Dare to Dream...of Organic Arugula

The on-again, off-again saga of the Gallery Place Balducci's has taken another turn, hopefully toward the future enjoyment of Penn Quarter residents eager for pricey yet oh-so-good produce and food. Part of the original plan for the ground-level retail space in The Jefferson on 7th Street NW between D and E Streets, statements by officials of the specialty grocery chain had thrown doubt on the store actually opening. However, Balducci's never lost hold of the lease for this 21,000-sf space, and reports now indicate that the chain is once again planning on opening store at this outpost, no doubt spurred by the District's offer to not only waive the store's real estate taxes for 10 years and the sales taxes on its construction materials (the original offer), but to also throw in some new (as yet unspecified) incentives. If Balducci's does decide to not open a store, it is believed it will sublease the space to another grocery chain, such as Magruder's or A&P Fresh Market. Stay tuned....