Greetings from the free and liberating part of Shaw, Truxton Circle. Pretty much a block or two away from the Convention Center nothing looks different. Well except for police loitering over at Dunbar or in the park across from the Safeway.
I walked around. Ran some errands. The register was down at the 5th St Hardware and I think I saw Michelle Rhee walking out the Safeway with her assistant/ aide/ some random guy pushing her cart. 5th Street is normal. 6th Street appears to have the 70 bus running down it. Military vehicles block 7th and 9th and a tiny portion of 8th for one level of security. The G2 seems to be running normal on P, and taxis were running up and down O. I was able to walk by the Humvees and military personnel towards the checkpoints without showing any ID. The sidewalk is blocked off at 7th and O on both sides and I didn’t test whether ID required to walk to the front door of 1330 7th St. Little matter as you can get to their parking lot from the rear.
I spoke with one resident living in the militarized zone and he pretty much had a good spirit about it all. Of course he complained about the set up noise and the helicopters flying overhead kept him up at night. Also he’s happy he’s parked in just the right space where it is close enough, but doesn’t require the military to unblock his way.
Also I noticed on my walk, some hangerouters moved to sitting in cars and throwing chicken bones out of open windows. I nearly got hit by a bone. The grocery stores were busy. Azi’s didn’t look busy. But it was 11 something and one guy in there. I don’t know how busy they are normally.
Some others have reported on the security around the area. Such as Economic Policy Journal looking more at the south end. The BAANC blog editor worries about fire safety. CCCA has a clever SHAW MASH post but I’m guessing the military medical vehicle wasn’t sitting in front of Kennedy when the Prez was out there. Cause that would have been a good picture. Maybe I should walk out again (I forgot something at the store) and take a picture of it.
Category: 2010 Posts
I’m slowly adding the blog posts from 2010-2017, until I can find an easier way. Otherwise people can just go to inshaw.com/weblog/2010 or inshaw.com/weblog/2011 and so on for the files to the old blog.
More follow-up
Well I never thought DCRA could actually work this quickly. If DCRA wants to take a look at the vacant store at P and North Cap with the big dent in the side, that would be nice, thanks! I’m guessing this removal of the roof and part of the 2nd floor is the work of DCRA or one of it’s contractors because there were cones and yellow tape blocking the alley. If the 1st floor of the house crumbles, I gather there’s less of a danger. But the thing I wonder is if the estate of the owner has been informed of this?
Regarding the big Nuclear to-do over at the Convention Center, it appears that fewer people will have their Constitutional rights violated and Jack Evans is trying to help with parking woes. According to the press release ““This Summit , while good for the District, will be an inconvenience for many in the neighborhood,” said Evans. “Suspending street sweeping will at least allow cars to remain parked and help ease this burden on those who live and work around the Convention Center.”
DPW will post signs in the following areas stating that residents do not have to relocate their vehicles for street sweeping: Florida Avenue, NW (northern boundary), H Street, NW (southern boundary), 5th Street, NW (eastern boundary), and 15th Street, NW (western boundary).”
From reading the Post and other media it appears the ID checking will be on the sidewalk side of the Convention Center, so possibly persons going to Subway Sandwiches, that dance studio, the cigar place, church for noontime mass might not have to show ID. Just the unfortunate saps who live on the same block as the Convention Center. Do I think that all this trouble will be worth it? The Convention Center has been open for how many years now? And hosting how many large conferences and events and has any of that really helped the northern end? I don’t know about you but on days when I walk home I notice the conference badged hordes heading south to Chinatown and crowding the eateries there.
Lastly, I’d been meaning to clean up and address some emails I got about schools, particularly the Center City School, formerly the Immaculate Conception Catholic School. But at a certain point I gotta admit I’m never going to get to or follow up on certain things and just clean out my mailbox.
BACA meeting tonight
7PM basement of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church.
Of the most interesting things is the speaker coming to talk about the MM Washington building which is slated to become senior housing.