Sweet Smell of Revitalization by Lori Montgomery Elizabeth Taylor has White Diamonds. Coco Chanel had Chanel No. 5. Now, DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams has his own signature scent, a blend of patchouli, jasmine and citrus christened "Beau-Tie."
That's pronounced "bow tie" for the French-impaired, a coy reference to the mayor's signature fashion accessory. And though Williams does not normally wear perfume, cologne or scents of any kind, he cheerfully accepted a small, beribboned flask of the stuff yesterday from representatives of Aveda during a news conference at the new Gallery Place mall.
The mayor welcomed an array of retailers to the mall, the biggest investment in downtown retail in two decades. In addition to Aveda, the complex at Seventh and H streets NW, next to MCI Center, features Ann Taylor Loft, City Sports, United Colors of Benetton, Urban Outfitters and Bed, Bath and Beyond. It also will house Lucky Strike, the District's first new bowling alley in years. The Gallery Place complex, developed by Herbert S. Miller, is the linchpin of a shopping revival in downtown's east end.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/18/AR2005051802146.html
Residents at Second DC Hearing Reinforce Stance Against Stadium
by Petula Dvorak The second part of a public hearing to discuss plans for financing the city's baseball stadium drew a small crowd of residents to council chambers yesterday, many of whom were there to express ongoing opposition to the stadium.
More than a dozen people testified and about two dozen more sat in the crowd, wearing T-shirts with anti-stadium slogans. Yesterday's public hearing came after Friday's presentation by private parties interested in funding construction of the stadium along the Anacostia waterfront.
Some residents argued that the current home of the Nationals, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, is good enough for the team and that spending the District's money on a new venue takes away from needier city programs.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/17/AR2005051700018.html
Road Project to Ease Sousa Bridge Jams by Lori Montgomery DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams yesterday promised relief for drivers who regularly traverse the John Philip Sousa Bridge.
Over the next five years, the city will spend $250 million to clear some traffic from the congested span over the Anacostia River, as well as Pennsylvania Avenue SE on both sides of the river, Williams said.
The proposal, which last week received preliminary approval from the DC Council, calls for the city to build a system of ramps connecting the southbound lanes of the 11th Street Bridge to the northbound lanes of the Anacostia Freeway (Interstate 295). The project will enable commuters traveling from downtown Washington toward the Maryland suburbs to bypass the Sousa Bridge, which offers a direct but awkward link between the Southeast Freeway (I-395) and I-295 north.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/16/AR2005051601284.html
Stadium Plan Challenged at Hearing
by David Nakamura A managing director of Deutsche Bank told DC Council members yesterday that his company is willing to assume financial risk that Wall Street would not to help the city build a baseball stadium.
But several members questioned whether the proposal -- certified by the city's chief financial officer, Natwar M. Gandhi, and recommended to the council by Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) -- would be beneficial to the District.
For the first time in public, a Deutsche representative, Michael Gangemi, laid out details of the international banking giant's stadium financing proposal, worth $246 million toward a stadium project along the Anacostia waterfront in Southeast.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/13/AR2005051301505.html
Some Senators Getting DC Tax Break by Mistake by Debbi Wilgoren and Eric M. Weiss Many senators who own homes in the District but maintain residency in their home states have been given a property tax break for which they don't qualify, an error the DC government blamed on an expensive computer system installed three years ago.
The glitch could also affect members of the House of Representatives, congressional staffers, diplomats and others who live in Washington but vote or pay taxes elsewhere.
The system automatically gave a "homestead exemption" to all owner-occupied properties, city tax officials said. That exemption allows homeowners to deduct $38,000 from the assessable value of their home and caps annual property tax increases at 12 percent. It is not supposed to be available to those who live in the District but do not claim the city as their primary residence.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/12/AR2005051201878.html
Music Trade Association Leases 25,000 SF
by Barbra Murray For more retail coverage, click GlobeSt.com/RETAIL.
WASHINGTON, DC-A new tenant, the Recording Industry Association of America, has joined the roster of businesses at the Woodies Building at 1025 F St. NW having signed a lease for 25,000 sf of class A office space. The historic 498,000-sf office and retail facility is the former home of the District's Woodward & Lothrop department store, or Woodies, which vacated the property in 1995 after having occupied it since 1902. A $100-million redevelopment of the facility was completed in 2004.
Acting on behalf of RIAA, Sherry Cushman and Sally Wilson of CB Richard Ellis negotiated the 15-year lease of space within the 356,000-sf office segment with property owner Douglas Development. Financial specifics of the transaction have not been disclosed; however, the average rate for class A office space in the city's central business district is $41.10 per sf, according to Cushman & Wakefield's Marketbeat Snapshot for the first quarter of 2005.
http://www.globest.com/news/286_286/washington/134307-1.html
$8M Theater Debuts
by Barbra Murray For more retail coverage, click GlobeSt.com/RETAIL.
WASHINGTON, DC-Having relied on the temporary use of various performance spaces here and there over its nearly three-decade history, the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co. has finally gotten its own home. The 30,000-sf theater recently opened within the mixed-use condominium and retail building Jefferson at Penn Quarter at 7th and D streets in the budding Penn Quarter area.
JPI development, owner of the Jefferson, constructed the 265-seat theater, which cost $8.5 million to complete. The city's Office of Planning and Economic Development and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities pitched in $2 million for the project.
http://www.globest.com/news/286_286/washington/134310-1.html
Housing solutions no lure for some
by Catherine Dolinski 'Workforce housing' not attractive to some commuters
Timothy Patrie tries to wake up by 4:30 a.m. every day to make the drive from Hagerstown to Tilden Middle School in Rockville, where he teaches grades 6 through 8.
Lately, the commute has been getting hard.
"I'm getting to the point were I'm so exhausted that it's tough," the 25-year-old teacher said. "I try to leave the house no later than quarter to 6; if I do, I can be at Tilden at 7:15. But for every minute I leave after that, the amount of extra time it takes to get there seems to increase exponentially."
http://www.gazette.net/200520/weekend/a_section/276291-1.html
Montgomery council to vote on budget
by Douglas Tallman The Montgomery County Council was on the verge Thursday afternoon of passing a nearly $3.6 billion fiscal 2006 budget that provided property tax relief and avoided an increase in the county's energy tax.
Final votes will come today, but preliminary decisions through Thursday would provide an across-the-board cut in the property tax rate and a flat rebate for all homeowners.
As envisioned by Council President Thomas E. Perez, the tax bill for a home worth $400,000 -- roughly the average value -- would be reduced by about $300 a year compared to current rates.
http://www.gazette.net/200520/weekend/a_section/276283-1.html
Council Bars Duncan From Funding Arts by Tim Craig The Montgomery County Council voted yesterday to strip County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) of his power to distribute millions of dollars in grants to arts organizations in the fiscal 2006 budget, saying the process has become too entangled in politics.
The County Council designated the county's Arts and Humanities Council, a private, nonprofit organization, to allocate arts grants for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Duncan, who is preparing to seek the 2006 Democratic nomination for governor, proposed a fivefold increase in the county's arts budget over the past two years, according to County Council analysts. He has made funding for arts facilities, such as the $100 million Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, one of his top priorities.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/18/AR2005051802157.html
Montgomery Weighs One-Time Tax Credit by Tim Craig Montgomery County Council members, struggling to reach a budget compromise this week, are considering offering residents a one-time credit on their tax bills instead of a substantially lower property tax rate.
The proposal to give credits to a quarter-million households -- commercial and rental properties would be excluded -- is the latest in a series of ideas the council is considering to comply with a voter-imposed charter limit on how much the county can collect through property taxes.
Council members have not specified the size of the credit. A document prepared by council analysts says that a $200-per-household credit, combined with a proposal by County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) for a 2-cent cut in the property tax rate of $1.06 per $100 assessed value, could be used to reach the charter limit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/16/AR2005051601345.html
Housing Starts Bounce Back in April
by Sandra Fleishman New housing starts nationwide rebounded in April after unexpectedly plunging 17.6 percent in March, the biggest one-month drop in 14 years.
The strong rebound, reported yesterday in data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, lines up with home builders' assertions that unusually bad weather was probably to blame for the surprise slide, rather than any serious change in the brisk housing climate.
David Seiders, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, yesterday reiterated that the March numbers seemed to be "an aberration," coming as they did after starts had climbed to a 21-year high in February and following two other months of stepped-up building activity.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/17/AR2005051701367.html
Unfinished Business by Sandra Fleishman Chevy Chase homeowner Sally Kelly tries to ignore the half-built 12,000-square-foot mansion next door. After almost two years of inactivity, she says it's "ugly and an eyesore . . but I try not to look at it or worry about it."
Kelly says she never dreamed that construction could just come to a stop one day on the multimillion-dollar project that towers over her yard. She knew the new house would be big, because it was to sit on the largest lot in the town, a 1.3-acre piece three times the size of her own property. But she didn't object to it as she has to big houses on smaller lots around her community. She did assume, though, that it would be finished one day.
After all, there was a permit. A notice still flutters from the construction fence, with its faded, hand-written date of March 15, 2002. But as the seasons have come and gone without anything happening, the notice, like the piles of building materials down the hill near the street and the hulking structure on the hilltop, never changes.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/13/AR2005051300626.html
Bigger Bids Aren't Always Better Bids
by Steven C. Wydler and Hans L. Wydler Bidding wars among would-be home buyers, once a rarity, seem to have become almost routine this frenzied spring. But even now, it's not all about money, money, money.
What both buyers and sellers should understand is that the highest offer is not necessarily the strongest. There are many other terms in a contract that can come into play. Understanding how all these items relate is critical to putting together a successful bid, or choosing the strongest offer.
As real estate agents, we routinely counsel our buyers that they need a strategy to approach bidding wars: Analyze the available information; identify their key concerns; and then structure an offer that is as aggressive as possible yet still protects their interests and keeps the sales price within the range of reason.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/13/AR2005051300610.html
FHA Alternatives To Subprime Loans
by Kenneth R. Harney Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson has a request for potential first-time home buyers, especially those with limited or imperfect credit histories: When you shop for a home this spring or summer, take a hard look at the new, consumer-friendly breed of Federal Housing Administration mortgages now rolling into the marketplace.
Equally important, be wary of the higher rates, fees and penalties that often come with loans in the "subprime" market.
Jackson has a special reason for wanting first-time buyers to check out FHA loans. The FHA has lost significant ground during the past several years to competitors in the booming, private subprime sector. FHA-insured mortgages had an 11 percent share of the American home market as recently as 1995, but plunged to 4.3 percent in 2003 and 3.3 percent in 2004.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/13/AR2005051300613.html
Revenues up in wake of real estate boom
by Steven T. Dennis Maryland's budget blues could be coming to an end, thanks to a red-hot real estate market.
State revenues soared more than $250 million past estimates in the last few months alone, with zooming real estate prices and robust corporate profits filling tax coffers.
Warren G. Deschenaux, the General Assembly's chief budget analyst, said the surge could eliminate the state's structural budget gap, which has dominated state politics for three years.
http://www.gazette.net/200520/weekend/a_section/276284-1.html
United they stand, for now
by Steven T. Dennis Troops rally, but rivalries simmer
The Democrats are grooving again -- or at least, they're making a good show of it.
With the strains of "Let's Get it Started" pumping up the exhortations of Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard B. Dean and a troika of U.S. Senate wannabes, the state party hauled in about $200,000 at Tuesday's Strathmore Music Center fund-raiser, billed as the kickoff to the 2006 campaign.
While the intraparty rivalries continued to simmer just below the surface, for a few hours at least, the state's top Democrats joined together to whack their common enemies and rally the troops.
http://www.gazette.net/200520/weekend/a_section/276288-1.html
Md. Sniper Trial Could Spotlight Politicians by David Snyder When Virginia officials decided last week to send convicted snipers John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo to Maryland for prosecution, they presented two of Montgomery County's most ambitious politicians with a potential opportunity to overcome a nagging problem they both share: low visibility beyond the Washington suburbs.
But for State's Attorney Douglas F. Gansler and County Executive Douglas M. Duncan -- both Democrats who are widely expected to run for statewide office in Maryland next year -- the prosecution of Malvo and Muhammad in Montgomery also presents a range of possible political liabilities if the case is perceived as too costly or goes badly for the prosecution.
Gansler, who has all but declared his candidacy for Maryland attorney general, probably will be in front of television cameras for much of the lead-up to the trial. Duncan, expected to run for governor, almost certainly will have a less prominent role, but as the county's top elected official will be expected to weigh in on the trial from time to time.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/15/AR2005051500883.html
Thousands of New Jobs for Md., Va. by Christian Davenport and Chris L. Jenkins Maryland and Virginia stand to gain thousands of workers at some of their largest military installations under the proposed base realignments and closures announced yesterday by the Pentagon.
Under the plan, which would have to be approved by Congress and President Bush, Fort Meade, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and Aberdeen Proving Ground would expand significantly. Maryland would gain about 6,500 positions.
"Overall, it just couldn't be better," said retired Marine Corps Brig. Gen. J.M. "Mike" Hayes, director of Military and Federal Affairs for the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. "It's not just the numbers but the quality of the workforce that's going to be enhanced."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/13/AR2005051301715.html
Ehrlich Vetoes Health Care Bill Aimed at Wal-Mart
by John Wagner and Michael Barbaro PRINCESS ANNE, Md., May 19 -- Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. vetoed legislation Thursday that would have effectively forced Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to spend more on employee health benefits in Maryland, a measure that has unnerved the retailing giant and prompted other states to consider similar approaches.
Ehrlich's action came during a tightly choreographed ceremony in which he was joined by a top executive from the Arkansas-based company, which has been on the defensive on several fronts nationwide.
"We are here to enthusiastically veto a bad piece of public policy," Ehrlich (R) said, arguing that the measure would have a chilling effect on businesses considering locating or expanding in Maryland. He was greeted by a high school band playing on a blocked-off downtown street lined with American flags. About two dozen protesters turned out, but were forbidden from displaying signs.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/19/AR2005051900853.html
New chapter in 2006 soap opera
by Thomas Dennison Five-year-old quotes revive Steffen brouhaha
ANNAPOLIS -- Martin steps to the podium to accuse his archenemy, Bobby, of spreading rumors about his marriage to the winsome Katie. Revealing e-mail comments made about Katie by her brother, Max, several years ago have been tied to rumors that have been allegedly spread by Bobby's henchmen.
Fingers are pointed. Blame is issued. Angry words are exchanged.
This is not the latest episode of "The Young and Restless." This is just another week of bizarre twists and turns in the 2006 gubernatorial campaign between Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley (D), a contest that could be one of the most bitterly partisan and personal races in memory.
http://www.gazette.net/200520/weekend/a_section/276289-1.html
Johnson, Critics Differ on Progress by Ovetta Wiggins At churches, backyard barbecues and community forums, Jack B. Johnson ran for Prince George's county executive in 2002 promising to bring "crime down and education up."
He told residents of trash-strewn streets that he would help turn their neighborhoods into "livable communities." The then-state's attorney pledged to rebuild a police force rocked by two federal investigations into use of excessive force. He presented himself as the candidate who could unite a sometimes fractious county leadership.
Well into his third year in office, and with the 2006 political season ready to begin, Johnson (D) remains in campaign mode, shaking churchgoers' hands, kissing supporters and sounding the same broad themes.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/14/AR2005051401115.html
Kilgore Focuses on Traffic in N.Va. TV Ad by Michael D. Shear RICHMOND, May 18 -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry W. Kilgore will launch a television ad Thursday targeted to Northern Virginia that mocks the idea of raising gasoline taxes to pay for road and transit improvements in the congested region.
The 30-second spot, which will run on cable stations in most of the area, promotes Kilgore's plan to hand off transportation decisions to an authority run by local officials.
It also takes aim at Richmond politicians -- and, by extension, Democratic candidate Timothy M. Kaine, the lieutenant governor -- for frittering away taxpayer dollars without easing congestion.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/18/AR2005051802046.html
BAE Systems Will Take On 165,400-SF Office Building
by Barbra Murray RESTON, VA-BAE Systems, one of the top government defense contractors specializing in information systems, aerospace and technology services, will answer an increasing demand for federal IT services with the establishment of a new locale within an existing 161,400-sf office building. The three-year-old facility, on which BAE will spend $25 million to settle into, will bring an additional 700 jobs to Fairfax County over the next three years.
The decision to spread out is indicative of BAE Systems' success in the booming defense market; the company expanded into a 135,000-sf building in Reston just three years ago; with that facility BAE's presence in the state grew to 30 locations. "Virginia has a strong, pro-business climate, an educated workforce, and an excellent communications infrastructure," says Bill Shermit, BAE's IT president. "Northern Virginia provides us close proximity to our major federal customers and provides a very friendly and hospitable environment for our workforce."
http://www.globest.com/news/288_288/washington/134399-1.html
Real Estate Firm Promotes Four
by Barbra Murray MCLEAN, VA-Private equity real estate investment management firm JE Robert Cos. has elevated four of its top team members to new positions. The recent promotions have added a principal and three vice presidents to the staff roster.
Just two years after landing at JER from Jones Lang LaSalle, director Alex P. Gilbert takes on the role of principal of the company's North American Fund Investment Management Group. South of the border, John Sobenes continues his rise after a decade at the company with his promotion to vice president out of the Mexico City Office. Sobenes, who came to JER from Cushman & Wakefield, has been in the Mexico office for the last seven years.
http://www.globest.com/news/288_288/washington/134414-1.html
$10M Loan Closes for Mixed-Use Property
by Barbra Murray For more retail coverage, click GlobeSt.com/RETAIL.
ALEXANDRIA, VA-Taking advantage of the currently appealing interest rates, the owner of a mixed-use property on the 2000 block of Mt. Vernon Ave. has closed a $10 million refinancing deal on the multi-structure asset. Located off I-395 near the Reagan National Airport, the Mt. Vernon property consists of approximately 61,500 sf of office and retail space, as well as 17 multifamily units.
Relying on the assistance of GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corp. senior vice president Richard Bopp and vice presidents Ryan Pinson and Fabrice Vasques to orchestrate the transaction, property owner Mount Vernon Properties of Delaware LLC is now in possession of a permanent fixed-rate loan from Bear Stearns. The City of Alexandria Human Services Center anchors the office segment.
http://www.globest.com/news/285_285/washington/134265-1.html
Land Purchase Facilitates 199,100-SF FBI Project
by Barbra Murray PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA-A commitment from the Prince William County Board of Supervisors has paved the way for the development of a facility to serve as the new site of the FBI's Northern Virginia Resident Agency. Signing an assignable option agreement, the board committed to selling a 15-acre parcel of land in the county's Innovation@Prince William Technology Park to the US General Services Administration, moving along plans for the new 199,100-sf office structure.
Currently the Northern Virginia Resident Agency makes its home in nearby Fairfax County. The GSA will spend just over $2.6 million to acquire the parcel, which constitutes just a fraction of the land contained within the 1,600-acre business park, and an additional $30 million will be invested to construct the new building.
The FBI's new digs will sit at a three-road intersection involving Highway 234, University and Discovery boulevards, which has not yet been built. The transfer of the property is expected to be officially complete by June 2006, soon after which the GSA will turn the property over to a yet-to-be chosen private developer that will build the structure and, upon its completion, lease the class A office space back to the GSA for the FBI's use.
http://www.globest.com/news/284_284/washington/134199-1.html
New Stores Include Aveda, Which Concocts Eau d' Mayor
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 19, 2005; Page B03
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 17, 2005; Page B04
Bypass to Divert Commuter Traffic
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 17, 2005; Page B01
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 14, 2005; Page B03
City Blames Computer but Vows to Collect; Extent of Problem Unknown
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, May 13, 2005; Page B01
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: May 17, 2005 12:58pm
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: May 17, 2005 11:26am
Gazette Staff Writer
May 20, 2005
Gazette Staff Writer
May 20, 2005
Groups' Members Made Donations to Gubernatorial Candidate's Campaign
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 19, 2005; Page B03
Property Revenue Law Tests Council
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 17, 2005; Page B06
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2005; Page E03
Neighbors Grapple With Construction Projects That Lack an Endgame
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 14, 2005; Page F01
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, May 14, 2005; Page F01
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 14, 2005; Page F01
Gazette Staff Writer
May 20, 2005
Gazette Staff Writer
May 20, 2005
Duncan, Gansler Exposure Predicted
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2005; Page B01
Naval Medical Center, Fort Belvoir Would Grow Under Plan
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, May 14, 2005; Page A10
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, May 20, 2005; Page E01
Gazette Staff Writer
May 20, 2005
Pr. George's Executive Touts Development, Property Values
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 15, 2005; Page C07
Republican Opposes Increase in Gas Tax
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 19, 2005; Page B05
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: May 18, 2005 08:50pm
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: May 19, 2005 10:14am
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: May 16, 2005 12:51pm
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: May 13, 2005 08:50am
