Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Ward 5 CM McDuffie announces his intent to run in next year's election

From Washington Post's Tim Craig.  You can click on the article link to read the entire article:


Mendelson, Cheh, McDuffie and Bonds plan reelection bids


By Tuesday, April 30, 12:45 PM


One week after District voters went to the polls for a special D.C. Council election, there is already some clarity about next year’s council races.

When asked Tuesday, council members Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3), Anita Bonds (D-At Large) and Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5) all said they plan to seek reelection next year. And Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, who won in a special election last year, also plans to run again.

All four will have to compete in the Democratic primary, which is scheduled for April 1 but could be changed to mid-June.

“I’m definitely running,” McDuffie said, while standing near Cheh at a breakfast meeting Tuesday.
           
“I’m running,” Cheh said.

“We’re running,” McDuffie said.


Friends of McMillan Park: McMillan petition and fact sheet

Larry Chang of The Friends of McMillan Park has asked that the group's petition and fact sheet be circulated.

Patrick Hudak has supplied this link to the petition.
                    

                                             

call to artists: Artists Off-Rhode at Off-Rhode Studio


From: Nolan Treadway
Cc: Beth Baldwin <bbaldwin@art-enables.org
Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 12:46 PM
Subject: Calling Ward 5 Artists!

I'm just the messenger for one of our great Ward 5 establishments, Art Enables. They are putting together a show for Ward 5 artists, to put on display all the great artists we've got in our midst! Please pass along to anyone you think would be interested. And if you've got questions email Beth Baldwin ( bbaldwin@art-enables.org ) or just drop in Art Enables (2204 Rhode Island Ave, right next to Carl's Subs)



Information:
Artists Off-Rhode at Off-Rhode Studio
Submission deadline: Wednesday, June 12, 2013
The Off-Rhode Studio is an auxiliary art space dedicated to local, emerging, and self-taught artists. Exhibits, panels, discussions and more happen in this small scale and intimate environment.

Open to: Artists living or working in Ward 5 in Washington DC. 

To be considered: Please submit electronically, photos of up to 10 pieces (both 2-d works and 3-d works will be considered) to bbaldwin@art-enables.org Submissions may also be shared using Dropbox by 6pm Wednesday, June 13, 2013

Entry requirements:

  1. Work should be made within the last 5 years by an artist who lives or works in Ward 5 in Washington, DC. 
  2. All submissions must be sent electronically to be considered
  3. Work should not exceed 72” in any one dimension.
  4. Any selected work MUST BE READY TO HANG. Any pieces selected by (curator/jury) that arrive not ready to hang will be returned to the artist upon delivery.
  5. Images should be submitted in the JPEG format, ideally a 4”x6” image size.
  6. Please label all images with the artists last name in the JPEG file (Example: Baldwin01.Jpeg)

Timeline:
June 12- Images due by 6pm to bbaldwin@art-enables.org
June 14- Notification to artists regarding accepted work
June 28- All selected artwork to be received in person by 4pm
July 13- Show opens with artist reception 1-4pm
July 31- Show closes
August 9- Deadline for all unsold artwork to be picked up by

Sales: For any artwork sold at Off-Rhode Studio, Artist will receive 70% of the sale. The remaining 30% will go to Art Enables. All checks will be mailed to artist, unless other arrangements have been made, within 30 days of the close of the show.
     
Submission deadline: Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Urban Turf: "A new plan for Bloomingdale, LeDroit Park and Truxton Circle"

Urban Turf attended this past Saturday's MidCityEast Small Area Plan kickoff and visioning session.

Thanks to Urban Turf for reporting on the event!
                           

A New Plan For Bloomingdale, LeDroit Park and Truxton Circle


image
Big Bear Cafe
On Saturday, representatives from the Office of Planning (OP) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) met with residents of Bloomingdale, Eckington, LeDroit Park, Truxton Circle/Bates Area and Sursum Corda to kick off the Mid-City East Small Area Plan and Livability study.
Essentially, the Small Area Plan involves a targeted study to determine how to direct commercial and residential development, public space planning, historic preservation in the area. For the next few months, the Office of Planning will be meeting with residents, business owners, and an advisory board to figure out what is going on and what is needed in the area, and will make a formal series of recommendations, to be approved by the City Council, early next year. DDOT is concurrently conducting a livability study to look at ease of transportation around the neighborhoods.
The aforementioned neighborhoods have been clumped together because they all abut a set of corridors that OP wants to focus on improving: Florida Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue, and North Capitol Street. As several residents pointed out, the neighborhoods, though centrally located, struggle with walkability and livability because they are zigzagged with these high-speed, commuter-serving roads.
image
A few of the ideas generated on Saturday.
Attendees at Saturday’s meeting were flush with recommendations, which included:
  • Encouraging more neighborhood-serving retailers, like a doctor’s office, hardware store or salon
  • Decking North Capitol Street in places to add green space and improve the connection between the east and the west sections of the avenue
  • Preserving cultural diversity and affordable housing
  • Curbing “pop-ups” and maintaining the architectural character of the area
  • Making use of vacant homes and schools while monitoring the balance of social services and businesses.
  • Encouraging good neighborhood schools, and not just charter schools.
  • Finding large green space to serve all the neighborhoods.
  • Fixing the oft-clogged intersection at Florida Avenue and New York Avenue.
A contingent also made it clear that they didn’t want the area turning into Adams Morgan or U Street. “We don’t want all-night establishments in a bedroom community,” said one long-time resident.

Kuumba Kollectibles: Wedding Show@Belmont Legacy Exhibition Sat&Sun May 4&5

From: Kuumba Kollectibles <kuumbakollectibles@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 6:59 AM
Subject: Wedding Show@Belmont Legacy Exhibition Sat&Sun May 4&5

From Classic to Daringly Different!
Kuumba Kollectibles@Belmont Legacy
Flowers, Cakes, Photography, Invitations, Makeup and much more

See Kuumba Kollectibles at the
Belmont Arts Showroom
Sat. & Sun. May 4 & 5 / 11a – 7p
3311 Rhode Island Ave
Mt Rainier MD 20712
for info 202-797-8823


Our mailing address is:
312 Florida Ave NW / Washington DC 20001

Monday, April 29, 2013

come out for the Bloomingdale Community Walk -- Tuesday, 04-30-2013

Have you ever joined a Bloomingdale Community Walk?  A great opportunity to meet your neighbors and meet your local MPD police officers!  Thanks to Bloomingdale resident Jennifer McCann for coordinating these walks.
            

DC Water + CM McDuffie - Ward 5 Town Hall – Tuesday, 04-30-2013

From: DC Water External Affairs <custserve@dcwater.com>
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2013 11:05 AM
Subject: Upcoming Town Halls: DC Water and Council Members


Dear District Resident -
    
In partnership with Council Member Kenyan McDuffie, DC Water General Manager George Hawkins is visiting Ward 5 to talk to residents about water rates and issues impacting your community. We want to talk about your water and sewer bill, household tap water, construction projects in your neighborhood, jobs and whatever else is on your mind.
      
When: Tuesday, April 30 @ 6:30pm
Where: McKinley Tech H.S., 151 T Street, N.E.
     
Come out to talk with Council Member Kenyan McDuffie and me about DC Water in your community. For more information visit www.dcwater.com/rates or call 202-787-2200. We hope to see you there!
                 
Sincerely,
                               
George Hawkins
General Manager, DC Water

Urban Turf: Harris Teeter in the works for McMillan site

The latest from Urban Turf:


A Harris Teeter In the Works For McMillan Site

image
 
 
A Harris Teeter may be in the works for the new McMillan Sand Filtration site.
On Saturday, Vision McMillan Partners (VMP) held an open house in Bloomingdale to discuss the residential, park, and commercial plans for the redevelopment of the site, and it was revealed that the retail team is in talks with Harris Teeter to sign on as the “large grocery” in the middle of the site.
The developers also said that they hope to create a “third place” on the North Court, with space for a farmer’s market, arts and crafts fairs, street performers, and the like. A retail corridor lines the court, with restaurants, a pharmacy, and other neighborhood-serving options, in addition to a BikeShare stand and car2go spaces. There will also be two structures — creating from existing regulator houses on the site — that will host “pop-up” retailers on short-term leases.
image
 
 
We also learned more about one of the smaller planned green spaces, pictured above; the developers imagine using the underground cells and existing circular holes to send light up into the grassy space, an artistic interpretation of the former usage.
Roughly 300 multi-family units are planned above the grocery store. Hopefully, said one representative, they could be occupied by employees working in the health services office buildings on the northern end of the site.
Though the Historic Preservation Review Board has been discussing the project, they didn’t issue any specific directives to the developers regarding the plans at a meeting this past Thursday. VMP’s Anne Corbett told UrbanTurf that they will be meeting with the Historic Preservation Office next week to hear more specific feedback. 
As usual, expect updates as we learn more about the project. The VMP tells us that they hope to be under construction by 2014, and to deliver the first units and the park in 2016 and the grocery in 2017.

Chancee` Lundy: Bloomingdale updated construction notice

From: Chancee Lundy <clundy@nspiregreen.com>
Date: Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 3:54 PM
Subject: Fwd: Bloomingdale Updated Construction Notice
To:

Bloomingdale Community,

During the November community walk through and in subsequent meetings, you indicated that you wanted to be kept abreast of the Bloomingdale Surface Water Management Project. I have attached an updated notice of construction for the Bloomingdale community. Construction was scheduled to start today in the unit block of T St. NW; however the weather will delay the start. The area has been marked off and Emergency No Parking signs are in place.

On Saturday, April 27th, we disseminated the attached construction notices to residents on the unit and 100 blocks of T St. NW and Rhode Island Ave. NW, as well as, in the immediate area surrounding the alley of the church.

Please share this information with your neighbors.

Thank you,

--
Chancee` Lundy
Public Outreach Coordinator
DDOT - Bloomingdale Surface Water Management Project
202-630-9353
                              

monthly open house at Boneyard Studios (the tiny house showcase in the Stronghold) -- Saturday, 05-11-2013

See this message:

          
Wanted to let everyone know we have yet another monthly open house coming up May 11 at 11am at Boneyard Studios (the tiny house showcase in Stronghold). 
                
RSVP here.

at Big Bear Cafe this afternoon: MidCityEast Small Area Plan and Livability Study office hours

From: Deborah <ward5planner@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 10:53 AM
Subject:  It's not too late to participate!!!

      
We had a great public kick-off on 4-27 for the Mid City East Small Area Plan and Livability Study! A summary of the meeting will be posted online at www.midcityeast.com.

New Announcements for Mid City East:

Visit our MindMixer site and share your ideas:

Join us for Office Hours this week:
                                                                 
Monday, April 29, 4:30 pm -6:30 pm
Big Bear Café
1700 1st St NW

Tuesday, April 30, 4:30 pm -7:30 pm
Northwest One Neighborhood Library
155 L Street, NW

Wednesday, May 1, 4:30 pm -7:30 pm
Windows Café and Market
101 Rhode Island Ave NW

Thursday, May 2, 4:30 pm -7:30 pm
Northwest One Neighborhood Library
155 L Street, NW

Friday, May 3, 4:30 pm -7:30 pm
Big Bear Café
1700 1st St NW

Joyce Tsepas

Chita Rivera house (2134 Flagler Pl NW) being converted into two-family flat

Here are the DCRA building permits for Bloomingdale and Truxton Circle for Thursday, 04-25-2013, and Friday, 04-26-2013 -- from data.dc.gov:



PERMIT_SUBTYPE_NAME FULL_ADDRESS DESC_OF_WORK
MECHANICAL 206 P ST NW
ELECTRICAL 1735 1ST ST NW
ADDITION ALTERATION REPAIR 70 BATES ST NW NEW TWO-STORY CODE COMPLYIMG STAIRWAY TO REPLACE EXISTING NON COMPLYING STAIRWAY/PORCH
ALTERATION AND REPAIR 117 R ST NW CONVERT EXISTING BASEMENT INTO A SEPARATE UNIT. REMOVE NON-BEARING PARTITIONS AND INSTALL NEW PARTITIONS.. INSTALL NEW ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING ? MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AS SHOWN ON THE PLANS.
ALTERATION AND REPAIR 30 HANOVER PL NW RENOVATION OF EXISTING SFD STRUCTURE. REMOVE INTERIOR PARTITIONS AND STAIRS. INSTALL NEW PARTITIONS AND NEW STAIRS. ALSO INSTALL NEW ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING AND HVAC SYSTEMS AS PER PLANS. CONVERSION FROM A SFD 2-BUILDING  TO FLAT.
ALTERATION AND REPAIR 1745 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE REVISION TO PERMIT B1305414. TO INCLUDE SPIRAL STAIR TO ATTIC STORAGE SPACE AS PER DRAWINGS.
PLUMBING 2312 1ST ST NW REPLACEMENT OF NOT MORE THAN 1 PLUMBING FIXTURE, ON A RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL PROJECT.
PLUMBING 159 RANDOLPH PL NW ONE SEWER OR WATER LINE CUT.
ADDITION ALTERATION REPAIR 2134 FLAGLER PL NW SFD TO FLAT (2-UNITS) WITH REAR ADDITION AND DECK LESS THAN FOUR FEET FROM GRADE.  NEW BAY AND SIDE STAIRS TO NEW UNIT IN PUBLIC SPACE.
BUILDING 62 CHANNING ST NW INTERIOR DEMOLITION OF NON-BEARING ELEMENTS IN A SPACE UP TO 5,000 SQUARE FEET (464.5 SQUARE METERS)

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Seven figure sale in Bloomingdale


Although there have been a hand full of recent seven figure sales in LeDroit Park west of 4th Street NW, this is the first residential sale since (a single sale in) 2005 over $1,000,000. in Bloomingdale.  The listing can be seen here.  Settlement is reported on April 26, 2013 at a sales price of $1,300,000.
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage represented both the seller and buyer. 

I still have a copy of the Washington Post article from around 2001 when the first seven figure sale happened on Capitol Hill.  That marked a significant shift in perception and pricing in that neighborhood.

5D Commander Solberg: 16-year-old arrested and charged with Flagler & V St NW robbery

See this brief message from Bloomingdale resident John Salatti:


Here is an update from Cmdr. Solberg about the robberies:

On Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 10:36 AM, Solberg, Andrew (MPD) <andrew.solberg@dc.gov> wrote:

I`m glad to tell all of you that we did arrest a 16 year old yesterday and charged him with the robbery at Flagler and V Streets.
   
 Andy

*********************************************
  
The police arrested this teen within an hour of the last attack because of police work and technology.  They had a lead about one of the attackers having been in the juvenile system and they tracked him down using the GPS on the ankle monitor he was wearing.  He could be placed at the exact location of the attack at the exact time because of the GPS and then they located and arrest him.
  
John
  
John T. Salatti
(202) 986-2592
``Together, Building a Better Bloomingdale``

more photos (African dancing!) from the Saturday, 04-27-2013, World Missions Walk-A-Thon fundraiser

Here is an additional message -- and more photos -- from World Missions' Dr. Perkins:


Just before the walk we had  a short program which included African dancing. 
                      
















some pics from the Saturday, 04-27-2013, World Mission Walk-A-Thon fundraiser

See this message and photos from Dr. Perkins:

Here are pictures taken from the walk, we had lots of fun.  Now we move towards preparing for the next rally which will be the june 22nd Scholarship Rally.
                                                                                                         
Please pass these pictures on to our Bloomingdale families. 






          

Fifth District Commander Solberg and Bloomingdale resident John Salatti here.


Next Door Bloomingdale

See this message regarding Next Door Bloomingdale:   
I was on the Next Door Bloomingdale blog but somehow got dropped off since I stopped receiving the emails.  Do you have the address for it so I can get back on?


seeking referrals for an architect

From a Bloomingdale household:
We are looking for an architect to redesign our kitchen to include moving the bathroom and taking out part of a wall.  Would appreciate names on anyone you think has done a good job on your house.  

Saturday, April 27, 2013

100 Bryant Street NW for rent

I have been asked to post this CraigsList rental entry for recently renovated 100 Bryant Street NW:                                                

- $3775 / 3br - Charming, huge and renovated house! (Bloomingdale)



Gorgeous renovation in Bloomingdale, rarely will you find this much charm and history still intact. Formerly a Church, this building was renovated in 2009 and the unit available is in the main house. Three bedrooms and 2.5 baths.

Two levels, formal entry parlor, stained glass windows, restored pocket door, beautiful woodwork, decorative fireplace and hardwood floors. The formal dining room can easily accommodate 15 guests, completely renovated kitchen with washer/dryer and outdoor space. Less than 1 mile to Shaw metro, great location for commuters, minutes to the Hill. Walk to Big Bear, Yoga District, Red Hen, Boundary Stone, and more.

1 year lease, $3200 security deposit
short-term leases will be considered for additional cost
pets will be considered case-by-case, additional security deposit required
no smoking inside the property
parking available for rent
Bryant at First (google map) (yahoo map)
  • cats are OK - purrr
  • dogs are OK - wooof
  • Location: Bloomingdale

C2A Commercial Property for sale in Bloomingdale

87 Florida Ave NW FOR SALE


Most recently used as a gallery, 87 Florida Ave NW, located across from Big Bear at the corner of 1st St NW and Florida Ave NW is looking for a new owner!  Do you have a great idea for the next new business that Bloomingdale needs?

The property is listed by Suzanne Des Marais with 10 Square Team, which is an affiliate of Keller Williams Capital Properties.  You can see the listing here.

You can learn more about the property history at www.housewithcharacter.com.