We believe Trader Joe's has an excellent opportunity for expansion in the fast-growing Gateway Arts and Entertainment District, along the Route 1 corridor as it crosses into Maryland on the northeast side of Washington, DC. The district--encompassing the municipalities of Mount Rainier, North Brentwood, and Hyattsville, host to hundreds of artists--is also home to thousands of working professionals who take advantage of the short commute to Capitol Hill and the many colleges, among them the University of Maryland at College Park, Catholic University, and Gallaudet. Development is also spreading rapidly from downtown, along the Metro Red Line to the nearby Rhode Island Avenue and Brookland/Catholic University Stations. The speed of change is understandable. It's only a 15-minute drive to the heart of the city, from this area known for its neighborhood charm, with bungalows and Victorians a part of an expansive historic district. The proximity is especially valued by a new generation of younger homeowners now moving in. And--given Hyattsville's newly reborn downtown, anchored by the just-arrived Busboys and Poets Restaurant--there has been a flurry of online discussion about seeing that success spread. Courted by county and local governments, the developer of the Hyattsville commercial complex is now on board to do the same for downtown Mount Rainier. We see this as a prime opportunity for Trader Joe's to bring its presence to a whole new area of Washington. Already millions of federal, state, and local tax dollars have gone into seeding the district, with a Smithsonian-affiliated museum breaking ground in the spring of next year. The timing couldn't be better. The Mount Rainier complex is being developed by a consortium of Street Sense and the Neighborhood Development Company. NDC is notably integral to a new live-work complex in downtown DC, designed by Foster and Partners, one of the world's top architectural firms. Have a look at http://neighborhooddevelopment.com/ndc-projects/citycenter. The Street Sense portfolio is equally impressive; go to www.streetsense.com/portfolio.