The Downtown BID provides a home base and critical staffing for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Among the 14 participating sponsors of this year’s Festival are Target (in its ninth consecutive year), State Farm, McDonald’s, Safeway and Shiseido, Japan’s largest cosmetics company.

For more National Cherry Blossom Festival information, visit www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.

Reinhard applauded the good work undertaken by non-BID entities in Maryland, such as the Downtown Baltimore Partnership, the Bethesda Urban Partnership and the Silver Spring Urban District, and urged the private sector to create good urban management alternatives in the form of BIDs.

“We were so pleased that Rick was able to lend his support and expertise; he addressed a number of questions that the delegates had,” said Stuart Eisenberg, executive director of the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation. “If the infrastructure in commercial districts is not managed, those areas will fail. We need to find a way to finance public maintenance and regional marketing.”

State and local government create business improvement districts through additional property assessments where property owners have agreed to share the burden of making improvements. In addition, the government and business community collaborate to develop an area’s vitality by leveraging public and private funds for a variety of projects. Cities and counties still provide basic services, but BIDs provide the supplemental services that great commercial districts need in order to be competitive.

	Excitement over the Niki de Saint Phalle sculpture  installation grows as preparations near completion.

Mother SAM
Anna Standard has retired after nearly 12 years as the SAM Program’s Safety and Hospitality manager. She was responsible for training, nurturing, and educating novices and veteran SAMs alike on the ins and outs of Downtown hospitality and history. Standard began her BID career as a consultant before becoming the BIDs first and only Safety and Hospitality manager. She acquired the “Mother SAM” nickname because workers swore she could see everything, just as mothers do. “Anna was truly passionate about her job and will be sorely missed in many ways,” said Everett D. E. Scruggs, the Downtown BID’s director of operations. “We will continue to carry the torch that she lit 12 years ago when she joined the SAM Program.”

Making a Good Impression 
The February SAMs of the Month are two new members of the corps: Safety and Hospitality Team Member Roy E. Johnson and Maintenance Team Member Jose Tomas Avelar. 
 
Roy Johnson moved to DC from West Palm Beach, Florida, just over a year ago and joined the SAMs two months later.  A former furniture showroom and warehouse worker, it was his first trip North since 1969. But he wasted no time learning the ins and outs of Downtown DC. According to his manager, Roy is always inquisitive and enthusiastic and conducts his own research diligently. “This job helps me learn about the city, which is a very interesting one,” he says. “I saw snow for the first time here and really enjoyed it, although I can’t say I liked that last snowstorm.” The father of four adult children enjoys fashion, chess and meeting people. We could tell. We saw him on the street the other day alertly seeking out visitors to assist.
 
Jose Avelar is the “go-to guy” that the SAM Program can count on when a project comes up. Even when the SAM Headquarters office closed during the snowstorm, he volunteered to work every available snow day. Born in El Salvador, he was a construction worker and farm laborer before joining the SAM Team in April 2009. During his free time, Jose enjoys church, reading the Bible and spending time with his wife, three adult children and two granddaughters. 

Lower Property Values
January 1, 2010 commercial property assessments, which were released in late February, show a 10.8% decline in the total assessed value of commercial properties in DC, including 5.6 million square feet (SF) of new and renovated office buildings that came on line in 2009. A sample of 37 Downtown BID area office buildings shows an average 15% reduction in assessed value for these buildings from the previous year’s assessment (which was lowered an average of 3% from the original January 1, 2009 assessment). With the average dollar per SF assessment declining from $528 per SF to $447 per SF, this translates to an average reduction of $1.50 per SF in commercial property taxes for Downtown office building owners and tenants. In surrounding jurisdictions, local governments are raising commercial property tax rates to offset the impact of lower property assessments. The result is a modest reduction in the competitive disadvantage of DC’s high commercial property tax rate of 1.85%. Property taxes in the Downtown BID are still two to three times higher than some surrounding jurisdictions. For example, Downtown BID buildings at $447 per SF pay about $8.30 per SF compared to $3 per SF in Crystal City, of which 49% of the $5.30 per SF differential is due to a higher tax rate and 51% is due to higher market valuation.

Leasing Up
To get the skinny on federal leasing activity, check out the 2010 Federal Government Perspective, a report detailing rental doings and the government’s ability to leverage current market conditions in the office market. The handy report also analyses government spending and legislative priorities, which present opportunities and challenges for the market down the road. A report tidbit: the US General Services Administration (GSA) appears ready to unleash new requirements to add to its growing inventory—but growing budget deficits and bailout fatigue could hamper expansion in the years ahead. Not news we want to hear! Jones Lang LaSalle prepared the report, which is available online.

Can You See Me Now?
It’s not unusual for people to draw comparisons between Gallery Place (7th and H Streets) and New York’s Times Square. Some chalk it up to the high-tech billboards, which have created a mini Times Square in the Chinatown neighborhood. That feeling might escalate. An out-of-state advertising company is proposing to install eight full-motion LED screens in Gallery Place this year, according to the Washington Business Journal. Six would be street kiosks and two would be 45-feet-high vertical signs attached to the 192-unit Residences at Gallery Place (777 7th Street) condominium. The DC Office of Planning, along with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), will have 60 days to review applications for the proposed signs once they are submitted.  Additional input from the Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) could mean the review and decision making process could last up to three months.

Building Sale
The 371-unit Mass Court (300 Massachusetts Avenue) apartment complex sold for a reported $105.5 million, or $284,000 per unit. Built six years ago, the building offers several amenities, including an indoor fitness center and a clubroom with theater space. CB Richard Ellis Investors brokered the deal for the buyer. Prudential Real Estate Investors represented the seller.

Filling Space
Rentals are picking up at 300 New Jersey Avenue, where more tenants are gradually making their way into the year-old, 255,000 SF building near the US Capitol and Senate office buildings. The Jones Day law firm already leases space on four of the building’s 10 floors, but recently has subleased 26,317 SF to Novak Druce and Quigg LLP (1300 Eye Street), the intellectual property law firm, in a six-year lease for one floor, beginning in May. Comcast, which is looking to move its federal government affairs office from 2001 Pennsylvania Avenue, also is expected to sign a 10-year lease to occupy 20,000 SF. VH Strategies, Gray Loeffler and the Washington Tax Group currently reside in the building, which is connected to the Acacia Building (51 Louisiana Avenue) by a 10-story glass atrium. CB Richard Ellis says space now available on four floors would be ideal for corporate government affairs offices, professional lobbying groups and high-end associations.

Fit Food
FunXion (1309 F Street), the earth-conscious restaurant, brought a new vibe to Downtown when it opened last month with a no-oil-salt-or-added-sugar menu and a double personality. So far, the feedback is all good: flavorful food—including pizza, tofu chili, tuna melts, bison and sirloin burgers and vegetable sandwiches—and a juice bar that serves smoothies and beverages high in antioxidants, omega 3 and vitamin infusions. But the ultramodern standout has a sleek décor and an after-hour event component—DysFunXion—that’s turning heads. Featuring DJs and a full bar option that includes juices as well as organic and sustainable wines, DysFunXion has added a twist to the nightlife/event scene with a party over here and a party over there. Want in on the action? Check out FunXion/DysFunXion at www.funxion.com.

Sprucing Up
After closing for 12 days in February, Poste Moderne Brasserie (555 8th Street) is back in operation and sporting a slightly different look. The restaurant has newly painted walls and ceilings, granite countertops in both the bar and Atrium lounge and refinished and stained floors. More change is coming this summer. Look out for new and upholstered furniture, new lighting fixtures, carpet, ceiling drapery, custom made artwork and photography. Poste serves progressive American cuisine and is located in the Hotel Monaco (700 F Street). For more information, visit www.postebrasserie.com.

Monday, Monday
Passion Food Hospitality launched Monday Must-Haves last month to boost traffic and “offer must-have dishes at a must-have price.” Every Monday evening, for an indefinite time, Acadiana (901 New York Avenue), Ceiba (701 14th Street), DC Coast (1401 K Street) and TenPenh (1001 Pennsylvania Avenue) will offer prix fixe meals for $35. Diners can select any entrée off the regular menu for the main course. For more information, visit www.acadianarestaurant.com; www.ceibarestaurant.com; www.dccoast.com; and www.tenpenh.com.

Saluting the Best
Downtown BID area restaurants continued to dominate as RAMMY finalists in 12 of 13 categories in this year’s Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) dining competition. Yes! They are:

 

Winners will be announced at the RAMMY awards and gala on June 6, when the best restaurants in the metropolitan Washington area will be recognized. Have a favorite restaurant or two of your own? You’ll be able to cast votes for four publicly voted categories through a special ballot appearing in The Washington City Paper on April 29, or online at www.ramw.org. Voting will run through May 5.

Representing DC
Kudos to the minibar's (405 8th Street) Jose Andres, named an Outstanding Chef in the
prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards. “The Oscars of the food world,” as Time magazine has deemed the nation’s most coveted honor, is presented to chefs, food and beverage professionals and others. A few Downtown restaurants managed to represent as semifinalists in three categories. They are:
 

Winners will be announced at an Awards Gala and Reception in New York on May 3.

Sublime Dining
A medley of Downtown’s finest restaurants are sitting pretty in the March/April edition of Washington Flyer. The magazine's Great Plates 2010 dining list features the “best dining options” in upscale, cheap eats and bars across the metropolitan Washington area. The list also includes the best craft bartenders. Here’s how they fared in the call-it-like-it-is categories:

No More Surf and Turf

Up and Away
Blimpie, the nation’s third largest submarine sandwich chain, has closed its restaurant at 806 H Street. Another Blimpie is located in Downtown at 1101 14th Street and remains open. 

Big Deal
Bethesda-based LaSalle Hotel Properties recently purchased the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square (806 15th Street) for $95 million, or $401,000 per room. The deal was the first major hotel purchase in DC since 2008, when the Renaissance M Street Hotel traded hands. The 237-room Sofitel opened in 2002 and was sold in 2006 to a group of investors, including Goldman Sachs’ Whitehall Street Global Real Estate Limited Partnership, who purchased a majority share in six North American Sofitel properties for $370 million. The property includes iCi Urban Bistro and LeBar. As a result of this sale, LaSalle now owns 32 hotel properties, including Downtown’s Hotel George (15 E Street), the Donovan House (1115 14th Street) and The Liaison Capitol Hill (415 New Jersey Avenue).

An Industry Star
Congratulations to the Sofitel Washington DC LafayetteSquare (806 15th Street), which attracted additional media attention last month after winning an Outstanding Guest Relations award from the Hotel Association of Washington, DC (1201 New York Avenue). The association’s annual Stars of the Industry Awards recognize DC hotels and hotel employees for their outstanding service. Honors also were delivered in five other categories, including Outstanding General Manager of the Year, Outstanding Manager of the Year, Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year, Outstanding Special Events Ongoing and Outstanding Community Service.

Hospitable Arrangement
First impressions go a long way. The Renaissance Washington DC Hotel (999 9th Street) has wrapped up its $6 million renovation project that began in mid-November. Among the changes: new glass awnings and signage; revamped lobby, port cochere and entryway doors; and new locations for the concierge and front desks. A new, 20-seat granite lobby bar features an eight bottle wine cuvee and large communal tables, and four individually themed seating areas with a residential feel round out the lobby experience. 

Ladies Wear
Psst, here’s something budget-conscious career women might like to know: Dress Barn, the off-price apparel store, will open at 1300 F Street on the northeastern side of the National Press Building (529 14th Street) this spring. Shopping anyone?

Taking Care of Business
TD Bank, Canada’s most visible bank in the US, will open another branch in Downtown at 15th and L Streets this spring, expanding its network of chic “retail stores” to three. All total, the bank has five DC locations, including 901 7th Street and 605 14th Street in the Downtown BID. Known for its legendary service—open seven-days a week with extended hours, free Penny Arcade coin-counting machines and treats for kids and dogs—TD Bank offers customers access to a network of 2,600 ATMs from Maine to Florida. Keep an eye out for the grand opening celebration. For information about TD Bank, visit www.tdbank.com.

A Downtown Champion
Miles Groves, president of the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA), died on Sunday, March 7. The Downtown BID sends condolences to his family and community for the loss of a loved one and a tireless and outspoken advocate for Downtown DC.
 
Upon moving to Downtown in 1995, Groves became involved in the neighborhood as a resident of The Pennsylvania (601 Pennsylvania Avenue) condominium development, where he served on the Board of Directors and as president, for many years. He later moved to the new Cosmopolitan condominium (715 6th Street), where he served as Board president and, more recently, treasurer. He worked collaboratively with many organizations, including the Downtown BID, the Penn Quarter Neighborhood Association and the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC), and helped to develop a balance between the wishes of Downtown residents, business owners, workers, tourists and cultural and entertainment organizations. Groves helped establish DNA in 2006.
 
Over the years, DNA partnered with the BID to develop an annual neighborhood survey to help attract new and better retail to Downtown. Under Groves’ leadership, the organization also has worked with the BID, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and others to establish a 10-officer patrol near Gallery Place (7th and H Streets) and the Verizon Center (601 F Street). Recently, he helped launch the Downtown Citizen, a neighborhood publication.
 
In January, the Downtown BID honored Groves with its new Downtown BID VISion Award, which recognizes individuals in Downtown who contribute significantly to community building, social interaction and creating a more vibrant Downtown environment for residents, workers and visitors. The award showcases individual excellence in leadership as demonstrated by outstanding initiative, impact of work and inspiration to others.

Outdoor Buzz
The CityCenterDC development is still several months away from groundbreaking, but already it has become a hot spot for some of Downtown’s most exciting events. First Lady Michelle Obama brought her Let’s Move campaign against childhood obesity during the US Soccer Foundation’s free youth soccer clinic to the site last month. This summer, Kid Power will move its second annual carnival from outside its home base at Calvary Baptist Church (755 8th Street) to the site on Sunday, June 20. For more information, visit www.kidpowerdc.org. Also, the 2009 World Team Tennis (WTT) champions return to their Washington Kastles temporary stadium on July 6 for the home opener. Among the headliners scheduled for several exciting match-ups: Serena and Venus Williams, John McEnroe, Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova. The season will end with the WTT Conference Championships and WTT Finals on July 23 and July 25. Information about the Kastles, including their 2010 schedule and ticket sales, is available at www.washingtonkastles.com.

German Flavor
New museums continue to crop up in Downtown, extending the visitor experience from the National Mall into the commercial center. Last month, the German-American Heritage Museum (719 6th Street) became the newest addition when it opened across from the Verizon Center (601 F Street). The German-American Heritage Foundation oversees the museum and presents permanent exhibits featuring German immigration and migration across the US, famous German-Americans and smaller, contemporary exhibitions. The museum has an auditorium with seating for up to 60 people for lectures, multimedia presentations and small conferences. An educational program for students also is available. For more information, visit www.ugac.org.

On the Fast Track
LivingSocial (829 7th Street) is now a major player in the lucrative online daily deals market. Through its website, the company connects consumers to deals at some of the best places in DC and 12 markets nationwide. Last month, investors poured $25 million into the business, putting it on par with Groupon, the industry leader. The Washington Business Journal named LivingSocial and venture capitalist Grotech Ventures, Steve and Jean Case and Tim O’Shaughnessy a Venture Capital Awards finalist in the Deal of the Year: Early Stage category for first institutional round of equity investment. Grotech et al provided $5 million to help the company expand into four cities—Chicago, San Diego, Denver and Raleigh Durham. For more about LivingSocial, creator of the Visual Bookshelf and Pick Your 5 Facebook applications, visit livingsocial.com.

Change at the Y
Now that MRP Realty has purchased the 93,553 SF YWCA building at 624 9th Street, what will happen to the YWCA National Capital Area’s offices? Nothing. They will remain at the site, which Akridge (601 13th Street) developed in 1981 to house the YWCA offices and activity centers, including a first-floor pool.  The deal paves the way for the Class B building, located at the corner of 9th and F Streets and across from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (901 G Street), to be renovated into prime office space. The YWCA had the building on the market for more than three years prior to the sale. 

New Trend, Old Idea
More Downtown businesses are jumping on the composting bandwagon. Several restaurants, including Poste Moderne Brasserie in the Hotel Monaco  (555 8th Street), Zola (800 F Street), Zaytinya (701 9th Street) and Spy City Café (800 F Street), and organizations such as the National Education Association (1201 16th Street), now incorporate composting into their daily routines to enhance environmental stewardship and sustainability. For every four tons of compost produced, they avoid one metric ton of carbon dioxide emissions. Composting helps reduce the volume of waste that goes into landfills, mitigate pressure on the city’s sewer system and contribute to cleaner local water ecosystems. EnviRelation, LLC , which collects and transports the food waste to nearby composting facilities, says that businesses save money on their waste management bills and improve operational sanitation as a result. The US Green Building Council (USGBC) awards Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification points for on-site food composting space and systems.

Cycle Tracks 
An amazing new cycling experience is coming to Downtown: innovative bike lane designs—aka, cycle tracks—will be rolled onto Downtown DC streets and the city’s bike network will expand in time for the summer biking season. The goal is to provide a buffer zone between cyclists and traffic. The first protected bike lane appeared on 15th Street north of Massachusetts Avenue in November, to generally favorable reviews. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) unveiled plans to expand this design on five streets—Pennsylvania Avenue and Eye, L, 15th and 9th Streets—over the next several months. The middle of Pennsylvania Avenue, from the White House to the US Capitol, will be reserved for bikers and presidential inaugural processions, thus opening “America’s Main Street” to thousands of DC area commuters and tourists.

DDOT and the Downtown and Golden Triangle BIDs sponsored a public meeting on the new bike lanes at the US Navy Memorial (701 Pennsylvania Avenue) last month. It’s no wonder. The city is gearing up to expand SmartBike DC tenfold this fiscal year—from 10 kiosks with 100 bikes to 100 kiosks with 1,000 bikes, extending out from the Center City. SmartBike DC, the nation’s first self-service public bike rental program, provides an alternative transportation network for the city’s workers and residents. Four of the existing 10 kiosks are located in Downtown near the Gallery Place, Judiciary Square, Metro Center and McPherson Square Metrorail stations.
 
In addition, the Downtown BID has pledged to match the DDOT 's bike rack installations to reach the goal of 200 new racks in the Downtown BID area this year. A new bicycle-assistance training component for Downtown SAMs also will boost Downtown DC’s bicycle friendliness.

Taking Up Space
Tour buses will find the area around Ford’s Theatre (511 10th Street) off limits beginning early this month. To improve pedestrian safety and to move people, goods and delivery services efficiently, signs regulating curbside space at the north end of the block will instruct buses to park at the CityCenterDC parking lot (9th Street between H and New York Avenue). Strict enforcement will include tickets for double-parking and blocking crosswalks. The Downtown BID, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and 10th Street businesses have collaborated to resolve the unique challenges that this popular tourist destination presents for pedestrian and traffic flow within the block.

In the Big League
Google Maps has added bicycle routes to its menu of options. Now, according to Google, mapping daily commutes and planning recreational or trail rides just became easier for 57 million American bikers. The new feature includes step-by-step bicycling directions; bike trails outlined directly on the map; and a new “Bicycling” layer that indicates bike trails, bike lanes and bike-friendly roads. Biking directions were the most requested addition to Google Maps. Try out the new feature by visiting http://maps.google.com/biking.

Out In The Open
Talk about transparency. A visit to the District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) website reveals a wealth of new information: an upgraded and updated interactive website; an online District Transportation Access Portal (dTAP), which provides a ward-by-ward accounting of DDOT construction projects (including project budgets, schedules, scope of work and other details); DDOT’s 2009 Annual Report; and a two-year Action Agenda, which lays out clearly defined and measurable actions and focuses on core values and functions, safety, sustainability, maintenance and capital assets investment. All of this information can be found at www.ddot.dc.gov.

Reversible Lanes
Have you noticed that those reversible, rush hour lanes on 15th Street, between K Street and Massachusetts Avenue, disappeared on March 15? Now the three blocks on that street will remain two-way at all times, even during the afternoon rush. The street had carried two-way traffic for most of the day, except between 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm, when it became one-way northbound. 15th Street north of Massachusetts Avenue is now one-way northbound at all times and new streets signs alerting drivers to the new traffic pattern. The business community, including the Downtown BID, requested the change, which will help improve the flow of traffic, make businesses more accessible to patrons and create a safer street for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. A District Department of Transportation (DDOT) analysis concluded that 15th Street does not require four lanes to handle the northbound, afternoon rush hour traffic.

National Mall Makeover
The comment period for the Draft National Mall Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, which provides guidelines on how to improve America's backyard, ended last month. Several stakeholders, including the Downtown BID, provided testimony before the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) to support proposals for rehabilitating the National Mall’s historic landscape; identifying measures to help it function better as the nation’s primary civic space; addressing visitors’ need for access and other concerns; and improving park operations and sustainability.

“Although the details of a number of National Mall Plan recommendations undoubtedly can be debated, the many proposed major projects and programs are solid,” Richard H. Bradley, the BID’s executive director testified at the March 4 NCPC hearing. “There is no doubt they will result in a much-improved National Mall. Now is the time to finalize this draft National Mall Plan and move ahead on the long road of implementing the plan.” He said the plan readies for action much of what the Downtown BID says is needed at the Mall, including a world-class landscape with more user-friendly amenities and improved public transportation.

The National Park Service (NPS) released the draft plan in January. It contains five management alternatives that describe different visions for how the Mall could be managed, including a no-action alternative and the NPS’s preferred alternative, which has been refined and modified as a result of public, consulting agency and professional comments since it was presented last spring. The preferred alternative combines ideas from each of the other alternatives to best achieve the plan’s goals. The other alternatives would emphasize 1) the historic landscape and education; 2) a welcoming national civic space to accommodate large crowds; and 3) urban recreation and a sustainable ecology.

Neighborhood Update
Have a love affair with DC? Now is your chance to enhance your knowledge of its neighborhoods. The Washington, DC Economic Partnership’s (1495 F Street) 2010 Neighborhood Profiles will teach us all a little something about DC neighborhoods, including Downtown DC. The profiles, which offer businesses an overview of 35 DC communities and major commercial corridors, depict neighborhood demographics, maps, local highlights and contact information for business opportunities.  They allow national, regional and local retailers to learn how DC and its neighborhoods are changing and what opportunities exist now and in the future. New this year: a separate profile of Chinatown, a growing Downtown retail center with key cultural attractions and institutions nearby. Information on DC’s Main Streets and Great Streets initiatives also are available. For copies, visit www.wdcep.com, or call 202.661.8670.

Homes for the Homeless
If you have, or expect to have, available rental space between now and September 1, the DC Department of Human Services (DHS) wants to hear from you. The agency is looking to house chronically homeless individuals and families in one- to six-bedroom apartments throughout the city under DC’s Permanent Supportive Housing Program (PSHP), an initiative to ensure housing stability, self-sufficiency and overall quality of life for the homeless. Homeless individuals and families will receive rent subsidies and case management support to live in 100 privately owned and managed buildings free of code violations. Leases are for one year, with the option to renew. For more information, visit www.dhs.dc.gov. To submit units for consideration, contact Clarence Stewart at cstewart@community-partnership.org or 202.543.5298, or Sheila Armstrong at sheilaa.Armstrong@dc.gov or 202.262-1206.

Fired Up and Ready to Go
If you need to be motivated to push that business plan out the door, how’s this for an incentive: the Washington, DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) is taking applications for its second annual Business Plan Competition, which will fund—to the tune of $100,000—an original business concept. The award was created to promote entrepreneurial activity and develop companies in DC. To download an application, visit www.wdcep.com/aboutus/sba.php.

Expanding Your Consumer Reach
Need help with your marketing outreach efforts? NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data and content, is offering small and medium-sized businesses in Downtown the chance to use its new Locations web platform for free. The new initiative is designed to help you easily manage business information in the NAVTEQ Map, now used by consumers more than 100 million times every day to find businesses and select destinations through navigation and location-based platforms worldwide. NAVTEQ Locations allows you to control how the world sees your business information and make this information available to the most widely used navigation systems, including Nokia, Garmin, AVIS, Magellan, Hertz, Microsoft, Verizon, Mercedes, Honda and Sony. To participate, and be able to provide feedback directly to NAVTEQ account specialists, send an email to locationshelp@navteq.com by April 15. 

Tuesday, April 6, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington
DC Fair Housing and Predatory Lending Course
Capital Hilton Hotel
16th & K Streets

Join the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington (AOBA) for this seminar covering all topics required by the DC Real Estate Commission for the Fair Housing credit requirement. Richard Luchs, an attorney with Greenstein DeLorme & Luchs, and John Raftery, a lawyer with Offit Kurman Attorneys At Law, are the featured guest speakers. Attendees will be able to earn three continuing credit hours from the Commission. Seminar fees are $75 for members; nonmembers pay $90. For more information and to register online, visit www.aoba-metro.org.

Tuesday, April 20, 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
ULI Washington
13th Annual Washington Real Estate Trends Conference
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue

This year’s ULI Washington conference will feature more than two dozen leading industry experts, who will address the most compelling issues affecting real estate development in the Washington metropolitan area. Learn about trends, hot projects, key players and critical issues shaping development over the next year. Network with national and regional real estate leaders, decision makers and visionaries. Receive information about green building technology, capital markets, the new consumer mindset, market cycles and more. Members in the private sector pay $400 to register; those in the public sector, and young leaders and students, pay $225. Nonmembers pay $500 and $325 respectively. The cost increases by $25 after April 14. For more information and to register online, visit www.washington.uli.org, or call Bernadine Dullaghan at 301.894.7310.

Thursday, April 29, 8:00 am – 10:00 am
Greater Washington Board of Trade
Morning Star Speaker Series
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue

The Greater Washington Board of Trade’s Morning Star Speaker Series presents Billy Shore, the founder and executive director of Share Our Strength, a national non-profit organization that inspires and organizes individuals and businesses to help end hunger creatively. Shore, named one of America’s Best Leaders by US News & World Report, has renewed concern about hunger in the US and helped raise more than $180 million to support more than 1,000 anti-hunger, anti-poverty groups worldwide. For more information and to register, visit www.bot.org.