Sunday, November 21, 2010

Anacostia River Trips For Students



The National Park Service is taking 400 District of Columbia students on canoe trips along the Anacostia River this week to learn about the area watershed.

Between Saturday and Thursday, about 80 students each day will paddle the river in five handmade canoes. It's part of first lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign to promote active, healthy lifestyles.

Park Rangers will guide the river excursions with staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Anacostia Watershed Society. The students will work on service projects to remove trash and other objects from the river.

The Park Service also is planning ways to continue the program in Washington and expand to other cities.
Submitted by WUSA9 Web Staff

ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY: EAST OF THE RIVER Living.http://www.AnacostiaRiverRealty.com
2412 Minnesota Ave. SE Suite 204
Washington, DC 20020
202-678-REAL (7325)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Wal-Mart’s Expansion to Include D.C. in 2012



Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, will open its first stores in Washington, D.C. in 2012, looking to larger U.S. cities to revive stagnant sales nationally.

The four locations will offer a full grocery selection, spokesman Steven Restivo said in an interview today. The company also may open more sites across the city, including the areas east of the Anacostia River.
By Matthew Boyle and Matt Townsend

Go to: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-18/wal-mart-stores-to-open-sites-in-washington-d-c-.html for more info.

ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY: Fine EAST OF THE RIVER Living.
http://www.AnacostiaFineLiving.com

2412 Minnesota Ave. SE Suite 204
Washington, DC 20020
202-678-REAL (7325)

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Councilwoman fighting EPA over contaminated Anacostia Riverfront property



D.C. Councilwoman Mary Cheh wants to block federal regulators from seizing contaminated properties along the Anacostia River so the land can potentially be more quickly cleaned and developed.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency has threatened to take over the cleanup process of three toxic properties along the river if the city doesn't act by mid-December to force the property owners to remove contaminants. But the EPA is notoriously slow, often taking more than a decade to get projects done, and neither the D.C. attorney general nor the District Department of the Environment have the power to force landowners to act.

To fix that, the Ward 3 councilwoman has introduced a bill to give District authorities the tools they need to force property owners to clean up. Cheh told The Washington Examiner that she'll soon introduce emergency legislation to make sure a version of the bill is passed in time to meet the EPA's deadline.

"Even if these sites are not developed, they could be used for a recreational purpose," Cheh said. "Not having these sites cleaned up impedes the opportunity to functionally use them."

By: Freeman Klopott
Examiner Staff Writer


Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Councilwoman-fighting-EPA-over-contaminated-riverfront-property-1587193-108757804.html#ixzz15aX05JIS

ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY: Introducing Fine EAST OF THE RIVER Living.http://www.AnacostiaFineLiving.com

2412 Minnesota Ave. SE Suite 204
Washington, DC 20020
202-678-REAL (7325)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

New District measure requires six-month mediation before foreclosure

This week the District Council approved a measure requiring lenders to go through six months of mediation with a homeowner before proceeding with a foreclosure.

Mediation allows the borrower and the lender's representative to negotiate, with the guidance of an impartial go-between, over possible alternatives to a foreclosure, such as a loan modification. But neither side can be compelled to agree to a mediated solution.

Peter Tatian, research associate with the Urban Institute, a social policy think tank, said mediation can be useful in a place like the District, which does not require courts to review foreclosure cases.

"Having a mediator that can be that extra set of eyes and ears helps bridge the gap between the homeowner and lender and, I think, can be very beneficial."

There are more than 3,000 homes (including condos) in the foreclosure process now in the District. "We seem to be stuck there for the moment," he said.

Maryland implemented a new foreclosure mediation law July 1, which requires that a lender send the homeowner a "Request for Mediation" form when it starts foreclosure proceedings in a Maryland court. Homeowners have 15 days in which to file the request with the Circuit Court and must pay a non-refundable fee of $50.

The new D.C. program was proposed by Ward 4 Council Member Muriel Bowser and will be managed by the District's Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking. The Department offers a printed "Foreclosure Mitigation Kit," which can be downloaded from disb.dc.gov. The department can be reached at 202-727-8000.

In Maryland, information on foreclosure mediation is available at mdhope.org or 1-877-462-7555.

-Elizabeth Razzi, Washington Post.com

ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY: Fine EAST OF THE RIVER Living.http://www.AnacostiaFineLiving.com

Monday, November 15, 2010

Support the ARCH Development Corporation's commitment to Historic Anacostia



ARCH is seeking refunding from the District of Columbia to continue their work in Historic Ancostia and it is very important that they have your support. Without this vital funding ARCH will no longer be able to continue to maintain many of their programs and galleries in Historic Anacostia.

They need our support NOW!

I support the ARCH Development Corporation (ADC) and their nearly twenty years of community service in Historic Anacostia. I would like ADC to continue to host free cultural and artistic events for the community, highlight local artists in their art galleries, provide local entrepreneurs with free technical assistance, provide free housing and work space for local artists, provide jobs to local residents, and continue to advocate for all the things that make the Historic Anacostia a wonderful place for residents, businesses, and the arts.
ARCH Development Corporation (ADC) is a nineteen year old not for profit organization based in Historic Anacostia dedicated to the creative revitalization of the community. ADC feels that organized facilities and development programs designed to attract creative community-based organizations can serve as the engine for neighborhood economic development. The ARCH Development Corporation’s projects include Honfleur Gallery, The Gallery at Vivid Solutions, Vivid Solutions DC Print Lab, The Blank Space SE, Eat Shop Live Anacostia and The Hive.

PLEASE GO TO http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/adcanacostia TO SIGN PETITION


ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY
: Introducing Fine EAST OF THE RIVER Living.http://www.AnacostiaFineLiving.com

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Where Is Anacostia's Fairlaw Neighborhood?



BOUNDARIES: The Anacostia River, Pennsylvania Avenue SE, 25th Street SE, and Naylor and Good Hope roads.
SCHOOLS: Ketcham Elementary, Kramer Middle and Anacostia High.

HOME SALES: In the past year, 14 homes in Fairlawn have sold or gone under contract. Recently, 18 were on the market, with an average price of $240,000; however, according to Darrin Davis, owner of Anacostia River Realty, prices range from $59,000 for a two-bedroom home in need of a major renovation to $499,950 for a three-bedroom home.

WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE: Anacostia Park, Anacostia Historic District, Fort Stanton Park, the Frederick Douglass Home, Fort Dupont Park.

WITHIN 10-20 MINUTES BY CAR: Downtown Washington, National Arboretum, H Street NE, Capitol Hill, Nationals Park, RFK Stadium, the Ray's the Steaks at East River.


ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY: Introducing Fine EAST OF THE RIVER Living.http://www.AnacostiaFineLiving.com

ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY HOMBUYER'S CLUB MEETS TODAY


This month's topic: Home Buying 101- BUDGETING & CREDIT

Saturday, November 13, 2010 *Last Meeting of the year*
11:00 A.M.– 1:00 P.M.
Guest Speaker: John Corrigan of America Trust Funding



One of the most important investments you will ever make is the purchase of a home. The process of getting into a home can be long, frustrating, and confusing for many homebuyers. Education is key.

NO CHARGE
PLEASE RSVP SPACE VERY LIMITED!

Refreshments Served

New Location***
2412 MINNESOTA AVE. SE
SUITE 204
202-678-REAL (7325)
http://www.AnacostiaRiverRealty.com/

Thursday, November 11, 2010

D.C. Rolls Out New Anacostia River-Themed License Plate



Washington, DC adds one more license plate to its short list of vehicle tags promoting certain organizations or causes. The District's Department of Transportation tweeted that a new Anacostia River-themed license plate is now available to residents. The plate, which they revealed on their Facebook page, was part of the 2009 legislation that added a five-cent fee on the use of plastic bags and seeks additional funds and attention for the cause of cleaning up the more often overlooked of the city's two rivers.

The new plate features the silhouettes of two kayakers and what looks like a heron or an egret holding a fish in its beak. It bears the letters "ENV" above the standard "Taxation Without Representation" tag line. An early version of the plate, pictured here, featured Canada Geese instead of the herons; those were likely removed due to the city's longstanding feud with the messy birds. Oddly, the word "Anacostia" doesn't appear anywhere on the plate.

The plates will cost $25 to purchase and $20 to renew, on top of the usual vehicle registration fees. After the costs of making the plates are covered, additional funds will go towards efforts to clean up the Anacostia River. And no we're still nowhere close, even with this new plate, to the 200-plus vanity options that Virginia offers.
By Martin Austermuhle http://dcist.com

ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY. Fine EAST OF THE RIVER Living.
http://www.AnacostiaFineLiving.com

Friday, November 5, 2010

Why Home Ownership Matters




ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY. Introducing Fine EAST OF THE RIVER Living.
http://www.AnacostiaFineLiving.com

Provided by ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY TV. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=anacostia+river+realty&aq=f

Work on the DC's Biggest Transportation Project Continues in Anacostia



So far, most of the visible work on the District's biggest transportation project has been done in the middle of the Anacostia River and on its east bank. Now, drivers on the Southeast-Southwest Freeway are going to get close to the construction of the new 11th Street Bridge.

Over the next two weeks, contractors are scheduled to drive piles in the freeway median east of 11th Street SE. This is an early phase in the construction of a ramp to the freeway from the new inbound span, one of three that will be part of rebuilt bridge. Two of the spans will carry freeway traffic across the river. The third is meant for neighborhood to neighborhood traffic, including bikes, pedestrians and streetcars. The entire project, now more than 25 percent done, is scheduled for completion in 2013.

This next phase involving the pile driving is scheduled for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays over the next two weeks.

By Robert Thomson/Washington Post.com
ANACOSTIA RIVER REALTY: Fine EAST OF THE RIVER Living.http://www.AnacostiaFineLiving.com