D.C. wants to rejuvenate Chinatown-Gallery Place, starting with creating more inviting spaces for pedestrians and accelerating office-to-residential conversions.

Why it matters: The neighborhood is a magnet for visitors, thanks to Capital One Arena, museums, and restaurants. But it has struggled since the pandemic with less foot traffic and some empty storefronts.

💡 The big picture: Here is what Chinatown could look like, if ideas shared in a Downtown DC BID report become reality:

7th Street NW

• This is the neighborhood’s main drag, and expanded sidewalks are envisioned to allow more outdoor dining, showcases of public art, and extra room for arena crowds.
• Interim improvements can be modeled on Georgetown’s use of streeteries.
• Limiting vehicle traffic with bus + bike + truck lanes, with pick-up and drop-off zones for cars.

F Street NW

• Expanding the plaza outside the National Portrait Gallery would create one giant plaza for concerts and gatherings.
• Narrowing the roadway and adding traffic calming measures — like a cobblestone street. It would create a woonerf, the Dutch concept for a “living street” that slows traffic down to better welcome pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.

8th Street NW

• The above option would create a woonerf with widened sidewalks for a plaza and park space.
• The narrower roadway would maintain vehicular access for garages and buildings.

Go deeper ... How the changes would be implemented

The Nats landed at the bottom of the Axios Sports team’s inaugural power rankings. So far they’re 1-6.

• Patrick Corbin, who had a 6.05 ERA across the past two seasons, is already 0-2 with an 8.00 ERA. Oh, yeah, and he’s still owed $60 million through next year, Axios’ Jeff Tracy writes.

Yes, but: We don’t have to win to enjoy a nice day at the ballpark, right?

On that note:

• Here’s our guide to scoring cheap Nats tickets.
• And here’s an update on what’s new at the park this year.

🤖 Two giant Transformers statues posted outside a historic Georgetown house must come down, said a federal panel called the Old Georgetown Board. Homeowner ​​Newton Howard vows to keep them up. (DCist)

🥗 Chipotle sued Sweetgreen over the D.C.-founded salad chain’s “Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl.” (Washingtonian)

💌 Netflix’s “Love is Blind” is reaching out to D.C.-area folks through LinkedIn to fill its cast for its fifth season. (DCist)

💰 D.C.’s most expensive condo to date was sold for $12.762 million. It’s a penthouse in the Amaris building at The Wharf. (Wall Street Journal)

This time last year engaged couple Sofia Cortes and Jason Johnson were on a tight deadline to find their first home or a new place to rent, with the pressure of having just a few months left on their lease and mortgage rates rising.

They only spent a couple of months on the homebuying process and used public transit to attend roughly two dozen open houses in one weekend.

• In this installment of our House Hunt series, we’ll follow the young couple’s journey in buying their first home.

👋 Who: Sofia, who works in global health programs, and Jason, who runs communications for a member of the House.

💰 Budget: $600,000

📍Goal: Transit-accessible neighborhood

🔎 Started looking: Spring 2022

❤️ Wish list: Two bedrooms, natural light, nearby dog parks

Option 1: Modern condo, $599,000 – Petworth

• 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms | 970 square feet
• Pros: High ceilings, well-located, nice rooftop deck
• Cons: Small kitchen, high condo fees

Option 2: Spacious condo, $550,0000 — Hill East

• 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom | 1,145 square feet
• Pros: Abundant natural light, shared backyard, fireplace
• Cons: Limited nearby shopping, lower unit, only one bathroom

Option 3: Budget-friendly condo, $560,0000 — Shaw

• 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms | 975 square feet
• Pros: Low condo fees, walkable, large living room
• Cons: Limited natural light in second bedroom, on a busy street

Which one did they pick? Read the full story to find out.

💼 See who’s hiring around the city.

1. Accountability Reporter at Grid.
2. Senior Principal Product Manager at Intelsat
3. Accountability Reporter at Grid.
4. Director, Marketing – Commercial Aviation at Intelsat.
5. Health Care Manager at Arnold Ventures.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a Job.

👋🏾 Hi friends! Paige here with bittersweet news.

What’s happening: After a wonderful 18 months as an Axios D.C. newsletter writer, I’m starting a new role next week on Axios’ audience team.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to have worked with the best colleagues and have covered stories ranging from celebrity real estate to Metro fights.

💭 Chelsea’s thought bubble: My favorite story by Paige was this retrospective on the end of the restaurant Bad Saint.

• It took a deep dive into why D.C. restaurants, even beloved ones, are closing and what it means for the people who owned and loved them.
• One powerful line: “Bad Saint chefs spent the days after closing using leftover ingredients to make signature sauces. The restaurant then sold them … at a couple of well-attended tag sales. Ahead of the last one, three pounds of ginger and nothing else sat in the Bad Saint fridge.”

💭 Cuneyt’s thought bubble: My favorite story by Paige was about the great pickleball war in Arlington.

• The story featured attack ads that included anti-pickleballers accusing players of urinating in public!
• It made "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert"!

📲 Get in touch: It’s Paige again. You’ll still be able to reach me through my Axios email ([email protected]) and the D.C. Instagram page (@axiosdc). Plus, you’ll find me on the main Axios account, too (@axios).

• Thanks for reading!

We said goodbye to Tiger, Chelsea’s cat and our honorary coworker, earlier this week.

The big picture: Tiger had a long, fulfilled life of 20 years. She loved lounging in the sun, cuddling on fluffy blankets, and drinking from the bathtub.

• She also liked to voice her opinions via meow during team Zoom meetings.

She will be missed. 🖤