There's not much detail at this point, but a public meeting has been scheduled on Oct. 27 at 6:30 pm at 200 I Street to discuss the DC Housing Authority's plans for the block known as Square 767, bounded by 2nd Place and 3rd, I, and K Streets SE.

This block, part of the Capper/Carrollsburg Hope VI redevelopment footprint, is the location where DCHA is looking to sell a portion of the land so that an as-yet unnamed developer can build a market-rate condo building. Such a plan would seem to mean that the necessary affordable rental units on that block would be confined to whatever non-condo project is also built on that block, a notion has had neighbors expressing much concern since it was first revealed nearly two years ago.

There's no agenda or materials yet released, so look for a more detailed post once DCHA makes those items available.

* SIDE YARDS: Back for a second year is "Side Yards," an "evening of quirky amusement and wonder" showcasing top sideshow performers at the Yards Park on Saturday, Nov. 7 from 6 to 10 pm. Contortionists, magicians, juggling, escape artists and snake handling will all be showcased (sounds like a typical day in Congress!). There will also be burlesque acts, live music, and a beer garden. Tickets are free, but available in advance.

* DC BEER FESTIVAL: Also on Saturday, Nov. 7 is the DC Beer Festival at Nats Park. Admission is $40 and includes unlimited tastings (wheeeee!).

* PERCEPTION SURVEY: It's time for the Capitol Riverfront BID's annual Perception Survey, so take a few moments to tell them your feelings about the neighborhood, whether you are a resident, office worker, or visitor.

* OKAY, HOW ABOUT DECEMBER: Back in September I posted about reservations being accepted for the new Hampton Inn at 1st and N starting November 19. It's now December 9.

* THE NEW VIRGINIA AVE. PARK: ANC 6B commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg looks at the ideas that came out of last month's public meeting to come up with a post-tunnel-construction design for Virginia Avenue Park.

* THE OLD VIRGINIA AVE. (NOT) PARK: And speaking of Virginia Avenue between 9th and 10th streets, SE, this week's Lost Capitol Hill series on The Hill is Home looks at the owner of a lumber yard in that spot during the mid-1800s.

* INSTAGRAM: I'll just mention again that JDLand is now on Instagram, if that's your social media landscape of choice.

* MOBILE: I've been tweaking the mobile version of the JDLand home page to add some of the items that have only been on the desktop page--a random Look Back photo, the Highlighted Projects development map, and even the Latest Tweets box. Visit on your phone to see what I mean.

It turns out that sometimes the best way to do something you've wanted to do for 12 years is to actually ask.

Last week I was given a tour of the 215,000-square-foot building, often by flashlight since there is no power currently on inside, and here is a gallery of photos for your perusal. There were some areas I was not allowed to depict here: I guess when I finally write a book about all of this in 2030 or so I will get to unveil that particular mystery.

However, you are still able to see a pretty astonishing space, even given its current run-down state, and it's easy to see why developers would be eyeing it as a potential high-risk high-reward rehabilitation of a historic building. The inner atrium runs the complete length of the building and up to the roof, while the sides of the building (where the four narrow strips of windows are in the above photo) offer the sort of industrial/exposed-brick goodness that plenty of architects spend a lot of time trying to emulate.

As mentioned above, Forest City does not have plans for the building anytime soon, and decided to market it to see whether another company might potentially have a vision for it that meshes well with the general direction of the Yards--and one that of course would be willing to pay more than a few pennies to buy the building.

Here are some of the photos, but look at the gallery to see the complete set.

With construction underway on the Canal Park ice rink, scheduled to officially open for the season on Nov. 14, this would seem to be a good time frame for a retooling.

In the meantime, over on Half Street just south of the Metro entrance at M Street, Buffalo Wild Wings is looking close to opening. A worker told me that staff training is expected to start this week, with November 17 being the *targeted* opening date. Though, of course (all together now), We Shall See.

UPDATE: It actually looks like Nov. 16 will be the grand opening (the date I heard many moons ago), with this mailing providing the big hint but also according to sources In the Know.

(PS: There are tentative thoughts about a JDLand happy hour in the coming weeks, probably at BWW. More as the schedule becomes clear.)

(I was waiting for the H&C space to be built out more fully, which is still in the pipeline--or at least that's the story I'm sticking to. #lazy)

While I am not one to be shopping for either running equipment or slim-fit men's dress shirts, I appreciated that staffs at both stores did not run screaming when I came in with a camera and used those words that so often strike fear, "neighborhood blogger." I did, alas, miss the bourbon cart that was set up outside H&C earlier in the day.

Pacers:

Hugh & Crye:

Also noticed during this visit--Bluejacket has repainted its sign, the result of which is that you can now actually see it (and photograph it). Yay! (No signage yet at Pacers or H&C, though.)

PS: If you want a steady social media stream of JDLand photos (current and archival), note that I have finally/belatedly joined Instagram, at jdland_dc.

(RCP doesn't actually own the land, but is listed with Crescent Communities LLC as "Contract Purchaser/Development Team," and there is a letter from McDonald's authorizing RCP and Crescent to "represent the Property owner" in all BZA proceedings. McDonald's has owned the land since 1985.)

The first phase would run along South Capitol Street and turn toward the east in an L-shape, paralleling the Southeast Freeway. Tthe second phase would be a tower built to the east, with a glass walkway structure connecting it to the first tower along I Street, and with an open courtyard and driveway (as seen below).

The filings show only about 3,200 square feet of retail at the building's southwest corner. (No word as to whether McDonald's would return, though I note that the rendering above shows a "bank" in that space.) The architect is SK&I.

(As for that Southeast Freeway ramp shown just to the west of the proposed building in the top rendering, it is slated to eventually go away as part of a not-yet-funded not-yet-scheduled later phase of the South Capitol Street reconstruction, with cars instead turning left onto a ramp at a location under the freeway about where Nats Lot HH currently is.)

More as I get it, clearly.

UPDATE: One or two additional tidbits: the first-phase building would be about 380 apartments--the second phase could be more apartments, or condos, or a hotel, at this point undetermined. Also, it's worth keeping in mind that the design in the renderings is a pretty early one.

In response to the recent crimes around Ward 6--including three armed robberies* in recent days in Near Southeast--council member Charles Allen has scheduled a community meeting on public safety on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 pm at the Friendship Public Charter School at 1345 Potomac Ave., SE.

Allen has invited police chief Cathy Lanier and 1D Commander Jeff Brown to "outline their plans and response" to handling the increased crime as well as to answer questions from residents.

According to his web site, Allen has been working with Lanier and Brown "to add more resources, manpower, and overtime to the neighborhoods," and has also been "looking at the long-term problem and solutions, working with Council colleagues on how we move forward to make needed legislative changes for our communities and our city."

While crime has been spiking around Ward 6 in recent months, the two armed robberies south of the freeway Wednesday evening (part of a string of five armed robberies within 30 or so minutes) brought an increase in concern from Near Southeast residents, even with the news that possible suspects were arrested the following evening after a chase by DC police into Maryland.

In addition, a third armed* robbery happened on Friday night at around 9:20 pm in the 900 block of New Jersey Ave., SE. According to the police report (and also described by the Post), a citizen was approached and robbed at gunpoint, but an off-duty MPD officer saw it happen and called for assistance--and as police saw the suspect leaving the area, the "victim of the robbery then suddenly reappeared and tackled the suspect." (Was it one of you guys?)

*However, in this case it was found out that the weapon used in the robbery was an "imitation pistol." The suspect was still arrested, and the victim's property was recovered.

Also, on Saturday night, there was a robbery at 4th and K SE.

PS: It's a shame that the public safety meeting is on the same evening as the Capper Square 767 public meeting, but These Things Happen. NOTE: This Capper meeting is going to be rescheduled.

UPDATE II: Per ANC commissioner Meredith Fascett, here is the full lineup of community meetings this week, some of which are specifically in regards to public safety, and others which can easily accommodate the subject. Note also that the Capper/Square 767 meeting that was also scheduled for Tuesday Oct. 27 is being postponed, with a new date to be announced.

* OCT. 26, MAYOR BOWSER: Mayor Bowser will speak and take questions tonight (Monday, Oct. 26) at 7 pm at the monthly Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA) meeting at Arena Stage, 101 6th St. SW.

* OCT. 27, ANC 6D07 OFFICE HOURS: Meet with Meredith Fascett at 10 am at Lot 38 Espresso.

* OCT. 27, MAYOR'S OFFICE: The Mayor's Office of Community Relations (MOCRS) is having office hours from 3 to 6:30 pm at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, 1636 E. Capitol St., NE.

* OCT. 27, CM ALLEN MEETING: As announced at the top of this post.

* OCT. 31 PSA MEETING: The monthly meeting of the neighborhood's Police Service Area, PSA 106, will be on Saturday at 10 am at 900 5th St. SE (the Capper Senior Building). MPD representatives will have information on the recent incidents in the neighborhood.

This is Bardo's second attempt at the ABC process for this site (the first placard having been rescinded just a few weeks after a filing in August), and is now technically the fourth time that the notion of a large outdoor activity/party/drinking/whatever space has been attempted at this spot across from Nats Park.

This application is for a Retailer's Class D Tavern license (as opposed to a Class C Tavern license last time), and is described thusly: "Outdoor Beer Garden. Beer made on premise. Food Trucks to supply food. Total number of Summer Garden seats: 700. Total Occupancy Load: 750. Brew Pub Endorsement."

As to why Bardo's application earlier in 2015 never made it all the way through after being announced back in March, one might want to read this transcript from the April hearing at the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to see the many (many) concerns raised by the board and by MPD, which clearly is not supportive of any venture of this type in this location. (And I can't not highlight the comments from Commander Jeff Brown of MPD about how the "applicant here says it's going to be cornhole bean-bag toss, which I'm not even going to pretend to know what that is, but I think I'll be safe to say that it's not very popular.")

* DOCK 79 FLOOR PLANS: While the potential Bardo Riverfront footprint is on the western, later-phase portion of the Florida Rock site, construction is progressing on Dock 79, the 320ish-unit residential building at the east end of the property (seen above from across the Anacostia River at Poplar Point). The project's web site and Facebook/Twitter accounts having been active for a while, and there are now virtual tours available of studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom units, as well as the roof.

* JUST BECAUSE: Like that photo up top? Here's the same spot, more than 10 years ago.

A few items on the calendar this week, in addition to the previously mentioned Halloween festivities on Oct. 24-25:

* ANC 6D: The monthly meeting of ANC 6D is Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 pm at 1100 4th St., SW.

* COFFEE WITH CHUCK: The next installment of CSX's update sessions on the Virginia Avenue Tunnel project is on Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 8 am to 9 am at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, 140 L St. SE. RSVP here.

* WARD 6 DEMOCRATS KICK-OFF: Ward 6 council member Charles Allen and the Ward 6 Democrats are hosting a reception at Agua 301 on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 5:30 to 8 pm to meet District Democratic Party representatives and officials. RSVP required for attendance.

* INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL: In the mood to rip some plants out of the ground? Join the Earth Conservation Corps on Saturday Oct. 24 from 10 am to noon at the pump house at Diamond Teague Park (1520 1st St. SE) to clear unwelcome interloping plants from the wetlands along the Anacostia. Wear old, comfortable work clothes, and "be prepared to get dirty." RSVP to mhobson@ecc1.org. (I'd link to a web page with additional details, but alas, I can't find one.)

(Though, to be fair, it did not occur to me--because I never, you know, asked--that there would be a far more substantial structure than the tent that the school has been operating out of since early 2010.)

And, if you are having trouble picturing the location, perhaps a comparison with the previous view might help:

I applaud the 380 of you who responded (even if that's less than 10 percent of the site's unique visitors during the time the nine days the poll was running, so boo to the other 3,000 or so visitors who passed).

Let's get right to the headlines, before taking a deeper dive. And of course you can look at the full numbers yourselves, should you wish. (While keeping in mind that this is of course not in the least bit scientific.)

This was the closest of all categories, with TaKorean edging out next-door neighbor Sweetgreen by all of two votes, though together they only accounted for a little less than 30%of the vote. Third place went to Nando's Peri-Peri, with Cornercopia landing in 4th place and pretty much every other option in the neighborhood (and some not in the neighborhood, ahem) getting at least a couple votes.

Favorite Dinner Spot: Osteria Morini

This category's top vote-getting shouldn't really be a surprise, but Chef Michael White's Italian restaurant in the Lumber Shed pulled away from the competition, with 37% of the vote and 85 more votes than second-place finisher Bluejacket. And after only a few weeks in operation, Due South took 3rd place. followed by a tie between Agua 301 and Nando's Peri-Peri.

Favorite Drink Spot: Bluejacket

This category was even more of a runaway victory, as the highly regarded brewery received 44% of the vote, and about 100 votes more than Justin's Cafe, which took second place with 13% of the vote. The neighborhood's other brewery, Gordon Biersch, took third place, and Agua 301 finished fourth. (Lots of votes for some variation of drinking alone at home, though, which perhaps means the neighborhood needs an intervention.)

It wasn't a resounding victory, but when forced to choose, about 29% of respondents indicated that the new Whole Foods at New Jersey and H is the next development of most interest to them, with 24% wanting Half Street north of the ballpark to get built and 20% itching for the Showplace Icon movie theater to open.

As for the other questions I asked, here's a few bullet points hitting the highlights:

* It may shock you, but it absolutely does not shock me that more than 68% of respondents were male. Definitely kind of a guy thing to be interested in photos of buildings getting built.

* Nearly two-thirds of readers are between the ages of 25 and 44. (I remember being between the ages of 25 and 44!)

* Despite my thoughts to the contrary, only 33 respondents reported owning a dog. Which mainly serves as the clearest indication that I don't have anywhere near the neighborhood readership I ought to.

* About 63% of respondents reported themselves as being neighborhood residents. And of the 55% of that group who then answered, the own/rent breakdown was 64%-36%.

* I appreciate all the sucking up by the 75% of respondents who choose "JD's witty reportage" as one of the parts of the site that is of most interest.

* Only a smidge more than 16% of those who responded said they primarily get word of new content from Twitter or Facebook. This is still Web 1.0 territory! (Mailing lists/RSS feeds and visiting the site a few times a week account for about 60% of that vote.)

* Yeah, yeah, "Navy Yard." BAH.

Feel free to check out the report and then add your own analysis in the comments.

And, to be serious for a moment, a lot of you wrote a lot of really nice things on your questionnaire, and for that, I thank you most sincerely. (And a few of you didn't, but oh well.) It's great to know you are out there and are getting some use out of all of this. And I'm resolved to perk things up a bit in return.

Three people have been chosen to as winners of JDLand t-shirts, and have been notified. (But if you want to buy one, they're $12, and are still available in S-M-L-XL.)

* 'CAPERS: Excerpts from the one-woman play "'Capers," about how residents of Capper/Carrollsburg dealt with the housing project's demolition, is being performed tonight (Oct. 15) at 7 pm at 400 M St. SE, hosted by the Arthur Capper Carollsburg Community Village. You can also catch the entire play four nights next week at the Forum Theatre in Silver Spring.

* DSS BARRY CEREMONY: The Display Ship Barry isn't actually leaving just yet, but on Saturday Oct. 17 the Navy is holding a departure ceremony at 10 am inside the fences of the Navy Yard. See the announcement for details, including how to get into the base if you wish to attend. It was announced in February that the ship will be dismantled and removed from its home along the Anacostia Riverwalk.

* WATCH. BOX.: A "watch box" (guard shack) that stood as part of the sentry post at the Navy Yard's 8th Street entrance from 1853ish until 1905ish and was passed through by Abraham Lincoln just hours before his assassination has been restored and formally ribbon-cut on Oct. 8 after its return earlier this year from a 110-year stay at Indian Head. (Though unfortunately it's on display on a portion of the grounds that most of us will never see.)

* SODOSOPA: South Park took on gentrification last week, with the new neighborhood of SoDoSoPa, the Lofts at SoDoSoPa, and the Residences at the Lofts at SoDoSoPa. And there was this: "What this town needs is a Whole Foods. It will instantly validate us as a town that cares about stuff." (And yet you people still refuse to adopt my new name for this neighborhood, Near Capitol Ballpark River Yards, #NeCaBaRY.)

* BRIDGE BEFORE AND AFTER: DDOT's historic photos Tumblr recently included a shot from 1966 of the early construction of the downriver 11th Street Bridge span. And I realized I have a photo taken from a very similar location as the span was dismantled in 2012 and its offspring was built. (The piers remain in the water, though, as the potential underpinnings of the 11th Street Bridge Park.)

(And is it really all that different from my rendering?)

No official comment or additional info to be had at this point; however, maybe now that it's out there the development team of Ruben and Related will catch up with the party and pass along some tidbits.

If you haven't yet taken the moment or two to fill it out (WAAAAAAH), you may not realize that it gives you the chance to vote for your favorite lunch, dinner, and drink spots in this neighborhood--and also gives you the chance to declare on your preferred name for the neighborhood, what your favorite amenities are, and what upcoming projects you are the most excited to see completed.

There's also a couple of demographic-type questions to help me better know my audience, because I can't pass up the opportunity to be nosey.

You can also enter yourself in the random drawing for a coveted JDLand t-shirt, which wlll tell everyone you pass on the street and at the gym that you are one of the tens of people getting news and snark from this little outpost of the web.

I originally said that I'll give away t-shirts to two random poll respondents, but if I get a big response during these final few hours, I may up the count. So make it worth my while!

I'll then take a little time to digest the results, and will then post the winners and the other details.

If you've already responded, thank you so much!

If you don't fill it out, just remember that you are breaking my heart and making me question whether I should even continue blogging. No pressure.

Here's the poll. Have at it.

LATE UPDATE: With less than three hours to go, one of the Favorites categories has only a one-vote margin between the top two. Make sure your voice is heard!

The longest serving member of the holes lineup, 800 New Jersey (aka the Whole Foods Building) continues its slow (did I mention slow?) progress toward reaching ground level on its western side, having hit that milestone on its eastern edge a number of months ago. Meanwhile, the list's first runner-up, 1111 New Jersey (which I suppose someday I'll have to start calling The Gallery at Capitol Riverfront) is pouring concrete and rebar-ing at last. (Do not underestimate the intricacies of excavation and construction near a Metro station.) Here's 800 and 1100, both captured a few days ago:

Then there's the as-yet-unrendering'ed residential project at 909 Half Street, as well as the hole that will sprout both the Residence Inn hotel and F1rst apartment building along 1st Street south of M, all of which were started within weeks of each other in the spring and none of which are small:

Lastly there's the Homewood Suites project at 50 M Street, which despite only going down about two floors has lagged behind its spring cohorts, but which now has a partial concrete floor and some columns, though with a dirt floor still partially in evidence. (See my previous comment about the intricacies of excavation and construction near a Metro station.)

Given how I am getting jolted by the skyline changes from a mere two new skeletons (at Florida Rock and 801 New Jersey), imagine the joltings that are on tap for 2016 as these additional projects rise out of the ground. The image below may help prepare you (and me), with my having marked the locations where the view is going to change.... (UPDATE: Dang it, I had the F1rst and Residence Inn locations swapped. The image is correct now.)

(PS: Reader Poll.)

With the residential buildings at Florida Rock and 801 New Jersey now in the showy above-ground portion of construction, I got jolted quite a few times during a four-hour walk around the neighborhood on Sunday to catch up on photos.

Here's a few images that perhaps might jolt you too, starting with the one above, looking directly at Dock 79 from the DC Water bridge along the Riverwalk, which also should be compared to this view from just before the final demolition of the concrete plant. And while there's this one that I've been waiting to see, looking east along Potomac Avenue from South Capitol Street, with work on the top floor now underway, there's also the "surprise" view from the Yards Park (click to enlarge):

Dock 79 is also quite visible now when looking south along 1st Street, and even from New Jersey and M (in person, not with a wideish-angle lens!).

As for 801 New Jersey, it hasn't risen more than a couple floors, but it's still starting to show itself at locations other than the intersection of New Jersey and I--like along K Street, at 1st and at 2nd Place (I've added a small helpful pointer in case you aren't seeing it). It's going up a total of 13 floors, so it's only going to get more noticeable from more locations.

Of course, if a favored view is being eclipsed by this "progress," my sympathies. At least someone thought to take "before" photos.

(PS: The Reader Poll will be closing soon, so hurry up and vote. Tell us your favorite haunts around the 'Hood, and tell me a little about yourself. Pretty please? There may be a coveted JDLand t-shirt in it for you!)

Since a lot of you may not remember the original building, I'm providing this photo progression, from June 2006 to right after demolition in March 2007 to now:

There hasn't yet been an announcement of who the center's operator will be, and hence the types of programming that the center will offer, but in the meantime, it's still a fresher tableau than what was there before....

* B-DUBS: The latest BID newsletter says that Buffalo Wild Wings "anticipates" opening its location on Half Street SE just south of M Street on Monday, Nov. 16. The BID also says that the first 100 guests will each receive 52 coupons good for once-a-week orders of snack-sized traditional or boneless wings. The restaurant's space is in the ground floor of the 55 M Street office building, just south of the Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro station entrance.