The view from Capitol Riverfront’s 55 M Street, which just signed its first tenant.

The Capitol Riverfront hastened its slow trickle of tenants and businesses during the last few weeks. On Friday, Mayor Adrian Fenty announced that the city would be taking over a building, located at 225 Virginia Ave. SE on the northern border of the neighborhood. In two years, Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), Office of Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), and District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) will move into the newly renovated, 350,000-square-foot LEED Silver certified office building.

Yeah, city agencies! Just what a neighborhood needs to generate buzz  and inch onto people’s radars! Thankfully, there have been other new signs of life: As I previously noted, Harris Teeter signed a letter of intent to open a new location in the Capitol Riverfront. More recently—as in last week—the Washington Business Journal reported that a new Italian pizza/salad/sandwich joint will move into the recently completed Velocity Capitol Riverfront condo building.

Read More “Capitol Riverfront Gets New Restaurant, Several New City Agencies” »

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.