Samuel Prather at Eastern Market Metro Plaza Tonight at 5:00pm
by Larry Janezich
Samuel Prather. Soulful jazz fusion. Pianist, drummer and vocal artist. DC native. Four albums. For more info, go here: https://www.samuelprather.com/
The performance is the third in a series of September Friday Night live events brought to the Plaza by Barracks Row and Eastern Market Main Streets, Champs, the Capitol Hill BID and the Hill Center as an on-going Plaza activating effort for the benefit of the community.
Last Friday’s concert featuring Aaron Myers was cancelled at the last moment, and has been postponed to the first Friday in October.
The last Friday in September will feature a performances by Herb Scott on September 24.
Funding is being provided by the two Main Street organizations and the Capitol Hill BID. CM Charles Allen was successful in providing $150,000 in next year’s budget for programming for the Plaza in FY 2022.
Programming for September will feature more live music for kids and families on Saturday mornings from 10:00-11:30am. Tomorrow, Saturday, September 18: The Bubble Guy.
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2021 Memories – Art Show at Frame of Mine Store – Barracks Row – through October 15
545 8th Street, SE
Capitol Hill Art League participating artists were asked to explore their interpretations of the theme 2021 Memories using any media, including photography .
It’s worth thinking about the definition of memory when viewing this show: “The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information” – “something remembered from the past; a recollection.” These pieces reflect sometimes one, sometimes the other, sometimes both. I had to look up the definition of saudade – the title of Jan Zastrow’s piece: “a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for something or someone that one cares for and/or loves. Moreover, it often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never be had again.” Wiki
Some of the participants in Monday night’s ANCtD meeting.
W.C. Smith’s proposed 130 foot residential development at 850 South Capitol Street is not required to provide affordable housing under Inclusionary Zoning regulations. This is a view from the Northwest looking Southwest.
ANC6D Scorches Developer on Lack of Affordable Housing in South Capitol Street Project
By Larry Janezich
Posted September 14, 2021
Monday night, ANC6D began its review of the design for W.C.. Smith Development’s 13 story apartment complex at the intersection of South Capitol Street and I-695. The DC Zoning Commission has regulations for projects on the major arteries leading to the Capitol Building and part of that review is by the affected ANCs.
Representatives of W.C.. Smith knew they would be criticized for the lack of affordable housing in the project. But regulations for the development of parcels designated D-5 high density zoning provide that affordable housing Inclusionary Zoning requirements do not apply. Otherwise, 10% of the project’s floor space would have to be reserved for affordable units.
Holland and Knight attorney Shane Dettman’s approach was to lecture the ANC on Inclusionary Zoning, affordable units, and how their responsibilities in the pending design review did not included a responsibility to consider Inclusionary Zoning issues.
The comments did not sit well with the ANC and after the presentation, one commissioner after another voiced their resentment.
Chair Daniels: “You choose not to recognize the housing problem because you are operating with a golden key. You are displacing residents, you bring no benefit to residents, offer no ownership opportunities, and no retail. You could add affordable units to address the housing crisis in the city, but you’re not doing that. You are part of the problem….”
Commissioner Kramer: “I found it offensive to be lectured on Inclusionary Zoning laws….The Southwest Plan says we will be the exemplar of inclusion and equity…. You’ve done nothing except tell us how ignorant and insufficiently informed we are and how we need to understand what Inclusionary Zoning is.
Commissioner Hamilton: “I was appalled at being lectured on Inclusionary Zoning … you should be ashamed of yourself….and the disrespectful in way you are pushing this project….We need the developer to be a good neighbor and recognize the needs of the community…I urge the developer to find more respectful way….We will push to do what is in the best interest of the community.”
Commissioner Litsky said, “You bought a car wash to construct a building with several hundred units and not one is affordable. You purchased the property based on a zoning which allowed you to not offer affordable units.…There is a housing problem in the city….This is a matter of equity – not a matter of what you can do but of what you should do. There should be affordable housing on this site…not to meet housing needs creates a greater problem. You offer no retail – no benefits to the community – none, none, none. You schooled us on the legality of affordable housing. We schooled you on the morality of affordable housing. You can talk about the legality; I’m talking about the morality, because that’s what you need to stand up against.”
Commissioners Collins, Bossi, and Weiss offered comments making the Commission’s criticism of the project or the developer’s approach unanimous.
In response, Holland and Knight Attorney Leila Battles told the Commission that W.C. Smith has built 4000 affordable units across the city – a number of projects have been all affordable. She said that the developer purchased the site based on the legal and regulatory framework for the property. The developer, she said, “made a business decision to comply with applicable regulations….Providing affordable housing is not consistent with the developer’s business model or calculation”. She urged the ANC to work within their area of responsibility – design review – and to address what it is legally permitted to do; “affordable or not affordable is not among the criteria for consideration by the ANC”.
The commission was in no mood to vote on the design review Monday night. Battles noted a number of design issues raised by commissioners during the meeting and said that they would be back in October with responses to ANC design issue concerns. She did not mention their affordable housing concerns.
Chair Daniels closed, saying he would be happy to meet with the developer’s representatives any time to discuss affordable housing.
The ANC is faced with having to support or not support the project based solely on design issues, and if they do not support, will have to detail the design issues with which they disagree. The Zoning Committee is not likely to respond to any concerns regarding affordable housing, since current regulations provide that Inclusionary Zoning requirements do not apply to this project. ANC6B, which is an affected ANC and where some commissioners also raised concerns about the lack of affordable housing, will likely consider the design review for the project at its October meeting.
Since opening in 1974, the Hirshhorn is showing some signs of age. The Hirshhorn Museum Construction Project will see the replacement of the precast concrete panels around the building’s drum and the steel angles that support these panels.
The Hirshhorn reopened to the public last Friday. There is essentially one exhibit – the works of Marcel Duchamp – and love him or hate him, his works helped change the course of painting and sculpture in the early 20th Century.
It looked like there were about 300 kids and parents who showed up for the Saturday morning 123 Andreas’ performance for kids at 10:00am on the Eastern Market Metro Plaza. See here: https://123andres.com/ The children’s’ live entertainment program continues on Saturday morning for the rest of the month.
Shani Shih’s mural – the second of three at 8th Street and Virginia Avenue, SE – is titled “Evergreen”. She says she tries to speak to social/bodily experience – what it’s like to go through life. Her piece features an artist friend, Ann, a DC native who has been an inspiration. (Hannah Atallah’s mural “Rootedness and Displacement” which was first in the series was posted August 29.)
The third piece in the trilogy is Daniel Barojas’s “Tribute to the Nacotchtanks.” From a Washington Post article by Dana Hedgpeth, November 22, 2018. “The name came from the Indian word “anaquashatanik,” which means “a town of traders.” They were known for trading throughout the Chesapeake area, even trading fur with the Iroquois of New York.” WP article. By Dana Hedgpeth. November 22, 2018
Presentation: Jamaal Jordan – Upcoming Pepco work – the G Street Conversion Project.
La Casina DC, 327 7th Street, SE. Application for Class “C” Restaurant liquor license.
Crazy Aunt Helen’s, 718 8th St SE. Application for Class CR liquor license – request to change/ the existing Settlement Agreement.
921 G Street SE. Application for Zoning Adjustment to allow construction of a two-story rear addition to an existing, semi-detached, two-story principal dwelling unit.
Letter of support for H.R. 5002, the District of Columbia Zoning Commissioner Home Rule Act. The legislation would remove the two federal appointees to the Zoning Commission and give those spots to the Mayor to fill and Council to approve.
Wednesday, September 15
ANC6A Economic Development & Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
248 10th Street, NE. Zoning Adjustment Application. Exemption from requirements to allow construction of a two-story rear addition to an existing, attached, principal dwelling unit.
This was the scene at SE Library circa 10:30am at Saturday’s book sale.
Friends of SE Library (FOSEL) Campaign to Save the SE Library Book Sale
By Larry Janezich
Posted September 12, 2021
This weekend, Friends of SE Library (FOSEL) launched a “major public and political campaign to generate support” for continuing monthly book sales at Southeast Library. The current plan for the renovation of the library, FOSEL maintains, will leave it without adequate space to continue managing the monthly book sale. In a letter to Richard Reyes-Gavilan, Executive Director DC Public Library, FOSEL President Neal Gregory stated FOSEL’s position:
The monthly sale attracts thousands of visitors and raises thousands of dollars annually. All of the funds are used to benefit the DC Library system – most are spent for children’s programs at SE Library but funds are also made available to other branch libraries and programs supported by DC Public Libraries.
FOSEL operates the book sale using space at the SE Library. The Friends’ room is about 175 square feet.
The latest plan for the library renovation would allocate only 86 square feet of space for FOSEL after the renovation.
All activities in the new library will have more space except FOSEL which will lose 50% of its space.
FOSEL does not believe that the Library’s plan to restrict book donations to the week before the sale and allowing those donated books to be stored in a study room is a viable approach.
FOSEL will continue discussions with Library management and states clearly that FOSEL’s goal is to end up with at least the same amount of space in the new library that it has in the old.
FOSEL does not believe it is possible to operate a successful monthly book sale with less space than it currently has.
Copies of the letter went to Mayor Bowser, CM Charles Allen, and ANC6B Chair Brian Ready.
On Saturday, FOSEL started circulating a petition urging DC Library to grant them space at least the size of the space they now have. In 24 hours, the petition garnered more than 400 signatures.
Last July 21, DC Library officials told FOSEL that their allotted space for staging of the monthly book sales would be half of what they currently have. At the time, the Friends told the design team it would not be nearly enough. Designers said they were trying to maximize public use and that prioritizing others is the best use of the space they have.
FOSEL member Bob Gellman told Capitol Hill Corner, “The reasons that management give for reducing the space for the sale don’t make much sense. In the course of a year, somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 people participate in the sales as buyers, donors, or workers. The book sale is a major community activity that the library should welcome and support. Everybody likes a book sale, especially when most books are a dollar each. The Friends are not asking for more space. Other branch libraries have bigger Friends rooms, and some don’t use their space at all.”
Despite hopes that the renovation of Southeast Library could be finished before the library’s 2022 anniversary date, on March 5, 2020, officials announced that the start of construction had been pushed back to late 2022 making spring of 2024 the target for reopening the library. The Library will remain open until late 2022 instead of closing in late 2021.
Chuck Wray, head of Quinn-Evans Architect’s library renovation design team, said that the complexity of the approval process for work on the historic Carnegie Library caused the adjustment of the project timeline.
(Full disclosure: The editor of Capitol Hill Corner is a member of FOSEL.)
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Update on Plan to Make PA Avenue SE Two Travel Lanes in Each Direction
By Larry Janezich
Posted September 10, 2021
Last Wednesday night, ANC6B’s Transportation Committee got an update on DDOT’s plan to reduce Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, from three travel lanes in each direction to two lanes in each direction between 2nd Street, SE, and Barney Circle.
DDOT considered several options and asked for community comment before selecting a plan which provides two travel lanes in each direction, a peak period bus lane in each direction with parking allowed during off peak hours, and a curbside bike lane.
The plan is at 30% design phase completion, which means that the major design elements which the public is most likely to care about are at a stage that they can be depicted and explained in some detail. The plan has been transferred to the DDOT Traffic Engineering and Signals Division to carry the project to 100%.
The project will proceed in two phases – Phase I will be from 2nd Street, SE, to 13th Street, SE, and is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2022. Phase II will be from 13th Street, SE, to Barney Circle and will be complete in 2024-2025.
The Committee agreed to a motion to support the project by a unanimous vote. The full ANC6B is expected to follow suit at its next monthly meeting on September 14.
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Jazz Artist Aaron Myers at Eastern Market Metro Plaza Friday Night – 5:00-6:30pm
By Larry Janezich
Aaron Myers – DC based jazz artist (4 albums), author (2 books), Obama activist, and WPFW Jazz Stories host – will bring his music and poignant cultural insights to Eastern Market Metro Plaza for an early evening performance on Friday, September 10.
Myers: “It is an artist’s responsibility to use their platform to shed light, bring about awareness, and thoughtfully engage others on the issues of the day.”
The performance is the second in a series of September Friday Night live events brought to the Plaza by Barracks Row and Eastern Market Main Streets, Champs, the Capitol Hill BID and the Hill Center as an on-going Plaza activating effort for the benefit of the community.
The schedule for the rest of the month includes performances by Samuel Prather on September 17, and Herb Scott on September 24.
Funding is being provided by the two Main Street organizations and the Capitol Hill BID. CM Charles Allen was successful in providing $150,000 in next year’s budget for programming for the Plaza in FY 2022.
Programming for September will feature more live music for kids and families on Saturday mornings from 10:00-11:30am.
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Capitol Hill Art League Members-Only Juried Art Exhibit thru Sept 25
By Larry Janezich
Posted September 8, 2021
The Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL) members show themed “Reflections” is hung in the gallery at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) and will be there until September 25th. The exhibit may also be viewed online at: http://caphillartleague.org/2021-reflections “Reflections”, literal and or abstracted suggests contemplative, evocative expressions that welcome the viewer’s curiosity, and perhaps recognition. “Reflections” may reflect one’s internal musing of the “real”, or imaged and/or depictions of the multiple reflections actually visible. Below are some additional images of pieces from the show.
CHAW is located at: 545 7th Street, SE, Washington, DC. 20003
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The end of the first day of school last Monday – this was the scene around 3:20pm on Monday in front of Watkins Elementary.
Here’s a view just before 3:15pm from across a grid-locked 12th Street.
Last Friday evening, some 250 people were gathered at the Pavilion on Eastern Market Metro Plaza to hear songstress Deborah Bond and her band perform live jazz for an hour and a half. Coming on Friday, September 10: Aaron Myers.
Murals DC – the DC Department of Public Works Graffiti Prevention Initiative – has commissioned a series of new murals for a site at 8th street and Virginia Avenue, SE, which will reflect the themes of unity and community featuring local references – landscape features and architecture. http://muralsdcproject.com/ Here’s Shani Shih working on the second of three murals slated for the wall. More later.
And Daniel Barojas uses a brush for the finer details of his work on the third mural. The new murals will reflect the themes of unity and community. More later.
The Saturday C Street, SE Flea Market is back. This may be a little deep in the weeds for those who casually enjoy interacting with the weekend vendors, but after the retirement of Carole Wright – who had the contract for vending on C Street on Saturdays – the Street sat empty half the weekend since early spring. Word is that Hine Project developer Eastbanc tried to get around the Zoning Order which mandated the use of C Street between 7th and 8th for flea markets on weekends as part of the deal with the Zoning Commission to permit a larger building. Commissioners from ANC6B reminded them that use for purposes other than a flea market was not discretionary. Michael Berman, who runs the Sunday Flea Market on 7th Street picked up the contract for C Street Saturday operation. The Manager of Eastern Market controls vending on 7th Street on Saturday.
The Week Ahead…and Some Photos from the Past Week
By Larry Janezich
Posted September 6, 2021
The Week Ahead…
ANC Highlight:
Wednesday, September 9, ANC6A: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the DC representative Douglas Klein – Community Prosecutor for the First District – will make a presentation. Seems like a good time to ask how the prosecution of insurrectionists is going and whether that East Capitol Street chiropractor has been charged with anything. Klein usually responds that he can’t comment on ongoing investigations. Still, it might be interesting.
Wednesday, September 8
ANC6B Transportation and Public Safety Committee will hold a virtual meeting.
Presentation: Jessica Sutter, Ward 6 State Board of Education Representative.
Presentation: Principal Sah Brown, Eastern High School.
Presentation: S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia Update – AUSA Douglas Klein, Community Prosecutor for 1D, AUSA Magdalena Acevedo, Community Prosecutor for 5D and Christopher Wade, Community Outreach Specialist for 1D.
H Street Spirits at 1368 H Street, NE. Application for a Class A Retail License.
Z Korner Store at 234 15th Street, NE. Application for a Class B Retail License
Traffic calming. Letter of support to DDOT for consideration of speed humps and/or raised crosswalks.
1600 block of Isherwood Street NE, amending the ANC’s resolution of July 10, 202.
F Street, NE, between 17th and 18th Streets, NE, and the Intersection of 18th NE, and E Streets, NE, and 18th Street NE from D to E Streets. NE, and E Street. NE, from 18th to 19th Streets, NE.
700 – 1300 blocks of I Street, NE, including consideration of speed humps and/or raised crosswalks.
1300, 1400 and 1500 blocks of East Capitol Street, NE, including consideration of speed humps and/or raised crosswalks.
300 block of 19th Street, NE, including consideration of speed humps and/or raised crosswalks.
Intersections of 14th and A Streets, NE; 15th and A Streets, NE; and 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, NE.
1300 I Street, NE. Letter of support to BZA for a Modification of Consequence pursuant to previously approved plans (to add a penthouse enclosure, including a staircase, and roof deck at 1300 I Street, NE) with the caveat that the developer make best efforts to get letters of support from the neighbors on I Street and Florida Avenue, and that the developer change the treatment on the penthouse structure to match and flow with the rest of the building..
810 C Street, NE. Letter of support to HPA regarding a historic review of a project for the renovation and a 10 foot addition, add third story to two-story building, and reconfigure façade’s windows and door openings to an existing two-unit row house with conversion to a single family row house at 810 C Street, NE, in the Historic District. with the caveat that the developer make best efforts to get letters of support from the owners or occupants of adjacent properties at 812 C Street NE and 805 C Street NE.
ANC6B Planning and Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
G Street, SE. Case: BZA 20502. Special exception for lot occupancy.
Letter in support of bills by Eleanor Holmes to remove to remove federal members of the DC Zoning Commission and to remove NCPC review of District-owned and private projects. The bill to reintroduce would remove CFA review for private projects. The last one uniquely affects ANC 6B (and 6C) in that ordinary permits for private properties close to the Capitol must go through an extra layer of review at the Commission of Fine Arts. For everyday permits that don’t require HPRB reviews, these are always approved without issue but are subject to delays from their staff as well as their meeting calendar. For larger projects, our local HPRB would retain review and jurisdiction.
ANC6B Alcohol Beverage Control Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
La Casina DC, 327 7th Street, SE. Retailer’s Class “C” Restaurant liquor license, request to change/update Settlement Agreement.
Crazy Aunt Helen’s, 718 8th Street, SE. Retailer’s Class CR License, request to change/update existing Settlement Agreement.
BR Fine Wine & Spirits, 801 Virginia Avenue, S.E. Retailer’s Class “A” Liquor Store license. Request to change name from BR Fine Wine & Spirits to Classy Corks Wine and Spirits.
Singer/Songwriter Deborah Bond performs Friday evening on Eastern Market Metro Plaza. Photo: Deborah Bond
Friday Night Live Jazz on Eastern Market Metro Plaza Starts September 3
by Larry Janezich
On Friday, September 3, Deborah Bond, DC’s popular indie-soul song artist, will kick off a month of Friday night live music performances from 5:00pm until 6:30pm at the Eastern Market Metro Pavilion. Her music references Anita Baker, Sade, and Chaka Khan and she cites inspiration by Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder.
Bond is a veteran of performances at venues including the Warner Theater, 9:30 Club, Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, Blues Alley, Blue Note NYC, Cobb Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, and Jazz Café in London.
The complete schedule for the month is as follows:
September 3: Deborah Bond
September 10: Aaron Myers
September 17: Samuel Prather
September 24: Herb Scott
According to Charles McCaffrey, Executive Director of Eastern Market Main Street, Councilmember Charles Allen initiated the effort to program the events through the end of the fiscal year. Barracks Row and Eastern Market Main Streets, Champs, the Capitol Hill BID and the Hill Center joined forces to consider what could be done quickly. Capitol Hill Center’s relationship with Herb Scott of DC Jazz Fest enabled performers to be lined up for Friday nights in September.
According to McCaffrey, the goals were to activate the plaza, reinforce the idea that DC is open, do things outside for the community, and encourage the community to patronize nearby businesses and restaurants.
Funding is being provided by the two Main Street organizations and the Capitol Hill BID. Allen was successful in providing $150,000 in next years budget for programming for the Plaza in FY 2022.
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CAPITOL HILL CORNER 