Find out all about how the neighborhood of Columbia Heights came to be in the History section!
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Tell Us Your Story!
Have you lived in Columbia Heights for more than a decade? If so, we'd love to hear your story and post it on this site! We would be particularly interested in historical accounts of people who have experienced life in Columbia Heights over the years. You may send your stories to info@columbiaheightsnews.org or Contact Us.
DC USA is a 546,000 square feet shopping and entertainment complex that is under construction in the heart of Columbia Heights. With major retailers like Target, Best Buy, Washington Sports Club, and Bed Bath and Beyond, DC USA will become the one-stop shopping destination for all of Washington, DC.
Many residents have expressed interest in bringing Whole Foods Market to the DC USA retail complex. Whole Foods Market and DC USA developers are still under negotiation. There are a few major hurdles. We have set up a special Whole Foods Market section to provide you the latest information on this situation and let you know what we can do as a community to make it happen.
Updates
February 2006
"...Modell's and Staples have struck agreements with New York-based Grid Properties and the Gotham Organization, according to sources close to the deals...Citibank is giving the project an $89 million construction loan, according to NCRC...NCRC will finance $47 million for three levels of underground parking by issuing tax-exempt bonds to Citibank Community Development Bank. NCRC started issuing the bonds last month. The bonds will be repaid with $4.9 million in parking revenue and $42 million in tax increment financing, which uses some of the taxes generated by new development to pay off bonds...DC USA has 15,000 square feet of first-floor space reserved for minority businesses, and 14 businesses have applied for it, including franchise owners for Maggie Moo's Ice Cream and Treatery and Quizno's."
"The closing date for the construction loan. Eighty percent of the DC USA retail space must be claimed in order to break ground. 'Closing has started, with tenants under lease at an amount sufficient for the lender to proceed,' says Robert Moore, president of the Development Corporation of Columbia Heights. City sources say ground will be broken sometime in the coming months."
Site preparation has been completed by National Capital Revitalization Corporation (NCRC). The site will be transferred to DC USA Operation Company, LLC. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2006 and completed sometime in 2008.
This is a photo of the sign posted on the DC USA site - January 2006.
Comments
Written by GforGood on 2006-08-23 20:31:21Err... where is the shopping center at Dupont? ;) I am afraid your expetations may have been a little unrealistic if you thought that a big shopping center/mall would have a lot of local flare to it.. The local stores will more likely find their space, if at all, in the older store fronts and/or the retail space in the new condo buildings. However, there are still a few empty spaces in the DC USA as well, so maybe all hope is not lost for you yet.
Written by james on 2006-12-17 13:00:43i wonder why the third floor above the Whole Foods spot is left empty on the renderings. It seems like that section may not have a third floor planned. Couldn't they put movie theatres there??? The site is so big I'm suprised that theatres weren't in the original plan. And what if whole foods backs out, that whole corner could fit several theatres easily.
Written by GforGood on 2006-12-18 12:20:09There are lots of movie theatres in DC already, I really doubt there would be a market for yet another one, especially in a neighborhood that does not have a lot or restaurants etc. around it to pull in the crowds.
Written by
on 2007-02-01 13:34:10I just purchased a condo a few bocks away in Mt. Pleasant...and I'm already dreading the weekend and week night parking problem. People hate to park in garages so there goes my parking and probably yours too. Sigh....anybody know what happens to our property values, think this will up our $$?
Written by GforGood on 2007-02-01 17:08:53I think the traffic congestion is a much bigger consern than its impact on parking all the way in Mt. Pleasant, but maybe you are right.
I think it will up the $$ in the area.
Written by
on 2007-02-02 07:14:11Actually, Mt. Pleasant is two block away once you cross 16th street. It's, maybe, a 5 minute walk from DC USA. It will affect parking I'm sure.
Written by
on 2007-02-04 16:39:01I guess I am most disappointed that there won't be any great new additions in restaurants - only fast food. Aren't there enough McDonalds. I have to say that I enjoy Friendship Heights for both the shopping and the variety of places to eat and enjoy the surroundings.
Written by GforGood on 2007-02-05 11:43:55Me too, but then again, I guess there are still a few empty spaces that could attract a restaurant or two. Then again, few malls/shopping centers have truly original restaurants. Restaurants tend to be housed in surrounding buildings, so maybe in time there will be more variety. A bit of it is already happening with Rumbreros, Redrock, "what't the name of the Salvadorian older place", Sticky Fingers, the restaurant that will be opened by the owners of Logal Tavern, the Red Derby coming further up 14th St.. Given where we started, its overall not bad - could be better of course
Written by
on 2007-02-08 23:11:01Yea, I think there might be some more independent shops ready to open up, but they'll have to wait til the big chains move in to surround them. I think this will happen to some of the small shops on Park Road between 14th and 16th, assuming the rent goes up. There are a number of rough looking groceries or barber shops there now that cater to the latino community. I have nothing against them, nor do I have any reason to frequent them, but I'm presuming that a huge mall as their neighbor is ultimately going to push them out and there will be new businesses to take their place. Thoughts?
Written by GforGood on 2007-02-09 10:06:54You are probably right. There is btw an amazing number of those barber shops up on 14th as well, and the same might over time impact them as well.
DC USA is a 546,000 square feet shopping and entertainment complex that is under construction in the heart of Columbia Heights. With major retailers like Target, Best Buy, Washington Sports Club, and Bed Bath and Beyond, DC USA will become the one-stop shopping destination for all of Washington, DC.
