The northward view from The Brooks overlooks historic buildings, the future Town Center site, and Silver Spring.

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES AT THE TOWN CENTER

Infrastructure and road work continues at the Town Center, which will feature 100,000 square feet of new dining, shopping, and entertainment around a plaza fronting Georgia Avenue. The existing parking garage is being renovated, and The Hartley is under construction.

The Hartley is a 323-apartment building anchored by Whole Foods Market. The residential portion of the building is located above 58,000 SF of retail, 40,000 SF of which will be occupied by Whole Foods Market. Dahlia, Elder, and 12th streets will be rebuilt as part of the project, which should be completed in 2022.

DC International School Celebrates First Graduating Class

DCI celebrated a virtual graduation for the 68 seniors in its inaugural graduating class on June 12. “I’ve been with this group of kids for six years, and really wanted to make sure that moment was as special and as good as it could be,” said High School Principal Deidra Bailey. More than 700 family members and supporters watched on YouTube Live from around the world. “We had a big cap-and-gown pickup party with them, balloons, yard signs with their pictures, and more. Last week was a week of joy,” Bailey said. More than 97% of the seniors were accepted to at least one college or university and will continue their education. DCI is located on The Parks at Walter Reed campus, and will welcome over 1,400 students in grades 6-12 this fall. Congrats to all the hard-working students, staff and administrators who closed out a difficult year with fanfare!

Photo of DCI senior Toron, who’s heading to Virginia Union University. Courtesy of @dcinternationalschool.

Abrams Hall Continues to Welcomes Residents
Brand-new homes are still available at Abrams Hall Senior apartments! Abrams Hall is a light-filled building on the edge of the Great Lawn with affordable housing residences. One-bedroom senior units are still available; the property is age-restricted to 62 years of age or older. Edgewood Management is now accepting applications.

Yoga & Boot Camp Sessions to Meet Your Schedule
Join fitness guru Gym Jonez this Saturday for the final session of Boot Camp at The Parks! Gym has led high-energy fitness classes each Saturday morning for the last eight weeks, from the Great Lawn, the Boiler Plant, and the Rose Garden. The final session will be live this Saturday, June 27, at 10 am on Instagram!

That time doesn't work for you? Visit our YouTube channel to view the videos, plus six relaxing yoga classes with Ajeenah Abdul (pictured above) and Tiffany Maqubela from Twist & Turns Body Fitness, a Ward 4 business. Read a story about the studio. No special equipment is required, and these sessions are appropriate for all ages.

Watch Yoga at The Parks videos.
Watch the Boot Camp at The Parks videos.

Jazz Historian James Zimmerman Presents a Powerful Performance
Jazz scholar and renowned jazz vocalist James Zimmerman lives here in Ward 4 near The Parks. His style is sophisticated and classic, a perfect serenade for an evening sunset session heavily featuring the music of Oscar Brown, Jr.

"‘Brown Baby’ is a song that Oscar Brown, Jr. wrote in 1951 in celebration of the birth of his son David,” Zimmerman said. “The song was written before the Civil Rights movement began. This whole idea of more than one black man stating 'I can’t breathe'...led me to infuse the lyrics in the story, which is about a hope for tomorrow." Read more of his story in Petworth News and listen to the whole set.

Luke James Shaffer at Sunset Sessions
Luke James Shaffer is a folk-pop, acoustic singer-songwriter based in Alexandria. His warm, soulful vocals led his first EP to reach number seven on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts, and his second EP was just released in May. Don't miss his Sunset Sessions set with old songs and new, and follow him @lukejamesshaffer.

Imani-Grace Performs Twice at The Parks This Season
Jazz vocalist Imani-Grace has headlined as a vocalist at venues such as the Apollo Theater and the Kennedy Center. Her Sunset Sessions is a special solo performance that journeys through jazz, soul and gospel. View her Sunset Sessions set; and watch her Couch Concert performance presented by Petworth Jazz Project, Eaton DC, and the Kennedy Center, from the Boiler Plant! Learn more at imanigrace.com and follow her @imanigrace_music.

Beth Cannon of Elizabeth II Performs at Sunset Sessions
A self-described “guitar nerd” who teaches guitar and voice at DC’s own 7DrumCity, Beth performs thunderous vocals over bluesy guitar riffs and pulsating rhythms. She writes all the music for her band Elizabeth II, including the drumbeats. Her latest EP came out in late 2019. She performs a range of solo guitar originals and covers, from blues to neoclassical. Watch her performance on our YouTube channel, or learn more @elizabethiimusic.

FRESHFARM Market to Return in September
Our events team is hard at work preparing a safe and delicious farmers' market starting in September! FRESHFARM will start farmer outreach soon to select vendors for the market, so please spread the word. The Parks' market will run every Sunday morning (8 weeks) in September and October, featuring tasty meat/cheese/bread vendors and stellar local veggie and fruit farmers. FRESHFARM has extensive experience throughout the region in managing markets that adhere to all local and federal safety guidelines during the pandemic. Contact info@theparksdc.com with questions.

Volunteer for The Parks Community Events
We need volunteers for our community events, which will start later this year when regulations allow. Volunteers can help with a variety of projects, from directing traffic to staffing tables, event load-in, and even neighborhood marketing and promotion (from home!) Interested? Give us your details via this form, or email info@theparksdc.com for more info.

Don't miss a special Couch Concert performance of Imani-Grace and Luke Stewart (pictured) with visuals by Pat Cain, presented by Petworth Jazz Project, Eaton DC, and the Kennedy Center. The session was filmed in May and provides an amazing sneak peak into the historic Boiler Plant. Photography by Nathan Mitchell and Pipkin Creative.

PRIVATE TERRACES AT THE BROOKS

Soak up the views of The Parks from your own private rooftop terrace at The Brooks! In addition to a beautiful new home, you could also own the perfect private space for entertaining. Schedule a private appointment to preview these amazing terraces.

Construction continues on The Brooks, an 89-condo building, and The Vale, a 301-unit apartment building at the corner of Aspen and Georgia Avenue NW. Both buildings are expected to deliver at the end of the year.

Playground & Dog Park Construction
Construction will start in the fourth quarter on the playground at the Main Drive entrance and the dog park. The large playground will be nestled between historic trees immediately to the north of the Main Drive/Georgia Avenue gate.

Arts Park Update
The development team is currently restoring the areas surrounding the Arts Park buildings and plaza, including the auto shop and the firehouse. Exterior improvements and landscaping will be completed by the end of the year.

Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street Distributes PPE
Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street, in cooperation with Mayor Bowser and DSLBD, distributed 140,000 masks and 560 gallons of hand sanitizer to local businesses along Georgia Avenue. Contact Executive Director Paul Ruppert to learn more about the organization’s efforts to support small businesses and improve the retail corridor.

Community Advisory Committee Meeting: July 13
The bimonthly Community Advisory Committee meetings provide a forum for community members to advise the Walter Reed Army Medical Center Local Redevelopment Authority on site implementation based on the Reuse Plan and Small Area Plan. Click here for details and virtual meeting information.