Category Archives: Neighborhood Development

New Bilingual Creative Movement Classes with Dance Loft at Explore! Beginning February 21

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten

Post updated

New dance class offerings from Dance Loft at Explore! located at 395 Ingraham Street NE.

Bilingual Creative Movement (Ages 4-6)

EXPLORE! brings dance classes to Art Place provided by Dance Loft+ Moveius Ballet

BILINGUAL CREATIVE MOVEMENT (AGES 4-6)
Bilingual creative movement class introduces students to dance education, technique, and foundations that help fine-tune motor skills and improve both cognitive ability and confidence in both English and Spanish.

Offerings

Saturday, 12:00-12:45 pm, Beginning Saturday, February 21, 2026

Tuition:

ENROLL for 10 weeks @ $200

Click HERE to enroll for 10 weeks @ $200

Dress Code:
All: solid color t-shirt or leotard, fitted leggings or tights, ballet or jazz shoes preferred, socks okay, hair pulled back out of face.

Also, winter enrollment is ongoing for Baby & Me classes on Saturdays and a few drop-in spots are available for Pre-ballet on Mondays. Another Pre-Ballet class has been added on Saturdays. Visit Dance Loft at Explore! for class details.

View Explore! at Art Place events calendar.

UDC Bertie Backus 9/11 Memorial Working Group – Sign Up by February 20, 2026

Posted by nextstoprp in UDC Lamond-Riggs Campus & Expansion (formerly Bertie Backus Campus)

The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5A (ANC 5A) invites community members to serve on a 9/11 Memorial Working Group to guide the creation of a new memorial plaque on the Lamond-Riggs campus, honoring the lives of Bertie Backus student Asia Cottom and teacher Sarah Clark.

Working Group Responsibilities:

The Working Group will operate through shared discussion and consensus. While UDC retains responsibility for campus operations, the Working Group will collaboratively develop and recommend final wording and design for the memorial plaque and assist in planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

To participate, complete the UDC 9/11 Memorial Working Group Interest Form.

Deadline to sign up: February 20, 2026

For questions contact:

  • UDC: Juanita Gray, Director, Community Engagement: juanita.gray@udc.edu
  • ANC 5A: Commissioner Keith Sellars: 5a01@anc.dc.gov

February 2026 Events at Explore!

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten, Uncategorized

Check out Explore!’s February 2026 activities lineup.

Eventbrite: Explore! Fort Totten Events. RSVP encouraged.

Location: 395 Ingraham Street NE

Dance Loft Youth Classes: Mondays at Explore! (Winter Session January 12 – March 16, register at the link).

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Clay & Texture | February 5, 4pm-7pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Cardboard Creation | February 10, 4pm-7pm

Valentine’s Card Origami Workshop | February 12, 4pm

Candle Making Workshop | February 12, 6pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Paper & Pattern | February 17, 4pm-7pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Clay Open Studio | February 19, 4pm-7pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Tile & Mosaic Play | February 24, 4pm-7pm

Bingo Day | February 25, 2pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Mixed Materials Studio | February 26, 4pm-7pm

The best way to learn about Explore! events is to follow them on eventbrite and visit the Explore Museum website and Art Place Events Page.

Below Market Rate Retail Space Available at Riggs Crossing (January 2026)

Posted by nextstoprp in Riggs Crossing Senior Residences

The Riggs Crossing team at True Ground Housing Partners shared an updated retail flyer.

Riggs Cross Retail Flyer (January 2026)

Inquiries are open for retail space in Riggs Park (Riggs Road & South Dakota Avenue NE) near the Fort Totten metro station. The team is seeking local and unique DC tenants for an exclusive under-market lease. Please contact True Ground Housing Partners to submit interest at Info@truegroundhousing.org.

Riggs Crossing Senior Residences was completed in early 2025 at 307 Riggs Road NE. The mixed-use building features 93 apartments (fully leased) above ground floor retail. Happy Violet DC Natural Nail Salon occupies the retail space at 305 Riggs Road NE with plans to open soon.

Total available retail space = 5,407 sq ft.

  • Space A = 2,035 sq ft.
  • Space B = 3,372 sq ft.

One tenant can lease the entire 5,407 sq ft space or the spaces can be leased separately.

Please share with interested parties.

Riggs Crossing Retail Tenant Layout (January 2026).

January 2026 Kids Events at Explore!

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten, Uncategorized

Check out Explore!’s January 2026 Kid’s Maker Space Activities lineup.

Eventbrite: Explore! Fort Totten Events. RSVP encouraged.

Location: 395 Ingraham Street NE

Dance Loft Youth Classes: Mondays at Explore! (Winter Session January 12-March 16, register at the link).

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Snow Science + Art | January 8, 4pm-7pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Texture Day | January 13, 4pm-7pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Community Kindness | January 15, 4pm-7pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Build-a-City | January 20, 4pm-7pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Wearable Winter Art | January 22, 4pm-7pm

Kid’s Maker Space Activities: Big Color + Big Shapes | January 27, 4pm-7pm

January Finale: Gallery Night | January 29, 4pm-7pm

The best way to learn about Explore! events is to follow them on eventbrite and visit their website at https://www.exploremuseum.org.

Urban Garden Brewing out at Art Place

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten

Urban Garden Brewing is no longer coming to Art Place at Fort Totten. The brewery was looking at locating in the first phase of Art Place on South Dakota Avenue. Owner Eamoni Collier posted a message on instagram a couple of days ago:

These past few weeks have been a lot to process. Due to a combination of factors including ongoing design delays, challenges accessing additional funding, and the current political and economic climate, our Fort Totten lease has ultimately been terminated. We were preparing to begin construction in late October and worked diligently to bring the project to the finish line, but circumstances beyond our control prevented us from moving forward as planned.

This has been painful, especially after all the love, work, and community support that went into it. Even through the frustration, I keep coming back to gratitude. Every person who believed in this dream helped build something real, and that means everything.

Urban Garden Brewing is not over. The mission, the heart, and the community that built it are still here. Weeks after losing Fort Totten, I am still reminded to keep believing.

I can’t share more yet, but I can say this: every ending makes space for a new beginning.

Thank you for standing with us. Always.

With love,
Eamoni

Explore! December Events + Coffee Pop Up on December 13

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten

Check out Explore!’s December lineup + new coffee pop up on December 13.

Explore! Fort Totten Events

Location: 395 Ingraham Street NE

Explore! Kid’s Maker Space Hands & Hearts | December 9 & 11, 4pm-7pm

Coffee Pop Up with @tz’ikincafe | December 13, 9am-1pm

Explore! Kid’s Maker Space Stories in the Stars | December 16 & 18, 4pm-7pm

Candle Making Workshop with @tajaaessentials | December 18, 6pm

Dance Loft Youth Classes, Mondays at Explore!

AFRO Newspaper Social Justice School Profile

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten, Education

Social Justice School is building its long-term home in the neighborhood at 3rd Street and Kennedy Street NE. The AFRO newspaper recently published a nice profile of the school. See Creating the next generation of change makers: A look at D.C.’s Social Justice Charter School by Deborah Baily.

The piece tracks what Social Justice School officials have previously shared about the school’s mission and its guaranteed income pilot for families. Check it out.