in coming weeks on the District Winery building.

But, dang it! I forgot to wander over to Spooky Park to check out the final landscaping touches! This mission was a failure!

* PARC RIVERSIDE PHASE 2: These are "studies", with materials and colors subject to change, but the architects for the second phase of Toll Brothers' Parc Riverside apartments at Half and K passed along to ANC 6D02 commissioner Stacy Cloyd some images of what the building could look like. (And now you see why when I mentioned them in another post recently I said that Phase 2 doesn't look very different from Phase 1.) The middle image, as seen from Half and I, shows the two Parc Riversideseseses as one long facade, albeit with slightly altered treatments. The other two are views from Half and L.

* REHAB CENTER PROPOSED ON LOWER 8TH: Capitol Hill Corner reports on a proposal to the Bureau of Prisons for a 300-bed resident rehabilitation center (aka "halfway house") to be located at 810 Potomac Ave., SE, across the street from both the Blue Castle and the historic Latrobe Gate to the Navy Yard. Council member Charles Allen and ANC 6B both have weighed in with strong opposition, listing all manner of reasons that this building at the corner of 8th and Potomac (and 8th and M, for that matter) "is not the right site," with 6B commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg quoted as saying, "This is an egregious thing to do to lower 8th, which is transitioning from being under-developed into a residential neighborhood." UPDATE: ANC 6D commissioner Meredith Fascett has posted on Facebook that she is opposing this as well, and says that MPD, Barracks Row Main Street, and the Capitol Riverfront BID are also in opposition.

* COFFEE WITH CHUCK SLIDES: If you want the latest update from the Virginia Avenue Tunnel, here's the slides from the May 18th neighborhood session. There's lots of photos of sections the new tunnel, including some that bloggers would probably be shot on sight for trying to get.

* AKRIDGE SELLING: WBJ says that Akridge is putting on the market its holdings along the east side of 1st Street between K and L, across from Velocity and the Parc Riverside and home until 2011 to the Market Deli and a slew of other now-gone buildings.

The Freedom Star served primarily as a solid rocket booster recovery ship during the Space Shuttle program before being transferred in 2012 to the US Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD), which now uses it as a training ship, operating out of Piney Point, Maryland.

The ship will be open on both May 22 and 23 from 9 am to 11:30 am and again from 12:30 to 4 pm, via the Riverwalk (not through the Navy Yard itself). Note that it is not handicap accessible, and that pets are not allowed. Also, children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult, and sturdy shoes are recommended.

The ship is expected to arrive around 5 pm on Saturday, May 21, so if you are finishing up getting soaked at Tour de Fat around that time, keep your eyes on the Anacostia for the guest.

But if you can't wait that long, Conte's will be running a 10-day pop-up version in one of Arri's open retail spaces on Tingey Street starting Thursday, May 19 through May 29th, opening on Thursday through Sunday during each of those two weeks. This means that the store will be open during both Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 20 and Tour de Fat at the Yards on Saturday, May 21.

This pop-up version will have bikes for sale or rent, repair services, clothing, gear, and "expert advice."

The permanent Conte's location will be 2,200 square feet in size, located in the 4th Street portion of Arris's ground floor.

Conte's was founded in 1957 in Newport News, and is apparently still a family-owned operation, with locations in Arlington and Falls Church in addition to elsewhere in Virginia.

The press release from Forest City also says:

"Their shops carry a full line of bikes and accessories including hybrids, mountains, cruisers and road bikes by leading brands including Giant/Liv, Eddy Merckx, BMC, Scott and more, as well as offering gear, accessories clothing and lots of expert advice. They also offer a trade-in policy and used equipment for sale. What’s more, Conte’s Bike Shop prides itself on being a community center and resource for the cycling community, offering events, clinics, structured rides and online resources."

* 909 HALF: The Project Of Which Its Developers Don't Speak has apparently topped out, according to the architects, who I hope won't now be canned for daring to publicly refer to the 380-unit apartment building under construction at Half and I. They also posted a color version of the one rendering we've seen, showing the view up Half Street from south of K. There had been an additional post from the architects saying 909 Half would be opening in December, but that's now gone, probably because getting to completion seven months from now would be, shall we say, optimistic.

* NEW WEB SITES: Actual web sites are now up for both F1rst and ORE 82. (The former had just a placeholder and the latter's URL didn't actually work a few weeks ago when the fence signage went up.)

* JOY EVANS: ANC 6D Commissioner Meredith Fascett has an update on last week's meeting on Joy Evans Park, with a deadline of today (oops) for any comments you might have.

And, a few meetings this week to mention:

* COFFEE WITH CHUCK: The Virginia Avenue Tunnel project has hit the one-year mark this month (only 30 more months to go!). The monthly Coffee with Chuck meeting is on Wednesday, May 18, from 8 to 9 am at the CSX Community Office trailer at 861 New Jersey Ave., SE. RSVP here if you plan to attend.

* PUBLIC SAFETY: The monthly meeting of PSA 106 is Wednesday, May 18 at 7 pm at 200 I St. SE. MPD holds these meetings to address any public safety-related questions and concerns from the neighborhood.

* BIKE TO WORK: I'm too scared to look at the weather forecast, but Friday, May 20 is Bike to Work Day, and once again Canal Park is one of the pit stops.

UPDATED II: And here's a peek inside, from Washingtonian.

Original post:

It was a little circuitous, but this evening on Instagram Whaley's announced that it will be opening its doors on Saturday, May 14th.

(The folks on the Yards Instagram account "got too excited" and announced an earlier date, which the Whaley's Instagram account corrected in the comments, as seen in the screen shot.)

The official web site still says "Opening Soon," but the dinner and drinks menus are now posted and the menus are "coming soon" as well (UPDATED because I'm an idjit). The hours (which I'm guessing are not the permanent ones) are listed as 5 to 10 pm Sunday through Wednesday and 5 to midnight Thursday through Saturday, with the kitchen closing at 11 pm.

The seafood and raw bar is located in the Lumber Shed at the Yards Park, in the ground-floor space between Osteria Morini and Agua 301, facing the park's overlook and the Anacostia River.

The web site's About page gives the lowdown on the Whaley's theme, and that "there was indeed a man named Whaley," who was the commodore of the Maryland Navy early in the Revolutionary War, and then became the first casualty in the Maryland Navy in the Revolutionary War.

This would be built just to the west of the Parc Riverside and Velocity, along Half Street SE between K and L.

The "Apartment Living" header does also seem to indicate that the planned 314 units will be rentals.

Just as soon as I found this, though, my digging was rendered unnecessary when representatives for Toll appeared at Monday night's ANC 6D meeting requesting support for a public space permit they are applying for.

I wasn't at the meeting, but my understanding is that while Toll said they are hoping to break ground in 2016, they are still in the design phase and are going to need a minor variance for some projected balconies and windows, which would then need to be followed by the usual building permit process.

As for the design, a rendering was shown that looks remarkably like the first-phase Parc Riverside. (I don't have permission to share it, alas.)

And there is apparently a fly in the ointment in that Toll is planning that the access to the Phase 2 underground garage will be through the Velocity garage, as was designed back when the entire block was going to be developed by its then-owner, the Cohen Companies. But Cohen, still the owner of Velocity, apparently disagrees that this access was part of the deal when Toll purchased this lot from Cohen for $14.5 million in 2012.

ANC 6D voted 6-0-0 to send a letter to DDOT recommending that the agency determine whether Toll should be able to use the Velocity garage entrance, but that even if it's decided that Toll does have that right, that "DDOT should still consider the traffic impact of allowing a large number of additional cars to use this garage entrance." The commission also supported the request for a curb cut for a loading dock, but "believes that K St. SE is a better location for a curb cut and loading dock because L St. SE already has numerous curb cuts," while recognizing that this switch "would require substantial redesign" for the project but with what it believes would be a "far superior outcome." (The letter also notes 6D's "general philosophical concern with projections into public space for bay windows.")

More information should be available once the variance is applied for, assuming that remains part of Toll's plan.

* ORANGE: I mentioned this in the comments late last week, but now time to post officially that the BID has reported that Orangetheory Fitness has been signed as the first retail tenant at the ORE 82 apartment building at New Jersey and I, which is expected to open late this year or early next year.

* CROSSING: Via Commissioner Fascett, ANC 6D is sending a letter to DDOT requesting a review of the pedestrian-crossing-light timing at 4th and M SE, aka the Teeter Intersection. "Twenty-seven seconds is not enough time for pedestrians, including seniors and residents in wheelchairs, to cross a six lane road while dodging two lanes of east-bound turning cars."

* SPRINGSTEEN: Bruuuuuce is back at Nats Park on Sept. 1. Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, May 13, at 10 am.

* ALLEN: If you are wanting some face time with Ward 6 councilmember Charles Allen, he is having his Community Office Hours on Friday, May 13, at the Starbucks in the Waterfront Safeway at 4th and M, SW, from 8 to 9:30 am.

* SPOOKY: This has been in my hopper for too many months to ponder, but a reader passed along this link about the end of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency building/Building 213 at 1st and M SE that included a few photos from inside (as I sob thinking about how I never got my own).

* FITNESS: The BID has announced the schedule of outdoor fitness classes this summer at parks Yards and Canal.

* LEO: Across the way by a few feet, but folks might be interested in the reopening of Leo's Wings N Pizza at 7 N St., SW. "In addition to pizza, wings, pasta, salads, subs, and breakfast items, Korean food will be added to the menu." (SWTLQTC)