•	Safety, Hospitality and Maintenance workers, known as SAMs, continued to perform critical roles, with maintenance teams collecting more than 14,428 bags of litter and trash monthly, nearly double the 2007 total.
•	The Downtown BID identified more than 100 chronically homeless individuals for immediate placement into permanent housing through a partnership with Pathways to Housing DC and using the "Housing First" model.
•	The Downtown BID continued strong partnerships with the federal and municipal governments, nonprofit organizations and others to address ongoing problems and launch successful initiatives such as starting Downtown’s first public recycling program, creating new bike lanes, developing a smart parking system and restoring Chinatown Park.

For more information, the annual report is available at www.downtowndc.org/annualreport.

Building Momentum
The Downtown BID’s Annual Momentum Awards ceremony will return this fall with its usual flair and sparkle. The event celebrates the best of Downtown by paying tribute to the people, projects and organizations that help make it a remarkable urban environment. Last year’s celebration at the JW Marriott Hotel (1331 Pennsylvania Avenue) was fabulous. The honorees, spread across seven categories, included Charles Docter (Downtown Citizen); the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (Downtown Partnership); the District Department of Transportation (Downtown Partnership); the National Aquarium (Downtown Experience); Macy’s (Downtown Detail); the DC Department of Human Services (Public Sector); Pew Charitable Trusts (Private Sector); the Newseum (Landmark Development Project); and the Harman Center for the Arts (Landmark Development Project).

Stay tuned. More information about the 2009 Momentum Awards is forthcoming.

Takin’ Care of Business
Nine summer interns have joined the Downtown BID as project assistants as part of a cooperative arrangement with the DC Department of Employment Services’ (DOES) Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Their assignments at the BID will provide critical real-world skills and allow them to gain valuable workplace experience. Specifically, they are providing project support, working on economic development and transportation surveys, auditing street banners, collecting recycling program data, maintaining the website and assisting with special events and placemaking projects.

"At a time when the local economy is retracting and the unemployment rate has shot up to 10.7%, we’re extremely pleased to give these young people an opportunity to gain skills necessary to compete successfully in today’s labor market. We want to ensure that they have a very productive and meaningful experience," said Richard Bradley, executive director of the Downtown BID, who notes the organization also benefits from the students’ contributions and youthful enthusiasm.

The students are all DC residents enrolled in colleges or engaged in career explorations from Pennsylvania to South Carolina. They are:

•	Antoinette Barksdale - Bowie State University (Psychology)
•	Andre Ford - AI University (Culinary Arts)
•	Brittany Franklin - Benedict College (English)
•	Kelly Green - University of the District of Columbia (Criminal Justice)
•	Keyanna Hymes - Delaware State University (Social Work)
•	Kirk Jones - University of Pittsburgh (Computer Science)
•	Bernadette Palmer - Penn State University (Nursing)
•	Nicolas Perry - Norfolk State (Computer Science)
•	Thomeisha Peterson - University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Business Administration/Finance)

Event Exemplars
They did it again! The Capital Fringe Festival and the National Cherry Blossom Festival® (NCBF) have both won a spot on BizBash magazine’s second annual list of Washington’s Top 100 Annual Events. The leading trade media for the event industry listed top events under 10 categories. NCBF, DC and Downtown’s signature springtime event, placed first in the Parades, Walks & Festivals category, beating out such Washington favorites as the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and National Black Family Reunion, which ranked second and third, respectively, again this year. Capital Fringe, the independent performing arts festival, ranked 11th in the Arts & Entertainment Events category, down a notch from its tenth place finish last year, coming in behind FotoWeek, new to this year’s list, and FilmFest DC. Capital Fringe receives major support from the Downtown BID, which provides a home and critical staffing assistance for NCBF.

Signs of Appreciation The Downtown BID often receives words of praise from visitors, workers and residents touched in some way by the help and reassuring presence that our Safety, Hospitality and Maintenance employees, or SAMs, provide on Downtown streets. Here’s a sampling of three such communications.

"I wanted to thank one of your employees, Alvin Chase, for his help and kindness. I had gone to a meeting a number of blocks from 14th and K Streets and parked my car in an unfamiliar lot. When I came out of the meeting it was dark and I was having difficulty remembering where I had parked. (I am also six months pregnant and was wearing high heels, to make matters worse!) After wandering in circles for at least half an hour, I came across Alvin Chase, who walked with me until we found the parking lot. Please let Mr. Chase and his supervisors know that he is providing a wonderful service and that Mr. Chase should be commended for going out of his way to help me."   
                                                                                                            - Elicia Blumberg

"I want to commend the performance of one of your employees. His name is Anthony (Murphy). He, to me, exemplifies the meaning of helpfulness. I am an intern from the Lutheran Seminary and got kind of turned around at the Archives-Navy Memorial station. I saw him cleaning and asked him for directions. He was very kind and helpful. He stopped what he was doing, and to assure I got to my destination walked me close enough so that I could see the building. Thanks Downtown SAMs. Thanks, Anthony."   
                                                                                - Christine May
       
"I want to say a big ‘thank you’ to Mary Brown, who helped us outside the Metro Center station. She helped us make contact with relatives in Maryland, as we were having difficulty with our cell phones. Her cheerful and friendly assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you for a wonderful service.  
                                                                                                           - Vivian Sadler

The Downtown BID and the SAMs appreciate your feedback. If you would like to share a story about a SAM who provided exemplary customer service, visit our website at www.downtowndc.org and click on "Contact Us."

Time for a Siesta
Ah, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. With so many readers scrambling to leave DC in August to go on vacation and beat the oppressive heat and humidity, there will be no August edition of the Downtown Update. The newsletter will return in September following a brief summer hiatus. To stay abreast of events and newsy tidbits, visit our website at www.downtowndc.org.    

Fresh Food Frenzy
Chinatown will be the site of a new Freshii restaurant later this year. The nutritious, fast casual franchise that sells customized salads, wraps, burritos and other healthy fare such as soups, yogurts and slow roasted oatmeal, originated in Canada four years ago as the Lettuce Eatery and is now based in Chicago. Local entrepreneur Andrew Nelson plans to open five Freshii restaurants in the metropolitan Washington area, including two or three in DC. He insists that Chinatown is the ultimate hot spot. Says he: "You’re not going to be able to create a successful brand if you’re not in the Chinatown area." Nelson has visited four or five Chinatown locations and expects to settle on a 1,000-square-foot site soon. For more information about Freshii, visit www.eatfreshii.com.

Come Again
A restaurant serving modern gastro pub fare is opening in the new Tishman Speyer building at 1099 New York Avenue this fall. Againn, Gaelic for "with us" or "at us," will seat 140 in the dining room, about 20 at the bar and, once approved, another 40 outdoors. Owned by Whisk Group LLC, a global restaurant management and operations firm, the new pub will have exposed ceilings, detailed woodwork and an extensive beer and single-malt scotch selection, two private dining rooms, a raw bar and personal scotch lockers. The chef’s name is undisclosed, but we’re told he or she will be "well received in the city." Keep an eye out for Againn’s website, www.againndc.com, which is slated to go live some time this month.

Asian Delectables
Say hello to tablecloths, linen napkins and a lovely little dining spot across from the Verizon Center (601 F Street). Absolute Thai (521 G Street) opened late last month in newly renovated space once occupied by Lee Loo Lounge & Restaurant, which offered Latin American cuisine fused with European cooking styles. The upscale eatery will initially serve lunch during the week, offer a Sunday brunch and remain open until 11:00 pm on the weekends. The 50-seat restaurant plans to open a full bar in late August and serve breakfast beginning at 6:30 am.

Just a few blocks away, Ping Pong--not to be confused with Comet Ping Pong, the musical pizza restaurant--is coming to 900 7th Street in December. This top-notch but affordable restaurant, which has its roots in the UK, will be the first to open in the US, offering a savory blend of fresh, handmade dim sum dishes, fragrant teas and cocktails. For more information, visit www.pingpongdimsum.com.

Restaurant Mavens
The results from the 2009 RAMMY Restaurant Awards, presented by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), are in. A huge round of applause to the Downtown BID area establishments that walked away with prestigious honors in six of 18 categories (Downtown restaurants were finalists in nine of the 18 groupings) at the 27th annual RAMMY event, which salutes the best and brightest in the local restaurant industry.

The Downtown winners are:

•	Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year - Rasika (633 D Street)
•	Chef of the Year - Robert Wiedmaier, Brasserie Beck (1101 K Street)
•	Restaurant Manager of the Year - Ryland Johnson, Zola (800 F Street)
•	Restaurant Employee of the Year - Juan Francisco Lopez, Brasserie Beck (1101 K Street)
•	Hottest Bar Scene of the Year - Co Co. Sala (929 F Street)
•	Power Spot of the Year - Central Michel Richard (1001 Pennsylvania Avenue)

In related news, five Downtown restaurants made the 50 Best Restaurants in DC list published by Washington City Paper. They are: Poste Moderne Brasserie (555 8th Street) PS 7 (777 Eye Street); Rasika (633 D Street); Proof (633 D Street) and Zaytinya (701 9th Street). Tim Carman, the paper’s food columnist, compiled the list.

Creating Opportunity
Last month, the DC City Council held a Joint Public Hearing on the "New Convention Center Hotel Amendments Act of 2009." The Downtown BID’s Director of Economic Development, Gerry Widdicombe, presented testimony. The Downtown BID believes the enabling legislation will allow the Washington Convention Center Authority (WCAA) at 801 Mount Vernon Place to finance a headquarters hotel using private/public financing--with the public portion based on new tax revenues to the city, not DC’s general credit.

The Downtown BID analyzed the proposed public/private finance initiative for the headquarters hotel and concluded it is in the best interest of all DC residents for several reasons.

The benefits are as follows:

•	The hotel will complement the federal stimulus package by stimulating local job growth. Hundreds of immediate construction jobs and 600 to 800 permanent hotel and restaurant jobs will be created, many of which will go to DC residents.
•	The city will receive a $5 million annual return once the project stabilized and realize a $100 million net present value return on its investment, higher than any alternative investment possible at the site.
•	The hotel will help complete Downtown’s build out and "push" development to the Center City’s emerging markets.
•	The hotel will also assist in retail leasing for the CityCenter DC project, slated for development at the Old Convention Center site bounded by New York Avenue and 9th Street and H and 11th Streets.

The Downtown BID encourages maximizing private financing and hopes the proposed legislation will give the WCCA the flexibility to negotiate the best public/private deal possible, with a common goal to break ground on the project this fall. The headquarters hotel, is "shovel ready" and will create needed construction jobs that can immediately improve the city’s high unemployment rate, now at 10.7%--meaning 33,000 DC residents are unemployed.

Other observations:

•	The Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place) cannot operate at full capacity because dedicated hotel rooms and available ballroom and meeting room space are scarce; a headquarters hotel will allow DC to realize fully its convention center investment.
•	The city’s track record of economic development investments in such properties as the new convention center, Gallery Place (7th and H Streets), the International Spy Museum (800 F Street), the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and even Nationals Park, is very good.
•	Under the headquarters hotel proposal, DC would make a 24% net contribution to the project and a 32% gross contribution. DC’s net economic development investment in Downtown, from 1994 to the present, has been $300 million. The total investment has been $10 billion, or 3%. The headquarters hotel and CityCenterDC and I-395 projects will bring this ratio to about 4%, on a total investment of $12.5 billion.

Valerie Santos, deputy mayor of planning and economic development; Gregory A. O’Dell, WCCA’s chief executive officer and general manager; Natwar Gandhi, the city’s chief financial officer; Emily Durso, president of the Hotel Association of Washington, DC (1201 New York Avenue); Elliott Ferguson, senior vice president of sales and services at Destination DC (901 7th Street); and James Dinegar, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, also testified at the June 24 hearing.

The Golden Arch
After rain and lightning storms caused a few delays, work to restore the Friendship Arch, located on 7th and H Streets in the heart of Chinatown, is in full swing. Work crews completed the scaffolding late last month and contractors are now working to restore the world’s largest single-span Chinese arch--it’s 60 feet tall. If all goes well, the local icon, also called the Chinatown Gateway Arch, could be as good as new by mid- to late-August, compliments of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which is refurbishing the monument.

Renovations on the arch--which has seven roofs, 7,000 tiles and 272 painted dragons in the style of the Ming and Oing Dynasties--will include repairing and replacing the rotten wood façade encasing the Duo Gongs and animal heads; reinstalling the original lighting; replacing missing tiles and tile crew caps; restoring worn-out decorations; replacing the metal band around the base; painting the columns, decorative beams and lintels; and replacing the joint fillers.

Walking the Beat
Notice more police officers in Chinatown lately? A 10-officer patrol part of what is officially called the Chinatown Community Policing Enhancement Project has been walking along the 7th Street corridor near Gallery Place at 7th and H Streets and the Verizon Center (601 F Street) since May 17 to ensure the area remains user friendly for Downtown workers, visitors and residents. Sergeant Peter Sheldon of the Metropolitan Police Department supervises the detail and will be present at night, addressing quality of life crimes (disorderly conduct, drinking alcoholic beverages in public and minor traffic violations). This unique problem-solving approach is the result of a collaborative effort between the business community, residents, city agencies and the Downtown BID.

Finding a Way
Visitors and residents will be delighted to see new signage directing them to national monuments and local attractions. Several entities, including the National Park Service (NPS); the National Capital Planning Commission (401 9th Street), NCPC; the Commission of Fine Arts (401 F Street), CFA; the Downtown BID; the District Department of Transportation (DDOT); and the DC Office of Planning are working to improve the quality and comfort of the visitor experience through good wayfinding programs. NPS began developing a comprehensive signage project for the National Mall and Memorial Parks last year; it includes wayfinding for the first time.

In fact, the NPS National Mall Pedestrian Guide Sign Program has been designed to augment and complement the existing sign programs on and near the Mall. The goal is to the enhance the visitor experience by pointing out the locations of Smithsonian museums or buildings and public and private sector visitor attractions, services and institutions on and off the Mall. This would include the Washington, DC Visitor Center (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue), the National Aquarium (1400 Constitution Avenue), the Newseum (555 Pennsylvania Avenue) and the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery on 8th and F Streets, all in Downtown.

Rick Reinhard, the Downtown BID’s deputy executive director of planning and development, recently commended the NPS at separate CFA and NCPC meetings. "For too long," he said, "the National Mall and the rest of the city have been disconnected. The National Mall Pedestrian Guide Sign Program has been purposefully designed to complement DDOT’s [blue] wayfinding signage program. Just as appropriate city wayfinding signs direct visitors to the National Mall, appropriate NPS wayfinding signs will direct visitors into the city."

NPS continues to consult with the DC Office of Planning to finalize content. The parties are still discussing whether and which restaurant, entertainment and other attractions might be included.  Meanwhile, the BID continues to work with DDOT to update the blue wayfinding signage in Downtown. 

Stimulating Results
Good news for DC. Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the city will receive more than $30 million in energy efficiency and conservation funding through the US Department of Energy’s State Energy Program (SEP) and its new Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). The DC government plans to use 75% of the funds for agencies in need of energy efficiency improvements, with the remaining 25% going to District Department of the Environment (DDOE) programs that provide direct services to businesses and residents. The anticipated end result: reduced energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. More information is available by visiting www.recovery.dc.gov/recovery/lib/recovery/pdf/sep_and_eecbg_energy_stimulus_factsheet_5_13_09_(2).pdf. 

Rooftop Filters
Green roofs provide a wide range of public and private benefits, including filtering air pollutants from rainwater, saving energy in buildings and capturing stormwater. This is one reason why the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) has expanded its existing $3 per square foot (SF) green roof subsidy program to $5 per SF and has increased the cap from $12,000 per property to $20,000. The other reason: stimulus funding. The benefit is now available for any green roof project reaching 4,000 SF or less and covering at least 50% of the available roof space. Interested in receiving a green roof installation subsidy? DC residents and businesses can apply for a grant through DC Greenworks, a non-profit social enterprise. Funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. 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.

Speaking of green roofs, Akridge (601 13th Street), the full-service commercial real estate firm, will cut the ribbon on its new commercial building at 700 6th Street this month. The building is one of a few in DC and the region to receive platinum certification under the US Green Building Council’s program for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)--plus it has the largest green roof on a private sector property located in DC. The 12-floor, 300,000 SF office building has a Hydrotech garden roof that exceeds 23,660 SF.

Gimme Shelter
By now, it’s hard to miss the spiffy new bus shelters--and the barricades signaling imminent arrivals--sprouting up in Downtown. By the end of this year, expect to see 70 new shelters in Downtown made of aluminum and glass and vandal- and graffiti-resistant materials. The Downtown BID collaborated with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) on the design and Clear Channel is manufacturing, installing and maintaining them for the city in return for the exclusive rights to advertise in them. Besides the advertising frame, the shelters have information panels, one of which will contain a Metrobus "You Are Here" bus map, which the BID piloted in 2003.

Signs of the Times
Do you squint or press your nose against those bus schedules posted at Metrobus stops to read the tiny, four-point type?  Well, a recent Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) study suggests the type should be tripled to 12-points. In addition, to make the bus system more comprehensible and more reliable, the study recommends including the route number and destination or name on signs, listing only the arrival times for buses at a particular stop instead of posting the full timetable and using electronic displays. The estimated price tag: more than $1 million.

These proposals have yet to be fully approved. At least one has managed to squeeze through, however. Signs have been posted throughout the region to get customers ready for the re-launch of the Next Bus system on July 1. More than 12,000 round red, white and blue Next Bus signs have been posted at Metrobus stops in DC, Maryland and Virginia. They include a unique, identifying bus stop number and the phone number riders can call to get real-time bus arrival information for that bus stop. Customers can also access the information on Metro’s website, www.wmata.com, or from electronic signs installed at select Metrobus stops. The Next Bus system uses GPS data and advanced computer modeling to track buses on their routes every 120 seconds.

Timed Perfectly
Where’s my Circulator bus? This question will be more easily answered now that the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Office of Planning and the Office of the Chief Technology Officer have developed and rolled out a mobile technology application for the DC Circulator that provides real-time bus information using GPS data. The new "Where’s My Bus?" application lets you pick a Circulator route and bus stop to find out when the next bus will arrive. You can access information from any Internet-ready mobile device by visiting http://circulator.dc.gov. Additional information and a link to the application are also available at www.dccirculator.com. Coming late this summer: the DC Circulator iPhone.

Out of the Box
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is accepting applications to support nontraditional projects funded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which works to strengthen cultural, aesthetic and environmental aspects of the nation’s Inter-modal transportation system. About $2 million is available citywide to fund transportation enhancement projects for Fiscal Year 2010 that relate to surface transportation and meet at least one of 12 eligible activities, such as bicycle and pedestrian facilities and railway corridor improvements. Applications will be accepted through August 7. For online applications, details about the 12 eligible activities and more information, visit www.ddot.dc.gov.

Wheel of Fortune?
The world keeps going round and round--on wheels. Between 2002 and 2007, the number of cyclists biking to a Metrorail station during the morning rush hours increased 60% to 1,550--but more people also began biking to Metro last summer to avoid high gas prices. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has installed hundreds of new bike racks at Metrorail stations to improve bike access and accommodate more cyclists. In addition, 650 people now use Metrobus bike racks every day.

With the steady rise in the number of cyclists, WMATA has proposed $45 million in bicycle and pedestrian improvements between 2011 and 2020.  Metro planners are also expected to begin a bicycle and pedestrian study this year to evaluate existing and projected demand and access to stations and propose facilities to improve bicycle storage, such as key swipe-card entry bike cages in parking lots and double-deck parking. Wow.

Walking Tall
The federal government’s stimulus dollars continue to work their magic in DC. Using $4 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, the city will install nearly 200 miles of sidewalks throughout DC this summer, increasing safety and fulfilling a recent recommendation noted in its Pedestrian Master Plan to fill pavement gaps. Although welcomed, the allotted resources will only cover a portion of the areas that need the sidewalks. Thus, high pedestrian areas primarily near schools, transit, recreation centers and commercial areas are high on the totem pole. For more information and to obtain a list of the latest recommended sidewalk installations, visit www.ddot.dc.gov. 
 
Slow But Steady
DC ranks among the Top 10 US cities for economic recovery in 2009, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Kiplinger’s, in conjunction with the Martin Prosperity Institute, a think tank that studies economic prosperity, looked at cities with a professional, high-quality workforce that will generate new jobs and business once the recession ends and that are still adding jobs now despite the economic slowdown. DC ranked No. 3 because of the federal government, which employs one in eight workers in the DC area and supports nearby companies across various industries.

DC was outranked by Huntsville, Alabama (No. 1), which has strong missile-defense and aerospace industries and medical and life-sciences sectors, and Albuquerque, New Mexico (No. 2), whose budding film industry has grown from 100 to 3,000 people in eight years. Charlottesville, Virginia, and Athens, Georgia, ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. In determining the city rankings, Kiplinger’s also included population growth, unemployment rates, income growth and cost-of-living data and measured the "creative class," people who are paid to think.

Tree Lovers Delight
Ever wonder what those beautifully scented trees in your neighborhood are called--or perhaps even those stinky ones? If you love trees or are simply curious about them, you may want to participate in an Urban Tree Walk with a certified arborist with the District Department of Transportation’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA). These experts care for all street trees in DC and will conduct the walks in a different neighborhood every Saturday this summer from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. For a complete schedule, visit www.ddot.dc.gov/ufa.

Tuesday, July 14, 6:30 am - 8:00 pm
Downtown Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting
Calvary Baptist Church
755 8th Street

This month’s Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) meeting will focus on family amenities, particularly Downtown parks and the growing need for playgrounds. Panelists will include speakers from the Downtown BID, the National Capital Planning Commission, the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Planning and Economic Development, and the DC Office of Planning. Both residents and workers are invited; refreshments will be provided. To RSVP, contact miles@dcdna.org. For more information, visit www.dcdna.org.

Monday, July 20, 8:30 am - 12:00 Noon
Sustainable Business Network of Washington
Green Business Certification: Save Money and the Environment
Willard InterContinental Hotel
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue

Find out how to get the most out of your green business certification at this Sustainable Business Network of Washington (SB NOW) meeting. Obtain a complete overview and orientation to the entire process. Be introduced to city initiatives for a green DC, case studies of companies that have been through the eco-assessment and certification program, SB NOW’s Certifiably Green Business Guide & Checklist and an overview of how the certification interfaces with LEED and Energy Star requirements. The cost is $25 per person. For more information and to register online, visit www.sbnow.org.

Wednesday, July 22, 8:30 am - 11:00 am
Washington, DC Economic Partnership
2009 BusinessPremier Small Business Awards
Willard InterContinental Hotel
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue

Join the Washington, DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) as it recognizes and celebrates exceptional DC entrepreneurs and business service providers. Michael L. Chasen, president and chief executive officer of Blackboard Inc., will be the featured keynote speaker. WDCEP will honor the 100-Year Old Business of the Year, the Small Business of the Year and the Small Business Initiative of the Year in addition to unveiling the winner of the first annual PremierPlan business plan competition. The fee is $40, and registration begins at 8:30 am; the program follows at 9:00 am. For more information, contact premierplan@wdcep.com. To RSVP online, visit www.wdcep.org.