The Washington Nationals are no longer headquartered at 1500 S. Capitol St. SE.
No, the team wasn’t booted from the District for its horrid record, nor has it bailed for a city that might bring better luck.
As of April 24, the team’s legal address was formally changed to 1500 Taxation Without Representation St. SE, thanks to an act of the D.C. Council. But no one would know it: The D.C. Department of Transportation has yet to change the street signs, and the Nationals apparently have no intention of redesigning their letterhead.
“Somebody needs to enforce it,” said Ward 2 D.C. Councilman Jack Evans, a co-sponsor of the Taxation Without Representation Street Renaming Act. “I think it’s a good message.”
The message, of course: D.C. does not have a vote in Congress. John Lisle, DDOT’s spokesman, said the agency is aware that the law was enacted. But he did not know of any plans to change the street signs between N Street and Potomac Avenue.
There is but one facility along that three-block stretch — Nationals Park.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service said the agency has received no notice from the District government that a change was coming. But Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham, who has oversight of DDOT, said he was told, “We’re ready to go.”
“Everything’s set,” Graham said. “Let’s do it.”
The Nationals continue to list 1500 South Capitol as their address. Spokeswoman Lisa Pagano said she would forward the question to President Stan Kasten as to whether the team would make a change. There was no response before deadline Monday night.
Council Chairman Vincent Gray, who backed the street renaming, said he expects the Nationals to quibble. The team also grumbled, successfully, when the council sought to install a sign outside the publicly financed ballpark displaying the amount of federal taxes paid by disenfranchised D.C. residents.
Team owners, Gray said, have not proven to be great friends of the District or its causes.
“Nor am I a big fan of the Nationals either,” the chairman said.
