Fenty Announces Bid for DC Mayor
by Lori Montgomery DC Council member Adrian M. Fenty announced yesterday that he is running for mayor of the nation's capital, becoming the first official candidate in a large field of potential contenders to replace Mayor Anthony A. Williams.
Standing on a shaded sidewalk in front of the Mount Pleasant rowhouse where he was raised, Fenty (D-Ward 4) cast himself as an engaged and energetic politician dedicated to a "vision of a better, more inclusive city," in which the poor are not forgotten and children attend decent public schools.
"You have told me you want a mayor to unite us and inspire us," Fenty told an enthusiastic crowd of about 100 people. "And with your support, that is what I intend to be."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/01/AR2005060100727.html
DC Plans River Ferry Experiment by Annie Gowen The District's Department of Transportation has begun considering several proposals for a commuter ferry service on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers and hopes to have a vessel on the water by next spring, officials said.
At least four companies have expressed interest in securing the $500,000 contract for an 18-month pilot program that would run a water coach or ferry serving commuters in the mornings and evenings and tourists during the day.
Plans to tap the unrealized potential of the Potomac as a commuter route have been around for decades, but past efforts to get a ferry running have fizzled under financial pressure.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/01/AR2005060101699.html
A Crash Course in Dealmaking by Robert E. Pierre The competing developers stepped over condoms and other trash in the stairwells to make their pitch to tenant association President Thaia Grace and her neighbors at 1020 Monroe St. NW.
The 22-unit apartment building, within walking distance of two Metro stations, had a tentative offer on it for $1 million -- proof that Washington's almost insatiable demand for luxury condos and rentals had reached the eastern edge of Columbia Heights, where barren lots, graffiti and crumbling sidewalks had been the norm.
Under DC law, tenants have the right to match any offer on their building or, as is most often the case, assign it to a developer for a price. When the market turned its forces on their building early last year, the teachers, college students and day laborers at 1020 Monroe were thrust into the role of neophyte dealmakers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/31/AR2005053101618.html
Private Financing For Ballpark Stalls
by David Nakamura A plan to provide private financing for a new baseball stadium has stalled because the DC Council does not support any of the proposals for the $535 million project.
A $246 million offer from Deutsche Bank has failed to garner majority support on the 13-member council, members said. That has prompted Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), chairman of the council's Committee on Finance and Revenue, to cancel a markup of private financing legislation that had been scheduled for next week.
"Nothing's completely dead yet," Evans said yesterday of the search for private financing. "But right now, there's nothing to mark up."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/27/AR2005052701403.html
Williams Has Fighting Words for Fenty by Lori Montgomery DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams yesterday criticized one of the leading contenders for his job, declaring that DC Council member Adrian M. Fenty would "not be the best person to run this city."
Williams, who has not said whether he will seek a third term, said during an interview on WTOP radio that "one of the things that would get me running" is the prospect of publicly debating "someone like Councilman Fenty."
"I would relish that opportunity," the mayor said, "because I think there is more talk in ratio to less action than anybody I've ever seen."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/26/AR2005052601608.html
'From Blight to Beautification' by Allan Lengel In a section of the city east of the Anacostia River where violent crime, drugs and economic distress frequently command the spotlight, DC Council member Marion Barry zeroed in on a very different subject: environmental cleanup.
"People say we're not concerned about the environment. That's not true. We're all concerned," Barry (D-Ward 8) told a crowd of more than 100 at a community meeting last week in the Anacostia High School auditorium.
"We care about air . . . we don't want dead trees," he said, as a slide show displayed photos of a polluted river and streets littered with raggedy furniture, busted wooden pallets, battered appliances and vandalized cars. "We care deeply about our community."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/25/AR2005052500735.html
The Ticket to Smoother Traffic? by Clarence Williams The ticket writer wagged a finger at Angie Hunter and warned against parking along 18th Street in Adams Morgan. Hunter responded with an angry wave of the $20 citation she had received for violating a new parking restriction in the heart of the nightclub corridor.
On Friday, the sun gave way to a warm spring night as the beat of conga drums drifted out of clubs featuring Latin and reggae music. Patrons in linen shirts and open-toed shoes headed to dinner, drinks and dancing. Meanwhile, a handful of District ticket writers and police officers on bicycles were implementing new rules that are aimed at easing traffic congestion.
On Fridays and Saturdays, until Sept. 30, no parking will be permitted from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. on the west side of 18th Street between Columbia and Kalorama roads, District transportation officials said. The pilot program is expected to relieve the gridlock on weekend nights in the Northwest strip by opening an extra traffic lane on 18th Street for vehicles to drop off and pick up restaurant and nightclub patrons without blocking southbound traffic. During the restricted hours, 18 metered spaces will be unavailable for parking.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/01/AR2005060100784.html
DC Office Building Sells for $350 Per SF
by Barbra Murray WASHINGTON, DC-The Paramount Group has acquired the 387,200-sf Chester A. Arthur Building for $135.5 million. The property, according to District real estate records, has a current assessed value of approximately $68.6 million.
With the guidance of Ken Marks, Gerry Trainor and Donald McCully of Transwestern Commercial Services' Washington, DC Investment Services Group, Circle Office Associates LLC turned the deed to 425 I St. NW in exchange for what amounted to nearly $350 per sf. Situated just blocks from the MCI Center in the District's East End submarket, the site was developed in 1973.
http://www.globest.com/news/297_297/washington/134822-1.html
University Apartments To Re-Emerge as Condos
by Barbra Murray WASHINGTON, DC-Answering a seemingly endless demand for condominiums in the District, Urban Investment Partners subsidiary Drummond Development LLC has begun converting the former Glover-Tunlaw Residence Hall into the 63-unit Archbold residential condominium building. Drummond acquired the apartment property from American University in the fourth quarter of last year for $14.5 million, and will spend an additional $5.5 million on the conversion.
Located at 2725 39th St. NW in the city's Glover Park neighborhood--an area surrounded by the Washington National Cathedral, the US Naval Observatory, and to the south, Georgetown--the Archbold is contained within the walls of a mid-century structure with post-Art Deco accents. PGN Architects is at the helm, overseeing the modernization of the building, which will feature amenities ranging from a full-service event room to a fitness facility.
http://www.globest.com/news/296_296/washington/134771-1.html
GMAC Takes Majority Interest in 300,000-SF Office
by Barbra Murray WASHINGTON, DC-GMAC Institutional Advisors has acquired a majority interest in a 298,200-sf office building on behalf of its value-added investment fund. GMAC is now a co-owner of 1110 Vermont Ave. NW along with Perseus Realty LLC and Abbott Stillman, who originally developed the site a quarter-century ago.
Details on the percentage of GMAC's ownership interest and the acquisition cost for that interest have not yet been made available. According to the District's real estate records, the property has a current assessed value of nearly $60.5 million.
Just four blocks from the White House, 1110 Vermont is a 12-story structure that, in addition to its class B office space, includes 17,300 sf of ground-level retail space and a two-level underground parking facility. But the building's status as a quality office property is about to be upgraded to the premier level, as plans for a major renovation are in the works. "Given the high quality of the building, its large contiguous blocks of space, exceptional location and tight market conditions, 1110 Vermont offers significant repositioning opportunities that will help meet the objectives of our value-added investors," says GMAC senior vice president and fund portfolio manager Bill Martin.
http://www.globest.com/news/293_293/washington/134634-1.html
Morella Says 'Thanks, but No Thanks'
Washington Post Staff Writer Don't count on former U.S. representative Constance A. Morella (R) returning from Paris to try to reclaim her 8th District congressional seat.
With incumbent Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D) mulling a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Paul S. Sarbanes (D), Republican leaders have been shopping around for a candidate who they think could win if there is an open seat.
Montgomery County Council member Howard A. Denis (R-Bethesda-Potomac) said he and several other Republican leaders have contacted Morella, who lost her seat to Van Hollen in 2002, to see if she was interested in running again.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/01/AR2005060101083.html
Speed Camera Veto Is Decried by David Snyder Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s recent veto of a bill to allow speed cameras in Montgomery County was in some ways similar, philosophically, to his veto two years ago of a bill to allow the cameras across the state. The Republican governor opposed both bills, in part on the grounds that the cameras are an unnecessary intrusion into the privacy of Marylanders.
But this year's measure came with an added twist that supporters hoped would dissuade Ehrlich from shooting it down. The bill applied only in Montgomery, and customarily, legislators and the governor defer on legislation that applies only to local jurisdictions.
Ehrlich's veto of the bill -- which would have permitted automated cameras that monitor roadways and issue tickets to speeders -- angered many Montgomery County officials who had lobbied hard in both houses of the General Assembly, where it passed by comfortable margins.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/01/AR2005060101080.html
Council to Clear Budget With Property Tax Rate Drop by Tim Craig The Montgomery County Council will give final approval today to a fiscal 2006 budget that reduces the property tax rate while expanding full-day kindergarten, health care access for the uninsured and rental assistance for needy families.
Following weeks of wrangling over the $3.6 billion spending plan, the council agreed to adhere to the charter limit on property taxes for the first time in three years.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/25/AR2005052501067.html
Spending Plan Needs Closer Look, Officials Say by Tim Craig Montgomery County Council member Michael Knapp and his colleagues are expected to give final approval today to a new budget. But Knapp would be the first to say he doesn't really know what he's voting on.
"If you kind of go through a lot of documents, you could probably put it together," said Knapp (D-Upcounty). "But there is not a single place that I found that identifies each [county] program and what it is they are trying to accomplish."
Knapp raises a point largely overlooked in the annual budget review: The weeks of intense debate involved a mere fragment of the $3.6 billion plan, about $264 million in new spending proposed by County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/25/AR2005052502064.html
The waiting game continues for Van Hollen
by Thomas Dennison ANNAPOLIS -- Montgomery County's political landscape and dynamics of next year's statewide election hinge on whether U.S. Rep. Christopher Van Hollen Jr. decides in coming weeks to leave his safe House seat and run for the U.S. Senate.
Van Hollen (D-Dist. 8) of Kensington must decide whether to follow his ambitions or heed the wishes of some of his closest advisers to wait for another opportunity. The waiting game has sparked furious speculation and strong feelings on both sides.
Some believe Van Hollen's time is now, noting his reputation as a dogged campaigner who never shies away from a tough race. On the other side are strong voices in the state Democratic Party, such as House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-Dist. 5) of Mechanicsville, who are encouraging Van Hollen to stay put.
http://www.gazette.net/200522/weekend/a_section/278608-1.html
Montgomery's GOP delegate finds own way
by Catherine Dolinski Roasting in the heat of the Women's Detention Center of Baltimore city, Del. Jean B. Cryor might as well have been on a planet distant from her home in the posh Montgomery suburbs.
"It was horrible," she recalled recently. "It was steamy hot. The first thing you asked yourself was, how could this happen to people?"
It was the summer of 2002, and the heat was literally on. Word of the stifling conditions in the old, Civil War-era prison had been leaking from inmates to The (Baltimore) Sun. The newspaper reports were so painful, Cryor said, she could hardly bear to read them.
http://www.gazette.net/200522/weekend/a_section/278609-1.html
Montgomery one step closer to upcounty medical center
by Jacqueline Mah It could be only a matter of months before people living in upper Montgomery County have access to emergency medical care without making a long and frequently congested trip to Rockville.
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) last week signed a bill giving Adventist HealthCare the green light to open a free-standing emergency medical center in Germantown, ending a two-year fight to win approval.
A satellite emergency facility of Shady Grove Adventist Hospital could be open as early as 2006, said Deborah A. Yancer, hospital president.
http://www.gazette.net/200522/weekend/a_section/278601-1.html
Everybody's an Investor Now by Daniela Deane It feels as if Playboy's Playmate of the Month for May is speaking for the entire country.
Fort Lauderdale native Jamie Westenhiser, 23, told the magazine recently that she is ditching her modeling career to take up real estate investing.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/20/AR2005052000576.html
Developers Try to Limit Speculative 'Flipping'
by Daniela Deane For the past few years, it has been a way to make easy money: Sign a contract to buy a property when it is still nothing more than a few squiggles on a builder's plans. Then, when there are four walls and a floor, or even before, flip it to another buyer, making a profit without ever moving in or even being a landlord.
With prices and demand climbing around the Washington region, such investors could make hundreds of thousands of dollars during the two years or so that it takes to build a condominium complex, townhouse or housing development, with just a small down payment at risk.
But like much of real estate investing these days, this pre-construction buying has become a lot harder, largely because builders are trying to rein in the process.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/20/AR2005052000594.html
Ehrlich vows a war over hiring probe
by Thomas Dennison ANNAPOLIS -- The Ehrlich administration is threatening all-out war -- promising to reveal the names of girlfriends, relatives and political cronies who were put on the state payroll by Democrats -- if legislative leaders begin their investigation of the governor's personnel practices.
This threat provides fresh evidence that Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) is willing to fight fire with fire when it comes to Democratic accusations that the administration has fired state employees for their party affiliation.
Paul E. Schurick, the governor's communications director, said a monthlong investigation by the governor's aides into previous administration's personnel records has uncovered a treasure trove of embarrassing information, much of which is widely known among state government veterans.
http://www.gazette.net/200522/weekend/a_section/278605-1.html
It's never too early to override or appeal to future voters
Gazette Staff Writers Barring a change of heart, mind and soul from the House Speaker on a slots special session, the General Assembly is not slated to reconvene for six more months.
But backers of Fair Share Health Care have decided there's no time like the present to launch an override campaign.
A rally of about 50 supporters of the so-called Wal-Mart bill gathered at a Bethesda church to kick off their efforts and slammed Gov. Bob Ehrlich for vetoing the measure, which would require the state's largest employers to spend 8 percent of their payrolls on health care.
http://www.gazette.net/200522/weekend/a_section/278596-1.html
In Md., Only Steele Holding Out on His GOP Senate Bid
by Matthew Mosk and John Wagner Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele insists he hasn't decided whether he should join the race for U.S. Senate, but he is becoming increasingly isolated in that regard.
Both state and national Republican leaders said in interviews last week that they see in him the party's strongest and perhaps only shot of capturing the seat being vacated by Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes, the retiring five-term Democrat. They have been gently prodding Steele to commit to the 2006 race.
In an unusual lapse of protocol, Maryland Republican Party Chairman John Kane jumped ahead of the potential candidate Thursday to announce that he expects Steele will soon form an exploratory committee.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/28/AR2005052800892.html
Slots issue creates bad blood between Wynn, Currie
by Tiesha Higgins The debate over slots in Prince George's is taking its toll on State Sen. Ulysses Currie's longtime friendship with U.S. Rep. Albert R. Wynn.
Currie, chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, shepherded Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s slots bill through committee three times. Wynn, on the other hand, has continuously lobbied state lawmakers to nix the bill, which died for a third time in the General Assembly this year.
Currie (D-Dist. 25) of Forestville has run on the same slate with Wynn (D-Dist. 4) of Mitchellville since 1987, when Currie was elected to Wynn's former seat in the House of Delegates. The slots issue, some say, has chipped away at that cohesiveness.
http://www.gazette.net/200521/weekend/a_section/277485-1.html
Va. Candidate Offers Her Plan for Taxes by Chris L. Jenkins RICHMOND, June 1 -- Del. Viola O. Baskerville, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, unveiled Wednesday the 2005 campaign's latest plan for homeowner tax relief, offering local governments the right to expand tax exemptions for senior citizens and the disabled.
The two major candidates for governor, Republican Jerry W. Kilgore and Democratic Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, have made real estate taxes central in their platforms, offering differing plans to address tax bills that are rising so fast that they have angered homeowners across the commonwealth.
Baskerville made waves in Democratic circles six weeks ago when she criticized Kaine's plan, which would allow local governments to exempt as much as 20 percent of a home's value from real estate taxes. She called it "a gimmick." Baskerville, who, like Kaine, is from Richmond, also said she disagrees with the plan outlined by Kilgore, which would limit increases in home assessments to 5 percent a year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/01/AR2005060101794.html
City Raises Aid for Renters Who Buy
by Leef Smith In an effort to make homeownership a more attainable goal for some of Alexandria's most vulnerable apartment dwellers, the City Council voted last week to increase financial assistance for home buyers.
The decision comes as thousands of apartments in the city are being converted to condominiums, potentially displacing renters, many of whom cannot afford to purchase their dwellings, officials say.
About 8.7 percent of the city's rental units in multifamily buildings -- about 2,353 -- have been converted to condos or are in the process, officials say.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/01/AR2005060100681.html
Both Parties Pinpointing 37th District by David Cho Virginia may be a red state and some Northern Virginia communities may be blue, but in the 37th House District, a suburban mix of Democrats and Republicans just outside the Capital Beltway, the political colors blend into purple.
For years, this area of central Fairfax County and Fairfax City supported GOP candidates in presidential and state elections.
But last November, it went Democratic in the presidential race. In 2001, Democrat J. Chapman Petersen barely upset Republican John H. "Jack" Rust Jr., who had held the House of Delegates seat for a decade. Petersen handily beat Rust in a rematch two years later.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/01/AR2005060101929.html
GOP Candidates for Va. House Split Over Tax Stances
by Chris L. Jenkins The candidate for the House of Delegates listened attentively as Fairfax County resident Tom Donegan expressed a few choice words for "tax-raising Republicans" in the state Capitol in Richmond.
"It's like a shell game down there; one minute they say they cut, then they raise taxes," Donegan said to Chris Craddock, a youth minister who is challenging Republican Del. Gary A. Reese (Fairfax) for his House seat in the June 14 primary.
"And they think we don't understand what's going on, but we understand that our taxes are going up," the real estate broker continued. "And these are Republicans."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/28/AR2005052800996.html
County Urged To Take a Careful Look At Rezoning by Michael Laris When Anthony Downs took a driving tour through the western two-thirds of Loudoun County, he found large expanses of scenic land scattered with miniature suburbs.
"They don't seem to be related to any particular planning. They are not related to each other," said Downs, an author of books on housing, growth management and traffic. "I believe some planning is a good idea."
Downs, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, came to Loudoun last week to offer his take on how the county should approach its future now that the Virginia Supreme Court has thrown out restrictive building limits passed in 2003 after three years of planning debates and political feuding.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/27/AR2005052701772.html
Apartment Property Wins $28M Refi
by Barbra Murray ARLINGTON, VA-The owner of Woodbury Park Apartments, nonprofit affordable housing developer AHC Inc., has just closed on a $28.3 million refinancing package for the 364-unit multifamily community. Deutsche Bank Berkshire Mortgage came up with the funds in the form of a Freddie Mac Multifamily Bond Credit Enhancement, which is a program providing credit enhancement to borrowers for mortgages backing tax-exempt multifamily housing bonds bearing interest at a fixed-rate or a floating-rate.
In AHC's case, the program provided for a five-year interest rate swap with Freddie Mac that allows the variable-rate tax-exempt bonds to "simulate" a fixed-rate, and to be priced with a AAA rating. Located at 2335 11th St., Woodbury Park will soon expand to encompass a total of 571 residences, as AHC announced a $50 million renovation of the property in 2003 that will add 207 more units, 108 of which will be reserved for households with incomes bellow 60% of the area median income. As per the Freddie Mac arrangement, 40% of the existing residences must be maintained for those earning below the 60% mark, and the majority of the remaining units are to have rent and income restrictions for the next 60 years.
http://www.globest.com/news/297_297/washington/134856-1.html
Coast Guard Commits to New 31,000-SF Space
by Barbra Murray ARLINGTON, VA-The US Coast Guard Recruiting Command will get a new home now that the US General Services Administration has signed on for nearly 31,000 sf of office space for the military unit at 2300 Wilson Blvd. The 214,000-sf office facility is scheduled for delivery in July.
In finalizing the transaction, property owner and developer the Navy League of the US relied on the assistance of Bernie McKeever, Mike Kuehn, Alyssa Cannon and Joel Cannon of Transwestern Commercial Services, which serves as the exclusive leasing agent for the site. The seven-story structure is Arlington's first LEED-certified green building. Specific terms of the deal have not been released; however, Transwestern markets the class A office space at the property for $34 to $40 per sf.
http://www.globest.com/news/296_296/washington/134806-1.html
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2005; Page B03
Commuter Runs Would Start in '06
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2005; Page B01
One Group of DC Tenants Chooses to Look Beyond a Quick Sale
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 1, 2005; Page B01
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 28, 2005; Page B05
Council Member Eyes Mayoral Run
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 27, 2005; Page B08
Ward 8 Community Newly Considers Its Environmental, Aesthetic Needs
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 26, 2005; Page DZ01
Parking on Weekend Nights Restricted in Adams Morgan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2005; Page DZ03
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: June 1, 2005 04:58pm
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: June 1, 2005 09:00am
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: May 26, 2005 08:08am
Thursday, June 2, 2005; Page GZ02
Ehrlich's Decision Keeps Area Roads Unsafe, Some Say
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2005; Page GZ03
Duncan Objects to Shift Of Funds for Tax Cut
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 26, 2005; Page GZ03
Montgomery to Pass $3.6 Billion Budget
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 26, 2005; Page B01
Gazette Staff Writer
June 3, 2005
Gazette Staff Writer
June 3, 2005
Gazette Staff Writer
June 3, 2005
With Home Prices Rising, Investors Play a Risky Game of Anticipation
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 21, 2005; Page F01
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 21, 2005; Page F01
Gazette Staff Writer
June 3, 2005
June 3, 2005
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, May 29, 2005; Page C05
Gazette Staff Writer
May 27, 2005
Weight of Real Estate Levy Underscored By Campaign for Lieutenant Governor
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2005; Page B08
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2005; Page VA03
Democrats' Gains Open Fairfax House Contest
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2005; Page B01
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 29, 2005; Page C05
Land-Use Expert Argues For Long-Range Planning
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 29, 2005; Page LZ01
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: June 2, 2005 12:36pm
GlobeSt.com
Last updated: June 1, 2005 12:23pm
