Category Archives: Uncategorized

Hill East Gets Update on Development of Reservation 13

by Larry Janezich

ANC6B’s Hill East Task Force, chaired by Commissioner Denise Krepp, met last night with a slew of city officials, utility representatives, developers and construction people to update current and former ANC6B Commissioners and Hill East residents on progress on the development of Reservation 13 and to address concerns about street construction and traffic management in nearby neighborhoods.

Chris Donatelli of Donatelli Development, announced that construction of the building on the second of the two sites currently being developed will begin in August, with an anticipated construction time line of 18 months.  This building, the smaller of the two mixed use projects, will provide 91 living units, plus 10,000 square feet of first floor retail.  Donatelli said that “there had been a lot of interest” from retail providers, though none had been signed yet.  This is typical of new developments – the retail is not nailed down until the building is complete.

Donatelli said that framing is underway on the first and larger building – which will deliver 262 apartments and – according to earlier reports – 13,000 square feet of retail plus 115 underground parking spaces.

Most of the meeting was about management of construction traffic in adjoining neighborhoods, and DDOT Associate Director Matthew Marcou was on hand to address those issues, as well as DDOT’s plans for construction work necessary in connection with bringing utilities to the site.

 

The Week Ahead… & A New Mural at East City Books

by Larry Janezich

Monday, June 3

ANC6B’s Hill East Task Force holds a community meeting at 7:00pm, St. Coletta, 1900 Independence Avenue, SE. 

Agenda:

Briefing on construction and deconstruction projects related to Reservation 13. Donatelli Development, DMPED, DDOT, DGS, Pepco, Washington Gas, Verizon, and the various contractors and subcontractors will be speaking at the event.

CHRS Historic Preservation Committee meets at 6:30pm, Kirby House, 420 10^th Street, SE. 

DC Chesapeake Cleanup Community Meeting at Navy Yard – Food – Refreshments – Boat Ride

One of the components/requirements of the program of each Chesapeake Bay watershed state plus The District of Columbia is community outreach and I wanted to share some information that you may find of interest.  The District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) is co-hosting a community meeting to discuss the Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan for the Chesapeake Bay and gather feedback from the community on improving  the health of our rivers and streams.

The meeting will be from 6:00pm – 8:00pm at the Earth Conservation Corps Pumphouse, just south of Nats Stadium, at 1520 First Street, SE.  Light food and refreshments will be provided.

**This meeting will also feature a Free Anacostia Boat Tour ride via the Anacostia Explorers Program before the meeting leaving the dock around 4:45 pm. If you’d like to attend, please also register for a Boat Tour Ticket at checkout so we can save you a spot on the trip.**

Sign up and see here for more information:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dc-watershed-implementation-plan-public-meeting-4-with-earth-conservation-corps-tickets-61537492296?aff=ebapi

Tuesday, June 4

ANC6B Planning and Zoning Committee meets at 7:00pm, at St. Coletta of Greater Washington, 1901 Independence Ave, SE.

Among items on the agenda:

201 East Capitol Street, SE (Folger Library) – Historic Preservation Application – Concept: Exterior modifications to create a new visitor entrance; to be heard concurrently with Historic Preservation Application – Concept: Modifications to interior Historic Landmark – Bond Reading Room.

ANC Support letter for Lockwood Apartments community benefit funds moved to escrow. Presenter: Sarah Davidson, Insight Property Group.

708 4th Street, SE – Zoning Adjustment Application – Special to construct a two-story rear addition to an existing, attached principal dwelling unit.

142 D Street SE – Historic Preservation Application for rear, upper, and dogleg infill addition; to be heard concurrently with Historic Preservation Application for Concept: two-story rear addition.

530 11th Street, SE – Zoning Adjustment Application for Special exceptions to construct a two-story rear addition; to be heard concurrently with Historic Preservation Application for Concept: Rear two-story and dogleg infill addition.

221 10th Street, SE –  Zoning Adjustment Application for Special exceptions to construct an accessory building with a garage and dwelling unit; to be heard concurrently with Historic Preservation Application for Concept: two-story carriage house.

233 1/2 9th Street, SE; Concept: Historic Preservation Application for rooftop addition to existing accessory building/garage; Applicant.

ANC 6C Environment, Parks & Events Committee meets at 7:00pm, Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Office Building, 700 2^nd Street, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

Green Buildings Program – District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) staff will provide an overview of the District’s Green Buildings program.

Call Boxes – Taking stock of our call-box inventory and discuss next steps.

MPD First District Community Advisory Committee Meeting, 7:00pm, Kingsman Public Charter School.

Wednesday, June 5

ANC6B Transportation Committee will meet at 7:00pm, in the Conference Room, Ground Floor, The Yard 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE – entrance to 700 Penn is to the left of the Trader Joe’s entrance. 

Among items on the agenda:

Discussion on Vision Zero Enhancement Omnibus Amendment Act of 2019 (B 23-0288) – Chris Laskowski, Legislative Director, Office of CM Allen.

Discussion and letter on reversing bike lane to contraflow on the 700 Block of 15th Street, SE, relating to installation of traffic calming measures at the intersection of 15th Street, SE; Kentucky Avenue, SE; Potomac Ave, SE; and G Street, SE)

Letter to DDOT on Penn-Potomac Avenue Project.

Letter to DDOT on SE Blvd/Barney Circle Project.

Thursday, June 6

ANC6B’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee meets at 7:00pm in the Conference Room, Ground Floor, The Yard, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE – entrance to 700 Penn is to the left of the Trader Joe’s entrance.

Agenda: 

Alcoholic Beverage License Renewals:

Radici, 301 7th Street, SE – restaurant license.

La Plaza Mexican Restaurant, 629 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE – restaurant license.

Le Pain Quotidien, 666 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE – restaurant  license, beer and wine.

The Ugly Mug Dining Saloon/Valor Brew Pub, 723 8TH Street, SE – restaurant license.

La Lomita Dos, 308 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE – restaurant license.

Ambar, 523 8th Street, SE – restaurant license.

District Soul Food Restaurant & Lounge, 500 8th Street, SE – restaurant license.

Medium Rare Barracks Row, 515 8th Street, SE – restaurant license.

Bullfrog Bagels; 317 7th Street, SE – restaurant license, wine and beer.

ANC 6C Transportation and Public Space Committee meets at 7:00pm, Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center, 700 2nd Street, NE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

4th and 5th Streets near Union Market converted to two-way

Verizon – 120 7th Street, NE – Follow-up on the Verizon telecommunications building at 120 7th Street, NE. At previous TPS meetings, Verizon and nearby residents have discussed issues with loading and improper use of public space. In the May meeting, Verizon stated it had conducted a survey but did not have the results yet. They will be present to discuss what mitigations they are willing to offer.

35 New York Avenue, NE – Public Space Application – Streetscape improvements associated with new building construction.  Improvements include Pepco vault, curb and gutter, sidewalk, commercial driveway for loading area, and bike racks.

Friends of Southeast Library (FOSEL) meet at 5:30 in Southeast Library, lower level. 

Saturday, June 8

Grand Opening – The Fields at RFK Campus.  10:00am – 3:00pm, 2400 East Capitol Street, SE.  Food, music, youth activities.   See here:  https://mailchi.mp/eventsdc/grand-opening-mpf?e=386ef1ea5e

Friends of the Southeast Library Book Sale, 10:00am – 3:00pm. 

Friday, June 7 – Sunday, June 9:

Rediscover Eastern Market Weekend Celebration from June 7th-9^th.  This celebration is just in time to recognize the 10 year milestone since the building was fully refurbished and restored! Learn about the past, present and future of Eastern Market and the small businesses that call Eastern Market home.  More here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rediscover-eastern-market-a-celebration-marking-10-years-after-restoration-tickets-61257714473

 

Barracks Row/East Capitol Businesses Hit by Burglaries & Vandalism Early Last Saturday Morning

by Larry Janezich

Tortuga Caribbean Bar and Grill and Fed-Ex were broken into and burgled in the early hours of last Saturday morning.  And the glass door to U-Break It We Fix It was broken but apparently nothing was taken.  The restaurant and U-Break It are on Barracks Row and Fed-Ex is on D Street, near the intersection with 8^th Street.  In the same time frame, two businesses on East Capitol Street were burgled.  Police think they all may involve the same person and are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect.

Yesterday, MPD released photos from surveillance cameras of suspects.  According to an MPD press release:

“On Saturday, May 25, 2019, between approximately 1:00 am and 3:14 am, in the 500 block of 8th Street, Southeast, the suspect forcibly entered an establishment at the listed location.  Once inside, the suspect took property then fled the scene….

On Saturday, May 25, 2019, at approximately 3:28 am, in the 700 block of D Street, Southeast, the suspect forcibly entered an establishment at the listed location.  Once inside, the suspect took property then fled the scene….

On Saturday, May 25, 2019, at approximately 4:08 am, in the 300 block of East Capitol Street, Northeast, two suspects forcibly entered an establishment at the listed location. The suspects took property then fled the scene….

Between Friday, May 24, 2019, at approximately 7:00 pm and Saturday, May 25, 2019, at approximately 10:30 am, in the 700 block of East Capitol Street, Northeast, the suspect forcibly entered an establishment at the listed location.  Once inside, the suspect took U.S. currency then fled the scene….”

The incident follows the window smashing of four Barracks Row businesses in the early morning hours of April 29, by an individual who was apprehended by police.  In one press report witnesses said that police believe mental illness was an issue in that case.

Here’s a link to the MPD press release on Saturday morning’s happenings:  http://bit.ly/2W42miu

Anyone who can identify these individuals or who has knowledge of these incidents should take no action, but call police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411. Crime Solvers of Washington, DC currently offers a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in the District of Columbia.

Zoning Issue Likely to Sink Plan for 20 Unit Condo Project Near Barracks Row

by Larry Janezich

The correction of an zoning error by the DC Office of Zoning will likely sink District Quarter’s plan to raze Tried Stone Baptist Church near Barracks Row to build a 20 unit condo building.

Apparently, the property at 417 9^th Street, SE, has been historically zoned as residential property but recently, a Zoning Office on-line map incorrectly showed the property as being zoned commercial.

The commercial designation may have mislead the development company District Quarters who announced plans to build a condo building on the site at a May 1 community meeting in the church.  At that meeting, the developer said that their contract to purchase the property was contingent on the proposed building being approved by the city.

It is unclear who called the discrepancy to the attention of the Office of Zoning, but it caused that office to restore the original residential designation to the lots.  Being zoned residential means that only townhouses can be built on the site if the church is razed.  The placard giving notice of the intent to raze the building has been removed.

On May 16, Sara Bardin, Director of the DC Office of Zoning, issued a statement regarding how the change in zoning came about:  “In brief, we do not know how the zoning changed from [residential] to [commercial] on the 2003 Zoning Map.  All we know is that there is no map amendment that shows a decision was made to change the zoning.  The only clue we found that could explain why it was showing as [commercial] is that there was an exhibit in case 00-41 (page 3) that shows the three lots zoned [commercial].  This MAY be what was used to erroneously change the online map, but we do not know for sure.  Therefore, we have changed the map to reflect the correct zoning of [residential].”

On May 22 the developers announced their intent “to hold off on any further meetings as we work through a few questions that have come up.”  The message continued, “We will also not be presenting at the ANC or [Historic Preservation Review Board] at this time.”

Capitol Hill Corner reached out to District Quarters partner Evan Muchai on Tuesday to ask about the status of the project.  Muchai said, “It is our understanding that the property is zoned [commercial].  He said that he wanted to inform everyone at the same time regarding decisions as they work through the process, but “as of now, we have no comment.”

According to Gary Peterson, chair of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society’s Zoning Committee, the property is assessed taxes as residential.  He said that the online map is not official; that only the Office of Zoning has the official map, and ultimately, “what governs is the Comprehensive Plan.”  He says he is “pretty sure” the Comprehensive Plan designates the property as residential.  Asked how a church could be built on land zoned as residential, he said that DC makes exceptions to zoning regulations, allowing for the construction of churches and schools on property zoned for residential use.

Peterson said that although he did not have accurate measurements for the site, he thought that at most, four two unit townhouses could be built.  Alternately, he said, the developers could convert the church to residential units, perhaps gaining one more unit than they could if they built townhouses.

Given the developer’s insistence that they needed 20 condo units to make the project economically viable, the conversion option seems unlikely.  And while it is possible to change zoning from residential to commercial, Peterson said it not often done.  It’s a lengthy process and neighborhood opposition would be a factor in any such undertaking.

Since the building was built in 1951, it does not fall into the protected category of a “contributing structure” in the Historic District.  Likewise, the building does not appear to be eligible for landmark status since it appears to lack significant architectural merit.

For a report on the May 1 community meeting and a rendering of the proposed building, see here: http://bit.ly/2vxVqz6

The Week Ahead… & the Barracks Row Working Group Faces A Challenge

by Larry Janezich

Monday, June 27

Memorial Day holiday. 

No trash/recycling pickup.

Tuesday, May 28

ANC6B’s Executive Committee meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center, to set the agenda for the June 11^th meeting of the full ANC.

PSA 106 meets at 7:00pm at the Capper Community Center at 5^th and K Streets, SE. 

MPD hosts community meetings for each PSA on the fourth Tuesday of every other month to build partnership with the community and to address the public’s safety questions and concerns.

Saturday, June 1

Monthly Capitol Hill street litter cleanup.  Details will follow.  Wine & Butter Café, 1023 East Capitol, has joined as a sponsor of the cleanup.

Join the volunteer list by emailing at cleancaphill@gmail.com

Capitol Hill Residents Mourn Loss of Assault Victim Coach Bud Johnson

by Larry Janezich

The Capitol Hill Little League announced the death of one of its beloved coaches yesterday with an email to the Capitol Hill Little League families:

“It is with great sadness that I share the news that long-time CHLL coach, dad, friend, and fan Bud Johnson passed away last night, as a result of injuries sustained during an assault near his home Wednesday evening.  Bud had been a coach to many of our kids, and many of us enjoyed watching the games with him on the sidelines through the years, watching with pride as his son Bo has developed into a fine young man and fine baseball player.”

According to police reports and friends of the family, Johnson was assaulted outside neighborhood restaurant/bar – The Scarlett Oak – in Navy Yard by a group of individuals at 11:30pm last Wednesday night.  According to family friends, the assault, involving three individuals, came after a dispute arose between the victim and the individuals inside the restaurant.

Johnson sustained head injuries as the result of the assault and was transported to a hospital where he was found to have suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen.  He subsequently died about 9:00pm on Sunday.

A source close to the family says the assailants have been identified.  First District Commander Morgan Kane told Capitol Hill Corner that no one has been arrested or charged but detectives continue their investigation of the death.

According to friend Adam Meier, Johnson was known as a “thoughtful and caring coach by kids and parents, and was both admired and loved.  He was a solid and steady presence who really knew baseball.  He will be missed as a coach and a friend on the Hill.”

On Monday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer paid tribute to Johnson – a 30 year Senate employee – on the Senate floor.  See here:  https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4798656/senator-schumer-bud-johnson&fbclid=IwAR2TDM9MxwpLP0d0FJ3z4NVfuR-xB0GXVzo1hsrDUqss4Cz7ixecsot9-6c

The Week Ahead – & News You May Have Missed

by Larry Janezich

Long time Eastern Market Vendor Dies – Eastern Market Manager Barry Margeson announced at Wednesday’s Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee meeting, the death of David Fowler of Sunnyside Farms. Fowler was a fifth generation farmers’ line farmer who grew up selling produce at Eastern Market. He was 73 and suffered from heart failure. Margeson credits Fowler as being instrumental in getting the Amish and Mennonite farmers to sell their products at Eastern Market. Margerson said Fowler knew just about everyone and just about everything about Eastern Market – “he was a connector who puts people together.”

New Restaurant Coming to Pennsylvania Avenue – Celebrity Restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn (We the Pizza, Good Stuff Eatery, and Santa Rosa Taqueria) has leased a fourth space on the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. The former Lustre Cleaners is scheduled to become the latest addition to the Mendelsohn galaxy. There’s no current info on the theme, and timing is uncertain, as the owners wait for permits to go through the city.

DC Pays Out $3 million for Sexual Harassment/Assault Settlements over 5 years – At ANC6B’s meeting last Tuesday, Commissioner Denise Krepp highlighted the fact that DC has paid out $3 million in sexual harassment settlements between 2015 and present in a proposed letter to CM Mendelsohn in support of removing a limitation on application of the FOIA in the FY 2020 Budget. Krepp said that without the broader application of FOIA applicability, residents would not have known about the $3 million in payments or the decline in parking enforcement on Capitol Hill or MPD’s policies for reviewing body camera video.

City Official Gets Grilled by ANC6B on Traffic Deaths – Deputy Mayor Lucinda Babers came to ANC6B to brief the Commission on the Mayor’s 2020 budget, and wasn’t expecting to get raked over the coals by Commissioner Corey Holman about the DC’s failure to protect the city’s residents from vehicular violence in the current auto-friendly environment. Holtzman cited the recent deaths on or near Capitol Hill of outspoken critic of the city’s road safety policy, Dave Salovesh, who was killed, allegedly by the driver of a stolen mini-van on April 19. A month later, on Saturday, May 18, an SUV struck a light pole at the intersection of 12^th and K and Florida Avenue, NE, damaging the white “ghost bike” memorial placed there last month to honor Salovesh. The driver of the SUV fled the scene. As of May 14, 122 people had been killed by vehicles in the city. Traffic safety policy will be discussed at 6B Commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg’s Transportation Committee on June 5, and at a meeting on June 10 of Ward 6 ANC reps being coordinated by 6B Commissioner Denise Krepp.

Insight Developers Update on Community Benefits – Sarah Davidson, of Insight Property Group, briefed ANC6B last Tuesday on the public benefit commitments Insight made in exchange for zoning adjustments increasing height and density limitations for Lockwood – their residential project in the 1300 block of E Street, SE. Those benefits include granting a lease for an existing townhouse on the 1300 block of E Street in perpetuity, for free, to Capitol Hill Village for the benefit of Capitol Hill’s senior population; working with two other developers who have similar public benefit obligations to improve landscaping at Potomac Avenue Metro; and recasting Lady Bird Park, next to Peter “Bug” Matthews’ Shoe Repair Academy. Community input is still being sought on the latter; among the ideas being considered are a community garden, a dog park, and passive green space.

New Charter School Will Succeed Caesar Chavez – Nima Farshchi, Director of Operations at Digital Pioneer Academy, announced that the charter school has applied to the DC School Board to open a computer oriented middle school in the space formerly occupied by the Caesar Chavez Charter School at 709 12^th Street, SE. The school provides STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) training to kids living in underserved areas of the city.

Ted’s Bulletin Liquor License Renewal Postponed – The owners of Ted’s Bulletin got roughed up a little by ANC6B Chair Chander Jayaraman and nearby residents, who went after the restaurant for not living up to the alley cleanliness and rodent control requirements which were contingencies attached to their liquor license. The commission postponed the license renewal for a month to give the restaurant a chance to clean up its act. (District Soul, whose license renewal was delayed last month on issues of noise, trash, and odor control, will come back before the ANC in May to demonstrate that those issues have been addressed.)

A New Southeast Library? – Finally, Neal Gregory, President of the Friends of Southeast Library, asked CM Charles Allen at Allen’s community office hours on Friday, if he would consider seeking new funds – or re-directing funds destined for the renovation of Southeast Library – to build a new library, possibly at the site occupied by the old Frager’s store on the 1300 block of E Street. Community activists Pat Taylor and Jill Lawrence have been pushing the idea of reserving the current library – the Carnegie building at Eastern Market Metro Plaza – for children, and building a new library for adults elsewhere on Capitol Hill. Gregory pointed out to Allen that after the proposed renovation, the Southeast Library will still not have enough space. Allen was non-committal, saying he would have to talk to DC Library before supporting the idea. An request for proposals for renovating the Southeast Library was scheduled to be issued this coming week.

The Week Ahead…

Monday, May 20

ANC 6A Transportation & Public Space Committee Meets at 7:00pm, Capitol Hill Towers, 900 G Street, NE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

Review of report from DDOT on list of high-priority safety locations.

Prepare to implement plan (approved by Commissioners at 5/9 meeting) to identify additional bike share station locations (and bike/scooter racks) and ascertain public support for same.

Prepare to implement plan (approved by Commissioners at 5/9 meeting) to create an initial list of local/local intersections where 4-way stops are desirable (but do not already exist).

Consideration of potential curb cut request at 808 13th Street, NE.

Discussion of potential tracking system for requests to DDoT.

Discussion of what role ANC can play in addressing conditions leading to recent cyclist deaths.

ANC6A Community Outreach Committee meets at 7:00pm, Eastern High School, Parent Center, 1700 East Capitol Street, NE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

Eastern High School Grant

Community Comments

Tuesday, May 21

ANC6A Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee meets at 7:00pm, at Sherwood Recreation Center (10th and G Streets, NE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

Discussion of renewals of the following licenses:

Quara Ethiopian Fustion Restaurant, 818 H Street, NE, restaurant license.

DC Conscious Café, 1413 H Street, NE, restaurant license.

Gallery O on H, 1354 H Street, NE, club license.

Maketto, 1351 H Street, NE, restaurant license.

Red & Black, 1210 – 1212 H Street, NE, restaurant license.

Discussion of request for change in hours by RedRocks, 1348 H Street, NE.

ANC6B Barracks Row Working Group meets at 7:00pm, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

Agenda:

Presentation: Jennifer McCahill from the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife & Culture.

Positioning/Marketing:

1. New Marketing Plans for the Main Streets
2. The Marines Summer Event Collaboration
3. Additional Ideas for Improvements

Possible Future Agenda Items

1. How Barracks Row can take better advantage of our alternate modes of Transportation
2. Collective Snow Removal
3. Eastern Market Metro Park Transportation Study Review
4. The incident of broken windows on 8th Street
5. Updates on current projects

Seniors Have Issues with Management of Hayes Recreation Center

by Larry Janezich

A group of eight senior citizens were waiting for CM Charles Allen when he walked in the door at Radici for his regularly scheduled community office house on Friday.  There were there, said organizer Marci Hilt, to raise concerns about the city’s privately managed Hayes Senior Wellness Center at 500 K Street, NE.   Hilt told Allen that members feel there is a lack of communication between Director Andre Lane and the membership, citing instances of miscommunication and obfuscation regarding programming at the center, which, she says is suffering a dwindling number of programs while the number of seniors using the center is increasing.  She cited the fitness programs as among those especially affected.

The Wellness Center is an adult activity center with social, recreational, and educational programs designed specifically for adults ages 60 and up. The center – housed in the renovated Hayes Elementary School – includes a cardio/weight room, computer lab, multi-purpose room, kitchen, and library.  It has been open since October, 2012, and is one of six senior wellness centers.

Allen noted that one of the challenges is that the building, which houses the headquarters of the Office of Aging and Community Living (AOCL), is using more and more and more space for administration purposes, at the expense of programming for the center.

The seniors asked Allen to host a meeting at Hayes with the Department of AOCL and Andre Lane, the Center’s Director, to resolve their concerns.  They want to see the center’s budget, grants, and an organizational chart.  Allen agreed to set up a meeting – probably in June.

The Hayes Senior Wellness Center opened on October 11, 2012. The center is one of the city’s six senior wellness centers.

 

 

Update on Eastern Market Metro Plaza: Council Adds $7 Million in New Funds – DGS Reveals New Design

by Larry Janezich

According to Donna Scheeder, Chair of the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee, an additional $7 million for continued construction of the redesign of the Metro Plaza/Park received preliminary approval by the City Council in a vote on the FY 2020 budget earlier this week.  A vote on final passage comes next week.

In addition, today – Thursday, the Department of General Services (DGS) received approval from the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) of the tweaks to the design plan to address concerns raised by the CFA last month when the plans were sent back to the design team’s drawing board.

And earlier this week, DGS revealed its modification of the rejected April 3 version of the plan for redesigning the Metro Plaza/Park at a pair of meetings on Monday and Tuesday.  The main recommendation of the CFA was that Parcel 1 (playground) and Parcel 4 (Metro canopy) should be treated differently but complement each other, taking into account the residential orientation of the first and the commercial orientation of the latter.   Here’s a link to DGS’ April 3 Community Presentation which includes the concept drawings of that date:  http://bit.ly/2Hkni0u DGS has not yet posted the newest concepts on its website.

On Monday night, ANC6B’s Livable Community Task Force, chaired by Commissioner Steve Holtzman, hosted a community meeting with DGS Project Manager Cassidy Mullen to give residents a chance to voice suggestions and hear Mullen answer questions about the proposed design for Parcel 4.  Mullen  heard from some 35 community members, fielded questions, and noted their concerns.

He said the timeline remains unchanged:  The interim playground funded by developers of the Hine project will be placed in June.  Construction on the redesign will proceed in phases: in Phase One, construction will begin in December on the permanent playground on Parcel 1 and landscape design changes on the eastern end of Parcel 4.  In addition, Phase One will see delivery of fully permit-ready construction drawings for the project.  Schematic drawings – actually giving definition too forms, colors, furniture – will be done late spring or early summer and presented to the community at the next community meeting in June.  In late summer or early fall, the DGS plan will go back to the Commission of Fine Arts for final approval.

The second meeting occurred on Tuesday, when The Eastern Market Metro Plaza Advisory Committee met with DGS to provide feedback on the design.  The Advisory Committee is made up of community stakeholders and representatives from CM Allen’s office and ANC6B.

Susan England of the design team explained some of the changes made in response to the CFA’s concerns.

Parcel 4 – Metro Canopy

Almost all trees the trees on the site will remain, and more will be added.

The water feature was relocated from near the Metro entrance to the eastern end of Parcel 4.

Visual relief – lawn panels and trees providing more porosity – was added to address criticism that there was too much hardscape and to address the heat island effect.  Lawn panels will be raised on one end to provide seating, and then slope to grade.

More space was added for use of Southeast Library.

The connection with Barracks Row was strengthened by making access more open and generous.

The 10’ X 10’ kiosk was moved to make it more visible and more useable as a way-finding location.

A possible location for public art was established at the corner of 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue, contingent on WMATA relocating bike lockers and bike racks currently occupying that space.

In addition, Project Manager Mullen told the Advisory Team that the plan for Parcel 4 anticipates space for a bus stop on Eighth Street at the east end of Parcel 4, adding that any change in the traffic plan will depend on approval by the Department of Transportation and WMATA.

Parcel 1 – Playground

Shapes have been modified and curves added to make a more organic feel.

The bio retention area has been made more useable.

Two separate areas of the 7,300 s.f. playground have been established to accommodate two sets of equipment for two age groups.

DGS is meeting with the Capitol Hill BID to discuss a consolidated maintenance and programming role for the Plaza/Park.

DGS received some push back from the Advisory Team at Tuesday’s meeting on the concept of a kiosk that would sell food and drink.  The concerns came from businesses who could suffer from the competition, as well from stakeholder who see the potential for generating litter and trash.  Some participants favored eliminating the kiosk entirely and expanding the hardscape to accommodate a structure with the flexibility to serve as a performance platform.

Another issue involved traffic flow, specifically the route for a turnaround for the Circulator Bus, the closing of the two D Street cut-throughs (outside Dunkin  Donuts and Trader Joe’s), and moving the bus stop from in front of Starbuck’s to the east end of Parcel 4.  All of these are issues for DDOT and WAMATA, though Mullen, as noted above, said that the DGS plans will accommodate a move of the bus stop if DDOT agrees to make the change.  Some members of the Advisory Committee expressed a desire to meet with DDOT and WMATA before they make a final determination.