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Capitol Hill gets its Safeway back; developer breaks ground

WASHINGTON — Developer Foulger-Pratt broke ground June 27 on Beckert’s Park, a mixed-use development at 415 14th Street in Southeast D.C. on the site of the former Capitol Hill Safeway.

The new development will be anchored by a brand-new, 60,000-square-foot Safeway store, and will include 325 luxury apartments and 8,500 square feet of retail. The development is one block from the Potomac Avenue Metro station and is expected to be completed in two years.

“The Safeway here has been a cornerstone of the Capitol Hill neighborhood for decades,” said Jim Perkins, executive vice president of retail operations and special projects for Albertsons. “This community is special to us and we are excited to bring a brand-new, expanded flagship Safeway offering more products and services to the community.”

The name Beckert’s Park comes from a beer garden and amusement park that once occupied the site called the Washington Brewery, owned by George and Theresa Becker in the mid-19th century.

Foulger-Pratt bought the site from Safeway parent company Albertsons in 2016, the second project it has partnered with Albertsons on in the region. In 2013, it delivered The Exchange, a 486-unit apartment building with a Safeway store in Wheaton, Maryland.

Apartments at Beckert’s Park will include one-, two- and three-bedroom units and penthouse apartments with private terraces and views of the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Amenities will include an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, business center, dog-washing station, and underground parking for both the apartments and retail.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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