Thursday, January 31, 2013

MPD light tower back at Flagler and W Street NW this evening

Here you go -- across from the Chita Rivera house:



seeking referrals for kitchen designers

See this request from a Bloomingdale household: 
We want to update our kitchen. Do we have a designer in the neighborhood or anyone that the neighbors recommend? 


Bloomingdale resident Vicky Leonard to serve on new Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force

See the press release below.  Note that Bloomingdale resident Vicky Leonard is one of the members of the new Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force.



PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, January 31, 2013
CONTACT:   ;     Doxie McCoy (EOM) 202.727.9691; doxie.mccoy@dc.gov
Tanya Stern (OP) 202.442.7635; tanya.stern@dc.gov
                                Darrell Jackson, Jr. (McDuffie) 202.355.4257; DJackson@dccouncil.us
   
Mayor Gray and Councilmember McDuffie Announce Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force
  
 13-Member Task Force to Study Future of Ward 5 Industrial Areas
       
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie today announced the formation of a 13-member task force charged with developing a strategic plan for the modernization and adaptive use of the industrial areas in Ward 5.
           
Building on the goals of the Mayor’s One City Action Plan, the District’s Five-Year Economic Development Strategy and the Sustainable DC initiative, the Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force will develop a strategic and forward-looking plan to transform these industrial areas into a magnet for green and creative businesses that can help diversify the District’s economy, create jobs for different skill levels and provide the amenities and services desired by Ward 5 residents.
              
“With the creation of this task force, we are signaling the start a new day for these often neglected and underused industrial areas,” said Mayor Gray. “We can find better and smarter ways to make them productive not just for Ward 5, but for the entire District’s economy by leveraging the demand for green, technological and creative services in our city.̶ 1;
                
Councilmember McDuffie, who has spearheaded the initiative to re-envision Ward 5’s industrial areas, joined Mayor Gray in noting the crucial nature of the panel’s work. “It is important that we take a balanced approach to land use in Ward 5,” McDuffie said. “The Industrial Land Transformation Task Force will assess the feasibility of diversifying the industries using Ward 5’s industrial land to stimulate economic development and job creation. Industrial land, when approached creatively, could be the key to a more vibrant Ward 5.”
                   
The 13-member task force will be chaired by D.C. Office of Planning (OP) Director Harriet Tregoning, and Councilmember McDuffie will serve as a member. In an acknowledgement of the importance of industrial areas in supporting critica l municipal services, the Task Force also includes District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Terry Bellamy; Department of Public Works (DPW) Director William O. Howland, Jr.; District Department of the Environment (DDOE) Director Keith Anderson; Department of General Services (DGS) Director Brian Hanlon; Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi; and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) Victor Hoskins.
                              
Mayor Gray also appointed to the task force four members of the public with deep ties to Ward 5 neighborhoods and expertise in public-private partnerships, environmental sustainability and economic development. These members include Jaime Fearer, Secretary of the Trinidad Neighborhood Association and an urban planning professional; Eric Jones, resident of the Bates-Truxton neighborhood and Associate Director of Government Affairs at the Associated Builders and Cont ractors of Metro Washington; Victoria Leonard, long-time Ward 5 resident and Economic Development Advisor for the Mid-Atlantic Laborers’ Cooperation Trust; and Peta-Gay Lewis, newly elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for ANC 5D01.
                     
Although industrial land accounts for less than 5 percent of the District’s land area, it plays a very important role in contributing to the District’s economy by directly providing products and services, highly needed well-paying jobs, housing and municipal facilities that provide necessary services for D.C.’s rapidly growing population.
                      
The task force is charged with developing a plan that includes:
                                               
·      An inventory of current industrial uses;
·         A set of goals, recommendations and analysis for how to modernize and adaptively use Ward 5’s industrial land;
·         A projection, utilizing data from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, of the amount of tax revenue that could be generated through the expansion of industries;
·         Recommendations for various measures and tools to facilitate and incentivize the modernization and adaptive use of industrial land; and
·         An implementation strategy, with a projected timeframe and recommended implementing agents.
                        
“Since 2006 – the last time we comprehensively looked at our industrial land – our city and its needs have continued to evolve, offering choices in transportation, housing, retail an d services that attract new people, jobs and businesses,” said OP Director Tregoning. “Through this task force, we can develop an approach to our industrial land assets that further builds on the District’s position as an emerging leader in the green economy, the creative sector, entrepreneurship and cutting-edge technology.”
                  
The task force is expected to submit a draft report to the Mayor and the D.C. Council by January 31, 2014.
                                
# # #

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

no recorded action on the Backflow Preventer/Sandbag Act or the Flood Assistance Fund Amendment Act

See this 01-29-2013 message from Bloomingdame:
                      
Just checked - there is no recorded action on either bill. 
                                 
CM McDuffie attended the Bloomingdale Civic Association Monday night, 01-28-2013.  I asked him when the Mayor would sign the bills and he said that I would have to ask the Mayor.

The Mayor must sign or veto the bills by February 4, or they will become law. (Well, after they go to Congress.)

How many of you have asked the Mayor?



"Gray, Vincent (EOM)" <Vincent.Gray@dc.gov>,

B19-0936  "BLOOMINGDALE AND LEDROIT PARK BACKFLOW PREVENTER AND SANDBAG ACT OF 2012".

B19-0938  "DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FLOOD ASSISTANCE FUND AMENDMENT ACT OF 2012".

creation of Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force

From: "Jackson Jr, Darrell (Council)" 
To:
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 6:06 PM
Subject: [ward5] MEDIA ADVISORY:
Mayor Gray and Ward 5 Councilmember McDuffie to Announce Creation of Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force [1 Attachment]

[Attachment(s) from Jackson Jr, Darrell (Council) included below]

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of the Mayor
Office of Communications

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, January 30, 2013

CONTACT:       Doxie McCoy (EOM) 202.727.9691; doxie.mccoy@dc.gov
Tanya Stern (OP) 202.442.7635; tanya.stern@dc.gov
Darrell Jackson, Jr. (McDuffie) 202.355.4257; DJackson@dccouncil.us

Mayor Gray and Ward 5 Councilmember McDuffie to Announce Creation of Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force

WHAT/WHO:              Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie will announce the establishment of the Mayor’s Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force. The 13-member Task Force will include Councilmember McDuffie, several District agencies and Ward 5 community members. The Task Force, chaired by the Office of Planning, will be responsible for developing a strategic plan for the modernization and adaptive use of industrial land in Ward 5.

WHEN:                        Thursday, January 31, 2013
10:00 a.m.

WHERE:                       Union Market
1309 5th Street NE

BACKGROUND:           Building on the goals of the Mayor’s One City Action Plan, the District’s Five-Year Economic Development Strategy and the Sustainable DC initiative, the Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force will develop a strategic and forward-looking plan to transform these industrial areas into a magnet for green and creative businesses that can help diversify the District’s economy, create jobs for different skill levels and provide desirable amenities and services for the Ward 5 community. The Task Force will submit its final report to the Mayor and Council by January 31, 2014.

# # #

invitation to participate in moveDC, a multimodal long-range transportation plan for the District -- Saturday, 02-09-2013

ANC 5E08 Commissioner Mark Mueller has asked that this event announcement get posted:
    
From: "Deborah Cordell" <cordell@cordell-crumley.com>
Date: Jan 30, 2013 9:55 AM
Subject: We Need Your Help to Move DC
To: <info@wemovedc.org>

Dear Advisory Neighborhood Commissions,

We need to hear from residents, workers, and visitors of the District and we would greatly appreciate your help to spread the word!

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) recently announced moveDC, a collaborative planning effort to develop a Multimodal Long Range Transportation Plan for the District. MoveDC will bring together transit, rail, vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, and freight recommendations into one seamless, district-wide transportation plan. This plan is scheduled to be completed in 2014. It’s time to get DC moving.

To kick off the study, a transportation planning Idea Exchange is scheduled for February 9, 2013.  ecause public involvement is a significant component of the study, we are asking for your support to maximize our outreach by sharing the information provided with your groups.   Event details are included in the attached news release, flyer and the email notification below for you to share.  We have also attached materials in Spanish.

Help us spread the message:
  • Send the flyer and email messages to your email groups.
  • Create a Web link to our website (http://www.wemoveDC.org)
  • Spread the word socially:
    1. Facebook: www.facebook.com/wemovedc
    2. Twitter: http://twitter.com/wemovedc
  • Post information on your website (news release and flyer attached) and RSS Feed
  • Use our press release for newsletter articles
  • Post the event date on your event calendar

Please keep us informed of the outreach steps you are able to complete so that we can include in the outreach summary and call if you have any questions or suggestions for further outreach.

Website: www.wemoveDC.org

Thank you,

Deborah Cordell (on behalf of DDOT)
moveDC Planning Team

EMAIL ALERT TO FORWARD TO YOUR GROUPS:

Let’s Get DC Moving! You’re invited to a Transportation Idea Exchange

Join us for the moveDC Idea Exchangea family-friendly event, hosted by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). This is your opportunity to share ideas and experiences about transportation and life in DC. Whether you drive, bike, use transit or walk, this event will offer informative and interactive activities for everyone to develop a bold, new transportation vision for the District.

moveDC is a collaborative planning effort to develop a Multimodal Long Range Transportation Plan for the District. The moveDC plan will include recommendations to coordinate bus, rail, vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, and freight for the current and next generation of residents, workers, and visitors. Visit www.wemoveDC.orgfor the latest information, to submit ideas, and to sign up for our email list.

Mark your calendars to attend and invite your friends and family!

What: moveDC Transportation Idea Exchange

When: Saturday, February 9, 2013
9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Transportation Fair, drop in anytime)
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (City Leader Welcome)
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Future of Transportation Panel Discussion)
Drop-in anytime or stay all day!
Learn more about the activities online.

Where: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library
901 G St. N.W.
WashingtonDC 20001

Get there:
Bicyclists: Bike racks are available outside the main entrance on G St.
Bikeshare: Kiosks at G and 12th Streets, NW and H and 8th Streets, NW
Circulator: Georgetown-Union Station Route at K and 9th Streets NW
Metrorail: Metro Center Station (Blue, Orange and Red Lines)  Gallery Place/Chinatown Station (Green, Red and Yellow Lines)
Metrobus: Visit www.wmata.com
Parking: Handicap-accessible: G Street in front of the library in designated spaces.Off-street: 997 G Place NW720 10th Street NW, and 701 8th Street NW

Can’t make it? We still want to hear from you.
Read materials on www.wemoveDC.org and share your thoughts. Over the next year there will be many opportunities to participate at meetings and online.

Do you need assistance to participate?For those who need special accommodations or language assistance services (translation or interpretation), please contact Jordyne Blaise, Office of Civil Rights, 202-671-5117 orJordyne.Blaise@dc.gov by February 6, 2013. These services will be provided free of charge.

Stay Connected Online
Website: www.wemoveDC.org

Sincerely,

moveDC Team



DC Water and ABC7 TV news truck are at 1st & Thomas Street NW in preparation for this evening's thunderstorm

A storm is a-coming' through.

DC Water has two trucks along 1st Street NW.  And an ABC7 TV news truck is stationed at 1st & Thomas Street NW, at the ready.




Ward 5 CM McDuffie advises about this afternoon's coming Flash Flood Watch

From: "Jackson Jr, Darrell (Council)" <DJackson@DCCOUNCIL.US>
To:
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 2:58 PM
Subject: 
Hazardous Weather Warning



Hello Neighbors,
Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie would like to advise all residents, especially those in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods, that the National Weather Center has issued a Flash Flood Watch for the Washington, D.C area. Heavy rain and extremely strong winds are expected from 3:00 PM until late tonight.
Councilmember McDuffie has been in communication with the District Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Works, DC Water and the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency regarding their storm preparations. Residents should move their vehicles from low-lying flood prone areas, and prepare their homes and basements for the possibility of flooding.
  
Darrell Jackson, Jr.
Communications Director
Office of Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Ward 5
Chairman Pro Tempore
Chair, Committee on Government Operations
1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 506
Washington, DC 20004
202.724.8024 (office)
202.355.4257 (mobile)

hot damn! 1812 North Capitol Street NW being renovated at long last

See the DCRA building permits for Bloomingdale and Bates/Truxton for yesterday, 01-29-2013.

Note that 1812 North Capitol Street NW has been untenanted for years and years.

PERMIT_SUBTYPE_NAME  FULL_ADDRESS DESC_OF_WORK
ALTERATION AND REPAIR 2020 NORTH CAPITOL ST NW RENOVATE LOWER LEVEL TO CREATE A
 SECOND UNIT
MECHANICAL 64 NEW YORK AVE NE UNIT 2-4TH FL
DEMOLITION 15 N ST NW INTERIOR DEMO...NO LOAD BEARING WALLS
DEMOLITION 1812 NORTH CAPITOL ST NW INTERIOR NON-STRUCTURAL
 DEMOLITION OF INTERIOR
FINISHES
PLUMBING AND GAS 1555 4TH ST NW THIS SUPPLEMENTAL PERMIT WAS ISSUED
ONLINE. USE THE ONLINE PERMIT VIEW
APPLICATION ON DCRA INTRANET TO VIEW
 THE DETAILS AND PRINT A COPY OF
THE PERMIT. ALTERNATIVELY, YOU CAN
COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING
URL INTO AN INTERNET BROWSER. HTTPS://OSPI.DCRA.DC.GOV/OSPI/PRINTPERMIT.ASPX?PARAM=ZI8IGGJEILCGXALBE5NXQIQDPG4Q43KG



"flooding task force report delivered to Mayor Gray"

Here you go:

Flooding Task Force Report Delivered To Mayor Gray

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Mayor’s Task Force on the Prevention of Flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park has issued its final report, announced City Administrator Allen Y. Lew, who co-chaired the task force with DC Water General Manager George Hawkins. The report is available online at www.oca.dc.govhttp://www.oca.dc.gov>.

“Completion of this vitally important analysis of the causes and possible solutions to the flooding in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods is yet another indication of how seriously my administration took this problem,” said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “Flooding has been a problem here for several decades. City Administrator Lew, Mr. Hawkins and the community worked together brilliantly to identify solutions – many of which have already been implemented – and after only a few months, we are on our way to resolving one of our most pressing infrastructure needs.”

Mayor Gray established the task forcehttp://mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-vincent-c-gray-establishes-flood-prevention-task-force-bloomingdale-and-ledroit-park> in late August and in December announced that the District and DC Water would immediately proceed with the most significant Task Force infrastructure recommendation. The $600 million Northeast Boundary Neighborhood Protection Projecthttp://mayor.dc.gov/release/district-breaks-ground-large-scale-flood-relief-bloomingdale-and-ledroit-park> will be completed in three phases, with the first portion being the construction of two new water storage tanks at the McMillan site to hold a total of up to 6 million gallons of stormwater. Flow will be diverted from feeder sewers adjacent to the McMillan site, capturing stormwater before it arrives in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park and reaches the sewer system. This will help reduce the excessive pressure that currently causes sewer backups and overland flooding during heavy rainstorms.

“The Flooding Task Force Report is a shining example of how citizens and government working together can solve long-standing problems,” said Lew. “While the Task Force has completed its work, the District and DC Water are just beginning. We will continue to work with the community as we implement the various recommendations.”

# # #

Metro announces 2nd round of public meetings for Metrobus Route 80 study

See this press release regarding the Metro 80 bus line that runs north-south on North Capitol Street:
   

Metro News Release
For immediate release: January 29, 2013
Metro announces second round of public meetings for Metrobus Route 80 study Customers can give feedback on possible service improvements for North Capitol Street Line
Metro and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) today announced the second round of public meetings to hear input from riders and community members regarding potential changes to Metrobus Route 80 service, known as the North Capitol Street Line.
Metro and DDOT working together on a comprehensive study of  Route 80 service. The two public meetings announced today follow two open houses and a focus group in late 2012, in which the project team heard ideas from the public about service improvements along the corridor.
The two public meetings will take place as follows:
Wednesday, February 6, 2013 -- 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Phoenix Park Hotel
520 North Capitol Street NW (across from Union Station at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, North Capitol and F streets)
Washington, DC
Thursday, February 7, 2013 -- 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Providence Hospital Ross Auditorium
1150 Varnum Street NE
Washington, DC
Both meeting locations are located on Metrobus Route 80 and open to all members of the public; no advance registration is required. Participants may arrive any time between the start and end time of each meeting.  The meetings will not feature a formal presentation. Instead, participants will be able to speak individually with the project team about service improvements that Metro is considering for the North Capitol Street Line.
Metro and DDOT will use the feedback from participants to complete the analysis of Route 80 and create draft recommendations. In spring 2013, after a final round of public input, the recommendations for improvements will be finalized and presented to the public and the Metro Board for consideration in mid-2013.
A Spanish translator and visual materials in Spanish will be available at the public meetings.
Metrobus Route 80 runs from Fort Totten Metrorail Station in Northeast DC down South Dakota Avenue and 12th Street NE to Michigan Avenue and North Capitol Street. At Union Station, the route heads west along Massachusetts Avenue, H Street, and K Street NW. Finally, the route goes through Foggy Bottom along 18th and 19th Streets and Virginia Avenue before terminating at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Route 80 currently carries around 7,500 passengers on an average weekday, one of the largest riderships in the Metrobus system.
The North Capitol Street Line Study is the latest in a series of comprehensive evaluations of Metrobus “Priority Corridors." Metro and its partner agencies in the Washington metropolitan region have been studying service and operations on the Metrobus network’s busiest lines since 2006, and making gradual improvements that include restructured routes, limited-stop services, and other enhancements.
     
News release issued at 3:51 pm, January 29, 2013.


Ann E. Chisholm
Office of Government Relations
Government Relations Officer for the District of Columbia
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
600 5th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202.962.2877




Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Costa Brava voluntary agreement (now called a "settlement agreement") reviewed and approved

See this Bloomingdale liquor license item that I spotted over at the Ward 5 Heartbeat blog.



On January 23, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board reviewed and approved with modifications the Settlement Agreement between Costa Brava and a Group of Five or More, Victoria Rizzo, and Lawrence Perry. Costa Brava, 1837 1st Street NW.
Retailer CR02, Lic.#: 90223.Decision: Approved with modifications, 4-0.

I am curious what the conditions are within the Costa Brava settlement agreement. 
 

Bloomingdale now included in DC Office of Planning's Small Area Plan (SAP)

Ward 5 Planner Deborah Crain-Kemp attended last night's Bloomingdale Civic Association at the invitation of BCA President Teri Janine Quinn.



Debbie distributed copies of an info sheet on the small area plan that originally was intended for the Bates/Truxton Circle/Hanover area south of Florida Avenue NW, but has been expanded to include Eckington, LeDroit Park, part of Sursum Corda -- and Bloomingdale.
                      
So Bloomingdale gets to participate in this Small Area Plan!