Empower DC has already rallied and protested against the sale of D.C. public property twice in the  last few months.

Last week, activists joined together in front of the Wilson Building. And in late March, they gathered by the office of Neil Albert, head of the city’s office of planning and economic development.

Now, it looks like they’re going for round III: This evening, a group from Empower DC will stand with signs in front of the Washington Hilton at the start of the D.C. Building Industry Association’s awards ceremony, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Their target doesn’t seem to be building community in general, but more specifically the honorees of the evening. Read More “Empower DC At It Again” »

Is this the end of it? 

For several years, we’ve been hearing about the Third Church of Christ, Scientist, located at 16th and I Streets downtown. The congregation has wanted to raze its Brutalist building because it was too costly to maintain. Preservationists said no way.

Well, turns out, there was a way all along—It was a just a long, torturous path, involving the city’s preservation board, federal judges, numerous bureaucrats, and the usual smattering of up-in-arms allegations. 

The Washington Post’s Marc Fisher has been following the story for an eternity. His latest report: “D.C. Lets Church Tear Down Brutalist Atrocity.”

Harriet Tregoning, the District’s planning director, has ruled that the District must grant the congregation a demolition permit.   Read More “Tregoning Allows Demolition of Third Church of Christ, Scientist” »

Just what can we learn from ourselves exactly?

Hard to know now. But after March 27 and 28, we’ll have more of a sense.

On those two days, a bunch of Washington D.C. planners and developers will travel to Cornell University to regal students there with tales of the struggles and triumphs of one of Washington’s most crane-friendly hoods: NoMa. Read More “Why Cornell University Cares About NoMa” »