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Amtrak expands Union Station footprint
Union Station's leadership is promising more improvements at the transit hub now that a messy, behind-the-scenes legal fight is over.The big picture: On Monday, Amtrak took control of a large tract of space at Union Station from a third-party company, two years after it sought the takeover via eminent domain.The timeline of the case had cast uncertainty over the station, as retailers and leaders weren't able to plan for the future.Between the lines: Riders won't notice any changes immediately.But it's a good time for Union Station, which plans to soon welcome back a Starbucks and is enjoying increased foot traffic...
Amtrak expands Union Station footprint
Union Station's leadership is promising more improvements at the transit hub now that a messy, behind-the-scenes legal fight is over.The big picture: On Monday, Amtrak took control of a large tract of space at Union Station from a third-party company, two years after it sought the takeover via eminent domain.The timeline of the case had cast uncertainty over the station, as retailers and leaders weren't able to plan for the future.Between the lines: Riders won't notice any changes immediately.But it's a good time for Union Station, which plans to soon welcome back a Starbucks and is enjoying increased foot traffic...
Metro unveils North Bethesda Metro station redevelopment project
The North Bethesda Metro station would become a life sciences hub with housing and retail space, under a redevelopment proposal announced Monday.Why it matters: Metro has a track record for transit-oriented development, and this one would grow Montgomery County's life sciences corridor.State of play: The University of Maryland's Institute for Health Computing, a new research and tech school, will anchor the site in Rockville which is currently an empty field.The county said it has secured $36.6 million in local, state, and federal funding for infrastructure work on the 13.9-acre site. It's seeking another $25 million via a U.S. Department of Transportation grant to integrate a new Metro entrance into a future building.What they're saying: "This is a win for Metro, a win for the county, and a win for the region," Metro general manager Randy Clarke said.What's next: Montgomery County is accepting applications from developers to build the project. Image courtesy of WMATASign up for Axios Washington Dc for free.
D.C. hits housing goal of 36,000 new units early
D.C. has reached its five-year goal of creating 36,000 new housing units by 2025, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday.Why it matters: More units will hopefully ease our local housing crunch.The big picture: The DMV's tight real estate market has seen steadily high prices for years, thanks to low inventory and high demand.The median price for a DMV home continues to sit at $640,000, per BrightMLS β a record high.Meanwhile, a recent Washington Post study found that the DMV isn't building enough homes to keep up with its growth.Out of all local jurisdictions, only D.C., Alexandria, Arlington County, and Falls Church...
D.C. is seeing more divorces and custody battles over politics
Political and ideological differences are increasingly playing a role in Washington divorces and custody battles, D.C.-area lawyers tell Axios.Why it matters: Politics is no longer relegated to discussions about taxes or policy. It's become much more about identity and values, permeating American life β including marriages and parenting.And with partisan divides and animosity growing, it's affecting relationships.The big picture: This comes amid a tumultuous election year that's seen an assassination attempt on former President Trump and President Biden dropping out of the race following intense pressure from party members, donors, and allies.What they're saying: This is the first time in...
First look: Thai street food spot opening in Georgetown
Georgetown's culinary cred keeps growing β a vibrant Thai street food spot, Rimtang, opens soon.Why it matters: Chef Saran "Peter" Kannasute is known for luxe sushi spots Yume and Kyojin, but Rimtang marks a return to his Thai roots and family business.πΉπ Dig in: Kannasute grew up in Bangkok where his mother, Prapit La Femina (aka "Chef Oy") ran a small restaurant to feed the family while his father traveled with the military.La Femina will lead the kitchen at the 40-seat restaurant (formerly Kintaro), recreating dishes from her northern Thai homeland as well as other regional specialties.What they're saying: "I...
First look: Thai street food spot opening in Georgetown
Georgetown's culinary cred keeps growing β a vibrant Thai street food spot, Rimtang, opens soon.Why it matters: Chef Saran "Peter" Kannasute is known for luxe sushi spots Yume and Kyojin, but Rimtang marks a return to his Thai roots and family business.πΉπ Dig in: Kannasute grew up in Bangkok where his mother, Prapit La Femina (aka "Chef Oy") ran a small restaurant to feed the family while his father traveled with the military.La Femina will lead the kitchen at the 40-seat restaurant (formerly Kintaro), recreating dishes from her northern Thai homeland as well as other regional specialties.What they're saying: "I...
A case for eating a Chesapeake Bay invasive species
Restaurants. Stadiums. Prisons. There's a big new push to get invasive blue catfish out of the Chesapeake Bay and onto a variety of menus.Why it matters: The Bay's blue catfish population is booming, which is bad for the native species they outcompete for food and habitat, and those they prey on β especially our dwindling juvenile crab population.The big picture: Blue catfish get a bad rap. "When I hear 'invasive,' it's like aliens coming down. It's not sexy, it's not appetizing," says Matthew Scales, seafood marketing director for Maryland's Department of Agriculture.The agency is working with grocers and chefs to...
Where to eat Chesapeake blue catfish around D.C.
Blue catfish isn't new to D.C. menus, but local chefs are ramping up efforts to serve it.Why it matters: Blue catfish checks all the happy seafood boxes: It's local, wild, sustainable, versatile, budget-friendly, and most importantly, delicious.Zoom in: Long Shot Hospitality chef Kyle Bailey and his team recently hauled in a whopping 800 lbs of blue catfish on a fishing trip spearheaded by local photographer and conservationist Jay Fleming.Diners can typically find it at many of their restaurants, including a fried waterman's platter at The Salt Line, blackened catfish Creole at Dauphine's, and crispy fish tacos at Ometeo.What they're saying: "It's so versatile β it fries well, sautes well, smokes well, it's juicy and you can't cook the moisture out," says Bailey.More great places to try it:π£ Preserve in Annapolis fries up blue cat for fish n' chips with malt vinegar aioli.π The Dabney in Shaw dishes up crispy Chesapeake catfish sliders on their bar menu (one of Anna's favorite dishes in the city).Sign up for Axios Washington Dc for free.
Why DMV homebuyers are giving up
DMV resident Keith Powell has been attending open houses since peak pandemic days.The house with the socially distant real estate agent wasn't a fit β and neither were the dozen-plus houses he's seen since.Why it matters: House hunters are giving up.Zoom in: Powell lives mortgage-free in Brightwood and can't stomach mortgage rates coupled with sky-high home prices. He's pausing his real estate search for a home around 16th Street Heights "indefinitely."The big picture: We've been talking about it for years β home prices, mortgage rates and a lack of inventory are posing serious challenges for buyers. And recent data show...
It could be too hot to host future Summer Olympics in DC area
Data: CarbonPlan. Note: Estimate uses median high WBGT from 26 climatological models. Chart: Simran Parwani and Erin Davis/AxiosMost of the world will be too hot to host the Summer Olympics by 2050, including the DMV.By the numbers: An Axios analysis of CarbonPlan data finds that in 2050 60% of locations globally will experience Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures above 82Β°F, the American College of Sports Medicine's recommended threshold for canceling outdoor, continuous activity to avoid heat illness.CarbonPlan's models estimate that 92% of weather stations in Virginia will experience temperatures above the "cancel activity" level in 2050, compared to 50% of stations...
Olympics watch parties and drink specials in D.C.
The Paris Olympics are here and so are the watch parties, food and drink specials, and places staying open extra late.Why it matters: As an international city, D.C. does it up for the Olympics.The big picture: Some D.C. bars and restaurants are permitted to stay open for 24 hours during the Olympics (through August 11) and can serve alcohol between 6am and 4am.Paris is six hours ahead of D.C. so the extended hours will come in handy.π The intrigue: Embassies and international organizations often organize watch parties, including the French embassy, which is hosting an opening ceremony party, or the...
Georgetown is fighting over its streateries
You know how Georgetown seems hip again? There are lines outside Kim Kardashian's Skims, a scene-y vibe at the Levantine bakery Yellow, and even a pipeline of new home construction.There's just one problem.What I'm hearing: In one of America's most iconic neighborhoods, there's a fuss over restaurant streateries and their shabby twin, the extended sidewalk.Driving the debate: Diners and shoppers love them, and some restaurants have multiplied their dining capacity."I like that it's sort of European: People sitting outside and it's so congenial," says the writer Sally Quinn.But then there are some unkempt streateries gobbling up parking spaces along with...
Pickleball is now a varsity sport in Montgomery County
Lettering in pickleball is about to be a thing: It'll be offered as a varsity sport at all Montgomery County public high schools starting this fall.Why it matters: Washington is filled with so many pickleheads, that it can't keep up with the demand for courts.State of play: The district's expansion to all 25 schools is the result of a partnership between the D.C. Pickleball Team, the area Major League Pickleball team, and JOOLA, a pickleball company headquartered in Rockville.It's being offered as part of the Montgomery County Public Schools corollary sports program, which focuses on getting more students with disabilities involved in school sports.Fun fact: Montgomery County was the country's first district to include pickleball as a varsity sport when it launched with 11 high schools last year.Sign up for Axios Washington Dc for free.
Coastal Delmarva towns plan for more extreme weather events
Coastal Delmarva homeowners are bracing for more extreme weather events like flooding, as towns map out plans to protect their communities.Why it matters: Waterfront Delmarva towns β popular destinations for DMV-area vacationers β are grappling with their future against record-breaking heat, heavier and more frequent downpours, and flooding.The big picture: Climate change is causing extreme precipitation events to be more intense and frequent in much of the U.S. β affecting infrastructure and local economies.This is because a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor, which provides added moisture and energy to storm systems.In addition, climate change is causing sea levels...
Recipe: The viral Wolf Spritzer cocktail
The Wolf Spritzer is D.C.'s drink of the summer and we've got the recipe.Catch up quick: If you're wondering why "Wolf Spritzer" is trending, CNN's Wolf Blitzer posted a photo sampling his namesake cocktail at El Presidente on Sunday. He shared it on X almost exactly an hour before President Biden dropped out of the presidential race.Shortly after, Blitzer was on air sans spritzer looking like we all do when the boss calls you in on a Sunday.Why it matters: No other cocktail embodies summer 2024 like a refreshing spritz mixed with a sense of excitement and dread, garnished with...
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