Fireboat Damaged in Channel

The Washington Post reports that DCFD's main fireboat the John Glenn was damaged in a collision with The Spirit of Washington cruise boat in the Washington Channel. From the article:

The Spirit of Washington cruise boat struck the District's main fireboat today while the latter vessel was docked, gashing a 15-foot-hole in the fireboat and disabling it for the foreseeable future, fire officials said. There were no passengers aboard the 600-person cruise boat, and no one was injured in the 2 p.m. incident, along Pier 4 at 6th and Water streets SW, authorities said. The collision occurred as the four-person crew of the Spirit of Washington performed a routine maneuver to reposition the ship alongside the pier, said Sal Naso, vice president and general manager of the Spirit Cruises. "They were just turning it around," Naso said. "It's done a thousand times a year. We're obviously going to take care of the fire department." Naso said damage to the cruise boat was minimal. The company substituted another boat, the Spirit of Mount Vernon, for its scheduled dinner cruise. Alan Etter, spokesman for the District's Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department said the damage to the 70-foot John Glenn was "considerable." The gash was on the starboard side, above the water line, and will have to be fixed before it can be returned to service, he said.

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the accident. Below is a photo of the John Glenn, one week after the accident. I couldn't get any closer in order to see the gash on the boat.

Southwest Projects May Benefit from Stimulus

The WBJ reports that under the $800+ billion stimulus package approved by the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday, about $900 million will be allocated to the District, which includes money for infrastructure improvements and public school renovations. From the article:

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty wrote [DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes] Norton Jan. 7 with a list of priorities for stimulus spending that included school modernization, construction of a new police forensics lab, Medicaid matching funds, reconstruction of the Eleventh Street and South Capitol Street bridges, and [other] environmental and housing needs.

Speaking of the South Capitol Street bridge, there will be an ANC 6D presentation meeting on Monday, February 2nd at 7pm, where DDOT will give a briefing on the new bridge design (and hopefully a timetable). The meeting will take place at 1501 Half Street.

February Issue of The Southwester is Available

Here's a link to February's issue of The Southwester.

Douglass Bridge to Close

DDOT has released a traffic advisory that the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge (AKA South Capitol Street Bridge) will be closed on Sunday morning in order to test the swing span from 5am to 10am. This photo of the Douglass Bridge was taken in December 2008.

Inauguration Photos

During the past few days, parts of Southwest were taken over by masses of people due to all the events related to the Inauguration of President Barack Obama. I attended some of the events, namely the We Are One concert at the Lincoln Memorial and the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol. Here are some photos I took during these events.

The MSNBC studio on the National Mall started broadcasting on Saturday, January 17th from 7th Street & Jefferson Drive. The studio has a window so passersby can see the broadcasters and guests, and it offers great views of the Capitol building from inside.

The We Are One concert, which officially kicked off inaugural activities, was held at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday. There were estimates by CNN that 750,000 people attended the free concert. I was standing east of 17th Street, which was outside of the security zone. Jumbotrons were installed so the large crowd could see the concert.

Several streets north of the SE-SW freeway were closed to vehicles on Inauguration Day. This photo was taken along D Street, in front of L'Enfant Plaza, where tour buses were parked and a crowd of people were trying to find their way to the Washington Monument around 10:30 AM, since by then the security zone at the National Mall was already closed. The WBJ reports that the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station was one of the more heavily used stations since it was one of the closest open stations to the Mall. According to a WMATA press release, January 20th broke the record for the amount of people who used Metrorail...1.12 million riders.

This photo was taken after the President gave his inaugural address and the crowd near the Washington Monument were leaving the National Mall. The Washington Post reports that an estimated 1.8 million people were gathered at the National Mall for the swearing-in ceremony, the largest crowd ever on the Mall.

National Guard troops were stationed in several spots to help with crowd control. This Humvee was parked along Maine Avenue near the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

This photo was taken at the intersection of 7th Street and G Street looking north on 7th, as spectators from the swearing-in ceremony were making their way back to buses or other modes of transit. Visible in the background of this photo is the new facade of Constitution Center.

Additional Inaugural Activities in Southwest

Back in December, Southwest...TLQTC posted about the International Inaugural Ball being held at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel on the 17th. Here are a few other events taking place in the neighborhood:

Saturday

• On Saturday, January 17th, from 9 am - 4 pm, St. Augustine's Episcopal Church will be hosting an Americorps service project, which will include chili lunch (11 am) with 50-75 service volunteers from all over the country plus the DC clients that they serve. A keynote speaker, group discussion and a non-violent canvass through the Southwest DC neighborhood with the mayor’s office, a safety patrol, and Guardian Angels will follow this. This event is a direct response to Obama’s call for a National Day of Service. RSVP to 202-554-3222. St Augustine's is located at 600 M Street.
• Also on Saturday, there will be a Young & Powerful Group Launch Event at the Holiday Inn Capitol, which is located at 550 C Street, from 7-11pm. Tickets are $50 and more information about the event can be found on their website.

Sunday

• On Sunday, January 18th, two events will take place at Zanzibar, located at 700 Water Street. The first is an event called All for Africa & Africare: A Celebration of Unity Inaugural Event. The event will be from 9pm-2am and ticket prices range from $75 - $500. See the website for more information. The other event is called the Mambo for Obama Ball, from 8pm - 5am. Ticket prices range from $75 - $250. Here's a link to the event's website.
• Also on Sunday, the Air & Space Museum on Independence Avenue will be the location of The California Bash. However, this event is already sold out.
• The Oklahoma State Society will host a reception at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian on Independence Avenue from 7-9pm. This event is FREE, but a RSVP is required.

Monday

• There's a Champagne Reception at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art at 950 Independence Avenue from 7-11pm. Tickets are $175 and here's a phone number for more information: 877-CHN-0844.
• The Land of Enchantment Inaugural Ball will be held at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian from 7-10pm. Unfortunately, this event is sold out.
• The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, located at 1330 Maryland Avenue, will be the venue for the Pearl Gala from 7pm-12am. This event, however, is sold out. (To the right is a photo of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel taken in October 2008)
• The South Carolina Presidential Inaugural Ball will be held at the Air & Space Museum starting at 8pm. This event is sold out.
• The Young & Powerful Black Tie Gala and Awards Ceremony will take place at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel starting at 8pm. Tickets cost $125.

Tuesday

• On January 20th (Inauguration Day), there will be a service of Morning Prayer from 8:30- 9am at St. Augustine's.
• The Hawai'i State Society is having their Inaugural Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. If you're looking for a ticket for President-Elect Obama's home state ball, sorry, this event is already sold out.
• The Living the Dream Inaugural Ball will be held on January 20th at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel on 480 L'Enfant Plaza. Tickets are $250. (To the right is a photo of the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel taken in December 2008)
• The 2009 Florida Inaugural Celebration will take place at the National Museum of the American Indian, starting at 7pm. Tickets cost $200, and call (703) 905-9838 for more information.

Saturday

• On Saturday, January 24th, from 3 – 5pm, St. Augustine’s will end Inauguration week by hosting a community event, “MLK and Our Century”, a multifaceted tribute to the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. featuring actor-filmmaker Michael Mack and a diverse panel of well-known artists, activists, politicians and educators. The event will begin with "The Drum Major,” a 20-minute live documentary written, directed by and featuring Mack as “The Voice of Dr. King” and followed by a panel discussion of this historic presidency and current events with Dr. King’s values in mind.

Patriots Plaza Tops Off

Thanks to reader Curtis for the tip that Biznow recently had a feature on the topping off ceremony at Patriots Plaza that occurred last Friday. Back in December, Southwest...TLQTC had a post showing updated photos at phase II and phase III of Patriots Plaza. In the Biznow article, it describes some of the security features Trammell Crow implemented at the two buildings:

30' setbacks, shatter-resistant windows, and a lobby designed to blow air pressure outward during a blast. Trammell can lease each building as an individual facility or combine Phases II and III into one, which is what they proposed to DoJ before it landed in NoMa.

Phase II & III are scheduled to deliver in September and no tenants have been lined up yet, however, they are targeting the GSA as a potential tenant. The article also mentions other developments in the area, including Constitution Center, the CFL, and the two parcels the DC government is offering up to developers, all of which has been written about in this blog. (The above photo shows phase II of Patriots Plaza back in December 2008)

Alternative Transit Options on Inauguration Day

By foot: The Inauguration Day 2009 website created by the District government states the following pedestrian routes are available to get to the swearing-in ceremony:

The following access points have been identified as pedestrian-only routes to the National Mall:

• E Street, NE from Massachusetts Avenue, NE to 3rd Street, NW
• 7th Street, SW from D Street, SW to Independence Avenue, SW
• 19th Street, NW from K Street, NW to DuPont Circle, NW
• 3rd Street Tunnel (I-395) from New York Avenue, NW to SE/SW Freeway
• Arlington Memorial Bridge from Virginia, around Lincoln Circle to Independence Avenue, SW
• East Capitol Street, NE to North Carolina, SE to New Jersey Avenue, SE to I Street, SE [continue until 7th Street, SW to Independence Avenue, SW

By sea (ok, river): For those of you coming into DC from Northern Virginia, I heard on NBC4 this morning that there will be water taxi service from Old Town Alexandria to the Southwest Waterfront. From the NBC4 website:

The U.S. Coast Guard says it has approved water taxi service from Virginia to D.C. on Inauguration Day. The Inaugural Water Taxi will be provided by the Potomac Riverboat Co., for $90 roundtrip or $50 one way. The taxi will depart from the Alexandria City Marina at Union and Cameron streets in Old Town Alexandria and arrive at the Southwest Waterfront's Pier 4, at 600 Water St. in D.C.

600 Water Street is where Cantina Marina is located and the Odyssey is docked. Tickets go on sale today and can be purchased on the Potomac Riverboat Company's website. (The above photo is of Cantina Marina and the Odyssey dock, taken in July 2007)

By bicycle: A press release today from DDOT states that there will be two free bike valet parking stations available - one will be on the south side of the Jefferson Memorial and the other will be on 16th Street, NW between I & K Streets. From the press release:

Both sites are within walking distance of the Inaugural festivities and will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. A limited number of commemorative valet claim checks and spoke cards will be offered to cyclists who use the valets. WABA says the service will operate like a car valet. “You simply ride up to the valet, a volunteer will attach one half of a claim ticket to your bike and hand you the other half,” said Henry Mesias, the project manager at WABA. “The volunteer will then park the bike in a safe enclosure while you head off to enjoy the Inauguration. When you want to leave, you show us your half of the claim check and we get you your bike and you ride off. It’s quite simple.” The sidewalks on all bridges over the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers will be open to bicyclists and pedestrians, and the Memorial Bridge will be dedicated to bicyclists and pedestrians. Cyclists coming from Arlington, Alexandria, Southeast and Southwest DC can use the valet station at the Jefferson Memorial, while riders from the north can use the station at 16th and K Streets, NW.

Here's a link to WABA's website describing the bike valet service.

By Metro: According to the WMATA website, Metrorail will be running rush hour service on Inauguration Day from 4am to 9pm and commemorative passes & SmarTrip cards are available for purchase. The Smithsonian Metro station will be closed, so the closest Southwest stations to the National Mall will be L'Enfant Plaza and Federal Center SW. Those stations serve all rail lines, except for the Red Line. (The above map shows the Metro stations and bus routes near the National Mall, from the WMATA website)

Could SEU Become UDC?

The WBJ reports that the University of the District of Columbia could possibly take over Southeastern University. From the WBJ article:

Southeastern University, which has dealt with financial and enrollment troubles for years, is close to picking the school that would absorb it. The University of the District of Columbia recently voiced its interest in taking over the university. “We are entertaining proposals from interested parties for a possible merger in order to strengthen our ability to meet our mission efforts,” said J.R. Clark, board chairman of Southeastern, which offers a two-year associate’s degree. “UDC is one of the many institutions that has provided us with a proposal.” Allen Sessoms, who was named president of UDC in August 2008, has said that early stages of his tenure would include creating a community college within the university. Southeastern’s merger committee has been collecting proposals that the board will have the opportunity to weigh in on and review Wednesday at its board of directors meeting.

Southeastern University is located at 501 I Street, and according to its website, the University is in the midst of renovations, called The Campaign For Southeastern. The first phase of renovation, which includes three classrooms, faculty offices, and study areas was completed in 2008. The website doesn't say what the next phases will cover, but I hope the building's exterior is a part of the renovation.

Update: The WBJ reports that UDC's board approved the creation of a two-year community college, which could pave the way for a merger of UDC and Southeastern University by the fall semester.

Finalists Chosen for Eisenhower Memorial

The Washington Business Journal (subscribers only) reports that four finalists have been chosen by the Eisenhower Memorial Commission and the GSA to design the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Memorial, to be located just south of the Air & Space Museum between 4th Street & 6th Street. Independence Avenue forms the northern boundary of the memorial site. The four finalists are the following: Gehry Partners from LA, Peter Walker & Partners Landscape Architecture from Berkeley, CA, Rogers Marvel Architects from New York, and Krueck + Sexton from Chicago. A finalist will be chosen in March to design the memorial, which will span four acres and is called Eisenhower Square. Construction of Eisenhower Square will require the closure of Maryland Avenue, which bisects the site, but the view shed towards the Capitol Building will need to be maintained. It will cost anywhere from $90 million to $110 million to build the memorial and it should be complete by 2014. The site of the memorial seems appropriate, since President Eisenhower was responsible for the creation of NASA, the FAA, the Department of Education, and the Department of Health & Human Services, whose headquarters buildings are located either adjacent to the memorial site or in close proximity.

(The rendering of the memorial site is from the Eisenhower Memorial Commission website)