Photo by whiteknuckled on Flickr.

Poplar Point for FBI?

Mayor Gray will suggest moving the FBI to Poplar Point. (Post) … Geoff Hatchard explains why that’s a bad idea in an addendum to his post yesterday.  

Building in Ballston

As renovations are about to start on Ballston Mall, Arlington is working on a plan to transform south Ballston from “predominantly auto-

oriented” to “vibrant mixed-use.” (ARLnow)  

Howard makes dough from real estate

Howard University bought up a lot of land which sat empty as parking lots for many years; now, they’re reaping a financial windfall from the land which will become Howard Town Center. (City Paper)  

Upper I-270 not so hot

Sprawling office parks in Gaithersburg and Germantown are struggling to fill space; Rockville is “where people want to be.” (Gazette, Ben Ross)  (Tip: Ben Ross)  

Transportation plan reactions

Ken Cuccinelli opposes the Virginia transportation “compromise” not because it’s a bad deal but because won’t ever raise any taxes; Terry McAuliffe supports it and calls it “mainstream.” (Examiner) … Bob Thomson notes that it’s unclear if Northern Virginia commuters would benefit from the plan. (Post)  

Cyclist’s life worth $140?

A driver rear-ended a cyclist on the shoulder of Route 3 in Prince George’s County, killing her. The driver pled guilty to negligent driving; her sentence: a $140 fine.  (Bowie Blade)  

Good things come from bag fees

We know the bag fees have reduced bag use, but what is the revenue going to? Elevation profiles 4 organizations that got grants from DC’s program or have benefited from Montgomery County’s.  

Graham under fire

Phil Mendelson wants the council to reprimand Jim Graham for his alleged lottery contract ethics lapses; Graham is suing the ethics board, saying he hasn’t gotten a fair hearing. Marion Barry is siding with Graham. (DCist, Post)  

3 neat apps

Walkanomics tries to better estimate a street’s walkability, but needs more and better open data. … SpotAgent uses Baltimore’s open data to estimate your chance of getting a ticket if you park illegally … StreetMix lets you draw your own cross-section of a street, like the ones in transportation plans. (Atlantic Cities)  

And…

Fairfax residents want to keep 2 express buses to the Pentagon. (WTOP) … Sequestration could close the panda exhibit at the zoo. (DCist) … LivingSocial might have been in even more trouble than previously reported, but they say no. (WBJ)