Where is the DC USA “Topping Out” Party?
This is the view from my window this cold afternoon: the crane that built the DC USA infrastructure is slowing being dismantled by another crane.
That means the DC USA building, the future home of Target, Best Buy and a whole slew of other chain stores, is now structurally complete. Next, an army of carpenters, masons, electricians, plumbers, tradesmen of all types will infiltrate the structure, bringing comfort, detail, life to the growing retail epicenter just blocks from my apartment.
But before you think I rejoice at such a sight, do know that I see this as the suburbanization of my urban neighbourhood. A “Chinatown”-ing of Columbia Heights. An end of Pfeiffer’s Hardwares and Heller’s Bakeries.
So as I watch the crane come down, I am thinking its time to pull up stakes. Its time to mortage my future somewhere else.
But before I go, I wanna party with the construction crew. The “Topping Out” party to be exact. The party always held when the roof is complete on a new building, commercial or retail. Yeah, I may be the only non-Spanish speaking Latino, but that’s diversity, and its time to embrace my fellow man.
Even if he is driving me out of the neighbourhood with every nail, bolt, and screw.
I’m glad someone else doesn’t see this new mini-mall as a good thing. Every time I talk or blog about it, I get called a naysayer for not advancing the “improvement” of the neighborhood.
Correction: Hellers and Pfeiffers are in MOUNT PLEASANT. Not Columbia Heights. You’re welcome!
DCeiver,
While you may distinguish neighborhoods, shoppers will not. Those that live around me will walk a few blocks w/o effort. The DC USA mega-chain stores are close enough to Adams-Morgan, Mt Pleasant, AND Columbia Heights to kill off small businesses in all three neighbourhoods.
Welcome to modern day America! If you want “mom and pop” stores, move to some place like Laramie Wyoming. Although you may find that they’ve been put out of business by Walmart.