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A beer garden finally rises on lower Barracks Row, new mixed-use building rises in Edgewood

By WTOP Staff

Lower Barracks Row will finally get its beer garden.

It’s been a four year journey, but a permit was issued Friday for the construction of a traditional beer garden, with an accessory space for food trucks at 1007 8th St. SE. “The Brig,” as it will be called, will seat 210 and serve 299, said Alan Gaunoux of Georgetown’s G Properties. It will replace a parking lot at the corner of Eighth and L streets SE.

Our first mention of the Bavarian Beer Garden dates back to January 2011, though the pitch was first made at least three months earlier(and struggled to win community approval). In the meantime, early versions of the development were scaled back, Gaunoux said, and the permit process was a lengthy one.

Gaunoux, who has partnered with Mark Brody and Chris Chambers (of H Street NE’s Biergarten Haus) on this project, described the beer garden as a “one-story structure with a bar and some food,” and perhaps live music. He expects to break ground next week.

“The whole area is just exploding,” Gaunoux said.

Other permits issued Thursday and Friday:

  • 2321 Fourth St. NE: The H Street Development Corp., with partner E&G Group, will construct a five-story, mixed-use building on this Edgewood lot. The first floor will include parking spaces, tenant offices, loading, retail and tenant community space, and the second through fifth floors will hold 116 affordable residential units— four studios, 70 one-bedroom, 38 two-bedroom and four three-bedroom units. The building was approved in 2012 for six stories and more than 150 units, but the partnership returned one year later with a scaled-down version. More than half of the $30.2 million project will be funded through D.C. Housing Finance Agency-issued bonds.
  • 1239 Good Hope Road SE: Conversion of existing commercial building into mixed-use with residential on the second floor and a gallery/studio on the first floor. Work will include a two-story addition, storefront renovations and new windows. The property is owned by artist Craig Kraft. The Washington City Paper reported in October 2013 that Kraft would convert the vacant space into a studio, gallery and residence.
  • 1929 Florida Ave. NW: Renovations to convert the vacant theater on the first floor and mezzanine level of the Universal North Building into a new fitness center, Flywheel Sports.
  • 799 Ninth St. NW: Interior renovation to seventh floor office space (partitions, furniture, etc.) for the American Gaming Association. The association is currently headquartered at 1299 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.
  • 601 13th St. NW: Interior renovation to fifth floor office space for AmerisPhere. The Omaha, Nebraska-based mortgage banking company currently operates a Bethesda office. It is unclear if this is a relocation or expansion of its D.C. area presence.
  • 1550 Seventh St. NW: Interior renovation and tenant layout at Jefferson MarketPlace, a new mixed-use complex in Shaw, for a retail establishment selling pet supplies only. The work will provide a “warm-lit space for a future tenant,” that being Unleashed by Petco.
  • 1422 Harvard St. NW: Alterations and repair to an existing townhouse, to include the addition of a bathroom and relocation of partitions. The carriage house on the property will be renovated from a garage to a finished and conditioned space, and the property’s use will change from single-family to a 10-resident community-based residential facility. The home is owned by Samaritan Inns Inc.
  • 3700 O St. NW: Interior tenant fit-out in Georgetown University’s new Healey Family Student Center for the Hilltoss coffee and smoothie cafe.
  • 3543 Warder St. NW: Interior alteration to all levels, to include new lighting, plumbing, electrical and floor framing, as this single-family home is converted into a two-family flat.
  • 55 Q St. NE: Conversion from single-family to two unit flat, with work to include a new basement entrance.

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
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