DC Council Prohibits Medical Marijuana Cultivation Centers on 7th Street, NW, in Shaw; Should Dispensaries be Next?

The D.C. Council last week passed legislation that prohibits medical marijuana cultivation centers (where medical marijuana will be grown) from locating in the District's retail priority areas. The legislation does not apply to medical marijuana dispensaries.

One of the District's retail priority areas includes the portions of 7th and 9th Streets, NW, that are located in Shaw.  Although no cultivation centers  have been proposed for Shaw, two groups have proposed to open dispensaries in Shaw — one at 1537 7th Street and one at 1539 7th Street, NW. (See prior posts on the applications here, here, and here.)  The proposed dispensaries on 7th Street have drawn community opposition, in part because of the potential negative impact on the redevelopment of the 7th Street corridor.

The legislation restricting where cultivation centers could locate was sponsored by Councilmember Yvette Alexander, who stated that the Council's approval of the legislation "is a great victory for neighborhoods that are fighting for vital economic development in their retail areas." She added: "With the absence of cultivation centers in retail priority areas, we will be in a better position to attract high-end retail stores to areas that have been designated for development...."

What do you think: Should the Council also pass legislation to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries from locating in retail priority areas?

Agenda Announced for ANC2C Meeting on April 4, 2012

The agenda has been announced for the April 4, 2012, meeting of ANC 2C. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Shaw Library, 1630 7th Street, NW.

Agenda items include a presentation on a proposed development project at 435 R Street, NW; request for support of zoning relief for a Douglas Developmennt project on the block bounded by 6th Street, 7th Street, L Street, and New York Avenue, NW; a status report on options for improving the availability of parking for residents during Howard Theatre events; and a status report on security, staffing, and maintenance concerns at the Kennedy Recreation Center.

The full agenda is after the jump.

Duke Ellington Sculpture Arrives at Plaza Outside Howard Theatre in Shaw

Duke Ellington sculpture
with sculptor
Zachary Oxman (WTOP)

WTOP reports that the Duke Ellington sculpture, which will be located in the plaza adjacent to the Howard Theatre, will be delivered to Shaw this morning.  WAMU reports that the sculpture has arrived at the plaza.

In the WTOP story, the sculptor, Zachary Oxman, describes the sculpture (pictured to the left) as follows:  "[Ellington is] at the piano, but the piano itself turns into notes and moves up, almost like music.  The G clef that he's sitting on is actually not your traditional G clef, but it's inspired like his actual handwriting."

The plaza is currently under construction by DDOT as part of the streetscape improvements surrounding the Howard Theatre.

(Credit: WAMU)

Check out the DDOT plans for the plaza after the jump.

Owner of Corduroy Restaurant Enters Into Agreement to Purchase Mood Lounge Building

Tom Power, owner of Corduroy restaurant at 1122 9th Street, NW, has entered into an agreement to purchase the building that houses Mood Lounge.  The agreement is contingent on Power receiving financing, and the agreement may be terminated if the closing doesn't occur before March 31, 2012.  The agreement is also subject to the approval of a bankruptcy court.  (As previously reported on this blog, the owner of the Mood Lounge building filed a bankruptcy petition with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia.)

This is likely to be welcome news to the neighbors of Mood Lounge, which has been the subject of a number of complaints and proceedings before the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board — although it is not clear what Power's plans are for the Mood Lounge building, should he be successful in his effort to purchase it.

In a review by Washingtonian magazine, Corduroy was called "one of the hidden gems of Washington dining", and the restaurant has been on Washingtonian's list of the 100 Very Best Restaurants for three years in a row.  It's also been reported that Power plans to open a second restaurant on 9th Street, adjacent to Corduroy.

Real Estate Crowdsourcing Company Popularise Targets 626 S Street, NW

Startup company Popularise has selected 626 S Street, NW, for its newest "drawing board" and it's seeking resident input on what type of store or service should locate there.  (626 S Street, NW, is pictured to the left; the building is located across the street from the Wonder Bread building and Progression Place.)

Popularise is a bit difficult to explain.  It describes itself as "an online crowdsourcing platform focused on local development".   The way Popularise works is that a developer or business submits its property (which is generally vacant or underutilized) as a "drawing board" in order to solicit community input on how the property should be used; residents are then able to submit their ideas and those ideas are then voted on by other website users. Residents' input is supposed to help direct how the proeprty is utlimately used — resulting in a more community focused, and less corporate-focused, development project.

The company was co-founded by two sons of the founder of Western Development, which developed Washington Harbour, the Gallery Place project at the southeast corner of 7th and H Streets, NW, Georgetown Park Mall, and Market Square at 8th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, so the company has something of a pedigree. 

Check out Popularise's drawing board for 626 S Street, NW, here.

To learn more about Popularise, check out their About Us and FAQ pages.

Also check out an article about Popularise on the Atlantic Cities website here.

Old City Green Reopening March 24, 2012; Events Planned for March 31, 2012

Old City Green will be reopening on Saturday, March 24, 2012.  Its spring hours will be:

•  Monday:  Closed
•  Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
•  Wednesday: 11:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
•  Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

On the following Saturday (March 31, 2012), Old City Green will mark its "official" reopening with a guerrilla gardening/seed bomb making activity and an herbal tea party.  Read more details on those events and RSVP here.

Old City Green

Old City Green is a "retail garden center with pots, plants, seeds, compost, mulch, soil, and artifacts to help you achieve your 'dream' green-space."  It is also a pickup location for the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative's community-supported agriculture program.

Old City Green is located at 902 N Street, NW, at the southwest corner of 9th and N Streets, NW.

Latest Plans for the Wonder Bread Building

The Left for LeDroit website has the latest news on Douglas Development's plans for the Wonder Bread building at 621 S Street, NW.  Left for LeDroit reports: "[Douglas Development's] plan for the Wonderbread Factory includes a ground floor and basement floor for retail space, which they imagine may include restaurants or a microbrewery. The upper floors will include loft-like office space.  They are setting an agressive timeline to have the project finished in the spring of 2013 and they say they have had numerous inquiries about the space, especially from restaurateurs."

Check out the Left for LeDroit post, with a full set of design drawings, here.