A few updates about Art Place at Fort Totten.

Phase 1 – The Modern (Building A along South Dakota Avenue between Galloway and Ingraham streets NE)

• Urban Garden Brewing has signed a lease for space along South Dakota Avenue.
• An Italian restaurant is looking at space next to the brewery.
• One Life Fitness is expanding with construction anticipated to finish up by end of this year.
• A dentist office is looking at space.
• One other sit-down restaurant has looked at space, but it is not at letter of intent stage just yet.

Phase 2 – The FEZ (Block B under construction along South Dakota Avenue between Ingraham and Kennedy streets NE)

• Aldi plans to open on the corner of South Dakota Avenue & Kennedy Street NE around October 1, 2024. The store plans to hold three job fairs over the summer.
• Kids Museum is looking at opening along South Dakota between Ingraham and Kennedy in 3rd or 4th quarter 2025. They are finishing up a feasibility study.
• There is interest from a couple of retailers, but the development team is not ready to share details yet.
• The development team is still looking at financing for the residential portion of this phase (294 rental units).
• The team is sequencing construction and occupancy for the second phase.

Social Justice School Relocation

Social Justice School, a public charter middle school, is currently subleasing space from Rocketship Public Charter School at 5450 3rd Street NE. Recall that Rocketship signed a 35-year lease with the Cafritz Foundation for the 3rd Street property. After renovating and combining a couple of the older warehouses on the site, Rocketship opened its Infinity Prep preK/elementary school campus in August 2020. Rocketship decided to sublease to Social Justice School for a few years while Rocketship gradually expanded its grade offerings. Now it is time for Social Justice to vacate the space for Rocketship’s use.

Social Justice School wants to stay in the neighborhood and worked with the Cafritz team to find space nearby. They recently filed an application to amend their charter to relocate to 333 Kennedy Street NE, which is across the street from their current location.

The DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) hearing on Social Justice School’s proposed relocation will be on May 20, 2024, at 6:15 pm. Instructions on how to submit testimony are in the hearing notice. The school’s application notes that they want to relocate in time for the 2024-2025 school year. The application states that the school will use prefabricated modular classrooms, which will be delivered and installed in the new location.

The application notes that the school contacted ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08), who is the chair of ANC 5A, as well as Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker. The school sits in ANC 5A09. ANC Commissioner Shelagh Bocoum (5A09) is the commissioner for that area.

The DCPCSB plans to vote on the planned relocation on June 24, 2024. If the request is approved at the time, I imagine we will start to see movement around the site pretty quickly so that the school can open in time for fall.

I am sure I am forgetting some updates, but more to come.