Important Streetcar Meeting Tonight!

As you know, Anacostia was built as a streetcar suburb of DC. Bringing the streetcar back is a hugely important component to Anacostia's revitalization. Please try to attend tonight's meeting and vote for route alternatives that bring the line back to the downtown Anacostia area.


Historic allignment on MLK Ave between St. Elizabeths and Capitol Hill, via David Rumsey Map Collection

Press Release: The District Department of Transportation is seeking community input to identify route alternatives that best meet the transit needs of the community.

During this public meeting, the study team will provide updates on route alternatives that are being evaluated to create a transit connection between the Anacostia Metrorail Station and the 11th Street Bridge. Residents, members of the business community and other interested parties are encouraged to attend. Childcare will be provided for children ages five and older.

Wednesday, June 29, 7pm - 9pm
Savoy Elementary School
2400 Shannon Place, SE

For more information on the DC Streetcar project, visit DCStreetcar.com.

Big Chair Coffee Has Closed. Good News?

[UPDATE: Big Chair is NOT ACTUALLY CLOSED. Sources were mistaken. However, they are still actively looking for a buyer, and this revelation does not explain why they were closed all last week...]

It's a bittersweet moment for Anacostia, yet one that won't inspire too many misty eyes: Big Chair Coffee has closed.



Never fear, it's not because Anacostians don't like coffee, it's just that we like good coffee (and cleanliness), and Big Chair's steep decline after it's major fanfare Winter 2010 opening was too much for most of its eager patrons to handle.

Rumor has it that the owners are in talks to sell the shop to someone new -- who would, I hope, take Big Chair's failings into account and make this place the neighborhood java joint everyone was hoping for from the start.

Regardless of what happens next, let this be a lesson to others that might come next: just because Anacostia is an under-served market doesn't mean that the neighborhood has lower expectations. We like nice things, too.

[See comments for ideas on why it closed / stopped being a go-to spot.]

original photo courtesy of Washington City Paper

Food News: Kabobs for Anacostia?

This seems a bit random, but also goes to show that nowadays it isn't only the "expected" organizations and businesses that are beginning to move to Anacostia. Last week I got news that Rebiya Kadeer (read this great bio from the New York Times), the Uyghur activist and millionaire businesswoman who was exiled from China in 2005, purchased the long-boarded-up commercial building next door to the Honfleur Gallery.



At first, my understanding was that it would be the new DC headquarters for the World Uyghur Congress or the Uyghur American Association - but as of today I heard a different story.

According to sources who spoke with Ms. Kadeer at the site this morning, she plans to open a Uyghur restaurant - featuring the western Chinese ethnic group's famous kabobs - in the space later this year.

I'm sure more info will begin to seep out soon - but regardless of what moves in it's wonderful to see this abandoned and decrepit building go back to productive use! Crossing our fingers that kabobs are in Anacostia's future!

(I spent a semester in Beijing, and happened to live near a Uyghur-dominated commercial street so know and love the food. Great kabobs, edamame, flatbread, and potato dishes)

Potential Bright Future for the Big K Site

As you know, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DCHD) bought the Big K lot (MLK and Morris Road) and adjacent abandoned properties along MLK Avenue last year. They have been working with the neighborhood to develop a development plan for the site, and we got our first peek at the site's possible future last week. See before and after images below:





DHCD will begin stabilization of the historic properties this fall. As part of a community survey that went around, most people would like to see a mix of commercial and cultural uses at the site. As it is now, it is one of the most dilapidated sites in the neighborhood, and is a terrible gateway fore anyone entering the historic district. The rendering above looks amazing!

• Click Here to see DHCD's June 9 presentation on plans and survey results regarding the Big K site
• Click Here to see their more general presentation on Anacostia neighborhood stabilization

What do you think? Is this spot on or what? Of course, still a lot of work to be done, and these are in no way final renderings... but major kudos to DHCD for listening to the community!

Follow @AnacostiaNow on twitter!

Are you on twitter? Then make sure you start following @AnacostiaNow!



With all my other commitments around DC, I wasn't feeling like my @DG_rad handle was the best for All Anacostia, All The Time tweeting, so I created a new one for this blog and for strictly neighborhood-related tweets. I'll still be getting the word out on both, but this one is only about Anacostia, and will feature a fair number of retweets. Go ahead, make the follow.

St. Elizabeths West Campus Tour - Sign Up!

A couple days ago We Love DC had a great post about the uber-popular St. Elizabeths West Campus tours put on by the DC Preservation League.



The next tour is Saturday, June 18 from 10-11am. Sign up here!

These monthly tours fill up fast, so sign up today!

Arts on the Avenue Tonight and Tomorrow

This is crazy last second, but if you see this, head on down to the Blank Space for awesome slam poetry and art!



Check out www.maceopiques.com for more details. Annoyed I am just now processing that this is going on! #crazybusy

One Solid House

I've always loved this house on V Street. All-brick construction - even the porch rails are brick!



Although I'm typically against window awnings, these ones have a bit of charm to them. I wonder, though, if they were removed if I'd love the house even more.

Inspiration from Memphis

Check out this video and see what folks in Memphis did to perk up and draw investment to a struggling commercial district:

A New Face for an Old Broad from Josh Beckemeyer on Vimeo.

Certainly some lessons for MLK Avenue and Good Hope Road. What's stopping this from happening here?

Prime Retail Space Now Available on MLK

One of the reasons MLK Avenue doesn't have a ton of retail (restaurants or otherwise) is that it hasn't had a whole lot of available retail spaces come available. A lot of the retail space is taken by office users or is unavailable/has absentee owners/not in good condition. But, over the past couple months two great - and adjacent - spaces have come available: 2019 and 2021 MLK Ave.



The building on the left is the old Anacostia Bank building, and the one on the right has been (probably should not share this if I want the space leased) a funeral home for a number of years.


the buildings now...


...and in the early 20th century (Photo: Library of Congress)

But, they are located on a great stretch of MLK, between U Street and V Street, next to The Hive, along the future Anacostia streetcar route.



The buildings themselves are pretty cool. One has an awesome fish scale transom (see above), and both kind of have that classic small town charm that makes Anacostia unique.



At just $25/square foot, these buildings would be great for anyone looking to start a new business or expand into a neighborhood that - with the success of Uniontown Bar & Grill - has proven itself able to support quality local eateries.

If interested, Click Here for the listings (scroll to see properties) or call broker Carla Merritt at 301-702-3200 x102.

MLK/Good Hope Bikeshare Moved

Just an FYI, the Capital Bikeshare dock that was on the MLK side of the MLK/Good Hope intersection was moved to the Good Hope side. The dock is now in front of Industrial Bank.


the new location

If you haven't signed up for bikeshare yet, definitely do it. It is a great way to do one-way trips (for example, I metro to work but bikeshare home), and you don't have to worry about what to do with the bike when you arrive at your destination, assuming there is a dock around.


where the dock used to be, before construction on this portion of MLK


now located in front of Industrial Bank

There are also bikeshare docks at the library and the Metro station, and a new dock at MLK and W Street should be installed this summer. For my earlier post on Capital Bikeshare in Anacostia, Click Here.

St. E's East Meeting This Thursday - Go!

The Office of Planning and Department of Transportation are hosting a series of public meetings for St. Elizabeths East Campus. The East Campus is the huge area on the left (if you're travelling toward Congress Heights from Anacostia on MLK) that will be completely redeveloped separate from the Homeland Security project at the West Campus. The first meeting is this Thursday:

When: May 12, 2011 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Where: Imagine Southeast Public Charter School(Old Congress Heights School)
3100 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE

As is typical of public planning meetings, the agencies would like the public to provide feedback on the project, evaluate development alternatives, and transportation enhancements. Check www.stelizabethseast.com to stay updated.

11th Street Bridge Detour for Next 6 Months

By now you've probably already noticed the closure of MLK Ave between the 11th Street Bridge and Good Hope Road. All this means is that you need to get off at the Anacostia Park exit and take a left on Good Hope to get back up to MLK.





This closure will be for approximate the next 6 months. All in the name of progress... right?

For more information on the 11th Street Bridges project, Click Here

Anacostia in the Express

A few days overdue, but in case you missed it, Anacostia was featured in the Washington Post's Express!



The article, titles "A Growth Spurt With Plenty of Promise: New Residents Drawn to Anacostia" is mostly accurate (minus some glaring geographic errors), but painted a nice picture of the ways the neighborhood is starting to turn around. Let the good press keep on coming!

Survey: Big K Block Redevelopment

Friends, neighbors, and citywide citizens: the Department of Housing and Community Development has put out a survey asking for priorities and suggestions for the redevelopment of the "Big K" site at MLK and Morris Road.



Do you want housing? Offices? Another community center? Restaurant and retail space? This survey will be used as a guide for the redevelopment that will take place over the next few years. In the housing options listed on the survey, there was no option for market rate housing, only varying levels of affordable. Remember, there is always a choice to write in an "other" suggestion.

In my opinion, this site needs be a mix of residential, cultural, commercial, and retail. The two large houses need to be retained and preserved as they are. They would be a great home for a museum, front-dining restaurants, or offices. I think additional density needs to be at the corner of the block where Big K is, but that the Big K building should be incorporated into that density.

Click Here to take the survey - it only takes a few minutes!

Old Market House Square Groundbreaking!

After years of work by St. Philip Episcopal Church, TKF Foundation, members of the neighborhood, and the District (mostly DDOT), groundbreaking for the revived and re-imagined Old Market House Square is taking place this Thursday, April 14th, at 1pm! Old Market House Square is the public space on 14th Street SE between U and V Streets, and was originally built as the central square and gathering space of the neighborhood.


View Old Market House Square in a larger map

Old Market House Square was renamed John A. Logan Park in the summer of 1908 after the Civil War general that is also honored in Logan Circle. However, to avoid name confusion with Logan Circle and because the relevance of the 1908 renaming no longer really holds, the community has decided to revert to the older and more neighborly name for the space. (see below)


Washington Post, June 11, 1908, pg. 16

The space is currently just a pass-through, and an unpleasant one at that. The square will undergo a complete renovation with new lighting, walls, bench seating, paths, and plantings.


image courtesy of TKF Foundation

The park construction will also include street repaving and new crosswalks. See the detailed plan below (click to enlarge) to see how it's all going to be paid out:


drawing courtesy of DDOT

Please come out this Thursday at 1pm for the official groundbreaking. This has been a long time coming, and will be a huge boost for this very central spot in the neighborhood!

Supercool HQ Under Construction at GH/MLK

I'm excited to finally give a proper construction update for Environmental Design & Construction's expanded headquarters project just below the intersection of Good Hope and MLK. A long time coming, this project (like my last post) very much represents the quality of design and construction that is (or rather, should) represent the future of this neighborhood.


the new build is taking place in the red and yellow buildings

Inside, EDC has combined two buildings into one, and have completely embraced the exposed and industrial feel while still adding modern space and flavor into the mix as well. (AKA my favorite style)


inside the lobby: the brick wall was once the exterior wall of the yellow building, which was built before the red brick one

As you can see, an original painted sign from the exterior of the old building, which was a hardware and feed store, was partially restored inside:


love the random "M" on the exposed brick


inside the president's new office ... historic Anacostia chic!

The views to the outside should give you some better context for where these buildings are. Because they are on a triangular lot, they have frontage on both MLK Avenue and Good Hope Road.


looking out onto MLK...


...and onto Good Hope

Another cool part about the interior is just how lofty and airy it is. This space was created out of two stodgy old falling apart buildings, yet EDC has created a space that feels refreshing and allows for modern use ... All while preserving the exterior and parts of the inside! (Me <--adaptive use of old buildings dork)





Want another cool feature? Voila, the green roof. The green roof covers the roof of the red brick building, while there is a reflective white roof and (soon to arrive) photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the yellow half.


looks patchy now, but it will fill in as the rain falls and time goes by

These buildings are on the last block of Good Hope Road before you hit Anacostia Park/Poplar Point. They are adjacent the old CSX railroad line, as well as all the 11th Street Bridges construction. A lot of dirt flying now, but this will be a little jewel box of a block as it develops further.



That concludes the tour! EDC is expecting construction to be complete sometime in May or early June. The building is LEED Gold designed, and they hope to officially certify it at that or another LEED green building level after construction. Three cheers for EDC for staying in Anacostia and adding to its vibrancy and revitalization!

Beautiful Restoration on Chester Street!

Here's your Monday afternoon pick-me-up (not that you needed it in this weather!). I happened to make my way down Chester Street SE a few hours ago and was pleasantly SHOCKED to see this house has undergone a major restoration in a matter of weeks.


my love for working shutters cannot be denied

The house was a very typical house flip: builder's grade finishes, no embellishments, non-conforming Craftsman-style door, boring windows, etc. The flipper had made no efforts on the exterior other than the very least that was required:


Before: nothing heinously horrible, just generally pretty blah

Enter the homeowner, who loves the neighborhood and even reached out to me a few months ago saying he wanted to do some improvements to bring back some of the historic feel to his home. Since it had just been redone hardly two years ago, I was expecting some new windows and a new door - maybe a transom window. But wow was I under-expecting!





I mean, check out the paint colors! And the porch details! Cheers to awesome neighbors, revived homes, and people bringing back boring houseflips!! This is the future of Anacostia.

W Street Project Named "Cedar Hill"

Well, things are finally becoming more official at the corner of W and 13th Streets SE. The developer's sign heralding their long-awaited townhouse and condo development is finally up, and the official name for the project: Cedar Hill.



The development is being built by Comstock Homes in some sort of partnership with Four Points. Four Points is also the development partner for Curtis Companies, who owns a majority of "downtown Anacostia" along MLK Avenue.


looking NW at the 13th and W intersection


looking NE up W towards 13th Street

The development's name, Cedar Hill, is the name of Frederick Douglass' hilltop estate just one block away at W and 14th. Although it seems a but odd for the name to be the exact same, I don't really foresee any major problems. These townhouses and condos will integrate with the neighborhood rather than being any sort of private enclave, so I can't imagine the name even sticking once all the units are marketed and sold.

Yes friends, brand new townhomes and condos for sale in the $200s. And on the same block as Uniontown and Big Chair Coffee. I don't think these will have much trouble selling.

Metrobus A-Line Survey

WMATA is studying their A bus lines that wind through Anacostia and Congress Heights, and have produced a survey asking riders questions like which lines they use, where they typically board, and what times they use the lines.

Click to Enlarge
The A Line routes have a combined weekday ridership of about 15,000 passengers, which is one of the highest riderships in the Metrobus system. The goal of the study and survey is to make improvements to the lines and make the bus riding experience more convenient and efficient for riders.

Click Here and scroll down to participate in the online survey

>> Also, don't forget the Transit Happy Hour on Monday evening from 6-8PM at Uniontown Bar & Grill <<