Urban Turf: "A new rendering of McMillan's planned park"

Shilpi Paul has been busy!  See her Urban Turf post from earlier this afternoon.  (The text and images below are from Urban Turf!)

DC’s Central Park? A New Rendering of McMillan’s Planned Park

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• February 28, 2013

by Shilpi Paul   

Earlier this week, UrbanTurf reported the news that the team behind with the McMillan Sand Filtration redevelopment had revamped their plans to include a larger park on the south end of the project.

Well, UrbanTurf got its hands on a few more detailed renderings of the park, and frankly, it looks incredible. Above and below are what could be DC’s (albeit much smaller) version ofNYC’s Central Park.

If you read the last post, you’ll know that the park will be on the south end of the 25-acre plot. The above rendering’s perspective is looking up at the park from southeast corner. Below, the rendering is looking up from a southwest perspective.

Renderings courtesy of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects.

What do you think?

DC DISB: "Flood Hazard Protection: What You Need to Know" - Tuesday, 03/05/2013

See this meeting announcement:

You Are Invited: "Flood Hazard Protection: What You Need to Know" - March 5, St. George's Church

Join the DC Insurance Federation, Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie and Vincent Orange, the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking and others for this special informational event on flood and homeowner insurance.

When:

March 5, 2013, 6:30-8:30 pm

Where:

St George’s Church

160 U Street, NW

Washington, DC

Ward 5

The DC Insurance Federation is hosting an information forum in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of DC on March 5 to educate residents in the more flood prone sections of the city as to why a homeowners policy is not “flood insurance” and what resources are available to help consumers find protection from flooding hazards.

The event will feature remarks from Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie and Vincent Orange, DISB Commissioner William P. White and a five-member panel of insurance experts to take your questions. Panelists include:

Rich Sobota, Insurance Specialist for FEMA Region III

Phetmano P. Phannavong, P.E., CFM, DC NFIP Coordinator, District Department of the Environment (DDOE)

Donald L. Griffin, CPCU, ARC, Are, ARM, AU, Vice President, Personal Lines, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America

Thomas M. Glassic, General Counsel, Office of the Attorney General, Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking

Theodore M. Pappas, CLU CIC, CWCA, Past President of the Metropolitan Washington Independent Insurance Agents’ Association and currently National Director to the Independent Insurance Agents’ & Brokers’ Association for Washington, DC

Moderator, Wayne McOwen, Executive Director, District of Columbia Insurance Federation

                                                  

This event is open to the public. Light refreshments will be served compliments of the DC Insurance Federation. If you have any questions about the event, contact Wayne McOwen at wmcowen@dcif.org.

G2 Metrobus route changing

A note from a neighbor:

     

Changes to G2 Bus Route

Signs have been posted at the bus stops located at 2nd & W; 2nd & Bryant and Bryant Street, will no longer be accessible due to pipe replacement by DC Water and Sewer.  The bus will pick up 4th & V Streets, near the parking garage.  

                                                                                                                                 

Effective Sunday, March 10, 2013 through July 2015.  

           

Please note, the end date/year has been confirmed.  There is no information on Metro or DC Water & Sewer website.

Thursday night jazz at Big Bear Cafe - Kevin Cordt Quartet playing

From Bloomingdale's Big Bear Cafe:

Thursday Night Jazz - this Thursday at 8pm, 2/28.

The Kevin Cordt Quartet is coming to play at the Big Bear Cafe this Thursday, 2/28.

Music usually starts around 8pm and goes until 10pm.  You can hear him play at his myspace page here: (click here)

Come for dinner or a glass of wine.  You can reserve a table by calling (202) 643-9222, or email: bigbearcafe.reservations@gmail.comHope to see you soon. 

and the Arts Desk at the Washington City Paper promotes Kevin Cordt's appearance tonight at Big Bear Cafe.

WaPo: "Many riders on Metro's 80 bus to hospital appointments in NE frequently left waiting"

Riders of the Metrobus 80 route along North Capitol Street may wish to read this Washington Post article on the 80 bus.  Click on the article title below to read the entire article.

Many riders on Metro’s 80 bus to hospital appointments in NE frequently left waiting

By Luz Lazo, Updated: Wednesday, February 27, 8:34 PM

...

Metro officials say they know that many patients at Providence and the other medical facilities depend on this bus. Metro knows, too, that the current service isn’t cutting it, so the transit agency is studying the route, trying to figure how to speed it up so the hospitals and their patients are assured of having the vital transportation link.

“One of the top issues will be how to deal with traffic congestion that 80-line buses routinely encounter,” Metro spokesman Philip Stewart said.

But transit agency officials say funding is not available for immediate improvements.

...

LeDroit Park / Bloomingdale Heritage Trail poster pin-up session - Tuesday, 03-12-2013

See this message from LeDroit Park resident Robert Sullivan: 

Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 3:44 PM

Subject: LeDroit Park / Bloomingdale Heritage Trail

After several delays, and much hard work, the LeDroit Park/Bloomingdale Heritage Trail is nearly complete and ready for your review.

Please join us Tuesday, March 12 at 7 pm at St. George's Episcopal Church (Second and U Streets, NW) for a poster pin-up session. We will display poster proofs of all 16 Heritage Trail signs, fronts and backs, for your review. This is your opportunity to help us fact-check, spell-check, and get it as close to perfect as we can.

These are the signs that will be installed on our streets in both LeDroit Park and Bloomingdale, and we think it's important that you see what will be on the signs, and where they will be installed. It makes no difference if you've been in the neighborhood for 40 years, or just moved in last week – we want to know what you think.

The posters will be displayed in the basement of St. George's from 7 to 9 pm on Tuesday, March 12. We hope you can join us.

For more information about DC's Heritage Trails:
http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/things-do-see/tours-trails/neighborhood-heritage-trails

Thanks.Robert Sullivan

"starving dog next door" (in Bloomingdale) Washingtonian article

I spotted a tweet about this Washingtonian article.  I have not included the entire article -- just a few paragraphs.  You can click on the article title link to see the entire story.  The pic of the dog below is from the Washingtonian article.

   

The Starving Dog Next Door

The author has tried for months to get authorities to aid her neglected, hungry canine neighbor.By Marisa M. Kashino

 Published February 26, 2013

Update: Thank you to all the commenters for their concern. But please do not seek to take action yourselves. Since posting the story, I've gotten a great response from officials within Mayor Gray's office, as well as the DC Council member for my ward, Kenyan McDuffie. The Humane Society of the United States is also now looking into the situation. I sincerely appreciate your intentions, but I am hopeful this situation can be resolved legally.

I knew the dog would be an issue from the second I saw her. My husband and I had been condo hunting for months when we finally found the place that felt like it could be home. It was one of four units in a newly renovated rowhouse in DC’s Bloomingdale neighborhood. But the dog that I could see through the fence next door gave me real pause.

Her yard was a mess—covered in feces and random debris. She didn’t seem to have much shelter, and I couldn’t see bowls for water or food. Most alarming—she didn’t look well. She was thin, and her constant barking told me she was seriously stressed. Who knew how long she had endured these conditions? The condo building, which has a direct line of sight into her yard, had been vacant for years before a developer came through and remodeled it. Maybe no one had noticed this poor dog before. 

...

Marisa M. Kashino covers law and lobbying as a staff writer for Washingtonian, and also edits the magazine's Pets coverage. She and her husband live in Bloomingdale with their dog, Bexley, and their cat, Olive. 

ANC 5E07 Commissioner Wanda Foster holds her first SMD meeting tonight, Wednesday, 02-27-2013

ANC 5E07 Commissioner Wanda Foster has scheduled her first single member district (SMD) meeting for tonight, Wednesday, 02-27-2013.

See her announcement message:

"Here is the agenda for 5E07 1st meeting would you please circulate and a reminder as well."
                                              

ANC 5E07 Wanda Foster SMD Meeting 2013 02 27 by Scott Roberts

ASSOCIATION OF ETHIOPIC RITE CATHOLICS IN NORTH AMERICA home office in Bloomingdale

Here are the DCRA building permits for Bloomingdale for yesterday, Tuesday, 02-26-2013:

PERMIT_SUBTYPE_NAME	FULL_ADDRESS	DESC_OF_WORK
NA	16 CHANNING ST NW	HOME OFFICE FOR A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OF ASSOCIATION OF ETHIOPIC RITE CATHOLICS IN NORTH AMERICA.
MECHANICAL	1735 1ST ST NW
PLUMBING AND GAS	1735 1ST ST NW

armed carjacking on the 100 block of W Street NW earlier this evening

02/26/13 18:45

Police Alert-Armed Car Jacking 5019 CONFIRMED A Armed Carjacking in the 100 blk of W St, NW LOF: Blk,'01/honda civic,dc/DX4281/B/M,5'7,mid-late 20's blk jkt,silver gun DO NOT TAKE ACTION CALL 911 W/EVENT #I20130089326 Sent on: 02/26 18:45

revised McMillan site plan -- note that the entire bottom of the tripartite is park space

This past Thursday evening, 02-21-2013, a McMillan Advisory Group (MAG) meeting was held at All Nations Baptist Church.  The Vision McMillan Partners (VMP) team provided an updated concept for the site, now that DC Water is pursuing its infrastructure project and using some cells in the southwest corner and northeast corner of the site.

You can see the concept drawing below.

Note that the entire bottom of the tripartite is park space.  VMP would spend time with the MAG planning the actual final park layout and amenities.  

Some other strategic changes of note (not comprehensive!):

• Once DC Water vacates the site, a one-acre park will be created in the northeast corner of the site at Cell 14
• The rowhouses, previously located along the southern border of the site, are * north * of the southern silo/regulator corridor.  So no rowhouses along Channing Street as in the prior renderings.
• More vehicular connectivity/permeability - less public space, but wider sidewalks in North Service Court
• More open space, larger Central Park - no flexibility on density and heights
• More preservation of the elevated Olmstead Walk -- less setback along North Capitol Street 
• Five floors of housing would be constructed over the grocery.
• The grocery would be a * premium * grocery [place your bets now]
• Integrated affordable housing throughout -- no dedicated affordable Senior Housing

VMP will attend/present at ANC 5E, 5A and 1B at commission chairs' discretion.

Mark your calendars for a Community Meeting on Preliminary Building Designs on Saturday, April 20, 2013, 10 am to 12 noon.
                                              

2013-02-14 McMillan Park South Siteplan by Scott Roberts

                                                                       
Here is a concept drawing for the big park space on the southern end of the site -- the bottom of the tripartite. Again, just a concept for now!
                                                      

McMillan Park Drawing 2013 02 21 by Scott Roberts

rain or shine tonight! Bloomingdale community walk

See this event announcement from Bloomingdale resident Jennifer McCann:

              

Bloomingdale Community Walk 2013 02 26 by Scott Roberts

seeking neighborhood musicians looking to jam

See this brief message from a V Street NW resident: 

I have recently started playing guitar, getting into music production a bit, was wondering if you are aware of any other local musician in our neighborhood that might be looking to jam.  I always learn more by playing music with other people.

1745 North Capitol Street NE being converted from SFD to 2-family flat

DCRA building permits for yesterday, 02-25-2013, for Bloomingdale, etc.:

PERMIT_SUBTYPE_NAME	FULL_ADDRESS	DESC_OF_WORK
MECHANICAL	2308 1ST ST NW	INSTALLATION OF NOT MORE THAN 1 NEW AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, UP TO A  MAXIMUM OF 10-TONS OF EQUIVALENT REFRIGERATING EFFECT.
ALTERATION AND REPAIR	1745 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE	INTERIOR ALTERATION TO CONVERT  SFD TO  2 FAMILY FLAT. REPAIR EXISTING REAR DECKS.                                           USE CHANGE SFD TO A 2-UNIT  FLAT. THE SAME OWNER 1745 AND 1743 PROPERTY.
DEMOLITION	1513 4TH ST NW	INTERIOR DEMOLITION ONLY. REMOVE DRYWALL AND PLASTER AND CLEAN ALL DEBRIS.  NON LOAD BEARING WALLS.
ELECTRICAL	2020 NORTH CAPITOL ST NW
PLUMBING AND GAS	223 R ST NW

vote for DC Brau for "Best Local Brewery" in City Paper's Best of DC reader poll

Would you like to vote for DC Brau for "Best Local Brewery" in the Washington City Paper's Best of DC reader poll?

Here is is the link.

DC Brau co-founder and Bloomingdale resident Brandon Skall would appreciate it!

young abandoned cat needs a good home

We've found a young abandoned cat and we would love to find her a good home. Thanks! 

"Recently our friend found an abandoned young cat (most likely under a year old) on February 19th in SE DC near Eastern Market. She (we think she is a she) is black and white and quite thin - please see attached photos. If this is your cat or the cat of someone you know, please contact me!! We have put up signs and checked her for a chip but no luck so far. We are currently fostering her at our house but we are looking for a loving home for her permanently. She is trained to use a litter box, we believe she is an indoor cat and she is very loving and cuddly. Please e-mail Kelsey at kelseymrobertson@gmail.com if you are willing to adopt her. Thanks!"

CM Grosso's "Grosso Near Year" informal meeting at Big Bear Cafe -- Thursday, 02-28-2013

See this announcement:

I am sending this announcement on behalf of Councilmember David Grosso:

 

I am pleased to announce the regular schedule for “Grosso Near You.”  The informal meetings will take place four Thursday's a month with my Chief of Staff, Aaron Pritchard, at four rotating coffee shops in D.C. 

  

The meetings will provide the opportunity for constituents to bring ideas and issues directly to me as part of an effort to make the D.C. Council more accessible to the public.

   

This outreach is a way to make me readily available on a regular basis around D.C.  I represent residents in every ward and my office is available to hear new ideas and help solve problems that people face. So please join me and Aaron on Thursday, February 28, 2013 at Big Bear Café located at 1700 1^st Street NW from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

        

My first meeting was held in Ward 8 at the Big Chair Coffee and Grill where I talked to residents about issues that included education, housing, and economic development within Ward 8. The following is the schedule for “Grosso Near You:”

 

Grosso Near You Schedule

First Thursday of every Month

8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Pound the Hill

621 Pennsylvania Avenue SE

Washington, D.C. 20003

Second Thursday

8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Modern Times Coffeehouse

Politics and Prose

5015 Connecticut Avenue N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20008

Third Thursday

8:oo a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Big Chair Coffee and Grill

8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

2122 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE

Washington, D.C. 20020

Fourth Thursday

February 28, 2013

8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Big Bear Cafe

1700 1^st Street NW

Washington D.C. 20001

CM McDuffie community engagement hours at Windows Cafe -- Tuesday, 02-26-2013

See this tweet from Ward 5 Councilmember McDuffie:          

Kenyan R. McDuffie ‏@CM_McDuffie

Next community office hours this Tuesday 2/26/12 6:30-8pm at Windows Cafe 101 Rhode Island Ave NW in #Bloomingdaledc

CM McDuffie Community Office Hours at Windows Cafe 2013 02 26 by Scott Roberts

A Map of Buildings, 1921-1922.

hand drawn map of dc 1921-1922, a photo by Scenic Artisan on Flickr.

Here is another nice image from the past.

This is a detail from a large map drawn by William Olsen with much of the older parts of NW DC represented. It has a Library of Congress stamp of February 23, 1922.


Larger version: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scenicartisan/8503965099/sizes/o/in/photostream/

Entire map can be seen here http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/image-services/jp2.py?data=/home/www/data/gmd/gmd385/g3851/g3851a/pm001112.jp2&res=3

more info here http://www.loc.gov/item/78695113


Here is a detail from a little further north

Bloomingdale, late 1970's.

Bloomingdale, late 1970's., a photo by Scenic Artisan on Flickr.

Thought you all might enjoy this.

Via Flickr:
This is an aerial photo of the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, DC from about 1978.
It appears in the book Above Washington, by Robert Cameron. The caption for the photo states that this is the Glenwood Area of North Capitol Street.

Large size is here www.flickr.com/photos/scenicartisan/6866044489/sizes/o/in...

Eckington dog park meeting (and sign the petition) -- Thursday, 02-28-2013

From: Allison Stewart  
Date: Sat, Feb 23, 2013 at 3:13 PM
Subject: Please come to Eckington dog park meeting Thursday, and sign the petition!
To: Eckington@yahoogroups.com, eckingtonkids@yahoogroups.com, Eckington Dog Park <eckingtondogpark@gmail.com>, BloomingdaleKids@yahoogroups.com, revitalizeourpark@yahoogroups.com
           

All,

                                                         

There is a well organized effort by people outside of our neighborhood to stop the proposed dog park at Harry Thomas field, which is at the very beginning of the planning process.  I am unaware of their agenda, since they haven't shared it on any of the neighborhood listservs or blogs, but since it's not organized by our neighbors I don't understand it.  [Note there is currently no funding set aside by DC for dog parks, but if any is in the future it gets Eckington in line for some.]  This organized 'anti-dog park' group could make it more difficult to get Eckington's dog park through the normal DPR process, which is a shame since it's not local (or logical, in my opinion). 

                                                

Which makes it more important to have a strong show of support at this meeting, which will also provide opportunities to ask questions (like about safety and sanitation, which I know some people have) and sign the petition.  If you have a dog, or would like your neighbors to have a safe place for their dogs to play off-leash, or generally would like fewer off-leash dogs wandering around the neighborhood (and the actual field at Harry Thomas), I would encourage you to come to the meeting on Thursday, 7-9pm, at the Harry Thomas Recreation Center on Lincoln. 

               

If you can't make the meeting, but would like to sign the petition in support of a dog park 'in this community' (as the petition says), please head over to Green Paws in Bloomingdale (it's on the counter) or email eckingtondogpark@gmail.com to have someone come by with a petition.

Best wishes,

Allison

PS I used to be an urban planner in Florida and there was this one woman who was always pushing for dog parks, practically every day.  As a dog lover but not a dog owner, I thought she was kind of crazy.  Now, as a dog owner, I understand why dog parks are so important, for healthy dogs and for healthy human relationships!  In fact I met my best friend at the Adams Morgan dog park.  It gave me new perspective on why people push back on amenities that don't benefit them (as I had done)... and made me feel quite humble.

oh, McMillan is no longer on the Thursday, 02-28-2013 HPRB agenda

Look forward to Bloomingdale's landmarked McMillan Sand Filtration site on a March 2013 HPRB agenda.

Monday night, 02-25-2013: Bloomingdale Civic Association meeting

Teri Janine Quinn, President of the Bloomingdale Civic Association, invites you to attend this Monday's meeting  See the meeting agenda below.

Following the agenda below is the Bloomingdale Civic Association statehood resolution -- one of the items on the meeting agenda.
                    

Bloomingdale Civic Assn Mtg Agenda (Final) 2013 02 25 by Scott Roberts

Bca Statehood Resolution 2013 02 by Scott Roberts

Molly Scott: Crispus Attucks Park clean-up day postponed to tomorrow, Sunday, 02-24-2013

See this update from Molly Scott:

Looks like we'll have to push the clean-up in Crispus Attucks Park to Sunday--the weather is supposed to be much better!


Here is Molly Scott's original message: 

Hello CADC Volunteers!

I hope everyone is doing well and having a good winter.

Believe it or not there are some things to be done out in the park--even in the Winter! Please join us on Saturday, February 23rd at 9:30 am for a quick Park clean-up (3-4 hours MAX). We have grasses to cut back, roses to prune (bring protective clothing!) and general sprucing up to do to make the Park bloom its best in the Spring 

We will have some tools and gloves, etc, but if you have shears, pruners, trimmers, loppers or other instruments of destruction, please bring them! Trash bags are also always helpful.

I will try to make sure there are some treats for volunteers--maybe baked goods? 

Thanks as always for your help--the Park appreciates it!

Best,

Molly Scott

P.S.  The rain date is Sunday, 03-24-2013.

"interior renovations for 9-unit apt bldg at 1700 2nd St NW"

Bloomingdale, Truxton, Stronghold permits for Friday, 02-22-2013.  This info is straight from data.dc.gov.
   

PERMIT_SUBTYPE_NAME	FULL_ADDRESS	DESC_OF_WORK
ELECTRICAL	1431 3RD ST NW
MECHANICAL	1431 3RD ST NW
PLUMBING AND GAS	2917 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE
PLUMBING AND GAS	1431 3RD ST NW
ADDITION ALTERATION REPAIR	2221 FLAGLER PL NW	CONSTRUCT TWO STORY REAR ADDITION AND EXTEND EXISTING BASEMENT AIRWAY AS PER PLAT AND PLANS.
ALTERATION AND REPAIR	1700 2ND ST NW	INTERIOR RENOVATION FOR 9 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING. NEW EMCHANICAL, ELECTRICAL PLUMBING SYSTEMS.
ALTERATION AND REPAIR	9 SEATON PL NW	INSTALL NEW DRYWALL,  NEW DOORS ON 1RST AND 2ND FLOOR.  BATHROON RENOVATION, KITCHEN RENOVATION  PAINT 1RST AND 2ND FLOOR, CEILING, WALLS AND TRIM.  REPLACE EXISTING WINDOWS  NEW ELECTRIC, NEW PLUMBING, NEW MECANNICAL, NEW HVAC
ALTERATION AND REPAIR	2711 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE	REPLACE REAR DECK IN KIND, REPLACE FENCE, REPLACE CONCRETE PAD