Local blogs are buzzing today about the DC government's launch of crimemap.dc.gov, which allows users to drill down by address, neighborhood, ANC, Ward, whatever, and get a graphical representation of reported crimes. It's using the same DC Stat RSS feed that I've used to launch my Near Southeast Crime Incidents list (which has been wonderfully low on new data recently!). But if you're looking for a splashy graphic version to display crime trends, rather than my boring text-only list, give it a shot (but be warned, it's moving very slowly today thanks to all the publicity). And remember to scroll down and check my Near Southeast Data Feeds box every day--the crime and public space permits are updated by noon, the building permits update in the late evenings, and the recent property sales (which have a lag time of about six weeks) update once a week or so depending on the city's interest in updating their database. UPDATE: I've also tinkered with my Data Feeds box to show all currently in-effect public space permits, in addition to new/updated applications, as well as to expand the timeframe on offerings to 14 days from seven. I can't imagine this interests anyone other than me, but just in case....

GlobeSt.com has a brief on MacFarlane Partners, the San Francisco-based real estate investment firm that has fronted 25% of the capital for the development of the Southeast Federal Center (hey, buddy, that's "The Yards" to you!). The article says that "the company plans to make significant investments in the Baseball district" and that "MacFarlane says he expects to announce three mixed-use projects in the area by the end of the year. These will consist of residential, retail and office totaling some $300 million to $400 million. Right now these projects are in the early planning stage, but MacFarlane says that, depending on the density patterns, he expects the projects will cover between one million sf to two million sf." I've seen MacFarlane mentioned recently as part of the group working on Herb Miller's stadium garages plan, but I don't know whether this statement about the three soon-to-be-announced projects would include the garages, or if it includes any part of the SFC/Yards, or if it's partnering with Forest City and Western Development (Herb's company) on the AWC's drive to develop the WASA site, or if it's three completely new projects. I guess we shall see. (Read the GlobeSt brief quick, because they archive after seven days.)

The Oct. 27 Voice of the Hill is now posted online, with it's extensive coverage of the Nov. 7 local elections--Near Southeast is in Ward 6 and ANC 6D (single-member district 6D07). Get yourselves good and educated, and then vote!

From the DC Examiner: "Constructing free-standing parking garages at the new Southeast ballpark would be preferable to risking tens of millions of dollars by not producing at all, Mayor Anthony Williams said Wednesday. [...] 'We tried to maximize development on this site within the constraints we had, and we haven't been able to. So we're going to go at it this way and hopefully everybody will come to their senses in two, three, four years and do the right thing.' Williams indicated he now supports 'regular old, garden-variety structured parking.' 'And try to pretty it up,' he said, 'put a ribbon on a pig.' "