* DECLARATION DECLARING: A press release from Grosvenor says that Declaration will be opening at F1rst, in mid-March, as the building's first full-service dining option. "This new location will be double the size of its counterpart in [Shaw] and will offer pizza and Philadelphia-oriented menu items, including some ballpark staples." The release also says that Barre3 will open in spring late summer or fall [error in press release, I'm told]. With these openings, only one retail space at F1rst remains unleased.

* BARRACKS DECIDING: The Record of Decision and Final EIS for the new Bachelor Enlisted Quarters have been published, ending a study phase that feels like it began in 1936. The chosen site plan is to build the new BEQ immediately to the north of the barracks at 7th and L, SE (Building 25), which will spell doom for either some or all of the athletic field (it's been so long, I don't remember anymore). Read the MBEIS web site for actual details that aren't from memory.

* SOUTH CAPITOL PROJECTING: DDOT announced some temporary lane closures this week in multiple locations "for pre-construction work associated with the South Capitol Street Corridor Project and the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge project." I believe this is the first mention of "pre-construction work" for these projects--or at least they are since the design-build contract was awarded.

* PEPCO DISRUPTING: ANC 6D07 Commissioner Fascett reports that PEPCO will be digging up portions M Street SE between 1st and 6th and 1st south of M to install underground pipes and then cables during February and March. Watch for daytime traffic disruptions weekdays and Saturdays.

* WILLOW VALENTINING: If you are in a red-heart mood on Saturday (Feb. 10), retail boutique Willow is having a Valentine's Day party, from 11 am to 7 pm. There will be valentine-making, cupcakes, a photo booth, and more. (Strangely, the valentines give out all look like this.) Willow is in the ground floor of Arris, on Water Street across from District Winery, just north of the Yards Park.

What was not rumored is that there will also be a gelato and coffee offering as well, which should go well with the space's location immediately next to the park's fountains in summer and ice rink in winter.

A JDLand reader on Twitter reports that the workers hanging the signs said that Wiseguy would open in about three months, but We Shall See.

This will be Wiseguy's third DC location.

In other neighborhood pizza news:

* All-Purpose tweeted last week that its Dock 79 location is opening "this February," and there is now a "Coming Soon" badge for it on its web site.

* Oath Pizza also now has a Coming Soon page for its location on M Street next to Bethesda Bagels in the ground floor of Insignia on M. interested parties can sign up for an invite to their (undated) grand opening.

* The build-out at Declaration in the ground floor of F1rst seems to be proceeding apace, as this photo from last weekend shows.

(It's the space at the center of this photo, as seen from the Center Field Gate of Nats Park a short block away.)

The owners are planning to keep the 125-foot bar and the restaurant open late, and will "work to make Mission Dos a 365-day-a-year business," says WBJ. And there is a "stretch goal" to open in time for the All-Star Game, but We Shall See.

This is the first announced retail tenant for 1221 Van, which has 290ish apartments with leasing now underway. There is still an additional 17,000 square feet of retail space in the building to be spoken for.

* RESTAURANT CHLOE: Washingtonian gets the scoop, and lots of details, on the Jan. 5 opening of Chloe, the first solo venture by Chef Haidar Karoum. It's located on the southwest corner of 4th and Tingey, in the ground floor of Arris, across from Bluejacket. Washingtonian reports that the menu "is a mismash of all the cuisines Karoum has cooked professionally (Spanish, Southeast Asian, modern American), grown up with (Lebanese), and fell in love with while traveling (Mediterranean and beyond)."

* NEW FOOD PANTRY: At the other end of the food spectrum is the news that St. Vincent de Paul--the church at South Capitol and M that brings you Nats Mass in the summer--has launched a new monthly food pantry. It will be open on the 4th Saturday of every month from 10 am to noon, and donations can be dropped off inside the main doors of the church. It is part of the network of food pantries run in partnership with the John S. Mulholland Family Foundation, and monetary donations can be made here. If you are interested in volunteering, contact St. Vincent de Paul.

* GSA WAREHOUSE: Looks like someone out there has bid $31 million to buy the GSA warehouse on the southeast corner of Half and L Streets, SE. Will that be the final purchase price? We shall see!

The press release says that Peet's will be facing New Jersey Avenue adjacent to the Metro station, and Oath will be in the space to the west of Bethesda Bagels.

This leaves two retail spaces open in the building, 3,000 square feet at New Jersey and M and 1,500 square feet at New Jersey and L.

Another victory for you coffee types!

"The first 25 people in line will receive a Buy-One-Get-One voucher good for your next visit and a Chipotle t-shirt, with purchase."

Chipotle joins F1rst's foodie lineup of Taylor Gourmet, Chop't, Roti, and Rasa Indian Grill, along with Solidcore to burn off all those calories. The development's next eatery, Declaration, looks to open in 2018.

* RASA ALMOST HERE: According to City Paper, Rasa Indian Grill will be opening its doors in the ground floor of F1rst on Wednesday, Dec. 6. (I'm not surprised that I don't have a recent shot of the Rasa front, but I can't believe I don't have a decent NOT-recent shot of it, either. Argh.) The City Paper piece has a lot of background on the restaurant's format and background. And on Instagram Rasa says that they will be opening from 12-2 on Tuesday Dec. 5 to support DC Central Kitchen.

* OATH PIZZA: The sight of workers in the retail space next to Bethesda Bagels in the ground floor of Insignia on M has been noticed; but what I and my normally deep-digging commenters missed was the news back in October that Boston-based Oath Pizza would be coming to that address in early 2018--and boxes inside the space do indeed say "Oath Pizza" on them. A Merrifield/Mosaic location opened about a month ago, and WTOP says that not only does Oath bill itself as the "only existing certified-humane pizza restaurant in the country," it "has what it calls a trade secret thin crust, that’s hand-stretched, grilled and seared in avocado oil."

* With this tweet (and the graphic at right), Cava is announcing that it is ready to open, starting with a "free community lunch" on Friday, Oct. 27, from noon to 2 pm. It's at 52 M Street between Half and Cushing, in the ground floor of the Homewood Suites (and next to Shake Shack).

* The Capitol Riverfront BID is announcing that the Canal Park ice rink is expected to have its grand opening on Friday, Nov. 17, from 5 to 8 pm. It may actually open to the public in the days before that, weather permitting, but We Shall See. There is a new operator this year, Tri-State Ice Management, which operates rinks at Pentagon Row, Glen Burnie, and Rockville. The BID's announcement says that the company with be "revitalizing and bolstering the programming at the ice rink," and that will be new skates, that "guarantee sharpness throughout the season." There's also a new web site, at CanalParkIceSkating.com. (No word on a new restaurant operator in the Il Parco space, however.)

* Taylor Gourmet opens tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 23, on 1st St. SE between M and N, at 11 am.

* District Winery opens on Aug. 30. And its restaurant is apparently named Ana, as in Anacostia. (WTOP)

* The Juice Laundry is really really trying to open. Really.

(This is short, because I saw the sun disappear yesterday, and am still out of pocket.)

The hunt is now on for what Brad Fennell of WC Smith called an "operator who will fully embrace the park and all of its potential," and meetings with interested parties are apparently already underway.

Il Parco opened in early 2016 as a retool/replacement for the Park Tavern, which opened in April 2013. Neither restaurant ever seemed to capture the fancy of residents, office workers, or Nats fans, and it will be interesting to see what might come into that location next and how a new operator will approach the space and its surroundings.