Author Archives: nextstoprp

Neighborhood Compost Cooperative

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

DC Bilingual Public Charter School has extended an invitation to community residents to take advantage of their new community compost cooperative.

From DC Bilingual Operations Manager/Wellness Coordinator Lola Bloom:

I wanted to reach out to the ANC5A neighborhood about the garden and Community Compost at DC Bilingual Public Charter School, located at 33 Riggs Rd NE. We partnered with the Department of Parks and Recreation this past fall to construct a 3-bin compost system right outside of our school garden. Our students add to the compost from school meals and snacks as well as the garden refuse. We are opening up the compost to local community members who are interested. The requirement is to attend a short (1 hour) training and support the turning of the compost at least 3 times over the season.

For more information and to participate in the cooperative, contact Lola Bloom at lbloom@dcbilingual.org or (202) 870-8158.

ANC 5A January 25, 2017 Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

Guest Post

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5A Meeting Recap

On January 25, 2017, Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 5A held its first meeting of 2017.  All commissioners were present:

Frank Wilds (5A01); Grace Lewis (5A02); Keisha Cofield-Lynch (5A03); Isaiah Burroughs (5A04); Ronnie Edwards (5A05); Jamaal Lampkin (5A06); Sandi Washington (5A07); and Gordon-Andrew Fletcher (5A08)

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The 2017 ANC 5A office holders are:

Ronnie Edwards (5A05), Chair
Frank Wilds (5A01), Vice Chair
Sandi Washington (5A07), Treasurer
Grace Lewis (5A02), Parliamentarian
Isaiah Burroughs (5A04), Correspondence

Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie swore in the 2017 ANC 5A officers.  Mr. Edwards thanked everyone for his reelection as chairman.

REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS

Treasury Report

Commissioner Washington (5A07) asked her fellow Commissioners for a resolution to meet the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions Act of 1975, which requires the annual bonding of ANC financial accounts.  The Commissioners passed a motion to obtain bonding.

Police Report

Metropolitan Police Department officers Lieutenant Ashley Rosenthal and Detective Lynn Rosenberg gave the latest crime statistics. Lt. Rosenthal said overall crime in the Fourth District is down by 18%, excluding assaults with a deadly weapon (ADW), which she attributes to domestic violence.

Det. Rosenberg addressed the matter of the aggressive dog owner who has terrorized the neighborhood for over a year. She assured everyone that this issue is a priority, but this individual has committed several offenses already based on witness testimony. Commissioner Fletcher (5A08) is coordinating a response. He pledges to consolidate the efforts of the citizens, police and prosecutors office to resolve this issue.

Lt. Rosenthal discussed the new sector concept initiated by MPD. The plan involves combining Police Service Areas (PSA). For example, the PSAs of Lt. Shane Lamond (403), Lt. Francis Martello (404) and Lt. Ashley Rosenthal (405) comprise Sector II, which Captain Juanita Mitchell commands. The sector concept will be transparent to the community, but it should enhance crime management, reporting and response times.

Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS)

Mr. Hakeem Rogers covered the latest crime statistics. He noted a 17% and 10% reduction of homicides and violent crime, respectively. He mentioned a troubling trend in which youth crime– involving teens aged 12 through 17–is growing.

District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT)

Mr. Todd P. McIntyre, DDOT Deputy Chief of Staff, addressed the audience.  He covered the DDOT traffic review process and a list of ANC 5A traffic issues. Mr. McIntyre said about 20% of the developers submit traffic plans, with the majority filing a comprehensive traffic review  (CTR) plan to meet Zoning Commission mandates. DDOT reviews the CTR for overall traffic impact and ensures that the development’s access and egress points make sense.

Mr. McIntyre discussed a range of traffic issues with the audience. Issues such as alley repair, faded crosswalks, garbage vehicles blocking the street, missing stop signs, the outstanding request for a HAWK system and tree trimming were raised. The Art Place at Fort Totten project presented a major issue. Much of the free street parking has been consumed by the development’s footprint, leaving only pay-parking, which costs as much as $100 monthly.

McDonald’s

Mr. Harry Thomas, Jr. gave the latest report on the McDonald’s restaurant project at 4950 South Dakota Avenue NE. He thanked the 200-footers and the wider community for supporting the project. Mr. Thomas said project construction could begin as early as July or August 2017. To do so, the owner is pursuing a Map and/or Text Amendment from the Zoning Commission. The map and text amendments allow changes to the zone district applied to the property and to the text of the zoning regulation, respectively.

Marriott Hotel

The developers of the Marriot Hotel at the intersection of Irving Street NE and Michigan Avenue NE requested a Planned Unit Development (PUD) extension of 2-years. The extension is needed to address an issue with the General Services Administration (GSA), which is the land owner. The dispute centers over the building of houses and retail during phase 2 of this project. The ANC 5A commissioners unanimously approved a motion granting the extension to Marriott.

COMMUNITY CONCERNS

Casey Trees

Casey Trees is sponsoring a tree planting activity on March 18, 2017, from 9:00am until noon.  It will be held at Fort Totten Park near the intersection of Allison Street NE and Fort Totten Drive NE. This is an ongoing project in which the community can select the planting areas by contacting Casey Trees at caseytrees.org

January 28: Explore! Children’s Museum Pop-Up Opens at National Portrait Gallery

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten

On January 28, 2017, Explore! Children’s Museum, which will be part of a future phase of the Art Place at Fort Totten, will open a temporary pop-up exhibit downtown at the National Portrait Gallery. The exhibit will be free to the public.

The museum held a couple of neighborhood events last year to introduce staff and concepts for the museum. The year-long pop-up is another chance to showcase the museum and test out some exhibits in a cool collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery. Tell your neighbors and friends.

Details from the website:

In Explore! with the Portrait Gallery, kids can experiment with portraiture in an age-appropriate way to answer questions such as “What is a portrait?” “How do I see myself?” and “How do others see me?”. Young visitors will be able to trace each other’s silhouettes, strike a pose for a projected video art piece, and experiment with expression and emotion by building faces out of illustrated blocks.

  • Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30 am to 6:00 pm on the first floor of the gallery
  • Designed for children ages 18 months to eight years old
  • Text in English and Spanish

Check the website for additional details.

 

January 26: Ward 4 Councilmember Todd Office Hours

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

From Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd’s Office:

Dear Neighbors, 

I would like to invite you to join me at my office hours on Thursday, January 26 from 7:45 AM – 9:15 AM at the Takoma DC Starbucks (232 Carroll Street NW). This is an excellent opportunity for residents to sit down with me one-on-one for up to 15 minutes to discuss important issues in Ward 4 and the District of Columbia. Residents will be seen on a first come, first served basis, and are welcome to discuss any issues important to them and their neighbors.

If you have questions, please contact Jackson Carnes at jcarnes@dccouncil.us or (202) 724-8052. 

 

WBJ: Children’s Museum Profile

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten

The Washington Business Journal profiles the Explore! Children’s Museum, which is anticipated to be part of a future phase of the Art Place at Fort Totten development. The museum will open a temporary location at the National Portrait Gallery on January 28, 2017. We have covered the museum’s progress on this blog in several posts, noting in our year-end neighborhood development profile that there are still open questions regarding the museum. The article provides a few details on the temporary exhibit and notes that museum officials hope to begin construction on the permanent museum here in Riggs Park at the end of 2017:

The portraiture exhibit is one that could be replicated in the eventual permanent museum, though Explore! has not yet decided exactly what exhibits will be installed, said [Executive Director Rhonda] Buckley. She and the other museum principals are still keeping mum on other details on the project as well, including size and cost.

They hope to begin construction by the end of 2017 and open to the public in mid-2019, however. The museum will be built on “Parcel B,” as the developer refers to it, which is in the second phase of the Cafritzes’ Art Place development. . . .

 We will see if this timeline holds. In the meantime, check out the temporary museum at the National Portrait Gallery later this month.

2016 Year-end Neighborhood Development Roundup

Posted by nextstoprp in Neighborhood Development

Lots of movement in the neighborhood development pipeline. Let’s take a look.

Fort Totten Square

Fort Totten Square, a mixed-use development by JBG Companies and Lowe Enterprises consisting of approximately 345 apartments atop ground floor retail, officially opened in 2015 on Riggs Road NE between 3rd Street and Chillum Place. While the 117,000 square foot Walmart anchor opened in October 2015, ancillary tenants Subway, Five Guys, and Petco all opened near the corner of Chillum Place and Riggs Road NE in 2016.

We still anticipate that a local coffee shop will occupy the space at 3rd Street and Riggs Road, but it looks like we will have to wait until 2017 for that. We have our fingers crossed and look forward to supporting what we believe will be a great addition to the neighborhood.

Art Place at Fort Totten


Construction continues on this multi-phase mixed-use development by Cafritz Enterprises along South Dakota Avenue NE between Galloway Street and Kennedy Street. According to the project page on leasing agent HR Retail’s website, the first phase of the project will open in May 2017. The first phase will consist of approximately 520 apartments atop approximately 100,000 square feet of ground floor retail, with around 141 units set aside for seniors and the tenants of the Riggs Plaza apartments. Relocation of the Riggs Plaza tenants is expected to begin in April 2017.

X-Sport Fitness anchors the project. Other leased tenants include T-Mobile, a pharmacy, and Shining Stars Pediatric Dentist. Lots of retail space remains available for lease as of this writing. Early design plans included space for up to three restaurants. No word on any restaurant tenants just yet though.

The project permanently closed Hamilton Street NE west of South Dakota Avenue. An extension of Ingraham Street NE to the west of South Dakota Avenue still needs to be constructed.

One great aspect of this project is that power to the site will be provided underground. No more butchered trees, so we should enjoy a nice tree canopy along South Dakota Avenue in the future.

Explore! Children’s Museum

We are excited to add the Explore! Children’s Museum of Washington DC to our neighborhood development pipeline this year. One big draw of the Art Place at Fort Totten development is that a children’s museum is planned for the development. While the exact location and timeframe for construction are still open questions, we were excited to see the ball get rolling on plans for the museum.

This year, Explore! museum staff opened an office in the neighborhood and held a Fall Fun Fest and Winter Wonder Fest in their museum hub at 5455 3rd Street NE to introduce themselves to the neighborhood and get feedback on their plans for the museum. Snowflake painting, DIY snow globes, DIY bird feeders, masks, music, and storytelling were just a few of the fun activities that drew families from not just the neighborhood, but from across the metro area. We look forward to having a true destination spot in the neighborhood.

The museum plans to open a pop-up location in the National Portrait Gallery in late January 2017. The next neighborhood event will take place on April 1, 2017.

Fort Totten Metro Donatelli Development

Donatelli bid

Metro issued a request for proposals to develop the long-term parking lot at Fort Totten metro station way back in 2014. The agency selected Donatelli Development’s proposal to build 345 rental apartments, 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail, and a parking garage to replace the surface parking lot. According to Donatelli’s website and Metro’s term sheet with Donatelli, construction on this project will begin in 2017.

Fort Totten South

Also known as Fort Totten Square Phase II, plans for Fort Totten South (pdf) are moving steadily. JBG has teamed up with EYA to build a mixed-use development with approximately 26,000 square feet of retail and 170 to 180 mostly back-to-back townhomes atop a retail podium on the southeast corner of Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue NE.

Early design plans show one- to two-bedroom loft-style homes fronting South Dakota Avenue with ground floor retail fronting Riggs Road and stacked two- to four-bedroom townhomes above the retail podium. A minimum of 29 of the homes will be set aside as affordable dwelling units and the developers have committed to set aside 5,000 square feet of the retail for a local retailer. A parking garage will sit behind the homes.

The DC Council recently recommended approval of the sale of District-owned property for the project. The developers will start removing trees from the site in January 2017. Current timeline anticipates construction starting in late 2018.

That wraps up our year-end neighborhood development report. Lots to look forward to in 2017. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

ANC 5A December 14, 2016 Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

Guest Post

On Wednesday December 14, 2016, Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 5A held its last monthly meeting.  Commissioners Grace Lewis (5A02), Isaiah Burroughs (5A04), Ronnie Edwards (5A05), and Sandi Washington (5A07) were the only commissioners present. Commissioner Washington, the only executive officer present, led the meeting.

The agenda consisted of the Treasury Report, New Member Transition and Community Concerns.

Treasury Report

The opening third quarter balance was $27,233.48. The fourth quarter allotment of $4,607.82 was received on August 22, 2016, leaving an ending third quarter balance of $31,841.30.  Expenditures of $4,874.17 were paid, leaving a fourth quarter closing balance of $26,967.13.

Commissioner Angel Alston’s (5A08) grant documentation is still outstanding. Commissioner Washington, ANC 5A’s treasurer, stated that it can be provided later. A motion to accept the treasurer’s fourth quarter budget report was approved.

New Member Transition

Commissioner Washington suggested that a transition meeting be held to collect ANC material and documentation held by the outgoing commissioners. The materials include, but are not limited to, cell phones, SMD meeting notes, developer documentation, etc. Commissioner Washington will lead this effort.

The swearing-in ceremony for commissioners for the next term will be held on January 2, 2017 in the Walter Washington Convention Center. Invitation letters have been received by some commissioners already.

Community Concerns

Commissioner Lewis provided an update on the flooding that affected the 1200 block of Delafield Place NE. She cited that one house in fully enclosed in white canvas. She said many problems remain since some homeowners have no insurance while others have little funds for repair. She mentioned that city representatives have gone door-to-door to work with residents. The issue of liability has not been resolved yet.

DDOT Preliminary Plans for Eastern Avenue NE

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

On December 7, 2016, DC’s Department of Transportation held a public meeting to present draft plans for improvements to Eastern Avenue NE between New Hampshire Avenue NE and Whittier Street NW. Those familiar with the area know it is a difficult road to travel. According to DDOT, the project’s goal is to “improve the existing pavement and landscape of this study area and to determine the best solution to address deteriorated sidewalks, retaining walls, curbs, gutters, manholes, catch basins and ADA ramps; to improve traffic and pedestrian/bike safety; and to introduce public realm improvements along this corridor.”

To view a copy of the presentation, click here: DDOT Eastern Avenue NE Rehabilitation Presentation 12-7-2016

DDOT is still finalizing design plans. Much of the work will consist of full pavement reconstruction, except for one small section between Sligo Mill Road and Kansas Avenue, which will consist only of pavement milling and overlay.

eastern-avenue-ne-display-board-2

DDOT asked its contractor to analyze a possible roundabout at Eastern Avenue and Sligo Mill Road. Because the contractor concluded that a roundabout in that location would result in backups towards New Hampshire Avenue, that possibility will likely be rejected. DDOT will not approve a plan that would result in traffic backups at a major intersection. ANC 4B07 Commissioner Judi Jones asked about the possibility of a roundabout at Kansas Avenue to slow down traffic and make it easier for drivers to make a left-hand turn onto Kansas Avenue. DDOT said they would consider it, but thought its feasibility was unlikely because of the results of the analysis of a roundabout at Sligo Mill showing traffic backups. Draft plans currently show a left turn lane will be installed at Eastern and Kansas Avenue with bump-outs at the corners.

eastern-avenue-ne-display-board-6

The plan also includes installing a sidewalk on the north side (Takoma Park, MD side) and landscaping on both the north and south side (DC side). Unfortunately, DDOT said there is not much room to install more than just a few new trees on the south side because of gas and water lines, but the agency will install other landscaping and bioretention and stormwater facilities (such as permeable pavement in the parking lanes) where possible.

There was protracted discussion about the location of a potential staircase leading from Eastern Avenue to Old or Little Eastern Avenue in Takoma Park, which runs parallel to the road. The draft plan proposes a staircase on Eastern Avenue between North Capitol Street and Whittier Street. Some residents expressed a preference for the alternate location, which would be at the corner of Eastern Avenue and North Capitol Street. Some residents believed the proposed location would have the undesired effect of encouraging individuals to cross the street mid-block and would also put a staircase right next to a resident’s front yard. A couple of residents expressed concern that a staircase in either location would abet crime by making it easier for individuals to move between Maryland and DC jurisdictions more quickly and evade police.

eastern-avenue-sidewalk-locations

 

The good thing about the plan is that bike facilities are included. The not so good thing is that plans currently show a combination of bike lanes and sharrows on both the north and south side due to bump-outs in some locations. The bump-outs are ostensibly designed to narrow the road and slow down traffic, making it safer for pedestrians. But we are not big fans of forcing cyclists to cycle in and out of travel lanes because that can be dangerous if drivers are not anticipating that cyclists will be traveling in a bike lane for some distance, share the road for a short distance, and then go back to a bike lane. Drivers do not really pay attention to sharrows. So it seems that a continuous bike lane would be preferable to protect cyclists and still have the desired effect of reducing speeds. One resident asked about extending the project area to Laurel Street in order to make bike lane connections to the Old Takoma commercial district. DDOT said there is a limited pot of money and that there has to be a defined project area where work is most necessary. Bike lanes can always be installed outside of the project area.

eastern-avenue-ne-display-board-1

Preliminary plans call for the work to be done in four phases. Only the first phase is expected to result in full road closure. Expect partial roadway closures and detours for the other phases of work. DDOT was not ready to discuss possible relocations of bus stops while construction is ongoing or after the project’s completion.

eastern-avenue-ne-phase-work

 

Current timeline anticipates design to be finalized in fall 2017; construction to begin in summer 2018; and construction to be completed in winter 2019.

Take a look at the plans and send any comments to the project manager Paul Hoffman at paul.hoffman @dc.gov.

 

Fire at Riggs Road Liquor Store

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

A fire on December 18, 2016, resulted in a lot of damage to the liquor store on Riggs Road, near the corner of Chillum Place NE. Officials say the fire was accidentally started by a cutting torch. One firefighter suffered injuries.

TBT: Riggs Park’s Jewish Community Roots

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

In a blog post, Greater Greater Washington explores the movement of Jewish communities across the District. The post includes a neat interactive map from the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington. Riggs Park was home to a sizable Jewish community in the early 1950s, when the semi-detached homes that typify a lot of the older housing stock in the neighborhood were just being developed. Priced to attract families, the homes attracted a large Jewish community to neighborhood. What is now Faith Moravian Church at 405 Riggs Road NE was once the Shaare Tefila Congregation, established in 1951, according to the historical society. In familiar history, there was a large exodus of Jewish residents from the neighborhood in the 1960s. The Shaare Tefila Congregation moved to Maryland in 1965. We know there are residents in the neighborhood who have lived here since the 1950s and 60s and remember this history. It would be cool to capture this history in some way.

December 10: Ward 4 Councilmember Todd Holiday Party & Coat Drive

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

From Councilmember Todd’s Office:

I invite you to attend my Annual Ward 4 Holiday Party and Coat Drive on December 10th, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Lafayette Elementary School, and ask for your generosity to ensure that no young person gets left out in the cold this holiday season. To ensure that everyone’s specific needs are met, please contact our office, and we will match you with a student so you know what size coat to purchase. In general, we are looking for boy and girl coats size 2T to size 18. If you are interested in donating, please contact Malcolm Jolly at (202) 724-8052 or mjolly@dccouncil.us. The holiday party will also include a dessert buffet, so if you are a baker, we encourage you to bring one of your delicious treats to share with everyone. To RSVP, sign up to bake a dessert, volunteer, or join the planning committee for our holiday party, contact Dolly Turner at dturner@dccouncil.us or 202-724-8052.

December 7: Rehabilitation of Eastern Avenue NE Project Public Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

From DDOT:

Wednesday, December 7, 2016
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Location: 6896 Laurel Street NW
Building: EF International Language Center
Room: Lecture Hall

Details:

DDOT invites you to a public meeting to discuss the Rehabilitation of Eastern Avenue NE Project (New Hampshire Avenue NE to Whittier Street NW).

The project’s goal is to improve the existing pavement and landscape of this study area and to determine the best solution to address deteriorated sidewalks, retaining walls, curbs, gutters, manholes, catch basins and ADA ramps; to improve traffic and pedestrian/bike safety; and to introduce public realm improvements along this corridor.

DDOT will present design concepts and gather comments from the community at this public meeting.

Be sure to check out www.goDCgo.com to learn about transportation options for getting to this public meeting. (Meeting location is 0.29 miles from Takoma Park Metro Station)

ANC 5A November 30, 2016 Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

Guest Post

ANC 5A November 30, 2016 Meeting Recap

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 5A held its monthly meeting. All commissioners were present, except Mr. Frank Wilds (5A01) and Ms. Jasmine White, the former ANC 5A06 commissioner.

McDonald’s PUD Request

Mr. Harry Thomas, Jr. addressed the crowd on behalf of Mr. Raoul Alvarez, the owner of the McDonald’s restaurant at 4950 South Dakota Avenue NE. Mr. Thomas described the restaurant as being the first in the District of Columbia, fortieth in the nation and minority-owned. He stated that the restaurant needs to expand, but the current R-2 zoning prevents further growth.

McDonald’s considered moving but the community rallied around the restaurant upon hearing about the move. Mr. Thomas has obtained support for expansion from neighbors within 200 feet of the restaurant. He has also met with the North Michigan Park Civic Association (NMPCA). The new restaurant will feature the latest McDonald’s architectural design, a drive-thru and solar panels. In addition, McDonald’s has offered access to its training program and $3,000 for scholarships for NMPCA students. The ANC agreed to support McDonald’s zoning amendment request from R-2 (residential) to MU-3 (mixed-use).

Water Main Break: 1200 Block of Delafield Place NE

On Friday November 18, a major water main break occurred that flooded 24 homes with raw sewage.  During the meeting, some residents reported noticing the problem as early as 12:52 pm, but assistance did not arrive until 4:00 pm. The problem was repaired the next day by 6:00 am with the replacement of an 18-inch pipe and two water services.

Those affected were angered because while the city addressed the infrastructure, no one addressed the needs of the residents. During the event, many had no access to drinkable water or restroom facilities, especially the elderly — many of whom are homebound. Furthermore, many homes still require cleanup and remediation while others have no heat. Many consider this event as an emergency due to the scale of damage and suffering.

The residents are dismayed that their concerns are being addressed only now, nearly two weeks after the event. There is much work to be done that only the councilmember or mayor can authorize. Representatives from those offices promised to relay the community’s concerns and to review how the flooding in Bloomingdale was handled for guidance. Our prayers are with everyone affected by this tragic event.