Streetcar planning tweaks (Luis Gomez Photos)
By Michelle Lancaster. You can follow her and let her know your news on Twitter @MichLancaster. Email her at [email protected].
Greater Greater Washington has reviewed all the plans for the streetcar network and has a few suggestions for the transit agency, in addition to the tweaks already made by DC Department of Transportation.
Adams Morgan and U Street are part of the proposed lines in Corridor 6 — which would help the extortion fees for cabs out of Adams Morgan late at night, and the complaints from your friends that the Green Line/U Street is somehow inconvenient.
How the plans interact with the bike lanes will be something to watch in our area. Also, for those of you fighting for parking spaces for your cars, you should note the plans indicate the authorities are aware that ‘refinement’ of existing street parking is necessary, yet also a ‘challenge.’
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14th and R Streets NW: The Central Union Mission will be moving to the former Gales School at 65 Massachusetts Avenue NW by October 2012. In July the DC Council finally approved lease terms for the Mission to take over the former public school building, a historic property. Alturas LLC purchased the property at 14th and R and will turn it into office and retail space. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Mike Kohn. Email him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter @mike_kohn.
Get to Know the Folks at Greater Greater Washington
Since we’re all trying to find a happy hour to go to, here’s an idea. The folks at Greater Greater Washington are setting up a time for you to join them for drinks in the near future as part of their regular series of happy hours. Check it out tomorrow, August 23, from 6 to 8 pm downstairs at the Laughing Man Tavern at 1306 G Street NW. They’ve even got drink and $4 app specials!
Sneak Preview of MLK Memorial
Tomorrow will give you a chance to get a sneak preview of the newest memorial, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial before it officially opens to the public on August 28. No, not everyone can go check it out, but you’ll be able to get a special look because Mayor Gray announced it to be D.C. Resident Day. The Post has the full scoop on the full events for the memorial. Don’t worry, Gray officially scrapped his plan for requiring you to get a ticket for tomorrow’s festivities.
Give Wisely
In case you’re looking for a cause to support, DCist tells of two that are worthwhile. Certainly the more admirable of the options is the D.C. Central Kitchen‘s effort to open a second kitchen, their Nutrition Lab. But if transportation is more your cup of tea, then think about helping the Dulles Rail Expansion, which is somehow in need of more money.
DHS Making Strides
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is “implementing changes to enable the government to focus its resources on high-priority immigration cases involving crime and other public safety concerns.” In other words, they’re going to focus on cases that are actually causing problems for the community, rather than whatever comes around. Notably, immigration cases in which one member of a same-sex couple is facing deportation will be dropped, allowing same-sex couples to remain as a unit in the states (Immigration is part of DHS). Read the full story from MetroWeekly.
Weekend Awesomeness
What did you miss while you were out doing fun things? On Saturday, a plethora of volunteers went out as part of the DCPS Beautification Day to clean up D.C. public schools. I saw a bunch of folks at Ross Elementary, all of whom were doing a great job to make the school shine. And speaking of shining, yesterday was National GoTopless Day, which did have a happening in the District by the Reflecting Pool. How could you miss that?
Subway is open at the northwest corner of 14th and U Streets NW, directly below Lost Society. Dunkin’ Donuts will open in the space to the north. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Tom Hay. Questions for Tom? Send him an email. You can follow him on Twitter @Tomonswann
Hank’s Oyster Bar Set to Open Expanded Space
Well over a year after first announcing plans to enlarge Hank’s Oyster Bar at 1624 Q Street NW, chef and owner Jamie Leeds says the newly expanded space will open on August 16. Leeds faced months of regulatory protest hearings over her efforts to expand the popular Dupont Circle dining spot. The newly expanded restaurant will include a private dining room on the second floor and additional outdoor seating. DCist has some preview photos and a overview of the new menu items.
Furioso Development has their sign up at 1525 14th Street NW for the six-story office building slated for the spot. With two levels of underground parking, the building will be nestled between Posto restaurant on the south and Great Wall Szechuan House restaurant on the north. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Tom Hay. Questions for Tom? Send him an email. You can follow him on Twitter @Tomonswann.
Honest-ly, D.C.
In a town that is often under a political microscope in terms of honesty, rank and file, Washingtonians are now also being measured on the standard of conduct. Honest Tea, the maker of the popular line of iced teas, has set up an unattended pop-up shop in Dupont Circle as part of their nationwide experiment to find the most honest city. Payment of $1 for each bottle of iced tea is collected on the honor system. As of this writing, D.C. was doing pretty well with a 92% honesty rating.
Check out our updated Local Resources Page at the top of the landing page.
From Matt Rhoades
ATM Skimming Warning on P Street
You know the warnings you see at ATMs? The ones that tell you to cover the key pad when punching in your pin number… to make sure no one is watching from behind? Or maybe you’ve read about those devices that thieves put on ATM machines that read your card information and steal your PIN?
MetroWeekly has a story about an ATM on the 1400 block of P Street NW: “Wachovia, a Wells Fargo company, is asking customers of that P Street branch in the heart of one of the District’s de facto gay villages – or anyone who may have used the ATM at the location in recent weeks – to check their account records for fraudulent activity. ‘I can confirm that there was a skimming incident at this location that has been discovered and is now being investigated,’ says Aimee Worsley, a Wachovia spokesperson.”
Chain-link fencing has gone up around the former Whitman-Walker building at 14th and S NW. The facade will remain and be part of the new residential-retail development. (Luis Gomez Photos)
District Condos at 14th & S
Chain-link fencing has gone up around the former Whitman-Walker site at 14th and S NW — which should be the next step toward demolition of the block on the west side of 14th from S north to Swann St (the Whtman-Walker building facade will be incorporated into the development). The District Condos project will have 125 residences and 18,000 square feet of ground floor retail. Developers have a target completion date of spring 2012. See 14th & S Project to Be Named “District Condos” for more details.
Thursday Benefit for Freedom to Marry
Partner Perfect is sponsoring a Freedom to Marry event tonight at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams store at 1526 14th St. NW. All proceeds benefit Freedom to Marry, which works for same-sex marriage rights.
DC Jewish Film Festival Opens Thursday
The Washington Jewish Community Center at 16th and Q NW kicks off their Jewish film festival tonight. It runs through Dec. 12, and tickets can be purchased in advance. Two films are already sold out, so move quickly!
How to Fix the Liquor License Process
Greater Greater Washington has some thoughts on how DC could better handle voluntary agreements and liquor licensing. Given the months-long process Hank’s Oyster Bar has gone through, it seems clear that the existing system is not working as efficiently or smoothly as it could. We’ll see if ABRA (and the DC Council) pays any heed.
Best Bars 2011 Voting at Washingtonian
It’s time to reward your favorite local watering hole by voting in Washingtonian‘s Best Bars contest. Personally, Bar Pilar’s Bloody Mary is up there in our book.
Speaking of Bars, DC9 Reopens Dec. 15
After a hearing today, ABRA came to an agreement with DC9 and the bar can open its doors on Dec. 15, Washington City Paper reports. Several security provisions are in place and another hearing will be on Jan. 19, when the coroner releases the autopsy report.
- 14th and You reports on their Friday-night outing to HR-57 to hear Antonio Parker. Yes, HR-57 is located right here in Borderstan at 1610 14th Street NW.
- From Greater Greater Washington: Lewis calls out the antis: Roger Lewis criticizes neighborhood opponents for their vociferous opposition to the Wisconsin Giant and to the Tenley-Janney public-private partnership. He writes, “Some residents of the District cling to a suburban mentality. This mentality, coupled with government mismanagement, can obstruct desirable redevelopment. Living in cities means accepting and even embracing change.” (Post)
If you read this blog, you know that Greater Greater Washington is one of my favorite blogs. Yes, it’s wonky (that’s its purpose after all), but founder David Alpert and his team do a great job at providing intelligent and analytical pieces dealing with urban issues and metro planning. And, no, I do not read every article from top to bottom. I pick and choose. Do not be intimidated by some of the postings–they can feel a bit intimidating if they’re on topics about which you don’t know the details. So, if you follow GGW, you will like this piece on Alpert and GGW at “The Blogger Beat” at Washingtonian.com.
DDOT will implement Alternative 5 on 15th Street NW north of Massachusetts Avenue. (Image: DDOT courtesy of TheWashCycle.com Web site.)
Two great postings today at Greater Greater Washington… one on the plans for the Whitman-Walker property on 14th Street NW between S and Swann NW… and the other on DDOT’s traffic flow plans for 15th Street NW (Borderstan postings here and here).
From Greater Greater Washington (a favorite of mine) today:
- Sex and the City: why women and families matter – “A recent study at Cambridge University says that urban development projects tend to cater to men. Poor transit systems and lack of schools and daycare near workplaces, it found, restrict women’s ability to balance work and family. How do cities in the United States cater to men and women? In particular, does the physical, social, and economic structure of the DC metropolitan area disadvantage women?” Go to post.
- Metro staff propose service cuts – “At yesterday’s Finance Administration and Oversight working meeting, WMATA chief John Catoe and Chief Financial Officer Carol Kissal discussed potential “service adjustments“, i.e. service cuts, in order to close the remaining $73M budget hole for the 2010 fiscal year, which starts July 1.” Go to post.
Dr. Natwar Gandhi at the Nov. 3 DCCA meeting. (Photo courtesy of DCCA on Flickr.)
David at Greater Greater Washington critiques D.C. Chief Financial Officer’s presentation/performance at the Dupont Circle Citizens Associaton (DCCA) meeting last Monday night, November 3:
I expected to find a confident, intelligent financial manager with a through grasp of DC finannces in DC CFO Natwar Gandhi when he spoke at the Dupont Circle Citizens’ Association meeting on Monday. What I discovered was a confident, intelligent financial manager who dodged almost every question and didn’t seem to know quite as much about DC’s financial situation as most of the audience had hoped.
Councilmember Jack Evans led off the discussion, framing DC’s $131 million budget shortfall as peanuts compared to our much more troubled neighbor states – Maryland with a $2 billion deficit even with slot money, and a $3 billion hole in Virginia. DC’s budget problems come from two main taxes: the capital gains tax, which will bring in $70 million less than projected (since most people won’t have any capital gains next year) and the deed and recordation tax ($50 million under projection), since real estate sales will slow.
ANC 2B-09 district is shaded light blue. (Image from Greater Greater Washington blog.)
Good morning, Borderstanians. Just four days to go until election day next Tuesday. D.C. city council races–particularly those two at-large seats–are getting plenty of coverage in the media and blogosphere. The presidential race is bringing us muchos television ads, thanks to Virginia’s status as a battleground state between McCain and Obama.
But, what about local races for Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANC)? (If you are unsure what ANCs do, click here.) Borderstan is split between three ANC districts, two in ANC 2B/Dupont Circle and one in ANC 2F/Logan Circle. None of the three incumbent commissioners representing Borderstan face opposition for the next two-year term. (Information at bottom of this posting on how to determine your ANC district and commissioner.)
Contested Race in ANC 2B-09
There is one neighboring ANC 2B district that is garnering a great deal of coverage–the ANC 2B-09 seat where incumbent Ramon Estrada is being challenged by Doug Rogers. Here are links to the two candidates’ Web sites and to some coverage of the race:
- Ramon Estrada’s Web site.
- Doug Roger’s Web site.
- Greater Greater Washington Blog: “Better Know a Single-Member District: 2B09.” (If you haven’t already figured it, GGW is one of my favorite local blogs that focuses on urban-metro-transportation-development issues.)
- Washington Blade coverage from October 24.
Borderstan ANC Districts and Commissioners
- Borderstan’s boundaries are from P to S Streets and from 14th to 16th Streets NW (the center of Borderstan is 15th and Corcoran Streets NW).
- ANC 2B-04: West Borderstan from the north side of Q Street to the south side of S Street is in District 04 and is represented by Jack Jacobson. He is running unopposed on November 4.
- ANC 2B-05: West Borderstan from the south side of Q Street heading south is represented by incumbent Victor Wexler who is running unopposed on November 4.
- ANC 2F-01: East Borderstan (east of 15th Street) is represented by incumbent Charles Reed, the commissioner for ANC 2F-01.
- Map of ANC 2B districts.
Finally… VOTE ON TUESDAY.
DDOT’s proposed streetscape plan for 17th Street NW. Click to enlarge image. (DDOT image via Greater Greater Washington.)
Over at Greater Greater Washington, there is a posting, “Missed opportunities on 17th Street,” that talks about the good things in the D.C. Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) proposal to spruce up 17th Street NW — and what is lacking. (You may recall that the final public meeting for input was held recently.)
Last week, DDOT presented mostly-final plans for the 17th Street streetscape redesign in Dupont Circle, from Massachusetts to New Hampshire Avenues. This busy commercial street could use a facelift. And the project will make some valuable improvements and repair run-down elements to make a positive difference for the street. Unfortunately, though, the plan is more notable for the potential improvements it doesn’t contain than those it does.
