SMYRNA, DE-Construction plans for a $50-million, 1.2-million-sf Wal-Mart distribution center move ahead with the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Town Council's impending votes on the site plan. If all goes as expected, work on the facility will begin later this summer.

HERNDON, VA-Information-based systems provider Veridian Corp. takes 28,000 sf in the 260,000-sf, multi-structure Herndon Square Office Park.

WASHINGTON, DC-The US House of Representatives passes legislation revamping the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and the US Senate follows suit with the introduction of a similar bill.

WASHINGTON, DC-In a $14.2-million deal, the Georgetown Landings office building sells to a local Gates Foundation-funded non-profit organization. The 60,500-sf structure, located at 3333 K St., was built in 1988 and has a 2003 assessment value of approximately $10.3 million

LAUREL, MD-Food Lion commits to 38,000 sf in the 155,100-sf Babies "R" Us Plaza off the Baltimore/Washington Parkway. The grocery store, which will open in 2003 as the third Food Lion in the Laurel area, becomes the shopping center's second anchor tenant.

WASHINGTON, DC-Residents of the inner-city area east of the Anacostia River get their first new apartment development in 35 years with the grand opening of the 176-unit Woodmont Crossing apartment complex. The $17.6 million complex occupies an eight-acre plot of land.

WASHINGTON, DC-A survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association of America concludes that approximately $8.2 billion in commercial property developments have been canceled, delayed or have fallen by the wayside due to the sky-high costs--or outright absence--of terrorism insurance.

LEESBURG, VA-Two public schools are going up on a 68.5-parcel for $30 million, as the Loudoun County School Board acquires the property and secures a contractor for the project. The new elementary and high school facilities will open in 2003 and 2004, respectively.