Ahead of the approaching grand opening of stores this spring and summer, the work around the DC USA retail center at14th and Irving Streets NW intensifies daily. The details and finishing touches are starting to be addressed. The sidewalks around the 500,000+ square foot center are nearly finished and the signage for Lane Bryant, Best Buy, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond have been installed on various sides of the brown and tan behemoth. Press about the project have picked up in recent weeks as well. A few of the ongoing issues:
Parking issues and implications still worry residents; a story from WJLA (video).
The developers of DC USA are having a hard time attracting what they consider "high end retail." Not really a surprise to me, but read about it in the Washington Business Journal (subscribers only).
Target has already begun hiring for its newest location; Washington Post.
Here are three photos showing some of the progress. This view is looking eastward on Irving Street, near its intersection with 14th Street. The only structure that survived the demolition of the original retail on the site was an old car dealership facade which will gracefully(?) transition into the main entrance of a Best Buy store. In order, photos are from July of 2007, December of 2007 and February 2008.
