The Ward 4 Democrates will host a candidates and endorsement forum tonight at Emery Recreation Center (5701 Georgia Avenue, NW) beginning at 7:00.
Information on tonight's event from Ward 4 Democrats:
At this important meeting, we will conduct a Candidates and Endorsement
forum for Democratic candidates running for the position of Ward 4
representative on the Council of the District of Columbia in the April 3,
2012 Democratic Primary Election.
We will convene promptly at 7 p.m. and address preliminary issues. The
Candidates Forum will begin at 7:30 p.m., and each candidate will be given
the opportunity to make a two minute opening statement. Questions will also
be entertained from the audience. The total time allotted for the Candidates
Forum is 90 minutes.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Walter Reed reuse plan approved by LRA, will be presented at public meeting next week
The final reuse plan for the Walter Reed site was approved by the Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) at its meeting on Wednesday evening. The plan will be sent to the City Council as a bill for approval before being sent to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The LRA voted unanimously to include language in the final plan that will prohibit a bus storage or bus maintenance facility on the site. However, when it was suggested that language prohibiting a streetcar maintenance or storage facility should be included as well, the LRA decided against it, as not enough is known about how the streetcar infrastructure on Georgia Avenue will work. Including language prohibiting streetcar facilities could potentially hurt the system in the future.
As for a timeline for the development, the southeast corner of the site, at Georgia and Aspen, will be first, with construction projected to begin in 2014. The northeast corner of the site, at Georgia and Fern, which is slated for commercial development, is projected to begin in 2018. Planners stressed that these timelines could change according to market conditions. Estimated cost of the entire redevelopment is between $625 and $640 million. More details are available at Housing Complex's report.
The plan will be presented to the public at a special presentation next week:
When: Thursday, February 2, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Where: Tifereth Israel Congregation, 7701 16th St NW
Childcare will be provided during meeting hours
The LRA voted unanimously to include language in the final plan that will prohibit a bus storage or bus maintenance facility on the site. However, when it was suggested that language prohibiting a streetcar maintenance or storage facility should be included as well, the LRA decided against it, as not enough is known about how the streetcar infrastructure on Georgia Avenue will work. Including language prohibiting streetcar facilities could potentially hurt the system in the future.
As for a timeline for the development, the southeast corner of the site, at Georgia and Aspen, will be first, with construction projected to begin in 2014. The northeast corner of the site, at Georgia and Fern, which is slated for commercial development, is projected to begin in 2018. Planners stressed that these timelines could change according to market conditions. Estimated cost of the entire redevelopment is between $625 and $640 million. More details are available at Housing Complex's report.
The plan will be presented to the public at a special presentation next week:
When: Thursday, February 2, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Where: Tifereth Israel Congregation, 7701 16th St NW
Childcare will be provided during meeting hours
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
DC could really use small business incubators for culinary entrepreneurs. Til then, we have the Grey Market.
Lately I've been hearing quite a bit about the District's need for shared kitchen spaces that would help independent food businesses get started. Cake Love owner Warren Brown mentioned this need at a Ward 4 small business panel convened by Max Skolnik last month. And the Office of Planning, in the recently released draft revitalization strategy for upper 14th Street, mentions food incubators as one of several possible uses for the vacant storefronts within the commercial nodes on 14th (the plan even includes a photo of Boston's Crop Circle Kitchen culinary incubator as an illustration of what could be).
Shared kitchen spaces aren't a reality in upper 14th Street's commercial buildings yet, but this Saturday we will be graced with the next best thing: for the second time, the DC Grey Market, a pop-up culinary incubator, will be setting up at 1365 Kennedy Street NW (located on the north
The last Grey Market was very well-attended. I hope this week's event is an even bigger success, and draws further attention to upper 14th Street as a good location for food incubators.
The DC Grey Market, Saturday, January 28, 1-4 pm, 1365 Kennedy Street NW (entrance at north
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Link roundup; Walter Reed LRA meeting this Wednesday
The Walter Reed Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) will hold its penultimate meeting on Wednesday, January 25 at 7:00 pm at Fort Stevens Recreation Center (1327 Van Buren Street, NW). The public is invited to observe the meeting. The LRA Team will present the proposed final Re-use Plan and NOIs for a recommendation vote by the LRA Committee. The Final Re-use Plan will be presented on Thursday, Feb. 2, 7:00 pm (location will be announced at a later date).
Also:
Also:
- If you missed the meeting held last night by CM Bowser and Chief Lanier addressing the current uptick in crime in Ward 4, you can read the minutes here.
- A post from Drink DC about Three Stars Brewing's progress at its new space on Chillum Place NW.
- Under the new proposed capital budget, Roosevelt High School won't be modernized until 2016, and Coolidge High School will have to wait til 2017. Needless to say, Ward 4 residents are unhappy, and the Post reports that grievances were aired at last week's public meeting on modernization plans.
- Whether you love it or hate it, there are interesting stories behind the graffiti that you see every time you ride the Red Line (or bike down the Met Branch Trail).
Monday, January 23, 2012
More information on Takoma Central (formerly Ecco Park)
Via DCMud, further thoughts on the effect Takoma Central, the development formerly known as Ecco Park, will have on our area's growth:
The development may fill in a key gap between the bustle and activity of the Metro station and the quarter-mile walk to Carroll Avenue along Takoma Park's main street with well-kept sidewalks and quaint Victorian-era street lighting.
...
The construction of Takoma Central will go a long way to renovating a corridor on both sides of the Metro line that the District and Maryland have been seeking to make ripe for transit-oriented development projects.
On the West side of the Metro line, the District Office of Planning has (been) looking at possible enhancements to the neighborhood near the dormant Takoma Theater and its surrounds since Anthony Williams' tenure as Washington D.C.'s Mayor.
The Office of Planning's 2002 report shared the puzzlement over why TOD near Takoma Metro wasn't forthcoming. "Neither Carroll nor 4th Street have developed the critical mass of retail, commercial and housing that their Maryland neighbor enjoys, despite being anchored by the most heavily used pedestrian Metro transit station in the District of Columbia."
The development may fill in a key gap between the bustle and activity of the Metro station and the quarter-mile walk to Carroll Avenue along Takoma Park's main street with well-kept sidewalks and quaint Victorian-era street lighting.
...
The construction of Takoma Central will go a long way to renovating a corridor on both sides of the Metro line that the District and Maryland have been seeking to make ripe for transit-oriented development projects.
On the West side of the Metro line, the District Office of Planning has (been) looking at possible enhancements to the neighborhood near the dormant Takoma Theater and its surrounds since Anthony Williams' tenure as Washington D.C.'s Mayor.
The Office of Planning's 2002 report shared the puzzlement over why TOD near Takoma Metro wasn't forthcoming. "Neither Carroll nor 4th Street have developed the critical mass of retail, commercial and housing that their Maryland neighbor enjoys, despite being anchored by the most heavily used pedestrian Metro transit station in the District of Columbia."
Saturday, January 21, 2012
What happens when politicians delay their snow shoveling duties
This morning, Ward 4 Council candidate Max Skolnik and a team of volunteers set out to do the good civic duty of clearing snow and ice off of our sidewalks. Around 11:30 am, they came across the unshoveled sidewalk on the west side of the 4300 block of Georgia Avenue...which happens to be right in front of incumbent Muriel Bowser's campaign office. A golden political photo opportunity ensued. These are the photos sent by Skolnik and his campaign manager Johnny Mathias via Twitter, along with a few other astute comments:
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Dog shot by MPD officer at 14th and Tuckerman
From the Post:
The dog was shot near 14th and Tuckerman streets NW, about a half mile south of the old Walter Reed Army Medical Center, about 5:45 p.m., police said. The dog, a German shepherd, got loose from a yard and bit a man and woman. The dog then attacked a man in a wheelchair, but did not bite him, a police source said.
Watch NBC4's report here.
The dog was shot near 14th and Tuckerman streets NW, about a half mile south of the old Walter Reed Army Medical Center, about 5:45 p.m., police said. The dog, a German shepherd, got loose from a yard and bit a man and woman. The dog then attacked a man in a wheelchair, but did not bite him, a police source said.
Watch NBC4's report here.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Ecco Park sold to Federal Capital Partners, plans for "Takoma Central" announced
Federal Capital Partners announced today that they have acquired the project that we've known as Ecco Park. Apparently the name of the development has been changed to Takoma Central. Read the press release after the jump.
Public meeting on planned modernizations of Coolidge and Roosevelt High Schools, Jan. 18, 6-8pm
Councilmember Muriel Bowser, Council Chairman Kwame Brown and Ward 4 State Board of Education representative D. Kamili Anderson are holding a special community meeting next week to discuss the planned modernizations of both Coolidge High School and Roosevelt High School.
From an email:
WHEN: Wednesday, January 18, 6-8pm
WHERE: Calvin Coolidge High School, 6315 5th Street NW
Are these plans in jeopardy? COME FIND OUT!
Will Roosevelt be renovated as scheduled in 2012, and Coolidge in 2013? COME FIND OUT!
Are closure discussions in the works for either school?
COME FIND OUT!
And most importantly, come and let us know where YOU stand on the education of our high school youth in Ward 4!
We ask that all alumni, neighbors, and parents of Roosevelt and Coolidge High School come out to attend. Also, anyone concerned about education and educational equity in the District of Columbia -- please join us!
For additional information, please Ebonee Price in Councilmember Bowser's office, 202-724-8052
From an email:
WHEN: Wednesday, January 18, 6-8pm
WHERE: Calvin Coolidge High School, 6315 5th Street NW
Are these plans in jeopardy? COME FIND OUT!
Will Roosevelt be renovated as scheduled in 2012, and Coolidge in 2013? COME FIND OUT!
Are closure discussions in the works for either school?
COME FIND OUT!
And most importantly, come and let us know where YOU stand on the education of our high school youth in Ward 4!
We ask that all alumni, neighbors, and parents of Roosevelt and Coolidge High School come out to attend. Also, anyone concerned about education and educational equity in the District of Columbia -- please join us!
For additional information, please Ebonee Price in Councilmember Bowser's office, 202-724-8052
You ask, Golden Heart Yoga listens: prenatal yoga classes begin January 22
In my previous post introducing Golden Heart Yoga, I mentioned that they've received lots of requests for prenatal yoga classes and were working on getting those started. Well, it turns out that Golden Heart works awfully fast: per their Facebook page, prenatal classes will begin on January 22.
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