CAPITOL HILL CORNER

ANC6B Hine Supporters Survive Election Challenge – Incumbent Critchfield Unseated

by Larry Janezich

According to the unofficial tally of votes in ANC6B, Commissioners Frishberg and Pate handily won re-election in races that turned on issues associated with the controversial Hine development.  In another Hine-associated race, Philip Peisch defeated Hine critic Randy Steer in a bid to succeed retiring Hine supporter Norm Metzger.

It appears that at least Frishberg and Pate had the tacit support of Councilmember Tommy Wells, who had vowed to endorse whatever amenities and benefits ANC6B could wrest from the developer on behalf of the community.  The two commissioners were the designated negotiators who brought the agreement to the ANC which passed it on a narrow 6-4 vote.  Wells’ office did not respond to a query whether he endorsed any of the ANC candidates or if any candidate had requested his endorsement, although incumbent Oldenburg’s campaign signs – recycled from two years ago – still bore a sticker indicating Wells’ endorsement.  Two years ago Wells’ went on record endorsing the re-election of the then current ANC, control of which was subsequently taken over by a slate of reformers, including Frishburg and Pate.

Changing demographics on Capitol Hill were a factor in both the Frishberg and Pate races, as both candidates drew support from voters with young families, a demographic those two candidates share.  That factor was at play as well in the victory of challenger Nicole Opkins over Jared Critchfield in a three-way race that was otherwise noteworthy for the reported vandalism of Critchfield’s campaign signs and those of Opkins’ other opponent, Chris Harlow.

The effect of demographics was also reflected in the succession of young professionals to the seats of the three retiring commissioners, a manifestation of the changing Capitol Hill population as this class, attracted to the benefits of urban living, abandons suburban life and returns to the city.   Below are the unofficial results from DC’s Office of Elections and Ethics.  Unofficial election results do not include absentee and provisional ballots

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B01

DAVE GARRISON                                      539      94.39%

WRITE-IN                                                      32      5.604%

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B02

IVAN FRISHBERG                                     542        61.66%

GERALD (JERRY) SROUFE                      327       37.20%

WRITE-IN                                                      10        1.137%

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B03

PHILIP PEISCH                                            591      65.01%

RANDY STEER                                            306      33.66%

WRITE-IN                                                       12      1.320%

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B04

KIRSTEN OLDENBURG                             629      88.21%

WRITE-IN                                                       84      11.78%

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B05

BRIAN PATE                                                567      56.64%

STEVE HOLTZMAN                                   427      42.65%

WRITE-IN                                                        7       0.699%

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B06

NICHOLE OPKINS                                       523     54.02%

JARED CRITCHFIELD                                 355     36.67%

CHRIS HARLOW                                            78     8.057%

WRITE-IN                                                        12      1.239%

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B07

SARA LOVELAND                                      611      95.46%

WRITE-IN                                                        29     4.531%

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B08

CHANDER JAYARAMAN                          731      94.07%

WRITE-IN                                                       46      5.920%

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B09

BRIAN FLAHAVEN                                    935      97.59%

WRITE-IN                                                       23      2.400%

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B10

FRANCIS M. CAMPBELL                           825      96.26%

WRITE-IN                                                        32       3.733%

 

 

 

The Week Ahead…

by Larry Janezich

Monday. November 5

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

Tuesday, November

Election Day – ANC6B has five contested seats and five seats which are not being contested.  The outcome of these races could determine much about how the Capitol Hill community evolves and develops.  Ward Six Councilmember Tommy Wells, whose constituents include the residents of ANC6B, is not up for election in this cycle.  Wells is exploring a possible run for mayor in two years. 

Wednesday, November 7

Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee meets at 7:00pm in the North Hall.

ANC 6B Planning and Zoning Committee meets at 7:00 pm, in the cafeteria at St. Coletta of Greater Washington, 1901 Independence Avenue SE.  One item on the short agenda is to hear a presentation from organizers on the 2013 Cupid’s Undie Run, Saturday, February 9, 2013.

The P&Z Committee meeting will be followed by Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B’s Special Call meeting to consider its response to the Zoning Commission on the Hine School Redevelopment.  The Special Call meeting is scheduled at 7:45pm, in the cafeteria at St. Coletta of Greater Washington, 1901 Independence Avenue SE.  On Wednesday, October 31, 2012, the applicant, Stanton-Eastbanc, LLC, filed an additional submission with the Zoning Commission https://www.yousendit.com/download/WUJiV28yRStPSHhFQmNUQw.  At its special call meeting, ANC 6B will consider its response to the applicant’s submission.

Thursday, November 8

ANC6B’s ABC Committee meets at 7:00 pm at Hill Center.  On the agenda are several items of interest to residents near Barrack’s Row.  These include a new retail wine and beer license for DCanter, the boutique retailer which will soon replace the Backstage Performing Arts Store at 545 8th Street, SE; a voluntary operating agreement for Balkan Concepts, operator of the new Serbian restaurant at 523 8th Street, SE, next to the new Chipotle; and a request from Hank’s Oyster Bar, 633 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, to extend hours one day on Sunday, December 9, 2012, from 12:00 am to 2:00 am.

CHRS Zoning Committee meets at 7:30 pm, 420 10th street, SE.

 

The Li’l Pub Goes On the Block and Is Under Contract – CVS Bids to Expand

by Larry Janezich

The Li’l Pub is on the way out.  Building owner Herb Lehner has entered into a contract to sell the property to the adjoining CVS.  It was offered to the long time lease holder Howard Schurr, proprietor of the Li’l Pub, but he declined to buy.  If the deal goes through, CVS will reportedly use the additional space to expand its pharmacy. 

The Li’l Pub is widely recognized as an iconic and authentic neighborhood bar with a diverse clientele and one of the last hold outs against a wave of renovated and redeveloped faux-traditional and theme-oriented restaurants catering to young professionals and congressional staffers.  Featuring inexpensive drinks, pool tables, and a killer juke box, the pub – with only a dozen or so seats at the bar – has a city-wide reputation far larger than the collective enthusiasm of its regulars.  It will likely soon join the long list of divey neighborhood favorites which have given way to the economic realities of Capitol Hill’s changing demographics.            

Lehner is a long time Capitol Hill real estate developer and has developed and renovated many properties on Barracks Row and Capitol Hill since 1969.  Many of the buildings on 8th Street at one time were owned by Lehner, including what was the Patio Cafe and is now the Old Siam, as well as the building housing Café 8, the former Ellington’s Café.  Lehner also owned much of the block on 8^th Street, just below I Street, closer to the Navy Yard.

 

Library of Congress Shelves Plans for Scholars’ Residence on East Capitol

by Larry Janezich

The Library of Congress (LOC) has cancelled plans to build a new Scholars’ Residence on East Capitol Street.  Capitol Hill Corner’s inquiry to the Library about the status of the Scholars’ Residence project proposed for 601 East Capitol Street, SE, resulted in the following response: 

“The Library has been working to build a program that would make extended periods of research and collaborative work with the Library’s collections and staff more affordable for young scholars and information professionals from around the country. The vision had originally been a bricks and mortar approach, but we have recently explored alternate means to achieve that goal and have decided on a different programmatic approach.”

According to a spokesperson, the statement has not been “issued” per se, since the Library had not previously issued any statements about the plans, but the stakeholders have been notified about this decision.  According to the spokesperson, “this was really a decision motivated by wanting to make extended research with our collections more affordable, and the recognition that there is more than one way to go about doing that. We believe we’ve identified a better solution than a building, and are looking forward to announcing more details in the near future.”

The Library of Congress Scholars’ Residence was expected to open for business in the spring of 2015.  The project envisioned 50 new rooms providing temporary housing for recipients of LOC fellowships and scholars on sabbatical while engaged in research projects at the Library.  

The federal government purchased the property in 1991 and converted the lower floor of the two building to a child care facility.  The upper floors have remained vacant.  It appears that the child care facility will remain in place. 

The website for the project with additional details about the original proposal (www.loc.gov/rsc) has been taken down.

Coffee and the Hurricane – Peregrine (per’e-grin,-gren); 1. Foreign; alien; 2. Roving/wandering; migratory

by Larry Janezich

Peregrine Espresso, open until 2:00pm today, was the beneficiary of the attention of new media photojournalist student Amy Brothers, whose project this week is “Coffee and the Hurricane.”  Brothers is pursuing a Master’s degree in new media photojournalism at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. 

She interviewed always friendly Peregrine barista Randy Kindle this morning.  Last week, her project featured Capitol Hill Books.  That video is already posted and can be viewed here:  https://vimeo.com/user13264144.  The interview with Kindle will be posted shortly. 

According to the Corcoran website, the Master of Arts in New Media Photojournalism is the first program of its kind, addressing the challenges facing photojournalism today and encourages experimentation with new ways of story-telling, documentation, and editing, and explores the latest digital practices taught in conjunction with the enduring fundamentals of visual reporting, editing, and ethics.