alternative plan for the McMillan sand filtration site that fully preserves the site

More discussion the development of the McMillan Sand Filtration site in Bloomingdale.

This Email exchange was lifted from the Historic Washington list at Yahoogroups, moderated by Mary Rowse.

Re: McMillan Sand Filtration May be saved if Gray Wins
Posted by: "Mehdi Mansouri" tin@onlineoffice.us
Thu Sep 2, 2010 10:01 am (PDT)

Our group of people against the current McMillan "City/EYA Plan" are not against development. We are against what I call "destructive development." We are in favor of responsible progress that would make the McMillan site functional-- to serve as many needs of our communities as possible--while preserving this magnificent, historical site.

We have an alternative plan that will fully preserve this site while converting it into a community center with all kinds of businesses, a shopping center, grocery stores, restaurants, entertainment, tourist attraction, park and green space, you name it. And all of that could take less than two years to complete.

At the same time, we have proof that the City/EYA plan will be a disaster for people in every conceivable way, especially financially, and only profitable for developers. There is not even one advantage in demolishing McMillan and building what the City wants to put in there--a mini city with 1,200 residential units and huge square footage of retail and business space with almost no green space, all without doing ANY studies about short and long-term cost/benefits of the "development" itself and its side-effects. None.

Everything the City claims to be a positive factor about their McMillan plan is exactly the opposite. And it is expected to take about 10 years (or more) to complete.

The City has also been keeping all important documents and all contracts top secret from people. City officials never answer any of our questions about any important aspect of their plan, such as what commitments the City may have made to EYA?

Instead they have tried to prevent us from asking questions and insisting on answers. Their efforts include harassment, framing up, wrongfully labeling some of us and lying to others about us (in my case alone they did all of the above plus contacting my employer and sending detectives to my door, just because I ask questions and insist on answers).

Yes, we hear that EYA has done "successful projects." This is what the City keeps saying too. But we need to define the meaning of a "successful" project for us--the people. At a minimum, a project that is considered successful for people in one part of the town may be disastrous for people in another part. That is exactly what is happening here. Just because EYA builds buildings that look good, doesn't make those buildings "successful" for people if they are built in the wrong location, or the wrong process is used to develop their plans, their construction, etc.

I agree that quality of life is something that many of us are concerned about. Just a quick snapshot related to quality of life: There are over 30 (and closer to 40 I am told) other mega projects happening just in Ward 5. Some of these projects are just a block or two away from McMillan. The City never talks about the combined side effects of all of these projects on our communities- -the impact on an already bad traffic situation, how high utilities and taxes will go up as a result, the impact on air quality as pollution increases as more cars and people come to the neighborhood, and as green space and parks (McMillan Park being one of them) disappear. DC is already at the top or close to the top of the list of metropolitan cities with the worst air quality.

Our goal is to stop the current developer-oriented plan and start making a new plan using scientific and commonsense methods. This is also a great opportunity to get the DC Government to be more transparent.

I am compiling a description of everything that is wrong with the City/EYA plan for McMillan and will be posting it to a website that I am developing for McMillan and DC Government issues. I will post the URL to this group hopefully within a few days.

I hope we can continue this discussion and address and analyze issues for our mutual benefit.

Mehdi Mansouri
Tin@onlineoffice.us
(202) 657- 6457

From: HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Paul Sieczkowski
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 9:39 PM
To: HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [HistoricWashington ] McMillan Sand Filtration May be saved if Gray Wins

Saved? The development may move slower if Gray wins but what does saved mean? Its a neglected site. How does prolonged neglect equate to saving it?

There are definitely citizens that feel development of the site is warranted and that the current plans on the table are reasonable. All the EYA projects I've seen in the city are successful. This includes projects in Capitol Hill, the U Street area (two blocks behind Ben's chili bowl) and townhomes being erected a few blocks from the Nationals stadium.

This idea of what's best for the people is not shared by everyone.

Paul Sieczkowski

potential implications on the McMillan Sand Filtration site development if Vince Gray wins

More discussion about the development of Bloomingdale's McMillan Sand Filtration site.

These two messages were posted at the HistoricWashington list at Yahoogroups.

The first post is from Bloomingdale resident Mehdi Mansouri:

McMillan Sand Filtration May be saved if Gray Wins
Posted by: ``peoplescouncil`` tin@onlineoffice.us peoplescouncil
Tue Aug 31, 2010 6:30 pm (PDT)

After talking with some active community members it seems the majority think, as Mayor, Gray is likely to change the Deputy Mayor of Economic Development, who is said to be a major force behind the plan for demolition of the McMillan Sand Filtration (just so that EYA and other contractors can take over its land and continue receiving money and tax incentives from the City). However, even with a new Deputy, nothing may change, because another person solidly in EYA`s pocket (and trying fiercely to get McMillan given away to EYA) is CM Harry Thomas, seemingly on very good terms with Gray. There is obviously no guarantee the new Deputy would be any different than the current one. Still, a change of Deputies would delay the process, which would give us a chance to see if we can save McMillan.

One indication that a potential mayoral change could be in McMillan`s favor, is that the current ``Manager`` of this project (Mr. Clint Jackson, from the office of ``Economic Development (for corrupt businesses, of course and not for people)``) is now pushing very hard to get the McMillan development plan approved in September and the contracts finished in October. It would be helpful if we could get a commitment from Gray that, should he become the Mayor, he will stop the McMillan Project to allow for a new one to start that would be run by concerned citizens (unlike the current process that is being run by puppets of EYA and other businesses dressed as Deputies and Managers in the DC Government). I hope we can form a group for saving McMillan and discuss how to proceed.

Mehdi Mansouri
tin@onlineoffice.us
(202)657- 6457


1b. Re: McMillan Sand Filtration May be saved if Gray Wins
Posted by: ``Paul Sieczkowski`` paul_sieczkowski@yahoo.com
Wed Sep 1, 2010 5:51 am (PDT)

Saved? The development may move slower if Gray wins but what does saved mean? Its a neglected site. How does prolonged neglect equate to saving it?

There are definitely citizens that feel development of the site is warranted and that the current plans on the table are reasonable. All the EYA projects I`ve seen in the city are successful. This includes projects in Capitol Hill, the U Street area (two blocks behind Ben`s chili bowl) and townhomes being erected a few blocks from the Nationals stadium.

This idea of what`s best for the people is not shared by everyone.

Paul Sieczkowski

Mehdi Mansouri: City trying to silence McMillan critics

See this message from Bloomingdale resident Mehdi Mansouri. The McMillan Advisory Group (MAG) meeting referenced occurred earlier this evening.

City Trying to Silence McMillan Critics; Meeting Thursday
Posted by: ``peoplescouncil`` tin@onlineoffice.us peoplescouncil
Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:47 pm (PDT)

My Fellow DC Citizens:

After my previous posting I received the following correction from a fellow community member. Although the contract that was awarded to EYA after EYA made its $55,000 contribution to CM Thomas` ``Ward 5 Business Council`` was not to the McMillan project but rather to St. Paul`s College, nevertheless EYA received the contract after making that contribution and later was selected to become the developer of the McMillan project as well.

``EYA eventually contributed $55,000 to Thomas`s Ward 5 Business Council, which had Vicky Leonard, Thomas`s right hand, as the treasurer, until the Office of Campaign Finance admonished him for that. Also, the vote the following day was not about McMillan but about approving the St. Paul`s College construction project (which breaks ground next week). The College is building homes on its property to raise money; EYA is the developer. The City Council approved the project over the objections of the ANC.``

In addition, here is more information about relations between the City and EYA--behind the scene of the McMillan project:

The manager of the McMillan project at the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning & Economic Development of the DC Government is Mr. Clint Jackson*. The VP of EYA is Mr. Aakash Thakkar**. Mr. Jackson and Mr. Thakkar used to work for the National Capital Revitalization Corporation (NCRC). They worked on the NCRC approach to getting McMillan developed, which started in 2006. NCRC picked the Vision McMillan Partners (of which EYA is the lead partner) to be the site developer. After Adrian Fenty became Mayor, he dissolved NCRC and McMillan became part of the portfolio of projects of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. At that point, Aakash went to work for EYA and Clint went to the Deputy Mayor`s office.

I hope you will be able to come to the meeting on Thursday and/or let me know that you are interested in being involved in saving the McMillan sand filtration site. We are forming a group to take immediate action. What we don`t have at this time is a huge number of people who have joined us. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to save such a magnificent historic construction, while making a significant impact in helping to improve processes in the DC Government. If you can think of a reason this is not the time to act, please share this with us. Otherwise, please let me know that at least you are willing to add your name to the petition of citizens against demolition of McMillan and against the McMillan project by extension.

Information on the people mentioned above:

[*Clint Jackson Development Manager
Government of the District of Columbia
Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning & Economic Development
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 317 Washington, DC 20004
W 202. 538. 1282 F 202. 724. 7171 mcclinton.jackson@dc.gov]


[**Aakash R. Thakkar vice president EYA
D 301- 634- 8617 C 202- 427- 4066 E athakkar@eya.com
4800 Hampden Lane, Suite 300 l Bethesda, MD 20814
T 301- 634- 8600 F 301- 634- 8717 W eya.com]

Mehdi Mansouri
tin@onlineoffice.us
(202)657- 6457



My Fellow DC Citizens:

1. At around 12:20 PM today (Wednesday, August 25, 2010), two DC detectives knocked on my door. I invited them in and we talked for about half an hour. They were here based on a complaint that CM Thomas had filed against me with the DC Police for what I did while he was talking in Gray`s fundraising campaign this past Sunday. (I told him he is a liar and corrupt after he told the audience his Nth lie, deception, meaningless and misleading words, and trying to appeal to people`s emotions even by putting his mom on the stage. I did ask him to let me ask him one question but he didn`t let me.

This issue of officials and politicians being able to say anything that they want but people not being able to ask their questions exactly when they say their lies—so everyone who hears their lies can also hear the other side of the story — is one of the biggest devastating weapons that the politicians and officials have that they are using against people and to their own advantage.

My issue with CM Thomas has to do with his role in the destruction of McMillan sand filtration project. Just a brief history, as you may know, CM Thomas received $50,000 (?) or so for something (I don`t know exactly for what) from

EYA (construction company) and the next day (as I am told) EYA was selected as the main developer of McMillan. Ever since CM Thomas has been one of the solid supporters of the McMillan ``project`` that will result in the demolition of at least 99% of McMillan historic sand filtration, and packing its graveyard with 1200 residential units and massive commercial space, without having done any studies of cost/benefit to people, environment, quality of life, side effects, additional devastation to skyrocketing budget deficit, etc. etc.

And the worst part is that the City, CM Thomas, Mayor Fenty, and everyone else involved in this ``project`` is not showing us (MAG representatives of people—to which, as of January of this year I became a member of) any of the documents and contracts. They are also not answering any of our critical questions. The City, with the help of a number of officials and politicians has pushed this devastating plan forward for the past three years and is now very close to sealing the deal. Most probably if it weren`t for the upcoming elections, they would have sealed the process, which would have been the end of McMillan.

2. One of the strategies of the City for making sure that they can get this project done the way they want (that is only about maximizing profit for the developer at astronomic losses to people), has been to eliminate people`s effective input into the planning process. To that end, they created a group of ``representatives`` called MAG (McMillan Advisory Group), but a) made it completely powerless in any decision making (by giving it just a puppet role), and b) closed the meetings with this group to public attendance. As a result, the City, EYA, CM Thomas, and others used MAG in their speeches countless times stating that people have been involved in the development of the ``EYA Plan`` every step of the way, when in reality, that was just a complete and shameless lie.

After I started looking into who had decided to close MAG meetings to the public, the City blamed it on the MAG itself. When I shared that response with MAG, one of the MAG members wrote the history of the events to show that it was in fact the City and the developer who had established the closed-door strategy. After those discussions the City ``agreed`` to allow public participation in the MAG meetings, with the condition that the public will not be allowed to even speak, let alone ask questions. (Even though it must be the other way around--people must be the decision makers for public projects and not the City--but that is another issue).

3. MAG is meeting with the City and developers of McMillan project this Thursday, August 26, 2010, at 7:00pm at All Nations Church in Bloomingdale (2001 North Capitol Street Northeast, Washington, DC 20002-1327 (202) 832- 9591). Agenda is to discuss the two ``study reports`` that the City claims they have done related to McMillan project. These are historical study and fiscal impact reports. I will be happy to send them to you if you send me an email so you can review those reports. These are probably the most critical moments in the life of McMillan sand filtration that will result in its preservation or loss forever.

Please come to this meeting, despite the short notice, to see what the City and developers present, and what their strategy is. We need all this information to do our own analysis and strategizing. Other efforts to save McMillan, our tax monies, environment, and quality of life that depend on this project are happening. But no one has stopped the City from pushing forward. This is our last chance to stop this project. We have several VERY good claims against the City and against this project that can stop this avalanche, but ONLY if we join hands and show huge numbers of people.

I know from experience that one or a few people will be crushed by the City (as they have tried to do to me for the last year—by framing me, lying to others about me, contacting my employer last week to report the only incident of me having used my university email back in May by mistake in a communication with the community and City officials related to McMillan, and now sending detectives to my door).

If you are serious about saving McMillan and helping to clean our DC Government, please come to the meeting Thursday night August 26 and take notes of your questions and observations. Then let us have our own meetings to strategize and win this case. If we win and save McMillan, that would be a major step in starting to change and improve how recklessly the DC Government operates.

Please let me know if you have any questions or even need a ride to come to the meeting Thursday night.

Mehdi Mansouri
tin@onlineoffice.us
(202)657-6457

WBJ reports that McMillan site developer seeking funding for traffic & historic preservation studies

Some McMillan Sand Filtration site news from this week's Washington Business Journal:

Friday, July 2, 2010
McMillan moves closer to reality with funds OK’d for studies
Washington Business Journal - by Michael Neibauer
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/07/05/story2.html

And see this subsequent Housing Complex post from the Washington City Paper:

McMillan Gets Rolling Again With Studies
Posted by Lydia DePillis on Jul. 2, 2010 at 08:18 am
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2010/07/02/mcmillan-gets-rolling-again-with-studies/