Skip to main content

District Flea may be out, but Union Kitchen is in for Atlantic Plumbing site

By WTOP Staff

News came down Wednesday that District Flea, the Brooklyn-based high-end flea market that launched at the intersection of Ninth Street and Florida Avenue NW last summer, will close up shop and not finish out the season after opening to the public in April.

But other plans are in the works for the site, which is owned by The JBG Cos. and is the future home to the Atlantic Plumbing residential and retail development.

Union Kitchen, the culinary business incubator and commercial kitchen in Northeast D.C., plans to utilize the property for several events this summer, according to Jonas Singer, co-founder of Union Kitchen.

The kitchen at 1110 Congress St. NE had been looking for a new outdoor venue after it lost access to the lot down the block where it has hosted “The Lot at Union Kitchen” events. That lot at the corner of Third and L streets NE will serve as a staging area for the redevelopment of the Uline Arena.

The first “ Lot at Atlantic Plumbing” event will be held May 31, when the incubator will host a “canines and cocktails happy hour” from 5-7 p.m. in conjunction with Metro Mutts and a concert featuring several local bands from 7-10 p.m.

“We’re hoping to do things maybe every four to six weeks,” Singer said. There could be an opportunity to use it for smaller events as well, such as creating a pop-up for Union Kitchen member District Donut on the upcoming D.C. Donut Crawl that’s planned for June 7.

District Flea, which was expected to be held nearly every Saturday from April to October, notified vendors Tuesday that the market would go on indefinite hiatus because “the volume of vendors didn’t support our ambitious business model for a weekly market,” as the Washington City Paper first reported.

Eric Demby, a representative of Brooklyn Flea, said it would be “premature” to comment on whether District Flea would return in another iteration at the Atlantic Plumbing site.

“We at the Flea still believe in D.C. as a great, cool city,” Demby told me in an email. “But how things will play out in the near term just isn’t clear at this time.”

For its part, JBG is still looking to keep the site active.

“JBG is committed to continually activating the space with a series of events,” said JBG spokesman Matthew Blocher.

Atlantic Plumbing is a 310-unit residential development that is expected to open in 2015.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote