Category Archives: Uncategorized

Capitol Hill​ 911 Call on Double Shooting Last Week Went Unanswered

​ANC and Local 1D MPD Commander Hear Resident’s Story​

by Larry Janezich

At last night’s ANC6B May meeting, a resident complained to District One Commander Jeff Brown that her calls to 911 to report the double shooting last Thursday night at 17th and Independence  went unanswered.   “Nobody answered, “ she said, adding, “I stayed on the line several minutes and was put in a holding pattern.  What do we do for emergency service?”

Brown was quick to point out that residents who call 911 are calling a city agency – the Unified Communications Center (UCC) – and are not calling a police officer.  He said that all calls are recorded, and if residents are put on hold, they should take the date and time and officials can go back and investigate why.

The UCC, which until May 3 was under the direction of Jennifer Greene, was opened in 2006 on the campus of the St. Elizabeth’s Hospital site.  Its website states, “The UCC receives and processes calls to 911 and the District’s customer service line, 311. During major emergencies, the center becomes the District’s Emergency Operations Center (Mayor’s Command Center) and provides a central location for multiple agencies to address any variety of situations.”

Greene, a former MPD commander, was fired by Mayor Bowser last week after much public criticism of the agency’s failure respond to emergency calls in a consistent and reliable manner,​ and after Greene made several public missteps.  Chris Geldart, the director of D.C.’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), was named to oversee the Office of Unified Communications until a new Director is appointed.

At Tuesday night’s ANC meeting, Commissioner Denise Krepp insisted that the commission send a letter to the Mayor, Charles Allen, and other city officials expressing concern,  and she successfully inserted the item ​into last night’s agenda.

Lending support to resident’s concerns, Commissioner Jennifer Samolyk recounted her own experience last week related to an inordinately long response time to a night time emergency at her home.

The Commission subsequently voted 10 – 0 to send a letter which will be drafted by Krepp and vetted by the full commission.  Commissioner Brian Flahaven, noted the presence at last night’s meeting of Commander Brown, Lt. Dykes, and representatives from Mayor Bowser’s office and the office of Counclmember Charles Allen, and said he was confident that the people who needed to know about the commission’s concern were already aware of it.

Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services representative Seth Shapiro rose to offer assurances that the ANC’s message had been received and would be conveyed to the Mayor.

Flahaven, as Chair of ANC6B’s Community Outreach and Constituent Services Taskforce, has recently supported undertaking an initiative to open lines of communication and better liaison with District One MPD.

Barracks Row’s Las Placitas To Give Way to Matchbox Expansion Plans

Character of Capitol Hill Continues to Changes As Higher Rents Attract Richer Clients

by Larry Janezich

The owner of the building housing Barracks Row institution that is Las Placitas at 517 8^th Street, SE, will not renew the restaurant’s lease when it expires in October, and Matchbox – located next door – will expand into the space.

Matchbox Food Group co-owner, Drew Kim, told CHC, “Matchbox Capitol Hill is reinvesting back into the community and neighborhood after six years on Barracks Row.  We will be expanding our bar and seating and offering space for small groups.  We are doing this under the support of the previous tenant.  We also listened to our regulars and are adding in…more bathrooms!”  After renovation this fall, the new space will open in the first quarter of 2016.

Las Placitas opened on Barracks Row in 1990, at a time when 8^th Street was a risky destination for residents.

Matchbox, which is laying plans for a national expansion, owns 12 restaurants in the area – three on Barracks Row: Matchbox, Ted’s Bulletin, and DC-3.  What is now Matchbox Food Group opened its first restaurant in Chinatown in 2002.

Las Placitas is the latest in a trend of retail and older bar/restaurants giving way to higher paying establishments.  Examples include Homebody, Frame of Mine, Sneed’s Barbershop, and XOXO Cleaners.  Some of the older bars/restaurants, on the other hand, have fallen victim to national chain retail able to afford higher rents, such as Remington’s which will become a Sprint outlet and a 7-11 convenience store, and the L’l  Pub which was taken over by CVS.

The Week Ahead….Liquor License for Rose’s Luxury Companion Restaurant on Agenda

by Larry Janezich

Monday, May 11

ANC6D meets at 7:00pm at 1100 4t Street, SW.

Not surprisingly, an agenda was not available at press time.

Tuesday, May 12

1)  ANC6B meets at 7:00pm at Hill Center

Among items on the agenda:

Presentation by Metropolitan Police Department First District Commander, Jeff Brown

Liquor License renewals:

Hayden’s 700 North Carolina Avenue, SE

Chat’s Liquors, 503 8th Street, SE

Capitol Hill Wine & Spirits, 323 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

World Wine and Spirits 1453 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Albert’s Liquors, 328 Kentucky Avenue, SE

Gandel’s Liquors, 211 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Congressional Liquor, 404 1st Street, SE

JJ Mutt Wine & Spirits, 643 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

S&J Liquors, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue, SE

New Liquor License:

New license with sidewalk café endorsement for “Elaine’s” Aaron Silverman’s companion restaurant to Rose’s Luxury, opening in the location currently housing Homebody, at 715 8th Street, SE.  As first reported elsewhere on this blog Homebody will join with Forecast, across from Eastern Market on September 1.  The 715 8^th Street location for “Elaine’s” is owned by Nicky Cymrot, of Hill Center.

Public Space permit for an unenclosed sidewalk café for Souk, 705 8th Street, SE.

Letter to DDOT and DDOE on Green Alley Designation for Freedom Way.

2) PSA 104 meets at 7:00pm in JO Wilson Elementary School, 660 K Street, NE.

3) Maryland Avenue Pedestrian Safety Project Community Mmeeting at 7:00pm, Northeast Library, 330 7^th Street, NE.

Wednesday, May 13

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

Among items on the agenda:

Liquor License renewals:

Kogods, 441 New Jersey Avenue, NW

Union Wine and Liquor, 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, (Union Station)

Coast In, 301 Florida Avenue, NE.

Oasis Liquor, 1179 Third Street, NE.

New Liquor Licenses:

Nando’s Peri Peri, 411 H Street, NE.

Union Kitchen Market, 538 3rd Street, NE.

Discussion of PUD for multifamily housing at 315 H Street, NE.

PUD for retail and residential project at 320 Florida Avenue, NE.

Resident Parking Permit and Resident Only Parking issues.

2)  DC Sun hosts an info meeting to educate residents about solar energy and DC’s low income solar incentive program – 6:30pm, at the DC SUN office in La Casa Community Center,3166 Mt. Pleasant Street, NW.

(The District Department of Environment and DC Sustainable Energy Utility have partnered to jointly fund a low-income solar incentive program.  DC Sun will guide low-income homeowners on how to qualify and contact an authorized solar installer. In order to qualify for the program, a person must: 1) Own their home, 2) Make less than 30% of area medium income (roughly $60,000 for a household of 4), and, 3) Have a solar capable roof.

Even if you don’t meet these requirements, feel free to attend to learn more about solar energy or discuss D.C.’s low income solar energy policy and programs. For more information and to RSVP go here:  http://bit.ly/1F7Tlta

Thursday, May 14

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

Among items on the agenda:

Follow-up from Mayor Bowser’s office – Frank Maduro and Seth Shapiro.

Presentation by Argie Weatherington, Office of the Attorney General.

Liquor license renewals:

New H Wine and Spirits, 914 H Street, NE.

New York Liquors at 1447 Maryland Avenue, NE.

18th & D Liquors, 1806 D Street, NE.

7 River Mart at 250 11th Street, NE.

Jumbo Liquors at 1122 H Street, NE.

Grand Liquors at 409 15th Street, NE.

Discussion of and recommendations on changes to DDOT proposed new sign regulations

Letter to DDOT requesting that Linden Court be moved to the top of the ANC 6A alley-repair list.

Letter of support for preserving Wylie Garden

Letter to the new DDOT director requesting clarification and issuance of the rules for resident-only parking.

2)  CHRS Zoning Committee meets at 7:30pm, Kirby House, 420 10th Street, SE

Barracks Row’s Homebody to Relocate Across from Eastern Market in September

by Larry Janezich

Henriette Fourcade, owner of Homebody, the popular contemporary living retail outlet on Barracks Row, has announced the store will relocate to the lower level of Forecast, the women’s clothes boutique, at 218 7th Street across from Eastern Market.  Fourcade will be out of her current location by August 1, and hopes to open across from Eastern Market by September 1.

Homebody is closing the Barracks Row location at 715 8^th Street, SE, to make way for a sister restaurant to Rose’s Luxury.

Fourcade says that Forecast’s owner, Debbie Danielson, called her yesterday and told her she could not imagine Homebody going out of business, and offered Forecast’s lower half to Fourcade.  Homebody’s owner has been seeking space to relocate since February, when she learned her lease on the space would not be renewed.

Former Finley’s Boxing Club Now Home of EastSide Yoga

by Larry Janezich

The cultural shift brought by gentrification and changing demographics on Capitol Hill could not be more apparent than in the conversion of the legendary Finley’s Boxing Club to East Side Yoga.

The unpretentious façade of Tenth Street Auto Repair at 518 10th Street, NE, gives no clue that the second floor was once the location of the legendary fighting venue or its current repurposing into a ​yoga studio.  Despite the differences between the two, both hoped to serve the community from a largely residential setting – a quietly growing trend across Capitol Hill.

James Finley,​ who owned the auto repair shop, died on January 28, 2014.  But from 1960 until 2001 he operated a boxing club that reflected his passion and featured among those who trained there a long roster of world class and champion boxers, including Sugar Ray Leonard​ and​ Bob Foster​.​  ​A​t one time or another, Mike Tyson, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes dropped by, and Jazz legend Miles Davis would workout​ there​ occasionally.

In 2001, as rents increased and local residents’ interest in ​boxing ​​beg​an to decline and Finley saw clients turn from professionals to ​beginners wanting to learn basic skills and stay in shape​, ​Finley​ decided to​ close the ​boxing gym​.

Earlier this year, Alia J. Khan – who describes herself as a “recovering attorney​”​ – opened East Side Yoga where boxing once reigned.  She says the studio and the location are unique because of its size and because it is located in the heart of Capitol Hill – actually in the neighborhood, not on one of the main retail strips.

Neighbors who want a look as the space as it is now,​ and perhaps re​imagine​ the space as it once was​,​ will be able to check it out as part of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society House tour, on May 9th and 10th.

For more photos and details, see the studio’s website is here:  www.EastSideYogaDC.com

Tenants Signed for Douglas Development Building at 15^th and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

by Larry Janezich

According to the Douglas Development website for the mixed use retail/office building at 1442 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, two tenants – McCormick Paints and New York Pizza – have been signed to occupy the first floor retail space.  The site was acquired by Douglas in 2007 and the redevelopment was completed in December, 2013.  The website says the two story project has 13,139 square feet with abundant space for outdoor seating and the potential for a rooftop terrace.  Offices are planned for the projects second floor.  To see the project’s website, go here:  http://bit.ly/1K7X8pT

The majority of the first floor retail space will be occupied by McCormick Paints.  This will be the third paint store in SE Capitol Hill which already has Frager’s Paint Store at 12^th and Pennsylvania Avenue, and Duron Paints on Barracks Row.  It appears that McCormick’s will be the largest of the three.  NY Pizza is looking for a new home since the current site at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue is scheduled to be redeveloped by CAS Riegler who plans to put a six story 150 – 180 residential building on the site.  For a previous post on this development, go here:  http://bit.ly/1F6lYGl

Douglas Development has been steadily increasing its presence in SE Capitol Hill.  It is currently redeveloping a commercial project at 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.  DC Restaurateur Ari Gejdenson of Acqua al II has expressed interest in opening a ground floor specialty market at that location.  In addition, Douglas owns the building housing Pret a Manger at 3^rd and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE and the building housing District Doughnuts on Barracks Row.  For previous posts on Douglas Development Capitol Hill projects, go here:  http://bit.ly/1PiJJgo

Sunday Flea Market Expects To Move to 7^th Street With Minimal Loss of Vendors

Community Meeting Tonight Will Provide Details on Flea Markets and Hine Construction

by Larry Janezich

Sunday Flea Market operator Mike Berman says he’s not excited to move to the street on May 16, but he thinks it is workable.  He has a plan for reconfiguring the vendor space on 7^th street to maximize vendor space during each of the three construction phases (demolition, excavation, and construction) although at the cost of reduced retail space for vendors.  The operation will shrink to 66 spaces on Saturday, May 16, but Berman says he expects to accommodate all of his permanent people – those who have been with him a long time as well as many of his regular vendors.

The key, he says, is an agreement that market vendors will be able to set up on public space which the city has allocated to the Hine developers for construction space.  This includes a strip of grass between the Hine parking lot fence and 7^th Street which will allow for 21 additional vending spaces during the demolition phase.  That number could grow to as many as 40 during the excavation and construction phases through utilization of the sidewalk adjacent to the current Hine building on 7^th Street.

Without the use of this public space, Berman would have been faced with a substantial reduction in the size of his operation – as it is, he expects to lose only 12 – 20 vendors – some have decided not to make the extra effort involved in the move to the street, and some have decided to seek space as part of the weekend Eastern Market outside vendors who operate around Eastern Market and on7th Street between C Street and North Carolina Avenue..

Sunday Flea Market vans and trucks will park in the surface lot at 6^th and C Streets for a flat rate of $10 a day.  The same rate will be applied for smaller vendor vehicles and for public parking in the 100 spaces in the underground garage opening onto Pennsylvania Avenue next to Sizzling Express.

Berman says “the move to 7^th Street will help vendors by saying that everybody visiting Eastern Market has got to walk by the vendors – and it helps Eastern Market by creating a really festive street.”

More details will be forthcoming at a community meeting tonight at 5:30pm in the North Hall of Eastern Market.  Matthew Harris, Stanton EastBanc Hine project manager, will provide an update on the Hine redevelopment.Barry Margeson, Eastern Market Manager, (who will oversee the 7th Street  flea Market operations on behalf of the Department of General Services)will provide an update on the transition of the flea markets to their new location as well as provide updates on traffic flow and parking changes.

The Week Ahead…..

by Larry Janezich

Monday, May 4

ANC6C Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee meets at 7:00pm, at Kaiser Permanente Kaiser-Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center, 700 2nd Street, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

New license for Nando’s Peri-Peri, 411 H Street, NE.

New license for Union Kitchen Market, 538 Third Street, NE.

Renewal of license for Capitol Fine Wine & Spirits, 415 H Street, NE; Oasis Liquor, Inc., 1179 Third Street, NE; Union Wine and Liquor, 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE; Coast In Liquors,301 Florida Avenue, NE; and Kogod Liquors, 441 New Jersey Avenue, NW.

Monday, May 4

Community Meeting at 5:30pm in the North Hall of Eastern Market to update community on Hine Construction plans and move of Hine Weekend Flea Markets to 7^th Street.

Matthew Harris, Stanton EastBanc Hine project manager, will provide an update on the Hine redevelopment.

Barry Margeson, Eastern Market Manager, (who will oversee the 7th Street flea Market operations on behalf of the Department of General Services) will provide an update on the transition of the flea markets to their new location as well as provide updates on traffic flow and parking changes.

Monday, May 4

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

Tuesday, May 5

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

Among items on the agenda:

Public space request for a new un-enclosed sidewalk café for Souk, 705 8^th Street, SE.

Raze permit for Potomac Electric Power Co. structure at 732 7th Street, SE.

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Marine Barracks Washington, Bachelor Enlisted Quarters – comments deadline – Tuesday, May 26, 2015.

Tuesday, May 5

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

Among items on the draft agenda:

NoMa Parks informational session – Discussion with Stacie West, Director of Park Projects, NoMa Business Improvement District, concerning NoMa parks.

Miscellaneous – Discussion of  6C public school playground access, jurisdiction of Reservation 84, Peace Corps memorial.

Tuesday, May 5

North Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association (NLPNA) meets at 7:30 at Maury Elementary School, 13th St. and Constitution Ave. NE.

Wednesday, May 6

ANC6B Transportation Committee meets at 7:00pm, Hill Center.

Among items on the agenda:

Discussion on Office of Planning’s Southeast Boulevard Planning Study: Final Report.

Update on Department of Transportation’s SE Boulevard Feasibility Study.

Review of the DDOT Traffic Study involving the addition of a signalized pedestrian crossing on 11th Street between K and L Streets, SE.

Discussion of a Green Alley Designation for Freedom Way.

Wednesday, May 6

ANC 6C Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee meets at 7:00pm, Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center, 700 2^nd Street, NE.

Agenda not available at press time.

Thursday, Mary 7

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

Among items on the agenda:

License renewals for Hayden’s 700 North Carolina Avenue, SE; Chat’s Liquors, 503 8^th Street, SE; JJ Mutt Wine & Spirits, 643 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Albert’s Liquors, 328 Kentucky Avenue, SE; Capitol Hill Wine and Spirits, 323 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Congressional Liquor 404 1^st Street, SE; World Wine and Spirits, 1453 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Gandel’s Liquors, 211 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; S&J Liquors, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue, SE.

Elaine’s One LLC, 715 8th Street SE, new CR license with sidewalk café endorsement – this is the application for the new restaurant coming from the owner of Rose’s Luxury to the space currently occupied by Homebody.

Thursday, May 8

PSA 107 meets at 7:00pm in Southeast Library.

Thursday, May 8

Friends of Southeast Library meets at 5:30pm in Southeast Library.

Saturday, May 9

Opening of Apoptosis – a sculptural installation by Peter Krsko.  Reception at 7:00pm at The Fridge, 516 8^th Street, rear alley.

Hine Saturday Flea Market Starts Downsizing To One-Third Its Size

Community Meeting on Monday, May 4, Will Provide Details on Flea Markets and Hine Construction

by Larry Janezich

Visitors to the Saturday Flea Market on the Hine Parking lot today will get a preview of what to expect as the flea market downsizes in preparation for its move to 7^th Street starting May 16.

Saturday Flea Market operator Carol Wright says when the market moves to 7^th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and C Street, SE, on Saturday, May 16, the number of available vendor spaces will shrink from 155 – used by vendors allocated up to three spaces each for tents and parking to a much smaller number of 34 spaces for tents.

Wright says she will lose some vendors to other venues such as the Georgetown flea market.  She will allocate some spaces on 7^th Street on a regular basis to those vendors who have been with her longest.  Since demand for the remaining spaces exceeds supply Wright says she will allocate spaces to other vendors on alternate weekends to accommodate as many as possible.  Once on 7th Street, Vendors will be confined to one side of the 35 foot wide street, since the city will require a 20 foot fire lane to be kept clear of vending spaces.   After an initial six week transition period while the Hine building is demolished, vendors will pay for parking in nearby lots.

Deciding which vendors to accommodate in the downsizing has been a wrenching experience, Wright says, and neither she nor her vendors are certain how successful the new arrangement will be.  According to Wright, fewer vendors will attract fewer customers while less space for each vendor will mean fewer choices for those customers.

Sunday Flea Market operator Mike Berman faces similar issues and CHC will report how Berman expects manage the transition in a subsequent posting.

Clark Construction is scheduled to finish hazmat removal by May 16 – when that happens the Hine lot will close in order to permit demolition to begin.  Demolition could start as soon as May 18, and will start with the Hine buildings facing 8^th Street. Demolition is expected to take about six weeks.

Community Meeting on Monday, May 4 at 5:30pm in the North Hall of Eastern Market

Matthew Harris, Stanton EastBanc Hine project manager, will provide an update on the Hine redevelopment.

Barry Margeson, Eastern Market Manager, (who will oversee the 7^th Street  flea Market operations on behalf of the Department of General Services)will provide an update on the transition of the flea markets to their new location as well as provide updates on traffic flow and parking changes.

Hill East Neighborhood Coalition Pushes to Reopen Bidding on Boys and Girls Club

Capitol Hill Village Shows No Interest in Dantes/Menkiti Affordable Housing Proposal

by Larry Janezich

The Department of General Services timeline called for a decision on awarding the contract for development of the city- owned Eastern Branch Boys (and Girls) Club to be made in March.  But a well-organized group of nearby neighbors of the club – closed in 2007 – are petitioning Mayor Bowser to reopen the process for development of the site.  The group cited “little effort by DGS [Department of General Services] to collect feedback or input from the larger Hill East community” and a flawed DGS Request for Proposals (RFP) that resulted in a likely single viable proposal for developing the site – and even that proposal does not provide mixed income housing and exceeds square footage and height requirements under DC law.

In a letter to the Mayor being circulated in Hill East, the group states:

“Given all of these concerns and because this began before your administration, it seems like a great time and opportunity to restart the process, especially in light of your “OurRFP” initiative.  Accordingly, we are respectfully requesting that your office:

1) Review the matter with DGS; 2) Organize a meeting with DGS and the community; 3) Launch community surveys and input; 4) Revise the RFP with more potential uses and flexibility under your new “OurRFP” initiative.”​

The last point regarding revision of the RFP ​apparently refers to the 25 year time limit on the city’s lease of the site which effectively precludes conventional financing of the project.  The “OurRFP” initiative is Mayor Bowser’s new pilot community engagement effort that engages the community in a more active way prior to the city publishing an​ RFP ​for development of a city property. ​

​In the case of the Boys and Girls Club, the initial RFP for development produced only two proposals. ​ The first and – seemingly – the only remaining proposal from ​Dantes Partners/Menkiti Group​, ​is a plan to build 100% affordable housing subsidized directly through the federal government’s LIHTC program.  These 49 small units – that number made possible only by construction of a two story addition atop the existing building – would rent for a little more than $1000 a month.

The second proposal – from Century Associates – works within the existing structure and would provide 27 100% market rate units (two of which would be caregiver units) financed conventionally with no government subsidy.  This proposal does not, on its face, qualify for consideration by DGS, given that its market value units fail to meet a new city requirement that at least 30 percent of new residential projects on city-surplused land be affordable housing. This proposal has not been dis-qualified by DGS, and technically is still under consideration despite not meeting the 30% affordable housing mark.  .

A survey conducted by members of the neighborhood coalition shows most nearby residents favor the Century Associates plan over the Dantes/Menkiti plan, but would rather see a mix of larger affordable and market rate units in the building.  The survey also showed neighbors oppose the proposed additional two stories and larger number of small units proposed by the Dantes/Menkiti plan.

Meanwhile, Capitol Hill Village (CHV), who engaged early on in the process to try to serve as a catalyst between the city and potential developers, seems to have lost interest in the project as being of any benefit to its members.  Bill Sisolak, who participated in the process on behalf of CVH, told CHC that he thinks “the majority of members of Capitol Hill Village are looking for larger units – one, two, or even three bedrooms units – and it’s unlikely they would be interested in any of the units being proposed by Dantes Partners/Menkiti.” CHV is dedicated to the concept of providing options for “aging in place” for Capitol Hill residents.

ANC6B has gone on record in support of the Hill East community.  On March 12,  the commission voted 10 – 0 to send a strongly worded letter to DGS expressing its unhappiness with a RFP process which essentially left the community with a choice of only one redevelopment option for the Hill East Boys and Girls Club Building.

DGS’s response came in a March 30 letter to ANC6B.  Jonathan Kayne, interim director of the DGS, stated that his agency does not plan to re-issue its RFP for the Boys and Girls Club.

CHC reached out to Ward Six Councilmember Charles Allen today asking if he would support re-issuing the Boys and Girls Club RFP with a longer lease on the site, but received no response.

​ (This item has been added been added to CHC’s  “Ward Six Councilmember Watch” page – see the top of the Homepage.)​

As reported in numerous CHC posts, the dismissal of ANC and community concerns has become characteristic of city agency attitude toward the city’s residents.  With respect to how the process for development of city-owned properties unfolds, there have been other instances (e.g. see the original four proposals the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development submitted to the community for the Hine Development) where a city agency has used a developer’s proposal as a stalking horse.

As reported earlier on this blog, ANC Commissioner Brian Flahaven predicted that the decision on the Boys and Girls Club development would be a political one.  To this observer, this means the decision on awarding the Boys and Girls Club will depend on whether the Mayor and Councilmember Allen believe it is in their interest to do so.  Developers have the money.  Residents have the votes.

Residents who want more information on the group’s efforts to require DGS to reissue the RFP can contact Denise Daniel at:  denisemdaniel@hotmail.com

For previous posts on the Boys and Girls Club, go here:  http://bit.ly/1AHzvhL