3/5/02:

1910 (restaurant on 18th St north of T) has been 
replaced with restaurant/piano bar Grille 88, from 
creator of Felix and Spy Lounge.

Units at The Residences at Eighteenth and R are being
offered from $499,000 to $725,000. See
http://www.martin-jeff.com/listings.shtml#Res

WP profiles the dilapidated 44-unit Queensborough
Apartments at 1614 17th St, where rents range from
$225 to $1,200. See "On 17th Street, an Overview of 
Halloween and History,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17130-2002Feb15.html

WP profiles The Tapies, the 21'-wide residential
project going up between Corcoran and Q Sts. See "Big
Squeeze Play on 16th Street: Just 21 Feet Wide, an
8-Story High-Rise Project Is Raising Eyebrows,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16860-2002Feb15.html
   See also http://www.furiosodc.com/tap.htm

The Ambassador, 8-story apartment building at 16th & 
S, has been vacated. It is being turned into condos.

Tutorsky Mansion's (16th & Riggs) conversion to an 11-
room B&B is running into zoning troubles. See 
"Neighborhood watchdogs: No breaks for Dupont B&B,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2002/02/18/daily7.html

WP profiles The Grooming Lounge, which opened Monday
on L St, west of Conn Ave. See "Groomed for Success:
Spas for Men Offer Alternatives to Salons,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33096-2002Mar3.html
   See also http://www.thegroominglounge.com/

WP visits Topaz & Rouge. See "Cracking the Bar Code,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8522-2002Feb27.html

Biz Forward looks at Dupont and beyond in "The Pink 
Market: Gays and Lesbians Are an Increasingly Visible
Market - and Marketers Are Paying Attention,"
http://www.bizforward.com/wdc/issues/2002-03/forwardthinking/

Blades reports changes for June's gay pride. See 
"Pride panel calls for change of parade day:
Organizers cite rising costs, needs of gay seniors,"
http://www.washblade.com/local/a.htm

WP spotlights the Mobil station at 15th & U. See "At 
the Pump, a Profit Puzzle,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55865-2002Feb23.html

Opening of BodySmith gym at 1624 14th St has been 
delayed to April or so.
   Rumor has another small gym coming to 14th & S.

WP turned the spotlight on the goofy production of 
"Doll," now playing at Metro Cafe (and just $10). See
"More Glamorous, Less Monstrous,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17457-2002Feb28.html
   See also "'Doll' hits D.C. and she wants to play:
Glamonstrosity, Inc. sends Norwegian playwright
Henrick Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' to camp with a
suitcase full of laughter,"
http://www.washblade.com/point/020301h.htm

WBJ reports on new businesses coming to renovated
stretch north of The Uptown, to include several 
restaurants and a women's apparel store. See "Bombay 
Bistro, haircolorxpress head to Cleveland Park,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2002/02/18/newscolumn7.html

Local group has formed to "Save The Avalon." See [1]
below.

WBJ looks at pending developments around the Tivoli. 
See "Donatelli & Klein tops list of Columbia Heights 
bids,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2002/02/25/newscolumn4.html

WBJ provided more info on Corcoran's plans for its
temporary home. The Wonderbread Factory site at 7th &
S is apparently being considered for its art classes
for the three years they'll be homeless. The art
collection itself will be shown in other DC locations
in a "Corcoran Around Town" program. See "Corcoran 
canvasses for new art space,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2002/02/25/story2.html
   The Corcoran's retail operation will also have a 
temporary home; the leading contender is Tysons 
Corner, or some other hideous suburban shopping mall.

WBJ looks at mixed-use development proposal on four 
parcels between Gallaudet and future NY Ave Metro. See
"District plans to beef up NoMa mixed-use offerings,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2002/02/25/story7.html

WBJ reports on plans for large project at 10th and F
which will incororate the former Lane Bryant store and
the historic Atlantic Building. See "Jemal plans 
300,000 s.f. downtown building,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2002/02/18/story4.html

Turner Memorial AME Church (originally Adas Israel) at
6th and I is for sale for $6.5 million. See "Former 
Temple, Now a Church -- Next an Eatery?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38798-2002Mar4.html

WP reports on project at 7th & H. See "United Artists
Plans Movies and More at Gallery Place,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49527-2002Feb21.html

See "City planners float revamp of Southwest 
waterfront,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2002/02/25/daily18.html
   See also "Revitalized Southwest Waterfront 
Envisioned: Apartments, Shops, Museum Proposed,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32992-2002Mar3.html

WP ran 2-part series "The $100 Million Failure: 
Stalled Urban Revival" on money and opportunity 
squandered by tax-exempt development organizations.
   WP examined 4 of the city's 8 community development
corporations, which have received over $100 million in
local and federal funds over the past ten years. Yet
most projects have sat uncompleted, leaving us with 
rotting historic theatres, empty storefronts, and
untouched eyesores, while the CDCs habitually violate
conflict-of-interest rules and are unable to account
for millions of dollars.
   Specifically, the head of the Development Corp. of
Columbia Heights is reported to have: served 4 months 
in prison (after admitting stealing $6,000 from a N.J.
housing authority in 1987); paid his son $20,000 a 
year for a job he rarely, if ever, showed up for (from
1994 to 2000); buying contracts with companies run by
his board members; and selling a house developed with
CDC funds below-cost to a friend.
   See "D.C. Revitalization Promised, Not Delivered:
Nonprofits Collect Millions as Work Goes Undone,
Neighborhoods Left With Eyesores,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55533-2002Feb23.html
   See also "Risky Ventures, Little Accountability:
After Years of Public Funding, Nonprofits Have 
Completed Few Projects,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61862-2002Feb24.html
   See also "Federal Money Flowed With Little 
Oversight: City Promises to Cut Off Ineffectual 
Groups,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58375-2002Feb23.html
   For a justifiably outraged response to this mess,
see DC Watch's community feedback site "The Mail," 
http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/2002/02-02-27.htm
   See also "$100 Million Down the Drain,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14300-2002Feb27.html
   A nearby CDC not audited by the WP is the Latino 
Economic Development Corp. See http://www.ledcdc.org/
   Council member Brazil, chairman of the Economic 
Development Committee, will have a hearing on March 
14, 4-6, 1350 Penn Ave, room 412. Anyone interested in
testifying can schedule by calling 724-8000.
   See also "D.C. Nonprofit Assailed Over Housing
Deals: Discount Government Homes Resold at Profit,
Audit Finds,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26148-2002Mar1.html

The Center of Neighborhood Information Services has a
new Web site which has some stats for Dupont Circle.
   See profile of "cluster 6," which covers Dupont and the 
western edge of downtown, at 
http://www.dcagenda.org/pages/nis/neighborhood/nclusters/Nbr_prof_clus6.htm
   See profile of Ward 1 at 
http://www.dcagenda.org/pages/nis/neighborhood/wards/Nbr_prof_ward1.htm
   See profile of Ward 2 at
http://www.dcagenda.org/pages/nis/neighborhood/wards/Nbr_prof_ward2.htm

WP reports 3 possible new transit routes: Woodley Park
to U St to the Minnesota Ave Metro station; Georgetown
to the convention center; and Silver Spring to Potomac
Ave Metro station via Georgia Ave and the waterfront. 
See "Metro Looks for Something Between a Bus and a 
Train: Chairman Wants New Mode of Transportation,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49484-2002Feb21.html
   There are 3 more meetings being held to discuss 
future transit options in DC. See
http://www.wmata.com/about/expansion/public_meetings.htm
   Comments may be sent to dctransitstudy@wmata.com

WP looks at business of local artisan bakers. See
"Dough! Too Many Bakers, Too Few Buyers. How to Get
Bread-Shop Income to Rise?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55467-2002Feb23.html
   WCP looks at barriers to cheap & convenient
quality bread. See "Our Daily Dread,"
http://washingtoncitypaper.com/archives/cover/2002/cover0222.html

MPD's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit now has a Web site.
See http://gaydc.net/gllu/

See "Going for the Green: Arlington's plan to rebuild
its living infrastructure,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55436-2002Feb23.html

Now even Ballston has plans for a "downtown look," 
with plans for a $200 million mixed-use development to
include two high-rise apartment buildings and outdoor
cafes next to the Ballston Metro. See "Downtown 
Suburbia," middle of
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4763-2002Feb26.html

Tonight, March 5: Winter Open House at The Phillips
Collection, free to members of the Dupont Circle
neighborhood. 6:30 - 8:30; 7:00 presentation followed
by a tour of the Corot to Picasso exhibit.

March 5: PSA 309 will have a "community walk" with 
their police officers, starting at 7:30pm at 16th & Q.
Map of PSA 309 available at 
http://mpdc.dc.gov/info/districts/3rd/bound.shtm

Wednesday, March 6: Future of Metro talk at the NBM,
6:30 - 8:00. See http://nbm.org/Calendar/Lectures.html

Friday, March 8: Cherry Red's "Angel Shit" opens at
Source Theatre, on 14th St. See 
http://www.cherryredproductions.com/
   I'm excited to announce that the props were done by
yours truly. My thanks to the local ProCare, which 
sold me 155 10cc syringes without any questions asked.

Saturday, March 9: Opening reception for "Kendall 
Buster: Parabiosis," "Richard Chartier: 3_components,"
and "James Huckenpahler: Age of Loneliness" at 
Fusebox, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

Friday, March 15: Reel Affirmations Xtra is back with
psychological thriller "A Matter of Taste" - "Find out
what happens when a wealthy industrialist meets a 
handsome stud waiter and asks him to serve as his 
personal food taster. What seems the perfect match 
turns deadly, proving that sex and food don't always 
mix." OK. 7:00 & 9:15 at DCJCC, 16th & Q; $8.

Saturday, March 16: 1st anniversary party for 
Hamburger Mary's. Open bar from 7-8 with plenty of 
food, music and videos. 

Sunday, March 24: Visions' 2nd-annual Oscars party.
See http://www.visionsdc.com/specialevents/index.shtml

Best regards,
Michæl
------------------------------------------------------
[1]  
   Date: Sat, 02 Mar 2002  
   From: Jennifer Kaplan 
Subject: New Initiative To Save The Avalon

The Avalon Theater Project, a community based non-
profit organization which has been working to lease 
The Avalon and reopen it as a film and performing arts
center, has recently suffered a real and serious set
back: Douglas Development has rejected ATP's proposal
to lease the Avalon and offered no counter proposal or
alternative.
   WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY. IF YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES YOU
CAN HELP at http://www.theavalon.org/letter.html
   The fact is, writing letters and making telephone 
calls are simple and effective ways to change policy.
   We are terribly concerned that The Avalon will sit 
vacant -- and deteriorating - for years or possibly 
decades.  This is a credible concern: hundreds of 
historic buildings are kept off the market until
economic conditions improve or the real estate market
appreciates.  If this is the plan for The Avalon, our
neighborhood and our community will continue to 
suffer.  As it stands, the Avalon is falling into 
increasing disrepair and the interior, including the 
historic mural that adorns the main theater ceiling, 
is deteriorating rapidly due to structural and water 
damage.   If The Avalon continues to sit vacant and 
unattended, not only will a major, deteriorating 
building blight our modest main street, but the 
vitality of our local community will be in jeopardy. 
ATP is asking that Douglas Development explain their
plans for The Avalon and address what plans they have
for securing a tenant in a timely manner.  We believe
that the future of our neighborhood and the strength 
of our community hang in the balance. We need to hear 
what you will do to ensure that citywide business-as-
usual does not prevail over the interests of our 
neighborhoods, our communities and our main streets.
   Saving The Avalon is about more than a movie 
theater and concerns everyone in the District.  It is
about preserving our neighborhoods. Our neighborhoods 
must remain vital and policy cannot tolerate the 
desertion of vital commercial operations. Saving The 
Avalon is about nurturing our community. Community 
needs must be addressed and community based 
initiatives need to be supported. Finally, saving The
Avalon is about promoting responsible public policy. 
Policymakers need to protect our neighborhoods and 
communities from the destructive forces of indifferent
parties. So please take a minute and let our elected 
officals know that saving The avalon matters to you.

Jennifer Kaplan
Vice Chair
The avalon Theater Project, Inc.
http://www.theavalon.org/letter.html