By Megan
Downey
ExpressAugust 12 at 5:44 AM
For a neighborhood of only about 12 square blocks,
Bloomingdale manages to pack in a lot of hidden treasures: unassuming dive
bars, surprise parks and award-winning restaurants. Tucked between Shaw and
Eckington on the border of the District’s northwest quadrant, Bloomingdale
stretches from Second Street NW to North Capitol, bordered by Florida Avenue NW
to the south and Bryant and Channing places NW to the north.
And while its old-timey rowhouses help the neighborhood
maintain its turn-of-the-century charm, it’s also become the home of shiny new
restaurants and bars — and soon, to even more residential space.
Getting around
The heart of Bloomingdale is a 10- to 15- minute walk to the Green Line’s Shaw-Howard U metro stop, or 20 minutes to NoMa-Gallaudet U on the Red Line, but the best way to get to and fro is on one of the many bus lines that bisect the area. The G2 runs from Howard University south to P Street, then west to Georgetown. The G8 runs along Rhode Island Avenue NW and goes into the heart of downtown or up north through Brookland to Woodridge, and the 90, 92 and 96 cut along Florida Avenue, making trips down to H Street or up to Woodley Park a (somewhat lengthy) breeze. The 80 line travels along North Capitol and over to Foggy Bottom. You can also find Capital Bikeshare stations at the corners of R Street and Florida Avenue NW and up at First Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW.
The heart of Bloomingdale is a 10- to 15- minute walk to the Green Line’s Shaw-Howard U metro stop, or 20 minutes to NoMa-Gallaudet U on the Red Line, but the best way to get to and fro is on one of the many bus lines that bisect the area. The G2 runs from Howard University south to P Street, then west to Georgetown. The G8 runs along Rhode Island Avenue NW and goes into the heart of downtown or up north through Brookland to Woodridge, and the 90, 92 and 96 cut along Florida Avenue, making trips down to H Street or up to Woodley Park a (somewhat lengthy) breeze. The 80 line travels along North Capitol and over to Foggy Bottom. You can also find Capital Bikeshare stations at the corners of R Street and Florida Avenue NW and up at First Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW.
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26 comments:
Fact Check Alert:
1) The northern boundary of Bloomingdale is Michigan Avenue
2) McMillan Park, a designated National Historic Landmark encompassing 118 acres, falls within the Bloomingdale neighborhood.
3) The water filtration plant was inaugurated in 1905 and the entire surface area of the filtration plant and the grounds surrounding the reservoir were declared a public park - McMillan Park - by William Howard Taft in 1906, followed by a multi-year project to "park" the entire area according to the plans of noted landscape architect, Fredrick Law Olmsted, Jr.
4) This McMillan Park was a heavily used, destination park until its initial closure in 1942, due to WWII 'security concerns'. Coincidentally, at this very same time the area was becoming majority African-American.
5) What is currently alluded to in the article as being "a long shuttered sand filtration site..." is just a portion of the original sand filtration plant and public park - this area consists of 25 acres located between Channing Street, North Capital Street, Michigan Ave and First Street NW. It has been owned by the District Government since 1987 when the Federal government offered the land at practically no cost if the park were to be reopened. The District Government refused and thus was forced to pay over $9M for the land, however, with covenants protecting the historic structures.
6) Opposition to DC gov plans dates to back to the 1980s. There are several community opposition groups - with pending lawsuits - fighting the current development plans. Most opponents simply want the District Government to follow its own laws and issue an RFP (that never happened) to determine the best course for the future - whether that be restoration of the public park and commercial development within the historic structures or some other form of redevelopment.
We can found DC's Central Park. Think about this, what if New Yorkers never founded Central Park?
Our over -urbanized center of DC, has little to no parks, little to no trees, and if we don't fight for McMillan little or no open space. Don't let VMP/DMPED give us a McPark, an insult while their monstrous development will bring 31,000 auto trips per day to "the Walkable Neighborjhoods of EYA".
They hired Jamie Fontaine to violate our First Amendment rights to "petition the government for redress of grievances". This illegal, unconstitutional violation has to be prosecuted, join the Federal Law suit.
Oh please DC without McMillan is the @nd Greenest City on the East Coast! On top of it now McMillan will actually get a "REAL" Park not something you tree huggers like to call a park! #GIVEMEABREAK
Paul again the misinformation you and your FOM'ers put out is as bad as Donald Trump. No wonder you fools can't get anyone to listen or join your delusional crusade!
Commiss stop your psycho BS! Your lies and misinformation are pathetic, boring and really tired. Who's payroll are you on now anyway Barry Daneker? Still VMP and/or Fontaine? Still trying hard to "neutralize" and discredit the community with your deception, insults and nasty venom? No paycheck is worth it dude! FYI FOM has over 8000 signatures - this ain't no "delusional Crusade" buddy! Barry didn't you sell your house on Bryant and move to R.I.? We thought we were finally rid of you! Do us a favor and direct your madness else where and stop harassing our community. Please join Anne Corbett where ever the hell she went! Let it go Barry - face it - you're on the wrong side of this issue! Have some semblance of self respect and just shut it!
@beautifybloomingdale- Typical FOM BS. I have been on one's payroll. I see I get to the heart of the real issues and it kills you! GOOD! Because you and your clan are terrorists the way you have dealt with these losses and the way you deal with true DC residents who understand the need for jobs, housing, services. They are not the haters who care only about themselves and there special interests! BTW why you hiding behind that name. Easy for you to put me out there! Everyone knows who I am! LOSERS!
Barry, you showed your colors in your losing ANC race when you attacked Fournier by saying that he hated gay people. You were exposed and lost your ANC race to someone no one knew. Your neighbors who voted FOR Fournier didn't know him that well, but went to the polls to vote AGAINST you. You moved back to RI, yet you can't get on with your life. You continue to call yourself TheCommiss and you continue to personally attack people who simply have a different opinion as to the disposition of 25 acres of taxpayer-owned property here where we live, in Bloomingdale. We are sick of your poorly-written, grammatically-incorrect hateful rants. Please go away and let the current residents of Bloomingdale address the issues in our neighborhood.
I never said that!!! If you look back at the record and you would know it! And Mr. Fournier was no prize package for Bloomingdale when he as an lawyer and and ANC built an illegal structure on his property and was fined and still hasn't got the permitting for it. But you morons at FOM had him host an event...that was good due diligence. So please get a grip on reality Paul! When you get a grip on reality that the district paid to develop this land 20 years ago so that ship has sailed! So stop with your special interests and realize that this will bring jobs, housing and services to the area instead of you blowhards wanting to turn a used outdated water facility that never worked since they built it to properly clean the water! Now it will be a nice REAL park with housing jobs and services. As far as going away...Never! Not until I see this built to the max. I took a ton of crap from you terrorists and I'm not a quitter. You guys have lost ever hope of getting anything you want out of this. All your allies have turned on you on the council and you'll be losing all those cases!
BTW I was voted City wide in the last election so DC residents must know something about me and my commitment to them as a steward of what is fair for residents. Furthermore, it wasn't over Founier it was over Stu and his lack of getting his crap together on an ABC license that got that ball rolling in that election. Had he not lied and cheated none of your comments would be valid. But God knows you wouldn't know reality if Donald Trump hit you in the head with it! #GIVEMEABREAK!
Paul for the record there is the quote from the Blade
Daneker said he has a two-term record of working closely with constituents and soliciting their views on a wide range of issues, including the water filtration site and the liquor license flap. He told members of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club Monday night his outspoken support for the city’s same-sex marriage equality law was controversial in a ward where many residents strongly opposed the law.
Ward 5 Council member Harry Thomas Jr., who angered many of his constituents by voting for the marriage bill, endorsed Daneker’s ANC re-election bid. Thomas won the Democratic nomination for his own seat by winning the primary in September by a comfortable margin despite organized opposition led by same-sex marriage opponents.
Daneker said some of that same opposition may be seeking to oust him from office in the ANC race.
As for your neighbor (that is if you still live in Bloomingdale since you too have had our house for Sale), he took the story and ran with it and made it something it wasn't! As usual it's a typical sleaze attorney who work it!
".....despite organized opposition led by same-sex marriage opponents"
"Daneker said some of that same opposition may be seeking to oust him from office in the ANC race."
Who is this opposition that you're referring to here? If not Fournier, who? Are you saying those people supported Fournier?
I know one shouldn't poke a sick animal, but to what city-wide elected position are you referring--"BTW I was voted City wide in the last election"
@citizenalpha...anyone who didn't support same-sex marriage...as the quote states.
@ Paul Kirk.... Oh please Paul you been trying to sell that house of yours for years! You have complained about everything in Bloomingdale since the day you moved there! I was elected At Large Committeeman...obviously you didn't vote or pay attention...TYPICAL...what were you elected to Paul? Oh that's right you just complain and do nothing for your neighbors! #GIVEMEABREAK!
Could you name some of these people who were active same-sex opponents who organized against you on that basis, and the evidence of that? I seem to recall Fournier had no problems with same-sex marriage.
Ok what are you not getting! Anyone who opposed same sex marriage in Ward 5. Had you had a clue and attended any of the meetings that the Councilman on same sex marriage like I did... I even spoke at Michigan Park Church. So had you attended you would have seen the several hundred people that showed up and were opposed to same sex marriage. If you read the article again, but then maybe you can't read. I never said that the "law breaking illegal building" Fournier opposed same ex marriage. He wasn't the opposition and I never said he was. I didn't write the article, I was just quoted as saying there would be voters who were against same sex marriage who0 obviously who not vote for me since I supported it! OMG why it is that you people have no clue! Oh that's right you want to deny DC residents jobs, housing and service cause you want to oppose McMillan!
"there would be voters who were against same sex marriage who0 obviously who not vote for me since I supported it!"
And these people would then vote for same-sex marriage supporting Fournier instead? Because you were for same-sex marriage?
OMG it's obvious that you are completely brain DEAD!
Let me quote Barney Frank "Ma'am, trying to have a conversation with you would be like arguing with a dining room table"
Given your inability to answer a straight question without repeatedly insulting residents of this neighborhood, I think it's obvious why you were voted out, and it had absolutely nothing to do with your views on same sex marriage and everything to do with your divisiveness, disrespect, and in ability to get along with the neighbors of this neighborhood. Please stay in Rhode Island and out of DC.
Oh please if you read the article but inferred something totally different just goes to show that all you FOM'ers are delusional! You see how well the council discounted you all. You'll end up with a good project and you'll be the first one over that park and stores. I put up with a ton a crap from all you terrorists and it still hasn't stopped me yet and trust me you won't either.
Folks, here are the facts:
1) The water filtration plant was inaugurated in 1905 and was a transformative milestone for the District. Note, prior to the inauguration of the filtration plant, DC water was highly suspect and often described as the worst in the country since it was piped directly from the Potomac River without any kind of intermediary purification process. Homes, businesses, restaurants, offices, etc often resorted to individual filters on faucets and taps and, still, the water was often 'muddy' and 'murky'. Every year thousands of people in the District of Columbia either suffered severe illness or needlessly perished from water born diseases. It is to Senator James McMillan's leadership and credit that the log jam of bureaucracy was broken and the plan for the filtration plant was finally developed, funded and realized.
2) The entire surface area of the filtration plant and the grounds surrounding the reservoir were declared a public park and named 'McMillan Park' by William Howard Taft in 1906, followed by a multi-year project to "park" the entire area according to the plans of noted landscape architect, Fredrick Law Olmsted, Jr.
3) This McMillan Park was a heavily used, destination park until its initial closure in 1942, due to WWII 'security concerns'. Coincidentally, during this time period the area was becoming majority African-American.
4) What is alluded to as the "water filtration plant" is just a portion of the original 118 acre public park and water facility. The land threatened today with large scale development is a 25 acre portion located between Channing Street, North Capital Street, Michigan Ave and First Street NW. This 25 acre parcel has been owned by the District Government since 1987 when the Federal government offered the land to the District at practically no cost if the park were to be reopened. The District Government refused and thus was forced to pay over $9M for the land, however, with covenants protecting the historic structures.
5) Opposition to District Government plans dates to back to the 1980s. There are several community opposition groups - with pending lawsuits - fighting the current development plans. Most opponents simply want the District Government to follow its own laws and issue an RFP (Request For Proposal for the entire project which never happened) to determine the best course for the future - whether that be restoration of the public park and commercial development within the historic structures or some other form of redevelopment.
1. The water in the plant's slow sand filtration plant was inadequate to purify the water. So chemicals were introduced only a year or so after it was opened. Hence the slow filtration process was a huge failure, Rapid sand filtration with chlorine and was fully adopted in the 1980's and thus is how water if filtered today for DC. Not so much of a wonder when the facts come out that had this been done in the first place this 25 acres would have not been needed.
2. Yes it was declare a park! However it was really just covered with grass because it was an eyesore. This portion of the “park” was a working plant, not something you in the 21 century would call park by any stretch. It has 2000+ manhole covers and various pumping and regulator houses on this part of the 118 acres. To call it a park is very misleading. Granted there was a walkway around this site. In 1910 if you like to get a daily walk around the site with your parasol then you are in luck! But if you looking for your kids to run around and play catch this is not where you would want them to do it.
3. There was a playground on this site however it was not on this portion of the site at all! It was very well used by all! This site was located west of First Street and most people would use that side of the park. Would you rather walk around an industrial site or near a playground, fountain and Reservoir? So in fact the real gem is the other side of this site not the 25 acres where is development it taking place.
4. OMG right there "The District Government refused and thus was forced to pay over $9M for the land, {to develop} however, with covenants protecting the historic structures." This shows you that DC residents have paid to develop this site. What is said to be large scale is not at all. It's medium density and needed to support this area with housing, jobs, services and a grocery store! Complaining now some 40 years later that this site is being developed is just insane thinking.
5. An RFP was done for this site! However it was expanded in scope is what really happened. Why? It was to save the taxpayers some $$$ so that the site could finally get developed. Think about how much money has been lost because of 40 years of delays and these special interests groups want DC taxpayers to spend even more money! These groups are attempting to stop this development. They have proposed the site become a 25 acre park. They want an urban farm with goats and grapes; they are proposing one of the most expensive urban farm in the world. They want DC Parks and Rec to maintain these 25 acres of active park space and farm. They want the city to spend millions to develop their plans on this land that will produce no revenue, no taxes to offset any of the costs. They want a pool which costs $500,000 to just maintain every year, never mind build. When there is a pool just 3 blocks from this site on Georgia Avenue.
In essence these special interest groups who have filed lawsuits, have terrorized neighbors who support the development, have lost every bit of support from elected officials, and many of the watchdog groups agree that this is god urban planning that will make the best use of the land while creating a great park! But FOM and these other special interests want to deny DC residents affordable housing, jobs and services. Some of these members are in green business and have an interest in getting some money out of their proposals.
Still dining off your election to At-Large Committeeman (whatever that is)? Don't you live in Connecticut now? Haven't you found a cause in your new home?
Commish, please provide your source for the assertion that chemicals were introduced a year after McMillan Slow Sands Filtration plant opened. If by chemicals, you are referring to the algae that was a part of the process, then you are misleading readers.
Sir, are you aware that you are posting under a pseudonym? I mean, I trust that your parents didn't name you The Commiss, right?
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