No Place To Do Dirty Work

Booming real estate values in Washington, DC are squeezing out the auto repair shops and salvage yards.

1 minute read

September 1, 2006, 5:00 AM PDT

By Deborah Myerson


Rezoning and high land values in the nation's capital mean a shortage of land for light industrial uses. Office, housing, and commercial developments are colonizing the sites once occupied by tire shops and cement plants. Only 5 percent of the District of Columbia is zoned for industrial uses -- by comparison, 13 percent of San Francisco’s acreage is designated for industrial sites. For some, a major gateway to the city like New York Avenue is in dire need of more attractive developmentâ€"-like a proposed plan for 3.5 million square feet of condos and a supermarket. Yet, others wonder where the still-needed auto parts stores and bus barns will go.

Monday, August 28, 2006 in The Washington Post

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