Lincoln Westmoreland II to Exit Section 8 Program in May

The Lincoln Westmoreland II (LW-II) apartment complex will end its participation in the project-based Section 8 program starting on May 1, 2013, according to a representative of the complex's owner. 

Under the Section 8 program, all of the LW-II apartment units were set aside for low-income households (generally those earning 50% or less of the area median income).  After May 1, the income restriction will end and units can be leased out at the market rate.

2013 Groundbreaking Planned for Lincoln-Westmoreland Expansion

Plans for the expansion of the Lincoln-Westmoreland remain on track and groundbreaking is planned for later this year, according to a representative of the building's owner.

The Lincoln-Westmoreland is a 108-unit, ten-story apartment building at 1730 7th Street, NW, near the corner of R Street. The owner of the building plans to use a parcel of land to the south of the existing building — currently a single-story concrete parking shelter — to construct a new, 8-story apartment building with 56 residential units.  The building will have 3,100 square feet of ground-floor retail and approximately 35 underground parking spots.

Interactive Map of Historic Properties in Central Shaw

The Shaw neighborhood is home to a number of historic properties — the central portion of Shaw alone has over 20.  To provide more information on them, I put together a map of those properties in central Shaw that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It's Time to Redevelop the Shaw Junior High School Site

Freeing the Shaw Junior High School site for redevelopment would eliminate a large neighborhood eyesore, bring greater vitality to the 9th and 7th Street corridors, and help improve the adjacent recreation areas and dog park

As has been widely reported, the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) has proposed the closure and realignment of 20 schools throughout the District.

In the Shaw area, DCPS has proposed closing Garrison Elementary School (1200 S Street, NW) and transferring the current Garrison students to Seaton Elementary School (900 block of Rhode Island Avenue, NW).  DCPS has also proposed closing Shaw Middle School at Garnet-Patterson (10th and U Streets, NW) and establishing a Shaw Middle School at Cardozo High School (1200 Clifton Street, NW).  Cardozo is is currently undergoing a full renovation, and it would house both a high school and a middle school after the renovation is complete.

This plan has one major flaw: the already-closed Shaw Junior High School building at 925 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, would remain mothballed, rather than being freed for redevelopment.

9th Street New Stores Update: Reformation Fitness, 9th & Beats, Simon Vintage, A&D, Darryl Carter, Xtend Barre DC, Cause, and Old City Green

A number of new stores and bars have opened on 9th Street in the past two months.  Since I haven't posted about them individually, I put together a round-up of the openings (including Reformation Fitness, 9th & Beats, Simon Vintage Furniture and Homegoods, A&D, and Daryl Carter), which you can read below.

Agenda Announced for ANC 6E Meeting on January 2, 2013; New ANC Boundaries; Officers to Be Elected

The agenda has been announced for the Wednesday, January 2, 2013, meeting of ANC 6E. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Shaw Library, 1630 7th Street, NW.

This meeting is the first of the newly redistricted ANC 6E, which includes the majority of the Shaw neighborhood.  (The rest of Shaw remains in ANC 2F.)  The ANC 6E portion of Shaw was previously part of the former ANC 2C. 

ANC2C Votes to Support Baywood Hotels Project for Parcel 42

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2C voted this evening to support the proposal of Baywood Hotels for the redevelopment of Parcel 42, a District-owned property located at the northeast corner of 7th and R Streets, NW.  The Baywood Hotels proposal consists of a 102-room hotel, 22 units of affordable housing, and ground floor retail which is expected to be occupied by Milk & Honey Market.

The ANC vote was 2 in favor (Chairman Alex Padro and Commissioner Kevin Chapple), 1 opposed (Commissioner Rachelle Nigro), and 1 abstention (Commissioner Doris Brooks). The main factors that appeared to weigh in support of the Baywood proposal were the number of jobs the project would create and the sense that a 24-hour hotel operation would increase security at the corner.