Well, I Have Your Ellwood Thompson's Update

So, earlier in the week when I wrote about IHOP opening, I mentioned that I hadn't heard any news about the next door Ellwood Thompson's organic market.

If I can be totally self-aggrandizing here and quote myself, I commented, "Washington City Paper's Lydia DePillis reported back in June that the anticipated [Ellwood Thompson's] opening date would be January 2011. However, I've recently walked past the site and it looks like little progress has been made."

Saying I told you so is really attractive, right?

Via PoP and Washington City Paper, Ellwood Thompson's has officially backed out of their deal with DCUSA. Considering they've been "coming soon" for so long, I don't think this necessarily surprises anyone.

Jim Graham was quoted by WCP as (pretty aggressively) claiming, "I was the one who sent them there. Little did I know how conservative, really timid, they would become...they're going to pay for this very bad decision."

I'm going to assume this last sentence is in reference to the financial penalties they've incurred, and not some Soprano's style revenge that he's planning......

Ellwood's (which is a small, Richmond, Va-based grocer) will face $1 million in fines for prematurely breaking their lease with DCUSA.

Apparently, DCUSA is continuing to court other organic grocers, in hopes of filling the vacant retail space. However, as a few PoP commenters accurately noted, it'll likely be difficult now to convince a grocer to lease here. Giant is only 3 blocks away, and the Target directly above the site is now selling groceries too.

I, for one, would love to see a Whole Foods or possibly a Trader Joe's here. However, as the 3rd and H street grocer pursuit would seem to indicate, neither chain is attempting to aggressively expand their DC presence.  Yet, given the proximity of two relatively inexpensive grocery options, I think only a Whole Food's, TJ's or some other expensive niche retailer would be able to grab enough market share here to merit the investment.

I'm sure Columbia Heights residents will be waiting with baited breath to see what happens next.

Update: In keeping with the convoluted nature of Ellwood's entire attempt to come to DC....DCist now reports that Ellwood Thompson's owner Richard Hood has stated that they are continuing to work with DCUSA to open their Columbia Heights location.

"I don't know why Jim Graham is saying this. We are not in default. We continue to work with the landlord to make this happen," Hood said.

ARGH. I'll keep you updated as more information rolls in about Ellwood's coming/not coming. Don't be surprised if it's another 2 years until we have the actual answer....

Update: The plot thickens. Washington City Paper noted at 9:35am on 11/20:

"Graham reiterates that he has spoken with Drew Greenwald, president of DCUSA owner Grid Properties, who says that Ellwood Thompson's is 'in default four times to the tune of $1 million.'

'We don't know what Mr. Hood is talking about,' Graham says."

New Giant Slated for 3rd and H St NE

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Good news for the H street corridor. The Washington Business Journal reports that Chevy Chase-based developer Steuart Investment Co. has lured Giant as the retail anchor for their 286,500-square-foot-project called 360˚ H Street. The Giant will fill 41,200 square feet of ground-level retail, with another 1,500 square foot bay yet to be filled.

The development, which will house 215 rental units and 270 underground parking spaces, has been looking for a grocery for its ground level for quite some time. Steuart Investment Co, led by Guy Steuart, also approached Harris Teeter, Yes!Organic Market and Trader Joe's.

Not all residents were thrilled to see Giant lease the space over the other higher-end groceries. H Street's ANC chairman, Kelvin Robinson, commented that the H street community “wanted to have a different level of store.” 

However, the move appears to be a savvy one for Giant. As Tony Richardson (ANC 6C) aptly noted in response to some critics, "What’s so bad about Giant? Right now there’s nothing there.”

The new store will be two blocks from Union Station, along the much-anticipated (and yet unbuilt) NE streetcar line, and will be across from another residential development by Abdo, with an additional 480 units. Per DC's supermarket tax exemption program, it's likely that Giant will be granted a 10-year tax abatement at that location. Steuart Investment Co was awarded a $5 million abatement last year to build 360˚ H Street.

DC's Ward 6 councilman, Tommy Wells, has also expressed his support for the project. He was recently quoted by WBJ as stating, "This is a great next step in the revitalization of the H Street Corridor. I'm excited that Giant has been exploring more urban and transit-oriented store designs and I'm eager to see Steuart and Giant deliver on a vision that embraces the new streetcar and the proximity to Union Station."

Giant is also leasing retail space at the new Citymarket at O development--a highly anticipated project that will encompass the blocks between 7th and 9th, and O and P streets NW. The historic Shaw location will feature a 72,000-square-foot Giant, almost twice the size of the H St location.

15th Street Bike Lanes Updated

Thought you'd enjoy this picture (from Beyond DC.com) of the new bikes lanes. I walked past them last night on the way home from Whole Foods...they look really nice, and there were a ton of people using them. I think 2-way, protected bike lanes are a great way to encourage folks like myself to bike, who otherwise might be afraid of injury.

Hello Cupcake Coming to Eastern Market/Barracks Row

Photo courtesy of DCmud.blogspot.com

As DCmud reports, a new outpost of Dupont Circle's Hello Cupcake will be coming to Barracks Row. The new location at 705 8th St SE will be a continuation of the original locations' s whimsical decor. The owner and founder, Penny Karas, will again be using her husband Bill Bonestra's design team (Bonestra Haresign Architects). Bonestra's company designed the original Hello Cupcake, located right off of Dupont Circle, and have also had a hand in projects like 14th street's Studio Theatre.

Photo courtesy of Hellocupcake.com

According to DCMud, the new location is a 3-story rowhouse, which the owners intend to liven up with flower boxes, etc in keeping with the residential facade. Additionally, a basement floor will allow Karas to start a delivery operation, for which she apparently has nationwide aspirations. Because, let's face it, DC just doesn't have enough cupcakeries...

White People Ruin Neighborhoods

This post from Prince of Petworth is one of the most offensive things I've read in a while. Many of the blog comments echo my sentiments, but I cannot believe how incredibly racist this writer is. If a white person wrote this about black people, it'd be an outrage. What a complete double standard

What's terrible is that the poster--BJ--has a few valid points (i.e. people moving into neighborhoods should be active in their community, be friendly to their neighbors) that people should discuss. But they're veiled by such venomous anti-white statements that they're almost beyond recognition.

And perhaps the worst part of these comments is that they truly do represent the beliefs that other city residents hold. DC was better 30 years ago. White people are taking over a black city, and ruining it. All white people want is more dog parks and bike lines...they don't care about incorporating into the existing community at all. I've heard these comments and others like them far too often lately, especially with DC's recent, racially-charged mayoral primaries.

It actually sickens me to see how openly racist comments like these are. The true fact of the matter is that racism is alive and well in the United States...and blanket statements about all white people or all black people mask the much more inimitable racial undercurrent in our country. Are most racists as openly extreme as the PoP guest poster? No. They're the people who would never use the n-word, but would also never consider a resume from an job applicant named Lakisha. Or the people who would never post anti-white statements on a blog, but who don't ever call the police because they assume white cops will only respond to complaints from other whites.

Instead of opening up a forum for true discussion of gentrification issues, all BJ did was open a big can of worms, with mudslinging on both sides. Sad. I hope one day, when we talk about making DC a better place to live, the discussion doesn't have to revolve around race.

New Mexican Restaurant to Come to 14th and V

Various bloggers are reporting today that a new restaurant is slated for the AM/PM carryout space at the intersection of 14th and V streets, near the U street corridor. Apparently it's a project that's been in the works for months.

I'm extremely curious to see the final result of this development, as I think the current AM/PM carryout is a bit of an eyesore (see photo, below). The surrounding area has seen quite a bit of renovation, with various higher-end apartment and condo buildings and the addition of Eatonville, etc.

Photo, courtesy of PrinceofPetworth

The new restaurant will be called La Fonda, and will be serving a Tex Mex menu. According to their liquor license application, they'd like to stay open until 2am on weekdays and 3am on Friday and Saturday, so clearly the proprietors are hoping for a bar/late night dining atmosphere in the evening. Given that the rent in this area has probably increased substantially, it's not surprising to me that the owners are looking for high-profit margin alcohol sales to boost their revenue. It may, however, be a bit a nuisance to the surrounding residents.

I'd personally rather see a fast-casual restaurant here than a bar, but hopefully the proprietors will renovate the location in fitting with the surrounding neighbhorhood's character (re: nicer than AM/PM without completely gutting the building).

Shaw Dog Park Gets a Facelift

What's a grant?

Photo courtesy of DailyPuppy.com

I've already come down as pro-dog park, not mention it's a great excuse to find a cute puppy picture to post! So, as you can imagine, I was pleased to find this post on Borderstan.

Looks like the non-profit that maintains this dog park at 11th and R St NW recently received a grant through DC's Neighbhorhood Investment Fund. You can find out more about these grants here. I actually had no idea that the District had this kind of grant program, but I definitely approve. There are only certain areas where the grants can be used, including Shaw, Columbia Heights, Bloomingdale and Eckington, Anacostia, and H St NE. The full list of the 12 target areas can be found here.

If you'd like to know more about Shaw Dogs, the non-profit running the park, please visit their website. They look like an extremely active, civic-minded organization. It's great to see this interest in the Shaw neighbhorhood, congratulations on the grant!

New Dog Park in McLean Gardens, More in the Works for Petworth and Northeast

When I originally read this PoP post, I thought--hey! great! Another dog park. The one at 17th and New Hampshire is a real boon to the area, and a great gathering place that fosters a sense of community (hi, I'm Whitney. Oh that's your dog? Mine's the one who's humping him).

Then I looked up the location on Google Maps. McLean Gardens!? I certainly can't imply that the 17th street dog park is exactly low-income, but aren't there some neighborhoods that would benefit from a park more than this wealthy enclave? How about the SW waterfront, Columbia Heights or Petworth?

Initial outrage behind me, I then read the rest of the article. Oops. As PoP indicates, there are two more dog parks in the works--one in Petworth near Arkansas and 14th St NW, and one in NE between 14th and Tennessee Avenue (I struggled with what neighborhood to classify this as--East Capitol Hill, perhaps?)

A lot of folks would hold up this development as an example of Fentyism--pro-white, pro-gentrification, DC economic developments that benefit DC's wealthier set while taking money away from the true DC residents. Well, I suppose there is some merit to that attack...using taxpayer money to build a dog park DOES take dollars away from other potential government programs. But I disagree with those who say that DC isn't benefitting from these changes.

I'm extremely pleased with both the proposed locations--NE and Petworth. I think you're taking two, somewhat iffy neighborhoods and giving them a tremendous leg-up...are you moving to Navy Yard, with the stadium and little else? Or would you move to Petworth, where things may still be rough around the edges, but you've now got an organic market, a soon-to-be renovated Safeway, new apartment buildings and restaurants opening, and A DOG PARK! OK the last one may not necessarily seal the deal for anyone. But still, it's a signal of progress and economic investment in a neighborhood where some buyers are banking on the area becoming a more robust neighborhood in the next 10-20 years.

Now to the rabble rousers...I know there are people who are going to read this post and think that these dog parks are a sign of a terrible thing-GENTRIFICATION. 1) You're ruining the authenticity of the neighborhood. 2) You're bringing in more rich (read-white) people at the expense of the poorer (mostly black) residents. 3) When property values and rents go up as a result, poorer residents will be forced out of the neighborhood and into more suburban areas without public transportation. 4) The last thing this neighborhood needs is a dog park when there are so many other pressing issues facing residents.

A response to the haters.

1) Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that boarded up houses, vacant lots, and liquor stores behind bullet-proof barriers were so authentic. Admittedly, the development in Adam's Morgan is an example of development of sucking the life out of a neighbhorhood...a walk up 18th street proves just how badly gentrification can erase a neighborhood's character. But I think DC residents are getting smarter, demanding that each neighborhood's unique culture be preserved (so, OK, rabble rouse a little bit). While certainly gentrifying, the legacy of jazz continues to have an indelible imprint on the U Street corridor. And who can deny the continued presence of hispanic culture in Columbia Heights (you know, minus Target and...bleh...Ruby Tuesdays).

2) and 3). Yep. That is completely true, and is one of the undesired effects of economic development in a neighborhood. But here's the kicker--it doesn't have to be! If these ramifications bother you, then don't deny a neighborhood some economic investment. Instead, remain (or start getting) active and involved in local politics and in your community. It is possible for economic development and social consciousness to be reconciled, but not if you don't vote--with your ballot and your wallet. You hate the Columbia Heights Target so much? Don't shop there. But everyone else will, because it was a convenient and necessary addition to the city.

4)  False. I realize that it's a rough world out there, folks. But I think that these community features help foster neighborhood pride and encourage residents to get to know eachother. Much like churches in decades past, community centers and coffee houses and, yes, dog parks are the meeting grounds for community-minded people in an age where religion is becoming increasingly less prominent in the average American's life. I'm not implying that we suddenly raze all our churches for dog parks, but I do think these features encourage an active, engaged neighborhood with many rich, varied options for its citizens.

Gee, I'm sure at the end of this post you have no doubt where I fall on the Fenty-Gray debate.

The Yards Park Opens Near Navy Yard

Prince of Petworth's 5pm post last week covered the opening of the Yards Park, a 30 million dollar development project that's part of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative. The 5.5 acre park features some lovely green space and an (interesting) sculptural bridge (picture, PoP).

I personally think this is a great new development for the area. DC has an amazing waterfront that seems pretty underutilized to me.
A lot of folks thought that the new Nationals stadium would be the impetus for changing this neighborhood, but a combination of factors seems to have derailed this economic development. Many claimed the lack of residential ammenities as reasons they wouldn't consider purchasing a home here--hopefully the addition of Yards Park is a step in the right direction!

9/15/10 Update: I found an enjoyable write-up of this opening on Two DC.

Shaw's Shiloh Baptist Church Starts Neighborhood Development Project, Leaves Many More Properties Vacant

I was reading the City Paper this morning and stumbled on this article: shiloh baptist church finally gets started on victory village maybe


Here's a question--why is Shiloh Baptist Church sitting on all these properties? This entity is not a real estate developer, it's a religious organization. While I appreciate the intent to develop some community-oriented facilities, I still think it's an ethical stretch for a church to be snatching up parcels of real estate (see map from Rob Goodspeed ). Rob also details a full listing of Shiloh Baptist's holdings here.

I'll venture that this real estate is an investment, not a community service. DCist reports that their own neighbors complain that "the empty, crumbling buildings" attract prostitutes, drug users, rodents, and that these spaces accumulate piles of trash that constitute a fire hazard. Hardly sounds beneficial to the community. It's good to see some people are stepping up to help improve their neighborhood, although it's sad and ironic that the church leadership can't be counted among them.

The church claims that it is just lacking the necessary funds to redevelop it's holdings. But if it were really so well-intentioned, why not sell its properties to a non-profit, or to a developer who will agree to rehab the property? ANC 2C01 commissioner Alex Padro notes concerns that "based on the church's history with these properties, the leadership will attempt to list them far above their actual value, and they could end up sitting on the market for another long stretch of time." Clearly, this is a charitable endeavor without hope for monetary gain. (DCist).

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

Leaving buildings vacant blights a neighborhood, and these empty structures are especially a problem in Shaw. Here's a snapshot I found posted on DCist of one of these beauties. Wouldn't you love to live with this across the street from your home? More pics and comments here....what a pillar of the community.

I realize many Shaw residents are pushing back against the encroach of gentrification, and their concerns aren't entirely unwarranted. But, development doesn't necessarily mean luxury condos and wine bars. The Washington Post quotes church leader Rev. Wallace Smith as stating that the church prefers to turn the properties into affordable housing rather than allow developers to build condos, drive up neighborhood prices and "displace persons." This statement misrepresents the church's situation (as does the entire article's portrayal of Shiloh). There are socially-minded developers who could actually deliver the community services that Shiloh has been promising for years and years.

Thanks, Shiloh Baptist, for this foray into outrageous ineptitude and questionable ethics.