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Breakfast links: More bikes in more places
Photo by katiecampbell on Flickr.
More are biking: DC bicycle counts show that peak ridership is up 175% since 2004. Cyclists are about 77% male, 75% wear helmets, and CaBi makes up 1-12% of bikes depending on location. (d.ish) 
Fairfax gets friendlier to bikes, peds: Fairfax will add clear bike and pedestrian paths to its new Silver Line stations and might even bring bike sharing surrounding areas, though they haven't necessarily settled on using CaBi. (WTOP)
Stuck in park on parking: Despite many possible improvements to the residential parking program, DDOT is not likely to make major changes for a year. Any reforms before then would likely have to come from the Council. (DCist)
Pick a tagline: DDOT wants your input on which one of six taglines the DC streetcar should use. The choices include "Make Your Next Connection", "District at Your Doorstep", and "Let's Go!" You can take the online survey here. (WAMU)
Yes! changes: It turns out that Ward 8 won't be losing its Yes! Organic Market. The store will get a name change to Healthy Gourmet Market in hopes that dropping "organic" from the name will help dispel the perception of high prices. (Post)
Why Intelsat picked Tysons: Intelsat, which is moving from Van Ness to Tysons, considered the Capitol Riverfront but thinks it's "not there yet." A Bethesda building had too few restaurants nearby and wasn't car-accessible enough. Metro Silver Line proximity and retail options made Tysons appealing. (WBJ)
Corporate incentives don't work: Using economic studies, Richard Florida argues that economic incentives for companies like tax breaks rarely improve economic conditions in cities or regions. (Atlantic Cities, Michael P)
And...: Is Columbia Road the best part of DC? (OPinions) ... Would self-driving cars be an ideal solution to Tysons congestion instead of more highway lanes? (Post) ... Drivers hit and critically injure pedestrians in Sterling and Annapolis. (Post, WTOP)
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 | Steven Yates grew up in Indiana before moving to DC in 2002 to attend college at American University. He currently lives in Southwest DC.   |
Comments
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Tue May 21
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by Watcher on Dec 10, 2012 8:58 am • link • report
by Michael Perkins on Dec 10, 2012 8:59 am • link • report
by MJ on Dec 10, 2012 9:03 am • link • report
by Friend at Intelsat on Dec 10, 2012 9:05 am • link • report
"As to shedding the company’s longtime business address in D.C., Bryan said that was not so much of an issue given the global reach of the Luxembourg-based company. In Tysons Corner, the company’s new home will be closer to Dulles International Airport."
And I suspect that is the kicker.
by charlie on Dec 10, 2012 9:11 am • link • report
I am not an expert but is each municipality competing their hearts out against each other the way to go? Commutes to places like Tysons and even some Maryland to Maryland commutes are bears.
If Dan T is so into lowering costs why does he want to move the FBI?
Oh and another story - how about those Redskins? Football fans here? Hello, anyone?
by Jazzy on Dec 10, 2012 9:12 am • link • report
by I. Rex on Dec 10, 2012 9:13 am • link • report
that Intelsat specifically cited the Silver Line, is a win for NoVa transit advocates. One more step toward the transformation of Tysons.
by AWalkerInTheCity on Dec 10, 2012 9:16 am • link • report
by William on Dec 10, 2012 9:19 am • link • report
by Van Nessy on Dec 10, 2012 9:28 am • link • report
by AWalkerInTheCity on Dec 10, 2012 9:39 am • link • report
That would be an expensive piece of real estate for the Feds to buy just to house embassies (which traditionally pay for their own chanceries). It's especially unlikely that they'll use more of it because the State Department is already getting property at the old Walter Reed site to house new embassies.
In any event, it will likely be replaced by something. As it is, only half of the building's million square feet is actually usable space. What a waste next to a Metro station.
by Adam L on Dec 10, 2012 9:41 am • link • report
I wouldn't be surprised if at least part of the Intelsat campus is purchased by the District. It'd be a great opportunity for UDC to expand its campus.
Additional retail w/ residential units on upper floors would also be appropriate, given the proximity to Metro and the already-existing business districts in Van Ness and Cleveland Park.
by Adam on Dec 10, 2012 9:50 am • link • report
Streetcar taglines:
A Streetcar Named Gentrifier (stress on the third syllable in "gentrifier")
DC Streetcar: Activating the Urban Core with a Vibrant Brand of Traffic Jam Since 2028
DC Streetcar: More Projectile Rock-Proof than the Bus
DC Streetcar: Move b***h, get out the way. Get out the way b***h, get out the way.
As for Intelsat, which is a stone's throw away from where I live... given that it abuts the Chinese Embassy, chances are that State and the Secret Service will not allow anything without massive setbacks and walls.
by Dizzy on Dec 10, 2012 9:51 am • link • report
Anything can be "gourmet"
by AWalkerInTheCity on Dec 10, 2012 9:56 am • link • report
They're idiots if they don't.
DDOT wants your input on which one of six taglines
All 6 suck, but I could not answer that.
The store will get a name change to Healthy Gourmet Market in hopes that dropping "organic" from the name will help dispel the perception of high prices.
Wow. The customers don't see (and then avoid) high prices. No, the perceive them. Oddly, it must be caused by some spell...
Corporate incentives don't work
Can GGW please cite this study every time we discuss a corporate tax break?
by Jasper on Dec 10, 2012 9:58 am • link • report
An expansion of UDC is an interesting thought, but isn't that institution struggling with significant structural problems that would make such growth prohibitive?
I definitely agree that the property is not the best use of land so close to the Metro. On a related matter, it was a real shame to see the old gas station on the corner of Veazy Terrace and Conn. Ave replaced with, sigh, a two-story Walgreens.
by Van Nessy on Dec 10, 2012 10:19 am • link • report
The FBI wants a better building. GSA doesn't want to pay for what it would cost to upgrade the current one, so moving is the remaining option to meet the current requirements.
by Mike on Dec 10, 2012 10:25 am • link • report
Actually the FBI move is something GSA is doing under the President's directive to reduce real estate costs:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-business/post/gsa-proposes-trading-hoover-building-for-new-fbi-campus/2012/12/03/5b8c94b8-3d5e-11e2-bca3-aadc9b7e29c5_blog.html
Re: Intelsat
Not mentioned is whether lower taxes played a role. All other things being equal, if the cost of doing business is less in one place vs. another, that's going to be an advantage.
Also, not mentioned is that Tysons has many other satellite related businesses. That would certainly increase Intelsat's potential labor pool.
by Falls Church on Dec 10, 2012 10:35 am • link • report
by oboe on Dec 10, 2012 10:57 am • link • report
by Rich on Dec 10, 2012 11:07 am • link • report
@Jasper
Also on Thursday there was a link that compared prices between Yes! and Anacostia Grocery Warehouse and found they weren't that different. Now I would guess Yes! would suffer in price comparison to Giant or Safeway but I think the perception of price differences is greater than the reality. Though I'm not sure how much using "Gourmet" in the name helps that.
by Steven Yates on Dec 10, 2012 11:07 am • link • report
I think it's that the FBI needs a bigger building, perhaps larger than can be housed in their current space (even with expansion), and that the opportunity cost of office space there is well beyond what GSA has authorized federal agencies to pay for space.
So the better option is to sell the Pennsylvania space for development, and use that money to buy a much larger building outside of DC where costs are cheaper.
by ah on Dec 10, 2012 11:33 am • link • report
by Phil on Dec 10, 2012 11:33 am • link • report
I think the argument that people avoid it based on price is a bit of bunk. Plenty of people of lower income shop at corner stores, which are quite expensive.
I tend to agree, they likely lost business due to the fact it is perceived to be more expensive/yuppy etc.
@Van Nessy
The Intelsat building was sold to a private company. Not certain of plans, but I would love to see it torn down and rebuilt. They have a huge campus, in a terrific location. Could be put to so much better use than "Silos" with huge wasted space in the middle of each.
by Kyle-W on Dec 10, 2012 11:37 am • link • report
Organic, Gourmet or whatever you want to call it. The "name" of the store is the very last of its problems.
Wrong Store in an even worse location. No need to try to figure things out beyond that.
by HogWash on Dec 10, 2012 11:42 am • link • report
You got to ride it, it's electric! (Boogie woogie woogie woogie)
by Jack Love on Dec 10, 2012 11:58 am • link • report
by AlanF on Dec 10, 2012 12:03 pm • link • report
As for too few restaurants near 4500 East-West in Bethesda, that's 101% bull*%^t. Downtown Bethesda probably has more restaurants per square mile than any neighborhood in the entire DC Area. Maybe there isn't a huge selection right at the front door, but walk a block North, South, or West and there's plenty of diverse restaurants to satisfy any individual.
As for car accessibility...First of all, who cares? It's an urban area and the building is nearly right on top of the Red Line station. There's also a huge public garage literally on the same block, not to mention underground parking options that are sure to be built.
Okay so they basically think that the Riverfront is still a ghetto. Fair point. However, the only advantages of the Tysons location over the Bethesda and Arlington locations is that its closer to Dulles, and people who like to commute to a sprawling, un-walkable, traffic-choked (even in the middle of the day), poorly planned, over-sized office park won't be disappointed.
by King Terrapin on Dec 10, 2012 12:43 pm • link • report
by MStreetDenizen on Dec 10, 2012 12:48 pm • link • report
That building doesn't fill all of its space, though. Besides the moats, only half of Hoover rises to its full height, and-- mirroring Main Justice across the street-- it has a large interior courtyard. I'd like to think that any development that replaces the Hoover building will use much more of that space, but will use it more efficiently, and will seem less massive. I suspect, however, that it will only end up being less dramatic.
As for the streetcar slogan, I would suggest "At Last!"
by Steven Harrell on Dec 10, 2012 12:53 pm • link • report
Intelsat and its car commuting employees care and in this instance, that's all that matters. Bethesda is simply not as highway accessible as Tysons nor is it as auto-oriented (for better or worse).
people who like to commute to a sprawling, un-walkable, traffic-choked (even in the middle of the day), poorly planned, over-sized office park won't be disappointed.
Either your description of Tysons is inaccurate or there are huge numbers of people who like what you've described. Obviously, something must explain why Tysons attracts far more companies than Bethesda.
The viewpoint that the only reason Intelsat could possibly choose Tysons over Bethesda is that they are idiots sounds like companies who think that anyone who doesn't buy their product is an idiot. Not a winning strategy.
by Falls Church on Dec 10, 2012 2:12 pm • link • report
by AWalkerInTheCity on Dec 10, 2012 2:16 pm • link • report
'Capital Riverfront is not at all "ghetto" but it is also still lacking in retail and restaurants.'
I was bluntly translating their "not there yet" excuse.
@FallsChurch
"Intelsat and its car commuting employees care and in this instance, that's all that matters. Bethesda is simply not as highway accessible as Tysons nor is it as auto-oriented (for better or worse).
Either your description of Tysons is inaccurate or there are huge numbers of people who like what you've described. Obviously, something must explain why Tysons attracts far more companies than Bethesda.
The viewpoint that the only reason Intelsat could possibly choose Tysons over Bethesda is that they are idiots sounds like companies who think that anyone who doesn't buy their product is an idiot. Not a winning strategy."
Well Bethesda is definitely a huuuge step up in highway-accessibility from the present HQ in Van Ness. Plus, most employees already live in MD and DC.
I'm not saying they're total idiots. As I mentioned, close proximity to Dulles (especially for a foreign-based company) is a legitimate (albeit weak) reason to move to Tysons.
I also suspect that their original intention was to move to Tysons anyway. The Maryland move was a ploy to draw incentive packages from the state, forcing Virginia (which is well known for bending over for big business) to provide a better counter-offer. Northrop Grumman and Hilton did the same thing even though a move to Maryland made for sense, not least because their biggest competitors (Lockheed Martin and Marriott respectively) were already located in Bethesda.
by King Terrapin on Dec 10, 2012 3:23 pm • link • report
by selxic on Dec 10, 2012 3:37 pm • link • report
Balanced reporting/posting would make this blog...greater.
by Sad on Dec 10, 2012 4:12 pm • link • report
You realize that the breakfast links are user submitted right? Did you submit it? Why not post it in the comments? I'm certainly intrigued.
by drumz on Dec 10, 2012 4:27 pm • link • report
Not really, no. Yeah, Bethesda is a little closer to 495, but not that much. Plus, with the clusterphudge around NIH, it might be just as quick to go up Connecticut from Van Ness as the crawl up Wisconsin from downtown Bethesda. The mile between the 2 roads on the Beltway can be pretty clogged up, but it doesn't add that much to a commute to/from the west.
by Fischy (Ed F.) on Dec 10, 2012 4:44 pm • link • report
As someone who does the reverse commute, from Bethesda to Petworth via Connecticut, I can certainly attest to the fact that Connecticut going north in the evenings is an absolute mess. Just as bad as Wisconsin going north tbh.
by Kyle-W on Dec 10, 2012 4:57 pm • link • report
Most likely Intelsat could get more $ from VA to move there.
As payback, DC just paid $7M "moving expenses" for United Negro College Fund to move from Fairfax to DC.
Entities make a lot of money taking incentives from different competing jurisdictions every few years.
by Tom Coumaris on Dec 11, 2012 12:06 am • link • report
I agree that Wisconsin between Jones Bridge Rd and Cedar Ln through the Medical Center/NIH campus is horrible in rush hour, even more so now thanks to BRAC. However, Connecticut through Chevy Chase is just as bad, especially since a lot of drivers trying to avoid the Wisconsin traffic take that route.
Distance wise, it's not even comparable. The distance between Bethesda/East-West and the Beltway is half the distance between the Beltway and Van Ness and that doesn't take into account the 10 million traffic lights along Conn. Ave in DC. Also, commuters coming from I-270 have direct access to Wisconsin. To get from I-270 to get Connecticut you have to get on the Beltway, albeit only for a short distance (which can seem pretty long in rush hour though).
by King Terrapin on Dec 12, 2012 4:21 pm • link • report
Gov. McDonnell offered a $1.3 million grant which matched or bettered Maryland's offer.
by King Terrapin on Dec 12, 2012 4:24 pm • link • report
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