CityMarket at O will really be an amazing place when completed. It will transform the heart of Shaw with new residents, new uses and a gorgeous new grocery store. I am so excited to see it move forward!
UPDATE - here's a photo from the ceremony:
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
A Groundbreaking Event Today
I know I've already mentioned it, but it's worth repeating: CityMarket at O breaks ground today (September 1, 2010) with a celebration from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Seventh and O Streets. I plan to cut out of work to attend in order to show my support for the many people who have worked tirelessly to make this wonderful project happen.
CityMarket at O will really be an amazing place when completed. It will transform the heart of Shaw with new residents, new uses and a gorgeous new grocery store. I am so excited to see it move forward!
UPDATE - here's a photo from the ceremony:
CityMarket at O will really be an amazing place when completed. It will transform the heart of Shaw with new residents, new uses and a gorgeous new grocery store. I am so excited to see it move forward!
UPDATE - here's a photo from the ceremony:
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6 comments:
While I have high hopes, I'm sad that the Giant will be closed for at least two whole years and that those jobs will be lost. I'm also really sad that another mixed-use personality-less mega center will be going up in the neighborhood with wonderful personality. let me guess the retail will copy P Street and CityVista? Please no. I hope gentrification doesn't come with mediocrity as its price
While I have high hopes, I'm sad that the Giant will be closed for at least two whole years and that those jobs will be lost. I'm also really sad that another mixed-use personality-less mega center will be going up in the neighborhood with wonderful personality. let me guess the retail will copy P Street and CityVista? Please no. I hope gentrification doesn't come with mediocrity as its
re: the Giant, I agree that losing the convience of having it at 9th and O for two years isn't exciting, but there's a LOT of room for improvement with that store so I won't miss it greatly.
re: the retail, the retail spaces are all very small (except for the restaurant and the Giant), so whatever occupies them necessarily won't be like what either P Street or CityVista offer. That said, I don't think either CityVista or P Street are to be maligned -- both offer needed neighborhood amenities and good destinations, like hardware stores, restaurants (Stoneys, Taylor Gourmet, Logan Tavern, New Vegas Lounge, etc.), services (ok, banks are boring, but needed, ditto re: dry cleaners).
Seriously Emily?
We would be so lucky to have those types of amenities at the O St. Market complex - many of which are quality, small, distinctive and "personality-filled" businesses that appeal to a wide (socio-economic) range of customers.
They're exactly they types of businesses Shaw needs to move forward in being a vibrant community that people want to live, play and work in.
I hope this means less hanging out at the 1330 tower
I agree that the Giant needs to be entirely rethought and replaced, and I really hope the new iteration accomplishes that successfully! But one thing in particular about the plans outlined on the developer's site really bothers me: "600+ residential units, and over 500 parking spaces." If the point of development is to make Shaw a place where people really want to put down roots, that math doesn't work. The (extremely flawed) logic that "well, if we don't put in parking for everyone, people won't bring their cars" doesn't work. It's been tried before, and all it does is drive up parking space rents (see: Penn Quarter). Yes, it's possible to get around DC without owning a car, but I've done it for years, and it's a major pain.
Furthermore, if the city wants to attract residents to Shaw who plan to live here more than a couple of years before moving on, then there needs to be a serious consideration about quality of life which isn't present in these plans. Housing needs to be built with adequate parking and neighborhood amenities (like parks and trees and working streetlights), otherwise, you're cutting out large segments of the population (esp. couples with children) that need to be included in any community if it is going to be a real community, and not just another place where youngish professionals live for a few years (before abandoning it for the 'burbs) because it's close to the office and nice restaurants.
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