No Place To Do Dirty Work

Rezoning and high land values in the nation's capital mean a shortage of land for light industrial uses. Office, housing, and commercial developments are colonizing the sites once occupied by tire shops and cement plants. Only 5 percent of the District of Columbia is zoned for industrial uses -- by comparison, 13 percent of San Francisco’s acreage is designated for industrial sites. For some, a major gateway to the city like New York Avenue is in dire need of more attractive developmentâ€"-like a proposed plan for 3.5 million square feet of condos and a supermarket. Yet, others wonder where the still-needed auto parts stores and bus barns will go.