The Facts on 2300 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Admission of guilt: last week, I briefly linked to a story on DCMUD before a co-worker pointed out that it made no sense, at which point, I removed my paragraph and decided to make some calls.
The post was about the groundbreaking of 2300 Pennsylvania Ave SE, a new apartment building with retail space in the Fairlawn area by Chapman Development. DCMUD had all sorts of fun facts about a supposedly 247-unit building, with 115 units of "workforce" housing, and 8,000 square feet of retail space, which would hopefully attract high-end retailers. Also: a new Harris Teeter east of the river! Seems like one opens in this city every week!
Great news. Now, how much of it is true?
"I don't think there's much other than the address that's accurate," says developer Timothy Chapman, who sets the record straight:
- There are 118 apartments.
- 7,500 square feet of retail.
- No Harris Teeter. (Oh...)
- $1,100, average rent.
The group is receiving housing tax credits, says Chapman, which means "we have to rent to people who make 60 percent of the median income." Chapman would like to see a sit-down restaurant open in the building, and is currently talking to Bank of America about a second retail space. Previously, a tattoo parlor and used car dealership operated on the lot, but both businesses were gone when the land was sold.
10:46 am
Hey there,
This is the author of the original DC Mud post. Just a quick note: my source on that story was...you guessed it...Mayor Fenty. My "fun facts" were culled from his prepared remarks at the press conference, which I personally attended, you know, as a member of the press. Chapman spoke at the conclusion of the event and did not offer a single correction to any "facts" relayed during the afternoon. If he wants to renege on that after the fact, great, but at least mention where our story was sourced from. Thanks for the vitriol!!
5:09 pm
Hunter- like most people writing for the City Paper, they have this negative "everything sucks" self-loathing going on... It's always easier to rain on someone else's parade, or to point out speck in someone else's eye rather than the log in their own. But such is the nature of hypocrisy, and it exists everywhere unfortunately (not unique to the CP)
7:27 pm
Hunter,
Don't you think that as a, you know, reporter, it'd have made sense to, perhaps, vet the statements written by some Fenty lackey before running with them?
I could be wrong, but the tone of Ruth Samuelson's commentary has more to do with her having being disappointed in herself at linking to a completely unverified piece on a blog.
8:24 pm
I live a few blocks from this development and it looks like YES Organic Market will be occupying the retail space in Summer 2010. I've read from other websites that the project will open in March.