Noma Business Improvement District Newsletter

December 2007

Welcome to the NoMa Business Improvement District’s first quarterly newsletter.
NoMa is rapidly developing as one of Washington’s next great neighborhoods.
Over $1 billion of new development is complete or under construction with another
3 million square feet of new office, housing, hotels and retail space scheduled to
break ground over the next year.

A lot has happened since the BID was officially created on March 9th of this year.
The highlights include:

Over 120 people joined Mayor Fenty, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and Councilmember Thomas for the BID’s
official launch celebration in May.
NoMa’s first hotel and residential
projects broke ground this summer.
ATF employees occupied their new headquarters in September.
EEOC announced that it is moving its headquarters to NoMa next summer.
The District’s Department of Transportation embarked on a multi-million dollar campaign to upgrade and beautify NoMa’s streets and sidewalks, including new historic street lights and bike paths.
NoMa launched its Clean Campaign on October 1st, providing daily street and sidewalk cleaning services in the area.
NoMa just launched a redesign of its website, including an interactive map with images and up-to-date information on over 40 development projects (www.nomabid.org).

You can read more about these and other exciting developments in our December newsletter. This issue also highlights the interesting history behind one of NoMa’s most famous buildings, the Uline Arena, and the good works of the Father McKenna Center, a local non-profit affiliated with Gonzaga High School that has been serving the poor for 20 years. Find out how you can get involved in your community.

Until next time,
Liz Price, President
lprice@nomabid.org

In September, Federal government employees
completed their move into the new U.S. Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives headquarters
at New York and Florida Avenues, NE. Construction
of the ATF building, designed by internationally known architect Moshe Safdie, kicked off development of the NoMa neighborhood when it broke ground several years ago, along with the New York Avenue Metro station
next door. Click here to read more.

Clean Campaign Launches
Clean team launch photo The BID began its Clean Campaign on October 1st, partnering with the Washington-based Gospel Rescue Ministries’ “Ready to Work” program to provide daily
street and sidewalk cleaning services seven days a week. NoMa’s clean team is canvassing the area twice a day from 7 AM to 3 PM removing all litter, debris and weeds. Click here to read more.

Streets and Sidewalks Get a Facelift
The District’s Department of Transportation (DDOT)
is investing approximately $7.6 million in street improvements in NoMa this fiscal year. Two important projects are underway and will be complete by June
2008: reconstruction of Second Street, NE between Massachusetts Avenue and M Street, and reconstruction of four underpasses that run beneath the CSX railroad tracks at Florida Avenue, M Street, L Street, and
K Street, NE. Click here to read more.

This summer NoMa’s first hotel and residential projects broke ground. A 218-key Courtyard by Marriott, located strategically between the New York Avenue Metro station and the new ATF headquarters, is being developed by The Finvarb Group in partnership with several local investors and will open in early 2009. The hotel will also feature 10,000 sf of ground floor retail and a green roof.

Union Place Photo The Cohen Companies is building NoMa’s first apartment
building at 3rd and K Streets, NE. The 212-unit building will
include a day care center, fitness center, public courtyard and 5,000 sf of neighborhood retail. Mayor Fenty, Congresswoman Norton, Councilmember Brown and others attended the groundbreaking, where the building name was announced:
The Loree Grand at Union Place in honor of Loree Murray,
a tireless community advocate.

Tishman Speyer Starts on Trophy-Quality Complex
Streets and Sidewalks Global real estate developer Tishman Speyer broke ground on the first phase of an ultra-modern 707,000 square foot trophy-quality office complex at 1100 First Street, NE. Planned for a Silver LEED rating, 1100 First Street will introduce the innovative architectural design concepts of Chicago-based Krueck & Sexton Architects to the Nation’s Capital.

Krueck & Sexton, known for its creative interior design of Herman Miller stores nationwide, is teaming with locally-based Gensler to create uniquely shaped buildings cloaked in a curtain wall with textured glass that maximizes incoming light. The 12-story, 347,000 sf office building is currently leasing and will be ready for occupancy in 2009.

Looking for unique lunch options in the neighborhood? Here’s the scoop
on a couple of places you may not have discovered yet. Rail Yard at Union Station

Railroad Deli: Located in a 100-year old former railroad depot designed by Daniel Burnham (Union Station architect), the Railroad Deli serves a good variety of breakfast and lunch options at 900 2nd Street NE. What makes this spot unique is the friendly service of manager, Delvita, and her staff and the outdoor seating on the former railroad platform where you can watch the trains coming in and out of Union Station.
   - Hours: M – F, 8 AM – 3:30 PM
   - Phone: 202-789-1007
   - Address: 900 2nd Street, NE
Ibiza: You may have heard about the ultra-hip night spot, Ibiza, which opened in NoMa this summer. It’s been written about in People Magazine, The Washington Post, New York Times and DC Modern Magazine. But you may not know that they are now serving lunch. Good food and reasonable prices are sure to please – and they deliver! Breakfast will be added soon, including Starbucks coffee.
   - Hours: M – F, 11AM – 3 PM
   - Phone: 888-424-9232
   - Address: 1222 First Street, NE
Coming Soon... The retail tenants at the ATF building by the
New York Avenue Metro will be announced soon and will open
in Spring 2008.

One of NoMa’s most historic neighboring institutions is the St. Aloysius Church
located at 900 North Capitol St., NW, just across the street from NoMa’s western boundary. The church has been in use since 1859 and is named for St. Aloysius
Gonzaga, a young Italian Jesuit who gave his life at the age of 23 caring for victims
of the plague in Rome in 1581. Click here to read more.

Uline Arena Destined for New Life
Merrit Drucker What building in NoMa has been used for ice hockey,
figure skating, wrestling, basketball, midget auto racing,
roller derby, rock concerts, political rallies, tennis, boxing, ballet, rodeo, pro wrestling, circus, live theater, and an
indoor trash transfer station? Click here to read more.

BID News

At the BID’s first annual member meeting in June, the following slate of Board
members was approved:

Chair:	Bruce Baschuk, J Street Development
Vice Chair:	Charles Wilkes, The Wilkes Company
Secretary/Treasurer:	Douglas M. Firstenberg, Stonebridge Carras

Directors:	Andrew Bauman, Morgan Stanley
	Joseph Doran, Stephen A. Goldberg Company
	James A. Evans, Tishman Speyer
	Chance Patterson, XM Satellite Radio
	Tony Reed, U.S. General Services Administration
	Rob Seldin, Archstone Smith

Merrit Drucker joined the NoMa BID in September as Director of Operations. He is responsible for ensuring the 35-block BID area
is clean and safe for area residents, workers and visitors. Merrit
brings to NoMa extensive experience and a passion for improving
the quality of life in Washington, D.C. Since retiring from military
service, Merrit served as the District’s Clean City Coordinator and Neighborhood Services Coordinator for Ward 4 where he made
dramatic improvements in the cleanliness and safety of Ward 4 neighborhoods. Most recently, he served as a Cabinet-level official under Mayor Adrian Fenty, directing the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services. You can reach Merrit at mdrucker@nomabid.org.