The DC Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) is back with a summer update regarding all of those surveys you took and meetings you attended for DPR’s master plan called Ready2Play. Be sure to provide input on DPR’s draft plans.
From DPR
Dear Washingtonians,
DPR has released a major update to the Ready2Play Master Plan, which will guide DPR development over the next 20 years. This update includes:
– A draft Equity Framework, a data analysis tool that will be used to develop the Ready2Play Capital Blueprint, which will guide our future capital budget requests over the duration of this plan. As part of this framework, we have released a draft Equity Statement that defines our commitment to equity through this plan and as an agency.
– Results from our Citywide Survey. These will include 1) a presentation of key findings and charts, 2) a data-heavy report presenting findings from each question, broken down by ward, and 3) the full, de-identified raw data received.
These products are the result of the tremendous feedback we received from all eight wards through in-person and virtual meetings, online engagement, and phone calls, as well as the nearly 3,000 responses to our Ready2Play Citywide Survey.
We are now seeking input to make sure we are on the right path. You can review materials and provide feedback online at www.ready2playdc.com. You can also send your thoughts, comments, and questions to ready2play@dc.gov or leave a voice message by calling (202) 282-2198. Our team will also be out across the city this summer, engaging residents at various events.
Thanks in advance for your continued participation in the Ready2PlayDC planning process. We look forward to your feedback.
The Parks Main Street (TPMS) is asking residents to take a few minutes to nominate the following TPMS neighborhood businesses for the Washington City Paper Best of DC 2021. Nominations take about 10-15 minutes to make.
From the Friends of Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center
Please join us for our first Riggs Park Forum on Opioids in our Community this Saturday, July 31.
The Friends of Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center (FORLR) in collaboration with the Wards 3 & 4 DC Prevention Center and DC Department of Behavioral Health are hosting a series of educational sessions on opioid misuse.
The first session is a forum in which local experts, including DC government agencies, will provide information and address community input and questions. Guests include Wards 3 & 4 DC Prevention Center speakers and others.
The itinerary follows:
Friends of Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center Community Forum on Opioids Where: Culture Coffee Too, 300 Riggs Road, NE When: Saturday, July 31, 2021 Time: 1:00 pm– 3:00 pm
The following public service announcement shows the addictive power of opioids. To see it, please click here: Know the truth | Amy’s Story | Opioids (viewer discretion advised)
Here is a quick update on construction progress from your Library rebuild and what to expect in the weeks ahead.
Construction progress update with photographs below:
All fundation work is complete and inspected.
The Structural Steel installation and inspection is complete.
Metal Deck installation is complete.
Crane has been demobilized.
All underground plumbing work and inspection is complete.
Underground electrical work within the site fence has begun.
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing rough-ins on the second level have begun.
The monumental staircase steel structure has been installed and concrete enclosure for the service staircase has been completed.
Utility work including stormwater on Kennedy St. is complete.
What to expect in the weeks ahead?
Construction will continue within the permitted hours of 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Saturday.
Underground electrical work within the site enclosure will continue.
Concrete pour on the structural deck is scheduled for upcoming weeks to be followed by exterior and interior framing.
Concrete trucks & pumps will continue to be scheduled for pour days.
Trucks will still enter and exit the site via South Dakota Avenue into the construction enclosure from Kennedy St.
No utility work is scheduled in the street for the month of August
Consigli Construction is taking all necessary measures to run a safe operation, and as with all construction projects, construction-related noise will be part of the process as the team builds your new library.
Any general questions from the community can be directed to Library’s Community engagement liaison Martha Saccocio at her email: Martha.Saccocio@dc.gov.
Any time-sensitive Construction Safety issues can be reported to Consigli Construction Superintendent – Michael Davis at 202.570.3375.
Photo from South Dakota Ave showing Completed Steel Structure
Photo from second floor of the library looking towards Jefferson St. Metal deck and masonry enclosure for service stair in place and preparation for concrete pour on metal deck underway:
Photo from first floor of the library looking towards South Dakota Ave. Monumental stair steel structure in place
Art All Night celebrates the visual and performing arts, showcasing the diverse talents of our creative community. This year’s event will take place on Friday, September 24, 2021, 7:00 pm-10:00 pm.
Public and private spaces throughout Riggs Park and Manor Park will transform into pop-up galleries and performance stages for an evening of art in all its forms.
Visual and performing artists in Riggs Park, Manor Park, Lamond, North Michigan Park, Michigan Park, and Fort Totten are especially encouraged to apply! All artists are welcome. Apply by August 6, 2021.
Please click the link below to provide your information and to apply.
Vacant building at 6101 Sligo Mill Rd. NE in Lamond slated for apartments. Photo taken July 28, 2021.
Super late in getting this post up. DC Urbanturf had the original report regarding apartments planned for a long vacant building at 6101 Sligo Mill Road NE in Lamond. The development team presented at ANC 4B’s meeting on June 28, 2021, and at a community meeting on June 11, 2021.
This building was originally slated to be condos as part of a planned unit development (PUD) called The Hampshires, a community of single family detached homes and townhomes, developed by Comstock several years ago (zoning case number 05-30). There is also an adult care facility operated by Metro Homes on the grounds. For many reasons, development of the larger multifamily building just never got off the ground. Now a new development team is proposing to tear down the building and construct a new building with 50 apartments.
During the ANC 4B meeting in June, the owner stated that one of the reasons development of this building has been so difficult is that the layout of the building is not conducive to housing, and now the building is in no condition to be efficiently renovated. The building will have brick facade to blend in with the homes at the Hampshires and the units will have projected balconies. The team plans to spread surface parking around the site with the goal of having vehicles enter and exit through four different entry points.
Development of this building will be quite a process. The building has changed ownership a couple of times and gone through foreclosure. David Zarnoch, representing the new ownership team (a pension fund), stated that the team is committed to the affordability provisions of the original PUD (11 below market rate units). But in response to a question from the ANC about the status of the original PUD, counsel for the development team stated he had to get clarification from the zoning administrator about whether they would need to modify the original PUD or whether this development would be considered a new PUD. Commissioner Evan Yeats (4B01) worried that if the ANC approved the project, then a precedent would be set to allow a developer to delay building affordable units until years after a project has been approved. Mr. Zarnoch noted that this particular development team is new to the project and that they are not the original owners who allowed the building to fall into disrepair. Also a homeowner in the Hampshires questioned how the development team proposed to provide access to the building from different entry points given that the roads at the Hampshires are private roads, so easements might be needed.
If you live in the area or care about this project, expect to receive notice of community meetings from ANC Commissioner Geoff Bromaghim (4B07) and the Lamond Community Action Group.
Fort Totten – North Michigan Park Pedestrian Access Improvement Project
After a lengthy delay, construction of a pedestrian path between Gallatin and Galloway Street NE through Fort Totten Park is resuming. This path should be completed in a few months.
View from Galloway Street NE, July 27, 2021. Photo credit: Deborah Grimstead
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) publishes weekly progress reports, photos, and other info on the project website at https://www.metbranchtrail-forttotten.com.
View of MBT construction from 1st Place NE near Fort Totten Metro station, July 27, 2021. Photo credit: Deborah Grimstead
Join Rock Creek Park and Rock Creek Conservancy for Thursday evening Summer in the Parks events in July at Fort Circle Parks in NE DC. Music from DJ Lance Reynolds and themed activities for each night will bring the Rock Creek community together to celebrate our urban oasis and #RecreateResponsibly in our parks.
Attention artists and makers – We invite you to perform, show & sell your work during The Parks Main Street Art All Night event on Friday, September 24, 2021. For more information, email artallnight@theparksmainstreet.org.
Apply by August 6, 2021.
Artists in Riggs Park, Manor Park, Lamond, North Michigan Park, Michigan Park, and Fort Totten are especially encouraged to apply! All artists are welcome.
4. Community Concerns: *Please use the “Raise Hand” button via Zoom or *9 via telephone to speak during community concerns. The Commission will provide additional details regarding how to present community concerns via the virtual meeting at the start of the meeting.* This is the time for questions or statements from members of the public about issues on the agenda or other areas of concern. Please limit your statement or question to one minute. You may also contact members of the Commission before and after Commission meetings.
8. Presentation: Michael Henderson, District Department of Employment Services, Office of Paid Family Leave, Program Overview (5 minute presentation; 5 minute discussion)
9. Presentation: Nimita Shah and Gio Esposito, Toll Brothers, The Parks at Walter Reed, Development of Townhomes on Parcels A-G (10 minute presentation; 5 minute discussion)
10. Consent Calendar:
Resolution 4B-21-0701: Petitioning for Priority Sidewalk Installations within Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B (Commissioner Palmer)
Join Rock Creek Park and Rock Creek Conservancy for Thursday evening Summer in the Parks events in July at Fort Circle Parks in NE DC. Music from DJ Lance Reynolds and themed activities for each night will bring the Rock Creek community together to celebrate our urban oasis and #RecreateResponsibly in our parks.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B’s Vision Zero Committee will meet on Wednesday, July 21, 2021, beginning at 5:00 p.m. The Committee will be meeting virtually. Details about participating/watching the meeting are included below:
Join Rock Creek Park and Rock Creek Conservancy for Thursday evening Summer in the Parks events in July at Fort Circle Parks in NE DC. Food trucks, music, and family-friendly themed activities for each night will bring the Rock Creek community together to celebrate our urban oasis and #RecreateResponsibly in our parks.
All construction notices for the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten, called the Fez at Art Place, can be found at http://fezartplace.com under “Construction Updates.” The link to the latest construction notice, 7/12/2021-7/26/2021, is available here. A reader asked what these notices are saying because it appears that no work is being done. That is a largely correct observation. Some pre-construction work is ongoing. The development team committed to distributing biweekly construction notices, so to the extent the notices have been the same for a while now, it is just confirmation that the state of affairs remains the same.
Enter the Riggs Park Art Crawl – Selfie/Photo Contest for a chance to win The Parks Main Street Small Business Gift Cards
10 Gift Cards available!
How to enter:
Take the following 6 photos
Take a selfie/photo with you or your family in front of Culture Coffee Too, Art Crawl Headquarters – 300 Riggs Road NE, WDC 20011
Take a selfie/photo with you or your family in front of “We Are Riggs Park” Mural on right side of the Riggs Wine & Liquor building – 5581 South Dakota Avenue, NE WDC 20011 (across from Walmart)
Take selfie/photo with you or your family in front of Mural of Bottles on left side of the Riggs Wine & Liquor building
Take selfie/photo of you or your family in front of Hellbender Mural on right side of Hellbender Brewery building – 5788 2nd Street, NE WDC 20011
Take a selfie/photo with you or your family in front of Silver Howling Wolf at the Modern at Art Place – Corner of South Dakota Avenue & Ingraham Street, NE WDC 20011
Take selfie/photo with you or your family in front of Red Rooster/Chicken at the Modern at Art Place – Corner of South Dakota Avenue & Galloway Street, NE WDC 20011 (across from UDC)
Send all six photos to info@theparksmainstreet.org with Name(s) of who is in photo, who took photo, and email address.
Send photos in by 10:00 pm, Saturday July 10, 2021.
Winners will be announced in TPMS July/August Newsletter. Photos will be shared via TPMS social media channels
The Rock Creek Conservancy has cancelled the Summer in the Parks event at Fort Circle Park today due to the weather. Join Rock Creek Conservancy the remaining Thursdays in July at Fort Circle Park from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm for Summer in the Parks.
ANC 5A held a public meeting on June 23, 2021. I did not attend this meeting (hence the delay in this recap), but I did listen to an audio recording. My recap is just based on what I could hear and does not include any information that may have been placed in the chat during the meeting since those comments were not available to me.
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) was on the agenda again to present about the bikeshare stations that will be installed in the ANC, but the meeting ran long and the DDOT representative had to leave before presenting.
Parking on Rock Creek Church Road NE
The ANC voted to support a request from Commissioner Sandi Washington (5A07) that DDOT remove three vehicle parking spaces on the corner of Rock Creek Church Road NE and Riggs Road NE to improve the ability of drivers to turn onto Rock Creek Church Road and decrease the traffic backups in that area.
MPD Police Report
MPD 4D Community Outreach Coordinator Derek Staten stated that MPD 4D Inspector James Boteler has kicked off an initiative called 100 Blocks in 100 Days. (The inspector spoke about this initative at a previous ANC 5A meeting). Officers will walk blocks and knock on doors to say hello to residents, and if no one answers, they will leave a door tag. If there are specific blocks you would like officers to visit, email derek.staten@dc.gov.
In response to a question about fireworks, Mr. Staten stated that residents can let him and MPD officers know of specific areas where illegal fireworks are going off.
Do not leave vehicles running unattended. This is especially important for delivery drivers.
Individuals with limited English proficiency or perceived limited English proficiency are being targeted in robberies. Mr. Staten stated that MPD does not and is not supposed to ask about immigration status when people report crimes, so please let vulnerable individuals know.
DC Department of Motor Vehicles
DC DMV Director Gabriel Robinson stated that on July 19, DMV services will be available on a walk-in and first come, first serve basis. Many services can be conducted online, and individuals are encouraged to use the online platform where possible. There will be special walk-in hours on June 26, July 3, July 11, and July 18. Certain services that were available by appointment only prior to the COVID-19 pandemic will remain available by appointment only.
With respect to the RPP fee increase, Director Robinson stated the DC Council passed legislation to increase the fee because they heard from the public that residents are having a harder time parking near their homes, an issue the program is designed to address. Also, there are households with multiple vehicles and some that never move from the street.
Starting June 1, vehicle registration and inspection need to be compliant. Inspections have been open since June 2020. Individuals can renew registration online and by mail. Drivers license and ID cards that expired during the pandemic need to be compliant by September 9, 2021.
In response to Commissioner Washington’s comment that the fee increase creates a hardship for seniors and that not everyone bikes, Director Robinson stated that the fee increase was discussed a number of times with the public and DMV distributed weekly emails to individuals whose registration were expired or about to expire to encourage them to renew before June 1.
Ward 5 Report
Silas Grant, Senior Advisor to Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, noted a few items in the mayor’s initial proposed budget that the councilmember is championing:
$24.5 million for new Ward 5 library, likely in the Eckington area
$20 million for Crummell for community center in Ivy City
$1 million for deckover feasibility study for North Capitol Street NE
More money for violence interrupters, trauma informed mental health services, Safe Passage programs, Pathway Program
$8.1 million for Great Streets, money for BID tourism recovery fund, and money for equity fund
DC Water has an initiative to remove lead service lines by 2030. DC Water is responsible for maintenance of water line in public space. DC Water is prioritizing equity, so they intend to focus on low-income areas with a lot of lead service lines, likely starting with Wards 7 and 8 first. According to DC Water, most of ANC 5A does not have many lead service lines. Typically lead service lines were installed before 1950, and most of the service lines in this ANC were installed after 1950. You can check your service line at https://www.dcwater.com/servicemap.
DC Water has a few programs to help residents replace lead service lines on their private property. See details at https://www.dcwater.com/replacelead.
DC residents can get one free water test per year. Request at https://www.dcwater.com/lead-testing. For questions, email leadtest@dcwater.com or call (202) 612-3440.
Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) Application for Condo Conversion in ANC 5A06
The development team behind a condo conversion presented on plans to renovate and expand several existing apartment buildings in ANC 5A06 on Hawaii Street NE and Webster Street NE, between North Capitol Street NE and 1st Place NE (BZA case number 20507). The existing apartment buildings have 88 units with no parking onsite. The updated buildings will have 134 one- and two-bedroom units with 54 vehicle parking spaces (five spaces behind 10 of the buildings and four spaces behind one of the buildings). There will also be bike storage in each building. The developer stated the existing buildings are beyond repair, so they are looking to completely renovate the buildings and add another floor to each building. The project will require the developer to obtain relief from sideyard and courtyard requirements for some of the buildings. The developer will also need relief to add onto the buildings, but he said the height of the buildings will still be within the allowable height limit. The BZA hearing is scheduled for October 6, 2021.
It took a minute for the point to be made that this project is a condo conversion. Currently, all of the buildings consist of rental units. Some of the buildings are vacant. The developer plans to start work on the vacant buildings first. For tenants with an existing lease, the developer stated those tenants will be able to stay and continue renting if they would like to do so. The developer is working with a housing counseling organization to assist existing tenants who want to purchase a unit. Some of the units will be offered below market rate.
There was a long discussion about displacement. Apparently some of the vacant units house squatters. Commissioner Derrick Holloway (5A06) stated this has long been a “troubled” area, and his initial thoughts are that this project will finally address some of the long-standing issues with these apartment buildings. He said his constituents overwhelmingly support the project. In describing the condition of the units, the developer said there are long-standing issues with mold, joist issues, and bathrooms sinking into the units below them because of moisture issues and the number of people who are living in the units that exceed the housing code. The developer purchased these buildings last year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he and Commissioner Holloway stated that all of these issues existed prior to that purchase (unclear if the developer was aware of the extent of the issues or if anything was being done to address these issues prior to his purchase). Many of the commissioners agreed that there needs to be more discussion and an understanding about what will happen to everyone living in the apartments, whether they have a lease or not.
There was also a long discussion about parking. Currently, there is no onsite parking for the apartments. The developer is proposing 54 spaces for 134 units. The owner stated that in his experience, individuals buying at the price point at which these units will likely be offered (around $250,000 for a one bedroom condo) do not want to pay another $10,000 or more for a deeded parking space. Also, the buildings are situated near public transit. Commissioner Emily Lucio (5A03), disagreed with the developer’s assessment of parking needs, but Commissioner Edwards noted that the city is moving towards having less parking in projects (and also currently there is not any onsite parking).
Commissioner Edwards encouraged the developer to use small and local businesses on the project, to which the developer stated he will because he is a small business owner himself and does not really even have access to the big players. Furthermore, the buildings will be renovated over a number of years, so it might be more feasible for a smaller shop to take on the work. Commissioner Holloway stated he will provide some suggestions for local companies for cleaning and security services.
This was just an introduction to the project, and lots of the commissioners had lots of thoughts about the project. ANC single member district (SMD) 5A07 abuts the project. If you live in either SMD 5A06 or 5A07, expect to get notice of community meetings about the project over the summer. The ANC anticipates having a special meeting tentatively on the second Wednesday in September in order to have enough time to submit a report to the BZA before the October hearing date (the ANC resumes monthly meetings in September, but not until the 4th Wednesday of the month).
Catholic University Reopening Plan
Commissioner Lucio mentioned Catholic University released a statement about the university’s reopening plans, and that the university will not require COVID-19 vaccinations to return to campus. Commissioner Lucio would like to have a conversation with Catholic to make residents aware of the plans since many students and employees will be neighbors living in ANC 5A. Commissioner Edwards noted that DC government is not even requiring its employees to be vaccinated to return to the office. Every entity has the ability to make its own decision about vaccination requirements.
ANC Grants
Ward 5 Mutual Aid returned to the ANC to inquire about when the group can reapply for a grant. The group has been trying unsuccessfully to get a grant from the ANC for a while. Finally, Commissioner Washington, treasurer of ANC 5A, stated that the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (OANC) is updating grant guidelines for ANCs citywide to centralize and standardize the process. Accordingly, the ANC will not be accepting grant applications or disbursing grant money until OANC issues new guidelines. It is unclear when OANC will do so.
Miscellaneous
Commissioner Charles Lockett (5A02) stated that he has received word that Z-Burger will be opening on South Dakota Avenue NE in about 30 days.
Commissioner Washington stated that based on the very short, simple response the Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement (ONSE) gave to Commissioner Damion McDuffie (5A01) on the neighborhood plan developed for his area, she does not think utilizing ONSE to assist with a neighborhood safety plan will be particularly useful for her area because there is not a lot of violence in that area. (Aside: It appears ONSE is most focused on areas of the city with overwhelming violence. The agency has repeatedly stated it does not have contracts for neighborhoods in ANC 5A, and the services it can provide to neighborhoods without contracts is just very limited, meaning fairly nonexistent).
(The ANC held a scheduled public safety meeting on June 30.)
ANCs can only have virtual meetings until July 25, an issue discussed at a previous ANC meeting. Commissioner Edwards stated he has discussed the matter with Councilmember Robert White’s office. Apparently, CM White is drafting legislation to address this.
ANC 5A does not meet in July or August. Meetings will resume in September unless a special meeting is called. Individual commissioners may hold meetings during the summer for their particular area.
Take a selfie/photo with you or your family in front of Culture Coffee Too, Art Crawl Headquarters – 300 Riggs Road NE, WDC 20011
Next Stop...Riggs Park 