Photo by M.V. Jantzen on Flickr.

Third Church first to go? Today is the Mayor’s Agent hearing on whether to allow Third Church of Christ, Scientist to tear down and redevelop their landmarked building at 16th and I. I’ll be there to watch and report. Observers think the church is probably going down; allowing a raze would also forestall civil rights litigation and legislation that might have far-reaching and damaging repercussions. Richard Layman finds the process dirty if not actually corrupt.

Three fewer townhouses: The Mount Vernon Triangle will lose another three Victorian townhouses to a new development. The Triangle laments that in that neighborhood, with historic properties scattered about, there’s no single cluster to fight to save. Commenters wonder why the facades, at least, couldn’t have become part of the new building.

How low they stoop for parking: Baltimore has had a rash of counterfeit parking permits, where people take pictures of others’ permits and print them to post in their own windshields. Baltimore is cracking down. Via Inside Charm City.

More on Hill fence, parking: Hill Rag covers the debate over fencing the former Marine parking lot on 8th Street that Infosnack wrote about yesterday. The area ANC (6B) also endorsed less parking at a commercial site to allow ground-level retail; that’s yet another good reason not to mandate parking (or complex and expensive variances).