Category Archives: Uncategorized

Robert White Tells ANC6A He Expects To Be Appointed to City Council Next Week

by Larry Janezich

Last night, Councilmember “Elect” Robert White introduced himself to the ANC6A community at the commission’s September meeting, and told them he expected to be appointed next week by the local Democratic Party to fill the remainder of the term of former At-Large Councilmember Vincent Orange who resigned effective August 15.  A staffer for the DC Board of Elections confirmed to Capitol Hill Corner this morning that there will be no special election to fill Orange’s unexpired term.  For all practical purposes, the winner of the Democratic primary has a lock on the seat for the term beginning in 2017, and White defeated Orange 39.48% to 37.65% – a margin of 1796 votes.  The council is currently in recess and returns to resume business on September 20.

In his remarks to the ANC, White listed his top concerns as councilmember:

• More affordable housing – He says he will press for enforcement of affordable housing regulations since “the council increasingly lets developers off the hook”, conversion of empty commercial buildings to residential, and rezoning of underperforming commercial corridors such as Georgia and MLK Avenues to permit residential construction on top of one story commercial.
• Public Safety – White pledged to make sure beat cops and “white shirts” (management) are “on the same page”, push for stricter enforcement of violent crimes while avoiding over-criminalizing, and work to establish local accountability for prosecutors who are currently answerable only to the federal government.
• Education – His first request as councilmember, he says, will be appointment to the Committee on Education. He says he will demand that the DCPS system work with neighborhoods and parents.  Further, he will press for DCPS accountability and increased enforcement of efforts to prevent out of state residents from enrolling in DC’s public schools without paying tuition.

White, a newcomer to elected office, was a former aide to DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and then to DC Attorney General Karl Racine.  The council comprises 13 members – each of DC’s 8 Wards elects one member of the council and five members, including the Chairman, are elected at large.

Current makeup of the council:

Phil Mendelson, Chairman, Democratic

David Grosso, At-large Independent

Elissa Silverman, At-large Independent

Anita Bonds, At-large Democratic

Vacant, At-large               Democratic (primary won by Robert White)

Brianne Nadeau , Ward 1, Democratic

Jack Evans, Ward 2, Democratic

Mary Cheh, Ward 3, Democratic

Brandon Todd, Ward 4, Democratic

Kenyan McDuffie, Ward 5, Democratic

Charles Allen, Ward 6, Democratic

Yvette Alexander, Ward 7, Democratic (primary won by Vincent Gray)

LaRuby May, Ward 8, Democratic (primary won by Trayon White)

ANC6B Body Protests Dept of General Services End-Run on Watkins School Design

Commissioner Krepp:  “I’m not a rubber stamp…none of us up here are….”

by Larry Janezich

ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee raised its hackles Tuesday night when a Department of General Services (DGS) representative showed up with a design plan for the Watkins School addition – pre-approved by Historic Preservation Office (HPO) staff – with the expectation that the Committee would sign off on it.  Ordinarily, an applicant for a design undergoing a historic preservation review shows up early in the process with a preliminary design for ANC consideration and input.

The Committee’s response was predictable, given the on-going city-wide struggle by ANCs to assert themselves before often indifferent city agencies – particularly DGS, DCRA, DDOT and HPRB.  City agencies are required by law to give “great weight” to ANC opinion but more often than not, pay them lip service.

Commissioner Denise Krepp put it bluntly:  “I’m not a rubber stamp – none of us up here are – I will vote against this if I don’t get answers and I will make a stink if we don’t get answers.  Who dropped the ball?”  Committee Chair Nick Burger told the DGS representative that “something is clearly amiss” with the approval process for the Watkins project.  ANC Chair Kirsten Oldenburg said that DGS should have come before the ANC months ago – “there is no flexibility at this stage.”

Watkins School was built in the 1962, and hence not classified as a “contributing structure” to the Capitol Hill Historic District – that designation being limited to structures built before 1946.  Still, since the project is in the Capitol Hill Historic District, the HPO reviews the design of the project under its authority to review government projects.

DGS has razed the Southwest corner of Watkins as part of a modernization plan for the school to make room for a multipurpose wing including a cafeteria and multi-purpose room twice the size of the one being replaced, as well as a second floor library.  The school is currently closed with students temporarily being assigned to Eliot-Hine.  Watkins will reopen next August.

Burger admonished the DGS representative to carry the message back to the agency that the ANC and the community expect to be fully participating moving forward.   Burger then moved to recommend that the full ANC support the design, but stipulated the item not be placed on the consent calendar where it would be approved without further debate.  It was the clear intent of the Committee the full ANC expects to hear from a DGS official at its meeting on September 13, on why the ANC was left out of the process. The motion was agreed to unanimously.

During August, controversy concerning DGS erupted over what Will Sommer in a City Paper article termed a “classic poster child of local government dysfunction, the city’s Certified Business Enterprise program” – which gives local contractors an advantage in bidding on city contracts.  After a local contractor and major Bowser contributor failed to win two government contracts, City Administrator Rasheed Young stepped in, resulting in the resignation of the new head of DGS Admiral Chris Weaver, and the suspension of two employees who had failed to award the contract to the Mayor’s contributor.  Councilmember Mary Cheh has vowed to hold hearings to get to the bottom of what happened at DGS.

For the City Paper story, go here. http://bit.ly/2ctb6ZL  For the CHC editorial on the DGS shakeup, go here:  http://bit.ly/2bqvKsi

First Look at the Design Concept for Watkins Elementary School Modernization Project

by Larry Janezich

Following are images of the design concept by the architectural firm of Perkins Eastman DC for the Watkins Elementary School Project at 420 12^th Street, SE.  The design plan was submitted to the Historic Preservation Office on August 2.

The $39.4 million project backs up to the Insight Development’s Buchanan School condo project http://bit.ly/2cpmcAn, and is a stone’s throw from two more development projects in the 1300 block of E Street, SE, OPaL LLC’s Watkins Alley http://bit.ly/2bYJltK, and Insight Redevelopment’s “Bowie Site’ http://bit.ly/1TsgfOV In addition, the neighboring SE Safeway is also slated for development in the indefinite future http://bit.ly/2ckTfHd

The Week Ahead….ANC6C Considers Historic District for Union Market Warehouse District

And check out the photo updates on developments on Barracks Row here:  http://bit.ly/2co2uUs

By Larry Janezich

Tuesday, September 6

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

Among items on the agenda:

Commander’s Run, September 17, DC National Guard: Lt Col Derek L. Demby.

133 Kentucky Avenue SE, 2nd story addition atop rear porch.

310 4th Street SE, 2-story rear addition.

420 12th Street SE (Watkins Elementary School), renovations and addition: Department of General Services.

629 East Capitol SE, concept/alteration, new basement entrance, windows, and roof parapets.

1230 Pennsylvania Avenue SE & 1229 E Street, SE, development public space plan by SGA Companies Inc.

921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, addition of memorial marker.

210 C Street SE (Capitol Hill Day School), changes to playground.

1625 A Street SE, two story addition to an existing one-family dwelling in the RF-1 Zone.

133 Kentucky Avenue SE, 2nd story addition to the rear of an existing one-family dwelling in the RF-1 Zone.

1736 Bay Street SE, two story rear addition to the rear of an existing one-family dwelling in the RF-1 Zone.

Text Amendments, to Subtitle A §304 (Deviations and Modifications Permitted by Zoning Administrator’s Ruling) & Subtitle C §301 (Minimum Land Area for PUDs).

Status Report on ANC6B’s BZA Appeal No. 19275 Andromeda Substance Abuse Recovery Health Clinic.

2. ANC 6C Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee will meet at 7:00pm, at Capitol Hill Medical center/Kaiser Permanente, 700 Second Street, NE, 2^nd and G Streets, NE. (Note: The Committee will meet on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays)

Among items on the agenda:

Historic District nomination of Union Market Terminal – Union Market Terminal is a large complex of wholesale warehouse buildings occupying an approximately 40-acre tract of land located just east of the intersection of Florida and New York Avenues with Florida Avenue forming its southern edge and New York Avenue its northern border. In its entirety, the complex includes more than six squares of connected warehouse buildings that were constructed over the course of several decades from 1929 until the present.

The proposed historic district boundaries include only the core section of this larger complex, comprising two central rows of buildings lining 4th and 5th Streets, NE, and two smaller rows on Morse Street NE, south of and running perpendicular to 4th and 5th streets. This core grouping includes architecturally uniform warehouse buildings that were constructed in the first years of after the 1929 establishment of the complex. Representative: Rebecca Miller, DC Preservation League.  See WaPo backgrounder here:  http://wapo.st/2c3j5fu

220 L Street, NE.  Application of JS Congress Holdings, LLC, requesting approval of a consolidated PUD and related zoning map amendment for property located at 220 L Street, NE, and 1109-15 Congress Street, NE.  The Property is bounded by L Street, NE, to the south, Congress St NE to the west, a public alley to the east, and private property to the north.

The Property is currently improved with two structures, which will be replaced with a new mixed-use building comprised of residential uses and production, distribution, and repair (“PDR”) space. The PUD will provide approximately 59,254 square feet of residential use (including penthouse space) and approximately 3,580 square feet of PDR uses. Of the total residential gross floor area, the Applicant will dedicate 8%, or 4,740 square feet, to inclusionary zoning units, or approximately five units. The Applicant will devote two IZ units to households earning up to 50% of the area medium income (“AMI”); the remaining three units will be set aside for 80% AMI households. CastroHaase+Brown PLLC.

400 Florida Ave. NE.  Application of EAJ 400 Florida Avenue, LLC, for approval of a consolidated PUD and related zoning map amendment for the property bounded by a public alley to the north, 5th Street, NE, to the east, Florida Avenue, NE, to the south, and 4th Street, NE.

The Property is currently improved with two two-story structures and is otherwise unimproved. The Applicant proposes to raze the existing structures in connection with redevelopment of the Property to construct a new mixed-use building composed of residential and hotel uses. The PUD will include a total of approximately 98,836 square feet of residential use (110 units, plus or minus 10%) and approximately 65,540 square feet of hotel use (164 rooms). Of the total residential gross floor area, the Applicant will dedicate six percent to households earning up to 50% of the area medium income (“AMI”) and another six percent to households earning up to 80% of the AMI.

3. ANC6C Parks and Events Committee will meet at 7:00pm at Capitol Hill Medical Center/Kaiser Permanente, 700 Second Street, NE, 2nd and G Streets, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

NoMa Parks – Discussion with NoMa Parks Foundation concerning the status of NoMa parks.  Representative:  Stacie West, NoMa Parks Foundation.

REI Opening – Discussion with REI concerning events and activities associated with the grand opening of REI’s new flagship store in NoMa October 21- 23rd.  Representative:  Matt Liddle, REI.

Wednesday, September 7

1. ANC6B Transportation Committee will meet at 7:00pm, at Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

Among items on the agenda:

Review of DDOT Proposed Rulemaking to Revise the Residential Parking Permit System.

Review of DDOT signal synchronization process along Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

Request DDOT to install light fixture in the alley behind 700 block of I Street, SE.

Thursday, September 8

1. ANC6A meets at 7:00pm at Miner Elementary, 601 Fifteenth (15th) Street, NE

Among items on the agenda:

Presentations:

Robert White, Candidate, D.C. Councilmember At-Large.

Commander Morgan Kane, First District, Metropolitan Police Department.

Letter to DDOT in support of the request that they use brick when working on the sidewalk on the 800 block of A Street NE to be consistent with the other sidewalks in the adjacent area.

Letter to DDOT in support for a petition requesting a DDOT safety evaluation of the intersection at 8th Street, NE, and West Virginia Avenue, NE.

Letter to DDOT in support of a petition requesting a safety evaluation at the intersection at 10th Street, NE, and Massachusetts Avenue, NE.

Letter to DDOT in support for having a dedicated line for the streetcar on K Street, NW, due to the benefit it will provide for service for residents of ANC6A and other users of the streetcar.

Letter to Bureau of Zoning Adjustment in support of the PUD for a landuse designation change from the existing C-2-A to C-2-B in order to develop the property at 1701 H Street, NE.

Letter to HPRB in support of the concept/construction of two (2) story carriage with roof deck at 313 11th Street NE, pending receipt of letters of support from adjoining neighbors.

Consideration of HPRB review of proposed third story addition to 1116 Constitution Avenue NE.

2. ANC6B Alcohol Beverage Control Committee meets at 7:00pm at the Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

Among items on the agenda:

Ziaafat Grill & Restaurant, 1102 8th Street SE, new Class C Restaurant license with sidewalk café endorsement.

Matchbox, 517 8th Street SE, withdrawal of protest on renewal of Class C license.

Ted’s Bulletin, 505 8th Street SE, withdrawal of protest on renewal of Class C license.

District Taco, 656 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, substantial change for sidewalk café with seating for 10 with sales/service 8am to 9pm, Sunday thru Saturday.

Report on the Status of ANC 6B License Renewal Protests: Good Stuff, Bearnaise, and We the Pizza; Hank’s on the Hill; Ambar; and Matchbox and Ted’s Bulletin.

3. ANC 6C Transportation and Public Space Committee will meet at 7:00pm at                Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center, 700 2^nd Street, SE.

Among items on the agenda:

501 H Street, NE, public space plans and traffic control plans.

Constitution Square traffic control plan.

Recommendation for DC to take ownership of two alley lots.

Maryland Avenue redesign – median reduction on 600 block.

New parking regulations (including Resident Only rules).

The Week Ahead…..Things Are Picking Up

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, August 30

ANC6B Executive Committee meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center to set the agenda for the September meeting of the full Commission.

Thursday, September 1

PSA 107 (Police Service Area) meets at 7:00pm at SE Library (lower level), 403 7^th Street, SE.

Friends of Southeast Library (FOSEL) meet at 5:30pm in Southeast Library.  Anyone wishing to join the Friends is welcome to attend.

Editorial: The GSA Massacre Should Spell the End for Bowser

by Larry Janezich

Editorial:

Department of General Services Director Admiral Chris Weaver resigned rather than fulfill a request by City Administrator Rasheed Young that he fire two employees involved in the contracting process which failed to award contracts to a major Bowser contributor.  That was on August 12.  On August 15, the city placed the two employees on administrative leave.

This WAMU story (link below) claims that the resignation/placing-on-leaves at the Department of General Services were directly related to the failure of DGS to award contracts to Bowser’s contributor, Fort Meyer Construction.  The story does not surprise those of us who followed the awarding of the contract for the Hine Development.  If true, it should spell the end of Muriel Bowser’s political career….or maybe, it’s just “Forget it, Jake.  It’s Chinatown.”

When was the last time a DC Government official resigned over a matter of principle?  You have to salute Chris Weaver’s Richardson/Ruckleshaus-Watergate-Saturday-Night-Massacre style resignation – and you remember how well that worked out for the chief executive.

Enough is enough.

See the WAMU story here:  http://bit.ly/2bOH5Vt

The Week Ahead….And Photo Essay – King’s Court Community Garden

By Larry Janezich

King’s Court Community Garden occupies much of the interior of the 200 block of 14th and 15th Streets, SE.  The garden comprises 32 plots of differing shapes and sizes.  Long time Hill East Resident Pat Taylor, one of the founders of Capitol Hill’s community gardens, chairs the King’s Court Community Garden Board.

For more on Capitol Hill Community Garden’s see Catherine Plume’s Hill Rag article here: http://bit.ly/2bIgsRX

Also, check out the update on Life on Capitol Hill – link at the top of the home page.

Monday, August 22

ANC 6A Community Outreach Committee meets at 7:00pm at Maury Elementary School, Multi-Purpose Room, 1250 Constitution Avenue, NE (Enter from 13th Street) to discuss ANC 6A Grants and process.

…….And the rest of the week is dark.

City Advances Shotgun House Project – Sends Shakespeare Plan Back to Drawing Board

(Also, click of Life on Capitol Hill on the Home Page to see updates)

by Larry Janezich

At its July 28 meeting the Historic Preservation Review Board advanced the plan to reconstruct the Shotgun House at 1229 E Street, SE, and found the new mixed use residential and retail project proposed by SGA Architects at 1230 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, to be compatible with the Capitol Hill Historic District.  The vote was unanimous, 6 – 0.

For the shotgun house addition, the Board asked at its August 4 meeting, that the “proportions of the fenestration continue to be refined and the height of the roof be lowered; for the new construction on Pennsylvania, the Board asked that the size of the penthouse be reduced to the greatest extent possible, and that the design of the garage door continue to be refined.  It was recommended that the applicant work with HPO on evaluating the potential for archaeological resources on the site.”  Final approval was delegated to HPO.  Vote:  6-0.  See CHC post on the projects here:  http://bit.ly/29buF8j and here: http://bit.ly/29O9X1Z

Michael Oxman’s proposal for a mixed use retail, office, residential project at 507 8^th Street – currently used by the Shakespeare Theater as rehearsal space, did not fare as well before the board.

The Board found “the concept of adding a two-story addition of this size and visibility from the 8th Street, SE, right-of-way to be incompatible with the character of the historic district and advised the applicant to reduce the addition such that it will be smaller and less visible from the 8th Street, SE, right-of-way and return to the Board for further review.” The vote was unanimous, 7 – 0 .   (See earlier CHC post on the project here: http://bit.ly/29XUNYi

Final List of ANC Candidates for Ward Six

by Larry Janezich

The close of business yesterday August 10, was the deadline for ANC candidates to file their 25 signature petitions with the DC Board of Elections.  Candidates must be registered to vote and have resided in their Single Member Districts (SMDs) for 60 days (since June 11, 2016) in order to qualify to stand for election and gather the signatures of at least 25 residents who are also registered residents of their SMDs.

The general election day is Tuesday, November 8.  Qualified electors may register to vote and/or cast ballots for their precincts at the polling places for their precincts.

The following current Ward Six ANC commissioners are not seeking re-election: 

ANC6A:  Omar Mahmud 6A01

ANC6B:  Daniel Chao 6B07

ANC6C:  Daniele Schiffman 6C01, Tony Goodman 6C06

ANC6D:  Marjorie Lightman 6D01, Stacy Cloyd 6D02, Rachel Reilly Carroll 6D03

ANC6E:  Kevin L. Chapple 6E02, Rachelle Nigro 6E04, Antonio Barnes 6E06, Alfreda S. Judd 6E07

List of incumbent Ward Six ANC Commissioners and candidates

6A01 Omar Mahmud (incumbent) not seeking reelection

6A01 Marie-Claire Brown

6A02 Phil Toomajian (incumbent)

6A03 Michael B Soderman (incumbent)

6A03 Gil Thompson

6A04 Matt Levy (incumbent)

6A05 Yair Inspektor

6A05 Patrick Malone (incumbent)

6A06 H.J. Amons Sr.

6A06 Peter Grant

6A06 Stephanie Zimny (incumbent)

6A07 Sondra Phillips-Gilbert (incumbent)

6A08 Calvin Ward (incumbent)

*

6B01 Jennifer E Samolyk (incumbent)

6B02 Diane Hoskins (incumbent)

6B03 James M Loots (incumbent)

6B03 Brian Ready

6B04 Kirsten Oldenburg (incumbent)

6B05 Steve Hagedorn (incumbent)

6B06 Nick Burger (incumbent)

6B07 Daniel Chao (incumbent) not seeking re-election

6B07 Aimee M. Grace

6B08 Chander Jayaraman (incumbent)

6B09 William Reed

6B09 Daniel Ridge (incumbent)

6B10 Cam Norris

6B10 Kathryn Denise Krepp (incumbent)

6B10 James Zeigler

*

6C01 Daniele Schiffman (incumbent) not seeking reelection

6C01 Christine Healey

6C02 Karen Wirt (incumbent)

6C03 Scott Price (incumbent)

6C04 Mark Eckenwiler (incumbent)

6C05 Chris Miller (incumbent)

6C06 Tony Goodman (incumbent) not seeking re-election

6C06 Heather Edelman

6C06 Graham Smith

*

6D01 Marjorie Lightman (incumbent) not seeking re-election

6D01 Gail Fast

6D01 Wes Ven Johnson

6D01 Martin Welles

6D01 Dorinda “Rindi” White

6D02 Stacy Cloyd (incumbent) not seeking re-election

6D02 Paul Biedlingmaier

6D02 Tori L. Collins

6D02 Cara Lea Shockley

6D03 Rachel Reilly Carroll (incumbent) not seeking re-election

6D03 (no candidate)

6D04 Andy Litsky (incumbent)

6D05 Rebekah Caruthers

6D05 Dana Lutenegger

6D05 Katelynd Mahoney

6D05 Roger Moffatt (incumbent)

6D06 Rhonda Natalie Hamilton (incumbent)

6D07 Meredith Fascett (incumbent)

6D07 Kathy Newman

*

6E01 Alexander M. “Alex” Padro (incumbent)

6E02 Kevin L. Chapple (incumbent) not seeking re-election

6E01 Mary A. Sutherland

6E02 Anthony Brown

6E02 Valerie Randolph

6E02 Eugene Simms

6E02 Leroy Thorpe

6E03 Kenneth James

6E03 Frank S. Wiggins (incumbent)

6E04 Rachelle Nigro (ncumbent) not seeking re-election

6E04 Lily Roberts

6E04 Sterlicia Rodney

6E04 Mohammed Seid

6E04 Phil Tsolakidis

6E05 Marge Maceda (incumbent)

6E05 Alex Marriott

6E06 Antonio Barnes (incumbent) not seeking re-election

6E06 Alvin Judd Sr.

6E07 Alfreda S. Judd (incumbent) not seeking re-election

6E07 Kevin M. Rogers