Smart sustainable shoppers take note: this year all publicity materials have been printed on 100% post consumer waste recycled materials. The market also will run on generators fueled by locally-sourced biodiesel. In addition, recycling cans will be placed at the site and several eco-friendly exhibitors will offer ready-to-eat food, apparel, home decorating gifts and much more.
 
Can’t decide on the right gift for people on your list? Give them Downtown Holiday Market Dollars—gift certificates that can be used at this festive holiday shopping village. Market Dollars are great as corporate gifts or for your friends, who will feel good about supporting a local artisan. They are available online at www.downtownholidaymarket.com, or at booth #30 at the Market, next to the stage.

The Market, which the Downtown BID produces annually in partnership with Diverse Markets Management, also will be located in front of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture, home of the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Downtown Holiday Market media partners include WAMU, The Washington Examiner and WASH FM. 
 
 
Click here to download the complete 2008 Downtown Holiday Market Guide [marketguide08.pdf - 2MG],or try the on-screen version here.

Sorry, all exhibitor and entertainment spaces are full for this year. We encourage everyone to stay tuned for updates on daily exhibitors, the entertainment schedule and the market guide. For more information, visit www.downtownholidaymarket.com. 

Retail Boost
The Downtown BID is seeking information about Downtown residents’ incomes and lifestyles to help recruit new retailers to our area. We’re updating our results from last year, so tell us about the type of retail outlets you’d like to see—from supermarkets to boutiques to hobby shops. Don’t be shy. The deadline is December 26 to take the Downtown Neighborhood Survey and help support retail and revitalization efforts.

The goal is to promote Downtown as a regional shopping destination and weekend “gateway” for shopping, culture, entertainment and dining. With 350,000 square feet of retail space opening at CityCenter DC (the old Convention Center site along H Street from 9th to 11th Streets) in 2012, the Downtown BID area is poised to have a critical mass of shoppers’ goods retail, with a mix of local and national retailers. To serve the Downtown community appropriately, potential retailers need to know more about residents’ ages, incomes and needs.

Take the survey at www.downtowndc.org/neighborhood and become eligible to win prizes, including a Grand Prize weekend stay for two at a Downtown hotel and dinner for four at a neighborhood restaurant. Several Downtown restaurants also will offer additional prizes. Let’s see if we can match or exceed last year’s participation levels. More than 950 respondents completed that survey, sponsored by the Downtown BID, the Downtown Neighborhood Association and the Downtowner, also sponsors of this year’s survey.

A Sense of Place
In light of Downtown’s continuing transformation as a cultural and entertainment district, the Downtown BID has refocused attention on the quality of experience in public areas and spaces. In July, as a first step in developing a common framework and shared language about designing and managing public spaces, we invited internationally known placemaking expert Fred Kent, president of Project for Public Spaces, to facilitate a day-long workshop.

This month, Jan Gehl, professor of Urban Design at the Royal Danish Academy’s School of Architecture, will share with us some lessons he has learned in leading placemaking projects around the world. Most recently, Gehl, an internationally renowned urban designer, has helped lead New York City’s World Class Streets initiative, calling for enhanced public and pedestrian space. We’ll be sure to share highlights of the workshop with you soon.

Meanwhile, the Downtown BID already has made some progress on the placemaking front. The DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs is moving forward with new regulations that will turn sidewalk vending into a more attractive amenity in the city. We are supporting The National Museum of Women in the Arts' (1250 New York Avenue) plans to make significant improvements to the New York Avenue median. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is about to begin a new traffic plan for 10th Street that will serve as an opportunity to focus on placemaking around Ford’s Theatre (511 10th Street). DDOT also is installing new bus shelters throughout Downtown. In the meantime, the Downtown BID has begun taking inventory of conditions in Downtown parks so that recommendations for improvements can be included in a comprehensive plan by next spring.

Location, Location, Location
If you’re looking for a venue to host an event that will benefit the community, promote Downtown DC’s vitality and attract several thousand patrons, look no further. The Downtown Events Corporation, a Downtown BID affiliate corporation, will continue event programming on the western section of the 10-acre CityCenter DC lot through May 31, 2009. The former site of the Old Convention Center, located on H Street between 9th and 11th Streets, was converted to a parking lot for interim use before redevelopment begins to create a major mixed-use project at the site. The CityCenter parking lot is available for activities such as markets, festivals, exhibits, product launches and private functions. So far, the space has been home to Cirque du Soleil and the Washington Kastles tennis team. For more rental information, visit www.downtowndc.org/dec.

Cold Weather Help
Winter’s arrival raises concerns about the welfare of homeless people, who are vulnerable to hypothermia. Chronically homeless individuals suffering from mental health, compromised medical health and substance abuse problems are extremely susceptible to this life threatening condition. The Downtown BID’s Homeless Outreach Service Team and Safety, Hospitality and Maintenance (SAM) employees are on the street everyday assisting those who are facing extreme weather conditions.

In addition, the city’s Department of Human Services (DHS) organizes an extensive program to address homeless people’s needs during hypothermic season, which runs November 1 through March 31. The Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, the Metropolitan Police Department and the Departments of Health and Mental Health also are involved. The United Planning Organization, the city’s designated community action agency, provides a fleet of vans to assist the homeless and transport them to shelters. If you know someone who needs help, notify a SAM or call the city’s Hypothermia Hotline at 800.535.7252 for assistance.

Useful Guide
Copies of the 2008 Downtown BID Visitors Map are available and ready for distribution. This year’s brightly colored guide to the Downtown BID and nearby attractions has been redesigned to be more user-friendly. It features a larger Metrorail and street map of Greater Downtown, including the 138-block Downtown BID area. The guide depicts major attractions and landmarks, hotels, places of worship, Circulator bus routes and SmartBike rental kiosks. Visitors will not want to venture out without it. Businesses interested in obtaining multiple and bulk copies of the map should contact Ebony Walton at 202.661.7593 or update@downtowndc.org.

Welcome Aboard
The Downtown BID would like to welcome three new staff members: Caitlin Davis, Michele Falcon and Laurin Hodge. Caitlin works as a research assistant in Economic Development, where she helps track office, retail and residential development and creates the Downtown BID’s Quarterly Development Reports and annual State of Downtown assessment. Before joining the BID, Caitlin worked with the Greenbelt Movement, a Kenya-based grassroots economic development and environmental preservation organization with local offices in Ballston. Michele is an intern in Physical Improvements, where she is conducting an inventory of Downtown BID area park conditions. Michele is currently working on earning a Master’s degree in landscape design at The George Washington University. Laurin is the business manager for the National Cherry Blossom Festival® (NCBF), for which the Downtown BID provides a home and staffing support. Formerly an income development manager with the National Cancer Society, she looks forward to building a solid business unit for NCBF® and is ready to help host its grand centennial celebration in 2012. . 

Impact Study
In late October, Jones Lang LaSalle published one of the first research papers on how the global financial crisis is having an impact on the DC metropolitan area office market. Titled Metro DC Financial Impact Study, the study provides a welcome framework on this important subject.

The report’s highlights:

• The impact on the DC area is likely to be positive because: (1) the area’s private financial industry is relatively small with an estimated 150,000 jobs out of 3 million total area jobs; (2) relatively strong job growth in 2008 will mitigate financial services job losses; and (3) there likely will be an increase in federal jobs to both manage the financial crisis and improve regulating financial institutions.
• As a result of 9.2 million square feet (SF) of new and renovated office space delivered in DC from October 2008 through the end of 2010, Jones Lang LaSalle projects: (1) the DC vacancy rate will increase from 8.4% at October 31, 2008 to 12.5% at December 31, 2010; and (2) DC rents will drop from $50.32 per SF today to $49.06 per SF in 2009 and then rise again to $49.80 per SF in 2010.

In late November, the global real estate services firm issued another report, US Federal Market Perspective Fiscal Year 2009, which provides an excellent overview of the federal government’s impact on the national and DC metropolitan area office market.  This study is available at www.us.am.joneslanglasalle.com/UnitedStates/EN-US/Pages/Research.aspx.

Holding Firm
Through August 2008, hotel occupancy and average daily rates have kept pace with 2007 levels, increasing 1.5% and 2.9%, respectively, to 76.9% and $205, according to Destination DC (901 7th Street). In addition, visitation to National Park Service sites on the Mall and Smithsonian museums also remained fairly constant. This modest growth follows a year of solid growth in 2007, when visitor spending surpassed $5.5 billion and overall visitation grew 7%, generating nearly $620 million in tax revenue for DC. 

Downtown Hospitality
Downtown BID area hotels fared very well in the 3rd Quarter (3Q) 2008. According to Smith Travel Research, occupancy rate, average daily room rate, revenue per available room and total revenue were all higher in 3Q 2008 than in 3Q 2007, 2006 and 2005. The strong results have bolstered modest 1Q 2008 statistics to push the year-to-date revenue per available room for 2008 ahead of 2007 levels and bring the 2008 year-to-date occupancy rate up to the 2007 average of 78%. 
 
The 3Q 2008 figures show Downtown BID area hotels continuing to perform better than other local hotels, with occupancy rates of 78% (versus 76% for all other DC hotels) and revenue per available room of $153 (compared with $137 for hotels outside the Downtown BID area). In addition, both Downtown BID area and non-BID area hotels saw sales increase over 3Q 2007, meaning total DC hotel room revenues from July through September were about $20 million higher this year. On the heels of such a successful quarter, revenue totals for year-to-date 2008 are 3.1% higher than the same period a year ago, adding more tax dollars to the DC government's funds.  

Downtown BID Hotel Performance

July-September Occupancy Rate Average Daily Room Rate Revenue per Available Room Total Revenue (millions) 2008 78% $196 $153 $125 2007 76 190 145 118 2006 70 179 125 103 2005 75 177 133 113 January-September   2008 78% $218 $170 $410 2007 78 210 165 398 2006 73 200 146 362 2005 77 191 147 372 Year-End   2007 76% $213 $163 $527 2006 72 201 145 477 2005 75 192 144 487

Adieu Mon Ami
Spilled French fries and wine are but fond memories now that Les Halles (1201 Pennsylvania Avenue), a popular Downtown mainstay for 15 years, closed its doors last month after its lease expired. Derailed by rising rents, the French restaurant brought savoir faire and partying masses to its annual Bastille Day Race and the annual midnight Beaujolais Nouveau party. Merci, Les Halles! Meanwhile, diehard fans may find comfort in the fact that three other Les Halles restaurants—two in New York and one in Miami—remain. Les Halles is the brainchild of celebrity chef-turned-author-turned-TV host Anthony Bourdain.

Ciao Time
Ristorante Luigino (1100 New York Avenue) will close its doors on January 5 after serving the Greater Washington community for nearly 20 years. The dining establishment serves authentic northern Italian cuisine and is going out in style with an elaborate closing party—replete with an Italian buffet, wine tasting and live entertainment—on Saturday, December 20, from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The get-together, however, is not free. We reported in July that Carmine Marzano, the owner and chef, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Guests must pay $70 per person and are required to make reservations by December 15. For more information and to RSVP, call 202.371.0595.

New Arrival
Momiji Restaurant Bar & Grill, the new sushi restaurant at 505 H Street, is off to a good start at the former site of Becky Café. Its mid-priced menu features traditional tempura, teriyaki and noodles, bento box meals, sushi lunch specials and special rolls served with miso soup. The restaurant’s two-level setting also includes a hibachi grill table with seating for eight and an outdoor deck with illuminated palm trees. Momiji is open seven days a week. For more information, visit www.momijidc.com. 

Holiday Spirit on Display
Talk about glitz, merriment and circumstance. Macy’s Metro Center (1201 G Street) unveiled its holiday windows recently with a special Yuletide performance by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Brian McKnight. The “Believe” windows tell the story of the magic behind Christmas décor and depict brightly illuminated lights, dazzling ornaments, sparkling tinsel, magical snowflakes, the birth of a Christmas star and Santa’s private lair. The famed Christmas window unveiling also featured a performance by the highly talented Ballou High School Marching Band and an appearance by Santa Claus. 

Macy’s is collecting letters to Santa through December 24. Children can bring a stamped letter to the store, addressed to Santa at the North Pole, and drop it into Santa’s special letterbox. The department store will donate $1 for each letter received—up to $1 million—to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. For more information, visit www.macys.com/believe.

Sitting Pretty
Time for a facial, massage or body wax? Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas has opened its second location in DC with the debut of its signature spa at the Willard InterContinental Hotel (1401 Pennsylvania Avenue). The new facility is open seven days a week and includes a Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. Offerings include signature treatments, plus three special spa packages created exclusively for the Willard. Also available: skincare products and cosmetics, as well as gift cards and gift certificates, in the Spa’s retail boutique. More information is available at www.reddoorspas.com, or by calling 202.942.2700.

Winning Admission
Change, according to Madame Tussauds (1025 F Street), has come not only to Washington and the nation, but to the Wax Museum as well. The wax attraction is “declaring everyone a winner” by offering a combined election day and holiday special through December 31, meaning ticket prices have been reduced to $10 for adults and seniors and $8 for children 12 years old and under. Children under four get in for free. The promotion follows the special birthday discount offered in October, when ticket prices were reduced to $1 to celebrate the museum’s one-year anniversary in DC. More information is available at www.MadameTussaudsDC.com, or by calling 202.942.7300.

Building Bridges
The National Building Museum (401 F Street) is currently recruiting volunteers and offering several opportunities working alongside staff or directly with visitors. Volunteer slots are available in such areas as the docent, outreach and public programs, in membership and on the information desk. For more information, contact Carly Ofsthun Shaw at 202.272.2448, ext. 3302, or CShaw@nbm.org, or visit www.nbm.org/support-us/volunteer.

Environmental Aid
Interested in receiving a green roof subsidy? Building owners have until January 15 to apply for a grant through the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) and DC Greenworks, a non-profit social enterprise. The subsidy will fund $3 per square foot of the green roof for each qualified project, with a cap of $12,000 per property. Eligible buildings within DC’s Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Zone can receive a grant through DDOE’s Watershed Protection Division’s Pilot Green Roof Subsidy Program, which began in July 2007 and is now in its fourth and final stage. To date, 13 green roof projects, from residential to larger commercial developments, have received a total of $80,000; $40,000 remains in the program, which promotes using green roofs to reduce storm water runoff. For more information about the program and to download an application, visit www.dcgreenworks.org or contact Nora Shepard at 202.518.6195, or nora@dcgreenworks.org.

Help on the Way
GreenHome and Enterprise Community Partners (formerly the Enterprise Foundation) are gearing up to open GreenSpace, a new learning and resource center for Washington area development professionals, policymakers and the public. The center will focus on “affordable green” sustainability efforts and seeks to inspire, educate and advocate for green buildings and green communities.

Organizers are looking for your input to help shape the program, services and resources that the facility will offer. To participate in a 10 minute survey, building professionals can visit www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=66jLj52sbqhsIgX3qPPB_2bw_3d_3d. Government representatives should visit www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=9IN4uHfHfnM41Q10qgNwAg_3d_3d.

GreenSpace is raffling off 10 $20 cash cards to those who complete the survey. For more information about GreenSpace, visit www.dcgreenspace.org or contact Patty Rose, executive director of GreenHome and GreenSpace, at pattyrose@greenhome.org.

Star Quality
If your organization has made outstanding contributions toward protecting the environment through energy efficiency, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) want to hear from you by December 12. That’s the deadline for organizations now participating in EPA’s and DOE’s Energy Star program to apply for a 2009 Energy Star Award. To be considered, your organization must meet specific eligibility requirements. For questions on the awards process, contact your account manager or EPA at quarforth.alyssa@epa.gov.

No More Freebies
Come Sunday, January 4, bid farewell to those paper transfers that allow bus riders to switch between the DC Circulator and Metrobuses for free. Circulator and Metrobus customers will have to use a SmarTrip card instead to receive a 35-cent discounted rail-to-bus transfer. So do yourself a favor: don’t bother trying to get paper transfers from bus operators or transfer machines in Metrorail stations because they won’t be available.

The change is expected to save Metro about $300,000 a year in paper and printing costs, plus expenses related to repairing and maintaining all those old transfer machines. It also will minimize fraud and abuse by people who sell or hand their transfers to other riders and will reduce assaults on bus operators by riders upset about the transfers.

In January, the bus-to-bus transfer will be extended by one hour, meaning SmarTrip customers will be able to board the Circulators and other Metrobuses for free within three hours, instead of just two. SmarTrip customers will continue to save 10-cents on each Metrobus ride. The cards are available at 85 Metro sales offices, including Metro Center, and nearly 400 participating retail outlets, counting some Giant, Safeway, CVS and SuperFresh stores. For more information, visit www.wmata.com.

Presidential Preps
President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team arrived in Downtown last month, in a space provided by the US General Services Administration (GSA), which worked for more than two years to secure and complete the headquarters. Street closures and conversions, as well as parking restrictions, are in place on 5th and 6th Streets NW. The closures will continue at least through January 20, Inauguration Day, when the new president is sworn into office.

The measures are designed to provide security and safety around the presidential transition office. To keep away from the chaos, note the following closures and restrictions:

• D Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, is closed to traffic and parking is restricted.
• Northbound 6th Street, between Indiana Avenue and E Street, is reduced to one traffic lane. The other two northbound lanes are closed.
• Indiana Avenue, between 5th and 6th Streets, has been converted temporarily to accommodate two-way traffic until the D Street restrictions are lifted.
• No parking is allowed on the west side of 5th Street, between Indiana Avenue and E Street.  
• No parking is allowed in the curb lane on the south side of E Street, between 5th and 6th Streets.
• The east side of 6th Street is closed to pedestrian traffic.  

Inaugural Guide
Inauguration Day will involve several Metro station and street closings, security checkpoints and areas closed to non-ticket holders. To help the hospitality industry get the word out to revelers, Metro has designed a special Inauguration Map. (Limited quantities will be available to individuals in the plastic brochure holders located in Metro stations on the station manager’s kiosks.) The map and UPS delivery are free, but quantities will be limited and orders will be shipped on a first-come, first-served basis. To obtain maps, contact Cmaden@wmata.com, or fax orders to 202.962.6103 by January 13. Specify in all communication that you are requesting inauguration maps, how many you require and your street address. The minimum order number is 30. Shipments will arrive the week before Inauguration Day.  

Snow Days
In DC, the big word this snow season is “more”—more trucks, more drivers, more routes. This is because the city now has an updated snow deployment plan to improve response time in residential neighborhoods “to treat and clear all of the city’s streets—not just the major roads—faster than ever before,” according to Mayor Fenty. New plowing equipment will allow the city’s snow team to divide the city’s neighborhoods into smaller, more manageable routes. There are now 82 light plow routes, up from 49 in previous years. Drivers on three different shifts also will provide continuing coverage in the event of an extended storm. The city budget to implement the more aggressive flake-busting approach is $6.2 million for the 2009 fiscal year.

Hanging with the Best
Foreign Policy magazine's ranking of the top 60 cities that shape our lives the most shows DC placed 11th on the 2008 Global Cities Index, surpassing such hot cities as Madrid, San Francisco, Frankfurt, Rome and Munich but ceding to New York, which reigned supreme in the number one spot. Our nation’s capital also ranked 1st for political engagement, 10th for information exchange, 14th for cultural experience, 17th for human capital and 35th for business activity. Washington performed well in other categories as well, ranking 20th as the best city to get a degree and 1st as the best city in which to be a diplomat. For more complete global rankings, visit www.foreignpolicy.com/extras/cities.


Urban Outlook
How will future cities evolve, look and operate? Inquiring minds anxious to know can find the answer in the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) new book, “The City in 2050: Creating Blueprints for Change.” The 78-page paperback, illustrated through interesting facts and charts on topics such as sustainability, transportation and infrastructure needs, demographic trends, housing, retail and the capital markets’ impact, is a quick read.

Questions the book addresses include: How will we live, work and play in 2050; what must we do now to create value in the city of 2050; and how can today’s investments achieve both attractive returns and long-term outcomes? Among some forecasts offered: biking, walking and mass transit will expand in cities, but the car is expected to be a permanent fixture on the road—though it is likely to look different; societies will not adopt one urban model but many; and changing weather patterns will place higher burdens on infrastructure, such as power lines, sewer systems, levees and coastal evacuation routes.

The book was published following a cities workshop in which Downtown BID Executive Director Richard Bradley was one of more than two dozen participants. It is available to ULI members for $19; non-members pay $29. To place an order, visit www.uli.org or call 1.800.321.5011.

Wednesday, December 3, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Washington, DC Economic Partnership
BusinessPremier: Financing Your Small Business During a Credit Crunch
1495 F Street

The Washington, DC Economic Partnership invites small business owners to this meeting that covers how to expand during a credit crunch, strategies to be best positioned for business loans and programs that offer small businesses conventional and non-conventional loans. Speakers include Mark Lobato, vice president and regional manager of business banking at Chevy Chase Bank; Davey Wiggs, lead lender relations specialist at the Small Business Administration’s DC Office; and Timothy Flanagan, loan and technical assistance manager of the Washington Area Community Investment Fund. This free event includes a breakfast and networking session. Seating is limited. To register, call 202.661.8670.

Wednesday, December 3, 9:00 am – Noon
DC Chamber of Commerce
Saving Headaches and Legal Fees
The Caucus Room
401 9th Street

This free workshop is part of the DC Chamber of Commerce’s Employer Advocacy Programs Series. Discussions will explore employer-crafted documents such as employee handbooks and termination letters and the Chamber’s new employee benefit consulting services. Learn how to ensure that your organization spends its employee benefits dollars wisely. Contact Candice Hicks for more information at 202.638.6736 or email chicks@dcchamber.org. To RSVP online, visit www.dcchamber.org.

Thursday, December 4, 12:30 pm
National Capital Planning Commission
Monthly Public Meeting
401 9th Street

If you’re interested in keeping up with federal development plans and regional planning policy, the National Capital Planning Commission’s public meeting is the place to be. Participation is welcome, although individuals or groups wishing to give testimony on any project that requires Commission action must meet the registration deadline. For more information or to sign up to speak, call 202.482.7200

Monday, December 8, 11:00 am – Noon
Greater Washington Board of Trade
How the Presidential Inauguration Will Affect Business in Greater Washington
K&L Gates
1601 K Street

Join the Greater Washington Board of Trade for a discussion on what to expect during the Presidential Inauguration, which is expected to attract up to 4 million spectators—the biggest crowd that has ever gathered on the National Mall. Learn about the implications of this historic event and opportunities for businesses throughout Greater Washington. Speakers include Darrell Darnell, director of the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, and Bill Hanbury, president and CEO of Destination DC. There is no cost to Board of Trade members; nonmembers pay $35. To register, visit www.bot.org.

Thursday, December 18, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
DC Chamber of Commerce
2008 Annual Meeting & Chairman’s Inaugural Luncheon 
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
1330 Maryland Avenue SW

Mix and mingle with DC's most prominent leaders, decision-makers and dignitaries at this annual DC Chamber of Commerce event. Witness new Chamber Board Members get inducted, review 2008 accomplishments and get a heads up on exciting 2009 initiatives. The cost is $75 for members and $125 for nonmembers. For more information, call Candice Hicks at 202.638.6736 or email chicks@dcchamber.org. To purchase tickets online, visit www.dcchamber.org.