Rocketship is holding two more community meetings this week on its proposal to open a third campus near the Fort Totten metro station.
August 8, 2019 6:00 pm-7:30 pm Library Tavern 5420 3rd Street NW
August 9, 2019 5:30 pm-7:00 pm North Michigan Park Rec 1333 Emerson Street NE
Based on the timeline shared by Rocketship’s leadership, it is possible the DC Public Charter School Board will hold a public hearing on the proposal some time in September, possibly before the regularly scheduled ANC 5A meeting on the fourth Wednesday of September. I know Rocketship has asked the ANC about the possibility of holding a special ANC meeting to make sure residents receive a fuller presentation of the plans for the new campus before any public hearing. Recall Rocketship presented a high level overview of the Rocketship model and preliminary plans at the June 2019 ANC 5A meeting.
The proposed campus will be located in the single member district (SMD) of ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08). Commissioner Fletcher plans to hold an SMD meeting with a number of agenda items on August 12, 2019, at 6:30 pm at UDC-CC Backus, so he may provide additional information about the ANC’s plan for addressing Rocektship’s proposal for a new campus in the neighborhood then.
Please take advantage of these opportunities to learn about the plan for the new campus, meet the school’s leadership, and ask questions. If you have questions about their traffic plan, blended learning curriculum, disciplinary policy, approach to community engagement, impact on surrounding traditional public and public charter schools and the need for an additional charter school in the neighborhood, anything at all, now is the time to raise them.
DC Main Streets in partnership with the National Main Street Center’s UrbanMain Program is conducting a short survey to gather the following information from residents about the Riggs Park commercial corridor:
What comes to mind when thinking about the neighborhood
Riggs Park businesses residents support
Shopping preferences
Possible issues confronting the commercial corridor
This is a real opportunity to provide thoughtful, meaningful feedback to The Parks Main Street, which will ultimately be responsible for implementing a work plan to enhance the commercial corridor, so take advantage! Please share the survey link with neighbors and remember to complete it by August 11.
If you have questions about the survey, please contact Edwin Washington, the executive director of The Parks Main Street, at (202) 774-5542 or info@theparksmainstreet.org.
Next time you have some yummy Caribbean food at Peaches Kitchen, a smoothie at Culture Coffee Too, or pick up your kids at The C.H.I.L.D. Center, be sure to give the proprietors a hearty congratulations. The Parks Main Street, the newest member of the District’s Main Street program, helped three Riggs Park and Manor Park small businesses earn a total of $50,000 from the District’s Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) to support improvements to their operations and better meet changing customer demands.
DSLBD Director Kristi Whitfield recently joined Edwin Washington, Executive Director of The Parks Main Street, to congratulate the three awardees:
Business
Address
Neighborhood
Award
Peaches Kitchen & Catering
6214 3rd Street NW
Manor Park
$20,000 – Robust Retail Main Street Grant
Culture Coffee Too
300 Riggs Road NE
Riggs Park
$20,000 – Robust Retail Main Street Grant
The C.H.I.L.D. Center
202 Riggs Road NE
Riggs Park
$10,000 – Robust Retail Citywide Grant
Mr. Washington worked diligently in support of the businesses, hosting grant-writing sessions for small business owners to help them navigate the application process for two related District Robust Retail grant funding opportunities.
Six of The Parks Main Street businesses developed Robust Retail Grant proposals that included detailed scopes of work, implementation plans, and timelines complete with measurable milestones. Three of these proposals were awarded.
“We are delighted that half of the businesses that participated in the competitions were awarded,” said Mr. Washington. “This speaks volumes of their commitment to engaging in The Parks Main Street revitalization process. Their success advances our mission to preserve and enhance existing historic business districts while also attracting new businesses to serve and invigorate these communities.”
Rhonda Henderson, Chair of the Parks Main Street Board of Directors, said the collaboration represents a welcome partnership between the District government and citizen leaders. “These grants and The Parks Main Street initiative are a win-win for all, for city government, District residents, and our neighborhood businesses.”
With the resources now in hand, the awardees plan to make
noticeable improvements to their businesses.
For example, Peaches Watson, a Jamaican immigrant who founded Peaches Kitchen and Catering in 2007, wants to make things better for customers. As noted in their application, Peaches will use the funds to restructure their kitchen and hot bar, install innovative technologies for food warming and digital menu presentation, enhance storage, and upgrade their point-of-sale system. The resources will also allow staff to improve efficiency in accounting, business management, food prep, and service. “It’s a blessing,” she said of the grant check that Mr. Washington and Glen O’Gilvie, CEO of the Center for Nonprofit Advancement, delivered directly to her.
Peaches Kitchen receives $20,000 from the District Department of Small & Local Business Development (DSLBD). Back row (l) to (r): Glen O’Gilvie, CEO, Center for Nonprofit Advancement; Jennifer Prats, DSLBD DC Main Streets Grant Manager; Edwin Washington, Executive Director, The Parks Main Street; Front row (l) to (r): Paulette Medley, Personnel Manager, Peaches Kitchen & Catering; Kristi Whitfield, Director, DSLBD; Peaches Watson, owner of Peaches Kitchen & Catering; Cristina Amoruso, DSLBD DC Main Streets Coordinator
Over in Riggs Park, Culture Coffee Too used some of their award funds to support the 2nd Annual Riggs Park Art Crawl, including paying for the murals, paint, artist time, and permits. The remainder of the funds went towards purchasing outdoor seating. Owner Veronica “Ms. V” Cooper hopes this will lead to more customers visiting the coffee shop and identify the neighborhood as a new arts destination for the city. Hear more about Ms. V and the coffee shop on this podcast here.
Culture Coffee Too receives $20,000 from the District Department of Small & Local Business Development (DSLBD). Back row (l) to (r): Glen O’Gilvie, CEO, Center for Nonprofit Advancement; Jennifer Prats, DSLBD DC Main Streets Grant Manager; Edwin Washington, Executive Director, The Parks Main Street; Humberto Phillips, owner of local business Troka Insurance. Front row (l) to (r): Cristina Amoruso, DSLBD DC Main Streets Coordinator; Veronica “Ms. V.” Cooper, owner of Culture Coffee Too; Kristi Whitfield, Director, DSLBD
*David Kosub is the vice-chair of the Board of Directors for The Parks Main Streeet. To learn about sponsorship and engagement opportunities, contact Edwin Washington, the executive director of The Parks Main Street, at (202) 774-5542 or info@theparksmainstreet.org.
August 6, 2019 National Building Musuem Ward 4 Day 9:00 am-11:00 am National Building Museum 401 F Street NW Bring photo ID with zip code
MPD 4th District National Night Out 5:00 pm-9:00 pm Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center 501 Riggs Road NE
August 9, 2019 Fridays at Fort Totten Concert Series: The JoGo Band 6:00 pm-8:00 pm South Dakota Avenue & Galloway Street NE Bring a lawn chair for seating. Sponsored by The Modern at Art Place & On Tap Magazine
August 10, 2019 Bertie Backus Farmstand 10:00 am-2:00 pm UDC-CC Backus 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE
Join dogs from People Animals Love (P.A.L.) for a special story hour on the first and fourth Tuesday of each month featuring an opportunity for children to meet and read with dogs. P.A.L. story hours provide a great way for your budding reader to get some reading practice in with an attentive and patient audience.
Lamond-Riggs Library is located at 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE. Find a calendar of events with activities for all ages at https://www.dclibrary.org/lamond
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton will hold a community event, Norton in Your Neighborhood, at 7:00 pm at the Lamond-Riggs Library. Congresswoman Norton will discuss recent issues she has been engaged in on behalf of District residents and take questions from the audience. All are invited to join neighbors at the library for an evening of civic engagement.
Humberto Phillips is a jovial and witty entrepreneur in Riggs Park. Starting in 2007, he established Troka Insurance, a small business tucked away close to the metro tracks at 212 Riggs Road NE. For this next edition of Next Stop Neighbors, I stopped in recently to get to know him better.
We’ll hear all about his insurance company, services provided in English and Spanish, as well as briefly touch on how The Parks Main Street and the business can work closely together and continue strengthening the character of the community. Did you know that he leads an intern program to get folks licensed in the field? What about his service in the military? His fondness for ties and jeans? This and more can be learned when tuning into this installment. Enjoy! Click here to listen to the conversation (running time: 11 minutes)
Troka Insurance owner Humberto Phillips (l) and David Kosub (r)
Background on Next Stop Neighbors:
Welcome to Next
Stop Neighbors where we get an opportunity to hear the voices behind the faces
and places in Lamond-Riggs and the surrounding communities. Through this
podcast series, you will meet some friendly neighbors and hear their
perspectives on the community through civil, casual conversations. From the
small business owner who just opened up, to the non-profit organization trying
to make a difference, to the community leader describing their vision for the
neighborhood, and the resident around the corner who has lived here for 50
years, we all have a story to tell. We welcome recommendations and, better yet,
your own 10-minute interviews too!
Can’t get enough Next Stop Neighbors? Check
out these past conversations:
We previously reported that in fall 2020, Rocketship plans to open a new campus at 5450 3rd Street NE (near 3rd Street and Kennedy Street NE near Fort Totten metro station). Over the weekend, flyers were distributed to nearby homes with information on upcoming community engagement meetings. The first is tomorrow July 30 at Lamond-Riggs Library at 5:30 pm. If you have any questions about plans for the new school, these meetings would be a good opportunity to meet the leadership and have your questions answered.
July 30, 2019 5:30 pm-7:00 pm Lamond-Riggs Library 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE
August 1, 2019 6:00 pm-7:30 pm Culture Coffee Too 300 Riggs Road NE
August 8, 2019 6:00 pm-7:30 pm Library Tavern 5420 3rd Street NW
August 9, 2019 5:30 pm-7:00 pm North Michigan Park Recreation Center 1333 Emerson Street NE
This program will be especially useful to senior residents.
All Hands on Tech (Ward 5)
Who: Connect.DC and OCTOHelps What: All Hands on Tech Initiative When: Saturday, August 17, 11:00 am-2:00 pm Where: Lamond-Riggs Neigborhood Library (5401 South Dakota Ave NE)
Description: Connect.DC created The All Hands on Tech initiative in partnership with OCTOHelps to provide FREE technical support to District residents. One of the most important things a person needs to fully access technology is a functioning computer. Unfortunately, the cost of computer repair is too high for many District residents. Whether you have a laptop with a virus or don’t understand how to use your smartphone, OCTO is here to help.
Lt. Patrick Schaut of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Fourth District PSA 406 graciously agreed to participate in a walk through within our community. During this opportunity, we will get to meet and speak directly with Lt. Schaut, who serves our community, as well as voice any concerns we may have regarding Riggs Park, all while getting some fresh air and moderate exercise too.
What: Community Walk Through with Lt. Patrick Schaut When: Thursday, August 8, 2019, at 6:30pm Where: Meet outside the Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library (5401 South Dakota Ave NE) Who: Riggs Park residents primarily but other neighbors are welcome
The route is still to be determined but will stay mostly within the boundaries of Riggs Park. Please be prompt as the walk will begin around 6:30 pm and will likely last an hour.
Look forward to seeing other neighbors walking out and about with us.
The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is holding focus group sessions for its Bertie Backus farmstand and Bertie Backus Food Hub operations. The food hub is located in the neighborhood on the campus of UDC-CC Backus at 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE. It has several components, including a farmstand, aquaponics and hydroponics system, community garden, compost collection, native plant nursery, and demonstration kitchen.
The farmstand is looking for farmstand shoppers, non-shoppers, and policymakers to participate in in a farmstand focus group. If you are interested in participating please complete and return the application to Eric Horner at eric.horner@udc.edu. Refreshments will be provided.
Farmstand focus group dates: July 25, 2019 6:00 pm-8:00 pm UDC Bertie Backus Campus (5171 South Dakota Avenue NE)
July 27, 2019 9:30 am-11:30 am Lamond Riggs Library (5401 South Dakota Avenue NE)
If you are interested in sharing ideas about the Bertie Backus Food Hub in general, please register for the focus group being held on July 26.
Bertie Backus Food Hub Focus Group July 26, 2019 6:00 pm-8:00 pm Lamond-Riggs Library (5401 South Dakota Avenue NE)
Bertie Backus Community Garden Plots
There are still plots available to Ward 5 residents at the Bertie Backus Community Garden located at the Bertie Backus Food Hub. Please contact Renee Belis at renee.bellis@udc.edu for more information.
Volunteer at the Bertie Backus Native Plant Nursery
Volunteers are being accepted to help out at the native plant nursery at the Bertie Backus Food Hub on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Please contact Renee Belis at renee.bellis@udc.edu for more information.
Sell Your Stuff and Find New Treasures! Sign up to participate in the Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Yard Sale happening on Saturday, August 17.
Join neighbors in hosting a neighborhood-wide yard side. Each participating homeowner will host a sale in their own yard. The neighborhood yard sale will be promoted by the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) and a map of participating households will be posted on LRCA’s social media pages–that’s @lrcadc on facebook and twitter. Banners and signs will be posted throughout the neighborhood.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, email your home address to LRCAYardSale@gmail.com or call 202-529-1729.
The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) welcomes you to share your comments, concerns, and suggestions about our Urban Food Hubs as we look to improve our programs. We are holding community listening sessions at each of our Urban Food Hubs in Wards 3, 5, 7, and 8 on July 24, 26, 29, and 31.
Each listening session is an open forum and we welcome all stakeholders – including ANC members, government agencies, non-profit organizations, volunteers, and workshop participants – to provide feedback about programming at each site and how we can improve to better serve our communities. Please register for a listening session at the urban food hub(s) you frequent the most. CAUSES looks forward to these sessions, the opportunity to listen, and bring our communities together.
Gearin’ Up Bike Repair Pop Up Lamond-Riggs Library 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE July 22, 2019 5:00 pm
Need to dust off that bike sitting in the garage? Gotta fix that flat tire? Visit Gearin’ Up Bicycles at a neighborhood library near you to receive free basic bike repair and maintenance. Limit one adult bicycle or two children’s bicycles per customer. For a complete list of Gearin’ Up Bike Repair Pop Up dates and locations at DC Public Libraries click here.
Fridays at Fort Totten Concert Series South Dakota Avenue & Galloway Street NE 6:00 pm-8:00 pm Music by Pebble to Pearl (funk, rock, blues) Food by CapMac food truck Bring a lawn chair for seating. Sponsored by The Modern at Art Place & On Tap Magazine.
July 13
Bertie Backus Farmstand UDC-CC Backus 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE 10:00 am-2:00 pm
Veronica Cooper has become a strong force in Riggs Park, bringing us all together for coffee, cocktails, conversation, and community. In this edition of Next Stop Neighbors, we venture into Culture Coffee Too, located at 300 Riggs Road NE, and meet Ms. V. We’ll hear about the concept behind her local small business, what’s next, and her fondness for the student dancers from the Davis Center who performed outside Culture Coffee at the 2nd Annual Riggs Park Art Crawl. And, do you know what she did before starting the coffee shop? Maybe what her favorite thing to make for her customers? The story behind the table in the photo? Well, you will know that and more after listening to our conversation. Cheers!
Welcome to Next
Stop Neighbors where we get an opportunity to hear the voices behind the faces
and places in Lamond-Riggs and the surrounding communities. Through this
podcast series, you will meet some friendly neighbors and hear their
perspectives on the community through civil, casual conversations. From the
small business owner who just opened up, to the non-profit organization trying
to make a difference, to the community leader describing their vision for the
neighborhood, and the resident around the corner who has lived here for 50
years, we all have a story to tell. We welcome recommendations and, better yet,
your own 10-minute interviews too!
Can’t get enough Next Stop Neighbors?
Check out these past conversations:
The community playground, tot lot, and basketball court at Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center (501 Riggs Road NE) are open again after several years of being closed to the community. The splash park is functioning as well. These are community spaces, and we as a community need to make sure they are being used for community purposes. Employees from the mayor’s office and DPR staff have done a good job addressing issues regarding individuals using the rec center for antisocial, non-community purposes. If there are any issues with accessing the playground or if any public safety concerns arise, please let the rec center staff know.
Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie has set up a satellite office at Luke C. Moore High School, located at 1001 Monroe Street NE. Office hours are Tuesday and Thursday each week from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. This week the office will be open on Friday July 5 instead of Thursday July 4. Staff will be available by appointment only. Book online at https://calendly.com/ward5.
Like many other families starting off with their first home, one of the reasons my family set our sights to purchase here in Riggs Park was its affordability in comparison to other neighborhoods across the city. Now, after being here for a couple years, I have wondered how home sales have changed over time for our little community tucked away in upper northeast Washington D.C. That meant I needed some data, and we all know I love me some numbers. (See here on Fort Totten metro ridership, here on crime, and here on the 2018 elections results).
I reached out to Harrison Beacher to help me address this burning data desire. He is a managing partner with the Coalition Properties Group and Keller Williams Capital Properties. Not only is he a former homeowner and current property owner in Riggs Park, he previously served on the board of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) and is familiar with the neighborhood. His company also donated funds to defray costs to print the monthly LRCA newsletter too. Mr. Beacher and his lead buyer specialist Isaiah Hazward, ran a couple reports from the multiple listing service on home sales for me and I’d like to share some of the findings here with the community.
As shown in Figure 1, home sales in Riggs Park have steadily climbed from 88 properties in 2014 to 108 in 2018. The vast majority of homes sold in 2018 ranged in age from 60 to 72 years, with five less than 45 years old and two that were 75 years old (data not shown).
Figure 1 shows a line graph of properties sold in Riggs Park from 2014 to 2018
As of mid-June 2019, 47 homes were sold this year in Riggs Park. This is a slower pace than in 2018, with 7.8 homes sold per month on average in 2019 compared to 9 homes per month in 2018. A follow-up post will be shared after the final 2019 numbers are available.
Moving on, Figure 2 displays average (blue line) and median (orange line) closed sale prices for homes in our neighborhood between 2014 and 2019. Averages represent total closed sale prices for all properties divided by the total number of properties. Median closed sale prices are also shown to get a sense of home sales without potential outlier property sales skewing the overall distribution.
We can see that average home sold prices have risen from $342,000 in 2014 to $505,000 in 2019. Median sold prices also rose from $339,000 to $508,000 over the same time period. Mr. Beacher noted to me that “the overall pricing trends really do tell the story of how attractive our . . . single-family homes are in the DC housing landscape.” He went on to add that “we are still below the city median price of around $575,000.”
Figure 2 shows a line graph depicting average (blue line) or median (orange line) sold price in Riggs Park from 2014 to 2019.
Finally, the table below shows the lowest and highest sold price for properties in Riggs Park between 2014 and 2018 as well as by mid-June 2019.
Year
Low
High
2014
$200,000
$519,900
2015
$223,500
$650,000
2016
$275,000
$750,000
2017
$249,000
$759,000
2018
$287,000
$930,000
2019
$300,000
$840,000
Mr. Beacher informed me that the homogenous nature of our housing stock further highlights the “value opportunity” of our neighborhood. This stock represents primarily single family, 3 bedroom semi-detached homes. He added that “median sold price for attached, 3 bedroom townhomes in DC was approximately $662,000 in 2018 and [is] $697,000 in 2019 to date. Simply put, we have a lot of the type of homes that buyers in DC want, at a great value opportunity compared to the same kind of house in the majority of the rest of the city.”
Fridays at Fort Totten Concert Series featuring music by Allthebestkids and Carnivore BBQ food truck. 6:00 pm, corner of South Dakota Avenue & Galloway Street NE. Bring a lawn chair for seating
June 29, 2019
DDOT Rock Creek East I Livability Pop-up: Share your views on how to make the transportation network safer and more accessible. Study area is defined by Rock Creek and the Maryland border to the West, Eastern Avenue to the North, New Hampshire Avenue NE and the Red Line Metrorail tracks to the East, and Military Road NW, Missouri Avenue NW, and Riggs Road NE to the South. 10:00 am-12:00 pm, Safeway, 6500 Piney Branch Road NW
Explore! Jumpin’ July Community Festival featuring petting zoo, music show, science show, coloring, storytelling, face painting, and more. 10:00 am-1:30 pm, The Modern at Art Place, 400 Galloway Street NE
Next Stop...Riggs Park 