Shining a light on the development at 1st and Kennedy Streets NW

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Shining a light on the development at 1st and Kennedy Streets NW

Long reported and long awaited, the property on the northeast corner of 1st and Kennedy Streets NW in the Manor Park neighborhood – the now-called “71 Kennedy” – will soon be developed. This is despite community concerns about the proposed development changes, such as the developer’s decision to remove the promised first-floor retail component. The lack of transparency, along with apparent obfuscation of prior business relationships and no longer keeping to stated commitments, has residents angered.

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On Upshur Street, a former sniper now looks to fight crime with pizza

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On Upshur Street, a former sniper now looks to fight crime with pizza

“I knew that if I put a presence here, with commerce, that this block would get safer,” he said. “Commerce brings good things. It brings foot traffic. It brings attention. It can be a deterrent.” 

Virk moved into the Upshur Street property, installed floodlights in the alley and got to work on his newest business venture. He had previously operated a Sbarros Pizza and Subway sandwich shop franchise, as well as multiple pizza parlors in Ohio, and knew a thing or two about what to do (and not to do) when it came to pizza and sandwiches.

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CANCELED ANC 4C seeks feedback on proposed Cannabis Cultivation Center

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CANCELED ANC 4C seeks feedback on proposed Cannabis Cultivation Center

ANC 4C is holding a special meeting on August 16th to discuss “City Grown,” the upcoming indoor marijuana cultivation business off of Upshur Street. The indoor farm will not be open to the public.

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Groovy record store with coffee shop, bar, food & more coming to 200 block of Upshur

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Groovy record store with coffee shop, bar, food & more coming to 200 block of Upshur

Christine Lilyea, owner of Slash Run on Upshur and The Runaway in Brookland, is opening a coffee shop/ record store / bar at 205 Upshur Street NW. Christine is partnering with Paul Vivari, co-owner of Showtime Lounge and the Neptune Room, for the new store named "Wake Me, Shake Me."

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701 Kennedy Street... vacant forever?

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701 Kennedy Street... vacant forever?

After some digging through tax records, the tax code, court documents, and talking to the Department of Building (DOB) Records, we can confirm again that the chances of Rotonda Pizza opening are at or near zero.

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The New Sewell Music Conservatory gets new digs on Kennedy Street

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The New Sewell Music Conservatory gets new digs on Kennedy Street

Demolition of the New Sewell Music Conservatory at 712 Kennedy Street began in early July to make way for 30 new condos and a new home for the school. While the school has to go on hiatus during the construction phase, owner Harlan Jones says he plans to reopen stronger with new offerings for the community.

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Vacant/blighted buildings are languishing and hurting the vibrancy of the Kennedy Street community

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Vacant/blighted buildings are languishing and hurting the vibrancy of the Kennedy Street community

Vacant/blighted properties clustered on the 400 block of Kennedy Street NW owned by the same development company are an eyesore for the neighborhood, rodent havens and trash-dumping grounds. These properties have been labeled vacant and/or blighted for years, but those designations and DCRA have done nothing to encourage the owner to take action. At this point, it seems only legislation and more residential complaints are needed to get something done.

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New condos finally coming to 8th & Upshur after years of false starts

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New condos finally coming to 8th & Upshur after years of false starts

The corner house at 4127 8th Street NW has been the topic of debate and discussion for years. Sitting on a large corner lot along Upshur and 8th Streets, it was a beautiful detached single family home built in 1915.

It’s now set to be six condos offering 2 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom units.

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New senior apartments nearing completion on Kennedy Street

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New senior apartments nearing completion on Kennedy Street

When complete, the five-story building will have 38 units of affordable rental housing with approximately 1,044 square feet of ground floor retail. There will be seven parking spaces in the building, and all 38 units will be income-restricted to seniors age 55+ earning between 30-50% adjusted median income.

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New proposed development at current Dance Loft on 14th Street brings more housing options

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New proposed development at current Dance Loft on 14th Street brings more housing options

After a few years of renovations in a crumbling building, along with notice of a pending building sale, Dance Loft on 14 on the 4600 block of 14th Street NW is planning to purchase their current building in partnership with Heleos and redevelop the location.

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WMATA 14th Street "bus barn" renovation faces criticism

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WMATA 14th Street "bus barn" renovation faces criticism

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) closed the garage for renovations in 2019. The subsequent renovation project plans to preserve the garage’s historic façade, while rebuilding and updating the infrastructure for new and future bus systems, installing new maintenance and paint facilities, and building new retail and community meeting spaces.

Meanwhile, neighborhood advocates fear the renovation plan preserves that status quo, including, they claim, dangerous levels of diesel fumes.

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A look at historical, systemic racism in Petworth real estate

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A look at historical, systemic racism in Petworth real estate

Historians Mara Cherkasky and Sarah Jane Shoenfeld, of Prologue DC, along with GIS specialist Brian Kraft, have devoted efforts since 2014 to mapping racially restricted property covenants in DC to illuminate the racism ingrained into DC housing history. Similarly, Tanya Golash-Boza is a sociologist who grew up in Petworth and now studies race and gentrification. Both Cherkasky and Golash-Boza have presented in TedX seminars examining housing segregation in DC and Petworth-area gentrification. Petworth News met with these historians and sociologists to talk more about the history of segregation and racism in our neighborhood.

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AFRH reaches agreement on developing 80 acres for new retail, residential and more

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AFRH reaches agreement on developing 80 acres for new retail, residential and more

This past July, the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the DC government which set out the process to redevelop about 80 acres of its 272 acre campus. While a date for groundbreaking has not been set, the original redevelopment plan was approved in 2008, and then amended in 2018. AFRH will resubmit the master plans for review again later this fall.

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The squeaky wheel gets the field

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The squeaky wheel gets the field

Pushing back can work. Last week we reported on a group of Petworth neighbors fighting to prevent a small grassy field inside an alley from becoming a new row home development with 9 units. It appears they were successful.

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