Large Tract Review subcommittee on Square 2986 meets tonight

The initial meeting of the Large Tract Review subcommittee on Square 2986 (aka "the former Curtis Chevrolet site" and "the site of the proposed Wal-Mart") is tonight. Details:

Where: Shepherd Park Library, Meeting Room B, 7420 Georgia Ave. NW
When: Monday, 1/10/11, 7-8:30 pm

Please note that the Large Tract Review for the current proposal has not yet been submitted, but we're planning ahead by reading through and analyzing the documents from the previous proposal. The relevant documents are available here for your perusal.

It's never too cold to be vigilant.

It seems that some people in our area start their cars, leave them running in order to warm up the engine, and then go elsewhere (like inside the house) while the engine warms up. Not a good idea, people. This behavior has resulted in at least three incidents of auto theft over the past couple of days. ("This morning, our car was stolen in front of our house as my husband and children were approaching to get into it"; "A neighbor on Aspen had a car stolen from their drive a couple of days ago -- same situation, they'd left it to warm up", wrote neighbors on the Shepherd Park and Takoma listservs, respectively.) This in turn prompted Fourth District Commander Kimberly Chisley Missouri to send a notice to the 4D listserv reminding people of how not-a-good-idea this is. Which has in turn resulted in DCist's Aaron Morrissey making fun of us. That's pathetic, folks! We need to be more street smart than this. It's never too cold to be vigilant.

Petworth Library launches oral history project to celebrate its renovation

The renovation of the Petworth Library's building is nearing completion, and the library is looking at a grand reopening date in late February or early March. To celebrate, they're launching an oral history project. From the library's website:

We are recruiting volunteers who can share their memories and experiences of living in Petworth and visiting the Petworth Neighborhood Library. We are compiling oral histories to share with the community at our grand reopening festivities in late February or early March 2011.

Call 202-243-1188 for more information or to schedule an interview session. Visit us in the Petworth Interim Library located in the parking lot of the library under renovation at 4200 Kansas Ave. N.W. or e-mail us at petworthlibrary@dc.gov.

Pass this info along to the talkative old-time Petworthians that you know.

Revisiting the Upper Georgia Avenue Master Plan

For fun, I've been reading through the Office of Planning's Upper Georgia Avenue Great Streets Redevelopment Plan, released in May of 2008. I'm paying particular attention to the section that deals with Square 2986, aka "the former Curtis Chevrolet Site" and "the site of the proposed Wal-Mart" (the section runs from pages 60 through 65).

Some choice selections that sadly highlight how far away the current proposal is from the Plan's recommendations:

The vision for the Missouri Avenue intersection is to create a walkable, multi-modal neighborhood center that offers superior retail and housing choices within a vibrant public realm.
.....
Improved Retail Offerings: suggestions for additional retail included a movie theater, bookstore, hardware store, child care facility, gym, and sit-down restaurants.
.....
The availability of land, combined with the calculated retail market demand, provides a redevelopment opportunity not found at other sites along the corridor.
.....
The recommended program for the Missouri Avenue area includes restaurant space, a grocery store, an anchor-type retail store, smaller neighborhood-serving retail, and up to 750 new residential units. Accommodating these uses would require a consolidated mixed-use program at the Curtis Chevrolet site or an ambitious scattered site redevelopment initiative.
.....
5900 Block East: The Curtis Chevrolet site, on the east side of the 5900 block of Georgia, has the greatest potential for new development, especially if adjacent parcels can be assembled or
if property owners pursue joint development. The character of the Missouri Avenue area in the future depends on how the site is redeveloped.
.....
Significant redevelopment at the Missouri Avenue opportunity sites will catalyze revitalization throughout the zone and perhaps throughout the corridor. There is a specific set of revitalization strategies that will complement new development and provide short term improvements to the area.
.....
Support Existing Business Organizations. The creation of a thriving neighborhood center can be supported by the work of existing business organizations that provide beautification and business assistance services. The recently established Brightwood Beacon Business Alliance has established a clean team and implemented façade improvement in this zone. It is strongly recommended that funding for façade improvements, business retention programs, clean and safe, and beautification projects be targeted to this zone. As described in the Gateway section, it is also critical to assist existing businesses, particularly west along the 5700 and 5800 blocks, adapt to changing markets and customer bases that often shift with new development. Additional assistance should also be provided to increase the capacity for existing business associations to address the multiple challenges along the corridor. Efforts to coordinate strategies amongst the various Georgia Avenue business associations should also be encouraged through the implementation of this plan.
.....
Stewardship of Historic Resources: The Missouri Avenue area has several structures that may qualify for historic designation; in conjunction with the Brightwood Heritage Trail, this area may become a historic center along the Georgia Avenue corridor. Residents have stressed the importance of balancing the need to preserve historic structures with the need to revitalize the area. This plan encourages the creative adaptive reuse of historic structures in ways that preserve the contributing elements to a structure’s historic character. Designation of
specific historic landmarks should be pursued with the support of the surrounding neighborhoods and elected officials.

The pawn shop is coming, and so are the protests

DCRA went ahead and approved the pawn license at 7301 Georgia Ave. NW despite objections from the surrounding ANCs. ANC 4B has filed an appeal with the City's Office of Administrative Hearings, asking DCRA to reverse its decision.

There will be a demonstration in front of the proposed shop at Georgia and Fern Place this Saturday from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Those who are opposed to the shop are encouraged to go, bring signs, be loud, etc.

After all, look at how that pawn shop at 14th and R has decimated the Logan Circle area. Oh wait...

A little bit of Hampden coming to Takoma

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Roz Grigsby of the Old Takoma Business Association informed us in the comments section of my previous post that a home decor store, Trohv, will open at 262 Carroll Street NW (in the old National Children's Center building). Trohv is brought to us by the owners of Red Tree in Baltimore's lovely Hampden neighborhood.

Thanks for the reader tip on this.

We're (close to) getting a microbrewery!

I missed this bit of news in the Post, but it was pointed out on the Takoma neighbhorhood listserv:

Dave Coleman, president of 3 Stars Brewing Co. said he is close to signing a lease on a warehouse "on the D.C. side of Takoma Park." In the meantime, he and partner Mike McGarvey have been testing recipes on a three-gallon pilot brewery in McGarvey's home. Coleman says he hopes to have a 20-barrel brew house operational by August, with his first offering a hoppy, American-style India pale ale to be called District IPA.

There's some speculation as to where in Takoma this warehouse is exactly. Ideas?

Quick wrap-up of meeting to form the Committee on Square 2986

• What has previously been referred to as "the potential Wal-Mart site" or "the Curtis Chevrolet site" will now be referred to as "Square 2986", as that's what the Office of Zoning calls it, and that's what the site will be called regardless of what happens to get built on it. Hence this committee has been deemed "The Committee on Square 2986".
  
  
• There are five subcommittees:
  
  1. Large Tract Review, chaired by Richard Layman
     
  2. Community Benefits Agreements, chaired by Bethany Pointer
     
  3. Business impact, co-chaired by Taalib-Din Uqdah and Dan Shulman
     
  4. Outreach, chaired by Renee Bowser
     
  5. Alternative uses for Square 2986, chaired by Taalib-Din Uqdah
     
     
• Although this committee was created by 4B, the ANC in which the site is physically located, it's important for the community to recognize that the site does indeed sit at the intersection of three ANCs (4A, 4B, and 4C). Those who live in 4A and 4C are welcome and encouraged to serve on the subcommittees.
  
  
• Renee Bowser had some choice words for those who expressed the view that it's not worth searching for alternative uses for the land because it's a matter of right project. In a nutshell, her point was that although the developers have the legal right to do what they want with the site, they don't have the moral or ethical right to do something that may be harmful to the surrounding community, and the community in turn has the right to seek out and ask for alternatives. A group of residents met with Councilmember Bowser last week (full disclosure: I was one of them) and discussed this very issue.
  
  

ANC 4B04's special Wal-Mart committee commences tonight

Tonight is the first meeting of the committee that ANC 4B has formed to review the plan for the proposed Wal-Mart. All concerned citizens are invited to take part.

When: 1/3/11, 6:30 pm
Where: Emery Recreation Center, 5701 Georgia Avenue NW

Classic apartments near Petworth Metro under new ownership and slated for renovation

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The Washington Business Journal reports:

D.C.-based Urban Investment Partners and the Infinity Group of New York bought a 99-unit apartment complex at the Petworth Metro for $8.2 million. New Quin apartments are at 811 Quincy St. and 3800 New Hampshire Ave. NW. The new owners will perform a $4 million makeover starting next month.
...
Under the renovation by UIP General Contracting Inc., its brick-and-cast concrete façades will be preserved, while the common areas, building systems and individual apartments will be repaired and upgraded.