Wind down the week with hands-on creativity at Explore! Fort Totten. Drop in to sculpt with clay, paint tiles, and make your own creations to take home.
If you have not already, please complete the Explore! Maker Pop Up survey. By providing your email address, you can be added to the distribution list. Follow Explore! on instagram (@explore_museum_dc).
[Ed. Note: Social Justice School is starting renovation of the existing warehouse at 3rd & Kennedy Street NE at Art Place at Fort Totten for its permanent home.]
Free and open to the community! The festival series is always a good time for the kids.
September 13th – Fall Carnival Experience
Ready to experience an amazing Carnival right in your own backyard? Come out and enjoy games with a clown, food with our stilt walker, dance with our 2 facepainters and a live DJ, and team up with Spiderman for our outdoor Water Balloon battle! All as part of our community-centered Children’s Festival Event Series. Food: &Pizza + Donation:Chik-Fil-A.
Be Sure to Follow @artplacedcon Instagram for Updates!
Celebrate Art All Night with hands-on creativity at Explore! Fort Totten. Drop in to sculpt with clay, paint tiles, and explore the new “Terra Cotta in DC” exhibit-in-progress. Kids and families can make their own creations to take home, and see a preview of upcoming exhibits about the neighborhood’s clay history.
Stop by Explore! Fort Totten for a special Art All Night preview. Kids and families can experiment with clay, paint tiles, and try out hands-on maker activities in the Explore! community pop-up space.
This pop-up is part of the Kids’ Maker Series, designed to spark creativity and community connection.
Turn plain ceramic tiles into tiny works of art! Drop in to paint a tile (or a matching set) you can take home the same day—perfect for coasters, wall decor, or a gift.
Free and open to the community! The festival series is always a good time for the kids.
August 23rd – “Minecraft” Back to School Bash & Pizza Party
Enjoy some summer fun for the whole family! Join DC Fray & The Cafritz Foundation for an afternoon of inspiration + prizes as part of our community-centered Children’s Festival Event Series to provide supplies and get students and their families enthused about the upcoming schoolyear!
September 13th – Fall Carnival Experience
Ready to experience an amazing Carnival right in your own backyard? Come out and enjoy games, food, a live DJ, and loads of fun! There will even be a face painter on site! All as part of our community-centered Children’s Festival Event Series.
Thanks to the parents who filled out the Art Place kid maker pop up space survey, the first ever Parent & Kid Coffee is happening Saturday, August 16. Free coffee for parents, playtime for the kids, and a chance to meet your neighbors.
Today, 4pm-7pm, the Explore Museum Kids Maker Space is hosting a Clay Workshop with Ms. Clara! Work with with air-dry clay to create charming miniatures. Shape your creations on Friday, August 15, then return next week for a two-part follow-up:
Wednesday, August 20 – Paint your miniatures during new midweek open hours.
Friday, August 22 – Add magnets to turn your finished pieces into functional art!
Ramdass Pharmacy, located at 475 Ingraham Street NE, will be closing permanently on August 31, 2025, according to a sign on the front door of the pharmacy.
The pharmacy, which opened around August 2018, was one of the very first tenants of the first phase of Art Place at Fort Totten. We covered the opening and featured a chat with the pharmacist, Anthony Ramdass. In 2020, Mr. Ramdass was featured in DCist for the vital role his pharmacy played in making house calls to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I appreciated having an independent pharmacy in the neighborhood, and I am sorry to see him go.
Get ready to make a splash this summer as you dive into an unforgettable water adventure, packed with fun. You’ll cool off with water themed games, enjoy delicious snack bowls, and sip on refreshing beverages. We’ll have special guests to help guide you through the games. Plus, don’t miss out on the awesome giveaways! Dress in your best swimwear and get ready for a day of sun-soaked fun, laughter, and endless memories.
August 23rd – “Minecraft” Back to School Bash & Pizza Party
Enjoy some summer fun for the whole family! Join DC Fray & The Cafritz Foundation for an afternoon of inspiration + prizes as part of our community-centered Children’s Festival Event Series to provide supplies and get students and their families enthused about the upcoming schoolyear!
September 13th – Fall Carnival Experience
Ready to experience an amazing Carnival right in your own backyard? Come out and enjoy games, food, a live DJ, and loads of fun! There will even be a face painter on site! All as part of our community-centered Children’s Festival Event Series.
I am super late on sharing information from the June neighborhood development community meeting, held by the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association Development Task Force on June 17, 2025. On the agenda for discussion were the Art Place at Fort Totten and the Fort Totten Square developments. Representatives for Fort Totten Square asked to delay their presentation to the community until July so we heard from only representatives of Art Place at Fort Totten.
Paul Tummonds, land use counsel for the Cafritz Foundation (developer of Art Place), introduced Nora Riesenberg who is working with the Foundation on a new kids space pop up project in the former interim library space. If you have not already, please take the survey to share ideas about what you would like to see in the pop up space for kids. (Don’t worry if you have not attended any of the pop ups mentioned in the survey; you can still share ideas).
Art Sparks!
Mr. Tummonds shared that the Foundation planned to launch a new Art Sparks! project. That has been up for a few weeks now.
In this post, we shared information from the Foundation’s request for extension of time, about the plans for the new fence with art as well as light pole banners around the property. The light pole banners went up a few weeks before the fence.
Retail & Other Updates
Menomale & Urban Garden Brewery will be opening along South Dakota in Phase 1. Both are working on interior plans for permit and construction.
There is still space in Phase 1 for more restaurants, so more may be coming.
DC Dental Studio, a general dentistry practice, has a lease for space on second floor near corner of South Dakota & Galloway. (I met the dentist at the author talk a week or so ago. She said that construction permits took a little longer than anticipated but she is still hoping to open this year. Her practice serves primarily adults).
Social Justice School anticipates starting construction on the warehouse building on Kennedy in late July, expecting 11 months for construction.
The Foundation continues to negotiate with a children’s museum for the space behind Aldi.
The Foundation continues to have interest in having an entertainment component for Phase 2 (the phase between Ingraham & Kennedy).
The Foundation continues to seek financing for the housing component for Phase 2. When that is secured, construction will resume.
Keith Sellars, task force co-chair who organized the meeting, suggested that the developer refresh the window signage along South Dakota with “Coming XXXX” signs so that passersby know what is coming in those spaces. (Interestingly enough, a city official on a walking tour a couple of weeks later made the same suggestion). Menomale and Urban Garden Brewery are listed as coming soon on the Art Place website.
Another resident suggested that the developer put updates on the website much in the same way that they used to provide construction updates. No need for weekly updates, but proactively sharing regular updates would be a good idea.
Trash cans
Residents had previously requested that the developer install trash cans near the corner of South Dakota & Kennedy by Aldi. Mr. Tummonds stated those should be coming this month.
EV Charging Stations
A resident shared a need for EV charging stations in the neighborhood. The developer is required to have charging stations for Phase 2. In one filing, the developer indicated that the underground garage on Kennedy has 500 spaces, so theoretically, seems there should be 10 charging stations.
Kennedy Street Lot
I had previously asked the developer to finish cleaning up the lot on Kennedy Street where there is still construction and demo debris and overgrown vegetation along the fence line. I asked if they would consider putting in an interim use on that lot while they wait to resume construction on Phase 2. For example, could they put in a temporary dog run considering there is supposed to be a dog run in Phase 2 as a community benefit. It will take more than a minute for construction to resume so it would be nice to at least have a better looking lot and something in place that could easily be removed in a year or two when construction resumes. The lot was used for construction staging. Sounded like there is reluctance to put something temporary there.
Other things people mentioned:
Request for coffee shop
Suggestion to utilize the platform in Phase 2 for holiday tree
Suggestion to have food trucks on Friday and Saturday evenings
Aldi is open at 5300 South Dakota Avenue NE. A van caught on fire in the parking garage yesterday. The parking garage was closed this morning. Unclear how long the parking garage will be closed.
Working Fire 5300 block S. Dakota Ave NE. Had fully involved van in P-1 parking garage of a supermarket. Fire knocked down. Heavy smoke conditions in parking garage. No reported injuries. Hazmat Unit requested for fuel leaking from vehicle. #DCsBravestpic.twitter.com/oWyAXo2cKG
— DC Fire and EMS Department (@dcfireems) July 1, 2025
Update Working Fire 5300 block S.Dakota Ave NE. Fire under control. Extended operations to remove smoke. No injuries reported. Fire investigators on scene. #DCsBravest r pic.twitter.com/2R9wI21HlR
— DC Fire and EMS Department (@dcfireems) July 1, 2025
The Cafritz Foundation is seeking input on the new kids pop up space at Art Place at Fort Totten located at 395 Ingraham Street NE (former interim library space).
Please complete the short survey to share your ideas about what you would like to see for kids in the space as soon as possible: Art Place Kids Pop Up Space Survey.
They held a pop up event on June 20 and June 27. If your child did not attend the pop up on June 27, please just fill in your child’s age and answer the rest of the questions.
Be sure to share with neighbors. The more responses, the better. This is your opportunity to shape what the space could look like!
Location: Lamond-Riggs Library, 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE
Check out the Oren Levine & Friends jazz session tonight at 6:30 at the library.
June 27, 2025
Kids’ Art Space Pop Up at The Modern
Time: 4:00 pm-7:00 pm
Location: 395 Ingraham Street NE (former interim library space at The Modern)
Friday afternoon, join the Cafritz Foundation at their next kids’ pop-up event in their community maker space at The Modern — a creative hub for local kids and families to build, explore, and imagine together.
Explore the railroad that built Fort Totten: the Washington Branch of the B&O Railroad, still running today as the Metro’s Red Line. Kids will work together to build the iconic Thomas Viaduct and an iron truss bridge.
All materials provided. Free and open to all ages.
Families will also be invited to fill out a short survey to help shape future programming.
Location: Lamond-Riggs Library, 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE
Celebrate the 3rd anniversary of the new library. Children’s activities take place throughout the day.
At 12:30 pm, join neighbors Michelle Lisa Herman and Deborah Grimstead, two of the three co-authors of “Fort Totten and Lamond-Riggs: A Historical Tapestry,” for an author talk to discuss the companion book for the Heritage Wall designed and installed by Herman at the Lamond-Riggs Library.
Kick off this summer’s children’s festival series of free, community-centered fun for the kids. Join DC Fray + The Cafritz Foundation to play games like kickball, cornhole, jenga, bouncy balls, sack race; or get cool temporary tattoos. This festival series is always a good time.
Join DC Fray and the Cafritz Foundation for the Children’s Festival Event Series at the Modern at Art Place for some free, community-centered fun select Saturdays, 1pm-3pm, from June to September!
Join DC Fray + the Cafritz Foundationfor our Children’s Festival Event Series for some free, community-centered fun every third Saturday from June to September! Please see the details below and select the date(s) that you plan to join us!
June 28th – Field Day Fun
Share your nostalgic field day favorites with the whole family this summer! Join DC Fray + The Cafritz Foundation to play games like kickball, cornhole, jenga, bouncy balls, sack race; or get your cool temporary tattoos – all as part of our community-centered Children’s Festival Event Series.
July 19th – Summer Splash Water Park
Get ready to make a splash this summer as you dive into an unforgettable water adventure, packed with fun. You’ll cool off with water themed games, enjoy delicious snack bowls, and sip on refreshing beverages. We’ll have special guests to help guide you through the games. Plus, don’t miss out on the awesome giveaways! Dress in your best swimwear and get ready for a day of sun-soaked fun, laughter, and endless memories.
August 23rd – “Minecraft” Back to School Bash & Pizza Party
Enjoy some summer fun for the whole family! Join DC Fray & The Cafritz Foundation for an afternoon of inspiration + prizes as part of our community-centered Children’s Festival Event Series to provide supplies and get students and their families enthused about the upcoming schoolyear!
September 13th – Fall Carnival Experience
Ready to experience an amazing Carnival right in your own backyard? Come out and enjoy games, food, a live DJ, and loads of fun! There will even be a face painter on site! All as part of our community-centered Children’s Festival Event Series.
Be Sure to Follow @artplacedcon Instagram for Updates!
Join the Art Place at Fort Totten team to kick off a new kid’s art space at Art Place – a creative maker space for local kids and families to build, imagine, and dream together.
This Friday, June 20 from 4–7 PM, the Art Place team is hosting a hands-on pop-up event at the former interim library space at 395 Ingraham Street NE, where kids can:
Design and build cardboard train cars
Draw their own railroad tracks with sidewalk chalk
Share ideas for what they want to see in the space next
All materials will be provided. Free and open to all ages—just bring your imagination!
The Fridays at Fort Totten summer concert series kicks off Friday, June 6, 2025. The series, sponsored by The Modern at Art Place & DC Fray, features a different artist 6pm to 8pm every Friday through September 5.
Bring a chair, hang out with neighbors, and enjoy live music, a food truck, and games.
The Fridays at Fort Totten summer concert series kicks off Friday, May 30, 2025. The series, sponsored by The Modern at Art Place & DC Fray, features a different artist 6pm to 8pm every Friday through August.
Bring a chair, hang out with neighbors, and enjoy live music, a food truck, and games.
DC Dental Studio will be opening at 430 Galloway Street NE at Art Place at Fort Totten in late spring/early summer 2025. Owner Dr. Jasmine Marshall shared the following:
DC Dental Studio will be a modern, welcoming dental practice focused on providing compassionate, high-quality care. We offer comprehensive dentistry, including fillings, crowns, veneers, and Invisalign, all in a comfortable and personalized setting.
To ensure accessibility for our patients, we will work with most major dental insurance plans and offer membership plans for those without dental insurance.
Find DC Dental Studio on Instagram (@dcdentalstudio) and online at washingtondcdentalstudio.com, where they will share updates as construction progresses.
DC Dental Studio will join current first phase tenants:
Menomale and Urban Garden Brewery are still in the works for the first phase as well.
Aldi grocery store opened on the corner of South Dakota Avenue & Kennedy Street NE in December 2024 to anchor the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten.
Best for ages 4–12
Next Stop...Riggs Park 