V.w.verweij

From a press release:

“Today, DC Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan announced that the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, D.C.¹s central library, will close on March 4 for a complete modernization. Reyes-Gavilan also released final renderings and floor plans for the modernized Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and will update the community on how Library service will be provided during construction at a meeting this evening.

Construction on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will start in Summer 2017 and continue until 2020. When the $208 million transformation is complete, the Library will become the center of activity for the already vibrant downtown area. The building will feature a new, inspiring, and transparent entryway; sculptured monumental stairs; large auditorium and conference center; creative spaces for fabrication, music production and art creation; ground level café with patio; double-height reading room; large, interactive children¹s space; expanded special collections space for researchers and local history enthusiasts, and a rooftop event space with terrace. Public art will be solicited for the reading room, the vestibule and the plaza in front of the building. The art installations in the vestibule and the plaza will honor Dr. King.

As the Library prepares for construction, Reyes-Gavilan outlined plans for interim services. Neighborhood libraries, which are currently closed on Thursday mornings, will open at 9:30 a.m. A retail location, ³Library Express²¹ will open at 1990 K St. NW to house Adult Literacy Resource Center and Center for Accessibility as well as provide a small browsing collection of books and public access computers. Special Collections, including parts of Washingtoniana, will be available at the Washington Historical Society, the Georgetown Library¹s Peabody Room and the Library of Congress. The Labs, which include the Fabrication, Memory and Studio labs, will be modified and relocated. The Memory Lab will be housed at the Northeast Library, 330 7th St., NE. Fifty laptops will be dispersed to neighborhood libraries to accommodate increased traffic. In addition to opening a Library Express location at 1990 K St. NW and expanding operating hours at all neighborhood libraries, many items that are unique to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and books that are in good condition will be available at the District¹s neighborhood libraries.

Today¹s announcement concludes the community engagement that began in 2013. More than 70 community and stakeholder meetings and 13 focus groups were held across the city, hundreds of surveys submitted, and more than 4,000 people were reached in person or online. The project has been approved by the National Capital Planning Commission, the Historic Preservation Review Board and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts.

Library Lovers Encouraged to Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library¹s 46 Years of Service

As the DC Public Library prepares to renovate the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Richard Reyes-Gavilan encouraged the public to participate in a series of events celebrating the well-loved and well-used building.

Once the library closes in March there will be a few public and private events allowing the public to close the current chapter in Library service at the flagship building.

On March 1, the Library will screen the documentary film ³A legacy of Mies and King.² The film follows architect Francine Houben, creative director of Mecanoo Architecten, as she investigates the past and present in order to design the library of the future. Houben delves into the archives, meets contemporaries of Mies and King, speaks to current library visitors and participates in the District¹s Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade to understand how to give the District¹s central library a new future.

On March 16 after the library closes, the DC Public Library Foundation will host its annual Story Time Gala reception. The Library Foundation partners with leading chefs, bartenders, artists, performers and D.C. notables to reinterpret classic stories in new ways to support children¹s programs at DC Public Library.

The final event for the original library, a concert by the Morehouse College Glee Club, will be the March 24th also after the library closes. Dr. King¹s alma mater, Morehouse College is the only all-male historically Black institution of higher learning in the United States. The Glee Club has shared the stage with opera great Jessye Norman, Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Trisha Yearwood, the Christian vocal jazz group Take 6, and soprano Indra Thomas. They have performed at such events as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, Super Bowl XXVII, a concert of excerpts from ³Porgy and Bess² with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and a premiere of the work ³Of Dreams and Other Possibilities² written by Patrice Rushen. The Library performance will include spirituals, gospel and Yuroba selections.”

9th and G St, NW

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 2 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit. Please try to send horizontal photos 640×480 (medium size on your iphone) if possible. If you’re not using an iphone any size is fine.

“Cleo heads to the Petworth Family March”

“Persephone in Petworth heard they were called “pussy hats” and thought she should try one.”

“Here’s Pablo sitting on his dog walker’s car in Bloomingdale.”

Thanks to Matt for sending: “Cool graphic overlay on EPA last night.”

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Rex, a puppy who loves hiking and playing with other dogs. Here is what his owner, Kris, had to say about him:

Such a small name and such a small dog, but a super big personality and spunk. Rex is a four month old Norwich terrier who is very energetic and loves to play. Rex is a new family dynamic for us, as our 16 1/2 year old Australian Terrier passed away last June. Rex has been a ball of energy and a welcome new addition.

In Rex’s young life already he has taken to hiking on trails and parks like his family. He especially liked a trip to Shenandoah River State Park to go leaf peeping in October. His favorite spot to sniffle and hike is Potomac Overlook Park.

Rex is becoming very familiar with the Bluemont Junction Trail where he lives close by. He is slowly making neighborhood friends and likes to play with any size dog so far even though he is only 5.6 pounds.

Say hi to Rex if you see him on the trails!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email arlingtonnews@gmail.com with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner six consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.

Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.

Photo via @realDonaldTrump

Thanks to all emailed updates about the Taylor Gourmet/President Trump meeting yesterday.

“Dear PoPville,

Trump tweeted a photo of the Taylor guy standing over his shoulder and smiling as he signed this horrendous executive order today that’s trying to undo major health, safety and environmental regulations:

The American dream is back. We’re going to create an environment for small business like we haven’t had in many, many decades! pic.twitter.com/ZuJNaN6z8b

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017

The Taylor guy is claiming in a tweet that he was just going to share his views with Trump. In reality, he was being used as a prop to smile while Trump did the work of big polluters and the US Chamber of Commerce.

pic.twitter.com/piPMOwmxuF

— H O A G I E S (@TaylorGourmet) January 31, 2017

Here’s what some top consumer and environmental groups said today about the very Executive Order Trump was signing and that Taylor guy was standing over his shoulder smiling for:

Sierra Club: “What this means is that for every restriction on immigration or tax break for big oil companies that is put into place, Donald Trump will also be able to throw out two clean air and clean water safeguards. The safeguards that Trump wants to throw out are those that ensure we can fulfill and implement laws deeply valued by Americans, like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, meaning this shameless pandering is willfully ignorant of Congressional mandates. This is a dangerous, deadly plan to undermine the laws that protect our environment, our workplaces, and our families and Trump should expect fierce resistance.”

Center for Science in the Public Interest (leading organization on federal food safety policy): “Certainly in the food safety world, responsible business leaders supported the Food Safety Modernization Act, which required the writing of new regulations that keep produce, packaged foods, and imports safe.,,Rather, this executive order springs from a cartoonish and unsophisticated view of the regulations that keep our air clean, our water potable, our food safe, our planes from crashing, and so on, and ignores the public health benefits of those rules. It may make for a fine photo opportunity but this edict signed today is not itself serious. The consequences, though, may well be.”

Public Citizen: “It will result in immediate and lasting damage to our government’s ability to save lives, protect our environment, police Wall Street, keep consumers safe and fight discrimination. It will fundamentally change our government’s role from one of protecting the public to protecting corporate profits, and will lead to a dangerous new era of deregulation and corporate “self-regulation.””

Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety: “threatens to roll back lifesaving auto safety regulations that prevent fatalities and injuries in car crashes, and that prevent crashes from happening. It also threatens to undermine public confidence in the safety of new vehicles”

Consumers Union: “We believe it is the role of government to set reasonable rules for the marketplace that protect consumers from dangers like predatory lending, dirty air and water, foodborne diseases, and unsafe medications. This order is telling federal agencies to trade off one rule that improves health or safety for two other rules, and that does not make sense.”

hahaha amazing suggestion from Save Church Road:

“How ’bout something more like this? (JK. All our votes–like 3M–will be write-ins for Lt. K. McRae. #DCFD)”

1213 U Street, NW Photo by JP

And just like that the Bill Cosby mural controversy concludes. You can see what the mural looked like when it first went up in Sept. 2012 here.

Caroline reports:

“Just walked by Ben’s and it looks like they’ve completely white washed over the mural on the alley side. I literally think they did in in the dead of the night because the guy was still painting at 7 am.”

Ben’s website says:

“The mural alongside Ben’s was painted in 2012. Now, after 5 years of braving the elements, its time to refresh and repaint the mural and we want your input! Below you will have the opportunity to pick your top 6 nominees from those listed below. You may also pick your favorite group of people, write in a name for consideration, and write in a complete group of your own. Thanks for your support and suggestions for our 2017 Mural.”

Nominees for the new mural include:

Alice Walker
Angela Davis
Anthony Bourdain
Barack Obama
Ben Ali
Bill Cosby
Bob Marley
Cathy Hughes
Charlene Drew Jarvis
Chris Rock
Chuck Brown
Common
Danny Glover
Dave Chappelle
Denzel Washington
Dorothy Height
Duke Ellington
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Ellen Degeneres
Frederick Douglass
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
George Clinton
George Lopez
Harriet Tubman
Harry Belafonte
Jesse Jackson Sr.
Jimmy Fallon
Joe Mantegna
John F Kennedy Jr.
John Leguizamo
Kevin Durant
Kevin Hart
Lance Gross
Ludacris
Mahatma Ghandi
Marion Barry Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Marvin Gaye
Maya Angelou
Mayor Muriel Bowser
Michael Jackson
Michelle Obama
Misty Copeland
Nikki Giovanni
Oprah Winfrey
Prince
Rachael Ray
Roberta Flack
Russ Parr
Simone Biles
Stevie Wonder
Taraji P. Henson
Terrance Howard
Tyrese
Virginia Ali
Wale

Vote for your top 6 here.

Photo by Caroline

140 Rock Creek Church Road, NW

From President Lincoln’s Cottage:

“On July 4, 1864, the same day the Lincoln family moved to the Cottage for the last time, Abraham Lincoln signed into law An Act to Encourage Immigration. This legislation cemented Lincoln and the Republican Party’s platform pledging that immigration “should be fostered and encouraged by a liberal and just policy.”

American by Belief, a new special exhibit opening this fall at President Lincoln’s Cottage, introduces the public to Abraham Lincoln’s little known immigration policies. Lincoln believed that America offered immigrants the full realization of its founding promises and a fair chance to succeed. Some of these very principles continue to draw immigrants to the United States 150 years later.

American by Belief opens on October 16, 2015, in the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center and will remain open for two years.

Follow here for immigration stories visitors have left us in the exhibit.”

Outside the Chinese Embassy apartment building under construction on Connecticut Ave in Kalorama.

Thanks to Emily for sending these awesome shots from Meridian Hill Park.

“I think its a juvenile red tailed hawk who was definitely snacking on something while I was watching.”

If you spot a hawk or other bird of prey around town, lunching or otherwise, please send a photo and an email where you spotted it to princeofpetworth@gmail.com. Hawks around Town is made possible by a generous grant from the Ben and Sylvia Gardner foundation.

13th and K Street, NW

Ed. Note: You can see previous proposals here.

From a press release:

“Today the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) announced the selection of Ann B. Friedman and Dantes Partners to lead the redevelopment of the historic Franklin School, located at the intersection of 13th Street NW and K Street NW in Ward 2. Delivering on the Bowser Administration’s commitment to the creative economy, the proposed development will transform the historic space into Planet Word, an interactive language arts museum and education space.

“Planet Word is a one-of-a-kind project that delivers on our promise to invest in the arts in the most innovative of ways,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian T. Kenner. “Developing the Franklin School into an interactive language center gives visitors and residents a unique learning experience, adds to the cultural fabric of our downtown, and is a great fit for the District’s growing creative economy.”

Planet Word’s mission is to inspire a love of words and language and increase literacy through a host of interactive exhibits and experiences. Along with the Mundolingua in Paris, Planet Word will be one of just a few fully-operational language museums globally. Initially inspired by MoMath, the National Museum of Mathematics in Manhattan, Ms. Friedman, with the support of her husband, Thomas L. Friedman, and a national board, has been developing plans for the museum for more than three years and is delighted to have found such an appropriate venue for the project and have the opportunity to restore the Franklin School to its former architectural glory.

The new museum will expand upon the usable space in the historic Franklin School building, creating four levels from the existing three levels by utilizing the below-grade space of the school. The project will provide a grand total of nearly 15,000 sf of exhibits space, a 2,000 sf state-of-the-art auditorium, a 3,500 sf restaurant and 1,900 sf in classroom space. The over $30 million development is projected to generate 35 new full-time jobs and welcome nearly 100,000 visitors annually.

In addition to interactive exhibits and galleries, Planet Word will provide:

· Arts and music programming featuring speakers, readings, plays and more using the 150-seat auditorium space;

· Professional development opportunities for teachers and a space for year-round classes, summer programs and workshops; and

· Retail, café, and event rental space

Planet Word plans to open its doors with free admission to the public by winter 2019. Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans agreed the new museum is highly positioned to maximize use of the historic space and deliver community benefits.

“This museum has an opportunity to inspire District tourists and residents, present and future, and help spark long-awaited activity to this corner of downtown,” said Councilmember Evans. “I commend Mayor Bowser’s team for selecting a viable project that is befitting of the historic Franklin School and positioned to be a recognized institution for years to come.”

Completed in 1869, the Franklin School is a historic landmark listed on the D.C. inventory of historic places and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was the first of several flagship schools to provide a comprehensive system of free universal education in the District. It was also the sight of Alexander Graham Bell’s “photophone” experiments in 1876. Franklin became the site of the City’s first high school is 1880 and was the administrative headquarters of the District school system from 1928 until 1968. It also served as an Adult Education Center from 1969 until 1990.

Since taking office, the Bowser Administration has shown a commitment to moving long-standing projects forward. Mayor Bowser has broken ground on a new entertainment and sports arena and infrastructure development at St. Elizabeths in Ward 8 – the first activity at the site in decades; created legislation that led to the successful transfer of 66 acres from the U.S. Army to the District, paving the way for the redevelopment of Walter Reed and creating 5,000 jobs in Ward 4; broken ground on Capitol Crossing, a $1.3 billion project in Ward 6 that will transform a seven-acre site and reunite the East End and Capitol Hill communities in the District; and led efforts to finalize a deal to ensure that construction can begin on a 20,000-seat DC United Soccer Stadium at Buzzard Point.”

“Quincy Pl NE Alley. Watching like a hawk.”

“We took this pic out of our kitchen window on capitol hill on Sunday morning.”

If you spot a hawk or other bird of prey around town, lunching or otherwise, please send a photo and an email where you spotted it to princeofpetworth@gmail.com. Hawks around Town is made possible by a generous grant from the Ben and Sylvia Gardner foundation.

Photo by DC Design Tours

Thanks to all who sent messages/photos about the protesters at 15th and L St, NW.

Photo by Harrison Jones

Photo by Harrison Jones

Photo by Harrison Jones

Lots more photos after the jump.

Photo by Harrison Jones

Photo by Marian

Photo by Chai

Photo by Dan Berger

nancyishappy:

i don’t even know you’re alive

what

3103 Mt. Pleasant St, NW

Lia Cafe is under new management in Mount Pleasant. Any fans? Didn’t think I’d be finding 99 cent coffee again:

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 2 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit. Please try to send horizontal photos 640×480 (medium size on your iphone) if possible. If you’re not using an iphone any size is fine.

“Here’s Palin ready for winter in Petworth.”

“This is foster cat Largo of Logan Circle who is adoptable through the Humane Rescue Alliance. To see more pictures of this sweet lady search #mslargothecat on Instagram.”

“This is Cleo of Petworth”

Photo by Harrison Jones

Thanks to Harrison for sending this amazing shot just after 11:45am:

“Bald eagle spotted over the #womensmarch”

God dropping the mic?

In the late summer and early fall, many warblers, thrushes and other summer resident songbirds migrate to destinations as far south as South America. Left behind are Northern Cardinals, Song Sparrows, Downy Woodpeckers and many other year-round residents. They are joined for the winter by another group of migrants for whom we are the south. Here’s a look at some of the winter-resident birds you can find in Arlington:

Dark-eyed Junco

Often called snowbirds because they seem to arrive not long before the snowy weather begins. Some Dark-eyed Juncos make a vertical migration, meaning they move from mountains to lowlands as winter approaches, rather than heading south. They frequent feeders but usually feed only on seed spilled on the ground. Juncos tend to forage in a flock during the winter with the more dominant birds holding the safer middle of the group and subordinate birds on the more dangerous edges.

White-throated Sparrow

These birds nest far into northern Canada, so our relatively mild winters probably present little challenge to their survival. Another common winter bird often seen at feeders, White-throated are a fairly easy sparrow to identify, in part by their black-and-white or black-and-tan striped head and white patch on their throat. You might also catch snippets of their thin “oh sweet, Canada, Canada” song, especially later in the winter.

Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet

Tiny and always on the move, kinglets can be a can be difficult to see well enough to identify without binoculars. Sometimes, though, if you stand or sit quietly when they appear, you are rewarded with very close looks. Both species feed on insects, even in winter. They are adept at finding insect and spider eggs, various insect larvae and pupae, and adult insects and spiders stashed away in various hiding places. Of the two, the Golden-crowned is the most likely to reveal its crown to an observer.

Brown Creeper

Tiny and with plumage on their back that mimics tree bark, Brown Creepers can be a challenge to spot. They spiral their way up tree trunks in search of the insects and spiders that, like kinglets, get them through the winter. Their long, down-curving bill is the perfect tool for plucking these delicacies from cracks and crevices. When a Brown Creeper nears the top of one tree, it flies down to the base of another and spirals its way up again and so on through the forest.

Hermit Thrush

The Hermit Thrush replaces the melodious summer-resident Wood Thrush in our woods during the winter. They are often found on low branches or on the ground where they have a rather robin-like stance, not surprising since they are a smaller member of the same family. Unlike a robin, they have a brown back and a buffy breast with smeary spots. Hermit Thrushes also tend to slowly bob their rufous-colored tail when perched. They switch from a mostly insect diet in the summer to more of a fruit diet in fall and winter, including poison ivy berries!

Winter Wren

Winter Wrens are my favorite winter songbird, combining cute and tough into a tiny, seemingly fearless package. They spend much of their time on the ground foraging for insects and spiders and venturing into places where I’d fear to stick my hand. A short stubby tail and mostly dark brown plumage without a noticeable eye-strip distinguish Winter Wrens from our larger, year-round resident Carolina Wrens. Sometimes they’ll give a little burst song in winter and it’s hard to believe that all that sound comes out of such a tiny bird.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Folks are sometimes surprised to learn that this is a real bird and not just a made-up name. Strictly speaking, a member of the woodpecker family and not a songbird, sapsuckers really do drink sap from shallow “wells” they drill into trees with their stout bills. You can tell if sapsuckers are using a tree by the rows of sap wells ringing the trunk or branches. Many other animals take advantage of this food source, such as insects, gray squirrels, flying squirrels, and early-spring arriving hummingbirds.

Winter Birding Programs

Long Branch and Gulf Branch Nature Centers are offering a variety of birding programs for families and adults this winter. Register online or at 703-228-4747.

Hawks in Arlington

Saturday, Feb. 11, 9 – 11:30am
Adults. Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks all call Arlington home. We’ll learn to tell these four hawks apart and how they survive in urban areas. After our discussion, we’ll go out to look for hawks and other birds. Teens ages 12 and up are welcome. For information: 703-228-6535. Meet at Long Branch Nature Center. $10. #622947-J

Northern Virginia Bird Club walks

Join members of the Northern Virginia Bird Club for one or all of these informal walks through Long Branch and Glencarlyn Parks in search of resident and migratory birds. Experienced and beginning birders welcome. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them. For information: 703-228-6535. Meet at the parking lot at Long Branch Nature Center. Free.

Wednesday, Dec. 7, 9:30 – 11am #622947-D;

Wednesday, Jan. 4, 9:30 – 11am #622947-E

Wednesday, Feb. 1, 9:30 – 11am #622947-F

 Owl Pellet Dissection

Saturday, Jan. 14, 1 – 3pm
Ages 10 to 17. Use your detective skills to dig carefully through owl pellets to find the bones of what owls eat. Then we’ll reconstruct the skeletons to discover what animals were eaten. You will get to take home your findings! $10. #622927-E

Birding Arlington!

Families ages 8 and up. Join our new bird watching series for families! We’ll visit different birding spots in Arlington throughout the year and build our County bird lists. Birders of all experience levels can participate and loaner binoculars are available. For information: 703-228-3403. Free.

Winter Bird Hike to the Potomac

Saturday, Jan. 14, 8 – 9:30am
We’ll explore the forests in search of winter birds, including Brown Creeper, Winter Wren and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Then hike to the Potomac River to search for waterfowl. One mile round trip over irregular terrain. Meet at Gulf Branch Nature Center. #622857-I

Waterfowl at Gravelly Point

Saturday, Feb. 4, 8 – 9:30am
Gravelly Point is a great spot for viewing winter waterfowl on the Potomac. We will bring spotting scopes, and stroll around the park looking for winter specialties and maybe a Peregrine Falcon. Flat terrain. Meet at Gravelly Point – George Washington Memorial Pkwy, Arlington. #622857-J

(Updated at 10:17 a.m.) A free creative arts festival is returning to Crystal City in just over two months.

Artomatic, a six-week art show that was previously held in the neighborhood in 2007 and 2012, is scheduled to return Friday, March 24, and run until Saturday, May 6.

This year’s Artomatic will occur at 1800 S. Bell Street, the Crystal City Business Improvement District said. Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to visit the 100,000-square-foot arts space over the course of the event.

In previous iterations, the festival has brought visual art, music, film, live performance, fashion and other forms of artistic expression. Artist registration begins next month, organizers said.

“We first brought Artomatic to Crystal City in 2007 in order to demonstrate the transformation that was already in progress — a new main street, fun restaurants — as well as to underscore how easily accessible our neighborhood is from D.C. The second showing in 2012 helped us further showcase our emerging arts and innovation scene,” said Angela Fox, CEO of the Crystal City BID. “Now in our third iteration, we are excited to mark the beginning of the next generation of growth, engagement and creativity for Crystal City.”

More information on this year’s event from a press release:

Artomatic returns for its signature art event to be held this year in Crystal City, Virginia from Friday, March 24th to Saturday, May 6th. Artomatic draws hundreds of artists and performers throughout the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area to showcase their talents for a six week long free exhibition that routinely attracts thousands of visitors.

“We first brought Artomatic to Crystal City in 2007 in order to demonstrate the transformation that was already in progress – a new main street, fun restaurants – as well as to underscore how easily accessible our neighborhood is from DC. The second showing in 2012 helped us further showcase our emerging arts and innovation scene,” said Crystal City BID President/CEO Angela Fox. “Now in our third iteration, we are excited to mark the beginning of the next generation of growth, engagement and creativity for Crystal City.”

This year’s 100,000 square foot space at 1800 S. Bell Street is provided by Vornado/Charles E. Smith and is located along Crystal City’s Art Underground. Launched in 2013 to transform Crystal City’s interior concourse into a vibrant arts and cultural destination, the Art Underground includes Synetic Theater, the 1200-foot long FotoWalk Underground, ArtJamz Underground, the Gallery Underground, TechShop, and Studios Underground which provides work space for two dozen artists.

Artomatic is well-known for transforming empty spaces into vibrant arts communities that create unique and exciting events for tens of thousands of visitors – all free to visit. Anyone can show art at Artomatic – it is non-juried and art is selected on a first-come, first serve basis – so it’s a great way to discover new art.

“We are very excited to be working again with the Crystal City BID, a constant champion of the arts, to create a unique, invigorating and brand new artistic experience for all visitors to enjoy,” said Jennifer Williamson, current Artomatic Board President. “We will be conducting Artist tours starting in mid-January to allow interested participants an advance glimpse of their artistic home for six weeks where they can start imagining the endless creative possibilities they can do with the space.”