Downtown Partnership – DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs As part of a partnership with the Downtown BID, other District agencies and the vending community, the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) has initiated a pilot demonstration project to enhance vending in Downtown and offer consumers more options. The cluster of three food vendors (On The Fly, DC Central Kitchen’s Capital Carts and Haalcart LLC’s Delle & Campbell’s Halal Luncheonette) located at 8th and H Streets NW, is named “The Lunch Bunch” and offers Downtown workers, residents and visitors a range of unique, convenient and eco-friendly lunchtime offerings. Downtown Partnership – District Department of Transportation The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Clear Channel Outdoor collaborated to bring SmartBike DC to the city in August 2008, providing an alternative transportation network for the city’s workers, residents and visitors. The bike-sharing program, the nation’s first high-tech venture of this sort, offers bikes at four Downtown locations. Downtown Experience – National Aquarium Facing closure in 2004 due to dated exhibits, unsustainable animal care and declining visitor traffic, the National Aquarium, which has served visitors since 1931 from the Department of Commerce building, has undergone an “extreme makeover” and has re-established itself as a first rate attraction among the many tourist treasures of our nation’s capital. Thanks to a generous grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a new partnership with the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the DC Aquarium completed a five-year renovation effort to improve habitat conditions, animal care, the facility’s appearance and educational programming. Downtown Detail – Macy’s Since Macy’s arrival in Downtown DC in 2006, it has made a tremendous impact on the area, restoring nostalgia of Downtown’s past history as the city’s retail hub by presenting contemporary and compelling window displays, which have not only become a hallmark of Downtown’s transformation, but also a destination for workers, residents and visitors. Public Sector – DC Department of Human Services This year, Mayor Fenty announced plans to create 2,500 units of permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and families using a Housing First approach. By the end of FY 2009, the city will have housed more than 1,000 chronically homeless individuals and families, with each household receiving wrap-around social services. The initiative is a radical paradigm shift for the city. Now, rather than simply meeting homeless people’s survival needs through emergency shelters, the Department of Human Services (DHS), charged with administering the initiative, has begun to engage people with comprehensive case management to determine the reason for their homelessness and provide supportive services to move them into housing. Studies show Housing First saves money, or at least breaks even, on housing and other services for homeless people, as opposed to paying for shelter beds, hospital emergency room visits and incarceration. Private Sector – Pew Charitable Trusts Pew Charitable Trusts, a major nonprofit charitable organization based in Philadelphia, purchased the 10-story building at 901 E Street for $155 million in February 2008 to create a “Nonprofit Village,” where 90% of the space will be leased to nonprofit groups at 10% to 15% below market rates. Comparable commercial space in the area ranges from the mid-$50s to the mid-$60s per square foot. In addition, the building houses Pew’s Washington staff, which has grown from 10 to 150 in eight years and will double to 300 by 2011. Pew is currently renovating the building to meet LEED certification. Landmark Development Project – Newseum The Newseum, dedicated to free press and free speech, opened on Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th Street in April and instantly became a monumental tour de force. From the street, passersby can peer through the humongous, seven-story steel-and-glass building and glimpse the museum’s state-of-the-art offerings and activities, peruse the outdoor display of more than 50 front pages of newspapers from across the US or marvel at the 74-foot-high vertical marble panel etched with First Amendment text—activities that create vibrancy and excitement Downtown. The 250,000-square-foot interactive museum, with its galleries, theaters, broadcast studios and three-level Wolfgang Puck restaurant exudes chic and offers something for everyone to explore and share. The Newseum is a welcome and bold presence on “America’s Main Street.” Landmark Development Project – Harman Center for the Arts The elegant Harman Center is a premiere destination for beautiful and inspiring dance, music and theater. The $89 million project, with its spectacular three-level glass façade, allows the Shakespeare Theatre Company to offer a larger repertory and provides a much-needed venue for notable performance arts companies. Since opening in October 2007, the Harman Center, comprised of the new 775-seat Sidney Harman Hall at 6th and F Streets and the existing 450-seat Lansburgh Theatre at 7th and E Streets, has added to the cultural experience in Downtown and engaged diverse audiences, thereby making Downtown inclusive of all people.

Handy Guide
Copies of the 2008 Downtown BID Visitors Map are now here! This year, the brightly colored guide to the Downtown BID area and nearby attractions has been redesigned to be more user friendly. The main 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, SmartBike rental kiosks and Circulator bus routes. Businesses interested in obtaining multiple and bulk copies of the map should contact Ebony Walton at 202.661.7593 or update@downtowndc.org.

Ready, Set, Shop 
Let the oohing and ahhing begin! The 2008 Downtown Holiday Market kicks off December 5 and runs for 19 glorious days through December 23. The outdoor bazaar is bigger and better than ever this year: two extra days of shopping and more than 150 local artisans and exhibitors. Now in its fourth consecutive year, the festive marketplace will be located on F Street between 7th and 9th Streets, 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.

Got a lengthy holiday list? Shoppers can peruse a sea of choice gift-giving ideas in a celebratory atmosphere replete with live musical entertainment and delicious comfort foods. Select from antiques and collectibles, clothing and accessories, domestic and imported crafts, soaps and candles, jewelry, paintings and other quality merchandise.

The Downtown BID produces the Holiday Market annually in partnership with Diverse Market Management. For more details, visit our website later this month at www.downtowndc.org/holiday or call 202.638.3232.

Time Out
Miss reading about our wonderful SAMs? Well, the SAM of the Month recognition is on hiatus. The monthly profiles of outstanding Downtown BID safety, hospitality and maintenance workers will return in 2009. You betcha!
 

Super Lawyers
Rats to the subprime mortgage mess. It has dampened credit for everyone, including businesses looking to finance corporate transactions. As a result, even venerable law firms now feel the pinch and are laying off associates. But not Philadelphia-based Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis, which has had a DC presence since 1974. Come January, the firm, which serves the litigation and transactional needs of businesses, will relocate and expand to the Victor Building (750 9th Street) from 2001 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The location is prime real estate adjacent to CityCenter DC, the new name for the retail development project planned at the Old Convention Center site along H Street from 7th to 11th Street. Schnader will occupy 13,533 square feet of space on the fifth floor of the 345,000 square-foot-building, about 35% more than at its current location. Eventually, the firm is expected to expand from 10 attorneys to about 16.

Schnader, like others, is impressed by the Victor Building’s focus on sustainability. The law firm also is environmentally conscious, ridding its offices of plastic bottles and coffee stirrers and using two-sided printing to reduce paper consumption. They are working with OPX, the strategic design firm, to create sustainable design elements in their new space. Plans included timed lighting, and using composite material in several areas, including the kitchen and reception areas.

Very Amusing
Muse Nightclub & Lounge (717 6th Street), a new club owned by Zhou Hospitality, will open on Thursday, November 6, with a jazz band and happy hour. The festivities continue two days thereafter with a private charity event for DCGreeks.com on Friday, November 7, and an official grand opening on Saturday, November 8. Patrons are invited to try their hand at salsa lessons and join in the happy hour on Friday evenings and rock to electronic music on most nights after 10:00 pm. The nightclub already claims to have the area’s “hottest resident and special guest DJs.” You be the judge.

Muse, housed in a three-story building with a roof deck, occupies space once used by RnR Bar & Lounge, Coyote Ugly and The Rock. The club plans to attract a sports crowd in its lounge, and its décor—new light up bars, tile floors, new walls, lights and bathrooms and an assortment of contemporary furniture—is noticeably upscale. To find out more, visit www.museloungedc.com.

Trading Places
Melissa Bird has been appointed the new neighborhood planning coordinator for Ward 6 within the DC Office of Planning. Previously, she worked as a planner in the DC office of The Louis Berger Group, a private consulting firm, and the Maryland National Capital Parks and Planning Commission in Montgomery County. Her previous experience includes land use and environmental planning and community needs and infrastructure assessments. Bird has replaced Jeff Davis, who has moved to take a new position out of town. She encourages citizens to contact her about issues at Melissa.bird@dc.gov.

How Do You Spell Relief?
Enterprise zones are depressed geographic areas that have been targeted for economic revitalization. Last month, private, for-profit businesses located in, or doing business within, the DC Enterprise Zone (DCEZ), breathed a huge sign of relief. The reason: DCEZ Tax Incentives will be around a little longer. A new federal law extends the DCEZ designation through December 31, 2009. Today’s credit and debt crunch make these incentives more important than ever, according to Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll (601 13th Street) law firm. Here’s why:  

•	Businesses with pending or planned capital projects within the zone can lower their borrowing costs by tapping into up to $15 million in tax-exempt bonds; the interest cost on long-term tax-exempt “EZ bonds” historically has been 1.5 to 2 percentage points below long-term conventional rates;
•	Businesses can take advantage of employer tax credits of up to $3,000 per District resident employed at a business facility located within the zone;
•	Businesses might be able to claim an additional personal property expensing allowance worth tens of thousands of dollars; and
•	Businesses might be eligible to claim 0% capital gains tax treatment on earnings derived from a cash investment in Qualified EZ Businesses.

So there might be a little relief in sight for businesses after all. For more information, contact Michael V. Hodge at hodgem@ballardspahr.com or Linda B. Schakel at schakel@ballardspahr.com, or call 202.661.2228.

Jobs Up! . . . For Now
Job growth remained strong in DC and the metropolitan Washington area during September, although the rest of the country continued to lose jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Most importantly, DC continued to increase its market share of total regional employment and lose its market share of total regional unemployment. There was only one, slightly dark, cloud: the city’s market share of total regional employed residents dipped slightly. A look at the numbers: 

•	Total DC employment increased by 13,700 over September 2007—accounting for 34% of the region’s job growth; 704,400 DC jobs now represent 23% of the region’s total jobs
•	The number of employed DC residents increased by 1,900 over September 2007—accounting for 8% of the region’s growth in employed residents; 308,100 employed DC residents now represent 11% of the region’s total employed residents
•	The total number of unemployed DC residents increased by 4,400 over September 2007—accounting for 13% of the region’s growth in unemployed residents; 23,700 unemployed DC residents now represent 19% of the region’s total unemployed residents

The rise in jobs increases the likelihood that the DC population will climb as many new workers decide to live in the city to save on transportation and avoid long commutes. However, with the unprecedented financial and economic turmoil in October, the recent strong job growth is likely to moderate in the near future. 

DC’s unemployment rate rose to 7% in September 2008, compared to 5.7% in September 2007. For the same period, the region’s unemployment rate climbed to 4.0% from 3.0%, and the national unemployment rate was 6% versus 4.5%. The nation lost 159,000 jobs in September, bringing the total number of jobs lost to 760,000 since total employment began to drop in January 2008.

Yuppy Yogurt
Get ready for frozen yogurt. Tangysweet is opening a second DC location in December at 675 E Street, former home of the Juan Valdez Café coffee shop. This isn’t your mother’s yogurt store. Tangysweet has a futuristic-looking “yogurt lounge,” with elongated cubicles for dining and conversing, and uses sustainable products and energy-efficient LED lighting. Glowing, color-changing light tables abut the walls. As for the yogurt, it’s all natural, no fat and can be ordered with fresh fruit, crunchy cereal and other toppings. Once sites are found, three to five more stores could open in DC, including the Downtown BID area. For more information, visit www.tangysweet.com.

What’s Perking?
Saxbys Coffee Worldwide, the Philadelphia-based coffee retailer, is making a big splash in the DC area. Last month, the purveyor of signature blends, frolattes, smoothies and sandwiches, purchased Bucks County Coffee. The deal included 15 retail locations and a distribution channel to about 400 grocery outlets.

Known for its Grade “A” Arabica beans, roasting process, coffees, espressos and free wireless Internet service, Saxby’s also is negotiating leases for several undisclosed locations Downtown. In addition to its location at 1000 Vermont Avenue, plans are underway to open another store at the Shops at National Place (1331 Pennsylvania Avenue) this month and one in the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue), once a franchisee is found for that location, which currently is a Bucks County Coffee shop. Visit www.saxbyscoffee.com for more information.

Celebrating a Milestone
Macy’s celebrated its 150th anniversary last month. The venerable retail and cultural icon reached the big milestone on October 28. The Saturday before the big day, hundreds of customers joined in the festivities, which included local celebrities and dignitaries, treats, gift cards and special discounts at the 12th & G Streets location. To benefit local HIV/AIDS charities, Macy’s also offered fashion mavens and others the chance to view a one-night-only screening of “Macy’s Passport: Fashion Cinema” on October 23. The store’s popular fashion show was transformed to the silver screen for the first time in its 26-year history. Several dozen local viewers showed up at Regal Gallery Place Stadium 14 (701 7th Street) for the pre-show reception and screening.

Grand Ole Station
Union Station, which welcomes more than 32 million visitors every year, turned 100 in October. The “Gateway to Washington” has much to celebrate—a bright future and even more to offer, particularly Downtown, where it serves as a major transportation hub. Thousands of workers and visitors arrive in Downtown DC from Union Station, which serves as an essential transportation resource for Amtrak, the MARC and VRE commuter trains and Metrorail, so its impact on Downtown’s economic and cultural scene is tremendous.

Factor in the DC Circulator, which offers continuous bus transportation between Union Station and Downtown locations—including the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place) and various hotels—and we just want to say, “Glad you’re here Union Station! Happy Birthday!”

Coming next year: the Union Station Bicycle Transit Center, which will provide people arriving at the station the option to bike to Downtown and other locations. The station will have storage for 150 bikes and offer bike rentals, parking, repairs and accessories. Also, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has designed a report, The Union Station ITC Feasibility Study, to investigate developing, designing and constructing a new Intermodal Transportation Center at Union Station and nearby Burnham Place. This is all cause for celebration, which is what Union Station is doing all year for both the 100-year celebration of its construction and the 20-year anniversary of its renovation.

Fitness Guru
Looking to tighten those abs, buns and thighs? Vida Fitness will open its second gym in the Downtown BID area in late December at the Renaissance Hotel (999 9th Street), across from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place). The 10,000-square-foot facility will occupy the hotel’s existing exercise area and incorporate its wellness services with Vida’s popular Zen Spa, which features a European steam room, sauna and endless pool. Members and guests also will have the opportunity to enjoy Aura Spa, a new day spa that offers relaxation and detoxification treatments, including skin care, body treatments and facials. Memberships, including day passes, will be offered to the general public and hotel guests will have complimentary access to the new facility. No word yet on membership fees. Vida’s flagship fitness center and spa at the Verizon Center (601 F Street) opened in August of 2006. For more information, visit www.vidafitness.com.

E-Education Pioneer
Kudos to Blackboard, Inc. (650 Massachusetts Avenue) for making the Washington Business Journal’s 2008 Fastest Growing Companies list, which ranks 50 companies by average annual revenue growth from 2005 to 2007. The leading education technology provider ranked 46 out of 50 and had average annual growth of 32.87% over the past three years. Blackboard, with revenue of $239.45 million in 2007, was the only Downtown BID area company ranked on the list. The 11-year-old company moved its headquarters to the Downtown BID area this year from 1899 L Street. Congratulations, Blackboard!

Green Gains
Several Downtown BID area companies have won BISNOW first annual 2008 Green Leadership Awards. The daily e-newsletter publisher recognized 20 firms, including eight in the Downtown BID area, at an awards ceremony in Rockville last month. BISNOW chose the companies for their “impressive initiatives that others can look to as examples.” The awards were divided into five categories: legal, real estate, tech, association and medical.

BID area winners were spread over three categories. They are as follows: 

Legal –	Arnold & Porter (555 12th Street); Beveridge & Diamond (1350 Eye Street); Finnegan (901 New York Avenue); Weil Gotshal & Manges (1300 Eye Street)
Real Estate –	Akridge (601 13th Street); CB Richard Ellis (750 9th Street)
Association –	Building Owners & Management Association (1101 15th Street); American Chemical Society (1155 16th Street)

DC Turns Green-er 
Taking out the trash in DC now has new meaning. Last month, the city expanded its recycling program to accept a broad list of items for recycling, especially plastics. Among the items residents can now recycle: film plastics such as grocery, produce and dry cleaning bags; aerosol cans; a variety of rigid plastic, including plastic lawn furniture, toys and flower pots; milk and juice cartons; and wide-mouth containers used to hold such items as butter and medicine bottles.

The city is flexing its sustainability muscles. Mayor Fenty says DC residents now exceed national recycling rates for newspapers, cardboard and plastic and glass bottles. But he acknowledges that more can be done and opportunities exist to increase the number of acceptable items and divert more cardboard, steel and aluminum cans from the landfill to the recycling processing center.

To request an additional recycling bin or cart, call 311, the citywide call center number. A complete list of accepted recyclables and instructions are available in the new Department of Public Works (DPW) Reference Guide, which recently was mailed to residents, or you can visit www.recycle.dpw.dc.gov. 

Bike Support
Hail to Washington, which continues to show its mettle as a bicycle-friendly city. In an aggressive push to move people out of their cars and onto bikes, the city is on track to finish 40 miles of bike lanes throughout DC. This year, the city already has installed eight miles of bike lanes—the most in any single year thus far. The long-term goal as spelled out in the DC Bicycle Master Plan is to install 60 miles of bike lanes in 10 years.

The city’s efforts are designed to provide safe havens for bikers to pedal on streets and on trails. The bike plan also promotes providing secure places for cyclists to park their bikes. Last month, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) installed the 1000th bike rack in DC. Outsiders have noticed the transformation. Men’s Health Magazine recently named Mayor Fenty one of 20 “Heroes of Health and Fitness” for his pledge to make DC more bike-friendly. Earlier this year, Bicycling Magazine extended kudos when it named DC the “Most Improved City” for bicycling.

They haven’t seen anything yet. Wait until the spring of 2009, when the 1,700 square foot Bicycle Transit Center opens at Union Station. The facility, the first of its kind on the East Coast, will offer bicycle parking, rentals, repairs and retail accessories. By the end of the year, construction also will begin on Phase II of the Metropolitan Branch Trail, a seven-mile bike and pedestrian path between Union Station and Takoma Park, Maryland. Go, DC!

Move Over 
Who would have thought that DC had too many parking spaces? That’s the proverbial wisdom of the DC Zoning Commission (441 4th Street), which issued a preliminary ruling last month saying it’s time the city squashed 50-year-old rules that require developers to create parking spaces with their projects. Limits on the maximum number of parking spaces could be imposed Downtown and near transit hubs. Furthermore, in keeping with the city’s new bike-friendly mode, developers also could be required to provide bicycle parking, or more of it. Today, one bike spot must be available for every 20 car spaces in new retail and office developments.

Don’t expect rapid change. The Commission won’t even think about rewriting the zoning regulations for two more years, according to the Washington Business Journal. So why suggest the changes? The roads are already too clogged and stormwater runoff remains a major problem for the city’s waterways. The Office of Planning has suggested that new requirements apply for all new residential buildings with at least nine units and commercial spaces with at least 5,000 square feet. Showers also have been recommended for larger commercial projects. My how times have changed.

Holiday Relief
It’s that time again. The DC Office of Tax and Revenue will offer its second holiday tax this year, from Friday, November 28 through midnight Sunday, December 7. All clothes, shoes and accessories purchased during that time will be exempt from the 5.75% sales tax—for 10 full days! Great. The exemption will apply to each eligible item purchased, no matter how many items are on the bill. To qualify, each item must cost $100 or less. The last tax holiday ran for nine days in August and included school supplies. To find out more about how you can save, visit www.otr.cfo.dc.gov or call 202.727.4829.

Capitol Attraction
Finally, the US Capitol Visitor Center will have its long-awaited opening on December 2. After seven years of preparatory and major construction, the 580,000 square foot facility is expected to make the Capitol, where Senate and House of Representatives members have met for nearly two centuries, more accessible, convenient and secure. The Center is housed underground. Its amenities include a 16,500 square foot exhibition hall dedicated to the story of Congress and the Capitol, orientation theaters, a 550-seat cafeteria and gift shops. For information about public tours, call 202.225.6827. 

Saturday, November 1, 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Sustainable Business Network of Washington
Double-Header Event: Green Community Exhibit and Lunch
National Building Museum
401 F Street

Join the Sustainable Business Network of Washington (SB NOW) members for a private tour of the Green Community exhibit and lunch at the National Building Museum. Socialize and dine in the museum’s café, then meet for the tour on the second floor. The Green Community exhibit highlights sustainable communities in the US and around the world. There is no charge for the tour, although participants must pay cash for an assortment of freshly prepared sandwiches, soups, salads and pastries. To pre-register, visit www.SBNOW.org.

Saturday, November 8, 6:30 pm – 12:00 am
Various Construction, Design and Real Estate Organizations
2008 Builder’s Ball
National Building Museum
401 F Street

Enjoy a night of unforgettable experiences at The Builder’s Ball, held every two years since 1996 to raise money for local charities. The festive gala will begin with a reception at 6:30 pm followed by a dinner and silent auction at 7:30 pm and dancing and the crowning of the king and queen at 9:00 pm. Tickets cost $250. For more information, visit www.buildersball.org, or call 202.861.8007.

Tuesday, November 11, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Downtown Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting
Calvary Baptist Church
755 8th Street

Residents and workers are invited to this Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) meeting. To RSVP, email miles@dcdna.org. For more information, visit www.dcdna.org.

Wednesday, November 19, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
District Department of Transportation
Public Meeting for 2010-2015 TIP
Franklin D. Reeves Center
2000 14th Street

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) invites the public to attend this final meeting on the 2010-2015 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). DDOT is seeking public participation in identifying projects that could help enhance transportation in DC. Comments are sought for transportation projects, including but not limited to, pedestrian/bicycle programs, transit programs such as MetroExtra, the Circulator, streetcars and bridge, roadway, sidewalk and alley improvements and repairs. For more information, visit www.ddot.dc.gov.

Thursday, November 20, 7:30 am – 10:30 am
District of Columbia Building Industry Association
Center City DC: Further Progress for Downtown
National Press Club
14th & F Streets

The District of Columbia Building Industry Association (DCBIA) offers several seminars each season to keep real estate professionals informed of the latest market forecasts, developing trends and capital markets for both residential and commercial development. This education program is certified by the DC Real Estate Commission and offers continuing education credits for DC. The cost is $70 for members and $85 for nonmembers. For more information and to register online, visit www.dcbia.org.

Thursday, November 20, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
DC Chamber of Commerce
November Business Networking Reception
The University Club of Washington, DC
1135 16th Street

Bring your business cards and prepare to connect to new business relationships at the DC Chamber of Commerce’s networking reception. The cost to members is $40; nonmembers pay $65. To RSVP, call Candice Hicks at 202.638.6736 or email chicks@dcchamber.org.