Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not enough kids in upper NW DC to support a toy store. They can't even fill their schools there. That's why they need to have such a high number of out of bounds students at Wilson and Deal and Janney etc.

It took me too long to realize this is sarcastic.

Though honestly, even with free rent, I bet the store would've died soon.

Anonymous wrote:AU apparently regards the building as just another portfolio asset on which they seek the highest return, when they also need to consider their position as a major stakeholder in the community and the importance of retaining small, neighborhood-serving businesses. Sadly, however, the Sullivan’s saga is representative of the creeping vibrantdensemixeduseification of Upper NW and how it squeezes out these business. For many years, Sullivan’s operated successfully in the commercial block at Wisconsin and Idaho next to The Kellogg Collection and a number of other locally-owned businesses. When the block was leveled to build the Catherdral Commons-plex, the developer/owners promised the BZA and the community that they would offer concessionary rents to displaced small businesses that wanted to return to the site. Of course, this never happened. Sullivan’s moved to its present site about a mile to the north. In the past two years, Johnson’s closed because AU raised the rent, and now their former customers have to drive to Maryland for even basic gardening needs. Soon Sullivan’s will be gone. And it’s just a matter of time before AU sells to or partners with a big developer to redevelop the whole site as an extension of the tall, dense mega-blocks under construction at Fannie Mae and 4000 Wisconsin. The new business tenants then won’t be the likes of Sullivan’s and Johnson’s, but more of the same upscale generic retail: bank branches, national chains, well-capitalized “concept” restaurant groups with focus group-tested menus. These are the types of tenants, with deep balance sheets and corporate lease guarantees, that Smart Growth investors demand. There will be no place for the smaller, locally-owned, neighborhood serving businesses that meet the ordinary needs of the community. And you will still have to drive to Maryland to buy a shrub or a flat of flowers. Just how “walkable” is that?

Anonymous wrote:Not enough kids in upper NW DC to support a toy store. They can't even fill their schools there. That's why they need to have such a high number of out of bounds students at Wilson and Deal and Janney etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure getting mad at AU is the solution.

Johnson's business was tailing off. AU offered them to continue at the same rate, but Johnsons declined and then turned around and falsely accused AU of raising the rents.

Sullivans hasn't been a viable business for more than a year. Between the pandemic and supply chain issues, their shelves have been almost bare.

It is sad, but as someone else noted above thread, the distributors etc are hedging against the little guy, and Sullivan's was rolled up in it.

But AU is the easy culprit.

The "same rate" might be considered excessive and driven by greed, not simple fiduciary responsibility. To stab a business that was viable pre- the Covid Act of God and not give it time to re-establish itself is simply Grinchy. Would you feel the same if the street were destroyed by a hurricane and AU didn't provide time to recover? They are a huge landlord with enough properties in the area to show some flexibility and also understanding of the value these businesses provide to the same neighborhood they inhabit. Do AU students not buy each other flowers sometimes? Or art supplies?

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure getting mad at AU is the solution.

Johnson's business was tailing off. AU offered them to continue at the same rate, but Johnsons declined and then turned around and falsely accused AU of raising the rents.

Sullivans hasn't been a viable business for more than a year. Between the pandemic and supply chain issues, their shelves have been almost bare.

It is sad, but as someone else noted above thread, the distributors etc are hedging against the little guy, and Sullivan's was rolled up in it.

But AU is the easy culprit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these YIMBY folks don’t own a backyard or anything.

There are a ton of apartments being built as has been noted. All these folks insistent on more more building can’t afford the condos soon to be for rent.

Small retail - like Sullivan’s - is over. Such stores can’t swing the rent for the space in one of these new overbuilds:

This. No one will be able to afford the condos. It you are going to pay that money, then you'll spend it on a 4 up/4 down center stair colonial which around here are starting at $1.2M. They you at last get a back yard....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So with all the development underway, planned and advocated for, we’ll get higher assessments, more traffic, even more overcrowded schools and the loss of cherished locally-owned businesses. What’s not to like about more and more dense, vibrant mixed-use “Smart” Growth?!

Here we go:

president@american.edu

I am excited to join the AU family, be part of the team, and help write the next chapter for this distinctive university. Feel free to contact me with questions or comments at president@american.edu.

Sylvia M. Burwell
President, American University

Had to look this lady up because the name sounded familiar. Former HHS secretary under Obama. Doesn’t even have a masters degree but is a university president?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So with all the development underway, planned and advocated for, we’ll get higher assessments, more traffic, even more overcrowded schools and the loss of cherished locally-owned businesses. What’s not to like about more and more dense, vibrant mixed-use “Smart” Growth?!

Here we go:

president@american.edu

I am excited to join the AU family, be part of the team, and help write the next chapter for this distinctive university. Feel free to contact me with questions or comments at president@american.edu.

Sylvia M. Burwell
President, American University

Anonymous wrote:So with all the development underway, planned and advocated for, we’ll get higher assessments, more traffic, even more overcrowded schools and the loss of cherished locally-owned businesses. What’s not to like about more and more dense, vibrant mixed-use “Smart” Growth?!

Anonymous wrote:So with all the development underway, planned and advocated for, we’ll get higher assessments, more traffic, even more overcrowded schools and the loss of cherished locally-owned businesses. What’s not to like about more and more dense, vibrant mixed-use “Smart” Growth?!