The owners of the three Southwest Waterfront businesses at the Maine Avenue Fish Market have sought an injunction against and sued the D.C. government as well as The Wharf's development firms in federal court, as reported by The Washington Post. [Update: The Maine Avenue Fish Market includes19 barges and a fish cleaning business that are owned by three groups: Captain White, Jesse Taylor, and Virgo. Captain White is the only one suing.] The fish market owners allege that the developers have been trying to evict them by obstructing their customers from getting into their parking lots, shutting down Water Street SW, and ticketing and towing customers' cars. Washington City Paper reported that the feud between fish market has escalated over the past two years until the fish market owners finally requested "just compensation" as well as a "declaratory judgment from the court" that the developers, PN Hoffman and Madison-Marquette, need to respect their leases.
For those who are totally knew to what The Wharf actually is, the development is a big deal, both literally and figuratively. This development is one of the largest mixed-use developments on the East Coast, set to totally revitalize Washington, D.C.'s Southwest Waterfront neighborhood. The Washington Post reported that the $2 billion project will encompass 27 acres of land and 50 acres of water with four blocks of new buildings,150 boat slips, three piers, and 20 restaurants, bars, and cafes. The first phase of the project began last March with the first phase bringing new apartments, condos, offices, hotels, a movie theater, restaurants, and a 6,000-capacity concert hall. The Maine Avenue Fish Market will also get a brand new look in two years with utility and accessibility upgrades, a market pavilion, 10,000-square-feet of outdoor seating space, and new dining options.
· Owners of Maine Avenue Fish Market sue over SW Waterfront development [The Washington Post]
· Southwest Waterfront redevelopment set to break ground, but not without concerns [The Washington Post]
· Fish Market Tenants Say D.C., Waterfront Developer Are Trying to Destroy Their Businesses
[Washington City Paper]
· Waterfront Fish Market to Get Whole New Look in Two Years [Curbed DC]
· Waterfront's Wharf Project Opens Residential Building in 2017 [Curbed DC]
· Hyatt and Hilton Sign on for 413-Key Hotel at The Wharf [Curbed DC]