Category Archives: Uncategorized

Mayor Offers Hope on Hill East Boys and Girls Club Development

by Larry Janezich

Mayor Bowser took a 90 minute stroll through Hill East Tuesday afternoon, accompanied by CM Charles Allen, ANC6B Commissioners Denise Krepp, Chander Jayaraman, and Daniel Ridge, plus a slew of DC Agency representatives including DC Department of Energy and Environment chief, Tommy Wells. The walk was part of a series of Ward tours by the Mayor.

Bowser, coming face to face with the embarrassing Hill East Boys and Girls Club, asked, according to Allen, “Can’t we do something about this?”

Bowser decided what she could do is sit down with Allen and the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and figure out the “next step forward” on redevelopment of the long abandoned Club at 17^th and Massachusetts Avenue, SE.  Bowser stressed the need for community input, in particular, hearing what the neighbors don’t want at the site.

Allen later told CHC that he was “heartened” that the Mayor came into the community and saw firsthand some of the issues and challenges facing the community.  Asked how a new approach on the Boys and Girls Club might differ from the last failed attempt to redevelop the property – a plan which the Department of General Services (DGS) withdrew after considerable neighborhood opposition – Allen said that the last proposal was handled by the DGS whose job is not redevelopment of public property.    He suggested that DMPED was better able to consider the broadest range of possibilities as well and develop a more flexible Request for Proposals for development. For more on the failed development proposal for the B&G Club, see here:  http://bit.ly/2crh6Ty

Asked for reaction, ANC Commissioner Daniel Ridge, in whose ANC single member district the Club resides, said, “This is the culmination of recent concerted efforts between executive agencies, Councilmember Allen’s Office, neighbors, and ANC Commissioners. There is no question that we can find a way to transform B&G into a jewel on the Hill that brings jobs, meaningful amenities, and thoughtful programming to the neighborhood. A challenge is to get it done before an entire generation grows up with an abandoned shell.”

Long-time former ANC6B Commissioner and continuing Hill East activist Francis Campbell pressed the Mayor to consider redeveloping the site to provide affordable and senior housing, pointing to the lack of both in the neighborhood.  Campbell has been working for a decade for the redevelopment of the Club.  He gives credit to Bowser for “actually coming out and taking a look at the issues” that he has been working on for so many years –  “None of her predecessors did that.  Whether or not something might happen as the result….it would be nice to see, but I’m cautiously pessimistic that nothing will get done.”  Campbell says he is irritated that it took gentrification of Hill East to get the attention of the Mayor’s office – the issues of addressed on today’s tour – including the Boys and Girls Club – “didn’t become issues until the neighborhood started to change.”

City Council Chair Mendelson Purchases Hill East Home Across From Watkins School

by Larry Janezich

City Council Chair Philip H. Mendelson purchased a home at 1239 E Street, SE, across from Watkins Elementary School, according to the Washington Post listings of recently sold properties. See here: http://wapo.st/2cPXRac  The sales price was $1.1 million, well over the original asking price of $998,000.

According to real estate ads the home has five bedroom and 2.5 baths, and totals 2,700 square feet plus some 800 square feet of unfinished storage space.  The former multi-family house was built in 1908 and renovated in 2006 “into a grand and spacious single-family home designed for lavish entertaining and luxurious living.”

The immediate area is virtually exploding with development.  There are four condo/apartment projects currently under construction or being planned within a block of 1239 E Street, including Insight Development’s Buchanan School http://bit.ly/2cpmcAn, and “Bowie Site’ http://bit.ly/1TsgfOV, OPaL LLC’s Watkins Alley http://bit.ly/2bYJltK, and SGA Architect’s Capitol Courts micro apartment project  http://bit.ly/29buF8j. In addition, the SE Safeway adjacent to the Buchanan School project has solicited bids for redevelopment into a retail and residential mixed use building.  http://bit.ly/2ckTfHd.

The Week Ahead….Meet Commander Morgan Kane, Newly Assigned to MPD’s 1^st District

Also: see here for photo updates to “Life on Capitol Hill”:  http://bit.ly/2co2uUs

by Larry Janezich

Monday, September 12

ANC6D meets at 7:00pm at 1100 4^th street, SW, DCRA 2^nd Floor Meeting Room.

Among items on the agenda:

Southwest Business Improvement District Updates

The Wharf Updates

BZA #19323 – Application of Christopher D. French for special exceptions from the lot occupancy requirements to add a third-floor addition to an existing two-story, one-family dwelling at premises 929 5th Street, SE.

Tuesday, September 13

1. ANC6B meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

Among items on the agenda:

Presentation – Marc Battle, Vice President, Pepco

Presentation – DC Statehood, DC Mayor’s Office of Federal & Regional Affairs

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

921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, addition of memorial marker at Hill Center

Review of DDOT Proposed Rulemaking to Revise the Resident Parking Permit System

Status Report on ANC6B’s BZA Appeal of the DCRA granting of an occupancy permit to Andromeda Substance Abuse Recovery Health Clinic.

2. Police Service Area (PSA) 104 public meeting, 8:00pm, Pilgrim Baptist Church, 700 Eye Street, NE.

Wednesday, September 14

1. ANC6C meets at 7:00pm at the Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE

Agenda not available at press time.

Thursday, September 15

1. Police Service Area (PSA) 108 meets at 7:00pm at Liberty Baptist Church, 527 Kentucky Avenue, SE.
2. CHRS Preservation Café meets at 6:30pm at Ebenzers Coffee House, 2nd & E Streets, NE. Local contractor Gary Barnhart will compare the characteristics of modern and traditional building materials and techniques http://chrs.org/modern-traditional-building-materials-preservation-cafe/

DC Restaurateur Xavier Cervera Back as Owner of Eight Capitol Hill Restaurants

by Larry Janezich

Xavier Cervera and his partners are back in business as owners of the string of eight restaurants located on Capitol Hill and near the Nationals Park that were sold to a Boston equity firm in December of 2012, (update)  as first reported by Hill Rag, here:  http://bit.ly/2cO1YDU

When profits began to sag under the new ownership, Xavier Cervera was brought back as a consultant to right the listing ship.  Fifteen months later, in March of 2014, when the buyers defaulted on a payment, they filed bankruptcy, which prevented ownership from passing back to the Cervera group under terms of the sale.

A year later, in March of 2015, Katy Stech reported in the Wall Street Journal that the bankruptcy case filed by the Boston group had been settled out of court, but was unable to report on the details of the settlement or “who won.” That report stated the original components of the sale were $4.5 million up front and another $9.7 million over time, with the provision that if the buyers missed a payment the sellers could take back the restaurants.  Stech reported that out of court negotiations lead to a restructuring of the debt and the court subsequently dismissed the bankruptcy case at the owners’ request.

Today, it’s clear that the ultimate winner was the Cervera group, which has ended up with ownership of the restaurants.  On August 30, 2016, Cervera and his partners received notice from Barracks Row Holdings that they were unable to meet their financial obligations and they intended to turn control of the restaurants back to the Cervera group, effective immediately.

(Actual transfer of ownership back to the original owners requires approval of lenders, landlords, and the D.C. Government, but Cervera and his partners don’t anticipate any major delays or issues with that process.)

Capitol Hill Corner asked Cervera to comment and received the following statement from Capitol Hill Attorney James Loots, who represents Cervera and his partners:

“The latest default and surrender of the restaurants came as a surprise to Xavier and his partners, who have been working with Barracks Row Holdings over the years to avoid exactly this situation.  However, now that it’s happened I know that Xavier is excited and looking forward to bringing the standard of quality for these restaurants to a higher level than ever.”

“We are continuing to work with Barracks Row Holdings and its attorney in order to assure a smooth transition and change in ownership.”

Loots is also the Advisory Neighborhood Commission representative whose single member district includes the businesses on the west side of Barracks Row.

Upon receiving notice from Barracks Row Holdings that they intended to give up the restaurants, Cervera, who now lives in a small town in Maine where he is pursuing other development interests, returned to DC, driving all night, to make sure the restaurants didn’t close the next day and to start rebuilding the businesses.  That effort will include improvements such as new menus, renovations, and the return of former staff members as well as bringing new employees on board.  One of his first steps will be to temporarily close Lola’s Barracks Bar and Grill and begin a major refurbishment of the interior.

The eight restaurants include The Hawk & Dove, Lola’s Barracks Bar & Grill, Molly Malone’s, Pacifico Cantina, Senart’s Oyster House, the Chesapeake Room, and the two outlets near the National Stadium, Park Tavern and Willie’s Brew and Que.  (A ninth restaurant – Boxcar – was sold back as part of the bankruptcy restructuring and has been operated independently since early 2015.)

For the March, 2015, WSJ article, see here:  http://on.wsj.com/2bYuOeo

For previous posts on CHC, see here:  http://bit.ly/2cAwJr4 http://bit.ly/2cx9MpS http://bit.ly/2cLRNhM

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