Stadium Estimates Still in the Ballpark
By
David Nakamura
The
District expects to spend $18 million more than
previously estimated to buy land for a baseball stadium
but will save $27 million because engineers have
determined that a major sewer line will not have to be
moved.
The
net result is that the city's total expenses for land
and infrastructure for the stadium in Southeast
Washington will remain comfortably below the DC
Council's $165 million cost cap, officials said
yesterday.
"We
feel we're in good shape," said Vince Morris, spokesman
for Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D). "Even in the
worst-case scenario, we should be okay."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082402183.html
Council, Schools Explore Funding
By
D'Vera Cohn
Seeking to improve their often-contentious relationship,
DC Council members and school officials are working
together on efforts to find new funding sources, improve
facilities and streamline the budgeting process. The
council added more money to the school system's capital
budget this spring, and members promise more is to come.
Approving a proposal that originated with Chairman Linda
W. Cropp (D), the council allocated $12.2 million in
debt service to finance more than $100 million for
school construction. The money, which is likely to be
available next spring, will go for school construction
projects that the school system deems high priority,
including those related to special education and
vocational education.
That
is only a down payment on what the school system needs
if it is to upgrade its aging buildings. DC Chief
Financial Officer Natwar M. Gandhi told the council last
month that $2.8 billion is needed to modernize 130
schools but that the DC capital improvement plan assumes
funding of $640 million through 2011.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082400797.html
Mayor Punctuates His New Blog With
Silence
By
Eric M. Weiss
Mayor
Anthony A. Williams can usually be found wearing a bow
tie, not an iPod.
Nonetheless, Williams (D) decided to do a cannonball
dive into the new world of blogs. He posted his first
installment, "Getting Started: What Button Do I Push?"
on Aug. 15.
In
the nine days the mayor has had his blog, 44 responders
have tried to engage him.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/23/AR2005082301538.html
5,900 DC Taxpayers Get Penalty Notices in
Error
By
Lori Montgomery
Property tax bills went out to 5,900 DC homeowners last
week bearing the alarming but erroneous news that their
payments were late for the first half of 2005 and that
the city was charging them penalties and interest.
District tax officials blamed the mistake, which added a
10 percent fine and two months' interest to each bill,
on a computer glitch that has been corrected. They said
revised bills with the correct numbers should start
showing up in the mailboxes of affected homeowners this
weekend.
"Most
property owners don't have to do a thing," said Martin
Skolnik, director of the city's Real Property Tax
Administration. "We're just sending them a new bill so
they can see the right number and verify that they don't
have to pay penalties and interest."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/22/AR2005082201335.html
In
Ward 8, Barry Strives to Reshape Legacy
By
Eric M. Weiss
A
black Mercury sedan stopped on a patch of freshly paved
asphalt in Fort Stanton. Out popped DC Council member
Marion Barry, wearing a snow-white track suit, gold
wristwatch and a "Free DC" cap. He immediately attracted
a swarm of well-wishers and neighborhood children too
young to remember him as mayor.
"Somebody get him a bottle of water," said Linda Greene,
chief of staff for Barry (D-Ward 8). Greene's concern
was warranted because her boss had been released from
the hospital hours earlier after suffering from what he
said was dehydration.
The
former mayor rewarded the crowd with a little impromptu
dance. It was mostly a foot shuffle with a slight knee
bend, but the crowd whooped anyway.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/21/AR2005082101075.html
Supporters Urge Mayor to 'RunTonyRun'
By
Eric M. Weiss
When
the group of DC twenty-somethings talked about getting
involved in this year's mayoral race, they didn't reach
for their checkbooks, volunteer to stuff envelopes at
party headquarters or engage in any of the traditional
outlets for political energy.
Instead, the debate was over whether they should start a
Web site or blog.
"The
easiest thing was a Web site," said Jane Hamilton, 27.
"It just seemed the natural thing to do."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/20/AR2005082001093.html
Convention Center To Buy Property for
$400M Hotel
WASHINGTON,
DC-The Washington Convention Center Authority is
taking small steps toward a big goal. In an effort to
cull land near the new 2.3-million-sf
Washington
Convention Center,
the WCCA has committed to purchasing a half-acre parcel
from the United Association of Journeymen and
Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry.
The land, at the corner of Massachusetts and 9th Streets
NW, will be used to develop a $400-million 1,220-room
hotel complex that, if negotiations proceed as planned,
could carry the Marriott flag.
The
property includes a 90-year-old office building that is
on the National Register of Historic Places and sits
right next to the convention center, which is located at
801 Mount Vernon Pl. NW. WCCA, which proposed to give
United Association a $900,000 deposit on the property a
few weeks ago, wasn't the only party interested in the
property. Lubert-Adler Management Inc., a
Philadelphia-based real estate firm, offered United
Association $30 million for the site despite the fact
that United Association was not openly marketing the
property. Those involved with the impending transaction
have not revealed the price WCCA will pay for the site.
http://www.globest.com/news/355_355/washington/137592-1.html
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Montgomery's Hurson to Resign From Md. House
By
John Wagner and Tim Craig
Del.
John A. Hurson (D-Montgomery), a leading voice on health
care issues in Maryland, surprised many colleagues
yesterday by announcing that he will soon end a 15-year
legislative career to take a new Capitol Hill lobbying
job.
Hurson, 51, said he is resigning from the House of
Delegates, effective Oct. 1, and becoming executive vice
president of government affairs for the Cosmetic,
Toiletry and Fragrance Association. The industry group
represents about 600 personal care companies nationally
and is trying to strengthen its political clout.
The
announcement came just days after Hurson wrapped up a
year-long tenure as president of the National
Association of State Legislatures, a position that has
expanded his profile nationally. In
Maryland,
as chairman of the House Health and Government
Operations Committee, Hurson has been heavily involved
in some high-profile debates, including recent fights
over medical malpractice and stem cell research.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/22/AR2005082201324.html
Documents Reveal Discussion Of Clarksburg Height Limits
By
Tim Craig
The
former
Montgomery
County
planner who oversaw construction of
Clarksburg
Town
Center
met with a builder in December to discuss ways of
dampening community opposition to the height of the
houses, according to documents released yesterday by the
county.
The
documents show that
Clarksburg
residents spent months in 2004 trying to convince county
officials that the new homes contained widespread height
and setback violations, only to be told that nothing was
wrong.
At
the same time, according to the documents, the planner
and one of the companies building homes in
Clarksburg
held a meeting at which height issues were discussed.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082402236.html
Younger Democrats Are Primed to Run
Washington Post Staff Writer
Montgomery
County
has dozens of young, ambitious Democrats eager to make
their mark in elective office. But it's never easy for a
young politician to get noticed, especially when older
incumbents tend to dominate the race for money and media
attention.
Now,
the younger set -- which according to membership
criteria for the Montgomery County chapter of the Young
Democrats includes Democrats under age 36 -- is becoming
restless.
"We
have been frustrated that there are a number of
incumbents in Maryland offices who have been in office
for years and years and show no movement or desire to
pass the torch," said John Mahoney, a Rockville resident
who is president of the Maryland Young Democrats.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082401099.html
Not
Measuring Up to Expectations
By
Miranda S. Spivack
Residents of The Brownstones, a new townhouse
development in Wheaton, were eager to be pioneers in the
long-planned revival of the community. Their
half-million-dollar homes were just steps from the Metro
and the bustle of Georgia Avenue.
But
as they unpacked, some made a surprising discovery: Many
of the two-car garages of the 75 townhouses, promised in
sales materials and described in documents filed with
the county by builder EYA, were a very tight squeeze.
Two cars will fit, but only if the drivers don't mind
getting in and out of their vehicles through doors that
barely open. Forget about trying to unload groceries or
strapping a child into a car seat.
"When
we pulled into the garage, we immediately realized we
had a problem," said Diane Gubernot, a government
scientist who with her partner, Linda Amendt, paid more
than $600,000 for a four-story townhouse on Cobble Hill
Terrace.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/19/AR2005081901645.html
Shunning the Tired Home
By
Anjali Athavaley
Jordan Schwartz and his wife, Asako Yamamoto, are
willing to take on a home and fix it up. But a
four-level house they checked out in Cleveland Park
needed more than just a slosh of paint.
Schwartz rattled off the changes he would make to the
house, which hadn't had a major makeover since the late
1960s: "Start with the floor, get rid of the shag rugs.
. . . Redo the kitchen, replace the mirrors, tear down
the doors and let in some light."
The
couple, both economists who work downtown, estimated
that it would cost $400,000 to $500,000 to redo the
house, listed at $1.995 million. They agreed: too much
hassle, too much money.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/19/AR2005081900777.html
First-Time Buyer―and
Live-In Landlord
By
Michelle R. Smith
PROVIDENCE,
R.I.
-- When Naama Gidron and her husband, Peter Wuhrl,
decided to buy their first home in Providence last year,
they started out by scouring the area for single-family
houses.
They
soon realized it would be a tough choice. The homes in
their price range were away from the city amenities that
attracted them to Providence in the first place.
"It
just felt like there wasn't enough going on out there
for me," Gidron said. "I like to be able to walk to a
cafe."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/19/AR2005081900741.html
Courts Disagree Over Mortgage Fee Limits
By
Kenneth R. Harney
A new
federal court ruling focuses attention on a question
that potentially touches millions of American consumers:
When you get a home mortgage, should your lender be free
to mark up your fees without limit?
When
your lender spends just $3 checking your credit
electronically, should you have to pay a $65
credit-check line item on your settlement sheet?
When
your mortgage company pays $25 for an electronic
valuation of the house you're purchasing, should it be
permitted to turn around and whack you for $500 for your
"appraisal" charge at closing?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/19/AR2005081900734.html
So long, amity: Investigation gets ugly by Thomas Dennison
ANNAPOLIS -- The second meeting of the special
House-Senate panel investigating the Ehrlich
administration's personnel practices could not have been
more different than the first session.
Where
Democrats and Republicans had pledged to work together
on Monday, Thursday's meeting instead devolved into the
same partisan backbiting that has clouded the issue
since the committee was named in June.
Republicans vigorously questioned the motives and
authority of the Democrats who dominate the 12-member
Special Committee on Employee Rights and Protections.
The panel has eight Democrats and four Republicans.
http://www.gazette.net/200534/weekend/a_section/291389-1.html
Chairmanship, leadership up for grabs
with Hurson out by Thomas Dennison
ANNAPOLIS -- Del. John Adams Hurson's surprise
resignation may lead to more changes in the House
leadership than who will replace him as chairman of the
influential Health and Government Operations Committee.
"There will be a domino effect, and there could be some
more changes," House Speaker Michael E. Busch told The
Gazette Thursday.
He
would not be more specific, saying he is focused on the
HGO chairmanship and ensuring that the committee has a
smooth transition.
http://www.gazette.net/200534/weekend/a_section/291392-1.html
Cardin raises $1M Senate war chest by Chris Yakaitis
U.S.
Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin has raised more than $1 million
for his U.S. Senate bid, four times more than his
nearest competitor and enough, he said, to campaign
across the state and win over "persuadable voters."
"We're going to be in every area -- red areas, blue
areas and purple areas," Cardin (D-Dist. 3) of Baltimore
said recently at a Greater Laurel/Beltsville Democratic
Club gathering at Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que in Laurel.
But
analysts said an early lead in fund-raising is no
guarantee of success in the race to succeed Paul S.
Sarbanes (D), who is stepping down next year.
http://www.gazette.net/200534/weekend/a_section/291397-1.html
Kilgore Repeats Opposition to Laborer
Centers
By
Nikita Stewart
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry W. Kilgore
spoke yesterday in Chantilly to a group of Hispanic
business owners from
Virginia,
reaffirming his opposition to taxpayer-funded
day-laborer centers, which he said will support "illegal
immigration."
Kilgore fanned local and national tensions about
immigration policy more than two weeks ago when he
opposed Herndon's plans -- since approved -- to publicly
fund a center where workers can congregate as they seek
day jobs. Presuming that many day laborers in the town
are undocumented immigrants, Kilgore said yesterday that
providing such services to them can "denigrate the
achievements of our legal immigrants."
"It
lets our new citizens think there is no reason to follow
the law," Kilgore said. Illegal immigrants should not be
allowed "to cut in line" for public services.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082402226.html
A Different Kind of Tysons Space Race
By
Elissa Silverman
Collective cheers were heard in Tysons Corner the
morning of Aug. 12.
Had
Salvatore Ferragamo finally opened its doors at Tysons
Galleria?
Not
yet. The exclusive Italian shoemaker is scheduled to
open in mid-September.
No,
the woo-hoos came from across International Drive, from
the employees of International Launch Services. The
Tysons Corner company, a Lockheed Martin joint venture,
managed the launch of the Atlas V rocket, which sent the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter into space.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082400812.html
Computer Sciences Renews at Loudoun
Gateway
DULLES, VA-Loudoun Gateway I, the 102,500-sf office
facility at 45245 Business Ct., will remain fully
occupied now that tenant Computer Sciences Corp. has
renewed its lease on 26,600 sf in the building. The
company originally signed on for the space in the summer
of 1999, shortly after the property's completion.
Jean
Redisch of USI Real Estate served as representation for
the tenant, while Michael P. McCarthy and Dennis S.
Turner of Cassidy & Pinkard stood in for property owner
Sun Life Financial. Situated off Rte. 28, Loudoun
Gateway I is one of four office structures that make up
the Loudoun Gateway Corporate Center, a nearly 39-acre
office compound that developer the Alter Group built at
the Loudoun Gateway Business Park.
http://www.globest.com/news/354_354/washington/137571-1.html
Columbia Equity Buys General Dynamics
Building for $24M
CHANTILLY, VA-Columbia Equity Trust Inc. has acquired
the office property at 14700 Lee Rd. for $24 million.
The 85,000-sf building, located on a three-acre parcel
within the 1,100-acre Westfields Corporate Center, is
occupied in its entirety by General Dynamics Systems
Development and Integration Services Inc.
Washington, DC-based Columbia Equity relied on funds
from its recently closed initial public offering, which
yielded gross offering proceeds amounting to $207
million, to acquire the property. Developed by Opus East
LLC in 2000 with the name of Opus at Westfields I, the
two-story structure was originally home to Veridian
Information Solutions Inc., a government consulting
company that General Dynamics acquired in 2003.
http://www.globest.com/news/355_355/washington/137610-1.html
Government Contractor Renews 115,100-SF
Lease
ARLINGTON, VA-CACI International Inc. has signed a
10-year lease renewal on its 115,100-sf headquarters
space in the 310,000-sf office property at 1100 Glebe
Rd. CACI has been an occupant since just after the
structure's completion 15 years ago.
Real
estate services firm Studley's Lawson Wilder, Charlie
Henyon and Michael Hammond represented the government
contractor, while Trammell Crow Co.'s Chris Sowick and
Spencer Stouffer repped property owners Massachusetts
Mutual Life Insurance Co. and Cornerstone Real Estate
Advisors LLC. Trammell Crow markets space in the
building for $31.50 to $33 per sf.
http://www.globest.com/news/357_356/washington/137646-1.html
CRA Signs 21,700-SF Lease
ALEXANDRIA, VA-Community Research Associates Inc. will
soon join the tenant roster at 4401 Ford Ave. The firm
has signed a lease for nearly 21,700 sf of class A space
in the 217,300-sf office facility at Park Center.
CRA's
five-year lease commitment with property owner Equity
Fund LLC paves the way for the terrorism prevention and
response planning firm's December relocation from its
current Alexandria office at 625 N. Washington St. The
firm occupies space that is of similar size in that
site.
CRA
relied on Sandy Weiss of Cresa Partners Washington, DC
for representation, while Equity Fund was represented by
Transwestern Commercial Services' Ken Marks and Josh
Masi, as well as property manager Gates Hudson &
Associates. CRA'S move, Weiss tells GlobeSt.com, was
prompted by the upcoming expiration of its lease on
Washington St.,
and by the firm's desire for a "good economic deal."
Financial specifics of the transaction have not been
disclosed. Transwestern, however, markets space in the
14-story tower, which is now 84% occupied, for $26 per
sf.
http://www.globest.com/news/353_353/washington/137523-1.html
Sewer Savings Offset Higher
Land Cost
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 25, 2005; Page B04
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 25, 2005; Page DZ03
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 24, 2005; Page B01
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 23, 2005; Page B04
Focus Is on Streets, Rec
Centers in New Role
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 22, 2005; Page B01
Young DC Professionals Launch
Web Site to Nudge Williams
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 21, 2005; Page C01
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, August 23, 2005; Page B02
Countering Resistance to Heights
Discussed
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 25, 2005; Page B01
Thursday, August 25, 2005; Page GZ02
Wheaton Homes' 2-Car Garages a Tight Squeeze
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, August 20, 2005; Page B01
Buyers Become Reluctant to Take on Costly Projects
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, August 20, 2005; Page F01
Rental Income From Multi-Family
Homes Can Help Stretch Limited Budgets
Associated Press
Saturday, August 20, 2005; Page F08
Saturday, August 20, 2005; Page F01
Staff Writer
Aug. 26, 2005
Staff Writer
Aug. 26, 2005
Capital News Service
Aug. 26, 2005
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 25, 2005; Page B04
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 25, 2005; Page VA07
