Is Balducci’s Back In Gallery Place/Penn Quarter?

Happy to see that someone’s coming to the space, but with all this talk of TJ’s and other (cheaper) grocers, I have to admit I’m a bit crestfallen. Oh well. It will be nice to have a place to pick things up in a pinch.

Oh this is such a tease. I’m not getting my hopes up…I got see a sign up, some grocery carts, employees wearing aprons and nametags…

Yeaaahhhhhhh!!! See this shows the power of community involvment (the dissenters aside) most of Penn Quarter got united and fought for this and it seems like we have won the day. And be crestfallen all you want. Balducci’s means groccery store in a few months. Any other store, with financing, corporate approval, permiting, and rennovation issues would have meant years.

Go Balducci’s!!!

Long term, I think Balducci’s would still be a good fit for the neighborhood, despite its prices. The 50,000 square foot Safeway under construction at 5th & K, only half a mile or so from the Balduccis site, will be the primary grocery store for most of us–and the two store will complement each other. Any other grocery store may be forced to compete head on with the Safeway (and likely would lose with such a small store).

I don’t know how anynymous (post 3) can claim to speak for “most of Penn Quarter” but, I’m with anonymous (post1). I am happy to see a grocer going into the space but I just hope it doesn’t become like the Georgetown Dean and Delucca – a spot to pick up expensive picnics – not a grocery store. Take note Balducci’s – offer us some fairly priced store brands and we’ll keep coming back. At least give us some affordable wines.

Has this really been confirmed? I walked by today and saw 2 people working in there. I can’t imagine that 2 people can do much.

No, this info hasn’t been confirmed.

where is this property located. Looks like 7th St, but where? What is it next to?

PQResident…would you be able to call the same contact at Balducci’s who confirmed that they were not coming to Penn Quarter to see, if in fact, they have changed their minds and decided to come. Just an idea.

2 construction workers?? Does this mean they will string us along for another 6 months – 2 years without actually doing anything usefull like getting a store open?

re: Anon (6/30 – 4:34:03)

I do have a day job but might be able to call next week. If it’s true, I’m sure Balducci’s will broadcast it themselves and claim the credit. I do know that JPI, who signed the deal with Balducci’s, is still working on filling the space…but with whom? I walked by yesterday and there still is plenty of substantive activity going on.

a dc gov source told me Balducci’s is definately back in the lease – however, they could still opt to use it for another purpose like High Noon, which they also own.

High Noon is a terrible idea. the last thing we need is for a reastaurant to go into that space and prevent us from ever getting a groccery store in the area (and no I don’t count the safeway going in in two years…first off its in two years…and secondly it’s a safeway, go to one in the city and you’ll know what I mean). I say the same letter campaign that caused the Balducci’s to come back should be used to prevent a High Noon….so I hope they aren’t silly and go for that in lue of a Balducci’s.

I doubt they would use that enormous space for a High Noon. It would be ridiculously large for a cafe.

I agree that Balducci’s would be horrible corporate citizens if they took one of the only spaces in our neighborhood large enough for a grocery store and turned it into a lunch place. Especially after promising us a grocery store. I would not hesitate to get elected officials and the zoning board involved if they renege on the store. I presume a change to High Noon would require a change in zoning?

Hmmmm… an interesting tidbit from section 1706 of the DC zoning regulations covering our neighborhood: “In Housing Priority Areas B and C, each square foot of grocery store use shall earn two square feet of bonus floor area.” (The Lafayette building is in area C.)

Essentially, developers are only allowed to construct buildings of a certain size (floor area) in our neighborhood, but can earn “bonus” square footage by setting aside space for preferred uses (an arts facility, a grocery store). I’d bet the developer of the Lafayette (JPI?) took advantage of the bonus square footage by promising that a grocery store would fill the space.

The zoning regs (especially the shopping and arts district regs) are a fairly interesting read if you’re into that sort of thing.

This is a neat site, who set it up?
on zoning; there are also height limits and the Pennsylvania Avenue Plan governs development on Square 457, where JPI developed the property. Last, residential units need light and air, so don’t expect additional development on the site despite the section cited in the zoning regs.

On balducci’s no decision has yet been made but they are reconsidering their decision to drop this site. if you didn’t know, they dropped all sites not yet open to concentrate on their existing portfolio.

obviously, one factor will be how much it costs to finish the work and various construction crews have been checking things over to submit bids. that’s all.

if you live in the Penn Quarter and want to recieve invitations to our breakfast meetigns and evening events and announcements of what is happening around the ‘hood, email PennQuarter@ncpc.gov and in the body of the text type in:
your name
the building you live in
your email address
a home phone number or
an office phone number or
a local cell number and say which it is.

Cheers from Penn Quarter.

The proposed Balducci’s spot is zones exclusively as a grocery store. So they can’t use it for anything else w/out petitioning the zoning commission.

Whew! That is great news!

Hi Anon 07/06 – 09:53:27,

This blog was set up by GPLiving and he deserves the credit for getting it going. I, PQResident, provide ancillary support and contribute regularly. Glad you like it and please tell your friends.

This is mildly off-topic, but related to the Safeway comment above. Does anyone know what the timeframe is on the 5th & K development? More to the point: When I will be able to walk over there and buy groceries?

Anon: The Safeway will be housed in the “V” building of the City Vista development. While the “L” is scheduled to be completed in 2007, the “V” won’t be completed until 2008. We’re looking at 1.5 years minimum until the Safeway opens. It will probably more on the order of exactly 2 years from now until the Safeway opens.