Wednesday, May 04, 2011

CP: Rumblings at The Capital City Market?

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City Paper's Housing Complex ponders the future of the Capital City Market. One key point for regular fans of the weekend flea market: it's leaving (its lease is up at the end of the month). The lot it currently occupies is slated for development. According to Housing Complex the Funky Flea Market will likely move to a lot near Howard.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

WHAT?!!!


NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Anonymous said...

The ANC 6C Planning, Zoning and Environment Committee meeting
tonight at 7 PM will include discussion of the Gateway Market Center at 4th and Florida, as well as 318 Eye Street NE (the old uptown bakery site). The meeting is at NPR, in the Board Room West on the 2nd Floor, at 635 Massachusetts Avenue NW.

* Gateway Market Center, at 4th and Florida NE, is seeking a two year extension of its PUD approval. This is the property with the sign stating "Pretty soon you won't recognize the place. Promise."

* 318 Eye Street NE: This property is fully approved, as a PUD for an
approximately 160 unit apartment building. The new owner of this site is AvalonBay, which owns two other apartment buildings in DC (and many more across the country). They have offered, as a courtesy, to provide an update on this project, which may seek to make a change from the existing approved PUD.

Anonymous said...

Dear DC United,

Please come to the Capital City Market.

Signed,
Hopefully your new neighbor

dc united fan said...

This is great news. I have to admit that I was once in support of DC united building a stadium there, but have since changed my mind. It seems like a waste of real estate to put a huge structure there that can only be used once a week. I'd rather trek my behind over to SE to see United play.

I wish the would either have a nicer market like Eastern Market or something else more productive.

MJ said...

"...or something else more productive."

More "productive"?- try finding a parking spot on the weekends, or wait in line at Literris or Sam Wangs. The market is a major supplier to a lot of stores and restaurants in DC- without it there in a central location expect the prices of everything to go up across the board as they'll have to source supplies from outside DC.

Just because you don't shop there doesn't mean others don't.

ro said...

I'm confused which, which proposed project is that parcel of land (the flea market) affiliated with? I thought Gallaudet said it was holding onto that land.

dc united fan said...

MJ,
The article mentions that they would be moving to a location near Howard U which is not really that far from its current "central" location. Last I checked, Howard U was still in DC so I'm not sure how prices would go up.

I would prefer they clean it up or get something else in there. I'm a neighbor of that place as are you and have a right to state my opinion on it (as do you). Just because you shop there doesn't mean others can't state a desire for change.your opinion doesn't trump mine, We just happen to disagree on this one.

inked said...

DC United Fan,
The artocle talks about the flea market moving. There is no plan to relocate the businesses outside of the Market
If they did leave my guess is that most would either close, or move to Jessup.

MJ said...

1) the flea market is "hoping" that they will be moving near Howard, not the rest of the market (and isn't there a flea market on U already?). While this condo only changes the flea market, your comment insinuated that you wanted the whole market to go- restaurant wholesalers, produce distributors, and the Farmer's market.

2) You used the term "more productive", which I assumed meant that the market was underutilized and is why I gave counterexamples of how busy it can get. I'm now guessing that when you said "productive" you meant "upscale".

3) Your propose for change doesn't take into account the people who currently use the market. While the market isn't aesthetically pleasing, it is extremely utilitarian- this isn't one of the barely functioning car dealerships on Bladensburg.

4) I too live near the market and have been going there for a long time. You say you're ok with "cleaning it up"- why not focus on that instead of razing it for crappy condos?

5) You have your right to your opinion as do I, my opinion was that your opinion was based on faulty premises.

f yo appraisal value said...

why does everything cool and interesting in dc have to die so yuppies can live in antiseptic shit condo buildings and buy overpriced home furnishings????


maybe some neighborhood racist can come and complain about black thugs... h street fails again

Yancey said...

If these mythical condos have bars, restaurants, retail, etc. on their ground floor, then I am all for them. I love the Funky, but its locale is a dead surface lot 5 days a week. I think that might have been why the term productive came into play. If you think the market (whole market, including the Maurice electric yard and every other operating business) is just fine, well, you must hate your neighbors. Yes, it stays busy, but I'd sure like to easily walk around and I wouldn't mind a touch of aesthetic pleasantries. Btw, I don't just live close, I live closer than you.

derth said...

you're a wage slave who bought a house, what do you know about "productive use of space"? go back to kansas

Tevin Campbell said...

My favorite market destinations in terms of productive use are: the scrap/mulch yard beside the Maurice yard, the trash ditch beside PNC, the abandoned bank behind Litteri's, the Yum's parking lot/leveled block and the gateway property. They keep prices low and are completely aboriginal.

DCJaded said...

I like the funkyfleamarket. Yeah, its a tad downmarket, but its lively and I've gotten a ton of useful stuff. I agree that I wish the space could be utilized for more than a parking lot for the remaining 5 days a week. Plus, you can get some really interesting street food there. Where else can you find Uighur street food in DC?

Anonymous said...

"you're a wage slave who bought a house, what do you know about "productive use of space"? go back to kansas"

Better than being a welfare slave who rents a shitty apartment. Go back to North Carolina.

Vincent's Best Friend said...

I'm glad the funky market isn't there anymore. I live right nearby on Florida Ave, went out to the flea market there before and honestly, just garbage. I ..tried... to shop there before but things looks like they're either knock-offs or stolen.

There's supposed to be condos, yes my anti-yuppies, CONDOS!!!! Ground floor, retail space, Literi's supposed to get new space, and there's going to be a park as well.

We need to revitalize that area, and that in turn should revitalize Lily Pond subdivision north of Gallaudet.

Keep in mind condos are what the city wants (or needs?) approximately 200 units (??) multiplied with property taxes $1,800 (average) and being so near to the metro the condos will sell.

But then again... Vincent Gray is Mayor. Things just may go to crap.

inked said...

Vincent,
Lily Ponds is across the river, over by Deanwood.

Media Assassin said...

@DC United Fan - If you want something more like Eastern Market, why don't you just go to Eastern Market then? There should be a variety of different feels in the community. Why should it be more like Eastern Market? I've been going to that flea market when they used to occupy RFK Stadium parking lot too. There are not a lot of upscale things but I have purchased many great things at much less than retail so why are you wining? Patronize it or don't. We all have choices.

@Vincen't Best Friend - How do you know these things are knock offs or stolen? What are you really saying? Some of the vendors get merchandise from auctions at self storage facilities and some of them get stuff from wholesalers so you really need to do your research.