Monthly Archives: July 2013

Attorney’s Letter to DMPED on Lack of Hine Transparency Posted

by Larry Janezich

Attorney Oliver Hall’s letter protesting the lack of transparency on the Hine transfer and formally filing a FOIA for the Hine Land Disposition and Development Agreement (LDDA) is now posted in the Library at the top of this page.

The 18th Amendment

18th Amendment Bought Out by Owners of Bar 201/Union Pub

by Larry Janezich

The partnership which owns Bar 201/Union Pub at 201 Massachusetts Avenue, NE are the new owners of the former 18th Amendment at 613 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.  The 18th Amendment, which has operated as a bar and restaurant for more than seven years, closed last Saturday.  Brad Ingwell, the operating partner at Bar 201 said that he had no comment on future plans for the venue that will replace the 18th Amendment, but hoped that the new place could open this year.

Hine Update:  Attorney Oliver Hall Files FOIA for Details of Hine Disposition

EastBanc Applies for Raze Permit from Historic Preservation Office

by Larry Janezich

Oliver Hall, the attorney for the group of Capitol Hill residents who are appealing the decision of the Zoning Commission on the Hine development, last week filed a FOIA with the office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) to determine the final details concerning the transfer of the Hine site to developers Stanton-EastBanc (SEB).  A copy of the letter – which takes DMPED to task for its lack of transparency on the transfer of the property to the developer – will be posted on Capitol Hill Corner later this week.    

The details of the deal are specified in the Land Disposition and Development Agreement (LDDA), which among other things reveals the degree to which district taxpayers are subsidizing the Hine project.  The subsidy comes in the form of a discounted price for the prime building site compared to the actual market value of the site. 

The draft version of the LDDA dated June 10, 2010, shows a substantial subsidy for the developers – the difference between the LDDA value of the property at $50 a square foot and the market value of close to $300 a square foot.  It is unclear what changes – if any – were made in the final version of the LDDA, which has not been made public.  Capitol Hill Corner asked DMPED Hine Project Manager Corey Lee if the final LDDA and the conveyance agreement signed on July 12 are public, and if not, when they would be.  Mr. Lee did not respond to the email requests.

A recent five part WAMU/NPR investigative series on the relationship between campaign contributions by private developers and the awarding of taxpayer-subsidized DC real estate deals states that the SEB team contributed $194,045 to DC political campaigns and subsequently was granted the $44.7 million Hine site for $21.8 million – an apparent $22.9 million subsidy.  The figures are from the second part of the WAMU series titled “Deals for Developers” and can be found here:  http://apps.npr.org/deals-for-developers-wamu/

The signing of the lease for the main parcel and sale of the affordable housing portion of the Hine site, officials say, will allow the developer to move forward with the project.  Since, financing for the mixed use project will likely be delayed until the resolution of the appeal of the Zoning Commission’s decision to the District Court of Appeals, transfer of the property will allow the developer to proceed with the asbestos abatement part of the demolition process.  That abatement was originally scheduled to begin in early July.  It is unclear whether actual demolition will begin before the court appeal is decided.  A court hearing on the appeal has been scheduled for mid-September. 

On July 25, the Historic Preservation Office/Office of Planning released the HPO Raze Report with copies of recently filed Raze Permit Applications.  The report reveals that on July 1, 2013, Matthew Harris, who lists his email address and address of the company filing the request as EastBanc’s, filed a Raze Permit Application for 335 8th Street, SE, the Hine site.  Raze permit applications recently submitted to the Historic Preservation Office for administrative clearances are filed on the HPO website at the following abbreviated URL: http://tinyurl.com/3erfa7y

 under “Related Documents”.  HPO provides this general public announcement because of the frequent neighborhood interest in raze applications.

The Week Ahead…..

by Larry Janezich

It’s a quiet week ahead as we slide into the dog days of August when there will be no meetings of the community organizations regularly covered by Capitol Hill Corner and likely very little news as newsmakers leave the city. 

The National Capital Planning Commission and the DC Office of Planning has announced a public meeting for next week on the work underway for the joint Height Master Plan for Washington, DC.  For the benefit of those in the community following that issue:

Wednesday, July 24

The Planning Commission meets from 10am – noon at the Commission’s offices, 401 9^th Street, NW, Suite 500N.  The results of the visual modeling study and economic feasibility analysis will be presented.  There will be no public testimony at this meeting.

Pizza Bolis Ordered To Close by DC Department of Health

DC Department of Health Shuts Down Barracks Row’s Pizza Bolis

by Larry Janezich

On Monday, neighbors complained about ongoing rat, garbage and noise issues at Barracks Row’s Pizza Bolis at 417 8^th Street, SE.  Today, the carryout was closed by order of the DC Department of Health after an inspection revealed several critical and non-critical violations resulting in a summary order to cease and desist all operations immediately.  A compliance inspection will be conducted after corrections are made and an inspection report will be posted within five days for viewing.  The complaint went to Food Safety and Hygiene Inspection Services, DC Department of Health; ANC6B commissioners; and the Executive Director of Barracks Row/Main Street. 

The complaint specified “uncontained garbage and plastic food bins” behind Pizza Bolis and cited the “many, many years” of ongoing problems with rats and noise pollution from the carryout.  An inspection in January of 2013 following neighbor complaints found numerous violations but a follow-up inspection indicated the problems had been corrected. 

However, as of Monday, the neighbors said, Bolis was storing garbage in open and lidless dumpsters behind the restaurant, which “are creating real health issues, particularly in light of the current heat wave.”  Neighbors also point to the pizza place as the source of a prevalent rat problem evidenced by burrows in the back of neighboring businesses.  In contrast to Pizza Bolis, the neighbors applauded Chipotle, saying “that the garbage disposal procedures (there) are currently very good.”

First Place. Caroline Checking on the Quiches. Artist: Christina Batipps

Second Place. Modern World 14. Artist: Glen Kessler

Third Place. Wintry Mix. Artist: Joe Beddall

The Week Ahead …. And Winners, Hill Center Art Regional Juried Show

by Larry Janezich

The first, second, and third place prize winners in the Hill Center Galleries Regional Juried Art Exhibition are pictured above.   The exhibit was juried by Jack Rasmussen, Director and Curator of the American University Museum at the Kazten Arts Center.

The Week Ahead…….

Monday, July 15

ANC6A Transportation & Public Space Committee meets at 7:00pm in Sherwood Recreation Center, 10^th and G Streets, NE

Tuesday, July 16

ANC6A Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee meets at 7:00pm in Sherwood Recreation Center, 10^th and G, NE

Wednesday, July 17

ANC6B Outreach & Constituent Services Task Force meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center.

Wednesday, July 17

ANC6A Economic Development and Zoning Committee meets at 7:00pm in Sherwood Recreation Center, 10^th and G Street, NE

ANC6B Special Call meeting at 8:00pm in Hill Center.

Agenda:

Office of Planning/Historic Preservation Office Proposed Prevention of Demolition by Neglect Regulations

ANC6B’s Quarterly Financial Report

Thursday, July 18

PSA 108 meets at 6:30pm at First Baptist Church, 527 Kentucky Avenue, SE

Tommy Wells Hosts Second Community Meeting on Saturday Morning at Hill Center

Working Groups Discussed Possible Features for the New Design Concept

Wells Pointed to the “”Guerrilla Playground” which has emerged in the Park Near 9th and D
as an Example of a Needed Feature in a New Design

Eastern Market Metro Plaza

Aerial View of Six Parts of the Metro Plaza and Park Redesign Effort

Tommy Wells Kicks Off $500,000 Planning Effort to Redesign Market Metro Plaza

by Larry Janezich

Last week, two public meetings were held to solicit community idea for redesign of the Eastern Market Metro Plaza and parks.  Barracks Row Main Street has $500,000 in congressionally appropriated funds for planning the redesign of the Plaza which must be spent by the end of the fiscal year – September 30.  Esocoff & Associates Architects (Hine Development architect Amy Weinstein’s firm) has been given the contract to provide a design concept following an opportunity for community input.  The planning funds also cover contracts with Oehme van Sweden Landscape Architects, transportation engineering planners, and Minerva Marketing Public Relations. David Perry, head of Barracks Row/Main Street, said an additional $1 million in congressionally approved funds are available to begin implementing whatever plan is decided upon.  These funds are not subject to termination at the end of September but will remain available for an indeterminate period.    

Wells told the two meetings – one last Monday night attended by about 50 people and one on Saturday morning attended by some 25 people, that there is no current plan for the new design, but there are some guiding principles about what should be done and some limitations on what can be done.  The main guiding principle, Wells said, is that the Plaza and associated parks around it should be “pretty.”   The limitations include the practical impossibility of subterranean tunnels or street levels, the presence of the Metro itself, and oversight by both the National Park Service – which controls the median on Pennsylvania Avenue – and city agencies.  Wells said that how much the community decides to do will determine how much outside money will be needed.

The process, now that the preliminary meetings have been held to request community input, will be as follows. 

As of, Saturday, July 13, 2013 and until August 6, a display and suggestion box will be placed in the North Hall of Eastern Market to solicit input from those unable to attend either public meeting this past week. 

On July 17, an interactive website will be available at www.easternmarketmetropark.org.  The website will allow the viewer to click on a specific location on an aerial map of the plaza, the adjacent parks, and the two portions of the median strips between 7^th and 9^th Streets, numbered 1 – 6 in the photo above.  Clicking on a spot will open up a comment box that will allow the viewer to leave a remark about that specific location. 

By August 10^th, according to David Perry, there will be a Taskforce Meeting to analyze the input from the public.  The Taskforce will be made up of groups of stakeholders which will include – but not be limited to – the ANC’ (representatives of ANC6B and ANC6A attended the public meetings), the residents and businesses facing the Plaza and parks, Eastern Market Row (7^th Street) businesses, Celebrate Capitol Hill, Capitol Hill BID, CHRS, Barracks Row/Main Street, Capitol Hill Community Foundation, Capitol Hill Garden Club, National Capitol Church, and Friends of Southeast Library.  One glaring omission from the list was Community Connections, which fronts on the triangle park across from Dunkin’ Donuts. 

Initially, Wells said, “my admonition to (the organizers) is to don’t make the Taskforce Meeting a Town Hall meeting.”  Asked later if there was a way to open up the Taskforce deliberations to the public and press without making it a Town Hall meeting, Wells replied that “as Councilmember, I would ask that the deliberations be open” and beyond that, he said, it might mean that practically it would be open to “anyone communicating to the public by some device.”  It was the understanding of those present that this meant members of the accredited press as well as unaccredited bloggers. 

The Task Force report should be available two weeks after the Task Force concludes its meeting(s).  The recommendations of the Taskforce will be submitted to Amy Weinstein and Oehme Van Sweden and the transportation engineers who will produce a design concept and mock up in about two months – late October – which will then be presented to a large community meeting.

Community feedback will again be sought, and that information will be used to refine the plan until a final concept can be created upon which Requests for Proposals (RFPs) can be based.  Wells said that how quickly the RFP stage can be reached depends on how quickly money becomes available. 

Some proposed features for the design concept which emerged from the working groups at the two meetings last week include:  shade, a water feature, better maintenance, a playground, attractive seating and lighting, making Southeast Library a feature of the design, bike parking, public art, a community gathering space, chess tables, an environment that will attract people, prevention of jay walking across the median, a mosaic, an information center, a gazebo, a sustainable rain garden, preserving the rights of marginalized citizens to use public space, a concert space, attractive trash cans, a fence, underground irrigation, a history kiosk, planters, removal of publication vending machines and bike coffins, unimpeded access to Metro (relocating the bus stop next to Metro), and directional signage.