If you take a walk down the broken path on First Place NE by Fort Totten metro station, you might miss the historic site located at 5321 First Place NE. Currently home to the Lighthouse Center for Healing, the building once housed WOOK-TV, the first Black-oriented television station in the nation, according to Cultural Tourism DC. The station was known for the Teenarama Dance Party, DC’s first Black teen dance show.
WOOK-TV, 5321 First Place NE
If you click on the “Neighborhood Document Library” tab in the menu at the top of the page, you will see a document entitled Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue NE Small Area Plan. This small area plan was approved by the DC council in 2009 and it serves as a blueprint for development in the neighborhood.
For reference, below is a snapshot summary of the plan:
A number of DC agencies are responsible for implementing the plan. Take a look at the most recent implementation report created for fiscal year 2015. Notice not much has changed from the Riggs Road/South Dakota Avenue SAP Fiscal Year 2012 Implementation Report.
DC agencies rely on residents to bring to their attention items that residents would like to be addressed. Are there “No Action” or “Future” items listed that you would like to see action taken on? Are there items “in process” that you have questions about or that you would like to comment on?
From Walmart:
On July 8, MPD’s Fourth District is hosting its summer kick-off of Beat the Streets
5701 6th Street NE
3:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Free giveaways, music, fun, and games.
DDOT recently rolled out a crowdsourcing map as part of its Vision Zero initiative. Residents can click on a location on the map to pinpoint hazardous locations or behaviors. This is an opportunity for everyone to put their concerns on the map, literally. Just click on the link.
Snapshot of safety hazards one can pinpoint on the map
Much ado has been made about the reconfiguration of the South Dakota/Riggs Road intersection, but there are a few problems that need to be addressed there and on nearby streets. It would be great if DDOT addressed them before the Walmart opens.
2nd – 3rd Street intersection
Those are just a few problem areas. Please use the map to pinpoint places that need to be addressed. If a location is already highlighted, click on it again to add your own unique comment.
DDOT notes this crowdsourcing map does not replace 311, through which residents can make reports either online or by phone. While 311 is not perfect, I did use it to get a double-sided stop sign on my street because a tree was blocking a stop sign and drivers were inadvertently running the stop sign. DDOT came out to investigate and determined that there was indeed a hazard and put up a double sided stop sign on the other side of the street and painted high-visibility crosswalks with a stop line on each corner. I have also noticed residents crossing South Dakota at Jefferson Street to cut through to the metro station. That is a perfect place for a 311 request to have the crosswalk repainted. So let’s use the Vision Zero map to highlight problem areas, but let’s also make 311 requests while we’re at it.
Youth 18 years old and younger can eat free meals at a number of sites across the city, including a few locations in the neighborhood:
Phone: (202) 541-3526
Open June 22, 2015 through August 21, 2015
Meals served Monday through Friday
Breakfast: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Lunch: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Phone: (202) 576-5150
Open June 22, 2015 through August 21, 2015
Meals served Monday through Friday
Breakfast: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Lunch: 12:30 – 2:30 pm
Phone: (202) 541-6265
Open: July 8, 2015 through August 14, 2015
Meals served Monday through Friday
Lunch: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
The Washington Post did a profile on the neighborhood back in 2010. I think that feature provides a bit of context for the latest neighborhood profile published by the Post yesterday. Where the previous article highlighted the stable, established aspect of the community, this newer article focuses more on the development and “transition” taking place. The author took a tour of the neighborhood with Barbara Rogers, president of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association, and interviewed several residents. Readers will see the blog mentioned. I agreed to speak with the reporter and we talked about different aspects of the neighborhood for maybe 30 minutes. I was not sure what narrative the reporter was interested in pursuing, but I did know she wanted to speak to residents who had moved into the neighborhood in the past five years.
Rereading the previous profile, it is interesting to consider what has and has not changed since 2010, at least from my perspective.
Civic participation
“Among all of the neighborhood association meetings I attend, Lamond Riggs always has the most people — 50 to 60 folks” – then ward 4 councilmember Muriel Bowser in the Washington Post in 2010
The level of civic participation has not changed. I became involved in community affairs through an invitation by a resident to attend a community meeting . When I invited a DC agency official to discuss a city program at a recent civic association meeting, I advised him that around 70-80 people would likely attend. I think he was surprised to find out I was not exaggerating. Recently, many newer residents have signed on to committees to contribute to the work of the civic association.
Respect and appreciation for longtime residents
“The stable of longtime residents is complemented by a bevy of young families looking for affordable single-family homes in the city. Many of them say the longtime residents helped draw them to the neighborhood.” – Washington Post in 2010
I love talking to my older neighbors who have lived in the neighborhood for 40, 50 years. As I mentioned in my comments, they sincerely ask how I am doing and how my family is doing. People stop and chat as I work in my garden. I know I am not unique in that aspect. As new residents move in, they ask about the history of the neighborhood. For the most part, there is a level of engagement between newer and long-term residents that fosters mutual respect and allows us to work for the things we would like to see in the neighborhood.
Desire for more amenities
“Residents are hungry for more amenities, such as upscale retail stores, coffee shops and sit-down restaurants, said Gwen Cofield, co-chairman of the citizens association’s development task force.” – Washington Post in 2010
Residents still want amenities and some of them are on the way. In 2010, both Art Place at Fort Totten and Fort Totten Square (FTSQ) were in a lull phase. Now, FTSQ is pretty much done and construction is in full swing at Art Place. When I started the blog, I decided to publish a neighborhood wish list. Not much has changed since I first published it and the present as newer residents move in. Residents want quality sit-down restaurants, neighborhood bar, coffee shop, bookstore, bank, home goods store, pharmacy, gym, pet store, neighborhood pool, lots of folks would like a Trader Joe’s, and a number of other amenities.
Appreciation for what we do have
“‘We’re lucky to be close to many of the things we need . . . If we want groceries, there’s a Giant close by. If we want to go downtown, we’re close to public transportation. We aren’t isolated at all.'” – Lawrence Martin in the Washington Post in 2010
I told the reporter the neighborhood has a low crime rate, it is affordable, and it is close to a metro station and you usually do not get all three of those features in one place. Maybe two, but not all three. It has been easy to live without owning a car for three years and that is a lifestyle that is important to me. We now have a bikeshare station at the metro station, as well as Enterprise carshare (and before Enterprise there was Zipcar). Car2go vehicles can be spotted here and there. Planning is underway to finish the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) between Brookland and Takoma.
Ultimately, I think what has made this neighborhood a desirable community is the collective effort of residents over many, many years to make it a good one. I know some express wariness about the evolution of the community. Some worry about more traffic, more opportunities for crime, and being priced out of the neighborhood. Those are real concerns. I certainly do not wear rose-colored glasses. I think it will be the continued collective efforts of all residents that will ensure we keep the community flavor people enjoy even as development draws new residents to the neighborhood.
Catching up on news. A few articles mention that Metro will consider recommendations for service changes that would affect frequency of rush hour service on several lines. According to WAMU, “Rush Plus service on the Yellow Line would be eliminated, and the number of rush hour trains on the Green and Yellow tracks would drop from 26 to 15 per hour in each direction, which may lead to crowding on those two lines north of downtown D.C. between Fort Totten and Mount Vernon Square stations.” Service on the orange, blue, and silver line trains would also be affected by the recommendations. Metro will survey riders and hold public hearings before approving any service changes, so stay tuned for opportunities for input.
When we posted about neighborhood identity and branding, a couple of people mentioned part of the area was known as Terra Cotta, apparently in reference to the clay soil prominent in the area. Check out this map showing landowners in the area in 1894. Notice Terra Cotta is indeed on the map.
Source: District of Columbia Public Library
The neighborhood gets another shout-out, this time in an Elevation DC article on neighborhoods that should be on people’s radar.
Djana Morris, Keller Williams Capitol Properties
“One neighborhood that I think is a great neighborhood, but is going to come up in terms of amenities, is Riggs Park/Fort Totten. (Map) That’s a great area. It’s been a great area for a long time, but it was definitely off the radar, and still is. The price points are pretty reasonable; you can get something that needs some work in the low $300,000s and something completely fixed up for as much as $500,000. It kind of tops out there…It’s just as convenient, just as close to downtown as Petworth is, but about half the price….
The style of rowhouse is different than a Petworth [house] because it tends to be smaller square footage. A thousand to 1200 square feet is the norm, with a front porch and a back yard. It’s really cute. There’s a big Giant on Riggs Road [just across the border into Maryland]..the best crab place in D.C., that everybody in the know knows about is Ruff N Ready which is on Riggs and Eastern [Avenue]. It is just the best. You go there any weekend and there’s a line out the door.”
From WMATA:
Metro invites you and your family to a night under the stars! The first-ever Metro Movie Night will be held on Saturday, June 27 at the Fort Totten Metrorail Station parking lot. This family-friendly event is free for all guests.
Bring your lawn chairs, snacks and beverages to this special screening of the DreamWorks animated film “Bee Movie”. Gates open at 5 pm and guests can enjoy interactive sports games and music, or just sit back and relax with friends and neighbors, until the movie starts at dusk (approximately 8:30 pm).
Metro staff will be on hand to answer service questions, offer trip planning advice, and discuss parking options for Metro riders. Local community organizations will share information and offer giveaways.
Parking for this event will be limited, so we strongly recommend that guests take Metrorail (Green, Yellow or Red Line) or walk to the event. Food and beverage are welcome, but please note that alcohol and glass containers are not permitted.
We hope you can join us for this special community event!
Elected and city officials hosted the opening of Legacy Memorial Park, honoring the lives of those affected by the red line train collision on June 22, 2009. From the press release:
CONTACT:
Olivia Dedner (EOM) – (202) 340-7692; olivia.dedner@dc.gov
Jeffrey Scott (DCCAH) – (202) 719-6528; jeffrey.scott@dc.gov
(WASHINGTON, DC) – On Monday, June 22, City Administrator Rashad M. Young will join Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton to open Legacy Memorial Park, a place to honor and remember the victims of the 2009 Metro accident.
Legacy Memorial Park pays tribute to the nine victims, first responders and others whose lives were altered by the collision of two southbound Metro trains between the Takoma and Fort Totten Metro stations on June 22, 2009.
The park includes nine individual sculptural artworks and a memorial wall with an inscription to remember those lost. Legacy Memorial Park allows for meditation, remembrance, reflection, hope and renewal for all affected by the tragedy.
The design team, sculptor Barbara Liotta and architects Lucrecia Laudi and Julian Hunt of Hunt Laudi Studio, were selected through a competitive process conducted by the Department of General Services and the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The District chose the design team based on their thoughtful design which honored the victims and created a space for the public to reflect.
WHEN:
Monday, June 22 at 11 am
WHO:
Rashad M. Young, City Administrator
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton
Lisa Richards Toney, Interim Director, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
Jonathan Kayne, Interim Director, Department of General Services
Hunt Laudi Studio and sculptor Barbara Liotta
WHERE:
Legacy Memorial Park
Located at the corner of 5720 New Hampshire Avenue, NE and North Dakota Avenue, NE
A message from neighbor R.T. Oliver:
The Mamie D. Lee (MDL) Community Garden is located right next to the former Mamie D. Lee School (100 Gallatin Street, NE) in Ward 5. It is within easy walking distance of the Fort Totten metro station. Measuring almost 1.5 acres, the MDL Community Garden is one of the largest community gardens in DC. It’s been in existence for over 30 years, on land overseen by the National Park Service – Rock Creek Park.
The MDL community garden is comprised of a very diverse group of 93 gardeners, ranging in age from baby to 80+, and representing at least nine different nationalities — who collectively make up the Mamie D. Lee Garden Association.
Garden amenities include a community toolshed with communal tools, community composting area, piles of woodchips, water hose spigots, and tables. Anyone interested in a garden plot will be placed on the waiting list and notified as soon as a plot becomes available. Requests should be sent to mamiedleegarden@gmail.com.
The Washington Post has an article about buying in neighborhoods for their potential value in five to ten years. The author suggests that buyers look at areas surrounding desirable neighborhoods. On this point, our neighborhood gets a nod:
• Buy in the middle of surrounding hotspots. Adjacent neighborhoods matter just as much as the one where you buy. There’s a saying to look for the “triple ripple” to find the neighborhoods with the greatest potential for price gains. In other words, look to buy in a location surrounded by at least three (or more) established, sought-after neighborhoods.
In D.C., we’ve seen this happen with places like Eckington and NoMa. Here, the push from Shaw and Mount Vernon met the growth from Union Station/ H Street and the expansion around the Rhode Island Avenue Metro. The intersecting blocks in the middle of all these neighborhoods became viable neighborhoods in their own right.
Looking further into the future, Fort Totten is a strong contender to be a beneficiary of the “triple ripple.” It sits between the areas of Takoma D.C. and Catholic University, and is at the cusp of the development push moving eastward across the city.
This is certainly not the first article to mention the neighborhood in this context (see our post here) and we have also discussed the value of living in between Brookland and Takoma in a different context (see color commentary in this post). Color commentary still stands.
From the Washington Business Journal permit report:
6523 Chillum Place NW: Interior renovation for a new medical marijuana cultivation tenant.
According to Metro’s planning blog, permanent service adjustments to E line buses will become effective June 21:
