Hill’s Kitchen will reopen at 10:00am on Saturday July 5, under the stewardship of new owners Sarah Needles and Miles Hamilton. An Instagram statement by the owners thanking the community for their patience said that “we have been getting our ducks in a row to be able to open our doors. We finally made it!”
Hill’s Kitchen closed on June 1, after former owner and founder Leah Daniels announced on May 30, that the store was changing hands.
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The Week Ahead…& Photos of Open Street DC from Saturday
by Larry Janezich
Saturday saw Capitol Hill’s first Open Streets Event on North Carolina, East Capitol, and Massachusetts Avenue, SE. Here’s photo from 7th and North Carolina at circa 10:00am. The event attracted thousands of residents.
A little farther west, at 6th and North Carolina, the hundred or so Hill Family Bikers were marshalling their parade marshals to clear the way for the Biker Parade the length of the Open Streets. Among the marshals was Commissioner Amber Gove, ANC6A, at left.
The political organizations were set up on East Capitol on the south side of Lincoln Park. CM Charles Allen interacted with constituents at 12th Street.
ANCs 6A and 6B who share jurisdiction of Lincoln Park set up at 11th Street and East Capitol, SE. That’s Commissioner Anna Krebs of ANC6B on the right, promoting the work of the ANCs to residents.
Most of the tents appeared to be home to city services and civic organizations, but some Capitol Hill retail – like Katherine Donahue’s Labyrinth – set up shop.
The most popular kid attraction was this foam generator at the far end of Massachusetts Avenue, near 16th Street.
Here’s the view circa 11:15am near 16th and Massachusetts, looking west.
And here’s a video of a crowd-pleasing performance in Lincoln Park of a band named General Feedback, featuring a powerful female vocalist.
The Week Ahead…
Tuesday, July 1
ANC6B Alcoholic Beverage & Cannabis Committee holds a hybrid meeting at 7:00pm.
Meeting location will be 700 Pennsylvania Ave SE; Second Floor, Conference Room 1 (entry adjacent to Trader Joe’s).
For info on how to join the virtual meeting, go here: https://anc6b.org/
Among items on the draft agenda:
ABCA Renewals:
Ted’s Bulletin, 505 8th Street SE; Renewal of Class C Restaurant. Protest Petition Deadline: July 18, 2025 [6B03] (Originally Extended by 60 days).
Protests/Other Updates
Ambar (Currently Under Protest) (6B03)
MPD 1D Citizens Advisory Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 6:00pm.
502 C Street, NE – Historic Preservation Application of Schmidt Development for concept approval to renovate an existing three-story non-contributing mixed-use structure, convert to residential use, and enlarge with a new three-story rear addition.
409 East Capitol Street, SE – Zoning Adjustment Application of Parasol Tree Holdings, LLC for a special exception from the lot occupancy requirements and use variance to construct a third-story rear addition and a second dwelling unit, and convert the first floor to an office use.
304-308 K Street, NE – Zoning Adjustment Application – Revised application of 304, 306, 308 K Street, LLC for a. a special exception for the residential use of an alley lot, an area variance from the requirements, and for creation of a new alley record lot and an area variance from the lot dimension requirements to subdivide an alley record lot into two record lots and to construct two semi-detached, two story, principal dwelling units.
1128 4th Street, NE – Zoning Adjustment Application of Stephen Jackson for a special exception from the rooftop element requirements for after-the-fact approval of an illegally constructed railing atop a porch roof at 1128 4th Street, NE.
Thursday, July 3
ANC6C Transportation & Public Space Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
Capitol Hill Corner would also like you to know about:
Barracks Row
Fourth of July Parade – 10:00am.
Afterward at Eastern Market Under the Farmers Line Shed:
Live Music
Face Painting
Balloon Animals
Glitter Tattoos
Food Vendors
Congressional Cemetery
Friday, July 4 – 10:00am – 11:00am
The District of Columbia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution will host a Fourth of July Celebration honoring the 249th Anniversary of America’s Independence. Held at the grave of Elbridge Gerry, the only Signer of the Declaration of Independence buried in Washington, DC, this FREE event features light refreshments and commemorative remarks. The event is open to all, but please RSVP so we can plan accordingly. https://dcssar.org/event-6236656/Registration
Friday, July 5 – 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Civil War at Congressional: Docent Tour – (No Dogs Allowed Tour)
The United States was consumed by the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. Millions of individuals were swept up in the chaos of the conflict as the war raged for over four years. Come and explore the graves and memorials which showcase incredible individual stories from the Civil War in a docent led tour.
Reservations required and a tour reservation is a $10 donation. Go here: https://bit.ly/4l9rOzs
Saturday tours begin at 11 am, rain or shine. Visitors may meet docents at the front gate of the cemetery located at the corner of E St. and Potomac Ave. Please come prepared with comfortable and weather appropriate clothing and shoes, as the tours often stray from the main paths.
Monday night, ANC6B’s Public Safety Committee, chaired by Commissioner Brian Gorman, heard committee resident member George Holman’s passionate appeal that the committee take action to address the dangers presented by food delivery moped riders who endanger residents by recklessly riding city streets. Recently, Holman’s six year old son was struck by a moped delivery rider in front of the U.S. Post Office in the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, while he was crossing the bike lane to post a letter in the sidewalk mailbox. The moped rider was driving illegally in the bike lane. The child was “flung backwards and struck a concrete barrier, and suffered a concussion,” according to Holman. The driver stopped after hearing the child scream, and then sped away. MPD and first responders came promptly and the child has since recovered, but the driver has not been apprehended.
Holman noted that the day before his son’s accident, a child in Columbia Heights was hit by a moped and seriously injured, suffering a broken leg. That incident also involved a hit and run moped rider who has not been apprehended.
Holman said the moped delivery riders are out of control and he is appealing to the ANC because “I don’t feel like (the police) are adequately enforcing the law.” Every resident has seen mopeds being operated recklessly, he said, adding, “It’s probably time to revisit last year’s (MPD traffic safety program Operation Ride Right).” That program started June 5, 2024, and ran for two weeks during which 81 individuals were arrested, 273 scooters impounded, and 161 tickets issued.
Holman has a petition with 100 signatures from neighbors who support taking action to reduce the threat to public safety posed by the illegal operation of scooters. He said, “I’m trying to be taken seriously and I’m going to continue gathering new signatures. I don’t know what it’s going to actually take to get someone to pay attention to this and that’s why I’m here today.” He said he would also request a meeting with CM Charles Allen…and added, “… I think it starts with the police actually enforcing the laws on the books.”
Commissioner Sam Pastore – who numbers Holman among his constituents – noted the difficulty regarding enforcement of traffic violations, citing his takeaway from an earlier ANC meeting with MPD was that because of MPD policy, “they will not chase anyone no matter what type of vehicle – unless you’re shooting a gun.”
Holman concluded his presentation: “This is something that I feel very passionate about and I appreciate you all listening to me because I don’t feel listened to right now and I’m trying to share my anger into something very constructive because my son is the most important thing in the world to me and things could have ended up a lot differently. It’s something that still haunts me and I think about it a lot and I’m going to continue doing what I can to make this community safer and better….I’m continuing to gather signatures on my petition…every neighbor I talk to is like, ‘They’re out of control, you’ve got to do something.’”
With no clear indication regarding how the committee would advance this issue, CHC reached out to Commissioner Pastore for comment after the meeting. Here’s part of his reply:
“We will certainly be taking action – through consultation with George, the ANC, the Public Safety Committee, and the Transportation Committee…In the meantime, this tragedy is also a reminder to all of us: we need to slow down, take our time on the streets, and show more compassion for our fellow pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists…We also need to acknowledge another layer of the conversation, especially around mopeds. Many riders are working hard, hustling to get where they need to go quickly, often under pressure. There are racial, cultural, immigration, and even ICE-related dynamics that can’t be ignored…I’ll be speaking with the committee chairs and (ANC6B Chair Edward Ryder) in the coming days to program a more focused response to this specific incident and to build on the good, necessary conversations we’ve been having through the Public Safety Committee.”
Update on Rumsey Court – A second story for the Rumsey Aquatic Center is now in the plans for the proposed modernization of the facility, according to a DC Parks and Recreation (DPR) document distributed at last Monday night’s meeting of ANC6B’s Parks and Public Spaces Task Force chaired by Commissioner Jerry Sroufe. The second story will accommodate a community center focused on senior services. A community meeting where the latest design will be made public has not yet been scheduled.
After proffering a plan with no second story earlier this year, CM Charles Allen prompted DPR and the Department of General Services to re-think their approach and they are now negotiating the incorporation the second story into the design. The Center is a popular District asset, offering 100 plus aquatic programs for a high number of participants. $37,021,066 has been budgeted for the project in DC’s Capital Budget, meaning it is protected from funding cuts the Mayor being forced to impose on the city’s Operational Budget because Congress has failed to authorize DC to spend its own tax revenues for the balance of the FY.
Ward 6 Budget Town Hall Meeting. On Tuesday evening, CM Charles Allen hosted a Ward 6 Town Hall on the Budget at Hill Center. More than 70 residents – many of them first-time Town Hall Budget attendees – showed up for the meeting. Allen said the council has finished oversight hearings on the budget which now awaits committee votes on the programs within their jurisdiction. The budget will then go to the full council for consideration. Go here to watch the full Town Hall presentation on FB: https://bit.ly/4njELbw
Beuchert’s Saloon Has Been Sold. Coldwell Banker listed the property for $2.3 million and a sold notice recently appeared on the site. Here’s a link to real estate broker’s listing: https://bit.ly/4eeIjaw No word on what might occupy the building or the first floor retail, but the listing’s description suggests the property will be delivered with the restaurant intact. Prior to Beuchert’s, the space had been occupied by the Capitol Hill Art and Frame Shop. EaterDC recently reported that the restaurant closed in early June after 13 years: https://bit.ly/44iNl1p
The 48th Annual Peterbug Day. Last Saturday, Peterbug Matthews presided over his 48th Annual Peter Bug Day. It was the 48th annual celebration of Peter Bug Day and the 50th Anniversary of the Peter Bug Shoe Academy. The lifelong Capitol Hill resident and community advocate is a Capitol Hill legend, having used the shoe repair trade to mentor and guide community youth for decades. The 400 block of 13th Street, SE, was named Peterbug Matthews Way in 2010. In 2015, when the former historic Buchanan School/IGU site was developed into townhouses and condos, the site of Peterbug Matthews Shoe Academy which sat on city property as did the school, was grandfathered into the development site and preserved.
The Original Last Run of the Fire House Horses. Last Sunday, the DC Fire Department conducted a reenactment of the Ceremonial Last Run of the Fire House Horses. The date marked the one hundred anniversary of the original Last Run to commemorate the service of the fire horses. The reenactment started at the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center, the site of the former Capitol Hill Firehouse, and proceeded east on North Carolina Avenue, SE, and ended at Lincoln Park. Here’s a Library of Congress photo of the Engine No. 8 Firehouse that stood on the site of what is now Rumsey Aquatic Court. Photo Source: Mark Eckenwiler.
And here’s a photo of the original last run: The Last Run of Barney, Gene, and Tom, District, Fire Department Horses, June 15, 1925. Photo Source: Mark Eckenwiler.
The Week Ahead…
Monday, June 23
ANC6B Public Safety Committee will hold a hybrid meeting at 6:30pm.
Physical Location: 700 Pennsylvania Ave SE, 2nd Floor (Entrance Adjacent to Trader Joe’s)
For info on how to join the virtual meeting, go here: https://anc6b.org/
Agenda: TBA
ANC6A Community Outreach Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
Announcements and Reminders: People’s Front of H Street, Sunday Clean-ups in 6A01.
H Street Main Street (HSMS) Requesting a Letter of Support for an upcoming application to the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ Public Art Building Communities (PABC) grant.
Open Streets Volunteering.
Tuesday, June 24
ANC6B Executive Committee will hold a virtual meeting to set the agenda for the full Commission meeting on July 8.
Discussion of the renewal of a Class C multipurpose license with Cover Charge Dancing, Entertainment, and Summer Garden endorsements at Gallery O on H at 1354 H Street, NE.
Discussion of the renewal of a Class C restaurant license at Tiffany’s Bar and Bistro at 709 H Street, NE.
Discussion of the renewal of a Class C restaurant license with Entertainment and Sidewalk Café endorsements at Fresca Taqueria 701 H Street, NE.
Discussion of the application for a retail Class B Beer and Wine at B & B Convenience and More at 1447 Maryland Avenue, NE.
Discussion of the application for a medical cannabis license at Proper Exotic at 313 8th Street, NE.
Thursday, June 26
ANC6C Grants Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:30pm. .
Capitol Hill Corner Would Also Like You To Know About
Saturday, June 28: Open Streets Comes to Capitol Hill – 7:00am – 3:00pm.
Location: North Carolina Avenue SE, East Capitol Street, and Massachusetts Avenue SE from 6th Street SE to 17th Street SE Road Closure: Saturday, June 28th from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
One mile of neighborhood streets will be closed to vehicles to allow people to safely walk, run, bike, and play.
Open Streets will include hourly programmed classes and performances, including live music, yoga, dancing, etc. The event is free and suitable for all ages and abilities.
Thursday, June 26: Global Sounds on the Hill featuring Qais Essar & Sonny Singh: Sangat. 7:00pm – 9:00pm. $20 Register here: https://bit.ly/45BcgiW
Afghan American rabab virtuoso Qais Essar has joined forces with Sikh American trumpet player and singer Sonny Singh, which obliterates musical, political, and religious boundaries.
Friday, June 27: JUNO-Nominated Nova Scotian Powerhouse Duo Cassie and Maggie in Concert. 7:00 pm – 9:00pm. $20 Register here: https://bit.ly/4eeNmaY
Committed to preserving and propelling Nova Scotia’s folk traditions into new realms, Cassie and Maggie bring an energy that is both timeless and irresistibly modern.
Hill East Development Disposition Map showing location of parcels to be developed.
Wednesday night, Daryl Thomas from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Development (DMPED), gave an update on the development of Res 13 Phase II to ANC7D’s Committee on Economic Development and to Hill East residents.
Despite rumors to the contrary, Thomas assured that Res 13 Phase II “definitely is not stalled – we have been very much into a lot of infrastructure work on the campus. This work consists of engineering in addition to relocation of a major 72 inch sewer line.” The pipeline lies 40 to 50 feet below ground and extends from Massachusetts Avenue to Independence Avenue. He added, “… this sewer line is a precursor for all the remaining work that needs to be done. We have started the roadway design review. Once the sewer relocation work is done then the city can come in and we can start constructing the roadways that surround the development parcels …” Thomas said he expected the pipeline relocation to take a year.
In 2000 the city released RFPs for the Phase II redevelopment of Res 13. Phase II was divided into two different bundles, Bundle One (Parcels A, B-1, B-2, F-2 and G-2 – see map above), and Bundle Two (Parcels C, E. and H). Some parcels in Bundle One have been approved by the Zoning Commission and building design is underway. Bundle Two ran into infrastructure issues including the sewage pipeline and utility relocation, and that has forced them to redesign their first phase of building which has prevented them from going to Zoning for approval.
Developers hoped to break ground in 2024 but infrastructure and finance issues pushed that date ahead to 2025. Last night’s presentation suggested there may be another delay – at least in Bundle Two – until 2026 or later. Phase III (in yellow) is a planned third phase of the development which has not launched yet.
Thomas did not offer a projected timeline for completion of development on any of the parcels. None of the developers participated in the briefing.
Thomas also offered a status report on the status of Phase I, where two mixed use buildings have been completed. He reported that Sala Thai Restaurant, Duffy’s Irish Pub, and Alphabet Daycare have leased retail space in the Park Kennedy, one of the two Phase I mixed use buildings. One retail space remains. He said that none of the retail spaces has yet been leased in Phase I’s second mixed use building – The Ethel.
During the Q&A, Thomas was asked if development would be coordinated with construction of the proposed NFL Stadium on the RFK site and with construction of a new DC city jail. He noted that neither of those projects has been approved yet and once they are, DMPED would be working “hand in hand” with the developers of those projects.
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Update on Demolition of RFK Stadium. Last Monday night Events DC held its virtual Quarterly Meeting, and Senior Director Ryan Conway gave attendees an update on the demolition of RFK. Preliminary work which began in January including demolition of some exterior and nonstructural interior elements is continuing and will be completed in June. The removal and disposal of hazardous materials prior to start of structural demolition work has been completed. Here’s a current interior shot of the stadium.
Beginning in July the stadium will be demolished in phases by construction equipment – it will not be imploded – and the site will be backfilled with crushed concrete. Demolition will start with the press box and stadium lights removal from the inside and proceed to the roof and superstructure starting in August. Here’s an exterior shot showing walls coming down and some misting equipment.
Smoot Construction has deployed instruments around the site to monitor dust, noise and vibration, and will employ misting equipment to pretreat, control, and suppress dust throughout the demolition activities. Here’s a photo from the construction camera which is available on the Events DC website: https://eventsdc.com/venue/rfk-stadium/live-demolition-camera
New Greek Restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. The buildout of a new Greek Restaurant coming to 315 – 316 Pennsylvania Avenue SE (as reported on CHC last November) is underway. Building permits are up and the windows are papered over. The space was formerly occupied by chef Spike Mendelsohn’s Mexican Restaurant Santa Rosa Taqueria which closed and then reopened at 301 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Zusin Development is the owner of the new business. Zusin also owns the new Taco Bell coming to Barracks Row, the building at 225 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, and the 56 unit mixed use building at 301 Florida Avenue, NE among many other DC properties.
Sunday afternoon, DC Fire Department conducted the Ceremonial Last Run of the Fire House Horses. The run started at William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center, the site of the former Capitol Hill Firehouse, proceeded down North Carolina Avenue, SE, and ended at Lincoln Park. One hundred years ago, the DC Fire Department held a Ceremonial Last Run of the Horses to commemorate the service of the fire horses. The historic Ceremonial re-enactment will feature a cosmetically preserved 1905 American LaFrance horse-drawn steam fire engine. Photo: DC Fire Department.
Friday night, the Too Much Talent Band performed at Friday Night Live at Eastern Market Metro Plaza. The summertime Friday evening events are programmed by Brian Ready, Executive Director of Barracks Row MainStreet. CM Charles Allen secured funding in the Budget to program the performance space.
The Week Ahead…The Week Ahead…
Highlight:
Monday, CM Charles Allen presents before ANC6D. See below.
Lincoln Park Task Force. ANCs 6A and 6B sent a joint letter to the DDOT Director requesting a comprehensive traffic study of the area around Lincoln Park.
Capitol Hill Open Streets on June 28, 2025.
New Business.
1100 block of Atlas Court NE. Councilmember Allen’s recent newsletter highlighted speed bumps added to alleys to help slow drivers at sidewalk crossings. Several TSIs have requested similar treatment to this alley.
DDOT’s Strategic Bike Plan. The DDOT team on this reported they would like to join our committee to discuss the process but cannot make the June meeting.
Wednesday, June 18
***CANCELLED*** ANC6A Economic Development and Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
Seán is an active performer, arranger, and composer of music from various folk and classical music traditions: Celtic, Baroque, Medieval, Arabic, French-Canadian, and Maritime.
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Suspected Serial Arsonist Returns to St. Joseph’s Church
by Larry Janezich
Posted June 12, 2025
A video image of a suspect in Walter Alley behind St. Joseph’s Church. Video image from a St. Joseph Church neighbor’s security camera.
Image of construction materials blazing early on Wednesday morning. Video image from a St. Joseph Church neighbor’s security camera.
Early Wednesday morning, a suspected serial arsonist who has been setting fires on Capitol Hill since March struck the area near St. Joseph’s Church on 3rd and D Streets, NE, a second time.
ANC6C Chair Karen Wirt announced at the Wednesday night meeting of ANC6C that a pile of construction material belonging to Hillsdale College was set on fire in Walter Alley behind the church. According to an NBC4 news report, the fire was one of four set overnight by a person who police suspect has been behind a series of some 35 fires set on Capitol Hill this spring.
MPD is seeking a person of interest who was arrested in May after FMES observed him lighting a trash can fire near Barney Circle. That person, as reported by NBC News4 in a related television news report Wednesday night, is 50-year-old Mohammad Al-Rashidi, who investigators believe is experiencing homelessness. The photo below is from a mug shot taken after his arrest in May.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Mohammad Al-Rashidi.
According to NBC 4, charges were dropped in May after prosecutors determined they did not have enough evidence to pursue the case. According to Wirt, a church parishioner saw the man on Wednesday around 11am sitting on a wall at the side of the church who also said that a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Wirt says, “Police ask if we see this (person) to not approach him but call 911 and keep an eye on where he is or what direction he goes so police can find him.”
Most of the fires have caused minor damage, but in May, a suspicious fire destroyed the car of St. Joseph’s pastor, the Rev. William H. Gurnee, which was parked in the garage behind the church. The church is at 2nd and C Street, NE, catty corner from the Senate Hart Office Building. Fire officials fear that one of the blazes could spread to a residence and result in loss of life or property.
FEMS encourages the public to reach out using 202-673-27766 (ARSON) (not a typo) or submit information online https://fmhotline.femsdc.com/HotlineForm Tips can be anonymous.
(To follow Capitol Hill Corner from a smart phone, go to https://capitolhillcorner.org/ Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the blue “Follow” button. There is no charge, advertising or subscription fee and you can unfollow at any time. You will automatically receive an email link for every post. To unfollow, go to the same blue tab which will now say “Following,” and click it again.)
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On Tuesday afternoon, Council member Charles Allen sent an update to neighbors of the proposed retail weed establishment at 421 East Capitol.
In his message, Allen shared that, in a meeting with ABCA, the property owner and tenant agreed to remove the sign and alter the name of their establishment, which did not match the alcohol license renewal application. In the meeting, ABCA emphasized that the new business could not sell or gift cannabis—nor could they apply for a medical cannabis license, owing to zoning. ABCA emphasized they would enforce the letter of the law.
During the meeting, the tenant and business owner declared a desire to “only to sell groceries, beer and wine if the license is approved, and they’d like to sell cigarettes and cigars.” Based on the original name and choice of sign, Allen expressed “strong skepticism.”
The ABCA is preparing a memorandum of these events for their Board to consider when reviewing the liquor application of the business owner.
Development of the RFK Stadium site is like building a small city: a vast, waterfront parcel in the heart of the capital.
Contrary to Mayor Bowser’s public assertions, the legislation transferring ownership of the site to DC does not require the construction of a stadium.
Then why build one?
Some people will always be against a stadium. Citing the missed chance to redevelop this parcel as mixed-use development, Greater Greater Washington calculates an “opportunity cost” totaling $3.3 billion over the course of the next 30 years. Other opponents regard the NFL as an abomination, or maybe an enormous NFL stadium which stands empty and idle most of the year as a bad investment of taxpayer dollars.
Likewise, some people will always support a stadium on this site, particularly one that returns the Washington Commanders to DC. Presumably Mayor Bowser numbers among this group, given the remarkably poor deal she negotiated with the Commanders.
Setting aside these two ends of a spectrum, I’d guess that most people fall somewhere in between. This editorial is directed to them, particularly to Capitol Hill/Hill East residents.
A Stadium, But Not on These Terms
It is not surprising to learn that the city will be on the hook for the “horizontal” costs, or the necessary infrastructure improvements, entailed in stadium construction.
But the term sheet presented by Mayor Bowser also includes a taxpayer subsidy for “vertical” costs: stadium construction ($500 million) and parking garages ($356 million). Somewhat lost in the outcry over this direct subsidy to billionaires are the indirect costs of the deal, including the property tax that the city will waive for the developers; the sales tax that will be collected but won’t go to the District; and the interest payments on bonds that the city will need to carry to complete this project.
Rather than defend the terms of a poorly negotiated deal, Mayor Bowser has done her best to ramrod it through the Council as currently written. According to the term sheet, an “exclusive negotiation period” between the District and Commanders will expire by July 15 – or it will expire if the Council makes any significant changes to the term sheet. According to Greater Greater Washington, Council chair Phil Mendelson “is signaling” that he will let the deadline pass so the Council could review the deal properly and insist on better terms. After all, to consider the baseball field, the Council had 11 months; the Council discussed the deal on Audi Field for 7 months.
DC has suffered enough of high-handed treatment of late. It’s a shame that, in this, her legacy-making move, Mayor Bowser has decided to treat the Council with such contempt. As it currently stands, given that the Mayor has tied the stadium deal to the budget, the Council cannot even hold a hearing focused only on the RFK stadium deal.
A Stadium, But Not at This Time
Regardless of the fate of the national economy, DC is now headed for a localized recession, owing to the devastating employment effects of the Trump Administration’s cuts to the federal government.
Recently, in the wake of these cuts, Moody’s downgraded DC’s bond-rating, meaning that a stadium constructed under the Trump administration will cost more than one built under an administration run by Kamala Harris.
More important, even if Congress passes DC’s Local Budget restoring the city’s money, the city still faces an enormous budget shortfall – meaning, there will be steep cuts to city government.
In her just-released budget, Mayor Bowser has shifted some payments to next fiscal year and declared a hiring freeze in an attempt to blunt the effects of this shortfall. But already a new DC jail is gone from the budget. Notably, the Council has shunted aside the Mayor’s economic forecast for the stadium and commissioned their own.
Amid turmoil and retrenchment, it is difficult to say what this stadium will “cost” the city in terms of what is defunded as a result of its construction.
A Stadium, But One That Works for the Neighborhood
Economic researchdemonstrates that stadiums do not generate “new” growth or revenue. In the best-case scenario, they just focus growth on a certain location.
Stadiums might be worthwhile if they are used to kickstart the revitalization of a particular neighborhood, but, even then, there exists a very real danger of overreach. An astonishing number of empty storefronts currently surround Capital One Arena, a more active stadium located in a much more commercial neighborhood. Public officials assured us that the keeping the Leonsis’ teams and a promised stadium renovation would bring tenants back; so far, that hasn’t happened.
By and large, Hill East is not a neighborhood in need of revitalization. The kinds of things that Hill East might need or want would be best served by a mixed-use development, not a stadium.
In light of just what little purpose a stadium can serve, the hulking parking garages planned under the current term sheet are an affront to the neighborhood. No stadium in the heart of a city built in the 21st century should be based on automobile traffic. In this and in other respects – particularly in regard to the environment – the Mayor has declined to seize this opportunity to construct a stadium of the future.
Instead, she wants to build a 20th century stadium while the city strains under the weight of a 19th century presidency.
My Verdict on the Stadium Deal
In more stable times, the case for stadium construction would be stronger, particularly given the fact that the city has slow-walked Phase II of the Reservation 13 development, effectively tying its fate to RFK.
At this time, facing the Trump administration, a strong case could be made for RFK redevelopment without a stadium, which would create new housing and neighborhood resources, generating growth and revenue.
In more stable times, the case for a stadium would be stronger if it were a 21st century stadium that better harmonized with the surrounding neighborhood.
But it is bad luck for the Commanders ownership that their bid for a new stadium coincides with a crisis moment in DC history, the likes of which I have not seen since the 1980s.
The only way to make the case for an NFL stadium at RFK at this particular moment is if the public subsidy for vertical construction is reduced to $0; the DC Local Budget Autonomy Act passes Congress and is signed by the President before the DC City Council votes on the stadium deal; and the stadium development makes better use of public transportation and green technology.
Maybe the DC City Council will move the dial on the public subsidy and a more imaginative development, both of which are under their control. But the Commanders’ owners, who profess to love DC, would do well to pledge the necessary resources to move Republicans in Congress to respect our city a little more.
East Capitol Weed Shop Proposal Runs Aground on City Regs
by Larry Janezich
Posted June 9, 2025
East Capitol Weed Shop Proposal Runs Aground on City Regs
by Larry Janezich
Posted June 9, 2025
Well, this didn’t take long. After receiving more than 50 emails since yesterday, this morning CM Charles Allen updated constituents on the proposed weed shop on East Capitol. The update came, he said, after a conversation with Fred Moosally, the head of DC’s Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA).
The bottom line is that ABCA confirmed:
“There has been no cannabis retailer application filed for this address. Any sales taking place would be illegal and ABCA will have investigators looking into this.
The signage (in particular, the cartoon marijuana leaf with a rolled joint) is not allowed with our laws for cannabis retailer advertising. ABCA will be following up on that.
Even if there was a license application and the signs were lawful, this location and property is zoned residential, so DC law does not allow a cannabis retailer here anyway. They will not be allowed to open as a legal and lawful business. And if they try to operate as an illegal business, ABCA has the tools necessary to close them down and even padlock the doors.”
Allen also said that ABCA has not approved the request to renew the retail liquor license and the Board will be apprised of the issue and the findings of the ABCA investigation before considering the renewal. He credited ANC6B Commissioner, Jerry Sroufe, for being active on this and for pushing ABCA to recognize the potential change in this store from their previous presentation and commitments to the ANC.
Allen added, “What we’ve seen is a clear departure from what this business proposed to the ANC, ABCA, and to the community. It’s bad faith and I will work to make sure that ABCA and the Executive agencies follow through on their commitments to us.”
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 