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City, county weigh agreement with Washington Square developer to fix roads, sidewalks

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City, county weigh agreement with Washington Square developer to fix roads, sidewalks


With no immediate signs of work resuming at Washington Square, city and county staffers are recommending negotiations with the developer of the failed condominium project to compel him to repair public roads and sidewalks surrounding what has become a downtown eyesore.

As of May 1, city code enforcement and permit violations reached more than $413,350 in fines and commissioners voted last month to “take legal action to foreclose code liens and seek recovery of other legal remedies,” city documents said.

Aside from the liens, both city and county staffers have had discussions with property owner Ken McDermott regarding “restoration of the sidewalks and traffic lanes that were closed on Gadsden (Leon County road), Calhoun (Leon County road) and Jefferson (city road).”

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On June 11, city commissioners will take up whether to enter into an agreement.

“If the city and developer can agree on the restoration work, the terms can be incorporated into a written agreement,” city documents said. “This agreement could be joint with the county (and include the county right-of-way) or could be solely with the city (and specific to Jefferson Street).”

The mixed-use project was once a promising development billed as downtown’s next big thing with proposed office space, a garage and a Loews Hotel. Construction began in late 2019 but work came to a screeching halt by May 2020.

What followed were lawsuits with the city regarding easement disputes and contractors stating they hadn’t been paid for the full scope of services. The development, which occupies a city block on Calhoun Street, is now a graffiti-tagged eyesore with rusted rebar jetting out of cement.

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Work hasn’t picked up in five years, despite hints as of last year from McDermott that there was early interest from undisclosed parties to erect a scaled-down development on the site.

“This time, early plans describe a seven-story hotel with 160 rooms and 100 apartments at 219 S. Calhoun St. (formerly the site of the Ausley and McMullen law firm) compared to the property’s original grand plan for 270+ hotel rooms, office space and a four-story garage,” an August 2024 article in the Tallahassee Democrat stated.

At its June 10 meeting, county commissioners will decide whether to direct staff to enter into an agreement for restoration work for the county’s right-of-way areas.

The work, at the developer’s expense, would include milling, resurfacing and restriping, planting vegetation and removing all materials from the right-of-way that may include fencing and barricades. The county notes “McDermott is willing to complete the restoration work as quickly as possible.”

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“Should the present negotiations with the owner and developer fail, or should the owner and developer enter into the agreement and thereafter fail to perform, the County Attorney recommends that the Board authorize staff to file a lawsuit against the Developer and Owner on behalf the County seeking all legal remedies available at law and equity,” county document said.

Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @TaMarynWaters on X.



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Washington

Washington Spirit players Croix Bethune, Kate Wiesner called up year’s final USWNT matches – WTOP News

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Washington Spirit players Croix Bethune, Kate Wiesner called up year’s final USWNT matches – WTOP News


Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune and defender Kate Wiesner have been called up to the U.S. Women’s National Team for the side’s upcoming friendlies.

Defender Naomi Girma was named to the United States roster on Wednesday for a pair of upcoming matches against Italy after returning from a calf injury.

Girma had been sidelined since the start of the season with Chelsea but recently returned to the starting lineup. She has not played for the U.S. national team since a 3-0 victory over Canada on July 2.

The United States will play Italy for its final two matches of the year on Nov. 28 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando and on Dec. 1 at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale.

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U.S. coach Emma Hayes named 26 players to the camp roster and 23 players will be available for each match.

Forward Trinity Rodman was left off the roster as she continues to recover from a knee injury. She appeared as a late substitute in the Washington Spirit’s 2-0 semifinal victory over the Portland Thorns this weekend and nearly scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time but her shot went just wide.

The Spirit play Gotham FC on Saturday in the National Women’s Soccer League championship game at PayPal Park in San Jose, California.

Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce was also left off the U.S. roster while she recovers from a fractured eye socket sustained during a game with Manchester United last week.

“It’s been an exciting and important year for our group, and we’ve accomplished a lot of goals, expanded the player pool and made strides in our game model, so this camp will be an extension of that, but it will also set the groundwork for 2026, which will be our World Cup qualifying year,” Hayes said in a statement released by the team. “Games against top European teams are so valuable as they give us an honest assessment of where we are in our growth as a team, so I know our players with embrace that challenge.”

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Two players have been called up to the national team for the first time: Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and Chicago Stars forward Jameese Joseph. Washington Spirit defender Kate Wiesner earned a second call-up after being named as a training player for a camp last year.

The roster with club affiliation:

Goalkeepers: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Silkowitz (Bay FC).

Defenders: Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Girma (Chelsea), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Lilly Reale (Gotham), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave), Kate Wiesner (Washington Spirit).

Midfielders: Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Lindsey Heaps (Lyon), Jaelin Howell (Gotham), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Rose Lavelle (Gotham), Lily Yohannes (Lyon).

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Forwards: Joseph (Chicago Stars), Catarina Macario (Chelsea), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham FC), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea).

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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Washington city leaders, business owners frustrated over trash-filled parking lot

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Washington city leaders, business owners frustrated over trash-filled parking lot


City leaders in Washington say one of the busiest corners of their town has turned into an eyesore: a parking lot overflowing with trash, furniture, and old tires directly across from Washington High School.

Now, frustration is growing as the city waits for a court hearing before it can force a cleanup. Business owners say enough is enough.

“We’re doing everything we can legally do. We just can’t go on the property and start moving stuff,” said Washington Mayor JoJo Burgess.

Burgess says the spot at 308 Jefferson Avenue has turned into a junkyard that they can’t legally touch.

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“I hate it whenever I hear people say, ‘Why are you letting him be there?’ We’re not letting him be there. If we were letting him be there, he would have a permit that says, ‘OK, you can be there.’ He doesn’t have that.”

The business, Hauling and That, moved in this summer. But by August, the mess had gotten out of control, and so had the complaints.

The city filed 10 citations against the property owner and the business owner, ranging from nuisance vehicles to unapproved solid-waste collection. Those citations also come with a daily fine.

“He’s calling me, telling me, ‘Will you work with me?’ No, I’m not going to work with you. I need you to get into compliance with what we say the rules are here in the city,” Mayor Burgess said.

“It’s definitely not a good look. We take a lot of pride in our shop, and having that across the street is definitely not good,” said Johnny Interval, owner of Barbiere. “It’s right across the street from the school. It’s just a bad look for the city in general, you know what I mean?”

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The mayor says the mess stems from the owner never securing the proper permits or zoning approvals, something the city says it warned him about early on.

As the community watched the trash pile grow, the safety concern also grew.

“I’d hate for a kid to go get into that mess and find something and get hurt,” Mayor Burgess said. “That’s why we issued the citations. That’s why we’re going in front of the magistrate.”

A hearing is set for Nov. 25.

If the judge rules against the business owner, the fines could escalate quickly, and the city could eventually be permitted to step in and remove the debris.

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RFK Jr. draws crowd and protests at GWU event

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RFK Jr. draws crowd and protests at GWU event


A large and vocal crowd gathered at the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University for a Turning Point USA discussion that featured Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.

This marked the group’s first high-profile event in Washington, D.C., since co-founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an appearance in Utah.

Kennedy addressed topics ranging from vaccines to allergies.

While the packed auditorium was filled with cheering, the event also attracted protesters outside who were upset with Kennedy’s stances on healthcare.

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