Monday, December 31, 2018

Bloomingdale year-in-review 2018

What happened in Bloomingdale this year in 2018?

See the list below.

General items

Bloomingdale Community Day and Yard Sale at Crispus Attucks Park, #BloomieNights movie nights at Crispus Attucks Park, North Capitol Main Street's Art All Night and Chili Challenge events.

New construction projects in Bloomingdale this year: 79-81 U Street NW, 131-139 W Street NW (Beale House) and the two hopbacks at 14 and 20 Channing Street NW.

Spark opened this year and then closed again.

Discussions & meetings this year on decking over North Capitol Street.

No traffic calming was installed by DDOT in Bloomingdale this year.  ZZzzzzz.

El Camino closed; B&J Carryout closed; 1st Street Haircut opened; new owners at Sylvan Café

Creative Grounds received a green light to proceed with its build-out plans. 

Not much going on at: former New Reservoir Market, former World Missions Extension Center church, former Field to City space.

Chronological items

A fence was erected around the small triangular federal parkspace at North Capitol & Florida Avenue NW (Jan 2018).

Dr. Bertha Holliday filed an appeal with the DC Court of Appeals of the DC Zoning Commission's Final Order 13-14B approving the proposed Parcel 4 building at the McMillan development site. This building consists of a ground floor grocery, senior affordable apartments, and market-rate housing.  The appeal is for housing discrimination because of the senior housing segregated apartment’s separate entrance, that is, a “poor door.”  (Jan 2018).

Crispus Attucks Park constructed a new retaining wall (Feb 2018).

DC Council approved the disposal of Bloomingdale’s two Hofgard properties at 160 Adams Street NW and 36 Channing St NW, although DC still owns them.  Howard University bid on these two properties at auction and won the bid, but HU does not yet own them.  (March 2018).  Related: 160 Adams Street NW to be developed as a "co-living environment"  (Nov 2018).

1st Street Barber opened (March 2018).

20001 zip code categorized as 2nd most gentrified zip code (March 2018).

Crisp Kitchen and Bar under new ownership (April 2018).

DC Council passed a ceremonial resolution recognizing the 70th anniversary of Hurd v. Hodge SCOTUS case (May 2018).

1600 North Capitol Street NW granted a one-year PUD extension (June 2018).

DCity Smokehouse’s Bloomingdale Appreciation Day block party on 2nd Street NW (July 2018).

There was a second block party on 2nd Street NW organized by Bloomingdale resident Marvin Rich (August 2018).

The Eritrean Church building at 150 S Street NW was razed (August 2018).

The Bloomingdale Historic District became effective on Sept. 9, 2018.

Block party on the 100 block of U Street NW (Oct 2018).

1634 North Capitol Street NW announced its revised development project (Oct 2018).

Two new Bloomingdale ANC5E commissioners were elected: Karla Lewis replacing Katherine McClelland and Robert Brannum replacing Horacio Sierra (Nov 2018).

Grand jury indicts Bloomingdale resident Jeffrey Clark on federal firearms charges -- "DC judge orders suspected DC white nationalist held until trial on firearm charges" (Nov 2018).

Jam Doung Jamaican Style Restaurant applies for a zoning USE variance to permit the conversion of an existing non-conforming non-residential use to a restaurant at 1724 North Capitol St NW (Nov 2018).



the smell of weed coming through your rowhouse brick walls

See this tweet:


MPD police boundary changes taking effect in January 2019

From: MPD-5D@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2018 3:55 PM
Subject: [MPD-5D] Coming Soon! Police Boundary Changes [1 Attachment]

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has conducted a comprehensive assessment of our patrol boundaries to ensure optimal operations. After a nine month review of our current boundaries and taking into account current workload, anticipated population growth, economic development and community needs, MPD is pleased to announce new district boundaries to all seven districts.

For more information, visit our website here: https://mpdc.dc.gov/node/1364926


Below is an overview map of our current and new boundaries that will go into effect in January 2019. More information will be forthcoming!


Sunday, December 30, 2018

ANC5E letter to HSEMA advising that the commission voted to support the 2019 Run Rock N Roll Marathon

Here you go:





Reed Appleseed back at Boundary Stone's no cover New Year's Eve party

See this tweet:



Winter 2019 Improv Classes starting next week at The Unified Scene Theater

Winter 2019 Improv Classes Starting Next Week at The Unified Scene Theater!

Happy New Year from Bloomingdale's The Unified Scene Theater! Here's hoping that 2019 brings you all you're hoping for. And here's a reminder that our next round of introductory improv classes starts next week. 

Improv is a great way to jumpstart your life in the coming year. It provides you with a great opportunity to improve whatever skillsets you’re hoping to work on next year — from listening to being present to public speaking. It’s also a chance to get out of the house and meet people, take a break from social media and the sometimes unwanted news that accompanies it, and laugh — you know, that self-care you are constantly seeking. 

Two sections -- one on Sundays starting Jan. 6 (11am-1pm) and Tuesdays starting Jan. 8th (7pm-9pm). Sign up soon while there's still space! 

And: no experience necessary!

For more info, or to register, go here!

Shawn and Kathy
The Unified Scene Theater
80 T Street NW
Bloomingdale

Shawn Westfall
Artistic Director
The Unified Scene Theater
shawn@unifiedscenetheater.com


want to subscribe to the MPD Third District listserv? here's how


Recall that Bloomingdale and Truxton Circle are being realigned from the Fifth District to the Third District on 01-01-2019 or 01-02-2019.

Bloomingdale north of Rhode Island Avenue NW will be in PSA 306, while Bloomingdale south of Rhode Island Avenue NW (and Truxton Circle) will be in PSA 308.

You may wish to subscribe to the Third District listserv at Yahoogroups.

See the info below for instructions on how to subscribe to the MPD-3D listserv.


From the MPD website:

Sign Up for an Email Discussion Group

Third District


Visit the Community Group Site: groups.yahoo.com/group/MPD-3D/
Subscribe by Sending a blank email to:




Saturday, December 29, 2018

MPD: missing person Rosalind Weaver last seen on the 1700 block of 2nd Street NW on Friday, 12-14-2018

See this DC Police Department tweet:




come out for the decking over North Capitol Street 2nd community open forum -- Saturday, 01-12-2019

Subject: Join Us For The Decking Over Of North Capitol Street - 2nd Community Open Forum - Sat. Jan. 12th

Who: The Bloomingdale Civic Association’s (BCA) Bloomingdale Village Square (BVS) Committee would like to invite you to the second Community Open Forum concerning the Decking Over of North Capitol Project. With an introduction by BCA President Teri Janine Quinn, the Forum will again be moderated by Thaddeus Thaler (BCA's BVS Government And Community Outreach Director), with contributions from BVS's Co-Chairs Dr. Bertha Holliday and Zach Sherif, and BVS board member Paul Cerruti.

What: Building off of the successful first Forum on November 3, 2018, we will have updated information from ZGF Architects who, through a pro-bono services agreement with the Bloomingdale Civic Association, has graciously been dedicating time to help visualize the project to ultimately assist the community with its pitch to stakeholders. Bloomingdale resident and ZGF architect Chris Somma will again join us, and will bring along new material that he has put together since the last meeting:


  1. An overall map of the entire corridor (satellite image), highlighting the particular area that we are looking into the for the Overdeck. Existing areas of interest will be highlighted and there will be an opportunity for attendees of the Forum to use stickers to tell us something about the neighborhood, e.g., areas needed for improvement (open space, safety, access, infrastructure etc). Attendees can also use the opportunity to express where we think there can be other opportunities.
  2. Images of what DDOT standard furniture currently is – something the public can expect as the possible furniture solutions that the District would be willing to maintain.
  3. Map of the full context of the area we are looking at (V St. through Seaton Pl.) – an opportunity for attendees to express what we are hoping to see in terms of programming in the space (e.g., pavilion for live music). The size of the Overdeck and possible opportunities for extension will be shown. 
  4. Images of the existing site.
  5. Precedent images (signifying program opportunities, aesthetics, context).  

The Forum will allow for more community input to guide the work of ZGF Architects moving forward with their work on visuals and deliverables on the exciting initiative to deck over North Capitol Street from V Street to Seaton Place with a pedestrian and bike friendly green way bridging once again the neighborhoods of Bloomingdale and Eckington.

When: Saturday, January 12, 2019 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM.

Where: St. Martin's Catholic Church in the Pioneer Room at 7 T Street NW, Washington, DC 20001. Entrance is on T Street NW, down some steps through the basement double doors.

For Whom: This event is open to all residents of Bloomingdale, Eckington, Edgewood, NOMA, Stronghold, and Truxton Circle. 






open position at Common Good City Farm for a Resident Herbalist

See this 12-20-2018 message:



Friday, December 28, 2018

a "restore McMillan Park" message

See this tweet:


tweets today from Showtime Lounge and Unified Scene Theater

See these tweets:






Thursday, December 27, 2018

here is the latest newsletter from The Unified Scene Theater ...

See this tweet:




Crispus Attucks Park makes DCist's "10 most notable DC alleyways worth exploring" list

Click on the link to read the entire DCist post:


Crispus Attucks Park
In another alley rights controversy, neighbors transformed their collective backyards—once the site of an abandoned telephone company building—into Crispus Attucks Park, a 1.06-acre urban oasis. But questions about who owns this privately maintained public space bubbled over into a 2012 feud that since seems to have since fizzled. We’ll also cover that dispute in more detail tomorrow.




year-end messages from Meats & Foods, Truxton Inn and Tyber Creek

See these tweets:









Langley PTSA fundraiser at Engine Company 12 -- Friday, 01-11-2019

See this NextDoor post:








Monday, December 24, 2018

holiday greetings from Ward 5 Councilmember McDuffie ~


From: Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie
Sent: Monday, December 24, 2018 1:40 PM
Subject: Happy Holidays!




Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday and a very happy new year.


Regards,
Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie





Spark at 12 to close on 12-30-2018 and re-open in January 2019 "offering ticketed multi-course tasting dinners created by Executive Chef Peter Prime 4-6 times a month."

See this 12-22-2018 message: