Neighborhood Events

• On Thursday evenings, live jazz and blues will be played at Gangplank Marina Park at The Wharf, located at 600 Water Street from 6:30 to 8:30pm. The remaining schedule for June includes: 

June 9: Thad Wilson Quintet
June 16: Shirletta Settles & Friends
June 23: Marshall Keys Jazz Ensemble
June 30: Swampdog Blues Band 

• Tonight is the first “Dive-In Movie” night, a Friday night free movie series with water-themed movies at Gangplank Marina Park. Tonight’s movie is Sharknado. Dive-In Movie night begins at 8pm. Other movies in June include:

June 10: Finding Nemo
June 17: The Perfect Storm
June 24: Splash 

• Saturday mornings in June will bring Waterfront Workouts, including DC Dragons at 8am; YaLa Fitness at 9am; and M Street Yoga at 10am. 

• The USDA Farmers Market at Night starts today from 4-7pm at 12th Street and Independence Avenue. The market will operate each Friday from now until September 30. Below is a list of vendors: 

Farmers and Growers: 

Eco Friendly Food, Moneta, VA
Good Sense Farm & Apiary, Washington, DC
Quaker Valley Orchards, Biglerville, PA
Ryan’s Fruit Market, Timberville, VA
TLV (Triadelphia Lake View) Tree Farm, Glenelg, MD

Baker: 

Black Pearl Tarts
Emma's Bakeshop
Lynnette's Cakes and Catering
Second Rising
The Cookie Jar 

DC Food Truck: 

Ball or Nothing
Dirty South Deli
Far East Taco Grill
Federal City Brothers  

Food Concessions: 

Eat 170
Thunder Beast
Timber Pizza Company  

Soap Maker: 

Georges Botanique Aromatiques
Specialty: Greca Terra
Undone Chocolate
Value Added Food Producers:
Number 1 Sons
PinUp Preserves
Senzu Juicery
She Peppers  

Dairy Product Maker: 

Ruby Scoops Ice Cream  

This is in addition to the day market at the same location every Friday through October from 9am to 2pm. 

• Another farmer’s market can be found at The Lot at 4th and M streets on Saturdays from 10am – 2pm though November 19th. Dreaming Out Loud is bringing the Southwest DC Farmers Market to Waterfront Station with the support of SWBID and Waterfront Associates.

• Market SW night market returns for a second year to The Lot at 4th and M streets and will take place on the fourth Friday of each month (the first one was last Friday) until November. The next one will be on June 24. For more information, visit marketSWdc.com.

• There will be a Southwest Community Yard Sale tomorrow starting at 9am. The yard sale will be at Harbor Square and Tiber Island (4th and N streets).

Annual Parade of Lighted Boats This Saturday

The 24th annual Parade of Lighted Boats will take place on Saturday evening from 6-8 pm at Gangplank Marina Park located at 600 Water Street.  As in previous years, festivities include photos with Santa Claus, the lighting of the Gangplank Marina Christmas tree, a firepit with s'mores, live holiday music, gingerbread cookie decorating, the first "snowfall" of the season, and of course, the boat parade, where boaters decorate their vessels and compete for prizes.

Boat Home Tour Tomorrow!

Free July Events at The Wharf

Jazz and Blues are played every Thursday evening from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Gangplank Marina Park, located at 600 Water Street along The Wharf. Below is the Thursday evening schedule of events for the remainder of July:

July 16: Alex Hamburger Jazz Quintet
July 23: Clarence Turner Blues Band
July 30: Greg Lamont Jazz Ensemble

Friday evenings bring Summer Sounds and Sizzlin' BBQ to The Wharf from 6:30pm to 8:30pm:

July 17: 19th St Band (Americana Pop)
July 24: Dale & the Z'Dubs (Reggae Rock)
July 31: Texas Chainsaw Horns (Rock & Horns)

Every Saturday there are free Waterfront Workouts from 8am to 11am: 

8am: DC Dragon Boat Club
9am: YaLa Fitness class - taught by Laurent Amzallag, a fitness personality featured on Oprah
10am: Waterfront Yoga - taught by Megan Davis

Wharf Update

Three more cranes have arrived on-site at The Wharf over the past couple of weeks to help with demolishing the existing docks at the Gangplank Marina and the seawall. Gangplank Slipholders Association President Karen Anderson brings word that construction fencing has cut off the lower portion of the seawall promenade between 7th Street and what was formerly Phillips Flagship. The restaurant closed late last month and will reopen in a much smaller takeout format at L’Enfant Plaza this summer. Pier 7 Restaurant at the Channel Inn closed in late March. Meanwhile, Jenny’s Asian Fusion is still open for the time being and the Maine Avenue Fish Market will remain open through the duration of construction. Seventh Street Landing is also a part of the construction zone, so activities that used to take place over there have been moved downchannel to Gangplank Park closer to 6th Street, including Bufus’ King Ribs. 

Water Street

Water Street is now closed to traffic between 7th and 9th Streets while utility relocation work gets started. In addition, parking is no longer allowed along Water Street from 7th Street to the fish market. The street will no longer exist when phase one of The Wharf is completed in late 2017.

Houseboat Shuffle

In another sign that the transformation of the Southwest Waterfront to The Wharf will soon begin, houseboats at the Gangplank Marina have started to be relocated to temporary quarters. For instance, some houseboat owners at F Dock near 7th Street are being shifted south to C Dock. The houseboats are being moved so construction can begin on phase one of The Wharf. During this phase, the Capital Yacht Club will be moved from its current location next to Jenny’s Asian Fusion at 1000 Water Street and rebuilt between 7th and 9th streets. Back in August, Kastles Stadium at The Wharf was dismantled. No financing agreement has been publicly announced yet for the project and therefore no official construction start date has been set.

SW Waterfront Fireworks Festival Set for April 6

Spring is finally here and with it comes the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year’s SW Waterfront Fireworks Festival will take place on Saturday, April 6 from 1pm – 9pm, which will be produced by the Washington Waterfront Association and Hoffman-Madison Waterfront.  There will be four main stages set up along the waterfront during the festival. The opening ceremony will take place at Kastles Stadium at The Wharf with musical entertainment throughout the day from military and reggae bands. In addition, there will be a food truck rally, a beach with games, a beer garden, along with the Very Cherry Marketplace with fine art and crafts.

^{Lifeguard chair set up in the "beach" area at last year's festival.}

Over at the Washington Channel Stage, the John Glenn fireboat will parade along the channel with its spray jets, as well as paddle boat & dragon boat excursions, and DC Sail sailing activities. In the evening, the channel will be illuminated with pink lights from the houseboats at Gangplank Marina, the grand lantern will be illuminated, along with lighted Koi in the water, welcomed by the Nen Daiko Japanese Drummers who will be on a barge in the channel. Gangplank Marina Park will have more musical acts, face painters, model boat-making, strolling costumed characters, and Japanese-inspired balloon art. 7th Street Landing will also have jazz performances, windsock-making, and Japanese lantern crafting & origami. The fireworks show will begin at 8:30 and last until 9pm. This year’s peak bloom is forecast to take place during the fireworks festival!

Crowds at last year's festival.

A Couple Quick Items: KIPP DC Proposal, Tall Ship Visit

- The Washington Post picked up on the KIPP DC proposal to build a new charter high school at the site of the Randall Recreation Center at South Capitol and I streets, which is owned by the District government. I wrote a post about the issues surrounding Randall last month and there was also an article about it in The Southwester.

Rendering courtesy of Studios Architecture

- A tall ship from the Swedish navy will be dropping anchor at the Gangplank Marina today for a three-day visit.

A Couple Quick Items: Photos from the Parade of Lighted Boats, St. Matthew's Christmas Tree Sale

A large crowd gathered for the 20th annual Parade of Lighted Boats at 7th Street Landing last Saturday.  There were several family-friendly activities, including photos with Santa, gingerbread cookie decorating, and the tree lighting with artificial snow. Below are a few photos of the boats from the event.

Peace and love.

Happy Hanukkah!

One of the house barges docked at the Gangplank Marina.

A view of some of the boats docked at the Gangplank Marina.

While the Planned Unit Development (PUD) was approved for the new St. Matthew's Lutheran Church and apartments at M Street and Delaware Avenue earlier this year, construction won't begin at least until 2013 so the church will use its lot again this year as a Christmas tree lot.  The St. Matthew's lot is the only Christmas tree lot in the neighborhood. Trees and wreaths are available for purchase on Thursdays & Fridays from 5pm - 8:30pm and Saturdays & Sundays from 1pm - 5pm.  Scotch Pines and Frazier Furs are available.  Click on the flyer for more information.

Some Upcoming Events

Here is a list of some upcoming events in the neighborhood:

• Saturday, October 20th is the second annual House Boat Tour at the Gangplank Marina from 10am – 4pm.  Check here for more information. Proceeds will benefit the SW Scholarship Fund and the PAWS of SW.

• Monday, October 22nd is SWNA’s monthly meeting which will be a candidates’ forum for ANC 6D commissioner seats.  Contested races include single-member districts 6D02 and 6D05. Incumbent Cara Shockley is running (as a write-in candidate) against Near SE residents Ed Kaminski and Damon Patton in SMD 6D02, whose borders changed with redistricting to include a portion of Near SE. Over in SMD 6D05, incumbent Roger Moffatt is running against Grace E. Daughtridge.  Donna Hopkins is running unopposed in Bob Craycraft's soon-to-be vacated 6D01 seat while incumbents Ron McBee, Andy Litsky, Rhonda Hamilton, and David Garber are all running unopposed in their respective SMDs.  The meeting will take place at Arena Stage starting at 7pm.

• Saturday, October 27th is Fall Fun Day at the Southwest Duck Pond with the Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond and Girl Scouts Troop 4298 from King-Greenleaf Recreation Center from noon – 2pm.

• Saturday, November 17th is My Fair Doggie event at the Southwest Duck Pond, where there will be a costume contest for dogs in conjunction with Arena Stage’s run of ‘My Fair Lady’ from noon – 2pm.  Judges will include Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells and Arena Stage’s artistic director Molly Smith.  Proceeds will benefit PAWS of SW.

• Monday, November 19th is the next ANC 6D meeting at 7pm, located at 1100 4th Street, 2nd floor.  Agenda TBA.

'Pride of Baltimore II' Coming to Gangplank Marina

The Pride of Baltimore II clipper ship will be visiting the Gangplank Marina this weekend.  It will be docked from Saturday, September 22 until Tuesday, September 25. Free deck tours will be available on the 22nd and 23rd from 10am to 2pm. Afternoon daysails are available on both days at 3pm that lasts for 2 1/2 hours. Tickets for day sails are $45 for adults and $30 for children 12 and under. On September 24 and 25, the Pride of Baltimore II will be offering school tours.

ANC Opposes Extension of Waterfront Station PUD

At last Monday's ANC 6D meeting, representatives from Waterfront Associates came before the commissioners to request their support for a 2-year extension of their PUD for two parcels at Waterfront Station - the District-owned NE parcel next to CVS and the West M Street parcel in front of Station 4 and Z-Burger. On the NE parcel, which will one day be a multifamily building with ground floor retail, the District is not ready to issue a RFP because they say that land values are still depressed in the area and they would not get a sufficient amount of income from the sale/lease of the land to a residential developer at this time. On the West M Street parcel, which is planned as an office building with ground floor retail, the development team does not want to construct an office building without a tenant because the commercial real estate market has not rebounded yet and GSA (a major source of tenants in Southwest) has halted new requests for office space.  They continue to pursue any solicitations for office space that come on the market, but they aren't optimistic that they can land an anchor tenant before the current PUD expires early next year. 

Waterfront Associates decided not to ask for an extension on the East M Street office parcel in front of Safeway since the PUD on that site doesn't expire until April 2015. On the NW parcel next to Westminster Church, they will soon submit plans for a 300+ unit rental apartment building with 4,000-5,000 square feet of ground floor retail on 4th Street. They will come back to the ANC within the next couple of months to get approval for that building, but they weren't able to give much details on the project since they are still finalizing the design.

After hearing the presentation, the commissioners voted unanimously to oppose supporting the extension. Some of the reasons for their disapproval include the lack of care that the development team and the District have made with regard to the interim use of the vacant parcels in question. On the NE parcel, there is a muddy pathway made by people who traverse the lot. On the M Street parcel, the trailer that once housed Bank of America was removed last month, but there is a random staircase left over from when Waterside Mall was in existence and the rest of the lot has not been grassed over yet like the others. Another reason for the disapproval was due to the lack of retail (especially a bank) at Waterfront Station. There are four vacant storefronts in the existing office buildings and the phone number posted on the windows of the spaces for potential tenants to inquire about availability was incorrect (that has since been corrected).  The development team no longer owns the retail space (it was sold to USAA along with the two office buildings last year) but they are willing to act as intermediaries between the ANC and the new owners. They mentioned that USAA has some proposals for tenants that they are currently reviewing so there may be some movement on the retail front soon.

In other ANC news, DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is working with USPS to negotiate with The Ruben Companies, who owns the SW post office site at L Street to keep the post office open beyond the point when the current lease expires at the end of 2012.  Also, the Gangplank Slipholders Association and the Hoffman-Madison Waterfront team have come to an agreement that will allow the slipholders to stay in the Washington Channel during the transition phase while The Wharf is under construction. In addition, the agreement will preserve the current management practice in place that will allow boats to maintain their value if they are sold to liveaboards.

2nd Annual Home Boat Tour

Owners at the Gangplank Marina will host the second annual Home Boat Tour on October 20 where houseboats, housebarges, sailboats, trawlers, office barges, and more will be opened to the public from 10am to 4pm. Tickets cost $20, but residents of the 20024 ZIP code receive a $5 discount. Also on the same day, DC Harbor Cruises will offer discounted 60-minute cruises for $15. Like last year, Cantina Marina will offer a 10% discount to tour-goers. A portion of proceeds from the event will go towards local charities in Southwest.

ANC Reconsiders Vote, Decides to Support Wharf

ANC 6D held a special meeting this evening to reconsider their opposition to the Stage 2 PUD for Phase 1  of development at The Wharf. Representatives from Hoffman-Madison Waterfront gave a presentation that explained some changes that were made to the PUD in response to comments from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. Some changes include the simplification of design and increased use of wood in construction of the District Pier and Transit Pier building. Roof structures on some buildings and light pole coverings will be made of fabric or a similar material. Vines and other climbing plants will be incorporated on walls and other surfaces where there is sufficient light exposure. On District Pier, poles that will be used to house infrastructure will be 40 feet tall and less ornate than originally planned. Masonry construction will be used on the buildings planned for Parcel 2. Small balconies have been added to approximately one third of the rental apartment units in Parcel 2. In Parcel 3B, the clock tower has been removed from the Intercontinental Hotel, the height of the building has been reduced, and the large lettering originally planned for near the top of the hotel has been removed. On the Parcel 11B condo building, the dark colored brick that was going to be used has been changed to a lighter colored brick that will make the building blend in better with Tiber Island across the street. Changes have also been made to Waterfront Park, which are detailed here.

  

At the end of a meeting that was at times contentious, the Commissioners voted 4-3 to support the PUD after the developers answered concerns listed in the ANC's previous resolution in opposition.  I'll provide a link to the 7/30 resolution once it is posted on the ANC's website. Commissioners Litsky, Garber, Craycraft, and Shockley voted in support while Commissioners McBee, Moffatt, and Hamilton voted against. One of the major outstanding issues that caused the ANC to vote against the PUD back in June was the status of the liveaboard community at the Gangplank Marina during the transition period and management of the community after completion of the development. GPSA President Jason Kopp spoke before tonight's vote expressing his support for the project "in good faith" since negotiations between the slipholders and Hoffman-Madison Waterfront were going well and a resolution to their major concerns was near.

Tomorrow evening, the Hoffman-Madison Waterfront team will meet with the Zoning Commission for the fifth time where the ANC's approval is given "great weight" toward whether the Commission gives its approval.  A decision on whether to approve the PUD will likely be made in the fall. The developers are investing $53 million of their own funds, but they are looking for additional capital investment. If all goes as planned, the land transfer between the District and Hoffman-Madison Waterfront would occur by the end of this year. Construction would begin on the project around the end of the first quarter of 2013 with demolition of Zanzibar and other structures along the waterfront and the relocation of utilities from Water Street to Maine Avenue. Completion of Phase 1 would be in 2016. 

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront


Update: Here are some new renderings of components of The Wharf that have changed.

District Pier

Aerial View of District Pier

Transit Pier

Wharf Hall

House Passes Waterfront Legislation, First Wharf Hearing Tomorrow

According to Roll Call, the House of Representatives passed the bill yesterday which will allow the Hoffman-Madison Waterfront team to redevelop the Southwest Waterfront into The Wharf as currently planned, with piers that will extend into the Washington Channel (such as District Pier, a rendering of which is above).  The bill also allows the sale of fruits, vegetables, and other items at the Maine Avenue Fish Market.  This is the second time the House has approved the bill, since the Senate made a slight change to the bill when they passed the measure back in March.  With the passage of this legislation, another roadblock has been removed and brings the project one step closer to groundbreaking in 2013. 

Before that can happen though, they need to get approval from the Zoning Commission. Get some popcorn, because the first Zoning Commission hearing on the Stage Two PUD for Phase One of The Wharf will be held tomorrow evening at 6:30pm, where the following aspects of the development will be discussed: General comments, Parcel 2A, and 2B, Co-Gen Plant, Parcel 1 temporary uses, and Transit Pier.  A live broadcast of the hearing will be available, as well as On Demand starting on Friday.  ANC 6D voted earlier this month not to support the PUD due to some issues that need to be resolved, especially whether the existing liveaboard community at Gangplank Marina will be preserved. The commissioners and the Hoffman-Madison Waterfront team are working to iron out any differences before the next ANC meeting on July 9, where another vote on the PUD may take place.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

ANC Votes to Not Endorse Wharf

A large crowd gathered last night at the ANC 6D meeting, including a large contingent from the Gangplank Slipholders Association, to hear the presentation given by Hoffman-Madison Waterfront about Phase One of The Wharf and voice their support for the liveaboards - the only people who currently live along the waterfront.   Phase One will be roughly 1.5 million square feet of space and takes up about 2/3 of the development.  Some newer renderings were shown (I hope to get a copy of the presentation). During the presentation, it was learned that the townhomes that were planned for Pier 4 in a future phase of development will no longer be built due to some opposition (including the Army Corps of Engineers). The pier will remain as a commercial pier with a two-story structure - the party boats will still leave from their current location, which has an impact on the proposed Waterfront Park that is planned adjacent to Pier 4 (I will attend a park charrette on Thursday where I will learn more about any changes that will be made to the park because of the change in use for Pier 4).

There was also an explanation of what kinds of events will take place at the Wharf Center, which will be able to hold between 3,500 people (seated) and 5,500 people (standing) depending on the configuration. The Wharf Center will be a marquee venue that can hold corporate events (like at a conference facility at a hotel), cultural programming (similar to what would be presented at the Synagogue at 6th & I and Busboys & Poets), and concerts (like at the Birchmere) with activity between 150 and 180 nights a year. One thing it will not be is a night club, according to Monty Hoffman from PN Hoffman. Some examples of events that could be held at the Wharf Center include: Artomatic, a fashion show, concert, or a film festival/movie premiere.

After the presentation, the ANC explained while they are generally supportive of The Wharf development and have had a good working relationship with the development team, there are a number of issues that need to be resolved before they can endorse the project, such as a tour bus management plan, pedestrian access study, and a traffic study (Here is a link to the motion that lists them all), but paramount among the issues is the transition plan for the liveaboards at Gangplank and how they will be integrated with the development. The management of Gangplank Marina would change with the transfer from the feds/District to Hoffman-Madison Waterfront and the proposed terms of the management agreement would not be economically viable for the liveaboards.  The ANC voted 6-0-1 (Commissioner Craycraft abstained) to not endorse the PUD. They will work with the developers over the next few weeks to come to a resolution on the outstanding issues and may vote again at their July meeting. After the vote, Jason Kopp, President of the Gangplank Slipholders Association stated: 

"We are grateful for the ANC and the community's support of the liveaboards as we try to resolve pending issues with the transition and future well-being of Gangplank Marina.  Our hope is that we can work with the city and developers to come up with a solution that is mutually beneficial because ultimately we would like this development to be successful."       

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

Photos from the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival

Below are some photos from Saturday's Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival. Except for some wind, the weather this year was perfect. Unfortunately, I was unable to get any photos from the events in the evening leading to the fireworks show.  If you have any photos from throughout the day, feel free to send them to southwest.tlqtc@gmail.com. 

The "beach" area next to Kastles Stadium featured a beer garden and two food trucks.

The lifeguard chair at the beach.

Lines began forming early at the beach-area food trucks DC Slices and TaKorean.

The beach area was full all afternoon.  All 20 kegs of beer were sold out by 6pm.

There were free dragon boat rides offered all afternoon. At the end of the commercial pier is a large metal flame in the shape of a cherry blossom that was illuminated in the evening.  The John Glenn fire boat is in the background.

Kids were able to build small boats and sail them in a makeshift pond near the Gangplank Marina Stage.

MPD Officer Williams makes a t-shirt near the Gangplank Marina stage.

Balloon artists and windsock koi were given to children at the festival.

The Lavenia Nesmith Quintet performs at the 7th Street Landing Stage.

Crowds gather by the Lincoln vehicles on display by Kastles Stadium.

Update: Below are photos from the festival submitted by readers.

Kastles Stadium Stage, courtesy of Wizzyliz.

4th Annual Cantina Cup

The following is a press release from DC Sail:

Local sailors from all over the mid-Atlantic region will converge Saturday, October 1, at Gangplank Marina on the Southwest Waterfront to race in the 4th Annual Cantina Cup Regatta. The event features a full day of sailing with over 100 participants to benefit DC Sail’s sailing education programs. Racing will begin at 10:30am and the last race will start no later than 5:00pm.

Cantina Cup is hosted by DC Sail and Cantina Marina and is sponsored by Mount Gay Rum.

Sailors will race DC Sail’s Lasers, FJs and Flying Scotts during this event. We urge sailors from other organizations to bring their boats and participate as well. DC Sail members get reduced registration fees of $50 per person while non-members fees are $75.

The event consists of a full day of sailing followed by an After Party/Awards Ceremony at Cantina Marina. Non-sailors are encouraged to spectate throughout the day from aboard DC Sail’s schooner, the American Spirit. The After Party is open to all for a $25 cover which includes four free Mount Gay Rum drinks and live music.

Non-racers are invited to purchase spectator tickets aboard DC Sail’s schooner the American Spirit. The Corona-sponsored Spectator Boat will be the best view of the racing from 1pm to 4 pm. $60 tickets include free Corona and for an additional $15 attendees can also attend the Mount Gay After Party.

Last year, the event was a great success with the over 50 sailors participating, raising over $5,000 for DC Sail’s adult sailing programs.

To learn more about sponsorship, registration and general event information, please visit http://www.dcsail.org/ or contact Emily at (202) 547-1250 or erodegast@dcsail.org.

Boat Home Tour this Saturday

There will be 23 boats on display at the Gangplank Marina during the tour.  In addition, discounted admission for a DC Harbour Cruise is available and with the purchase of a tour ticket, visit Cantina Marina before or after the tour to receive 10% off. Proceeds from the tour will benefit the Earth Conservation Corps and the Alice Ferguson Foundation.

Update: Below is a YouTube video done by Hoffman-Madison Waterfront showing a boat home owner give a tour of her home at the Gangplank Marina.

Gangplank Slipholders Association Supports Wharf PUD

Ahead of today's Zoning Commission meeting, the Gangplank Slipholders Association (GPSA) released their letter of support for The Wharf PUD application on Friday. While the GPSA generally supports the plan, there are a number of outstanding issues that they need to work through with the Hoffman-Madison Waterfront team, which include:

• the policies associated with transfer of live-aboard status, which constitutes a significant portion of the equity of the vessels it is associated with;
• the details of how essential services will be provided to our members during the development;
• controls on slip fees; and
• the lack of a back-up plan should complications in the proposed plan arise or the required Congressional bill fail to be passed.

The Zoning Commission meeting will take place tonight at 6:30pm at 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 220-S. To see the meeting live, follow this link.