NASPA, the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, has moved into its new offices at 111 K Street, NE. “We chose NoMa because it’s one of the up-and-coming areas in DC,” said Kevin Kruger with NASPA. The organization is the leading professional association for student affairs administrators at colleges and universities, and had been located in the Dupont area for 20 years. NASPA’s 20 employees are “absolutely loving our space and beginning to enjoy the area,” Kruger said. “It’s been a great move for us; we’re delighted to be the first in this building.”

NASPA won’t be alone for long; this week the American Bus Association closed on its purchase of a floor in the office condominium building. “Moving into 111 K Street, NE, will allow ABA to better serve as the voice of its members to elected officials on the Hill,” said President and CEO Peter Pantuso.

“NoMa is almost infused with a pioneer spirit,” said Eron Shosteck in ABA’s communications department. “Whereas a lot of the other trendy neighborhoods are more about gentrifying what was once genteel again, here it’s almost like having a blank canvas upon which to paint a tableau of the new urbanism and do so in such a manner that it is LEED Certified.” The organization focuses heavily on sustainability, constantly noting that buses are the greenest form of travel. Moving to the sustainably designed 111 K Street is consistent with the mission of the organization as stewards of the environment.

ABA’s 15 employees are currently located at G and 13 Streets, NW. They plan to occupy their new space by February 2011.

The NoMa submarket has been snagging deals throughout the year, transforming the neighborhood with a new influx of retailers, businesses, associations and government agencies. Tenants have leased or purchased over 600,000 SF thus far in 2010. This pace of activity is on par with the past two years, both of which saw over 1 million SF leased in the NoMa submarket. Later this year, stay tuned for openings for TD Bank, Harris Teeter, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Georgetown Valet and more.

Later this year, stay tuned for openings for TD Bank, Harris Teeter, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Georgetown Valet and more.

The restaurant offerings at Union Station will soon be boasting five new eateries. As many in the lunchtime crowd have already noticed, Chipotle will be opening on the main level in September. Other lunchtime options will soon include Potbelly Sandwich Works, Chop’t Creative Salad Company and Bojangles. If you’re in the mood for some world-famous sweets, Crumbs Bake Shop will open one if its first DC locations at Union Station in the coming months.

Gallaudet University recently held an American Sign Language workshop for NoMa BID staff led by Daniel Fisher. The workshop was formed to help NoMa staff and ambassadors better communicate with Gallaudet students and faculty in the neighborhood. Fisher covered basic directional signs, numbers, colors for the Metro lines and other helpful information. The NoMa BID team will continue to improve their signing skills to better assist students and faculty members from Gallaudet. See photos of the workshop here.

In case you missed it, the Washington Post covered the transformation of the NoMa neighborhood in its “Where We Live” section on July 10. The in-depth article features local residents and businesses alike, highlighting their decisions to settle in NoMa and the rapid pace of change they are witnessing every day. The article mentions the continued office sector success, and focuses on the residential buildings popping up around the neighborhood. Read the article here.

This summer, NoMa BID’s four ambassadors have been joined by three new staff members for the season. Michael Harris, Thomas Henderson and Nalan Ross joined NoMa BID in June after completing a 10-week hospitality program with the DC Department of Employment Services. All three scored high marks on their certification, which covers interaction and people skills for the hotel, retail and tourism sectors.

“I like interacting with people; I like making people smile,” said Michael Harris, a DC native who was raised in the Shaw neighborhood of Northwest DC. He now lives near Fort Totten. Harris enjoys getting to know different members of the NoMa community, he said. “I have no problem helping anyone out.”

Thomas Henderson, another DC native, was raised in the Anacostia neighborhood of Southeast DC, where he still lives. The job is helping him become more of a people person “because I’m interacting with people more,” he said. “There’s a lot going on in this area that people don’t realize is happening. It doesn’t seem as big to people as it really is.” Much of the Clean and Safe work conducted by the NoMa BID goes unnoticed on a day-to-day basis, according to Henderson; if NoMa BID stopped work, people would realize it!

Both ambassadors work roving routes throughout the neighborhood Monday through Friday. Stay tuned for an Ambassador feature on Nalan Ross and Albert Williams in our next newsletter.

On July 23rd, the Fenty administration celebrated a major milestone in its Housing First initiative by placing the District’s 1,000th person into Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). Mayor Fenty, Department of Human Services Director Clarence Carter, DC Housing Authority Director Adrianne Todman, Councilmember Tommy Wells and a host of advocates and community members gathered at the apartment of Lisa Bolling, a United States veteran and 22-year District resident, to celebrate her new life and home.

NoMa BID has focused heavily on homeless support and services since its creation in 2007. Nineteen homeless persons have found permanent housing due to the efforts of our ambassador team; more than 50 people have been connected to services such as healthcare and food stamps through their work. These efforts are led by ambassador and homeless outreach coordinator Aaron McKeiver, who attended the event and is shown here with Mayor Fenty.

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National Postal Museum
Calendar of Events

Northwest One Library
Check www.dclibrary.org/northwest for library news and events

DCBIA Community Improvement Day
Join DCBIA for a Community Improvement Day along the Metropolitan Branch Trail. The event will take place on Saturday, October 2 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Rhode Island Avenue and Franklin Streets, NE. You’ll have a chance to spruce up the trail, with planting, landscaping, general clean-up and seating installation. For more information, call DCBIA at 202-966-8665 or visit http://www.dcbia.org/event_community.html

DC Slices
DC Slices stops by 25 Massachusetts Avenue every Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. Drop by for a piece of pie, and follow them on Twitter!

DCPS Beautification Day
The District of Columbia Public Schools holds an annual Beautification Day at more than 100 schools throughout the city; volunteers spruce up each campus with cleaning, gardening, painting, and other light tasks so students will start in the fall with a beautiful school. Sign up to volunteer at this year’s event, which will be held August 21, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Organizers are hoping to place 25 volunteers in every school. Register here.

Metropolitan Branch Trail Connections:
Every Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. a group gathers to walk, run and bike the Met Branch Trail. Join your neighbors at the Edgewood Recreation Center at 3rd and Evarts Streets, NE and check out the new trail running through NoMa. You can find out more about the Met Branch Trail through their website www.metbranchtrail.com or join their new list serv organized by the Rails to Trails Conservancy: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/metbranchtrail/

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