Category Archives: Uncategorized

DDOT’s Performance Based Parking Czar Jumps to Related Private Sector

Damon Harvey to Join Major Parking Company

by Larry Janezich

Last night at a briefing for ANC6B’s Transportation Committee, Damon Harvey, manager of DDOT’s Performance Based Parking Program, announced his departure from DDOT at the end of the month.  

He has accepted a position as Vice President with “a major parking company working here in DC” and will be dealing with national “public sector solutions” to parking issues.  He will relocate to Atlanta for the new job and has purchased a home there. 

Following his departure, day to day decisions regarding the Performance Parking Based Plan will be made by Angelo Rao, DDOT’s Citywide Program Support Manager, until a permanent replacement is appointed. 

The Performance Based Parking Program is part of the city’s efforts to regulate parking more effectively, encourage alternate modes of transportation and to increase revenue while doing that. 

In March 2008, Harvey began implementation of the Performance Based Parking Pilot Zone Act of 2008 in two DC neighborhoods – Columbia Heights in Ward 1 and Capitol Hill/Ballpark Distract in Ward 6.  In March 2012, the program was expanded to H Street, NE.  DDOT’s stated goals for the program are to protect resident parking by providing higher curbside parking meter rates and more stringent parking restrictions in residential neighborhood, help businesses by imposing meter rates and time limits in certain areas to encourage brief curbside parking with a high turnover rate, and to encourage walking, biking and transit use in lieu of auto travel.    DDOT is currently laying the ground work to take the program citywide starting later this year in the Golden Triangle District downtown. 

Rao, appointed in April of 2012, is responsible for managing DDOT’s parking and streetlight programs.  In 2012, Rao held a series of “Parking Think Tanks” in many city neighborhoods to allow residents to provide public input on parking issues.  The meetings culminated in a “Parking Summit” last December where resident’s voiced their frustration with parking problems and issues. 

DDOT is in the midst of overhauling its parking polices, with major changes to be announced on residential permit parking, visitor parking passes, and short term parking permits.  The bottom line is likely to be that the price of parking in DC for nearly everyone will increase – in many cases substantially.

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

Monday, July 1

ANC6B Transportation Committee will meet at 6:30pm at Hill Center to hear a status report on ANC6B’s extension of Performance Based Parking north of Pennsylvania Avenue and to hear a DDOT briefing on its new plan for sharing Performance Based Parking funds with the community. 

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

Tuesday, July 2

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

The agenda is pretty light.  Southeast Market, at 1500 Independence, SE, wants a special exception to zoning regulations in order to establish a deli counter in the grocery store.  There is also a request for a special exception to allow a third floor addition at 328 16^th Street, SE., and a couple of requests to approve rear additions, one at 1016 7^th Street, SE, and one at 535 6^th Street, SE.

Wednesday, July 3

ANC6B ABC Committee meets to consider modifying 19 settlement agreements which were negotiated and signed, only to have the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Board quibble over technical language and terminology which does not conform to city regulations.  ABRA wants all of the settlement agreements modified and re-signed.  There has already been considerable grumbling among ANC commissioners about this, and there will probably be more.

Heads Up for the Week of July 8

There will be TWO public meetings on July 8 from 7 – 10 pm and July 13, 10 – 12 am, at places TBA to begin the public discussion for the redesign of Eastern Market Metro Plaza.  As first reported on Capitol Hill Corner on April 24, a Barracks Row group has resurrected the plan for the Metro Plaza and Park https://capitolhillcorner.org/2013/04/24/barracks-row-group-resurrects-plan-for-redesign-of-eastern-market-metro-plaza-and-park/

Early this morning, Frager’s Manager Nick Kaplanis strings a string trimmer for a Frager’s customer

Frager’s Moves Forward – Key Cutting Operation to Open this Afternoon

Friday Christ Church Spaghetti Dinner with Gluten Free Option Will Benefit Frager’s

by Larry Janezich

By this afternoon, Frager’s will open up it key cutting operation in a temporary shelter at the garden shop location on the city’s concrete pad across from Eastern Market.  Frager’s manager Nick Kaplanis said that in addition to the key operation, Frager’s has begun and will continue to market weather proof retail items from the location, including patio cooking grills, garden hoses, tools and rodent traps. 

Kaplanis said that the rental operation will reopen soon in leased space at 1323 E Street, SE, across from Safeway.  He expects the glass cutting operation to be located here as well.  In accition, Frager’s is looking at several locations in which to reopen their paint store and will make an offer soon on an 8^th Street location near the freeway. 

He went on to say that thanks to internet cloud technology, Frager’s internal ordering and billing operations are near normal – the challenge will be to keep the external operations from getting too widely dispersed. 

Looking forward, Kaplanis said that the timeline for reconstruction of the Pennsylvania Avenue location is uncertain as assessments continue regarding how much of the façade of the original structure can be saved.  His vision, he said, is to combine some of the tradition of the original outlet such as a wooden floor and pressed tin ceiling with a more modern retail environment.

Tomorrow evening, Friday, June 28, Christ Church, 620 G Street, SE, will hold a Frager’s fund raiser spaghetti dinner – with GLUTEN FREE OPTION from 6:00pm – 7:30pm.  Suggested donation – $30 per plate (includes 1 glass of wine – additional glasses $5 each).  Children 9 and under are free.  The Capitol Hillbillies will provide musical entertainment.

Little Red and the Renagades Zydeco Band Set the Upbeat Tone at the Eastern Market Fundraiser.

Meanwhile, the Throckmorton’s Rip Up The Fridge for the Art Crowd at the Frager’s Benefit Concert

The Fridge Crowd Takes a Breather Between Sets

The Week Ahead – and Photos from Friday’s Frager’s Fundraisers

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, June 25

ANC6B Executive Committee meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center to set the agenda for the full ANC6B meeting on July 9.  On the agenda is a discussion of the Stanton Eastbanc retail plan which the developers agreed to submit to the ANC prior to closing on the Hine site, scheduled for early July.  The report does not appear to be available on line – yet – but the ANC and Stanton are expected to have it on their websites soon.  The plan is short on detail.  Stanton does not expect to contract with retail tenants of the Hine development until 2014.

Tuesday, June 25

Regional Juried Art Exhibition opens at Hill Center.  Reception at 6:00pm.  Over 65 artists from DC, Virginia, and Maryland have works featured in the show that cover a wide variety of perspectives and mediums. Experienced and emerging artists offer pieces that range from paintings, collages, pastels, photography, mixed medium works.

Tuesday, June 25

Frager’s appreciation at National’s Park.  Join the Frager’s employees and owners at National’s Park next Tuesday June 25 at 7:05 pm to watch the Nationals face the Arizona Diamondbacks.  A local family has donated 40 tickets for Frager’s employees, and tickets are available for purchase in Section 320 for anyone who wishes to join in the event.  Wear your Frager’s T-Shirts and try to score a cameo on Nats HD, or just raise a ballpark beer to toast these hardworking neighbors.  A special recognition is scheduled for the bottom of the fourth inning, so if you are not in Section 320 turn your attentions to the scoreboard or come on up to cheer.  Tickets available at http://www.nationals.com

Wednesday, June 26

EMCAC meeting cancelled owing to lack of business.

Thursday, June 27

ANC 6B’s Hill East Task Force meets at 6:30pm at St. Coletta of Greater Washington to discuss the future of the DC General shelter at Reservation 13.  Deputy Mayor for Health & Human Services, BB Otero, and Director of the Department of Human Services, David Berns, will provide an update on the status of the temporary shelter and the city’s plans.  

Friday, June 28

Fundraiser for Frager’s at Christ Church, 620 G Street, SE, 6:00pm – 7:00pm.  Spaghetti Dinner. Suggested donation – $30 per plate (includes 1 glass of wine – additional glasses $5 each).  Children 9 and under are free.  The Capitol Hillbillies will provide musical entertainment.

Stanton Development Meets with Stakeholders on the Hine Construction Management Plan at 7:00AM at Stanton’s office above the Silver Spork.

A. Litteri, 517 Morse Street, NE, Washington’s Oldest Italian Grocery

Miss the eclecticism and approachability of Frager’s?  A. Litteri Italian grocery in the warehouse district will remind you of the Capitol Hill institution.  Litteri’s features house made Italian sausage – hot or mild – some 80 brands of olive oil, and legendary Italian Subs.  It’s an easy drive – ten minutes – from Capitol Hill, straight north on 8th Street to Florida Avenue, left on Florida to 6th Street, one block right on 6th to Morse.  A. Litteri is in the first block on the left behind the unpretentious exterior, painted in the Italian flag’s white, and green.  Inside is a option-overload of Italian food and wine choices – items and brands unavailable elsewhere.

Update on Fundraising for Frager’s

by Larry Janezich

Gary Peterson, who is spearheading the Capitol Hill Community Foundation’s (CHCF) fundraising effort, says the CHCF has raised in excess of $100,000 to benefit employees of Frager’s and employees of Frager’s tenants in the aftermath of the June 5^th fire.  In addition, a fundraising effort coordinated by Julia Robey has reportedly raised in excess of $30,000.  Petersen said that the CHCF has received its first request for a grant – this from an employee of one of Frager’s five tenants.  Frager’s employed 35 full time employees and 30 part time employees.  Frager’s tenants employed five full time and five part time employees.  While full time employees are eligible for unemployment benefits, part time workers are not.  Frager’s carried interruption of business insurance, but it is not clear how long employees will benefit.  Peterson says he expects that whatever amount is raised, all of it will be needed to help the employees.

There are several Frager’s fundraising/recognition events scheduled in the coming days.

Friday, June 21 – Eastern Market, 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Al Fresco for Frager’s Food Festival will be from 6:00pm-8:00pm beneath the farmer’s line shed at Eastern Market.  Over a dozen noted neighborhood restaurants and popular food purveyors will serve up great culinary Tickets, two for $6 and purchased at the event will allow a sample from vendor’s tables on a one for one basis.  Part of the sale of each ticket will go to the Frager’s Fund, managed by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation.  Little Red and the Renegades, a well-known, six-piece Global Zydeco band will provide musical entertainment.  Other sponsors and contributors to the event include Bowers Fancy Dairy Products, Boxcar Tavern, Canales Delicatessen, Fine Sweet Shop, Market Lunch, Market Poultry, Montmarte, Pitango Gelato, Puddin’ Po Boy, Seventh Hill Pizza, Silver Spork, Tortilla Café, Tunnicliff’s Tavern and Union Meat Company.

Friday, June 21 at The Fridge at 6:30pm (516 ½ 8^th Street, SE – the alley behind Shakespeare administration building)

The DC Rollergirls and The Fridge host a benefit concert on behalf of Frager’s.  All ticket sales from the event will be donated to the Frager’s Fund set up by The Capitol Hill Community Foundation.  The lineup includes The Throckmortens, The NativeMakers and Rodney Henry of The Glenmont Popes. Tickets are $20 at the door.

Tuesday, June 25 at Nationals Park

Join the Frager’s employees and owners at National’s Park next Tuesday June 25 at 7:05 pm to watch the Nationals face the Arizona Diamondbacks.  A local family has donated 40 tickets for Frager’s employees, and tickets are available for purchase in Section 320 for anyone who wishes to join in the event.  Wear your Frager’s T-Shirts and try to score a cameo on Nats HD, or just raise a ballpark beer to toast these hardworking neighbors.  A special recognition is scheduled for the bottom of the fourth inning, so if you are not in Section 320 turn your attentions to the scoreboard or come on up to cheer.  Tickets available at http://www.nationals.com

Friday, June 28 at Christ Church, 620 G Street, SE, 6:00pm – 7:00pm.  Spaghetti Dinner. Suggested donation – $30 per plate (includes 1 glass of wine – additional glasses $5 each).  Children 9 and under are free.  The Capitol Hillbillies will provide musical entertainment.

Epworth Church at 700 A Street SE

Interior of Epworth Church With Windows

Epworth Church Rosette Stained Glass Window

SAVED? City Orders Preservation of Epworth’s Stained Glass Windows – Photos

by Larry Janezich

 Last Thursday, the DC government ruled that the character-defining stained glass windows at the 1895 Epworth Church, 700 A Street, NE, must be preserved.  Portions of the windows have been  removed without a permit and these are currently in storage waiting the ultimate outcome of the efforts by owners to permanently remove them.  See previous posting here:  https://capitolhillcorner.org/2012/03/20/neighbors-rally-to-save-historic-church-windows-historic-preservation-runs-up-against-religious-freedom/

World Mission Society, Inc. (Church of God), current owners of Epworth Church, removed portions of the windows in January of 2012, justifying the action as being required by their religious belief that prevents them from worshiping in the presence of images.  Neighbors alerted the city’s Historic Preservation Office who contacted the owners and was told by them that they had not removed the windows.  Neighbors provided evidence that the owners had, in fact, removed the windows and HPO ordered their restoration.  The Church responded by filing a Historic Preservation Application with Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) to legally remove the windows. 

Neighbors activated the Capitol Hill Coalition for Sensible Development established in 2000 to oppose the move by World Mission, and recruited allies, including ANC6B, CHRS, the DC Preservation League, and David Holmes, commissioner from adjoining ANC6A03 to support the preservation of the windows.  HPRB agreed with them, denying the Historic Preservation Application.  The World Mission Society, Inc, then appealed the decision on the grounds of religious freedom to the city – the Mayor’s Agent – a final administrative appeal before redress is sought in court.  Last week’s decision by the Mayor’s Agent re-affirmed the earlier decision of the HPRB.  The Mayor’s Agent ruled that the church “created the confilct between the preservation law and its religious doctrine” by failing to provide due diligence in the purchase. 

Bobbi Krengel, Chair of the Capitol Hill Coalition for Sensible Development, said, “We are fully expecting the owners to appeal this decision to the Court of Appeals, and do not know if there would be any role for the neighborhood to play there, but stand ready to participate in any way that may be required to protect our neighborhood.

It is clear to us that community participation is essential to good government, and makes our community strong enough to survive devastating fires, bureaucratic bungling, and greedy developers seeking to cash in on our cachet.”

ANC6B Butts Heads with Capitol Hill Restoration Society

ANC Flexible on Historic Standards for Adding Rear Third Story to Townhouse

by Larry Janezich

Backing away from the Historic District hard line backed by Commissioners Garrison, Oldenburg, and Frishberg on not supporting third story additions that are visible from the street in front of the residence, a majority of ANC6B Commissioner voted on Tuesday, June 11, to permit a third story rear addition at 639 South Carolina Avenue, SE.  The addition did not receive the approval of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) who weighs in on such matters before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) with the same legal standing that any civic group has.  City code, however, requires the HPRB and other city agencies to “give great weight” to the opinion of the city’s ANCs.  

According to a summary released at tonight’s Capitol Hill Restoration Society Board meeting, the proposed new addition would be visible from South Carolina Avenue and from The Maples, a former DC landmark structure undergoing conversion to condos.  The CHRS Historic Preservation Committee – and thus, under the practices and precedents of the CHRS, the entire CHRS Board – found that the project is not compatible with the Historic District and noted that it does not comport with the DC Historic Preservation Guidelines for Additions to Historic Buildings.

Last Tuesday, ANC6B Commissioner Dave Garrison warned that once you start moving away from a hard and fast standard, you start down a “slippery slope.”  A majority of the ANC, however, felt that it was more important to permit the addition so that a young and growing family could stay in the neighborhood in a case where the additional was “minimally” visible.  ANC6B Chair Brian Flahaven, who supported the addition, said that the ANC was advising HPRB, and “the staff there might come up with a different conclusion.”  Ivan Frishberg, opposed the addition, saying that once you start making everything subjective it risks making the process a free-for-all where every architect will sell every owner on what they think they can get through, and the homeowner will suffer.  Flahaven said he thought Frishberg was overstating the threat to the neighborhood.  The Commission agreed, and the motion to approve the Historic Preservation Application for the addition was agreed to 7 – 3. 

The vote presages what is likely to be a struggle over the CHRS plan to expand the Capitol Hill Historic District under its “Beyond the Boundaries” project.  Many newer residents of Capitol Hill have found that the only affordable homes are outside of the Historic District and preservation of those townhouses under the strict rules for altering, upgrading or adding to these homes does not appeal.  Evidence of this was the move to create the Barney Circle Historic District in 2010 which seemed on track until derailed by push back by Hill East residents and the taking over of ANC6B by a group of reform candidates representing (by and large) a different demographic than exists inside the Historic District.  HPRB may well end up backing the CHRS, but any expansion of the Capitol Hill Historic District in Hill East will depend in large part on the backing of ANC6B. 

The project will be before the Historic Preservation Review Board on July 11.