Breakfast links: Emerald City

Green is good

The central portion of the Green Line has seen tremendous growth over the past 10 years, adding more households than the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, and will see dramatic retail, office, and housing growth in the next 20. (WBJ)

Gentrification not behind murder rate drop

Washington has seen a drop in murders citywide, but Chief Cathy Lanier doesn’t think it’s due to gentrification, saying instead that redoubled police work is to thank. (DCentric)

Getting the Occupy out

Mayor Gray wants the Park Service to evict Occupy protestors in McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza for health and safety reasons. The NPS says protestors have a right to a 24-hour vigil, so they may not be leaving soon. (Post)

Purple Line’s condemnations

Purple Line construction will require condemning 74 homes and businesses along the route as well as bits of at least another 250. The list of properties affected will not be final until engineering is completed. (Post)

Compromising on the waterfront

Alexandria’s contentious waterfront plan is almost over. The city council is set to approve the plan and address opponents’ concerns about density and development afterwards. (Alexandria Times)

Metro board wants options

The WMATA board wants more revenue options than just a fare hike as proposed by CEO Richard Sarles, and they want to put the question to the public. (Post)

Business density makes for walkability

A successfully walkable area needs more, small businesses rather than just a few large ones, with easy access to residences and connections to residential populations outside the neighborhood. (The Atlantic Cities)