Truxton Is In Shaw

From Jim Berry

Neighbors,

I write to remind you that the PSA 501 community meeting is taking place in our neighborhood this month. Specifically, it will be held on Thursday, August 18, 2005 at Mount Sinai Baptist Church, 3rd and Q Streets, NW,between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.

A number of months ago, it was decided that the PSA 501 monthly meeting would be rotated throughout the various neighborhoods within its boundaries in order to give residents maximum opportunity to participate, particularly when held in his/her respective neighborhood.

Our neighborhood made a commendable turnout on Monday night at the special meeting to address community concerns about the ill-advised proposal to take away our green space and recreation options at New York Avenue Playground.
It has been a while since I’ve seen that many folks come out to let their concerns be known. However, if (as a community) we are unable or unwilling to show the strength of our resolve to tackle our myriad problems in a serious and a sustained way, then all we will have done the other day was participate in a mere exercise of catharsis that will be soon forgotten by public officials.

It is my contention that issue that brought folks out to the special meeting was as much one of public safety as it was of badly needed recreation and leisure resources for residents of all ages. So, if you are concerned about the open air drug dealing in the community, the constant sound of gun fire at night, the community violence, the loitering, an increased police presence in the neighborhood, the lack of safe recreation spaces for our children, and other such issues, then I hope your busy schedule of pre-existing commitments will enable you to join us on Thursday. The
meeting will definitely benefit from your participation and input!

Best,

Jim Berry
ANC 5C

PS: As a example of the increased attention that our area can receive
from
high level government officials, I include a picture of City
Administrator
Robert Bobb and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Edward D.
ReReiskin — both of whom participated in our candle light vigil at the
park
on First and Florida Avenue, NW on National Night Out Against Crime
(8/2/2005).

Wow. The neighborhood really came out in the name of greenspaces and not tearing down Sursum Corda. Well also in the name of saving our parks and wondering, hey, when are we going to get a cool rec center like Kennedy?
I came late so I missed the dramatics when a jr. football team showed up as the important people spoke. They looked so cute in their jerseys and padding. The kids were a visual point that parks and recreation serve the children.
The politicos showed up. Our dear leader Jim Berry showed up, as well as Vincent Orange, Adrian Fenty (fuzzy man in center), Phil Mendelson, some guy named Perry running for the Ward 6 seat, some guy who I think was Leroy Thorpe, and various DC officials. When I showed up I think it was Vincent Orange who wanted by a show of hands who was for keeping the park. The majority carried. Marie Johns was not there. Of course, this was planned only a few days ago. Fenty’s folks were moving about the crowd getting contact info and chatting with people.
The crowd was mixed. White and black. Seniors to elementary kids. Based on the crowd no one can say this was solely a rich vs poor issue. As much as folks in the planning office or where ever want to say it is about income, the community showed that it isn’t. There were people from Sursum Corda in the crowd too. One old lady asked aloud to the crowd, why must Sursum Corda be torn down. A Sursum Corda fellow said because the buildings were over 35 years old. Oh, this got a small reaction. One fellow mentioned that he was 35 years old. Others in the crowd mentioned their homes were over 100 years old.
I think everyone knows once a greenspace is gone it is gone forever. Never to return. The poor will lose greenspace. The fixed income will lose greenspace. The middle class will lose greenspace. The well to do will lose greenspace. We will lose a public space that all the classes share and come together on if we just let the mayor and the planning office take it away.

If you don’t know already the District government has it in its head that the park at New York and 1st Street is not really used and temporary housing for Sursum Corda co-op residents. There will be a meeting tonight so residents can vocalize their opinions.
Under used they say. But that’s the beauty of green space, to be a pause, a comma, in the constant rush of city life. It is a place for animals to run around and not have their paws constantly hitting pavement. Unless they plan on putting a green roof on top of the “temporary” houses, this greenspace allows for another place where rainwater can seep into the earth.
According to the Post:

Planning officials said the city has addressed that[loss of park]. Though the neighborhood would lose the New York Avenue Playground, it would gain a new park, recreation center and swimming pool two blocks south at First and L streets NW. The city also would redesign a park at the Armstrong School at First and P streets NW and upgrade a park at New Jersey Avenue and O Street NW.

A rec center on the other side of the road of DEATH does not help. NY Ave is a road of death. A skull and crossbones on the grill of a monster SUV driven by a multitasking cell phone chattin Virginian road of death.
Call us NIMBYs all you want, but no, no thank you. We’ve got our own problems of drug dealers, shootings, prostitution, robberies, car theft and really that’s enough of a burden on its own. Slowly, slowly, slowly, the residents and officials of our area have been working to decrease the drug dealing and violence, my fear is that what has been gained will be loss with a relocation of Sursum Corda. We had our problems on this side of NY Ave, they had their problems on that side of NY Ave and sometime a trickle would cross the 6 lanes.
Also I’m just not buying the “temporary” argument.
As I write this I keep thinking of a short story I read in high school. I think the title is “Sorrow rides a swift horse.” The main theme of the story was whatever problems you are trying to escape will follow you and catch up to you. The problems of Sursum Corda’s violence and drug problems are well known, their financial problems and problems with HUD, maybe a little less so. Whatever problems they have will move with them.

It was hot. Hahwwt. And humid. And yet we had several brave souls who came out anyway.
Before we ventured out for touring Councilman Vincent Orange and his entourage showed up. Orange was wearing Mardi Gras beads around his neck and I’m thinking, why? One of his people worked the tiny group milling about in the alley between Bates and P, asking if they were registered to vote in DC and if they were Democrats. They came, they saw, they chatted, they left.
The properties on the tour ranged from mediocre to ‘wow’. One ‘wow’ yard was 408 Richardson Place, NW. You can see it over the waist high fence. I’ve been told the owner likes to show it off so if you see him ask about what he’s done. Another wow, also on that block was the back of 1722 4th St. Small patio, two fountains! They had a before picture up and the after was a dramatic improvement. Filed under ‘wow’, but not because of it’s beauty, take a look at the corner yard of the house owned by the Korean church at 319 R St. They had tomatoes, brussel sprouts, melons, lettuces, and much more growing in a tiny space. You could feed a family on what they had growing in that yard.
Scott and Matt’s yard, the one you had to get through the house to get through for those of you who toured, had garden ideas to steal. I liked the mirrors they have up on the fence reflecting light. Matt explained to our group that things had to be up high, because of the dogs. I loved the look of Corsican mint in the walkway of 408 Richardson.
At the end of the tour we settled in at where we started, the rear of 75 P St., which looked like the patio section of a restaurant. The pineapple salsa was very good, so was more cold water.
Another mayoral candidate also showed up at our humble and hot tour, Marie Johns. I don’t think she came armed with an entourage like Orange. Just her, dressed casually, and one of those funky hands free phone thingies. No beads. MaryAnne introduced Ms. Johns to individuals languishing in the heat and the shade. No grand speeches, just asking for support. We’ll see.

From Jim Berry
Neighbors,

Single Member District 5C02 Representative Cleopatra Jones is hosting a meeting on Monday, August 15, 2005 to talk about a proposal by the DC Office of Planning to build housing on the land (green space) that is now occupied by the New York Avenue Playground. Cleopatra tells me that Ward Five Council Member Vincent Orange, Revitalization Planner Michael Downey, and Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation Kimberly Flowers, are all invited guests to this meeting.

If my understanding of what is being proposed is correct, then an approximately 100 unit building will be constructed on what is now the site of New York Avenue playground. The sole purpose of proposing that these units be constructed, I am told, is to accommodate those who will be displaced by the tearing down of the current housing in Sursum Corda.

In my mind, such a proposal raises a number of serious concerns. First, the affected Advisory Neighborhood Commission (i.e., 5C) never received any formal notice of the consideration of this proposal, nor have we been invited to comment on a major housing project that the city is considering implementing in an area that is solidly within the boundaries of ANC 5C. As a rule, proposals of this scope and magnitude are vetted formally at an ANC meeting and the Commission is given a certain period of time within which to offer comments. In the instant situation, none of this customary procedures were followed and, for me, this is a very very troublesome fact.

The fact that this is yet another assault on the sorely limited amount of functional recreation and green space in the neighborhood, is also a major problem for me. Over the years, our recreation and leisure time resources have been systematically stripped away from us, leaving residents of all ages (but, most notably, our children) with few, if any, alternatives for their use. As a consequence of the lack of organized activities, they organize themselves and play on our streets or, worse, boredom often makes them ripe subjects for the recruitment of drug dealers.

The area in question is located in Commissioner Jones’ single member district. When she contacted me a day or so ago about her intention to hold Monday’s meeting, I learned that she received a briefing on the proposal by DC Office of Planning officials the day before. Again, there has been no formal notice to our Commission about this proposed project and it is my understanding that the DCOP has been contemplating this matter for a time.

Whatever the case, I am going to attend this meeting to find out exactly what the facts of this proposal are. I urge you to join me also.

The specific details are as follows:

When: Monday, August 15, 2005
Where: Associates for Renewal in Education (ARE)
45 P Street, NW
Time: 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

Hope to see you there!

Best,

Jim Berry
ANC 5C

I’ve seen her a couple of days now. She’s new. Can’t miss her. Big white t-shirt, red leggings, sneakers, b-ball cap and super skinny. “Dang girl which concentration camp did you escape from?” skinny. I want to force feed her a whole super value meal. She doesn’t look healthy. I gather she’s been accepting some help from the Korean church since she hovers around their building.
But the question is, crackhead or crackho? She lacks the bad posture of your hardworking crackho. Yet she is thin enough to be your run of the mill crackhead or famine victim. Any guesses?

Mess of immigrant I-Talians. And Yiddish speaking Russians.
In 1910 at 1428 North Capitol lived the Chite (with an accent over the e) family. There were 8 people in that house and poppa Chite was a shoemaker with his own shop.
1426 North Capitol had 4 Albinos where poppa Albino was a propieter of a fruit store.
1416 North Capitol had 6 Figliozzis. The breadwinner Mr. Figliozzi was a barber in his own shop.
Then there were the German Kellers living at 1422 & 1420 North Cap. Keller Senior from Germany at 1420 and his DC born son and his family next door.
1414 North Capitol lived the Yiddish speaking Shappiros from Russia and next door were other Russian (can I dare to guess bc of language?) Jews, the Schneiders at 1412 North Capitol. A few doors down at 1404 were the Kitts, also Jews from Russia.
At the end of the block at 1400 North Capitol was Mr. Sullivan a liqour swilling bar keep and Irish immigrant and his household of 10 people.
Addition
Okay here is the Sullivan family. Well because I’ve been trying to speed the research along by just looking at the head of household and spouse and only looking at the rest of the house for numbers of adults and children, I totally missed the 2 African American servants living in the Sullivan household and counted them as family. Click on the image for a better view of the census page. At the bottom are Mr. and Ms. Taylor, servants. So the whiskey swilling barkeep had 2 servants, 1 wife, and 6 kids.

Please note these are NOT OFFICIAL meeting notes. I am not a note taker, I’m an observer, who takes lousy notes.
I half covered the Joe Mamo proposal to construct 9 floors of condos on his property on the corner of North Capitol and Florida. That and the proposed car wash on the 1500 block of New Jersey Avenue were the big draws. I can’t say the presentation by Norman Glasgow (representing Jemal D.) to remove a parking covenant, which really wasn’t understood, brought anyone.
As mentioned this was Mr. Mamo’s 4th community presentation. If one takes it on face value Mr. Mamo really wants to move this project along and wants to get community support before investing anymore into the property so he’s meeting with Truxton folks, Eckington folks and the ANC so he can speed things along. Also showing up so often would counter any claim that this is a big surprise to residents. Well, it will be a big surprise to people who don’t bother keeping up with all these piddly little local meetings.
What Mr. Mamo is presenting is a condo (OWNERS) building of 90 to 100 one and two bedroom units (DENSITY). Two levels are to be underground parking, for 80 some cars, so the bad dirt from the old gas station will go bye-bye. Above ground there will be 8 floors facing North Capitol and 6 floors facing Florida Ave. The garage entrance would be on Florida. Mr. Mamo needs support to build as high as the 8 floors and claims that if the property were across the street it would be zoned for the height he desires to recoup the costs of this venture.
Click Here For The Rest of This

Mr. Mamo did have a drawing but he wasn’t married to the initial drawings. When asked about the look he was aiming for he used the Ellington on U Street as an example. However to reflect the neighborhood he would favor a red brick look over the Ellington’s yellow brick. He seemed willing to entertain the idea of rounding off the corners so the building wouldn’t be a bunch of boxes like the not so pretty condo at 6th and Florida or the new project on S Street.
None of the condos will be really subsidized. Eighty-five percent of the units is proposed to be sold at market rate. Fifteen percent of the building will be set aside for people earning 80% of the AMI (Area Median Income). I’ve been looking at the HUD user site trying to find out what is the AMI for the DC area. According to their data set for determining Section 8 eligibility in DC for 2005, the MFI (Median Family Income) for the area is $89,300. A single person is 30% of the median at $18,750; very low income at 31,250; and low income below 40,600. Two person household is 30% of the median at 21,450; very low at $35,700; and low at $46,400. I’m not skilled at math but I gather 80% of the AMI is much higher than low income. A single person making $50K would be at 80% the AMI. Lower than that, you’re not middle class, you low income (aka po’). So still with the 15% you have to have a job, or some serious well paying investments to get one of the proposed condos.
On the first level, Mamo proposes retail. He’s taking suggestions from the community. Soul Day Spa has asked that no competing spas be included. One meeting attendee asked that the retail not include liquor stores. Personally, I’m against liquor stores but I would be open to a wine shop. Please for the love of whatever deity you worship don’t suggest Harris Teeter. Not enough space and the parking would be a nightmare.
The negatives, if they fall under that, brought up were the unaffordability of the condos and the extra traffic being a danger to neighborhood children. Monday I wrote at length about the affordablity issue, no need to rehash it here. The fellow who brought up the issue of children pointed out that the 1 & 2 bedroom condos would attract a certain population that would do a lot of coming and going. Damned single people with money! That coming and going would add more traffic to the surrounding roads that children cross to get to the Harry Thomas Center or to and from school.
Jim Berry, our singlemember ANC, supports the “concept” of the condos but is concerned. Mamo is asking for a lot of trust from the community without a lot of details and the ‘devil is in the details’. Jim would like to see something in writing.
After Mamo’s presentation attorney Norman Glasglow asked about removing the parking coventant from 60 Florida Avenue, NE. Some time was spent trying to figure out where and what he was talking about. Something, something about rose bushes that were supposed to be planted that weren’t. Then there was chatter about how lifting the covenant would impact parking. The gist was that it wouldn’t have much of an impact and the covenant should be lifted.
Art Slater spoke about the NY Avenue corridor study. The idea is that a tunnel may make the section of NY Ave where it meets NJ less of a ROAD OF DEATH. Yes, if the tunnel plan goes through, which it might not because there is no money for it, then it would make getting on 395 a bit more inconvenient for Truxton drivers. Tunnel: Great for Truxton pedestrians, not so great for Truxton drivers. Art stressed that we need people to read the study so the civic association will have people who would understand it.
There was some talk about Main Streets. I didn’t write anything down. I’ve had a good day or 2 to forget it, so anyone want to fill this space in the comments section knock yourself out.
People had already headed out by the time the New Jersey car wash came up. Here’s the short of it, that block is not zoned for that type of business. It is zoned R4 and they would need a variance to legally put a car detailing business there. Yet still Jim Berry needs you to contact him if you are opposed to the business.
Regarding the RFP relating to the firehouse on North Capitol, something about the city being behind schedule. If I understood Jim correctly, the city has been paralyzed by all the suggestions and trying to synthize them into something has been difficult.
Nothing new on Amstrong.
Meeting broke up.

I was going to post this for Tuesday, and remembered, hey I’m not posting on Tuesdays anymore…
Hi folks from the Truxton Circle Dispatch! These are not the meeting minutes or full notes, come back Wednesday for those.
Well I got out of the Special BACA meeting tonight, I may post my notes on Wednesday. Maybe. Dunno.
Anyway the big draw was the 4th presentation by Joe Mamo (bald black guy in black shirt w/ olive jacket standing in fuzzy picture) who wants to construct a condo building at the corner of North Cap and Florida and needs a zoning variance and community approval. Attendees had lots of questions and concerns and the statements brought me back to the whole “every silver lining has a cloud” post. We say we want development, but quake in fear about the extra traffic and the greater un-affordability of the neighborhood, that development brings.
According to Mamo and his development posse (fuzzy white guy and other fuzzy black man) 85% of the proposed condo will be market rate and 15% of would be affordable (80% of the Area Median Income). This started some chatter about the adult children of area residents not being able to afford to move back into the neighborhood. The lawyer (white fuzzy) said he had kids too and they have the same issues, but that is the way the market is. Jim our gracious leader later came back to that saying that the flippant ‘that’s the way the market is’ is not the kind of answer that citizens deserve. Yet, for me the answer is that’s the way of the DC housing market. One would do better to convince a neighbor to sell to your family members for a below market price than a for profit developer.
You know if Mamo said he was going to make it 100% affordable housing at 80% AMI, people would be up in arms. Don’t believe me, talk up the Slater Langston School as senior housing ’cause that got a cool reception.
No pleasing us BACA people. If it is affordable we’re afraid of it being overrun by Section 8’ers. If it is luxury, then it makes the whole neighborhood unaffordable. If it is affordable old people housing, then it doesn’t attract hip cool business and we become a senior dumping ground. Oh yeah, and we really want a Harris Teeter and a Starbucks, but we don’t want the incomes and the density needed to attract those businesses. Because the incomes will make the neighborhood unaffordable for the long time residents and their offspring and the density will take away the precious parking. PRECIOUS (channeling Golum).
Once again, and I’m typing this with feeling, figure out what you want and acknowledge the negative that comes with it. Don’t pretend that you can become just like that other neighborhood X without the headaches that come with it. To get the cool stores and businesses means we need density with money. Density means big tall buildings. Density means more traffic. More traffic means it’s harder to jaywalk. Density with money will attract that damned Starbucks everyone keeps coveting, but it raises the cost of living in the area. Starbucks coffee ain’t cheap and they aren’t going to give you a pre-gentrification discount.
Believing that you can bring in development that improves the neighborhood, cleans up crime, brings in high scale shops, “nice” restaurants, and the cache of some of the tonier neighborhoods without endangering your street parking, the density and scale of buildings, or the abilty for your kids and friends to buy in is an urban fairy tale.
It’s late and obviously I’m grouchy and in a foul mood. I should stop typing now.

PRREEEE-CIOOOOUS

Jim announced the special BACA meeting regarding land use and whatnot is tonight. See the main InShaw site for info.