Breakfast links: New DC Reeves Center proposals ready for review
The Reeves Center at the corner of 14th and U Street NW facing south by Ted Eytan licensed under Creative Commons.
Newest Reeves Center proposals include amphitheaters, apartments, and a comedy club
The two new proposals are very similar to older proposals. While both plans have provisions for the NAACP national headquarters, residential units, a hotel, an open-air plaza with an amphitheater, and arts and food spaces, there’s some variety in who will run the restaurants, who will occupy the art spaces and what key Black cultural figures they will be named after. (UrbanTurf)
No one knows if DC’s Safe Passage program is really keeping students safe
160 people in DC’s Safe Passage program are stationed along key points to ensure students can get to and from school safely. But with violence continuing to affect kids commuting from school, some worry that the program isn’t living up to its promise. (Lauren Lumpkin, Emily Davies / Post)
Metro to use spring and summer closures for much needed repairs
Metro will close down several stations on the Orange, Silver, and Green Lines in the spring and summer to do important upgrades and repairs like rail replacement and the installation of fiber optic cables. Metro will provide free shuttle bus service to all affected stations. (Justin George / Post)
Work continues on new Arlington bus facility
Crews are currently laying the foundation for a new Arlington Transit (ART) Operations and Maintenance Facility in the Green Valley neighborhood of South Arlington. The facility could house up to 100 buses once it’s completed in summer 2024. (Jo DeVoe / ARLNow)
Fairfax County asks for replacement state funds after loss of car tax revenue
A combination of Virginia state laws meant to provide property tax relief to vehicle owners and replace lost local revenue designated to fund public services is not working as well as hoped. Fairfax County is asking for the state to correct its share of replacement funds as a result of the changes in property tax revenue and collection on vehicles. (Matt Blitz / FFXNow)
Tax sales continue contributing to inequities in property ownership in Baltimore
Since 2016, 41,000 properties have gone to tax sale in Baltimore City, a process that starts when a property owner fails to pay their tax bill before the spring after the July 1 due date. The delinquent property tax liens are sold to private investors, who are accused of predatory debt collection tactics. While the process is legal across Maryland and DC, its structure in Baltimore causes more property vacancies and a loss of home equity, especially in Black-majority neighborhoods. (Baltimore Banner)
Have a tip for the links? Submit it here.