Paint-Your-Own Tiles at the Explore! Children’s Museum Pop-up
Friday, September 5, 4-7PM
395 Ingraham Street NE
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.
Best for ages 4–12
Free Family Pop-up
Materials provided
Cafritz Foundation Children’s Festival – Back to School Bash & Pizza Party
Time: 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Location: The Modern, 400 Galloway Street NE
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.
When: Saturday, August 16th from 9am-12pm
Where: 395 Ingraham Street NE
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!
Location: 395 Ingraham Street NE
The Urban Land Institute ULI) recently published a post on the convening of the Fort Totten Net Zero TOD Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) held on June 3–5, 2025. The TAP was convened to support Metro’s development of the large parking lot at Fort Totten station, taking into consideration new energy requirements for new construction. Metro has previously tried to develop the large parking lot at least three times. ULI will issue a TAP report in the coming weeks.
ULI shared an initial set of recommendations:
1. Reduce the required parking.
2. Create a sense of place.
3. Collaborate with local utility PEPCO to ensure a smooth development process.
4. Integrate the new development into the existing neighborhood fabric.
I found some of the initial short and long term recommendations interesting.
Additional short-term recommendations from the panel included deepened partnerships with local community groups to begin activating the Fort Totten space and investing in placemaking around the station. Panelists also recommended identifying “quick wins” to accelerate development opportunities, such as lighting improvements, pop-up retail, and artist activations.
Long-term recommendations included making both the site and station-adjacent areas more pedestrian friendly by prioritizing the pedestrian experience, as well as by formalizing a collaboration network with the city and the utility to ensure a development-friendly experience. Panelists also emphasized the need to consider framing the joint development in terms of housing, transportation, and climate change to maximize potential funding sources (e.g., REC monetization, DC Green Bank financing, TIFIA/WIFIA infrastructure loans) and to address the most pressing needs in the region.
I have lots of thoughts on Metro’s joint development program. The upcoming ULI report will not be the first report on joint development at Fort Totten station. I am looking forward to what this one will say.
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.
As of July 25, 2025, several units remain available for leasing at the recently constructed Riggs Crossing Senior Residences located at 307 Riggs Road NE.
The building is dedicated to individuals aged 55 and older, and all units are income-restricted at 50% of median family income (MFI) or below.
To avoid long wait times, the leasing team recommends scheduling an appointment through the Riggs Crossing Senior Residences website. Floor plans are available online.
Applicants should be sure to bring the requested items listed in the application disclosure to their appointment.
Cafritz Foundation Children’s Festival – Summer Splash Water Park
Time: 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Location: The Modern, 400 Galloway Street NE
Free and open to the community! The festival series is always a good time for the kids.
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.
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.
See Art Place Presentation to LRCA Development Task Force (June 2025)
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
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:
The presentation ended with information about the weekly summer concert series and the children’s festival series.
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.
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!
The neighborhood will be hopping with activities today through Saturday.
Details below
June 26, 2025
Main Street Jazz Series featuring Oren Levine & Friends
Time: 6:30 pm-7:30 pm
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.
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Fridays at Fort Totten Concert Series featuring Frank Viele
Time: 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Location: Corner of South Dakota Avenue & Galloway Street NE
Later Friday evening, enjoy live music featuring Frank Viele at the Fridays at Fort Totten Concert Series. Bring a chair & chill with neighbors.
June 28, 2025
Riggs Park Clean Up & New Park Plan Review
Time: 8:30 am – Noon
Location: Meet at Green Space on the southwest corner South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE
Start the day early with a neighborhood clean up with your Riggs Park ANC Commissioners. Tools, trash bags provided.
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Lamond-Riggs Library 3rd Anniversary Celebration
Time: 10:00 am-2:00 pm
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.
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Cafritz Foundation Children’s Festival – Field Day Fun
Time: 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Location: The Modern, 400 Galloway Street NE
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 Foundation for 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 @artplacedc on 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:
All materials will be provided. Free and open to all ages—just bring your imagination!
Where: 395 Ingraham Street NE
When: Friday, June 20, 4–7 PM
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.
Fridays at Fort Totten Free Concert Series
June 6 – September 5, 2025
6:00 pm-8:00 pm
The Modern (corner of South Dakota Avenue NE & Galloway Street NE)
2025 Lineup
June 6th – The Lovejoy Group
June 13th – Pebble to Pearl
June 20th – Rook Richards
June 27th – Frank Viele
July 11th – Justina Beth El
July 18th – Hand Painted Swinger
July 25th – Rock Creek Kings
August 1st – Rook Richards
August 8th – Retropop (David Thong)
August 15th – Dandy
August 22nd – The Thrills
August 29th – The Joe Baione Vibraphone Experience
September 5th – La Unica
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.
Fridays at Fort Totten Free Concert Series
May 30 – August 29, 2025
6:00 pm-8:00 pm
The Modern (corner of South Dakota Avenue NE & Galloway Street NE)
2025 Lineup
Time to welcome more senior residents into the neighborhood!
On April 30, 2025, Mayor Muriel Bowser cut the ribbon to celebrate the grand opening of Riggs Crossing Senior Residences, a new 100% affordable, income-restricted community for seniors 55 years and older, developed by True Ground Housing Partners (formerly known as Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing). Besides Mayor Bowser, speakers included Mary Worsley, one of the building’s first residents; Steven Smith, Senior Vice President at Truist; Carmen Romero, CEO of True Ground Housing Partners; Rich Jordan, chair of the board of True Ground Housing Partners; and Nina Albert, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Planning (DMPED).
One-bedroom and two-bedroom units are still available. Interested individuals may visit the Riggs Crossing website to learn more.
Located on the southeast corner of Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue NE, Riggs Crossing features 93 apartments, consisting of studios, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom units, with approximately 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail. Jaydot will provide case management services to residents in the permanent supportive housing units. The building is access controlled. Each floor is color coded to help with memory care. At move-in, residents can request that grab bars be installed in the unit. Residents may also request either a small or large personal foldable shopping cart
Each unit is spacious featuring either an extra large window or a balcony. Free wi-fi is available throughout the building and in each individual unit. DC SEU provided discounts on new appliances. Each unit comes with a full size washer/dryer.
Building amenities include a community room, fitness room, wellness room with yoga mats, and a library. Common areas feature artwork by local artists, and an outdoor mural brightens one side of the building. No pets are allowed, but service animals are permitted. There is a parking garage with 49 spaces.
Retail
Forthcoming retail tenants include Happy Violet DC, owned by local resident Renee Blair, and Rose’s Beauty Supply. There is still vacant retail space. Interested retailers should contact Joanna Shin at jshin@truegroundhousing.org.
DC’s Affordable Housing Efforts
The ribbon cutting served as the culmination of Mayor Bowser’s work on neighborhood development in Riggs Park, starting as a founding member of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association Development Task Force when she lived in the neighborhood, ANC commissioner, Ward 4 councilmember, and finally mayor. She shared a thank you letter with the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association.
Almost every speaker noted how developing affordable housing projects like this one takes a lot of commitment, resources, and effort from the public and private sectors. The city provided financing to help develop the senior building, and officials from the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Planning & Economic Development were heavily involved.
The first phase of this project, Riggs Park Place, delivered in 2022, consisting of 90 townhomes (five below market-rate) developed by EYA. JBG Smith, former owner of Fort Totten Square, selected EYA to build Riggs Park Place after deciding to forego building more apartments as the second phase to Fort Totten Square. EYA then selected True Ground Housing as a partner to develop the senior building.
The mayor used the ribbon cutting as an opportunity to highlight her commitment to contributing $100 million to the Housing Production Trust Fund every year. She also advocated for the DC Council to pass the RENTAL Act, which she said aims to amend the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), reform the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), and make the housing board permanent. (Discussion and questions about the mayor’s recently announced proposed deal with the Washington Commanders also came up).
Ribbon cutting pictures below
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.
The Cafritz Foundation is seeking a two-year extension of time to submit an application for the next phases of Art Place at Fort Totten (Zoning Commission case no. 06-10I). The project sits in ANC 5A09.
See Developer Statement in Support of Extension Request.
The Zoning Commission expects to discuss the request at its public meeting on January 30, 2025.
Background
We have gotten a lot of questions about timing for various aspects of the development. The project, a planned unit development (PUD), is being developed in phases along South Dakota Avenue NE between Galloway and Kennedy. The Modern at Art Place (referred to as Building A or Phase 1) opened in 2017. When the Zoning Commission approved the part of the project currently under construction (referred to as Block B or Phase 2), the commission requested that the developer “file a second stage PUD application for either Block C or Block D by December 31, 2024.” (ZC order 06-10D). The expectation was that Phase 2 would have been fully built out by now.
As most know, after the second phase was initially approved, the pandemic impacted plans for the project. They lost their big anchor Meow Wolf, and the retail environment dramatically shifted. So, they filed requests for modifications that were approved. They came up with a sequencing plan for the second phase, which has been discussed on the blog previously. The first sequence included construction of Aldi grocery store, which opened on December 5, 2024. They outlined further sequencing to round out the second phase to include potentially a children’s museum, housing, and additional retail.
Last year, we discussed that the new potential operator of the children’s museum, KID Museum, was taking time to evaluate the feasibility of opening a second location in this neighborhood. There is a KID Museum in Bethesda. At Aldi’s ribbon cutting, I was told that KID Museum is still going through their feasibility process. We also discussed plans by Social Justice School to establish a permanent home in the last remaining warehouse on Kennedy Street. The developer previously communicated that the development team continues to seek financing for the housing portion of Phase 2.
Extension Request
All that to say, there are no clear answers about timing for the remainder of Phase 2 and what could possibly be in store for future phases. And that is what the developer is saying they need time to evaluate. Their filing states:
The Applicant requests an extension of the First-Stage PUD approval for two years; that is, until December 31, 2026. This extension request will provide the Applicant the opportunity to review, potentially revise, and move forward with Second-Stage PUD applications for the development of the Property. The time extension request will also allow the Applicant to finalize a new development timeline and mix of uses, which better reflects the current and expected economic climate.
The DC Office of Planning filed a report recommending approval of the extension request but noted that if this is indeed the second request and not the first, then it may be granted for just one year (OP Report).
The developer notified ANC 5A and ANC 4B, as well as the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA).
(Full disclosure: Knowing that a request for an extension of time was likely forthcoming, I sent the development team and ANC Commissioner Shelagh Bocoum (5A09) correspondence about the property. Over the past couple of years, a few residents have regularly let the development team know about the need to be more diligent about maintaining the vacant lots, picking up trash, improving the overall appearance of the property, being creative and flexible regarding the vacant retail spaces and lots, and etc.)
The developer’s filing states:
In response to dialogue with representatives of ANC 5B, LRCA, and members of the surrounding community, the Applicant has agreed to undertake the following actions to enhance the physical appearance of the area around Blocks B, C, and D as follows:
• The Applicant has prepared a full design program for a new fence with signage and art images, as well as banner signs on new light poles throughout the site;
• The Applicant will install trashcans along South Dakota Avenue in front of Block B; and
• The Applicant will work with LRCA, ANC 5B, and members of the community to activate the site (in particular the South Dakota Avenue frontage) while the planning for the future development of Blocks C and D progresses.
(The ANC listed in the filing is a typo. The project is in ANC 5A and across the street from ANC 4B. Also, the first bullet point regarding banners is something they came up with on their own).
I anticipate that we will be hearing more about these interim plans in the next couple of months.
Riggs Crossing Senior Residences is a new income-restricted, affordable senior housing community currently under construction at 307 Riggs Road NE on the southeast corner of Riggs Road & South Dakota Avenue NE. The developer is True Ground Housing Partners (previously known as Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing or APAH). The development will consist of roughly 93 apartments above ground-floor retail. True Ground recently lowered the age of eligibility to 55 years old.
As of January 2025, apartments are still available, particularly the 2-bedroom units that require two leaseholders.
Individuals 55 years old and older may fill out an interest form through the Contact page on the website to determine if they meet the income restrictions and eligibility guidelines. Individuals may also call 771-223-9886. This is a voicemail inbox only. Leave a message. Calls will be returned in the order they are received. Please do not go to the location on Riggs Road as it is still an active construction zone. There is not a leasing office on site.
The residential portion of the project is expected to be completed in first quarter 2025.
True Ground is also still soliciting interest from potential retail tenants for below market rate lease opportunities. Contact Joanna Shin at jshin@truegroundhousing.org for retail inquiries.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 
