[Note, this year’s Tour de DCPL starts at Lamond-Riggs Library!]
From DC Public Library
Tour de DCPL is coming back for its 13th year! On Sunday, May 14 at 12:30 p.m. explore the ongoing transformations at DC Public Library by bike! The Tour de DCPL was born in 2010, a free community bike ride that visits a selection of our 26 library locations. Every year, to celebrate National Bike Month, a group of library staff, advocates, and community members strap on their helmets and hop on their bikes to help the DC Public Library promote environmentally friendly transportation and explore how our libraries connect with the communities they serve. Check out the route on the website and get ready for the big ride!
Metro’s yellow line will reopen on May 7, 2023, but it will not go to Fort Totten. Yellow line service will operate only between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Square. Metro has offered reasons for this change, the main one being to support better headways for the southern end of the green line. Color me skeptical. Maybe we will all be pleasantly surprised if Metro does in fact operate six-minute headways on the green line. We do know those promised six-minute headways will not happen during planned summer construction on the green line.
Image from MetroImage from Metro
Metro is planning a long shutdown of green line stations north of Fort Totten from July 2023 to September 2023, for installation of fiber optic cables.
There will be no green line service at all at Fort Totten station July 22-23. Red line service will be available.
From July 24 to September 4, green line service will operate only between Branch Avenue and Fort Totten. Metro says green line trains will operate with eight-minute headways during this time.
Hellbender Record Fair May 6, 2023 1:00 pm-7:00 pm 5788 2nd Street NE
Hellbender Brewery is hosting a record fair on Saturday, May 6 from 1pm to 7pm. In addition to numerous vinyl vendors, there will be two food trucks, a DJ, and a live band! This is a free, all ages event and fun for the whole family.
Hellbender Brewery is also accepting non-perishable donations for the University of Maryland’s food pantry which works to help eliminate food hardships for University of Maryland students and ensure that all students have a steady source of healthy food.
More information about the event can be found here.
This morning, ANC 5A circulated a screenshot of a media release regarding the redevelopment of the Providence Health Campus, located at 1150 Varnum Street NE. Part of the campus will be redeveloped with a school and housing. Providence plans to close the urgent care center, imaging center, and pharmacy on July 31, 2023. Carroll Manor and the Police & Fire Occupational health clinic will remain open. The release states that the medical buildings at 1150 Varnum Street and 1160 Varnum Street NE are not impacted. Providence sits in ANC 5A.
Mundo Verde Public Charter School, which has a campus across the street from Providence (called the Ocho Verde campus), will use part of the Providence campus for a planned school expansion. A development team consisting of EYA and Mentiki will develop housing on the site.
EYA is no stranger to this neck of the woods. EYA recently developed a townhome community across the street from Providence called The Townhomes at Michigan Park. Not too far away, EYA is also making steady progress on Riggs Park Place, a townhome and senior housing multifamily/retail project in Riggs Park. (Disclosure: When I served as president of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association, I worked with EYA on a community benefits agreement related to Riggs Park Place). I think it is safe to say that EYA has a good reputation as a developer, though I certainly know there are those who have their own opinion about that.
This is not unexpected news. In 2018, Ascension (the owner of Providence) notified residents of plans to “reimagine” the Providence Hospital campus, which essentially translated to shutting down the hospital. (Actually closing the hospital turned into a bit of a saga). Ascension held “focus groups” and community meetings about what people wanted to see on the campus that would be consistent with the health mission of Providence. The meetings were honestly a little strange. At an ANC 5A meeting in 2019, Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) indicated that Mundo Verde and EYA were interested in the Providence campus. Now we have confirmation of the plan.
EYA has created a website for the Providence development at https://www.providencereimagined.com/. You can sign up to receive email updates and sign up for one of the few in-person and virtual meetings already scheduled. In addition, Commissioner Lucio plans to discuss this development at her single member district meeting on May 4.
North Michigan Park Recreation Center – Joe Clark, Manager
ANC Commissioners that represent NMP
5A02 – Karlus Cozart
5A03 – Emily Lucio – SMD meeting May 4
5A08 – Gordon Andrew Fletcher – SMD meeting May 25
5A09 – Zachary Ammerman
Coming Events in 2023
February – Scholarship application begins (2 @ $1,000.00 scholarships) applications available at the North Michigan Park Recreation Center email to individuals on NMPCA registered listserve
May 20 -Community Clean Up
June – Scholarship Night
June – Community Yard Sale **
July – Bulk Trash pick up
Community Day Saturday, August 12, 2023
August – School Supplies and Backpack event
October – Community Clean Up with Bulk Trash pick up
A neighbor passed along some items from Council committee fiscal year 2024 budget draft reports specific to the neighborhood. (This post covered the mayor’s proposed FY24 budget). See all of the draft committee reports at https://www.dccouncilbudget.com/fy-2024-budget.
Adds $1 million for the installation of tactical road diets along South Dakota Avenue NE to help slow down cars down the residential corridor
South Dakota Avenue NE Tactical Road Diet The Committee is also establishing a new sub-project within DDOT’s Safety & Mobility master project to fund tactical safety improvements on South Dakota Avenue NE. South Dakota Avenue is one of the most dangerous corridors in Ward 5. However, due to the presence of even more dangerous arterial corridors in Ward 5, South Dakota Avenue NE was not designated a high-injury network corridor in DDOT’s 2022 Vision Zero Report. The Committee is placing $1M in the new sub-project to fund efforts to improve safety on the corridor in the short term, preferably by constructing a road diet on a segment of the corridor to calm traffic, reduce injuries, and improve connectivity along the corridor. DDOT shall determine which segment of the corridor would be a suitable starting point for safety improvements; however, the Committee recommends that DDOT consider either the segment between Bladensburg Road and Monroe Street NE or the segment between Sargent Street NE and Riggs Road NE.
Looks like the committee is keeping the mayor’s proposed $20 million for UDC’s Bertie Backus campus. The committee report has some interesting commentary regarding UDC (pp. 70-74 in the report).
On April 28, 2023, the Cafritz Foundation filed a “modification of consequence” for the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten to make sure they are able to get certificates of occupancy turn over the space for buildout of the grocery store and children’s museum before construction of the entire second phase is complete. (ZC case no. 06-10H)
My understanding is that representatives for the Cafritz Foundation will share a quick update about this at tonight’s Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association meeting. Getting the gym open in the first phase was a big deal. Getting spaces turned over to Aldi and the children’s museum for the second phases will be an even bigger deal. As these key tenants come online, the viability of this project remains intact.
This proposed application does not propose any changes to the size, height, uses, or appearance of the Block B PUD Project which was last approved by the Zoning Commission in ZC Order No. 06-1 0G. The modification that the Applicant is requesting in this application is solely related to construction and occupancy sequencing so that the Applicant can deliver the Aldi Grocery Store and the Children’s Museum space by February 28, 2024 (as required by the leases for these spaces), and then continue with construction of the other elements of the Block B PUD Project without decommissioning of construction activity on the site.
There are currently no conditions in ZC Order Nos. 06-l0D, 06-l0E, or 06-l0G that address the ability of the Applicant to open portions of the building as they are ready for occupancy. The purpose of this Modification of Consequence application is to create a specific condition of the Zoning Commission’s approval of the Block B PUD Project that the Applicant can refer to as it processes certificate of occupancy applications with the Department of Buildings, and specifically the Zoning Administrator’s Office.
***
The creation of a condition in the Zoning Commission’s approval of the Block B PUD Project that explicitly allows the identified uses to sequentially and safely occupy each block of space while construction activity continues on remaining portions of the site is essential to the Applicant’s ability to finance and continue the construction of this important project.
• Build the FEZ north block, which includes the ALDI grocery store and Children’s Museum core and shell. The core and shell will be complete, including rooftop green roof areas. The Applicant intends to allow the ALDI grocery store to occupy their space first, with parking provided on B1 level of garage. • In support of the occupancy of the ALDI grocery store and Children’s Museum space within the commercial north block, construction of the below-grade garage, the north parking ramp to Kennedy Street, and the commercial loading docks will occur. • The extent of site development includes construction of the ALDI facades to the curb along South Dakota A venue, with attendant civil improvements. In addition, the sidewalks up Kennedy Street and along South Dakota will be installed for pedestrian access to the ALDI and Children’s Museum entrances/exits. The internal private road connection from Kennedy Street to the commercial loading dock will be built in order to provide access to dock.
2nd Construction & Occupancy Sequence
• Construction of the balance of the FEZ central block, and the Residential East, North, and South buildings. The residential buildings will include at-grade, retail core and shell space. • The extent of site development includes construction of the approved site features to access the residential and retail entrances and exits. The alley will be constructed in order to provide access to the residential loading dock, rear entrance, and connection to the private street.
3rd Construction & Occupancy Sequence
• Construction of the balance of the FEZ building, primarily southern block, including the rotunda. • The extent of site development will include the remaining approved site features along the pedestrian sections of the private street and the perimeter of the FEZ building along Ingraham Street and South Dakota A venue.
Will you be attending college this coming Fall, 2023?
Are you a resident of the Lamond-Riggs community?
Do you attend a DC public school (traditional or charter)?
If you meet the requirements listed above, then consider applying for this great scholarship opportunity!
Note that the application package requires two recommendation letters. Allow time for recommenders to timely submit the letters either online or by mail.
Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association Public Meeting May 1, 2023 7:00 pm
LRCA May 2023 Meeting Agenda
1. Welcome/Invocation 2. Officers Report, Minutes, Treasurer Report 3. Updates from Elected Officials & PSA 4. Remarks from the DC Office of the Attorney General 5. LRCA Nominating Committee—May election process and procedures; Board position nominations 6. Community Concerns/Closing
To view the meeting online click the following link:
The meeting on May 1 is your chance to meet your neighbors running for the 2023-2025 term. You can also nominate another member for leadership or throw your hat in the ring yourself. Candidates must be present to accept the nomination.
Only members who paid dues by April 3rd, 2023 are eligible to vote.
Voting by electronic ballot will be on May 2nd, from 9:00am ET to 8:00pm ET. All active LRCA members (must have paid membership dues no later than April 3, 2023) will receive an email by Sunday afternoon, April 30, with login information.
If you prefer to vote in person, please contact Heather Rodgers at heather@lrcadc.org or 803-269-8415 by Monday, May 1st. In person voting will be held at the Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Library on May 2nd from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.
For your reference, the Nominating Committee has received the following commitments from Lamond-Riggs residents who have been verified to be active LRCA members, and who will be running for Board election/re-election (per the committee’s records as of April 27, 2023):
Board Executives
Barbara Rogers (President) Tischa Cockrell (1st Vice President) Danielle Lewis-Wright (2nd Vice President) Shawaan Robinson (Treasurer, was formally running for Parliamentarian)
Trustees
Angelyn Boose David Trigaux Edgar Allen Sheppard Rev. Johnnie Mays Vandalia Joyner-Taylor
Join neighbors for an Earth Day Resource Fair on April 29, 2023, from 11 am – 2 pm at Whittier Elementary School. Hosted by ANC 4B’s Executive Committee.
The Resource Fair is co-sponsored by Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George and At-Large Councilmember Christina Henderson. It will include dozens of government agencies, non-profits, neighborhood groups, and more – with the goal of sharing resources and opportunities for engagement around environmentalism. There will be food trucks, activities for kids, and cherry-blossom themed raffle prizes, so it should be both informative and fun!
Metro recently released a draft visionary network of redesigned bus routes called the Better Bus Network. Better Bus is just an aspirational vision for redesigned routes. No changes would go into effect before 2024, if at all. Read the fact sheet and FAQs. View the draft Better Bus maps & route profiles for DC, Maryland, and Virginia and play around with the Better Bus trip planner.
Metro is seeking input on the draft redesign and is holding a pop-up Better Bus event at Fort Totten Metro station on April 25, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Metro is also holding informational webinars focusing on specific jurisdictions (MD is April 27; Virginia is May 4; DC is May 9).
The Share Input page is probably the best way to get a handle on how specific routes could be impacted. Using the “Comment on Your Route” tab, you can enter a particular route and see how the redesign compares to the existing route. It is not completely accurate, but if you know your bus routes, it is still a fairly easy way to see how routes may change. For example, the current E4 route has two route options, one ending at Fort Totten station and one ending in Riggs Park. The existing route shown on the Better Bus comment map shows only the route that ends at Fort Totten station. In any case, on the “Comment on Your Route” tab, you can comment on specific changes and also see comments from other riders.
I have not looked at impacts to all neighborhood bus routes in any detail just yet, but neighbor Gavin has and passed along some info. You will notice routes are renumbered for purposes of this redesign; Metro is also seeking feedback on this renumbering/renaming. I have not double checked everything but this is a great start to looking at the network so that we can talk to the Metro team tomorrow. Note, the information below does not include routes that only come into the neighborhood via 1st Place NE and end at Ft. Totten, or the routes north of New Hampshire.
There would be three routes roughly equivalent to the E2, which currently runs between Ft. Totten and Ivy City. One routing (provisionally called DC208) would still go to Ft. Totten. Another (DC209) would go on Sargent, Eastern, Chillum Pl., and Riggs to West Hyattsville. Another variant (DC207) would go from Ft. Totten to Deanwood (rather than Ivy City).
Aside from losing the Riggs Park loop, there would be changes to the E4 outside our neighborhood. There would be two routes roughly equivalent. One routing (DC203) would still go to Friendship Heights, but staying on Missouri/Military the whole way for a more direct route. The other routing (DC200) would keep the detour onto Kennedy St. NW, and turn left when it reaches Nebraska to go to Tenleytown and Sibley Hospital.
There’s also a new route, provisionally named DC302, which would go to Fort Totten through the Riggs/South Dakota Avenue intersection (unlike all the other Ft. Totten buses which either go on Galloway or 1st Pl.), which would give a bus connection to residents near that intersection and to the Walmart and library. From there, it goes west on Riggs to North Capitol, then south on Harewood to Edgewood and eventually Eckington and Union Market, more or less overlapping with part of the current P6 route on the southern end.
The K6 and K9 currently take different routes through the neighborhood: the K9 currently goes from Ft. Totten to the east on Riggs, whereas the K6 goes on 1st Pl. west to North Capitol, then north to New Hampshire. Their routes in the neighborhood would be consolidated into the current K6 route, and instead would have two different routings on the Maryland end (MD 144 and MD243).
The R1 and R2 would be consolidated into one route (MD 244) very similar to the current R2, with the same routing through our neighborhood (from Ft. Totten to the east on Riggs).
The 80 equivalent (DC110) (goes from Ft. Totten east on Galloway, then turns south on South Dakota) would take the same routing through our neighborhood, and keep a similar route until some changes past Union Station.
The F6 equivalent (MD245) (from Ft. Totten to Gallatin, then north on Sargent) would take the same routing in our area, with some changes later, ultimately ending at College Park rather than New Carrollton.
Sign-up for the curbside composting pilot program begins tomorrow April 22 at 9:00 am. If someone in the neighborhood signs up and is selected, please let us know how the experience goes!
The Ward 4 Community Job Fair is this Saturday, April 22 from 11am-3pm at Coolidge High School (6315 5th Street NW) in partnership with the Jobs Not Guns Coalition and ANC 4B.
The event will include government agencies, trade unions, and local businesses offering jobs, apprenticeships, and job training programs for DC residents.
Please note: The ANC Commissioners will be admitted to the room first. Once they have joined, everyone else will be let in.
Agenda
I. Call Meeting to Order 6:45 pm
II. Quorum
III. Agenda Review/Acceptance
IV. Commission Business
A. Secretary Update 1. Minutes for Approval (February 2023 and March 2023) 2. Website- Pictures and Bios
B. Parliamentarian Update
C. Treasurer Report 1. 2nd Quarter Financial Report 2. Cell Phones 3. Comcast for the ANC Office 4. Credit Card Authorization 5. Business cards
D. Commission Action Items 1. Special Resolution 2. 5A08: Convenience Store/Gas Station 4975 South Dakota Ave NE 3. 5A08: McDonald’s Development 4. 5A09: Fort Totten Park Toxic Waste Issue Resolution
E. Administrative Matters 1. Public Safety 2. Social Media 3. Parks Task Force 4. Transportation 5. ANC Office
V. Community Updates
A. MPD
B. Mayor’s Office
C. Councilmember Parker’s office
VI. Reports & Presentations
A. Mayor’s Budget presentation- Mr. Thomas
B. 5A01: UDC Campus Project- Ms. Gray
C. DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities- Mr. Russ
The U.S. Army safely removed the two metal canisters yesterday evening and are currently analyzing them off site. The NPS is working to determine the next steps to evaluate this area. Additional information on the canisters is not available at this time.
Fort Totten Park is open for recreation, but visitors should stay on the Metropolitan Branch Trail and the grassy areas of the fort itself (near Fort Totten Dr. And Crittenden St. NE). Visitors should not use unofficial trails through the woods.
Original post
Yesterday evening, Metro trains bypassed Fort Totten Metro station “out of an abundance of caution” after a National Park Service (NPS) employee apparently found “metal canisters” in Fort Totten Park. NPS states that the canisters were found “in a large mound of soil along Farragut St. that appears to have been pushed into the park from the road.” The U.S. Army is testing the canisters. The park is closed “east of Fort Totten Drive, south of Gallatin Street, and north of Brookland Ave NE/Farragut St.”
As noted previously on the blog, Metro alerted NPS several years ago that contaminated soil was brought in from Spring Valley (a former WWI munitions testing site) to rehabilitate land on the west side of the park that had been used as a staging area for construction of Metro’s green line. NPS stated it conducted testing out of an abundance of caution and found nothing of concern. Several years later, NPS found a WWI ordnance on the east side of the park during construction of a pedestrian trail. NPS stated it did more thorough testing and found nothing of concern. NPS had to abandon the planned trail location after running into infrastructure for Metro’s tunnel.
During this time, residents shared concerns with both NPS and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office about the possibility of contamination from Spring Valley. NPS assured residents that the contaminated soil was removed (from the west side of the park) and stated that there was no reason to believe that contaminated soil was brought to other areas of the park.
On February 7, 2023, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton belatedly expressed concern and requested that NPS conduct more thorough testing of the park. NPS officials attended ANC 5A’s meeting on February 22, 2023. At that meeting, officials stated that they would have a statement in response to Congresswoman Norton’s letter by the next day (February 23) or no later than Friday (February 24). I have not seen any communication from NPS since the ANC 5A meeting. It is completely possible I missed a statement. I reached out to Congresswoman Norton’s office a couple of times in March to find out if NPS shared any communication or plan with her office. No one from Congresswoman Norton’s office responded to my emails.
It is entirely possible that these recently found canisters are just waste. But it is really baffling how elected officials in this city are just shrugging about all of this and making residents do their work.
For voice-only participation on a telephone, dial (301) 715-8592.
Meeting ID: 832 8769 6066. Passcode: 262224.
Call to Order & Roll Call
Administrative Items
Instructions for Participation in Virtual Meeting
Consideration and Approval of Agenda
Approval of March 2023 Regular Public Meeting Minutes
Treasurer’s Report & Approval of Quarterly Financial Report for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2023
Commissioner Updates
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.
Reports
Sophia Tekola, Mayor’s Office on Community Relations and Services (3 min)
Barbara Rogers, Office of Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (3 min)
Frazier O’Leary, Ward 4 State Board of Education (3 min)
Housing Justice Committee (2 min)
Vision Zero Committee (2 min)
Community Safety & Support Committee (2 min)
Presentations
Dr. Lewis Ferebee, Chancellor, DC Public Schools, re: Mayor’s FY24 Budget Proposal (20-minute presentation, 10-minute discussion)
Amanda Zander, Public Outreach Coordinator & Private Space Implementation Manager, DC Clean Rivers Project, District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, re: Rock Creek Green Infrastructure Project B (10-minute presentation; 5-minute discussion)
Resolution 4B-23-0401: Calling for Legislative or Regulatory Action to Address Collection of Abandoned Shopping Carts (Commissioner Palmer, Commissioner Gilligan, Commissioner Brooks, Commissioner Yeats, Commissioner Huff)
Resolution 4B–23-0402: Providing Support on the Request for Special Exception at 5814 9th Street, NW (BZA 20913) (Commissioner Gilligan)
Resolution 4B-23-0403: Calling on the District Government to Employ Best Practices for Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (Commissioner Palmer, Commissioner Yeats)
Resolution 4B-23-0404: Supporting and Providing Recommendations on B25-0195, Lead-Free DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2023 (Commissioner Gilligan, Commissioner Palmer)
Resolution 4B-23-0405: Supporting Funding of a Public Library in the Brightwood/Manor Park Neighborhood (Commissioner Cohen, Commissioner Johnson)
Adjournment
The next ANC 4B Planning Meeting is scheduled for May 9 at 6:30pm.
The next Regular Public Meeting is scheduled for May 22 at 7:00pm.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 