1/20/04: [80] [Tonight at 8:30, I will be giving my annual State of the Circle speech, in front of the Dupont fountain.] Blade says Mr P's was "scheduled to close temporarily for renovations on Jan. 15, but was abruptly closed in more permanent fashion by owners on the night of Saturday, Jan. 3." See "Dupont’s Circle’s first gay bar closes its doors," http://washblade.com/2004/1-16/news/localnews/mrps.cfm WP applauds 17th St newcomer. See "A Young Man's Game: Komi's 24-year-old chef-owner brings a playful spirit to a Dupont Circle restaurant row," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60036-2004Jan6.html See "Man Found Dead Under Dupont Circle," http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0104/118199.html WP covers 1/10 shooting at 14th and V flea market. See "Wife Just Feet Away, D.C. Vendor Shot Dead," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11619-2004Jan12.html WP reviews new 14th St restaurant. See "Thai of a Different Stripe: Rice reaches out to vegetarians -- and anyone with a taste for culinary adventure," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17809-2004Jan14.html G Fine Art will move into 14th St's Sign of the Lamb building (north of Studio Theatre), opening in a few months. Hemphill Fine Arts expected to be 1 of 3 other art galleries there. Former Metro Cafe owners plan on opening Box Life on RI Ave behind 14th St's 7-11, with a small theatre space above the ground-floor bar. PN Hoffman will build 100-unit "24:7 Condominiums" at 1145 14th St, next to Holiday Inn and Green Lantern. Units will be priced from mid-200's to mid-500's. WP profiles The Norwood, Adams Morgan's classy apartment building at 1868 Columbia Rd. See "Stately 1917 Building in D.C. Has Time on Its Side," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4072-2004Jan9.html WBJ has more info on deal for 17th & Kalorama.See "Teetering on market blitz: Supermarket chain Harris Teeter inks first District deal, with more to come," http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/12/story1.html WP tells tale of 1418 W St, a 28-unit apartment building condemned in March 2000, which then had ownership transferred to its tenants. Bought out in August 2003 for $2.5 million, it is now on the market for $4.4 million. See "Ex-Owners Aghast at Building's Turnaround," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8382-2004Jan11.html InTowner sounds off on Office of Planning's "Columbia Heights Public Realm Framework." See "Public Input Sought on Multiple Fronts in Columbia Heights Development; Some Believe Advice Being Ignored," http://www.intowner.com/fr/issue/stories/story1.htm See also "News Release..." http://planning.dc.gov/planning/cwp/view.asp?a=1283&q=582081 See "Columbia Heights Projects’ Status Up-date," http://www.intowner.com/fr/issue/stories/story2.htm InTowner reviews funding for DC USA project. See "Mayor’s Office Shifts Strategy for Funding Target Stores’ Garage: Slated as Part of New Commercial Development in Columbia Heights," http://www.intowner.com/fr/issue/stories/story3.htm WBJ says G-town's Canal Square will get baby boutique K Baby and cosmetics shop Kiehl's, and furniture showroom Spazio will open on Wisc Ave. See "Georgetown lures stores for infants, image and interiors," http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/19/newscolumn5.html WP covers new 8-screen E Street Cinema. See "Raising 2nd Curtain on E Street Revival: Cinema Opening, but Not All Businesses Could Wait for Renaissance," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63317-2004Jan7.html See also "E Street Cinema A New D.C. Landmark," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A86-2004Jan8.html See also http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/WashingtonDC/EStreetCinema.htm WP profiles Lofts at Adams Morgan, Mather Studios and Saxon Court. See "In a Loft, Living Large Big Spaces, Exposed Pipes, Concrete. Sounds Great. Then What?," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15752-2004Jan14.html See "Scale of Kennedy Center Plaza Project Hits a Few Wrong Notes," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4019-2004Jan9.html WMATA is continuing its idiotic tradition of slapping on additional places to station names. WP reported they recently voted to change "New York Avenue" to "New York Avenue-Florida Avenue-Gallaudet University," and that the board will soon vote whether to add "Penn Quarter" to the Archives-Navy Memorial station and "Brentwood" to Rhode Island Avenue. See 2nd item in "The Region," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2059-2004Jan8.html WBJ reviews plans for retail center at NY Ave & SD Ave with Shoppers Food Warehouse and Staples, and maybe Costco. See "Washington Gateway makes headway," http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/12/story3.html See "Making New York Ave. Safer: Officials Outline Plans to Transform Commuter Route in D.C.," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6877-2004Jan10.html See also "$1 billion make over plan for N.Y. Avenue unveiled," http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20040110-103808-4974r.htm WBJ covers almost-open Mandarin Oriental and other SW projects. See "New projects offer portals to the future of waterfront," http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/12/focus3.html WBJ reviews 2003, including old convention center and SW Waterfront. See "Looking forward: District Development," http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/05/newscolumn4.html Another entry covers NoMa, and has more info on SW Waterfront. See "Looking forward: Commercial Real Estate," http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/05/newscolumn1.html See "Anacostia Plan Wins Backing: Special Company to Oversee Waterfront Development," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21173-2004Jan15.html See also "River of Dreams: An Exhibition of Lofty Plans for the Anacostia Inspires Hope They'll Come True," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23880-2004Jan16.html See also "Neighborhoods Have Big Role In Anacostia Waterfront Plan," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28168-2004Jan18.html WBJ looks at The Collection at Chevy Chase. See "D.C. retail rents reach $150 per sq. ft.," http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/19/story2.html See also "Washington's worth it: The region's retail offerings finally may catch up with its consumers' impulses," http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/19/editorial1.html WBJ says ground will be broken next month in Arlington for Potomac Plaza, which will incorporate pedestrian- oriented retail into residential development. See "New retail and residential en route to Potomac Yard," http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/12/focus2.html WBJ covers housing project next to Eisenhower Metro, with 326 condos in 2 buildings (20 and 16 stories) and 369 apartments in a 25-story tower. See "Condo/ apartment project rolls into Eisenhower Ave.," http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/12/newscolumn3.html Saturday, February 14: Lobster Boy's Valentine's Day Massacre, Chief Ike's. See http://www.lobsterboy.net Best regards, Michæl |