What's happening in the West Loop has been happening for at least 10 years and is a completely authentic slow transition. There is a group of people that have sought out that area beginning in the 1980s with night club owners that needed large spaces for the clubs. And the old warehouses worked out great. The clubs eventually became lofts, but there were still some great buildings (and cheap rent, and an industrial sector that was leaving for more modern or more secure buildings -- with lower cost of ownership) and so the art galleries and the most cutting edge restaurants started moving in. I assume there will be a tipping point where the neighborhood becomes unbelievably expensive (perhaps an article in the NYT is that point). This is the same process that happened in SoHo, the Meat Packing district, and Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Heck even Georgetown. The problem with both the areas around the baseball stadium and the Florida Market is that DC is so enamored with insta-development. Or newness. Or something that seems to preclude any need or desire for authenticity. Or a complete hatred for industrial neighborhoods. And so you have beautiful warehouses being knocked down to build loft-like apartments. Or office buildings. And some of the cities most important music venues regularly being chased out of their homes.
I miss the Capitol Ballroom/Nation too. I saw Bowie there twice, Morrisey, L7, Social Distortion twice, and many other great concerts there.
Oh, and the Citadel (closed for many years) is gonna be a Harris-Teeter. There I only saw two concerts, Billy Bragg and the Pixies. I never roller skated there.
It's a shame that the area looks poised to become just another K street. I have no problem with downtown -- but one is enough. And with Bethesda, Reston, K Street and Arlington -- we already have four. Another street of identical office buildings with government employees and law firms and associations is hardly the best use of a neighborhood that already has an authentic character.
(And don't forget all of the clubs and bars - and artist studios -- that were run out of the east end of downtown. The Eagle, the 9:30 club, etc. etc.)
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