
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Zoning Analysis of SW to Begin in January

Saturday, October 25, 2008
Street Closures for Marine Corps Marathon
The Marine Corps Marathon will be held tomorrow and according to this traffic advisory from DDOT, several streets will be closed, including many in SW. Here are the list of streets that will be closed in SW during the marathon from 4am to as late at 1:30pm:
- West Potomac Park
- East Potomac Park (Access to Golf Course and Tennis Courts will be Available)
- Maine Avenue, SW from East Basin Drive to Independence Avenue
- Independence Avenue, SW from Maine Avenue to Ohio Drive
- Ohio Drive, SW between Independence Avenue and Lincoln Circle
- Lincoln Circle from Ohio Drive, SW to 23rd Street, NW
- 23rd Street, NW from Lincoln Circle to Constitution Avenue
- Constitution Avenue, NW from 23rd Street to 15th Street
- 15th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
- 17th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
- Madison Drive, NW from 14th Street to 3rd Street
- 3rd Street, NW from Pennsylvania Ave, NW to Maryland Ave., SW
- Pennsylvania Avenue, NW from 3rd Street to E. Capitol Circle
- 1st Street from Pennsylvania Ave., NW to Maryland Ave., SW
- Maryland Avenue, SW from S. Capitol Circle to 3rd Street
- Jefferson Drive, SW from 3rd Street to 14th Street
- 14th Street, SW from Jefferson Drive to northbound HOV lanes
- HOV lanes from 14th Street, SW to HOV ramp at S. Eads Street
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Scenes from Southwest
Here's a photo of a couple of bicyclists riding along M Street near Tiber Island on a recent Saturday morning.
This next photo is of the Francis Case Memorial Bridge, which crosses over the Washington Channel. Wouldn't it be cool if as a part of the redevelopment of the Southwest Waterfront that the bridge was lit up at night like some of the causeway bridges in Miami?
Here's a peek at a part of the SW waterfront from Banneker Overlook. In the distance you can see East Potomac Park and way off in the distance is the masonic temple in Alexandria and the control tower at Reagan National Airport.

Monday, October 20, 2008
Updated Waterfront Station Photos
Here are some updated photos of Waterfront Station I took back on October 11th. The first photo shows a SUV in the middle of the right-of-way of 4th Street, which should be reopened for the first time since the 1960s when the first phase of construction is complete in 2010.

The next photo is of construction on the west side of 4th Street.

This next photo is of the east side of 4th Street. It appears that construction is occurring a little faster on the east side of the street, since columns are already visible rising from the 1st floor.

The last photo is of the current Safeway, as seen through the Waterfront-SEU Metro entrance canopy.

A new urban lifestyle Safeway will be built as a part of phase one of construction, similar to the new Safeway that recently opened in Mount Vernon Triangle. I went to the new Safeway for the first time over the weekend and despite its awkward layout, it is light years better than our SW Safeway. The next time I'm at the MVT Safeway I'll take some photos, to give an idea of what our new Safeway may look like in 2010.

The next photo is of construction on the west side of 4th Street.

This next photo is of the east side of 4th Street. It appears that construction is occurring a little faster on the east side of the street, since columns are already visible rising from the 1st floor.

The last photo is of the current Safeway, as seen through the Waterfront-SEU Metro entrance canopy.

A new urban lifestyle Safeway will be built as a part of phase one of construction, similar to the new Safeway that recently opened in Mount Vernon Triangle. I went to the new Safeway for the first time over the weekend and despite its awkward layout, it is light years better than our SW Safeway. The next time I'm at the MVT Safeway I'll take some photos, to give an idea of what our new Safeway may look like in 2010.
November Issue of The Southwester is Available
Here's a link to November's issue of The Southwester, a monthly newspaper dealing with local SW issues and events published by SWNA.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Southwest is Most Like Which Other Neighborhood in the U.S.?

We can enjoy some of the finest dining and shopping that DC has to offer just down the road - like Georgetown or Capitol Hill, but it's too bad we can't currently do the same in our own neighborhood. We have people who come year round to enjoy our quadrant of the city, especially in the spring during the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Here are some other neighborhoods in major U.S. cities that are supposedly most like Southwest:
New York (Manhattan) - Midtown
New York (Brooklyn) - Carroll Gardens
LA - Westwood
San Francisco - North Beach
Boston - South End
Chicago - O'Hare
Denver - Golden Triangle
Miami - North Coconut Grove
Baltimore - Canton
What do you think about these neighborhood comparisons?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Updated Photos of Arena Stage


This is a close-up photo of the Cradle, which is beginning to take shape.

Here's a link to my original post about Arena Stage.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Bids Come in for Firehouse Site

Thursday, October 9, 2008
Ward 6 Bans Single Sales
According to this press release from Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells, the DC Council approved the ban of sales of single containers of alcohol, including beer, malt liquor, and ale, as well as spirits in bottles of half pint or smaller in Ward 6.
Rash of Assaults in SW
According to this news report from NBC, there have been at least six assaults in SW in the past week, with the most recent attack occurring on Monday evening on the 1000 block of 6th Street. From the news story: "Mark Blank, a 52-year-old government attorney was walking in the 1000 block of Sixth Street Southwest near his home when he was jumped by as many as four people at about 9 p.m. Monday. He was hospitalized in extremely critical condition with swelling in his brain and remained in intensive care Wednesday night. Police said they believe the attack on Blank was one of four committed by the same group within a few hours in a neighborhood near Waterside Mall on Monday night. 'Some were simply just vicious attacks, such as the one on Sixth Street,' Assistant Police Chief Diane Groomes said. 'However, some did involve a robbery'...Officials said extra police patrols have been added to the area. Some officers are patrolling the neighborhood on mountain bikes." Teenagers are suspected of perpetrating these assaults.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
What Bloggers are Saying About Southwest
- DCMetrocentric reports that construction at Waterfront Station has reached ground level. I'll actually be in town this weekend and the weather is supposed to be perfect, so I'll finally have a chance to go around the neighborhood and take some updated photos, including Waterfront Station.
- Greater Greater Washington reports that a bicyclist was killed in West Potomac Park along Maine Avenue. I ride my bike around there on occasion when I ride to work, and that area can be dangerous for bicyclists.
- Imagine, DC would like a Metrorail line or light rail line to run up the median of I-95 to I-395 and connect to L'Enfant Plaza to help reduce traffic in the area.
- Greater Greater Washington reports that a bicyclist was killed in West Potomac Park along Maine Avenue. I ride my bike around there on occasion when I ride to work, and that area can be dangerous for bicyclists.
- Imagine, DC would like a Metrorail line or light rail line to run up the median of I-95 to I-395 and connect to L'Enfant Plaza to help reduce traffic in the area.
Update on St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church Redevelopment

Special thanks to Pastor Huber for his assistance with reporting on this redevelopment project.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
London "Starchitect" to Design New Washington Highlands Library
According to this article from The Washington Post, David Adjaye, a prominent young architect based in London, will design two new DC Public Library branches, located in Washington Highlands (on the east side of the Anacostia River at 115 Atlantic Street, SW) and the Fort Davis neighborhood in Southeast. The other library in Southwest, located at 900 Wesley Place and built in 1965, will probably not be replaced anytime soon, since it was just renovated a few years ago.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
SW Waterfront Developers & DC Government Sign Land Disposition Agreement

More Demolition Coming to Waterfront Station

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