Author Archives: nextstoprp

Meeting on solar panels for Ward 5 residents August 14

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

Information from Councilmember McDuffie’s Office.   Trusted Solutions Group and Prospect Solar, LLC, is holding  a meeting for Ward 5 residents interested in solar panels.  Income restrictions apply.  Information from the brochure by Trusted Solutions Group and Prospect Solar below:

——

Community Meeting About FREE Solar Panel Opportunity 

Presented by Trusted Solutions Group and Prospect Solar, LLC 

ATTN:  Homeowners in Ward 5 

Date:  Wednesday, August 14th  

Time:  7:00 to 8:30 PM 

Place:  Woodridge Library-Room 1

1801 Hamlin St NE, Washington, DC 20018

About the FREE Solar Panel Opportunity:  

The DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DC SEU) has allocated District funding to provide solar energy systems at no cost to homeowners in Ward 5. Trusted Solutions Group and Prospect Solar have been selected by the DC SEU to identify candidates and install the solar panels on their rooftops.

If you are interested, there are several qualifications to be eligible: 

  •  Own a home in Ward 5
  •  Income Requirements (See Chart)
  •  Roof must be in good condition, a single layer of roofing, no more than 10 years old (preferably 5 years old or newer), and have framing adequate for supporting the solar equipment.
  • Roof must have southern exposure, with little to no shading from adjacent buildings or surrounding trees.

The number of systems available for this program is extremely limited.  If you are eligible based on the above qualifications, we strongly recommend you bring the following documents to this meeting to apply for the program:

  • Proof of Homeowner’s Insurance
  • Copy of most recent PEPCO Bill
  • Proof of Income

A.) 2012 Federal Tax Return (copy) for all household members OR

B.) Proof that a household member received ONE of these benefits in the last year:

1. Utility Discount from PEPCO, Verizon, WASA, or Washington Gas

2. HOME/ Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher

3. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

4. Free or Reduced School Lunch

5. Lifeline Telephone Assistance

Upon eligibility verification, we will schedule an assessment of your home to inspect the condition of the roof. After inspection verifies your roof’s eligibility, and paperwork has been completed, you will be entered into the program first-come, first-serve.

Household Size 

Gross Income Limit 

1 – $45,180

2  – $51,600

3  – $58,080

4  – $64,500

5  – $69,660

6  – $74,820

7  – $79,980

8  – $85,140

—–

Trusted Solutions Group

3921 S Capitol St. Ste. #3, SW Washington, DC 20032

Phone: (2020) 563-3530                 Fax: (202) 318-8435

http://www.tsg28.com

Prospect Solar, LLC

118  Acacia  Lane   Sterling,   Virginia  20166-9307

Phone: (703) 450-2387              Fax: (703) 450-2397

http://www.prospectsolar.com       info@prospectsolar.com

The Townes at Hampshire Grand Opening July 27

Posted by nextstoprp in The Hampshires and tagged with , , ,

Just on the heels of our last post comes  a DC Urbanturf blog post on the grand opening of the Townes at Hampshire this Saturday, July 27, 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm.  The Hampshires is a new housing community by the Comstock development team, located at 6000 New Hampshire Avenue NE in Riggs Park.  The community features 38 detached single family homes and 73 townhomes.  According to the blog post, over half of the detached homes (priced from $679,000) have sold.  The townhomes start at $499,000.  The community is about one mile north of Fort Totten metro station and one mile south of Takoma metro station.  Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser will be on hand to cut the ribbon.  There will be a catered lunch and plenty of family activities.

Riggs Park shoutout in WaPo

Posted by nextstoprp in Neighborhood Profile and tagged with , , , ,

A Washington Post article includes Riggs Park in a list of neighborhoods that are good alternatives to more popular, expensive neighborhoods for homebuyers in DC.  Along with Riggs Park, the article lists Petworth, Takoma, SW Waterfront, Brookland, Woodridge, and Hillcrest.  I am never quite sure what to make of articles like this.  Nevertheless, it is true that Riggs Park is a great neighborhood in a pretty good location.

When I was in the market 3 years ago, I considered most of the neighborhoods listed in the article, eventually narrowing my search to Brookland and Riggs Park.  One of the major draws of Riggs Park is the metro access.  I can walk to Fort Totten metro station in less than 10 minutes and get on the red, yellow, or green line, or hop on one of several buses at the station.  In fact, I finally sold my car earlier this year because (a) I do not like driving or car maintenance; (b) I was not driving much at all; and (c) it is easy enough to get to all the things I need and want without a car.  I walk about one mile to the Giant on Eastern Ave or the 1.5 miles to Yes! Organic Market in Brookland for groceries.  Occasionally I walk the couple of miles to the Takoma Park farmers market.  I walk/bike to Brookland or metro to Takoma for dance classes.  I can walk to Lamond Riggs neighborhood library in less than 10 minutes for books and movies.  And getting to work downtown takes 30 minutes door to door.

Developments in the neighborhood will add retail and restaurants to the mix in the next few years.  The neighborhood is also home to Food & Friends and the Backus campus of UDC-CC.  There is a neighborhood recreation center (Riggs LaSalle).  Crime is relatively low and neighbors are super friendly.

As the article noted, many of the homes in the neighborhood are semi-detached.  However, there are detached single family homes available that of course cost a bit more.  The new Hampshires development at 6000 New Hampshire Ave NE added several single family homes about one mile from Fort Totten metro station.  The development is also bringing new townhomes to the area (grand opening this Sat. from 12 pm to 2:30 pm).

Of the neighborhoods listed, Riggs Park is probably the most affordable, partially owing to a lack of amenities as compared to some of the other areas.  Proximity to Petworth, Brookland, and Takoma helps to mitigate the lack of amenities a bit.  Semi-detached homes with at least 3 bedrooms/1.5 bathrooms and a decent backyard can still be had for under $300,000.  Renovated semi-detached homes are now selling for over $300,000.  Newly constructed homes at the Hampshires are listed in the $500,000 range for townhomes and upwards of $600,000 for the detached homes.  Prices are up, but one can still manage to get a solid home in an established neighborhood without breaking the bank.

Permit on ANC 4B agenda for July 22 meeting

An item on ANC 4B’s public meeting agenda for Monday, July 22, is a presentation/recommendation vote on a permit for 5516-5520 4th St. NE.  From DDOT’s website:

ADDRESS IS 5516-5520 4TH STREET, NE: PROVIDE WATER,SEWER AND GAS LATERALS FOR NEW TOWNHOUSE, WORK ALSO INCLUDES APRON FRO DRIVEWAY, LEAD WALKS AND BAY WINDOWS PROJECTION. ORIGINAL APPLICATION (#56393 WAS APPROVED BY THE PSC W/CONDITIONS ON 1/6/11. OWNERSHIP CHANGED AND PSC APPROVAL EXPIRED. APPLICANT RE-APPLYING FOR EXACT SAME SCOPE OF WORK

Walmart-related Development News

Posted by nextstoprp in Fort Totten Square, Neighborhood Development and tagged with , ,

A couple of Walmart-related development items:

Large Retailer Accountability Act

By now, most have surely heard about the op-ed by Walmart regional general manager Alex Barron, stating the retailer will not proceed with three previously announced District stores that have not broken ground (Skyland, Capitol Gateway, and New York Avenue NE), if the city council passes the proposed Large Retailer Accountability Act of 2013 (LRAA).  The LRAA, commonly known as the living wage bill, would raise the minimum wage for employees of retail employers with at least $1 billion in sales and that operate in spaces of at least 75,000 sq ft., from $8.25 per hour to $12.50 per hour.  The DC council is scheduled to vote for a second time on the bill on July 10, 2013.  On the first reading of the bill, the council voted 8 to 5 in favor of the bill.  According to the Washington Post, Mayor Vince Gray issued a statement encouraging the council to reconsider the bill and its stated purpose.  The Washington Business Journal reports that the Skyland developer stated that project will be on hold indefinitely if Walmart pulls out as an anchor for the development.  Mayor Gray personally lobbied Walmart to anchor the development.  Prior to Walmart’s July 9th op-ed, the Washington Post published an editorial against the bill.  That editorial followed media reports, in which Walmart executives stated they believed the city was pulling a bait and switch by soliciting Walmart’s business and then changing the business conditions under which the retailer would operate through the LRAA.

With the Washington Post editorial against the bill, the Walmart op-ed, and Mayor Gray’s statement, it is hard to see a path to enactment for the LRAA.  There are policy and technical reasons not to support this particular iteration of what some call a fair wage law, but a few questions remain.  Does Walmart’s threat now mean that even if the bill fails, any future attempt by the council to raise minimum wage across the board will be met with threats to shut down stores?  Will Walmart decide not to proceed with the three stores not under construction even if the bill fails because conceivably, according to Walmart’s logic, the council could always later introduce a bill to raise the minimum wage before all six stores have broken ground?

These questions lead nicely to the second bit of Walmart development related news since Walmart executives also stated the LRAA could affect even the three stores that are already under construction, which includes the store planned for Fort Totten Square.

Buyers sought for First and H Street Development 

The Washington Business Journal reports that the JBG Companies is seeking buyers for the Walmart-anchored mixed-use development at First and H Street NW.  That project is scheduled for a fall 2013 completion.  No other retail tenants have been announced so far.  It is not too surprising that JBG has listed the development since the developer tends to put up several of its projects for sale.  However, this is noteworthy because JBG is also part of the team developing the Walmart-anchored Fort Totten Square, along with Lowe Enterprises.  This is one of the reasons we have always believed it is important to get the Fort Totten Square project right from the beginning in terms of design and retail mix.  JBG could very well exit the project at some point.

Of course, these two Walmart-anchored projects are in different neighborhoods with different market conditions, so it is not a given that the developer will do with Fort Totten Square what it has done with First and H.  And in fact, JBG has treated the two developments quite differently.  According to the Washington Business Journal, the Walmart lease for First and H is only 20 years, while we know the retailer’s lease for Fort Totten Square is 60 years.  While both developments are mixed-use projects, the Walmart store at First and H is significantly smaller than the planned store at Fort Totten Square (80,000 square feet versus 120,000 square feet).  The First and H project does not incorporate Walmart’s typical blue branding in the building’s design.  However, the Walmart blue branding, which has appeared less frequently in recent building designs, is incorporated a bit in Fort Totten Square .

As we mentioned in a previous post, having a Walmart-anchored development in the city can carry certain risks depending on a developer’s goals.  It is interesting to see how these two projects by the same developer are shaping up.  A couple of the differences were pointed out in the past and the developer provided rationales for the differences.

Now with Walmart’s announcement about the LRAA, it will certainly be interesting to see what happens with the Walmart-anchored developments.  Another Walmart store (the Georgia Avenue store) under construction less than two miles away from Fort Totten Square is scheduled to be completed this year, while Fort Totten Square is not scheduled for completion until 2015.  There have always been questions about how this dynamic will play out.  Supposedly, Walmart executives believe the planned Fort Totten Square store will be its most successful DC store of the six announced to date.  Given this dynamic and what we know about how the various stores currently under construction are designed, one has to question how many Walmart stores will end up in the city, no matter the fate of the LRAA.

Ward 5 meeting on public education July 13

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

Councilmember David Catania is hosting meetings in each ward to discuss the education bills drafted by law firm Hogan Lovells in what he’s calling “Summer Conversation on the Future of Public Education in the District.”  The ward 5 meeting will be on July 13, 2013, at the Woodridge Library at 10:30 am.  More on the councilmember’s public education reform efforts can be found on his website.

The other ward meetings are as follows:

Wed., July 17, 2013 (6:30 p.m.) – Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library (Ward 7)
Sat., July 20, 2013 (10:30 a.m.) – Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (Ward 2)
Thurs., July 25, 2013 (6:30 p.m) – Wm. Lockridge/Bellevue Neighborhood Library (Ward 8)
Sat., July 27, 2013 (10:30 a.m.) – Tenleytown-Friendsh ip Neighborhood Library (Ward 3)
Wed., July 31, 2013 (6:30 p.m.) – Southwest Neighborhood Library (Ward 6)
Sat., August 3, 2013 (10:30 a.m.) – Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library (Ward 1)
Mon., August 5, 2013 (6:45 p.m.) – Petworth Neighborhood Library (Ward 4)

Comment on MoveDC by July 5 + Tidbits from the Lamond Riggs Workshop

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation and tagged with , , , ,

DDOT held a public workshop on moveDC, its initiative to develop a long-term transportation plan for the city, at Lamond Riggs library on June 6, 2013.  The agency also held workshops online and at various locations around the city.  The agency has spelled out three possible approaches to the plan:  (1)  Stay the Course (focus on incremental improvements); (2)  Get to the Center (focus on easing ways to get and travel around downtown); and (3)  Connect the Neighborhoods (focus on local streets and local connectivity).  DDOT is offering one more chance to provide input on this initiative.  Visit the online comment portal here to learn more about the three approaches and share or concur with policy suggestions by Friday, July 5.

Riggs Park and Surrounding Neighborhoods

With a chance to focus on the Riggs Park neighborhood at the Lamond Riggs library workshop, we learned a few things about what people are hoping for in terms of connectivity in the area.  Connectivity in the area was also addressed in this post previously.

Pedestrian Safety and Metro Access

Several people identified specific streets with missing sidewalks or where passage is impeded, particularly around the Fort Totten metro station.   Some of the metro access issues will be addressed by the 1st Place and Galloway Street NE transportation access plan.

Bikeshare

Lots of people have provided suggestions for bikeshare locations, which would fall under Approach #1, since bikeshare already exists and incrementally adding stations is consistent with the design of the system.  Currently, the closest bikeshare stations are in Brookland.  A few are available across Fort Totten Park some distance away in Petworth.  JBG plans to fund a station at Fort Totten Square when the project is complete in 2015 and Walmart might pay for a station near Fort Totten metro station as well.  Montgomery County officials are planning to roll out bikeshare in Takoma and Silver Spring in the near future.  It makes sense for the city to fill in the gaps in Riggs Park and North Michigan Park to make the system function a bit better and give people options for getting downtown and to other neighborhoods.

One suggestion made by a transportation planner was to specifically identify possible locations for bikeshare.  That means it is not enough to request a bikeshare station “at the metro” since the city will likely have trouble getting the requisite authority to place a bikeshare station “at the metro.”  I was told it would be more helpful to work with Aventine Fort Totten, for example, to identify space on that property for a station.  One other suggestion I have made is a bikeshare station by UDC-CC’s Backus campus.

Metropolitan Branch Trail

Many people have also advocated for completion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail between Brookland and Silver Spring, to include an off-road connection through Fort Totten and Takoma.  The city has provided funding for this fiscal year and next to design the Fort Totten portion of the trail, which will include a cycle staircase requiring cyclists to dismount.  Funding for construction of this portion of the trail is allocated for FY2016.

Cycletracks

As part of Approach #3, a suggestion has been made to install cycletracks along Riggs Road NE to provide an east-west connection to different neighborhoods and along South Dakota Avenue NE to provide a north-south connection.

These are just a few ideas presented by residents in the neighborhood.  More ideas are welcome by July 5 on the online portal.

Tidbits from the Fort Totten walking tour

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten, Fort Totten Square, Neighborhood Development and tagged with , , , , , ,

The Coalition for Smarter Growth hosted a walking tour around Fort Totten called “Fort Totten:  More than a Transfer Point,” on June 15, 2013.  Greater Greater Washington has a nice recap of the tour.  In addition, CSG has pictures posted on facebook and flickr.

Overview

Deborah Crain from the Office of Planning provided an overview of the process that created the Small Area Plan for the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs road NE corridor.

More Apartments On the Way

A resident of the apartments at Aventine Fort Totten recounted the history of the complex, which was originally constructed in 2007 as Fort Totten Station apartments on WMATA property next to Fort Totten metro station under a 99 year lease.  The project, which consists of three apartment buildings, was originally slated to be five buildings, including some condos.  Residents and advocates were successful in finally getting a walking path from 3rd Street NE opened to Riggs Road.  Now, residents are hoping to make the walkway ADA compliant.

Fort Totten metro station is one of the stations around which WMATA hopes to create new transit oriented development.  Stan Wall, WMATA Director of Real Estate & Station Planning,  spoke a bit about plans for rental apartments on the site of the commuter parking lot on 1st Place NE.  The project will still contain commuter parking, but likely will not contain any retail.  The RFP for that project will likely be out around September of this year.

Improved Pedestrian & MBT Connection

Anna Chamberlain, DDOT transportation planner and project manager, discussed the city’s desire to create a better pedestrian experience around the metro.  DDOT’s transportation/access plan for the Fort Totten metro area, including for Galloway Street and 1st Place NE, can be found here.  Part of the plan involves transforming 1st Place NE from a service road for WMATA to a city-owned street with the attendant streetscape improvements.  WMATA and DDOT are currently negotiating that deal.  Ms. Chamberlain and others also highlighted DDOT’s reconfiguration of the South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE intersection, which eliminated the flyby, constructed a four corner intersection, and created high visibility crosswalks and streetscape improvements.

Ms. Chamberlain also discussed the Fort Totten connection to the Metropolitan Branch Trail.  DDOT plans to create a cycle staircase, which will require bikers to dismount, next to the the trail at a 5% grade.  The city has allocated money for this fiscal year and next to design the Fort Totten connection, with money allocated for FY2016 for construction of the Fort Totten portion of the trail.

Art Place at Fort Totten

With respect to the two major developments underway in the neighborhood, the tour highlighted the difference in engagement between the team for Art Place at Fort Totten and the team behind Fort Totten Square.  No one from the Art Place team was on hand to provide updates on the project.  Residents and representatives from the Lamond Riggs Development Task Force filled in the gaps.  We know that a bid is out for general contractors, with a selection expected to be made in July.

Fort Totten Square

Although the Art Place project is a planned unit development (PUD) and one would expect more engagement since there is more approval required for the project, the team behind Fort Totten Square has been much more forthcoming about the realities of the Fort Totten Square project, which is a matter of right project.  That is not to suggest that residents always get what they want with Fort Totten Square.  Residents were quite vocal about not wanting Walmart as an anchor for the project for a variety of reasons.  The reality also is that certain businesses can afford to pay rent and do not mind co-locating with a Walmart, so while the developers have promised that they will not solicit businesses like liquor stores and check cashing stores, they have not ruled out cell phone stores, for example.  The challenges of having a Walmart-anchored project were acknowledged on the tour.  However, the strong points about the project, including its mixed use design and “urban format” grocery component were highlighted.

During the tour, Jamie Weinbaum, JBG project manager for Fort Totten Square, described the amount of programming and amenities the residential component will have (yoga, outdoor movies in the courtyard, two-tiered pool, transit screens, bikeshare, car2go parking in the garage).

One other tidbit from the tour was Mr. Weinbaum’s response when asked whether his team would work with existing small businesses to improve storefront facades to contribute to the overall improvement of the South Dakota/Riggs corridor.  He said his team has had talks about development opportunities and various discussions with local businesses.  However, nothing concrete was provided.  He also discussed what is known as the south site, the grassy area in front of the mural on Riggs Road.  He said his team has resumed talks with the city about a land transfer for that site.  However, given that his team is interested in making sure Fort Totten Square is fully leased for both residential and retail purposes, it does not seem as if there is any urgency into getting control of that site if it will not be developed right away.

Overall, the tour provided a nice opportunity to meet folks from Riggs Park, North Michigan Park, Petworth, and South Manor who are all interested in seeing a great, established neighborhood have improved connectivity and more neighborhood amenities.

 

Metro work June 14 – 16

nextstoprp's avatar

Free shuttle buses replace red line trains between Rhode Island Ave and Forest Glen stations, 10 pm Friday, June 14 – closing, Sunday, June 16.  The buses will run on a local route with stops at Silver Spring, Takoma, Fort Totten, Brookland, and Rhode Island and a limited stop route, operating between Rhode Island and Forest Glen with a stop at Silver Spring.  Visit metro’s page for details. 

The green line at Fort Totten station will be open.  Yellow line trains will run between Huntington & Mt. Vernon.  Yellow & green line trains will run 20 minutes apart.

Farmers Market for Backus?

Posted by nextstoprp in Neighborhood Development and tagged with ,

At the ANC 5A meeting on May 22, 2013, Dr. Calvin Lewis, research associate, principal investigator, and farmers market coordinator at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), presented on UDC’s proposal to operate a farmers market at its Backus community college campus on South Dakota Avenue NE.

They propose to operate the market in the large parking lot on Galloway Street NE just off South Dakota Avenue.  However, that land is zoned R-2 for residential uses.  Dr. Lewis stated he was told by DCRA that the application for a farmers market likely would not be approved because a farmers market is considered a commercial use.

The commissioners at the ANC meeting told Dr. Lewis he can likely apply for an exception to the permitted use.  Frank Wilds, commissioner for the ANC SMD in which the campus resides (ANC 5A08), is supportive of a market there, but he was told he needs to present the concept to residents of his SMD before the ANC will consider whether to support UDC’s application for a farmers market at Backus.

UDC currently operates a farmers market during summer months at its main campus on Connecticut Avenue NW.  That market was first operated under a grant received from the Department of Agriculture, according to Dr. Lewis.

He said his team at UDC thought it would be a good idea to bring a market to the Backus campus since the surrounding neighborhood is home to a large number of senior citizens who would benefit from being able to walk a short distance to get fresh produce.  He said several UDC students walked around the neighborhood to ask residents if they would like and support a farmers market at Backus and that the response was overwhelmingly positive.

I caught up with another staff member at the meeting who said they have the same vision to incorporate chef tastings and demonstrations that they presently have at the UDC market.

Dr. Lewis will be at the Lamond Riggs Citizens Association general body meeting on Monday, June 3, 2013, to share information with residents about this proposal.  The meeting will run from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Connectivity around Fort Totten

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten, Fort Totten Square, Lamond Riggs Library, Neighborhood Development and tagged with , , , , , ,

This post is long overdue, but still timely because of a couple of events coming up.  At the Ward 5 budget townhall meeting, I raised a question about connectivity around Fort Totten.  Of course, Fort Totten metro station with its three lines and several bus bays is a huge plus for the neighborhood, but the neighborhood could benefit from a bit more connectivity.  More specifically, I asked if funding would be made available to improve connectivity through completion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail, installation of bikeshare stations in the neighborhood, and a study of the feasibility of a north-south streetcar route along South Dakota Avenue NE to Riggs Road NE.

Metropolitan Branch Trail

Currently, the northbound off-road portion of the MBT ends in Brookland.  From there, an on-street route continues (partly up a steep hill) to Fort Totten.  DDOT previously held workshops and planning sessions to determine the best route for completing the MBT north of Brookland.  The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board’s (TPB) May meeting included proposed amendments to update DDOT’s section of the FY 2013-2018 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).  One of the items is completion of the Fort Totten portion of the MBT in 2015.

Bikeshare

Residents have been asking for bikeshare stations in the neighborhood for a while.  JBG/Lowe, developers of Fort Totten Square, have said they are committed to paying for installation of a bikeshare station at the corner of the FTS development on 3rd Street & Riggs Road NE.  However, that station will not be installed until the development delivers in spring 2015.  They also said Walmart, which will anchor the development, has promised to pay for installation of a bikeshare station at Fort Totten metro station, but it’s not clear if Walmart will pay for that station to be installed before the development is complete.   In any event, the neighborhood will be getting at least one, maybe two, stations by spring 2015.

Opportunities for input

In the next couple of weeks, there will be two really good opportunities to speak directly to and hear from the agencies that are responsible for shaping the way residents connect and move around the city.  The first is DDOT’s moveDC public workshop on Thursday, June 6, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. at Lamond Riggs Library.  MoveDC is DDOT’s initiative to develop a strategic, multimodal long-range transportation plan for the city.  The workshop will provide a chance to talk about how residents travel around the city and share ideas on projects and priorities and what residents hope to see in the future.  Residents are strongly encouraged to participate.  Visit the moveDC website  for more information.

The second opportunity is a walking tour hosted by the Coalition for Smarter Growth called “Fort Totten:  More than a Transfer Point,” on Saturday, June 15, from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.  This tour is more of an opportunity to learn about what is happening in the neighborhood.  Plenty of agency officials will be on hand.  CSG’s policy director Cheryl Cort will lead the tour.  A representative from WMATA will discuss plans to develop the parking lot parcels at Fort Totten metro station.  A representative from DDOT will discuss the streetscape improvements in the neighborhood and the reconfiguration of the South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE intersection.  A representative from JBG will discuss the vision for Fort Totten Square as a placemaking development.  A representative of the tenants of the Riggs Plaza apartments will discuss the Art Place at Fort Totten development.  Finally, a representative from the Office of Planning familiar with the neighborhood will tie it all together.  Hopefully residents were able to sign up because registration is now full.

Building Permit Issued for Fort Totten Square

Posted by nextstoprp in Fort Totten Square, Neighborhood Development and tagged with , , ,

A representative from JBG shared updates on the progress of Fort Totten Square, the mixed-use development anchored by Walmart with approximately 345 rental apartment units.  Final building permits were issued on May 30, 2013.  Digging will soon end and the concrete will start to pour.  Once the digging is done, many more contractors will be working on the site.  Clark Construction, the general contractor on the project, will set up a trailer office near the site.  Residents are encouraged to report problems with trash and other issues.

The construction job fair on March 23, 2013, yielded over 900 applications.  Qualified applicants will be contacted directly by the subcontractors.  In addition, the Fort Totten Square website contains information about hiring for the Walmart store.  A hiring center will open three to four months before the store opens.  More information about the hiring center will be posted on Walmart’s Washington DC website.

As mentioned in another post, JBG will pay for installation of a bikeshare station at 3rd Street & Riggs Road NE once the development is complete in spring 2015.  Walmart has also agreed to pay for a bikeshare station at Fort Totten metro station.  The developers anticipate having transit information screens in the residential buildings.  These are part of the developers’ effort to promote a walkable, bikable neighborhood.

Renderings of the development are available on the site of the development’s architects Hickok Cole.  The blue paneling seen in the online rendering is supposed to be more of a muted blue color.  The renderings provide views of both the residential and retail portions of the development.

The development has space for three to four additional retail tenants on the ground level at Chillum Place & Riggs Road NE.  In addition, a separate ground level retail space will be available at 3rd Street & Riggs Road NE.  There is hope that a major coffee shop will be interested in leasing the 3rd Street retail space.  Luring such a tenant will partly entail convincing DDOT to have 30-minute parking meters for the 16 spaces that line Riggs Road in front of the development.  It is still a little early to approach tenants for an anticipated delivery of spring 2015, but residents should use the time to think about what they would like to see at Fort Totten Square.

ANC 5A-08 SMD Community Meeting Wrapup

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten, Neighborhood Development, Zoning and tagged with , ,
Guest Post

ANC-5A SMD 5A-08

Community Meeting Wrapup

On Thursday evening, May 16, ANC 5A-08 Commissioner Angel Alston held her first SMD 5A-08 Community Meeting of 2013 at the Backus Campus of UDC’s Community College. The meeting included a report from Officer Lucas on police activity in the Fourth District, plus information on the following topics.

Fort Totten Park

Due to years of foot traffic, unauthorized dirt-path shortcuts to the Metrorail Station have developed in Fort Totten Park, between Gallatin and Galloway Streets NE.

As a result of several recent meetings that Commissioner Alston had with the National Park Service (NPS) and other stakeholders, the NPS began improving the safety and security of the paths on Friday, May 17. Overgrown shrubbery is being trimmed, and the portable flood lights will be repaired.

Cafritz’s ArtPlace at Fort Totten Project

Background Information: The ArtPlace at Fort Totten Planned Unit Development (PUD) is a multi-building, multi-phase construction project that includes rental apartments, retail space, and cultural facilities on 16+ acres. The ArtPlace Project will be built over a period of several years on the west side of South Dakota Ave., NE, near the Fort Totten metrorail station.

Since the 1950’s, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation has owned the land on which the ArtPlace Project will be built. The Foundation is a private, independent non-profit organization, and its overall mission is to improve the quality of life for residents of the Washington, DC, area.

The ArtPlace Project has been in the planning stages for years; the DC Zoning Commission first approved it in 2009.

Presenters for Cafritz: Several representatives for the ArtPlace Project attended the SMD 5A-08 Community Meeting to discuss the status of “Building A,” the first to be constructed in the multi-year ArtPlace Project. Presenters included Dennis Hughes, from the law firm Holland and Knight, and architects from the Washington, DC-based architectural firm Shalom Baranes Associates.

Pre-Construction for Building A: Five Riggs Plaza Apartment buildings (50+ years-old) that occupied part of the site for Building A have already been demolished. Mr. Hughes said that the construction of Building A is currently “out for bid by general contractors.”

Regarding the schedule for the next phase of the project, Mr. Hughes said that work on Building B will not begin until Building A construction is “well underway.”

Mr. Hughes said that he is not at liberty to discuss potential stores and businesses that might use Building A. Confidential occupancy negotiations are in-progress for the retail components of the building.

Public-Space Plan In-Progress: Mr. Hughes and the other ArtPlace Project representatives gave a presentation on the landscape plans for the perimeter streetscape of ArtPlace Building A. They said that Cafritz has submitted the Public-Space Plan for Building A for discussion at DDOT’s Public-Space Committee Meeting on Thursday, June 27th, 2013.

The Public Space Committee meets monthly to review requests for the use and occupancy of the public right-of-way, ensuring that those areas conform to DC’s public-space laws and engineering standards.

Public Space Committee meetings are open to the public; DDOT encourages citizens to attend.

For More Information

To see the ArtPlace Project documents online, go to the DCOZ link below. Also, reference copies of some of the ArtPlace Project documents are on view at the Lamond-Riggs Library.

For ArtPlace Project documents on the DCOZ website, go to:

http://app.dcoz.dc.gov/content/search/Search.aspx

In the “Search By” list, select “ZC or BZA Case Number.” In the “Search Term” box, enter: 06-10.

Note that as of this writing, the ArtPlace at Fort Totten project website is content free–that is, a blank white screen.

 

Free June Backyard Habitat Workshops

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

The District Department of the Environment & Audubon at Home will host two June workshops on gardening with native plants, attracting pollinators and beneficial insects, and using edible native plants.  The first is on Saturday, June 1, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm, in partnership with City Blossoms at the Marion Intergenerational Farm in Shaw (1517 Marion St. NW).  The second is on Saturday, June 8, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, in partnership with Common Good City Farm in Ledroit Park (V St. b/w 2nd & 4th St. NW).  Attendees receive a book, a native plant guide, a birdhouse kit, a gardening tool set, & live plants.  Register by sending an email to backyardhabitat@dc.gov with either “City Blossoms Workshop” or “Common Good City Farm Workshop” in the subject line & names of attendees in the body of email.

Online registration ending for MBT 5k

The Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) 5k will take place Saturday, May 11, at 9:00 am, starting and ending at 4th & S St NE.  Online registration closes tonight at 11:59 pm.  In-person registration will be available on packet pickup day (May 10) and the day of the race as long as bibs are available.  Visit the registration site here for more information.

May 10 -12 Metro work on red line

Red line trains will share a track between Rhode Island Ave & Takoma, beginning 10 pm, Fri May 10 – closing, Sun May 12.  Trains will operate every 28 minutes between Shady Grove & Glenmont.  Additional trains will provide service about every 10 minutes between Grosvenor & NoMa during daytime hours.