Developer Jim Abdo's lawyer tells me that he's withdrawn the zoning application for his planned 70-ish-unit building in the empty space between 14th and 15th Street on Rhode Island Avenue NW, and declined to give a reason for the reversal. It's not an unprecedented thing for Abdo; he's proposed building on top of his office [...]

Up for consideration at the Historic Preservation Review Board this month are two new projects that will just fit in between the buildings around them.
The first: A nine-story apartment building at 17th and O Street on land owned by First Baptist Church (yet another religious institution making good use of its extra acreage) and developed [...]

What would you do if you were offered $800,000 for a condo you bought ten years ago for $120,000 in one of the city's hottest neighborhoods?
That's the choice facing 54 homeowners and their families in Logan Circle in the next few weeks, as big-time developer Monument Realty makes a bid for four separate parcels that [...]

Remember that exciting new concept coming to the old shirt laundry building on 14th and Q NW? The would-be restauranteur, Whisk Group, has finally given up the fight after pouring more than $50,000 into preparation–only to decide that foundation upgrades, soil remediation, and renovation would cost more than he'd bargained for.
"At this point, we're backing [...]

Despite the criticism they've come under in recent months, the as-yet-unnamed Arts District team has forged ahead with its branding process, presenting four banner concepts yesterday that will be narrowed down to one design and installed on lampposts by the beginning of December.
The designs are the result of a feedback gathering process that, when it's [...]

The folks heading up the city-funded neighborhood branding initiative for a region around 14th and U Streets learned last night that getting consensus around the idea of a unified, arts-oriented identity might require some convincing.
In a packed gathering at Busboys and Poets, project leaders Andrea Doughty and Carol Felix ran through their plans to host [...]

This morning's Washington Post features a front page article on District developers that have lost their "swagger." They meet in conference rooms, instead of pricey downtown restaurants. They drink cups of ice water, instead of scarfing down steaks at the Capitol Grille. Or they've dropped their businesses all together! Fired their staffs! Closed up their [...]

This story will run in this week's print edition of the Washington City Paper.
Update: Central Union Mission Still Pursuing the Gales School.
In September, representatives with the Central Union Mission went before community members from Petworth and Columbia Heights to explain plans for a big project on Georgia Avenue NW. The mission wants to launch a [...]

Today, I received an announcement about an upcoming announcement. Those usually don't fall into my "bloggable" category. But this one was intriguing.
Next Friday, the District will issue a request for proposals to redevelop six sites around the city into affordable housing.
In the Shaw/Logan Circle areas, the sites include:
922 French St., NW (Shaw)*

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For 20 years, Damian Ford stood up for his Logan Circle neighbors. Now they're the reason he wants out.
Twenty years ago, Damian Ford would hear pimps beating up prostitutes in the alley behind his N Street NW townhouse. He'd grab a baseball bat and scare them off. He was 20 or 30 pounds bigger [...]