We previously wrote about the Urban Food Hub Project at the Backus Campus of UDC-CC. On May 3, 2016, UDC’s College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Science (CAUSES) will be hosting a neighborhood meeting to share more about the project.
Monthly Archives: April 2016
Art Place Construction Notice 4/25/2016 & 5/2/2016
Free Pollinator Seed Giveaway this Friday at Fort Totten metro station
From DC Department of Energy & Environment:
—
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Agency staff will provide free seed packets at 13 Metro stations across the District
WASHINGTON, DC – April 20, 2016 — On Earth Day morning, staff from the District’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) will be giving out pollinator plant seeds at 13 Metro stations across the District. In line with the District’s State Wildlife Action Plan, DOEE is putting particular focus on expanding meadows in the District to provide critical habitat for bees, butterflies, and other native pollinators. As part of this effort, the agency is engaging the public to plant backyard habitats. Even a small backyard garden or balcony with the appropriate native plants can support pollinators that are necessary for healthy and diverse plant life in our city.
Press who are interested in attending should contact Julia Robey Christian at julia.christian@dc.gov or (202) 741-0842 to make arrangements.
WHO: DOEE Director Tommy Wells and agency staff
WHAT: Earth Day Pollinator Plant Seed Giveaway
WHEN: Friday, April 22 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
WHERE: DOEE staff will be onsite at the following 13 Metro stations:
- Anacostia
- Benning Road
- Brookland
- Cleveland Park
- Columbia Heights
- Congress Heights
- Deanwood
- Eastern Market
- Foggy Bottom
- Fort Totten
- Minnesota Avenue
- Potomac Avenue
- Takoma
For more information about pollinators, visit Pollinator Gardening.
Pedestrian Improvement Projects
Guest post by Robert Oliver, North Michigan Park resident
Two pedestrian friendly projects are earmarked for Fort Circle Parks/Civil War Defenses of Washington near Fort Totten metro station. The National Park Service (NPS) owns the parkland, parcel 136/114, bound by South Dakota Avenue NE to the east, Galloway Street NE to the north, Fourth Street NE to the west, and Gallatin Street NE to the south. Social pathways cross this park due to the lack of decent, paved sidewalks on all sides. The lack of sidewalks has forced many, including seniors, to use an often muddy, rocky path to Fort Totten metro station.
Sidewalk on Galloway Street NE
The first project involves installing a sidewalk on the south side of Galloway Street between Fourth Street and South Dakota Avenue. According to District Department of Transportation Planner Stephen Rice, the project is funded through the Federal Lands Alternative Program (FLAP) and is managed by the federal Department of Transportation. Mr. Rice said the project is in the preliminary engineering phase and construction should be completed in March 2018. (According to the latest project chart, we should be nearing the start of the construction phase.) Also, the DC Council’s Transportation Committee was notified to track this project. See images below for an area map and view of the trail.
View of Galloway Street NE social trail heading west from South Dakota Avenue NE towards Fort Totten metro station. Please take notice of both the pedestrian and taxi cab in the street.
Direct trail to metro station through parkland
The second project involves constructing a direct multi-use trail between Gallatin and Galloway Streets. It is long overdue, and should have been part of the 1978 Fort Totten Metro Station build-out.
According to the project website, planning and constructing the trail will cost $279,000. According to Nick Bartolomeo, NPS Chief of Resource Management for Rock Creek Park, funding has been approved for design, but not for construction. NPS expects to issue a contract for the work this spring or early summer. For more project information, please reference the project website.
Project area under consideration for improvements. Source: National Park Service
Why do these projects move at such a glacial pace? Part of the problem lies with the community itself. The public input was abysmal. NPS hosted two community meetings. The first was on March 19, 2014, at UDC-CC, Backus Campus. The next was on February 2, 2015, at the Lamond-Riggs Library. Only 16 attendees appeared in the March 2014 meeting, and only 14 in the February 2015 meeting. I know that many will say, “I did not receive any notice.” I can only say that the information was available.
Community support and pressure are a must to keep these projects on track and moving forward. Hopefully, there will be more to report by year’s end.
WBJ hard-hat profile of Art Place at Fort Totten
The Washington Business Journal shared pictures from a hard-hat tour of Art Place at Fort Totten. The article does not provide any new information about the development or incoming tenants. Those of us who walk past the construction site everyday know the building will be massive. Looks like there will be amazing views from the rooftop. Click the link for pictures.
Art Place Construction Notice 4/11/2016 & 4/18/2016
Weekend of April 2: Galloway Street closed between South Dakota Avenue & 4th Street (Buses will detour)
Update #2: The crane dismantling will take place as scheduled this weekend. Plan accordingly
Update: According to the construction team safety manager, there is a possibility the street will not be closed if winds are too high to remove the crane. They will know by this afternoon and we will update the post accordingly. If the street is closed, pedestrian access will also be restricted. The dirt path on the south side of Galloway Street is not part of the construction plan so that will remain open, but they do recommend for pedestrian safety that pedestrians not use that dirt path to access the metro station and bus bays. They advise pedestrians to detour around the entire site.
Original Post
According to this construction notice, Galloway Street NE between South Dakota Avenue and Fourth Street will be closed this weekend to remove one of the tower cranes at Art Place at Fort Totten. Bus stops at 4th and Galloway and at South Dakota and Galloway will not be served during the closure.
Bus detour information for routes 80, E2, & E4 is available on Metro’s website at this link (reprinted below):
—
Advisory
Posted: Mar 30, 2016 Expiration: Apr 03, 2016
Detour for Construction on Galloway St NE, April 2-3
Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 3:00 am to Sunday April 3, 2016 at 3:00 am
Routes 80, E2 and E4 will detour due to construction on Galloway St NE at the entrance to Fort Totten Metrorail station.
80 North Capitol St northbound toward Fort Totten Metrorail station
E2 Ivy City-Fort Totten northbound toward Fort Totten Metrorail station
- Buses begin detouring on South Dakota Ave NE at Galloway St NE to resume regular route on Riggs Rd at 1st Place NE
80 North Capitol St southbound toward Kennedy Center
E2 Ivy City-Fort Totten southbound toward Ivy City
- Buses begin detouring on the Fort Totten station roadway at 1st Place NE to resume regular route on Riggs Rd at South Dakota Ave NE
E4 Military Road-Crosstown eastbound toward Riggs Park
- Buses begin detouring on South Dakota Ave NE at Galloway St NE to resume regular route on Riggs Rd at 1st Place NE
E4 Military Road-Crosstown westbound toward Friendship Heights
- No Detour
The following bus stops will not be served:
- Galloway St & 4th St NE (southbound)
- Galloway St & South Dakota Ave, NE (southbound)
We apologize for any inconvenience these detours may cause.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 