Town Topics

Lisa Gillespie • June 18, 2013

The 10-acre CityCenterDC mixed-use development, now under construction at the Old Convention Center site, will create new retail for Downtown and D.C. CityCenterDC will anchor much of the $600 million in unmet shoppers’ goods retail demand, according to the 2011 edition of the DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) retail report released this month.

The report, “DowntownDC Shopping District 2011,” shows the DowntownDC BID area is poised to become a new regional shopping destination once Phase I of the CityCenterDC project is completed in 2013, adding 185,000 square feet of retail space. Another 140,000 square feet of retail space will follow in the project’s second and third phases, which could be completed in 2014 and 2015.

“This is a dramatic transformation,” said Richard H. Bradley, the DowntownDC BID executive director. “The DowntownDC BID area now has 600,000 square feet of shoppers’ goods retail. The shopping district could grow to more than one million square feet by 2015 because of CityCenterDC, 60,000 square feet of large retail space now available, and converting up to 100,000 square feet of non-shoppers’ goods retail or ground floor service uses to destination shoppers’ goods retail.”

The DowntownDC Shopping District stretches for more than 15 blocks, with the following boundaries: New York Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue on the north, 7th Street on the east, F Street on the south, and 13th Street on the west.

Lisa Gillespie •

The Getaway, a tavern-style restaurant, will open this weekend in the space where Social used to occupy at 14th and Meridian Place NW. Last Friday, they had a soft opening with drink specials and a limited menu. They’re planning on forming a Getaway softball team and will feature American craft beers from Port City, Lagunitas, Bell’s, Stone, Dogfish Head and Bear Republic. Chef and part owner, Ismeal Otarola, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Orlando Culinary Academy, will be manning the kitchen. Their menu will include five different kinds of sliders, weekend brunch, and mac & cheese featuring smoked gouda, sharp cheddar, gruyere, and manchego and lobster. According to owner Jeremy Mintz, they’ve been planning the grand opening for four months and have hired most staff.

Lisa Gillespie •

The National Gallery of Art started their Jazz in the Garden summer series May 27 at 4th St. and Constitution Ave. NW Concerts take place in front of the Pavilion Café at the Sculpture Garden. The event is free and goes from 5 to 9:30 p.m. On June 3. DC Jazz Festival will present Mark Prince, a progressive jazz musician, and on June 10, blues fusion musician Deanna Bogart will perform. Picnickers can bring blankets, but alcohol and coolers are not prohibited. See our extended coverage of DC Jazz Festival for more information.

Georgetowner •

A New D.C. Circulator Route

The D.C. Department of Transportation launched a new Circulator Route, the first ever to provide service east of the Anacostia River.

The new route runs from the Potomac Avenue Metro Station to Skyland and the Good Hope

Marketplace Shopping Center via Barracks Row.

The route was launched by a gathering of city officials including Mayor Vincent Gray, D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown, Councilmembers Marion Barry (Ward 8), Yvette Alexander (Ward 7), Tommy Wells (Ward 6) and DOT Director Terry Bellamy.

“When you provide better transit service and improve mobility, there are a host of benefits, not the least of which is better access to jobs, “Mayor Gray said. “The new route connects these communities east of the River-where jobs are scarce-with the employment centers across the district.”

The route will run from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, initially.

First They Closed, Then They Didn’t

A hugely unpopular announcement that the district government would have to close the Martin Luther
King Jr. Library on Sundays because of an unavailability of funds was reversed recently with the announcement from the mayor’s office that funding will be made available to ensure the library stays open on Sundays.

The library is getting the necessary $316,000 that will ensure it will stay open on Sundays and that it will have service seven days a week. The library has been open on Sundays since it opened in 1972.

The mayor, Councilmember Tommy Wells and Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper welcomed district residents back to the library in an announcement Oct. 2.

“Mayor Gray is one of the library’s strongest supporters,” Cooper said. “It is a priority to keep libraries open as many hours as possible and we are able to continue to do offer this important service to district residents.

It’s Official: MLK Jr. Memorial to be Dedicated Oct. 16

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, originally scheduled to be dedicated ceremonially and formally back on Aug. 28, will finally have its dedication ceremony Oct. 16.

Hurricane Irene put a big damper on a lot of things back in September, and forced the cancellation of the dedication ceremonies of the impressive memorial which includes an imposing, stern sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr. looking across the Potomac at the Jefferson Memorial.

The memorial has been open for a number of weeks already and has attracted thousands of visitors. “Due to the postponement we are planning an event much smaller in scale,” Harry E. Johnson, Sr., president and CEO of the Washington D.C. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, said. “But it will be just as big in spirit.”

Still, the dedication program, which begins at 9 a.m. in West Potomac Park, will have President Barack Obama, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, members and of the King family and a number of civil rights leaders on hand.

The MLK Jr. Memorial is on the National Mall, adjacent to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, in a direct line between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, and in close proximity to three of the nation’s war memorials—World War II, Viet Nam and Korea.

D.C. Reads

Speaking of the Martin Luther King Library, D.C. Reads, an annual city-wide celebration of the joy of reading will focus on “The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore for focus, discussion and reading Oct. 15 through Nov. 16. “The Other Wes Moore” is a book that tells the life story of two boys sharing the same name but a very different life. One grew up to be a Rhodes Scholar, decorated combat veteran, White House Fellow and business leader; the other is serving a life sentence in prison for felony murder.

The events opened with a reception and book signing with Wes Moore this week, but will also include a Facebook chat Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. (Facebook.com/dclibrary), an online book chat Nov. 1 (EdcLibrary.org/dcreads) and a book discussion at the D.C. Regional Library for the Blind and

Physically Handicapped Nov. 10 at 11 a.m.

Honoring Jim Lehrer

Jim Lehrer, PBS news anchor, presidential debate monitor, author of books on politics and atmospheric novels that can be loosely described as elegantly written thrillers has been selected as the winner of the National Press Club’s 2011 Fourth Estate Award, the highest honor presented by the organization.

He is the 39th journalist to be the recipient of the National Press Club award for career achievement and is in very, very good company. Previous winners have included Walter Cronkite, David Broder and Christiane Amanpour. Club President Mark Hamrick praised Lehrer as “the true voice of reason, balancer and fairness” in his political commentary. “He has never appeared to underestimate the intelligence of sensitivities of members of his audience. Acknowledged as the dean of presidential debate moderators, Jim Lehrer has provided invaluable assistance for Americans choosing whom they want to lead the nation.”

Lehrer co-hosted MacNeil/Lehrer on PBS for seven years and took over the anchor role when Robert McNeil retired in 1996. He won a National Humanities Medal and is a member of the Television Hall of Fame. His latest book is just out, “Tension City,” a highly readable account of his life as a moderator of presidential debates.

Lehrer will be honored at the Press Club’s 2011 Fourth Estate Award Dinner Oct. 28.

Theatre Washington Gala

Now that the Helen Hayes Awards has re-branded and changed its name to Theatre Washington, it can announce its star gala and benefit auction with that name.

The gala is Oct. 28 at the Four Seasons, which is a 22-year-tradition for the organization which raises funds and awareness, and promotes audience development and education services for theatres, artists and audiences.

The gala will include a silent auction, a three-course dinner a live auction conducted by Sebastian Clarke of Doyle New York and Antiques Roadshow, show tunes and the presentation of Helen’s Star.

Come get a Taste of D.C.

It is said that good taste is the offspring of a good community. Taste of D.C., a food, wine, beer and music festival, is back in the District again this year.

Featuring 60 plus restaurants and eateries, Taste of D.C. is being brought back to life by the
Entrepreneur Steuart Martens of NBC’s season 10 of “The Apprentice.”

The Taste of D.C. is a movement that brings the best food, beverages and fun to the streets of Washington. Some of the restaurants involved are Ben’s Chili Bowl, Luke’s Lobster, Sprinkles Cupcakes and many more. The event will launch at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8. It will last all weekend and end at 10 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10.

There will be alcohol for sale and tickets for food tasting. World-class wines and craft beers will be available to sip throughout the day. The event is open to all ages and there will be some fun stage performances included. There will be culinary performances and bands such as Big & Rich, Styx and Rusted Root. These contributions are part of Taste of D.C.’s chance to give the community an amusing environment.

The event partnered with 4 local charities which all invest their interests in health and food: DC Central Kitchen, Bread for the City, Luke’s Wings and the American Red Cross North Capital Region.

Lisa Gillespie •

The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop will present its 40th Anniversary Choral Concert on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 4:00 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church (4th and Independence Avenue, SE). With music director C. Paul Heins, a chorus of community voices will celebrate the 40th anniversary with selections from Robert Convery’s cantata, “Songs of Children,” based on the writings of children during the Holocaust. Composer Jeffery Watson will conduct his own composition, “Where Every Voice Is Heard,” which he wrote on the occasion of CHAW’s 30th Anniversary. The Capitol Hill Youth Chorus, the newly-formed Children’s Honor Chorus from Brent Elementary and a cappella ensemble “Not What You Think” will also. The concert is free and open to the public; a free will offering will be made in support of CHAW’s tuition assistance program.

Since 1972, CHAW has provided arts education to thousands of children and adults in the Washington region, especially from the greater Capitol Hill area. Through classes, performances, and exhibitions in visual and performing arts, CHAW brings together diverse segments of the population to connect through the transforming power of creativity. CHAW offers a tuition assistance program and flexible payment plans. For more information, contact Jill Strachan at Jill@chaw.org

Lisa Gillespie •

With nearly 400 red top meters now installed throughout the central business district and the Federal corridors in the southwest quadrant of the District, enforcement on these special meters will begin soon.

D.C.’s Department of Transportation began installing the red top meters in January as part of a new program that is designed to improve access for persons with disabilities to businesses and services in the commercial areas of the District.

Red top meters are reserved spaces for persons with disabilities who properly display a valid placard or license plate to park. Meter parking patrons with a valid disability plate or placard will be able to park for twice the time on these meters as long as they pay the established meter rate for that block face.

Throughout February, DDOT traffic control officers will be stationed at red top meters to provide curbside parking patrons with information that identifies who is eligible to park at the meters, details about the twice the parking time policy and how to report fraudulent parking at these locations.

Additionally, during February, parking enforcement personnel from the Department of Public Works’ Parking Enforcement Administration will be issuing warning notices to those that are parked at a red top meter without displaying a valid disability placard or license plate and providing information to remind parking patrons about the requirements and enforcement that will be associated with the program.

Starting March 1, all red top meter parking patrons who do not display a valid disabled placard or license plate or who do not pay the established meter rates throughout the District of Columbia will be subject to ticketing or towing.

Lisa Gillespie •

The Embassy Chef Challenge, held each spring, spotlights D.C.’s international community in one unforgettable evening. The night is Cultural Tourism DC’s annual fundraising benefit, featuring an international tastings, awards, entertainment and a world-class silent auction. Fifteen chefs from Washington, D.C. embassies, representing countries from around the world, compete. A panel of celebrity chefs and food critics serve as judges throughout the competition. The two-part competition begins with a preliminary Top-Chef style challenge. Competitors will receive a basket of surprise ingredients drawn from Danish cuisine and tasked to create a dish on the spot using the ingredients. The second part of the competition is the open tasting where DC’s cultural and diplomatic communities come together to experience the talents of the competitors. The scores from this event are combined with the scores from Challenge Denmark to pick the Judges Choice award winner. Join them on March 8 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $250, but $170 of that is tax deductible.

Lisa Gillespie •

The District Department of Transportation has scheduled the second semi-annual public forum for the D.C. Circulator to occur on Wednesday, Feb. 29, starting at 7 p.m. at Union Station.

At the forum, DDOT will solicit feedback from passengers on the strengths and weaknesses of the bus system, to ensure the D.C. Circulator continues to meet the needs of current and future riders. Known for its convenient 10-minute headways, the Circulator costs one dollar per ride, with additional discounts for seniors and District students. More information about the routes and schedules is available at DCCirculator.com

Lisa Gillespie •

A report issued this month by the Alliance for Biking & Walking gives the District high marks for its commitment to bicycle and pedestrian programs. The report ranks all 50 states and the 51 largest U.S. cities on bicycling and walking levels, safety, funding and other factors. The District topped the list of cities with the highest per-capita funding for cycle and pedestrian facilities and education and spends $9.82 per resident to promote biking and walking.

The Alliance also found that the District has the second-highest share of commuters who walk to work, trailing only Boston, and the seventh-highest share of commuters who bike to work. In addition, only New York City can boast a lower rate of car ownership. More than 35 percent of District households do not own a vehicle.

D.C. also scored well on safety. Among the major cities surveyed, the District has the sixth-lowest fatality rate for cyclists and pedestrians. The nation’s capital is considered the fourth-safest city to bike in and the seventh-safest for walking.

Lisa Gillespie •

The national holiday, Presidents’ Day, was originally a commemoration of George Washington’s birthday. America’s first president was born on Feb. 22, 1732. After George Washington’s death, America began celebrating his birthday as a way to remember his life and how he contributed to establishing America’s independence.

In 1971, President Richard Nixon combined Lincoln’s birthday with Washington’s and ever since we have honored all past presidents on the third Monday of February. On Feb. 20, there will be the grand opening Ford’s Theatre Center for Education and Leadership from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. This free full day of programming begins with a National Park Service wreath laying at 8:45 a.m. in honor of Lincoln’s birthday. The open house features an author discussion with John Stauffer, ranger talks, performances of Papa Day, Tales of the Lincoln with storyteller Jon Spelman and One Destiny and special Civil War-era music performed by the Washington Revels. Visitors are welcome to see the center’s new exhibits and participate in workshops. Tickets will be available beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Over at the Newseum, “Every Four Years: Presidential Campaigns and the Press” will open just in time for Presidents Day. The exhibit explores how media coverage of presidential campaigns has evolved from William McKinley’s 1896 front-porch campaign to Barack Obama’s 2008 Internet campaign, as candidates and reporters tangle over issues, images and control of the story. The exhibit also features interactive activities and an original video production on televised campaign ads, shown on a 100-foot-wide video screen in the Newseum’s big-screen theater.