Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

Monday, June 6

1. Capitol Hill Restoration Society Historic Preservation Committee meets at 6:30pm, Kirby House, 420 10^th Street, SE.

Tuesday, June 7

1. ANC6B Planning and Zoning Committee meets at 7:00pm at St. Coletta’s, 1901 Independence Avenue, SE.

Among items on the agenda:

Informal presentation of revisions to Frager’s site HP conceptual plans.

120 6th Street, SE, raze of 2-story carriage house and construction of 2-story carriage house.

622-624 North Carolina Avenue, SE, partial in-fill of dogleg and 3rd floor addition.

626 E Street, SE, façade alterations to non-contributing 3-story apartment building:

1237 (Rear) C Street, SE, conversion of alley warehouse into residential housing.

328 D Street, SE, Application for a special exception lot occupancy requirements, side yard requirements, and court requirements to allow construction of a rear addition to an existing one-family dwelling in the CAP/R-4 District.

Bullfrog Bagels, 317 7th Street, SE, sidewalk café.

Letter to DGS supporting removal of a tree outside Congressional Cemetery.

Signature/Bowie Development PUD application.  Insight E Street LLC.

2. ANC6C Parks and Events Committee meets at 7:00pm, Kaiser-Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center 700 2^nd Street, NE.

Agenda not available at press time

Wednesday, June 8

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

Agenda not available at press time

2. ANC6B Transportation Committee meets at 7:00pm, at Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

Among items on the draft agenda are the following:

Review of DDOT Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Street Lighting Improvements (tentative)

DDOT Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Signal Synchronization (tentative)

Thursday, June 9

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

Items on the agenda include:

Presentation:  Office of Unified Communications (OUC) – Karima Holmes, Director

Stipulated endorsement for a request by Dangerously Delicious Pies to increase its seating from 18 to 36.

Letter asking WMATA to complete the Stadium-Armory segment before the beginning of the next school year.

Letter to DDOT requesting a study at the intersection of 19^th and Benning Road, NE, to be combined with the study of 18^th and Benning Road, NE, and also requesting a pedestrian crosswalk on the west side of 19^th Street crossing Benning Road NE.

ANC 6A write a letter to the BZA in support of the application for a special exception from the use requirements to allow conversion of a two-story, one-family dwelling into a three-unit apartment house in the R-4 District at 1121 G Street, NE, with certain restrictions.

Letter to the BZA in support of the application for a variance from the off-street parking requirements to renovate and expand an existing apartment house at 11 15^th Street, NE, the C-2-A District with certain restrictions.

Letter to the BZA in support of the application for variances from the rear yard requirements, the court requirements, the off-street parking requirements and the HS overlay design and a special exception from the single-enclosure penthouse requirements to renovate an existing structure into an apartment building containing up to eight dwelling units with ground-floor retail at 1111 H Street, NE, with certain restrictions.

Proposed letter to City Administrator Rashad Young requesting issuance of DDOT regulations regarding the implementation of resident-only parking restrictions on our residential streets.

2. ANC6B Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee meets at 7:00pm, at Hill Center

Among items on the agenda:

Mr. Henry’s, 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, substantial change in hours.

Ambar, 523 8^th Street, SE, Renewal of Class C Restaurant license.

Tortilla Coast, 400 First Street SE, withdrawal of protest/renewal of Class C Restaurant License

Ted’s Bulletin, 505 8^th Street SE, Renewal of Class C Restaurant license.

Matchbox, 517 8^th Street, SE, Renewal of Class C Restaurant license.

DC-3, 423 8^th Street, SE, Renewal of Class C Restaurant license.

La Lomita Dos, 308 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Renewal of Class C Restaurant license.

National Democratic Club, 30 Ivy Street SE, Renewal of Class C Club license.

Hine Neighbors Fault Contractor/City on Construction Traffic-Safety Concerns

Express Worry that Qualifier Puts Community Day Care Benefit at Risk

by Larry Janezich

According to nearby residents of the Hine project, some critical construction traffic and safety provisions – agreed to by developer Stanton Eastbanc (SEB) – are being ignored by the contractor – Clark Construction.  The provisions are detailed in the Construction Management Agreement (CMA) hammered out with SEB by ANC6B and neighbors * most affected by the development.

Those neighbors have been organized as the Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) which meets monthly with the developer and the contractor to discuss construction management issues.  Part of the reason for the unhappiness is that the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) appears to have given the contractor the benefit of the doubt on construction traffic issues at the expense of the neighborhood.

Moreover, neighbors worry that if the heavily negotiated CMA is not getting due diligence, whether there is a chance that one of the chief community benefits the developer has pledged might be at risk.  (In return for zoning changes to allow greater height and density than city regs would otherwise allow, the developer agreed to provide certain benefits and amenities to the community as compensation, those having been detailed in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).)   Both the CMA and the MOA were included in the zoning order by the Zoning Commission as conditions of the zoning change.

Residents say that construction practices have deviated from the agreement in the following ways:

Staging – lining up – of trucks on 8^th Street adjacent to the construction site, not only north of Pennsylvania Avenue, but north of the 8^th and C Streets intersection.   The staging has created a dangerous intersection at 8th and C Streets.  Last week, CHC observed a construction truck which obscured the stop sign on 8^th Street the north side of the C Street intersection, and watched as a light truck headed south blew through the stop and across the pedestrian walk without slowing down.  No contractor flagman was present to direct traffic as required by the CMA.

Construction traffic on C and D Streets near the construction site.

Impeding access to the east-west alley between 7^th and 8^th Streets, on the north side of the site.

Working past 7:00pm and receiving deliveries before 7:00am.

Some of the concerns like blocking the alley and deliveries before 7:00am and working after 7:00pm, are specifically prohibited in the CMA, as well as a violation of city regulations.  Others, such as construction traffic and staging are of equal concern and more irksome owing to what some residents see as the city’s participation in abetting the transgression.  That abetting is made possible by a qualifier inserted into CMA language, i.e., “developers will make commercially reasonable efforts” to keep traffic and staging off streets in question.

With such an assertion, Clark applied for a staging permit for 8^th Street – taking over 25 parking spaces – and was granted one by DDOT.  The problem is, say residents, the contractor asserted that they needed 8^th Street, but offered nothing to prove they looked at alternatives – raising the question of how meaningful an agreement is when compliance depends on a third party.

The permit granted by DDOT allows staging from 7:00am until 3:30pm, but residents say the contractor uses 8^th Street for staging until 7:00pm.

Residents say it takes hours to get somebody from city agencies to respond to complaints and by the time an inspector does arrive, the issue is moot.

Regarding fears that flouting the CMA lays the ground work for disregarding the benefit provisions of the MOA there is the fact that the same qualifying language in the CMA which is causing grief on traffic and staging has been included in the MOA regarding one of the community’s major benefits.

As part of the zoning change process, SEB agreed to include in the Hine project no fewer than 2,400 square feet for a child development center serving no fewer than 24 0-3 year olds.  But, the MOA contains a qualifier:  “SEB will use commercially reasonable efforts to procure a suitable child care development center tenant.  After six months of commercially reasonable marketing efforts marked from the point of substantial building completion, if such tenant is not procured, SEB may market the identified space for another use.”

*ANC6B, Eyes on Hine, Hine School North Neighbors, Eastern Market Metro Community Association, Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee, and Market Row Business Community.

The Week Ahead….And Two Views of Eastern Market’s South Hall You’ve Never Seen

by Larry Janezich

Monday, May 30

Memorial Day.  No trash or recycling pickup.  Pickups will occur the day following the regular scheduled pickup for the balance of the week.

Tuesday, June 2

ANC6B’s Executive Committee meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center to set the agenda for the June 14 meeting of the full ANC.

Thursday, June 2

Democratic At Large Council Candidates Debate at 6:30pm at Tyler Elementary School, 10^th and G Streets, SE.  Candidates are:  Vincent Orange (incumbent), Robert White, and David Garber.  Denise Rolark-Barnes of The Washington Informer and Mark Seagraves of NBC4 will moderate.

Friday, June 3

1. ANC6B Planning and Zoning PUD Subcommittee meets at 7:00pm at Hill Center to review the PUD process for the Bowies/Signature PUD by Insight Property Group and to consider a draft Memorandum of Understanding.
2. East City Bookshop’ first book talk. Alan Furst, bestselling author of historical spy thrillers, will be interviewed by Talk of the Hill’s Bill Press on Furst’s new novel: A Hero of France.  7:00pm, 645 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

The New York Times has called Furst “America’s preeminent spy novelist” and his new book, A Hero of France (Random House, May 31, 2016) about the French Resistance, is his first book in a long time set during the war years, rather than the eve of World War II. In A Hero of France, a Resistance leader in Nazi-occupied France attempts to keep the line of escape open.

RSVP: http://hillcenterdc.org/home/programs/2884

Saturday, June 4

Free Dental Screenings, 11:00am – 2:00pm, Liberty Baptist Church, 527 Kentucky Avenue, SE, Pastor Anthony Owens.  Event is being hosted by the American Dental Group, Inc.

The Week Ahead….Eastern Market Committee Drills Down Into New Business Plan

And DC SafetyNet Launches Good Neighbor Campaign

by Larry Janezich

Monday, May 23

CANCELLED ANC6A Community Outreach Committee will meet at 7:00pm at Maury Elementary School, Multi-purpose room, 1250 Constitution Avenue, NE.  (Enter from 13^th Street.)

Among items on the agenda:

Community Presentations:

Events DC

KaBoom Playground (21st/C Streets) Update

Installation of Batting Cages on 19th & C

Community Walk with DDOT, DPW & Events DC to survey parking signage in

residential neighborhoods.

Volunteers Needed for June 6th 5:30pm Anacostia Riverwalk Clean-up

GRID Alternatives: Non-profit Solar Panel Company

Tuesday, May 24

DDOT meeting re 17^th Street, NE & 19^th Street, NE, Redesign.  6:30pm at Rosedale Community Center, 1700 Gales Street, NE.

See 17^th & 19^th Streets Redesign Plans here: http://bit.ly/1NFI365

Thursday, May 26

Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC).  The May meeting of EMCAC has been cancelled.  EMCAC’s Market Operations Committee chaired by Tom Kuchenberg will meet at 6:30pm in the upstairs conference room at Eastern Market.  The purpose of the meeting is to review EMCAC minutes of the presentation of Forest Hayes of the Department of General Services regarding a 5-year business plan for Eastern Market.  EMCAC will consider the report of the Market Operations Committee at its June meeting.

Hayes sent a letter to EMCAC which reads, in part:  “The Department of General Services (DGS) looks forward to working with your Committee, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, the Office of Councilmember Charles Allen, and the Market Row Association to develop a Scope of Work for an external contractor with expertise in facilitation and planning to engage the public in a series of sessions to:

1. Evaluate present and future opportunities and challenges;
2. Capitalize on these opportunities and identify potential solutions to the challenges;
3. Incorporate the opportunities, challenges, and solutions into a strategy;
4. Prioritize actions to be taken.

The end result of this public engagement process will be a Five-year Plan for Eastern Market that will inform the direction of the Market.”

Ed. Note:  DC SafetyNet launches Kind Cool Connected Campaign (KC3) to promote better relations between neighbors in communities, city wide. 

DC SaftyNet says of the new KC3 campaign: 

“While in the near term we may not be able to cure the cultural, sociological, environmental, or societal issues that underlie our disagreements, today we have the power to lessen their impact.

If we all agree to work together to change one small behavior for the good of our community and each other, we will make a difference. That behavior is the act of pleasantly greeting one another.

Addressing this – and encouraging everyone to greet each other in a friendly way – is a simple beginning that holds the promise of deeper connection, more intimacy, more trust, more of a foundation for addressing the bigger issues that challenge us. This is the vision of KC3.”

For morel, see here: http://bit.ly/1Tp0gHj

Rehab Center Proposes 300 Bed Facility for Lower Barracks Row Neighborhood

Councilmember Charles Allen and ANC6B Voice Strong Opposition

by Larry Janezich

Councilmember Charles Allen’s office has received a letter from Core DC LLC, a resident rehabilitation center, notifying him they had submitted a response to a Bureau of Prisons request for proposals (RFP) for a halfway house with up to 300 beds to be located at 810 Potomac Avenue, SE, a stone’s throw from the “Blue Castle.”

Allen’s response was to write a letter to the Bureau of Prisons expressing his strong opposition to the project.  In part, Allen’s letter reads, “Offender reentry services are of critical importance….However, we must work to strike the right balance between supporting these individuals and finding the appropriate location….The property at 810 Potomac Avenue, SE is not the right site.”

Allen listed a host of reasons for his opposition, citing incompatibility with the neighborhood, proximity to Richard Wright Public Charter School, uncertainty whether the proposed use is allowed under zoning regulations, and lack of support resources including employment, housing, and substance abuse treatment.

Further, Allen wrote, “I have discussed this proposal with the Metropolitan Police Department Commander for this area and share his serious concerns about the potential public safety impact of placing 300 or more returning citizens at this site.”

ANC6B weighed in last Thursday, stating their “unequivocal” opposition by a vote of 8 – 0.  The commission had concerns in addition to those expressed by Allen.

“There are two condo projects underway; one of them at 818 Potomac Avenue, the other a block north (801 Virginia Avenue). These will add about 85 residential units to the area. Soon to be completed is a 190-unit DC Housing Authority mixed income apartment building a block west.”

“A tavern/nightclub that serves the area’s LGBT community is located next door and an open-air beer garden is soon to open a block away. Some leave these establishments inebriated at early hours of the morning, causing disturbances. We are concerned about the addition of the RRC’s residents in this scenario and resulting impact on both populations.”

“In addition, the owner of the building has said that CORE DC does not have site control and is actively negotiating with a major tenant.”

ANC6B Chair Kirsten Oldenburg told CHC, “This is an egregious thing to do to lower 8^th, which is transitioning from being under-developed into a residential neighborhood.”

A representative from Allen’s office expressed frustration at the lack of transparency of the Bureau of Prisons who wouldn’t share what other responses to the RFP they had received or their timeline for making a decision.

A link to the Bureau of Prison’s RFP is here:  http://1.usa.gov/1VeWJKU

How Did Stanton/Eastbanc Get Away With Vinyl Windows In the Hine Project?

by Larry Janezich

At the end of an ANC6B meeting last week, ANC6B Chair Kirstin Oldenburg asked rhetorically, “How did they get away with putting vinyl windows in the Historic District?” – expressing surprise it had escaped the attention of “a certain member of the [Historic Preservation Review Board]”.  Another commissioner replied ironically, “Nobody cares.”

Capitol Hill Corner asked Steve Callcott, Deputy Preservation Officer, DC Office of Planning, about the vinyl windows.  Callcott replied:  “the [Historic Preservation Review] Board’s window standards for new construction are somewhat more flexible than they are for historic buildings.  Obviously a lot of design effort was put into all of the new buildings at the site, and I don’t think the compatibility of the proposal would necessarily hinge on the material of the windows.”  Asked to react to his opinion, ANC6B Commissioner Diane Hoskins in whose district the project lies said: “That’s such BS.  Residential neighbors are held to a higher standard, and it’s just not fair.”

Vinyl windows are being installed in the Hine project’s North Building, which contains most of the project’s affordable/workforce housing (34 of 46 units).   Mayor Muriel Bowser publicly expressed her disapproval of the segregation of these units in a separate building, but approved the project despite her reservations.

Buwa Binitie of Dantes Partners – who managed the Hine project’s affordable housing component – said that the reason for the segregation was that it was not feasible to combine low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) financing with conventional lending, so a stand-alone component with separate LIHTC financing was created.  One of the reasons Stanton Eastbanc was awarded the contract to develop the Hine site was that they proposed providing an amount of affordable housing far in excess of what was (then) required.  (Under today’s regulations, Stanton Eastbanc would fall short of the requirement for affordable housing in a project developed on public land).

As previously reported here on CHC, the separation of all LIHTC units into a distinct building and legal property allowed the project to qualify for the tax credits; if considered as one project, the Hine development falls short of LIHTC requirements.

The North Building is being constructed more cheaply – primarily of wood according to Type III Construction standards.  Hence the vinyl windows.  You won’t find vinyl window in the South Building built with conventional financing and constructed of steel according to Type I Construction standards.  According to the National Fire Protection Association, structures are divided into five construction types for the purposes of firefighting, and are listed from least combustible (Type I – high rises) to most combustible (Type V – most recent single-family homes).  Most city rowhouses are Type III.

The lower-grade building materials used for the stand-alone LIHTC building underscores the objections raised by many residents to segregating the majority of units in the first place.

Regarding distribution of affordable housing throughout the project, as mentioned before, 34 affordable units will be in the North Building.  Half (17) of the affordable units in the North Building will be reserved for seniors at least 55 years old; two of these units will be for seniors with incomes at or below 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and 15 will be reserved for seniors with incomes at or below 60% of the AMI.  (DC uses an AMI of $107,500, a figure inflated by including surrounding wealthy counties in its calculation.  Actual median income from just the District is closer to $60,000.)

Three of the 17 non-senior units will be reserved for households earning less than 30% of the AMI and 14 units are reserved for households earning less than 60% of the AMI.

With respect to layout, retail space for the North Building will be located on the first floor and in the basement.  The building will be four stories, and step down to three stories on 7th and 8th Streets.  Except for two units facing 8th Street, the residences will be located on the second, third and fourth floors.  Entrances to the retail will be on 7th Street and on the newly re-opened C Street between 7th and 8th Streets.  Entrances to the residential units and the main lobby will be on 8th Street and C Street.  Developers expect to complete construction on the North Building this fall.

Eastbanc principal Anthony Lanier did not respond to a request for comment on this posting.

For more on affordable housing see CHC post here:  Understanding “Affordable” Housing: the Cases of Hine and the Boys and Girls Club http://bit.ly/1Vb36is

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

Monday, May 16

1. ANC6A Transportation and Public Space Committee meets at 7:00pm at Capitol Hill Towers, 900 G Street, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

Councilmember Allen’s request to WMATA to adjust Metro closure

Request for traffic study at 19th Street and Benning Road, NE

Tuesday, May 17

1. ANC6A Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee meets at 7:00pm, Sherwood Recreation Center, 640 10th Street, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

Alcohol beverage license renewals for:

Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street, NE

Granville Moore’s, 1238 H Street, NE

Imm on H, 1360 H Street, NE

Maketto, 1351 H Street, NE

RedRocks, 1348 H Street, NE

Sally’s Middle Name, 1320 H Street, NE

H & Pizza, 1118 H Street, NE

Smith Commons, 1245 H Street, NE

2. Capitol Hill Restoration Society Board of Directors meets at 6:30pm, Capitol Hill Townhomes, 750 6^th Street, SE.

Among items on the agenda:

Report on 2016 House Tour

Wednesday, May 18

1. ANC6A Economic Development and Zoning Committee meets at 7:00pm, Sherwood Recreation Center, 640 10^th Street, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

1121 G Street, NE – Application for a special exception from the use requirements to convert a two-story, one-family dwelling into a three-unit apartment house in the R-4 District.

11 15th Street, NE – Application of Lock7 Development, LLC, for a variance from the off-street parking requirements under to renovate and expand an existing apartment house in the C-2-A District.

1111 H Street – Application for variances from the rear yard requirements under and a special exception from the single-enclosure penthouse requirements to renovate an existing structure into an apartment building containing up to eight dwelling units with ground-floor retail in the HS-R/C- 2-C District.

814 H Street, NE – Application, for a special exception from the fast food establishments requirements allow the operation of a new fast food establishment in the C-2-A District.

2. PSA 106 meets at 7:00pm, 200 Eye Street, SE, first floow. (ID required for entrance)

Agenda not available at press time.

3. Hillary for America is opens office at 1227 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE with Mayor Muriel Bowser, 5:00pm – 7:00pm, 1227 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.  RSVP (click link): https://www.hillaryclinton.com/events/view/NVSB2WIMONF3ZIRQ/

Thursday, May 19

1. PSA 108 meets at 7:00pm, Liberty Baptist Church, 527 Kentucky Avenue, SE

Agenda not available at press time.

Saturday, May 21

1. Sherwood Neighborhood Volunteers (SNV) Spring Cleanup, 12:00noon, Sherwood Recreation Center Park, 640 10th Street, NE. Join SNV for our annual spring gathering and help beautify the park.

Addressing the Ongoing “Quality of Life” Issues Around Eastern Market Metro Plaza

by Larry Janezich

ANC 6B’s Outreach and Constituent Services Task force, Co-chaired by Commissioners Diane Hoskins and Jennifer Samolyk, met with residents and community stakeholders on Monday night to address the issues of homelessness, vagrancy, pan handling, and drug abuse near Eastern Market Metro.

The goal of the task force was to provide a forum to discuss quality of life issues and to find ways to address concerns.  At the end of the meeting, it seemed clear that the approaches available, i.e., management and displacement, require committed on-going effort which provide limited short-term results, but do little to provide a long-term solution.

There are several reasons why those in need are attracted to the Eastern Market Metro Plaza area: the Metro Plaza transportation hub; available green space; public restrooms in Eastern Market and SE Library (and the library itself); and a well-off community, home to residents who sometimes give money to panhandlers.  In addition, there are many faith-based programs on Capitol Hill providing food and clothing to those in need.  Two neighborhood churches also provide meals:  Church of the Brethren at 337 North Carolina Avenue, SE, and Ebenezer United Methodist Church at 400 D Street.

As has been discussed before, clients of Community Connections, the nonprofit mental health agency located at 8^th and Pennsylvania Avenue, are blamed by many residents for some of the neighborhood’s most distressing quality of life issues.  On Monday night, Community Connection representatives Mimi Scotchmer and Ishan Heru said that the clinic had increased its security force to three persons, who rotate responsibility for touring the neighborhood hourly to identify clients who remain in the area and to determine how to address additional needs they might have.  In addition, the agency attempts to reach out to non-clients whose behavior may be problematic and to bring them into a program.

Although residents often turn to police to solve the quality of life problems, MPD First District’s Captain Mark Beach told attendees that “We can’t arrest our way out of this situation.”  Quality of life issues have a low priority from a police force that must address crimes of violence and property first.  Often, by the time police can respond to a nuisance crime, the problem is no longer an issue or the complainant is no longer on the scene.  Beach said the 25 calls per day the First District gets to deal with unconscious persons drain resources which could be better used elsewhere.  In addition, arrests for minor crimes result in only a few hours inconvenience for those arrested.

Barracks Row Main Street (BRMS), represented by Executive Director Martin Smith, is deeply concerned on behalf of Barracks Row businesses. Smith pointed out that persons perceived as problematic are afflicted by a number of overlapping issues:  mental illness, homelessness, income instability, and substance abuse.

Judging from Monday night’s meeting, his organization’s approach is to displace the problem, though many of the restaurants on Barracks Row are generous supporters of social service programs to help the city’s poorer residents.  BRMS has worked with owners of vacant buildings to board up fronts which are being used as overnight shelters by the homeless.  Smith said that landlords are sometimes reluctant to undertake architectural solutions to reduce the use of homeless persons using their business fronts for shelter, fearing pushback from the ANC.  He suggested the ANC be more proactive in reaching out to owners in an effort to coordinate solutions.

BRMS is also considering establishing collection boxes for people to make contributions to help the needy instead of giving money to pan handlers. In response to questioning, Smith also said BRMS had looked at hiring private security in the evenings for Barracks Row but so far had not been able to find a way to make it financially feasible.

A group of stakeholders who have a large investment in the community but who were not present at last night’s meeting were the representatives of the corporations who have outlets or franchises near the intersection.  Though invited, no one from 7-11, CVS, or Citibank showed up.  All three own or lease properties which are problematic, either because of uncaring landlords or indifferent management, or both.  Former ANC commissioner Ivan Frishberg expressed his frustration at the 7^th and Pennsylvania CVS’s unwillingness to address the problem posed by the group of men who gather daily on D Street behind the CVS and engage in alcohol and substance abuse.  Frishberg said, “There was human feces today on D Street by the CVS.  CVS refused to clean it up.  You guys (MPD and Community Connections) tell me all those things you’re doing. I’m surprised – I just don’t see it.”  Captain Beach pledged to do an assessment of the scene to see what MPD could do.

DC has a homeless population of about 12,000.  A 1996 analysis of data by the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients showed that over 60% of people who are chronically homelessness have experienced lifetime mental health problems.  According to the 2010 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report, over 80% have experienced lifetime alcohol and/or drug problems.

The major causes of homelessness in DC appear to be deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill under the Reagan administration, as well as redevelopment and gentrification and the resulting lack of affordable housing.

Commissioners and community problem-solvers at the meeting – as has been the case at others – gave little attention to the issue of drug dealing which takes place around Eastern Market Metro Plaza.  The matter remains of deep concern to the community, not only because of its clearly criminal nature, but also because it exacerbates the problems of those with behavioral issues who move in and through the Capitol Hill community.  The prevalence of so called “designer drug” designed to stay one step ahead of the law makes enforcement difficult.

 

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

Monday, May 9

1. ANC6D meets at 7:00pm, at DCRA, 1100 4th Street, SW, 2nd Floor.

Among items on the agenda:

Presentation:  Brenda Donald – Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services

CG Overlay Review, 1900 Half Street, SW

Forest City PUD Modification, F1 Block Cinema

2. ANC 6B Outreach and Constituent Services Task Force meets at 7:00pm, Hill Center.

Discussions will focus on the status of and solutions for vagrancy and pan-handling in and around the Eastern Market Metro plaza area (8th Street SE and Pennsylvania Avenue SE).  Invited speakers include Captain Mark Beach of MPD’s First District and representatives of Barracks Row Main Street, Community Connections and 7-11.

Tuesday, May 10

1. ANC 6B meets at 7:00pm at Hill Center.

Among items on the agenda:

Presentation:  Acting Director Karima Holmes, Office of Unified Communications (dispatchers for 911 calls)

Renewal of Alcohol Beverage Licenses for the following:

Capitol Hill Tandoor and Grill, 419 8th Street, SE;  The Ugly Mug Dining Saloon, 723 8th Street, SE; Lincoln Park Kitchen/Wine Bar, 106 13th Street, SE; Senart’s Oyster & Chop House, 520 8th Street, SE; Pacifico Cantina, 514 8th Street, SE; Molly Malone’s, 713 8th Street, SE; Chesapeake Room, 501 8th Street, SE; Talay Thai Restaurant, 406 First Street, SE; Bullfeathers, 410 First Street, SE; District Taco, 656 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Radici; 301 7th Street, SE; Montmartre/7th Hill, 327 7th Street, SE; Beuchert’s Saloon, 623 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; La Plaza Mexican Restaurant, 629 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Mr. Henry’s, 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Hanks Oyster Bar, 633 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Boxcar Tavern, 224 7th Street, SE; Sanphan Thai Cuisine, 653 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Tortilla Coast, 400 First Street SE; Ambar, 523 8th Street, SE; Medium Rare Barracks Row, 515 8th Street SE; Tunnicliffs Tavern, 222 7th Street SE.

Medium Rare Barracks Row, 515 8th Street SE, Revision to existing sidewalk cafe

2. Ward 6 meeting with Councilmember Charles Allen. The meeting will be hosted by the Washington Interfaith Network, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 206 New York Avenue, NW, Liberty Baptist Church is organizing a delegation to attend. If interested in participating as part of the Church delegation, please call or text Pastor Anthony Owers:  543.7894 or email: libertybaptistchurchdc@verizon.net

3. The upcoming PSA 104 meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 10 has been canceled to allow residents to attend the reception for the Channing Phillips, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, 6:00pm – 8:00pm, The Lobby Project, 1200 First Street, NE. Sponsored by NOMA BID and the First District Citizens Advisory Council.

Wednesday, May 11

1. ANC6C meets at 6:00pm (instead of 7:00pm) at the Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

Presentation:  Tamera Robinson – Board of Elections, new voting machines

Presentation:  Doug Klein, community prosecutor, First Police District

Presentation:  NoMa mural event

Presentation:  Council Member Charles Allen – update on the Councilmember’s initiatives and community input on priorities

Update on liquor license application for Wunder Garten, 131 M Street, NE

Liquor license renewals for Addis Ethiopian Restaurant, 707 H Street, NE; DC Harvest, 517 H Street, NE; Uni Bistro, 403 H Street, NE; JBG-Gallaudet 6th Street development project.

Skanska development project, NoMa meander

2nd and E Streets, NW, bus shelter safety issues

61 Pierce Street NE, public space application

816 6th Street, NE, application for a child care center

301-331 N Street, NE, PUD for a mixed-use project

2. Capitol Hill Village hosts CPR/First Aid Training. 11:00am, 760 6^th Street, SE.  All are welcome.  Please call or send email:  202 543-1778, or info@capitolhillvillage.org

Thursday, May 12

1. ANC6A meets at 7:00pm, Miner Elementary School, 601 Fifteenth Street, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

Presentation:  Courtney Snowden, Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity

Presentation:  Lt. Seth Anderson, PSA 104

Presentation:  Emily Bloomfield – Monument Academy

Renewal liquor license for Ben’s Chili Bowl, 1001 H Street, NE

Protest of the request for a substantial change in the liquor license of Sol Mexican Grill, 1251 H Street, NE,  for an increase in occupancy from 60 to 155, increase weeknight closing time from 11:00 pm to 2:00 am, increase weekend closing time from 2:00 am to 3:00 am, add entertainment weeknights from 6:00 pm to 1:00 am (previously none), and extend entertainment hours on weekends from 1:00 am to 2:00 am, unless an agreement with the ANC is reached regarding trash management prior to the protest date.

Renewal of liquor licenses for the following venues: Atlas Performing Arts Center at 1333 H Street, NE; Granville Moore’s at 1238 H Street, NE; Imm on H at 1360 H Street, NE; Maketto at 1351 H Street, NE; Redrocks at 1348 H Street, NE;  Sally’s Middle Name at 1320 H Street, NE; H & Pizza at 1118 H Street, NE; Smith Commons at 1245 H Street, NE.

Request for a sidewalk café for BAB Korean Fusion’s Restaurant at 1387 H Street, NE

Request for support for special exceptions at 920–922 H Street,NE, based on the revised design.

2. Capitol Hill Restoration Society’s Zoning Committee meets at 7:30pm, Kirby House, 420 10^th Street, SE.

Editor’s Note:  RFK Redevelopment

Events DC has put up a website with the proposed RFK redevelopment that allows for public comment. http://www.rfkcampusfuture.com