Re:
Demolition at McMillan
Wed
Mar 13, 2013 4:54 am (PDT) . Posted by: "Daniel Wolkoff" amglassart
Councilmember
Cheh, thanks so much for the response. I can tell you from my contact with the
people in the area around McMillan, they see this as a "mixed- use"
development, not unlike numerous similar "same as, same as, mixed-use
developments" and they are very frustrated that such a major site, with
so-called historic designation is going to be built over in such a mundane way
virtually not recognizing the special interest and layout of the Sand
Filtration plant.
Council
Chair Mendelson wrote his letter asking HPRB to deny this development and
preserve the site better. Then he passed the $40 million to waste on
demolition. What is the message here? If the city government is so confused and
wasteful, why don't they just get out of this?
The
VMP, which takes it's name from Sen. McMillan but otherwise has been brought
along kicking and screaming, to add or subtract anything that the community
wanted in preservation of his legacy. Now they brag they have included this or
that. We can thank Tony Norman and the Friend's of McMillan for these changes,
forced on this "so-called&quo t; selected team. However it is a wrong
fit and most people who have educated themselves and learned the amazing story
of this site, understand this.
Why
not big parks, why not "Great Places" , green, wooded and uncrowded
by buildings? We are the richest city in the world!!! We should all shed a tear
for the poor DC government, forced to turn everything over for tax revenue. How
does Cleveland, or other cities have parks? Richmond a gracious city full of
parks with much less money?
We
need to solve the disparity between the sections of DC, 5 times the parks in
your section, as in this section. We can talk over-urbanization after the
disparity is corrected. I drove through Rock Creek today. It calmed me and
renewed me. Every part of DC needs access to natural areas.
Why
has this special site been so abused and deteriorated? Let me tell you why!
This land is on the wrong side of town, that is why. I just worked on your
block with Laura and Don Oberdorfer a few weeks ago, so I know your area. Would
the DC government fence off a 25 acre park, artificially separate it from it's
reservoir, let it get overgrown and waste it for over 27 years, a total waste
of $15 million, if it was anywhere near your part of DC???? Granted there is a
federal connection, and it should revert to NPS.
It
get's very demoralizing when a resident like me, self employed, puts a huge
amount of time into community meetings with OP, and they hypocritically
contradict themselves, up and down! Office of Planning said on the final draft
of the Brookland-CUA Small Area Plan essentially "It is healthier to not
have the density of the over-urbanized area, than the more rural, better
hygiene" , something to this effect.
Bottom
line, L'Enfant and McMillan planned a gracious healthy open city plan, and this
development (and your govt.) erases that plan, Why? It is very difficult for
those committed to improving DC who have educated ourselves, to see the
fabulous work of L'Enfant and Sen. McMillan, never completed and now treated
like a curiosity between new building complexes.
I
was at Glen Echo tonight, and the neon was on, and all those charming buildings
sat on their parkland producing healthy activities and art work and festivals
and theater for the residents. I ask again, what does a West Bethesda resident
deserve that we here a few miles away don't deserve? Why does your city
council, and mayor think our youth and adults of this city don't need the open,
green, that your neighbors enjoy at Rock Creek Park? The young people are unhealthy and violent,
so now they can watch as our resources are handed over to a big business, and
more services for the privileged can occupy our land. The DC govt. if it had
any integrity at all, would be commissioning a McMillan Park Consortium, or
Preservation Conservancy and stop abusing this section of DC as a Commodity.
The
Zoning Commission has approved a huge amount of development, thousands of
sinks, toilets, dish washers and commercial space, making a crisis of
residential flooding that much worse, how irresponsible is that. So the next
insult to DC residents is turning McMillan, a clean water landmark, into a
sewer. When do they implement all the natural mitigation listed in the Flooding
Taskforce report, to reduce the flooding and, we have responsible zoning.
I
cannot understand how the clean water utility, an engineering miracle, at
McMillan, is not being preserved as a Water Security Back-up System, for our
own security. How do we know that DalCarlia will never have a serious problem
and McMilan can again provide fresh water. Not after demolition and $700
million in construction and paving, and adding to the flooding problem. What
city would not have planted the site with trees? A city that didn't care who
was flooded with sewage in their homes, until a class of people moved in, they
cared about. I think this is ugly!
At
no time, has there been a proper analysis of this site as restored park,
offered to the community for a myriad of healthy activities, training in
restoration trades, urban agriculture, sustainable energy demonstration,
healing garden etc.
I
encourage you to contact Michelle Obama, who so sincerely wants to see our
youngsters grow vegetable gardens, and eat healthy and exercise and fight
obesity. The president can declare a national monument, unilaterally at
McMillan as the first in a movement. A living commemoration of the death of the
young lady who performed at the inauguration, but lost her life in Chicago
street violence. Let our tragedy, "Hydea Pendleton" , inspire a
national movement of parks, recreation, classes in art and dance, training for
hands on careers, at and with historic preservation of urban sites to help turn
around a violent destructive young generation, Councilmember Cheh. This we need
to attend.
Councilmemeber
Cheh, there has never been any serious research or community meeting on this
issue as stated above for a park. We are repeatedly and only handed what the
mayor and his appointees want to do, and told "you have a 3 minute
comment" . Many people are very excited about the plan by CUA professor
Gusevich, as it has "world class" site planning and reflects the
history well. I think elements of her plan, mainly the City Market and Bazaar,
and the waterworks, can co-exist with the kind of "community
building" we need at this site. You and I know very well. You cannot do
everything, but you can do certain things very well and succeed.
Please
share these emails with the other city officials as they have not responded or
just say, I'll send it along, thanks so much council member, we need to talk
about transitioning away from gas powered lawn care and noisy leaf blowers
soon.
Thanks,
Daniel
Goldon Wolkoff
1231
Randolph Street, NE
Washington,
DC 20017
202-232-8391
From:
Cheh, Mary (COUNCIL)
Subject:
Re: Demolition at McMillan
To:
"Daniel Wolkoff"
Date:
Friday, March 8, 2013, 7:32 PM
Dear
Mr Wolkoff, Thanks so much for sending me your testimony. I found your vision
for the Park to be inspirational. I confess I haven't been focused on this and
regret that. Have all of the plans proceeded so far that this is a lost
cause.... I am having my staff brief me on this next week. Again, thanks for
sending this to me.
Mary
Cheh
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