Sometimes I go off on tangents while doing taxes and start reading all kinds of IRS publications...but this caught my eye.  take it with a grain of salt as I am no expert and not a CPA - consult a professional:  Did you know that the Mount Vernon Triangle is an enterprise zone?  For tax purposes (check out form 8844) certain 2000 census tract sections of DC with 20%+ poverty (page 11) are classified as Empowerment Zones.  Why is this important?  well if you have a business in the Triangle (or one of the other sections) and you employ DC residents (who live anywhere in DC), you may qualify for a big tax credit - up to 15k per employee if i am reading that right.  There are also other benefits, like some sort of tax exempt financing and increased section 179 deduction.  this is part of form 3800 General business credit.  I hope all of the new & exisiting Triangle businesses know about this, its pretty neato.  but it wont last for long...this year is census year and its pretty evident that the demographics downtown have been severely altered.  One more thing, if you look at the map, PQ & parts of Shaw are included.

First the FANTASTIC news that Mandu is coming to the space next to Kushi in City Vista!!! This means KOREAN BBQ in the hood!! (Mandu has a current restaurant at 18th & S) Ok now that I've finished my happy dance, the meat n potatoes...

The Stuearts are coming soon so they promise.  The committee voted to support their zoning appeal which was hugely confusing but in a nutshell they want to build: a 400 unit residential building on the 400 block of NY Ave/L and a commercial/retail building on the 500 block of NY/K.  the appeal has to do with transferring residential sq footage and the confusing nature of the zoning code, bonus densities and all sorts of crazy things that made even me (who normally geeks out to this stuff) utterly cross eyed.  check out Rob's explanation from the meeting announcement post below, he does a much better job.  Anyhoo if they dont get their way, they will "re-examine the project" which could very well mean parking lot for all eternity.  They arent seeking to do 100% office so thats really good that they are embracing mixing it up.  No concepts as of yet.

One of the committee members gave em some hell for their crappy nonexistant snow removal for all of their properties during the blizzards.  I also tried to convey that it was also the issues with weeds, trash, hookers etc plus the semi recent murder on their property that the neighborhood has a problem with.  And of course the long history of silence from them which we would like to change.  So I asked them to come visit us in April or May which they were amenable to, and we look forward to dialog with this major Triangle landowner.

also got a look at NPR's new building on North Capitol, It looks pretty neat but imho teeters on brutalism.  Its hard to tell but it could be really neat.  They are also toying with the idea of putting a giant light saber or flagpole or somebig red stick thing on the corner of L.  Will be interesting to see what that turns out to be.

The committee also discussed some things pertaining to the new comprehensive plan but I had to bug out 20 min into that.  I do have to say that Rob Amos is doing an absolutely fantastic job chairing this committee!  They are a very knowlegable bunch and he leads them in a well and even tempered manner.  y'all should check out this meeting on occasion, very interesting content.

DCMud has reported that The Arts at 5th and Eye is officially (at least temporarily) dead:

• "The District and the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) are, at least for now, giving up on the Arts at 5th and Eye, the Donohoe Companies and Holland Development project, and installing a parking lot on the undeveloped District-owned site. Though the project team won the right to develop the promised high-end hotel, retail outlets and jazz club in September of 2008, no final agreement has been reached on the land exchange with the District Government since that time."

So I guess the community is left with a pretty website and, soon, another surface parking lot.

There was a great deal of competition for this site with some fine proposals.  Even in the wake of the credit and real estate collapse, the bidders pledged that they had the financing to move forward.  Many neighborhood residents attended the public meeting on the site and provide their input.  I attended the outdoor press conference at which Mayor Fenty and Councilmember Kwame Brown announced the winning bid.

The community did a lot of work to clean up the 900 Block of 5th Street NW -- shutting down Fun Fair Video, working with detectives to substantially reduce drug dealing and prostitution -- it enabled the 5th and Eye Project. 

Hell no.  That would have been the answer had the DC government asked the community whether it would support using the now grassy, secured lot as a surface parking lot - even on a temporary basis.

Either move the project forward, revisit the previous proposals, or reopen the RFP.

APABA-DC Women’s Forum, SABA-DC, APABA-VA, and APABA-MD Cordially invite you to:

Happy Hour with a Kick

Proceeds to Benefit the Domestic Violence Resource Program (DVRP)

Join Lauren Taylor with Defend Yourselfin a self-defense presentation.

• Learn verbal skills for stopping an attack before it becomes physical.
• Learn boundary-setting and clear, direct communication.
• Physical self-defense demonstration: Learn simple, effective strikes.

Date: Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Busboys & Poets 1025 5th Street NW, DC

Cost: $10 Members, $15 Non-Members
Payment will be accepted at the door.

Spots are limited.
Please R.S.V.P. to womensforum@apaba-dc.org by November30th, 2009.

located on the corner across from lydia and keith's in what use to be a used car lot is now a trailer that sells ribs.  is this one of those matter of right restaurants?  i hesitate to ask questions.....

Has anyone eaten at Akosombo? My friend found the review on Yelp and asked me about it and I told her in all my years walking down K street, i've noticed a restaurant there....

Its on K street, between 7th and 6th, I think. Ghanaian food.

Here is  the yelp review for anyone interested....sounds like a hole-in-the-wall worth eating at

http://www.yelp.com/biz/akosombo-washington

Taylor Gourmet Deli has opened on 485 K St in what looks a very cool spot. More Information from their blog and a huge set of photos on Flickr

At 1065 5th St a T-Mobile Limited store has opened. These seem to be T-Mobile stores run by independent business owners. More information on that program.

Let us know your thoughts on these two exciting new additions.

Dear friends & neighbors,
Please mark your calendars for the Heart of DC Picnic at Mount Vernon Square on Saturday, September 19^th from 11am-5pm. The event will be held on the grounds of the Carnegie Library, home of the Historic Society, at 801 K Street NW also know as Mount Vernon Square. We will be having many fabulous offerings besides food such as games, walking tours, music, raffle & kids activities all in an afternoon of neighborhood fun! Come on out and celebrate the downtown neighborhoods from Shaw through Mount Vernon Square & Triangle through Chinatown & Penn Quarter. And don't forget to bring the pups, we will be having a dog show!

Hope to see you all there!

Your DNA, MVSNA & CCCA neighbors, The Washington Historical Society and The Mount Vernon Triangle CID

 P.S.  Your support is needed! Please consider volunteering for this event on picnic day or in advance delivering flyers. Email Si at

niello8(at)yahoo.com

Convention Center Community Association  -

http://ccca-online.org/join.

Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association  -

http://mvsna.org/join/

Downtown Neighborhood Association

http://dcdna.org/About.html

Chatman's D'Vine Bakery & Cafe started a promotional event last Saturday called "All Day Saturday Breakfast".  The first run was on August 8, 2009, and it looks like it will go on for the next few Saturdays.  The all-day breakfast menu includes Belgian Waffles, Southwest Breakfast Wraps, French Toast, Cheese Grits, and a basic eggs, toast and meat combo.  Ms. Chatman's popular BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich will also be available.  All orders can be made To Go, too.

Chatman's D'Vine Bakery & Cafe
1239 9th Street NW (near the intersection of 9th and N Sts.)
(202)  249-3258
All Day Saturday Breakfast Hours: 9am to 6pm