Breakfast Links: Soon it may be easier to rent out your basement or attic in Arlington
Arlington may ease restrictions on accessory apartments
Arlington has strict zoning codes for accessory apartments, or Accessory Dwelling Units. Now the County Board will consider a proposal to relax many of those restrictions, like occupancy limits and maximum area. Want to stay updated on this issue? Sign up here. (Chris Teale / ARLnow)
Does the new Wharf development have “fast casual” architecture?
With serval major buildings up already and more on the way, the Wharf is creating a new neighborhood on the SW Waterfront. Should we consider the modern glass buildings a fun and busy collection, or just the design equivalent of fast casual food? (Kriston Capps / CityLab)
Montgomery County isn’t on board yet with state highway expansion
The Montgomery County Council requested that Maryland's transportation secretary discuss the governor's at least $9 billion proposal to widen local highways and add tolls. The Council has questions about the plan's rollout and feasibility (Nick Iannelli / WTOP)
Plans for the 11th Street Park in Anacostia have shrunk
The DC government and private architects redid the plans for the 11th Street Park, which will be located on a bridge spanning the Anacostia River, to make it narrower after determining that the piers along the river could not support its original weight. (Michael Neibauer / WBJ)
An unused office building in PG County will be turned into housing
A ten-story office building in Hyattsville, Maryland will capitalize on the high demand for housing and convert from empty office space to just over three hundred apartment units, mostly one bedroom. ( Ryan Teague Beckwith / Hyattsville Wire)
Family leave in DC is still a work in progress
A Paid Family Leave bill passed the City Council, but Council Chairman Mendelson has been holding closed-door meetings with paid leave advocates and local employers concerned about a new tax burden, with the intent of possibly amending the law. (Martin Austermuhle / WAMU)
What’s next for the Wharf?
The Wharf is being built in stages, and last week's opening introduced us to Phase I. Designs for Phase II include eight massive new buildings with offices, retail, restaurants, hotels and housing, as well as three public plaza spaces. (Nena Perry-Brown / Urban Turf)
New owners of a Manassass trailer park keep residents from eviction
The Manassas City Council had ordered the evacuation of residents because unrepaired sewer leaks had created a health hazard on the property. Instead, a nonprofit group, Catholics for Housing, will buy the land and fix the leaks, keeping residents in place. (Patricia Sullivan / Post)
Howard University safe after campus lockdown
After reports of a potential shooter on campus, Howard University locked down it's DC campus while police and campus security swept the buildings. No shooter was found, and no one was injured. The lockdown comes the week of Howard's homecoming celebration. ( Peter Hermann, Sarah Larimer and Keith L. Alexander / Post)
The DC Council is still scrutinizing the operator of United Medical Center
Six DC Council members signaled concern with Veritas of Washington, the company managing United Medical Center. The council is continuing their public review of the hospital, which had to shut down its obstetrics unit earlier this year. (Tina Reed / WBJ)
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