The Morning News: Rising From the River

Photo of the Anacostia River by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS often get giddy when their projects involve waterfront access, since a riverfront view or dockside promenade can translate into higher property values and larger potential profits. Renderings of such developments often will show happy families strolling alongside a beautiful blue expanse of water full of boats and waterfront recreation. To our knowledge, however, we've never seen any renderings involving the Anacostia River's all-too-common features — the brownish raw sewage, abandoned shopping carts, trash and other debris either floating on the surface or stuck in the muck. Certainly, parents wouldn't want their children near a waterway full of tumor-laden catfish.

As The Post's David A. Fahrenthold writes this morning, as development starts to settle in next to the Anacostia, "it might be years before the river's health catches up with its new cachet."

Adding to the river's popular buzz is a proposal to build a new stadium for D.C. United along its banks on Poplar Point. As The Post's David Nakamura reports, officials gathered yesterday at the Willard InterContinental Hotel for the announcement of the sale of D.C.'s soccer franchise to San Francisco real estate mogul Victor B. MacFarlane and his two business partners, real estate developer and former Duke University basketball star Brian Davis and investor William H.C. Chang. The new owners are pushing a plan to build a new 27,000-seat stadium on National Park Service land recently transferred to the District.

Above, you can watch video of the new United owners discussing the stadium plan, shot by washingtonpost.com's Akira Hakuta.

» "Polluted Waters Stain D.C.'s Shining Vision" [WaPo]
» "New Management Starts Public Push for Stadium" [WaPo]
» "Eleven More Things From This Morning's United Event" [D.C. Sports Bog/WaPo]
» "New D.C. United Owners Announce Stadium Plans" [WaPo]

What else is making news on this Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007? Let's get to it.

» U STREET NW: "Storied Stage Could Go Dark: U Street Venue Close to Broke, Director Says" [WaPo]
» WILSON BUILDING: "Veto Reversal Urged On Ex-Offender Bill" [WaPo]
» MARYLAND: "Maryland Is Poised to Become Wealthiest State in the Nation" [Silver Spring Scene]
» MONTGOMERY COUNTY: "Leggett Nominates Directors of Financial, Recreation Offices" [WaPo]
» BETHESDA: "Woman Sexually Assaulted in Bethesda" [MetroSource via WTOP]
» ANNAPOLIS: "O'Malley Plans Less Glitzy Inauguration Than Predecessor" [AP via WTOP]
» JUDICIARY SQUARE: "U.S. to Drop Charges in '99 Uganda Killings" [WT]
» RICHMOND: "Tax-Cut Option for Localities? Kaine will seek an Amendment That Could Trim Real Estate Taxes" [Richmond T-D]

» WHITE HOUSE: "Bush Works To Rally Support for Iraq 'Surge'" [WaPo]
» CAPITOL HILL: "House Bill Backs Additional Reforms From 9/11 Report" [WaPo]

Photo of the Lincoln Theatre by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post

» MORE NEWS AND VIEWS, as always, are available at washingtonpost.com, Washington Post Radio and Slate.

COMING UP LATER TODAY on ReadExpress.com ...
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» A note to D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty: the Brentwood Road location of the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles is desperate for attention.
» Might Metro's octagonal red floor tiles turn square in the name of safety?
» Washington may have its own baseball team now, but to many Orioles fans closer to the nation's capital, Cal Ripken is still a hero.
» Making friends might be more difficult that dating, especially when you feel you emit some sort of "people-repellent." Dr. Andrea Bonior dishes out some advice.

Posted By Michael Grass at 8:53 AM on January 9, 2007 Tagged in Anacostia , D.C. United , Free Ride , Maryland , Montgomery County , Navy Yard , Near Southeast , News , Real Estate , Sports , The District , Virginia

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