Other report highlights:

Copies of the report will be available beginning June 2 at www.downtowndc.org/state.

Coming Together
The Downtown BID will hold a joint annual Member and Board of Directors Meeting on Monday, June 15 at 1250 H Street NW, Suite 1000, to elect new Board members and officers and to present the proposed fiscal year 2010 operating budget. Authorized representatives of property owners, commercial tenants and voluntary contributors within the Downtown BID are eligible to participate in the membership meeting at 4:00 pm.

Getting Around
The Downtown BID’s latest Leadership Paper, "Getting from Here to There," highlights the need for a broad transportation agenda to guide future investments in DC as federal funds are unleashed to help build new infrastructure. Because transportation plays a pivotal role in Washington and Downtown’s economic prosperity and sustainability, the paper calls for an agenda that includes five steps and addresses plans to manage and re-imagine Downtown streets to alleviate congestion, connect new streetcar lines and 25 million National Mall visitors to Downtown and establish placemaking as a priority in Downtown to enhance the "sense of place."

"Pushing for an efficient and innovative transportation infrastructure system is a win-win situation for the city and for Downtown," says Matt Klein, chairman of the Downtown BID Board of Directors and president of Akridge, a full-service real estate firm. "The Transportation Leadership Paper charts actions we can take now to keep our city green, growing and socially responsible."

Downtown is the city’s cultural and economic heart and its fiscal and economic engine, providing tax revenues that can be used toward DC’s social agenda. Investment in transportation infrastructure helps Downtown maintain its economic competitiveness, which in turn profoundly impacts the city’s ability to fund and improve everything from schools to affordable housing. Thus, the paper recommends that Washington’s transportation agenda include: completing a comprehensive strategic investment plan built on the city’s extensive transportation studies; activating a DC Transit Plan; reducing Downtown congestion; raising public space development and management as a priority; and adopting new financing mechanisms to support the strategic investment plan.

The Leadership Paper is the sixth in the Downtown BID’s series of occasional working papers to foster dialogue about critical issues relating to Downtown Washington’s economic, social and physical environment. "Getting from Here to There" is available at www.downtowndc.org/leadership.

Home Sweet Home
The Downtown SAMs moved to new headquarters at 1229 New York Avenue last month. The BID’s Safety, Hospitality and Maintenance workers had resided at 1006 F Street for 10 years. The new location at 1229 New York Avenue is now home base for about 120 SAM employees. The welcome mat is out. Stop by and visit.  

Guess Who’s Coming to Washington?
New York University (NYU) plans to build a multipurpose center at 1307 L Street that will revolve around its academic programs, serve as a venue for evening intellectual and cultural events and house about 200 students in its semester-long academic programs. The facility, to be called the NYU-DC Center, could span nine floors and cover about 75,000 square feet. However, the design is not yet finalized. NYU, a private research university, plans to have the building operating by 2012 or 2013 and is shooting for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification. The center will be a part of its Global Network University. NYU has 12 major academic centers on five continents and is located in such cities as Abu Dhabi, Buenos Aires and Shanghai.

Back to School
Expect updates soon on the 104-year-old Franklin School (925 13th Street), shuttered in October after serving as a homeless shelter for many years. The city’s Office of Property Management (OPM) received applications for its Request For Offers (RFO) last month. The evaluation review ends June 3 with notification scheduled for this month, barring any unforeseen delays. Only eligible applicants were invited to respond to the RFO. Eligible applicants are defined as approved or conditionally approved charter schools and "existing tenants," including organizations providing educational or youth services under contract with the DC government that had occupied the property since at least December 1, 2004. The city says that nonprofit service providers or public charter schools could lease or own space in the historic, 38,000 SF building, or space could be used to create new workforce/affordable housing for DC residents. For more information, visit http://opm.dc.gov.

What’s Up Downtown
Now that the National Capital Planning Commission (401 9th Street), NCPC, has adopted The Monumental Core Framework Plan: Connecting New Destinations with the National Mall, steps are underway to begin implementation, including a main part pertaining to Downtown--the Federal Triangle Precinct. Produced jointly by the NCPC and the US Commission of Fine Arts (401 F Street), the plan protects the National Mall from overuse; creates distinctive settings for cultural facilities and commemorative works; provides for quality federal workplaces; improves connections between the National Mall, the city and the waterfront; and transforms the monumental core into a vibrant and sustainable place to visit, work and live. The plan’s recommendations involve Pennsylvania Avenue, streets and open spaces in the Federal Triangle and landmark federal properties such as the Old Post Office Pavilion (1100 Pennsylvania Avenue), the FBI Headquarters Building (1000 E Street), also known as the J. Edgar Hoover Building, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Headquarters Building at 1111 Constitution Avenue.

Major plans to enliven Pennsylvania Avenue and to enhance the Federal Triangle Precinct call for:

•	Finding ways to activate the area so that ground-floor retail, kiosks or quality vending can enhance the public space.
•	Redeveloping or reusing the entire block now occupied by the Hoover Building--bound by Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street and 9th and 10th Streets--to make it more pedestrian-friendly, and possibly opening D Street, now blocked from 9th to 10th Streets. If the FBI can better fulfill its mission elsewhere, the land could be used to create active street use with cultural venues on Pennsylvania Avenue and federal offices with ground floor retail.
•	Ensuring the Old Post Office building is put to its highest and best use as spelled out in the Old Post Office Redevelopment Act of 2008, introduced by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and passed by Congress last fall.
•	Adapting the north wing of the IRS building for a museum, and relocating some offices to the interior courtyard of a renovated Old Post Office Building.
•	Creating a permanent cultural heritage trail in the Federal Triangle with Cultural Tourism DC (1250 H Street) to focus on and celebrate the art, architecture, physical, social and cultural history of the Triangle and the federal agencies that reside there. The planning process will continue through 2010, with implementation anticipated for 2011 and 2012.

Gateway to Chinatown
Restoration work has begun this month on the Friendship Arch, also called the Chinatown Gateway Arch, which is located on 7th and H Streets in the heart of Chinatown. The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is renovating the colorful, local icon, which was built to celebrate DC’s friendship with Beijing and dedicated by the city in 1986. Actually, the monument has global status: it’s the world’s largest single-span Chinese arch, standing about 60 feet high. The facelift fits plans now underway by the DC Office of Planning and the Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs-- along with major input from the Downtown BID, the Chinatown Community Center (616 H Street) and other city agencies and community and business stakeholders--to boost Chinatown's image and attract visitors. For information about how this project will affect travel, visit www.ddot.dc.gov.

Artful Gold
Last month, 1050 K Street had an impressive grand opening. Although the new, 136,000 SF building has obtained Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification, something else was on display: art. The 11-story building is chock full of art. Not just any art, but two collections of Ezra Stoller’s photographs, "Man and Machine" and "Inhabiting Architecture." Stoller was America’s leading architectural photographer of the 20th century. The boutique building, owned by The Tower Companies and the Lenkin Company, features triple-scrubbed indoor air, power from wind energy, efficient water usage, a partially enclosed rooftop garden, state-of-the art fitness center and parking. Now 65% leased, 1050 K Street has lured at least two major tenants into Downtown since the building’s completion: Knoll, the workplace office furnishings manufacturer, which moved from 1150 18th Street, and The Shaw Group, the piping systems, engineering procurement and construction services provider, which relocated from Alexandria, Virginia. Other major tenants include Shell Oil Company, GlaxoSmithKlein and mega-tenant Baker & Daniels law firm, which occupies 37,000 SF on three floors.

Saluting the Best
The Greater Washington Commercial Association of Realtors (GWCAR) held its Annual Commercial Awards, recognizing the largest deals, outstanding firms and individual brokers who were integral in making those substantial transactions possible.

In addition, several GWCAR members located in the Downtown BID walked away with outstanding awards for their individual achievements. They are:

•	Brendan McCarthy Memorial (Community Service) Award - Raymond Ritchey, executive vice president and national director of acquisitions and development, Boston Properties (505 9th Street)
•	Rising Star Award -- Katherine A. Burton, leasing associate, Akridge (601 13th Street)
•	Broker of the Year -- Thomas M. Fulcher, Jr., executive vice president and co-branch manager, Studley (555 13th Street)
•	President’s Award -- M. Anthony Gould, managing principal, Newmark Knight Frank (1152 15th Street)

Italian Food Fest
Coming this fall: Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca (1100 New York Avenue), the brainchild of Ashok Bajaj. He’s the proprietor of such Downtown mainstays as Rasika (633 D Street), 701 (701 Pennsylvania Avenue) and other popular city restaurants, including the Oval Room and the Bombay Club. Bajaj, known for his contemporary American and Indian restaurants, will open Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca in space formerly occupied by Ristorante Luigino, which closed in January. The new venture will seat 120 and have a Milano flair, with interior wood and leather, black stone, chrome and glass. The restaurant will have a bar, two private dining rooms and, of course, vino and antipasti. The new name literally means "lively wine-shop." No word yet on the chef. Keep an eye out for more details at www.bibianadc.com.

Breaking Bread, Al Fresco
Bruegger’s (505 9th Street) has applied to operate an outdoor café on E Street. If approved, the fresh kettle-boiled bagel people will enliven the street and attract more attention by having people sit outside the one-year-old shop. Cool. We like. The city could issue a decision by the middle of this month, just in time for warm weather.  For more information about Bruegger’s, visit www.brueggers.com.

Switching Gears
Celebrity Chef Todd English has scratched plans to open a new restaurant at the Donovan Hotel (1155 14th Street), owned by Thompson Hotels. So, it’s ciao to Cha, the 130-seat restaurant and bar which has been serving a limited menu over the past few months. Now, get ready for Zentan, a new concept introduced by Toronto executive chef Susur Lee, who was born in Hong Kong. Last year, he opened Shang in the Thompson Lower East Side hotel in New York and will bring his popular Singapore slaw, crispy garlic chicken, Mongolian lamb chops and global Chinese/Asian menu to DC. Chef Jamie Montes de Oca, also from Shang, will join him. A full dinner menu will be rolled out on June 8; lunch will follow at a later date; and the sushi bar is now open. For more information, contact the Donovan Hotel at 202.737.1200.

Streetside Goodies
Look out for more outdoor food options this month. Zola (800 F Street) has teamed up with DC Central Kitchen (425 2nd Street), DCCK, to bring "interesting, small bites of food" to Spy Diner (9th and F Streets), a new food cart that will serve affordable breakfast, lunch and, eventually, an early dinner. Stir Food Group, which owns Zola restaurant and Spy City Café (800 F Street), partnered with the popular community kitchen to bring variety to Downtown diners and train the homeless for jobs in the food service industry. Both Zola and DCCK employees will prepare the food in the restaurant’s kitchen. DCCK staff will sell the meals--including steak-and-cheese sandwiches and lamb meatballs--near the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and National Portrait Gallery (8th and F Streets). If the partnership’s successful, Stir Food might consider putting a gelato cart outside Potenza, its new Italian restaurant located at 1430 H Street. Nice.

Speaking of Potenza, the establishment’s attached bakery is now open. Patrons can select from pastries, freshly baked breads such as baguettes, Zola rolls, olive loafs, semolina rolls, and focaccia and ciabatta sandwich loafs and hot and cold sandwiches. For more information, visit www.potenzadc.com. 

Hanging On
Filene’s Basement (529 14th Street) may be down but it’s not out. The popular Massachusetts-based retailer known for bargain shopping and special bridal events, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization last month. The Downtown store is one of the chain’s 17 locations that could be saved in a stalking horse agreement, a move to maximize the company’s assets before a bankruptcy court-approved auction.  An affiliate of New York-based Crown Acquisitions intends to operate the stores, including two others in DC, under the Filene’s Basement name and maintain the chain’s value merchandising model. But the deal is still subject to a bankruptcy court auction in which all of Filene’s assets will be solicited. Stay tuned. The auction will be held by mid-June. For customer information, visit www.filenesbasement.com.

Pulling Out All the Stops
It’s nice to have friends in high places. As the clock ticks, Chapters Literary Arts Center & Bookstore’s efforts to secure a new home at 601 Pennsylvania Avenue heat up. A big fundraising initiative is underway to help the 22-year-old bookstore bring its free monthly programs and a literary reference library, a letterpress center and tearoom to the site. Acclaimed American poet Stan Plumly, a 2007 National Book Award finalist, has stepped up to the plate, along with others. He will read from his works at a Raise the Roof Fundraiser at the Pennsylvania Avenue location on June 13. Plumly has published more than 10 books of poetry and prose, including "Old Heart"," The Marriage in the Trees" and "Posthumous Keats: A Personal Biography". The independently owned Chapters Literary Bookstore closed its doors at 445 11th Street in 2007. The shop, which recently obtained nonprofit status, has until mid-month to raise funds to occupy its new home. For more information, visit www.chaptersliterary.com

Sacred Terrain
The Downtown BID area has a newly named street--Bud Doggett’s Way, located on 10th Street between G and H Streets. Last month, the city dedicated the block to honor Leonard B. "Bud" Doggett Jr., the 87-year-old parking lot tycoon, philanthropist and power broker who died last year. Doggett’s Way is where he ran his family’s first freestanding parking garage and the old Doggett’s Parking Company, DC’s first parking company. Doggett was a former president of the National Parking Association (1112 16th Street) and the Greater Washington Board of Trade.

Hot Fun in the Summertime
While developers of the 10-acre CityCenter DC lot ride out the economic slump, event programming will continue on the western section of the site of the former Convention Center, located on H Street between 9th and 11th Streets, through the fall. The spot was converted to a parking lot for interim use before redevelopment begins to create a major mixed-use project. It is now available for family-friendly programming that will benefit the community, promote Downtown DC’s vitality and attract several thousand patrons. The Downtown Events Corporation, a Downtown BID affiliate corporation, is renting the space, which will feature two major attractions this summer. For rental information, visit www.downtowndc.org/dec.

The Trapeze School New York is closing its Baltimore Inner Harbor location to occupy space at CityCenter, where it will offer two-hour flying trapeze classes for children and adults from June 6 through November. For more information, visit www.trapezeschool.com. The Washington Kastles, the first DC-based team in the World Team Tennis (WWT) league, will return to its temporary stadium at the site on July 7 for the home opener. The season kicks off July 2 and runs through July 26. New this year: The Kastles will host the 2009 Advanta WTT Finals on July 26. Meanwhile, to keep the site active, the team plans to sublease space on days when it is not used for tennis events. For more information, including how to purchase tickets for the Kastles regular season and the Advanta WTT Finals, visit www.washingtonkastles.com or call 202.483.6647.

New Leadership
The International Downtown Association (734 15 Street), IDA, will get a new president on June 15. Kathryn "Kit" Cramer, a downtown leader with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, will succeed David Feehan, who retired in April after eight years at the helm. He is now working part time as a consultant through September. Cramer, who served most recently as the Chamber’s executive director of Member Value, will oversee IDA’s membership growth, program and public policy development, financial and personnel management and public relations and marketing. Until she arrives, Alan Kleinfeld, most recently the chief experience officer overseeing marketing and events, will continue to serve as the interim president. The 55-year-old membership organization advances the well being of downtowns around the world and has about 650 member organizations throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

Lending a Hand
Congratulations to the Downtown BID area winner and finalists of the Washington Business Journal’s 2009 Philanthropy Awards, whose level of financial giving to the local community made them stellar humanitarians. The Hotel Association of Washington (1201 New York Avenue) won in the education category for investing hundreds of thousands of dollars, plus other resources, into DC’s Hospitality High School, a charter school focused on the profession. Boston Properties (505 9th Street), a finalist in the same category, turned an old art deco warehouse in DC’s Petworth neighborhood into the Spanish Education Center, an adult education facility. John Akridge, chairman of Akridge (601 13th Street), was a finalist in the CEO leadership award in the medium business category. He was recognized for his work on numerous civic and charitable organizations, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (1518 K Street) and the Trust for the National Mall, where he serves as chairman.

Happy Campers
The Washington Business Journal has announced the 2009 winners of its 50 Best Places to Work awards, and a few Downtown BID area companies and establishments--including a law firm and a commercial real estate services firm--made the cut. The awards recognize companies with the best work morale, engagement and retention. Employees of nominated businesses were surveyed to vouch for their employers’ positive attributes. The winners are:

•	Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group properties: Hotel Monaco (700 F Street), Hotel George (15 E Street) and Poste Moderne Brasserie (555 8th Street)
•	PriceWaterHouseCoopers (1301 K Street)
•	Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox PLLC (1100 New York Avenue)
•	Studley Inc. (555 13th Street)

Saluting Environmental Stewards
Environmental do-gooders take note. The US Green Building Council (USGBC) National Capital Region (NCR) chapter is accepting applications for its Annual Awards of Excellence through June 15. The awards promote and recognize excellence in green building and community stewardship among projects, persons and firms in the NCR. They will be presented in three categories: 2009 Projects of the Year, 2009 Member Firm of the Year and 2009 Member of the Year. Interested, or know of someone who might be? USGBC National member firms that file applications for the Project of the Year Award must pay a $100 application fee; it’s $150 for nonmembers. There’s no fee for the other categories. For more information, visit www.usgbcncr.org.

Bag of Trouble
The DC Council could vote early this month to impose a five-cents tax on all plastic bags used by grocery stores and other entities. The Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Act, often referred to as the "bag bill," seeks to reduce litter by discouraging people from using plastic and paper bags. Thousands of bags now dot the landscape and waterways. A recent survey shows that 50% of all trash in the Anacostia River’s tributaries comes from plastic bags, which also are the largest items in our landfills. Eleven of the Council’s 13 members co-introduced the bill, which, if approved, would either divert three or four cents to the Anacostia River clean up initiative, effectively raising $6 million to $8 million a year. Business would keep a penny for each bag sold. 

Passing Grade
DC recently received a "B" for tree care from Casey Trees (1123 11th Street), the non-profit organization that restores, enhances and protects the city’s tree canopy. The group’s first tree report card shows DC received an "A" for tree health; "Bs" for tree coverage, planting and awareness; and a "C" for tree protection (both regulatory and voluntary efforts). Casey Tree’s suggestion: Increase the city’s tree canopy--the percentage of the ground that has tree cover overhead--to 40% from 35% by 2035. The benefits are worth noting: healthy tree canopies reduce stormwater runoff, carbon emissions and energy consumption. Casey estimates that 8,600 trees must be planted every year for the next 25 years to reap full environmental benefits. The city is already meeting the challenge. The US Department of Agriculture recently bestowed the city with a grant to help identify public planting space where more trees can grow.

On another note, to help people find out about tree canopies at a specific address, Casey Trees has added a searchable tree map to its web site. Another application also shows where the organization has planted 5,567 trees since 2003. For more information, visit www.caseytrees.org.

Greening DC
The DC government has announced an innovative partnership with Nissan North America and AeroVironment, an industry expert in battery and charging systems, to bring hundreds of electric vehicles and charging stations to the city. Such a move would mean that DC consumers and businesses could switch from gas to electric vehicles without worrying about where to charge their cars. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will design the charging stations, which will be installed beginning in Spring 2010. The electric vehicles will be delivered to the city in late 2010 and will be incorporated into its Fleet Share program. The partnership is part of Mayor Adrian Fenty’s ambitious Green DC Agenda to make the nation’s capital one of the world’s most sustainable cities. The Agenda consists of seven themes--home; schools; neighborhoods and communities; parks and natural areas; transit and mobility; business, jobs and economic; and city and government operations. It also focuses on the Anacostia River and climate change. For more information, visit www.green.dc.gov.

The Road to Safety
The city has released the final findings of its Pedestrian Master Plan, its first comprehensive citywide effort to address pedestrian safety and access issues. The goal is to reduce the number of pedestrians killed and injured in crashes with motor vehicles and get residents and visitors walking by making the experience comfortable, easy and safe. It’s too early to tell if folks are taking to the streets, but the city feels strongly that pedestrians have as much right to use them as motorists do. As a result, recommendations have been made to improve the District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) policies and practices that affect pedestrian safety and comfort, including everything from sidewalk width to uncontrolled crosswalks. In addition, all major reconstruction projects will include curb extensions, median islands, bus stop relocations, enhanced crosswalks and other details. Engineers will have set guidelines to follow as they design street and sidewalk projects. Other recommendations include building sidewalks on streets that now lack them and expanding the speed camera enforcement program. For more information on the plan or to review it in full, visit www.ddot.dc.gov.

Mindful of the Masses
Attention all Metro customers. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) plans to upgrade the telephone interactive voice response system for its SmarTrip Regional Customer Service Center and create a customer-focused SmarTrip website by the end of this year. The improvements will benefit riders by offering easier and more immediate access to their SmarTrip card data and balances and eventually, by next year, allowing them to load value onto the cards via the website. They will also help WMATA manage costs at the customer service center as the SmarTrip program expands. With SmarTrip’s growing popularity, service center calls are up. Customer calls have risen more than 50% from December 2007 to December 2008, for a total of 23,500 calls. In March, the center handled 43,000 calls. About 58% of Metrobus and 72% of Metrorail riders now use SmarTrip, which can be used on the DC Circulator, regional bus systems and for parking at Metro parking facilities.

High-Tech Solutions
Got ideas about how the city can use technology to resolve problems? Well, the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), located at 441 4th Street, wants to hear from you. Tell the agency what type of technologies you use and would like to see used in DC. The goal: to create a better 311-service request system. (The city’s 311-call center accepts non-emergency calls.) So far, various suggestions have run the gamut, from using cell phones to pay for parking meters to creating an interactive public database of vacant properties. To submit your insights, visit http://insights.appsfordemocracy.org. You can also call or txt 202.683.9980.

Leading the Way
Good news on the auto emissions front: the number of registered cars in DC has fallen 5.8% between 2005 and 2008, according to data compiled by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board. At the same time, new sport utility vehicle (SUV) purchases are down and hybrid vehicle registrations are up. Not so for the region as a whole. Car registrations for the entire Washington metropolitan area were up during this period, leading to a 3.5% increase. Maryland registrations jumped 3% while registrations in Virginia climbed 5.6%. However, all is not lost. Passenger cars now account for 60% of all new purchases in the region, compared to 40% for SUVs, and the number of hybrids has soared threefold. Still, there’s room for improvement. The hybrids only account for 1.5% of the region’s entire fleet.

On Their Own
DC isn’t the entrepreneurial capital of the nation, nor is it without its fair share of capitalists. When compared to the nation’s states, the city ranked 23rd for entrepreneurial activity last year, with 290 people per 100,000 starting a business. According to the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, a leading indicator of new business creation in the US, this contrasts with a rate of 140 per 100,000 adults starting new businesses each month in Pennsylvania--the lowest entrepreneurial activity--and 590 per 100,000 adults creating a business in Georgia, which had the highest entrepreneurial activity rate. The US average was 320 out of 100,000, a slight increase over the 2007 rate of 300 people per 100,000. For more information, visit www.kauffman.org.

Urban Sea Change
Notice how more parking lots, underused commercial properties and former industrial sites are being replaced with condos, apartments and townhouses? Well, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) examined residential building permits in the 50 largest metropolitan regions, including Washington, DC, and found there has been a dramatic shift to redevelopment in more than half of these areas. Among the findings in a report titled "Residential Construction Trends in America’s Metropolitan Regions: the central city" has more than doubled its share of residential building permits in 15 regions and the increase has been particularly spectacular over the past five years. In Washington, DC, the average share of building permits stood at 1% from 1990 to 1995, climbed to 6% between 2002 and 2007 and hit 9% in 2007.  During the same period, the central city and core suburban community average share for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria/ DC-VA-MD-WV was 4%, 13% and 20%, respectively. For a copy of the report visit, www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/pdf/metro_res_const_trends_09.pdf.

Tuesday, June 2, 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Downtown DC Business Improvement District
2008 State of Downtown: Holding Firm in Uncertain Times
Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Avenue

At this meeting, the Downtown DC Business Improvement District (BID) will release the "2008 State of Downtown Report," which highlights the Downtown BID area’s growth and economic trends, and how they relate to the larger DC and regional economies. A public forum with a panel discussion on Downtown’s economic future will follow an overview of the report. Featured panelists include Neil Irwin, a reporter with the Washington Post; Robert Pinkard, chairman of Cassidy & Pinkard Colliers; and Debbie Ratner Salzburg, president of Forest City Washington and director of Forest City Enterprises. Registration will take place on site. For more information, visit www.downtowndc.org.

Friday, June 5, 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Washington, DC Economic Partnership
inDC Economic Trendsetters: DC Stimulus Package for Non-Profits
Reed Smith LLP
1301 K Street

Join the Washington, DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) for a discussion with Deputy Mayor Neil Albert on how the city is working to attract and retain nonprofit organizations and trade associations. Deputy Mayor Albert will unveil new plans for the nonprofit community. Senior executives from National Public Radio, The Urban Institute and The Pew Charitable Trusts will join him for the program, which begins at 8:30 am, immediately after registration and breakfast. The cost is $35, and registration is required. For more information, and to register, visit www.wdcep.com.

Tuesday, June 9, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Downtown Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting
Calvary Baptist Church
755 8th Street

Both residents and workers are invited to this meeting hosted by the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA). This month’s featured discussion leaders will be Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans and Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Director Linda Argo. To RSVP, e-mail miles@dcdna.org. For more information, visit www.dcdna.org.

Monday, June 15, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Downtown DC Business Improvement District
Annual Member and Board of Directors Meeting
1250 H Street

The Downtown DC Business Improvement District (BID) will hold a joint annual Member and Board of Directors Meeting to elect new Board members and officers and to present the proposed fiscal year 2010 operating budget. Authorized representatives of property owners, commercial tenants and voluntary contributors within the Downtown BID are eligible to participate in the membership meeting. For more information, call 202.661.7562.

Wednesday, June 17, 7:00 am - 11:30 am
DC Chamber of Commerce
Sales Stimulus with Jeffrey Gitomer
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue

Join the DC Chamber of Commerce as it hosts Jeffrey Gitomer, who will present the 10.5 Commandments of Selling from his New York Times best seller, "The Sales Bible." Learn how to create a buying atmosphere in any economic climate, including the current one. Pick up tips on how to engage your customers, make the sale and beat your competition without sacrificing price. Power networking, registration and a continental breakfast precede Gitomer’s talk between 7:00 am to 8:00 am. Tickets cost $99, or $89 for groups of 10 or more. For more information, visit www.dcchamber.org or contact Annette Coram at acoram@dcchamber.org or 202.624.0605.

Wednesday, June 17, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington
TOBY Awards Luncheon
JW Marriott Washington
1331 Pennsylvania Avenue

Join the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington (AOBA-Metro) to celebrate the companies that competed for the Office Building of the Year (TOBY) awards and applaud the winners. Members pay $125; nonmembers pay $145. To register, visit www.aoba-metro.org. For more information, contact Pam Oeler at poeler@aoba-metro.org or 202.296.3390.

Tuesday, June 23, 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Commuter Connections Employer Recognition Awards
National Press Club
529 14th Street

At this ceremony, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments will recognize employers who have voluntarily initiated programs using alternative commuting methods, such as transit, teleworking, carpooling/vanpooling and bicycling--all methods that help mitigate traffic congestion and provide cleaner air through reduced auto emissions. There is no charge for employers who attend this event. To RSVP, contact Stacey Walker at swalker@mwcog.org or 202.962.3327.