Breakfast links: More design concerns over Union Station’s redevelopment bubble to the surface

LinksBy Latisha Johnson (Contributor) May 21, 2020

Union Station in DC by BeyondDC licensed under Creative Commons.

Frustration mounts over Union Station redevelopment

DC officials and local groups are growing frustrated with the lack of acknowledgment from the Federal Rail Administration, over design concerns that could impact neighborhood traffic and prevent the creation of a walkable mixed-use neighborhood around Union Station.  (Alex Koma / Business Journal)

Vienna elects Town Council incumbent Linda Colbert as mayor

In a massive turnout, voters elected Linda Colbert, a longtime Vienna resident, and councilmember as Mayor, succeeding Laurie DiRocco. Ed Somers, Charles Anderson, and Ray Bill were also elected to the Town Council.  (Inside NOVA)

Accessory Commercial Units could be the key to small business recovery

Small neighborhood-scale retail using existing structures can be a boon to small businesses in our neighborhoods and make the neighborhoods better, especially during a post coronavirus recovery.  (Neil Heller / Neighborhood Workshop. Tip: Taylor Reich)

Parts of Virginia sees huge uptick in absentee ballots

Places like the city of Fairfax and the town of Vienna held elections this week and there was a significant increase in absentee voting, according to information from Virginia Public Access Project.  (Hannah Schuster / WAMU)

DC places second in annual national parks survey

The District fell from the top spot, and Arlington maintained its No. 4 ranking, in an annual national survey of large US cities with the best parks. Activists are urging officials to preserve public space amid the coronavirus pandemic.  (Justin Wm. Moyer / Post)

Smart city planning can lessen the impact of future pandemics

Urban planning decisions led to living and working situations that have exacerbated some communities’ risk of exposure to coronavirus. Planning better in the future could help.  (Emma Grey Ellis / Wired)

COVID-19’s impact on food delivery in DC

Couriers talk about the hardest parts of their job and how being a delivery driver during a pandemic is even more challenging. The companies they drive for are falling short when it comes to providing protective gear.  (Laura Hayes / City Paper)

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