wash post neighborhood videos..and pictures

u street

chinatown panorama

georgetown


i'd really like to see more of these videos. its a great direction for the post.

Saint Martins Zoning Variance Hearing.

st. Martin's Apartments Zoning Variance Hearing Tomorrow Night, Monday, 1/29/2007


Tomorrow night at 6:30 pm is the zoning hearing for the upzoning of the large lot in Eckington across from McKinley Tech from R-4 to R-5-B.

The zoning classifications are described here:
[dcra.dc.gov/dcra/lib/dcra/information/homeowners_center/can_build_it.pdf]

It is likely that no official decision will be made at the end of the hearing because there is some opposition towards the zoning variance request.



Here is the announcement from the Office of Zoning website, dcoz.dc.gov:

Public Hearing

Start Time: 1/29/2007 6:30 PM

AGENDA

Case Number : 05-39
Case Name : Archdiocese of Washington & Catholic Charities

Case Summary : (Map Amendment,PUD) The Applicant is requesting consolidated review and approval of a Planned Unit Development (“PUD”) and a related zoning map amendment in order to implement new residential development in Square 3531, the city block bounded by Summit Place on the east, Lincoln Road on the west, Todd Place on the north and T Street on the south, in the northeast quadrant of Washington, D.C. The Office of Planning provided its report on April 10, 2006, and the case was set down for hearing on April 20, 2006. The Applicant provided its prehearing statement on September 15, 2006. The property that is the subject of this application is currently located in the R-4 District and includes Lots 114 and 115 in Square 3531. The existing building on the site will be relocated and incorporated in the design of the new development. The Applicant is seeking PUD approval and a related zoning map amendment to include the property in the R-5-B zone district in order to construct a multi-family residential building that will accommodate moderate and low-income families. The development will be constructed to a density of 2.64 FAR and contain 240,940 square feet of gross floor area. The maximum building height will be 55 feet.

The 3-page PDF of the “notice of public hearing” is posted here: [http://app.dcoz.dc.gov/content/schedule/ViewFile.aspx?fileId=107&fileName=PHN05-39_01-29-07.pdf]

brick

there has been a lot of discussion on the community boards and blogs about brick sidewalks. r street nw is getting them. s street nw just got them. r ne is supposed to get them. some residents are thrilled, others a bit smug. personally i love the brick sidewalks but am a bit indifferent about fighting to get them. i agree with many that our efforts might be put to better use. I wonder though about the budgetary lines and if getting brick sidewalks really means not getting something else.

i'd like to start a pro/con list about brick sidewalks. this is assuming the brick vs concrete argument. i know there are other choices too.
please comment with your points.

Pro's
1. very attractive.
2. allows water to reach root system of trees.
3. ease to repair
4. befitting of the old character/materials of the neighborhood.
5. the whole broken windows theory.



Con's
1. Money
2. hard to shovel snow
3. hard to clean
4. bad for the handicapped
5. bad for high heels
6. Spalting
7. roots can easily cause uneveness in sidewalk
9 provokes tension over "gentrification" and appearance over people argument.
10. would expel a lot of community effort to get them
11. upheaval time to do the work.


are people gonna start wanting cobblestone streets too?

housing in eckington

here is a link to the "Basilica Lofts" in eckington

I believe the original plans for this row called for all of it to be retail. at least the ground floor. looks like its all residential now.

historic districts

here is a post about historic districts in the district

and it has a great map.

I want one of these.

in bloomingdale/ truxton/eckington

THIS

taxihood.

Whats the state of hailing a taxi in the area these days?
Is it possible?
has anyone actually caught one?

let me know if you would.

soul...

soul...
Originally uploaded by calvo.

from the bloomingdale photo-pool.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bloomingdale/

anc 5c meeting

anc coverage here

h on 7

new 7 talks about h street.

georgia avenue..

here is a cute interactive map concerning projects along georgia avenue

and an article

and heres a video

walking walking walking

saw this link over at rebuilding place....

to quote richard
If you care about walking in the District, brick sidewalks vs. concrete, motorists running stop signs, speeding traffic, dangerous intersections, than please take a look at this web link


there is a short survey on the website. please take it.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We do not normally honor single individuals with a national holiday. George Washington, Jesus of Nazareth, and Christopher Columbus.

At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

alleys as common space

interesting idea, this

h street

i know .. i know.. i have alot of posts about h street.....but theres some good stuff happening over there.
look here

Map O No MA

here is a great map of the proposed and planned and slated and already built projects in Noma.

Its a PDF

looks like there will be a road between ATF and the Hotel Eckington ( which seems to sit adjoining the tracks)

we know that the fairfield project is nixed.

Enron?


Jamal's Gateway? why isnt anything happening there yet? He owns it and its HUGE. is he waiting for the tunnel to 395 to be built?

Capitol Square? could we possibly lose that car wash..... damn i need a picture of that before its gone!


granted this map is a year old... so i dont know how much has changed.

washington post geek a thon.

Lets face it, the Washington Post fails us. It fails us in providing two types of news that i crave, and at least one that you crave. Local news and local arts coverage. You are probably reading this because neighborhood blogs have news the News media doesn't.

The post, despite a real journalists natural aversion to blogs, recognizes this.
This past week they sponsored a meeting of some local bloggers to discuss working together.

So i went to their geek-a-thon and meet a few other bloggers, some i had already known

InShaw
Rebuilding Place
Stop blog and roll
Prince of Petworth
Harmany Music
a bunch o the dcist people
the hilarious metrobloggers
the even more hilarious Listen to Leon

a dc united blogger that actually scooped the story of the teams sale.

rethinking college park guy

almost met Beyond the Mall guy and the Anacostia Diaries guy

creative dc gal
these are all good blogs and you ought click on em!


Anyway, the post is seeking to be the portal by which millions upon gazillions of readers find blogs of local interests. While i dont think this fills the niche for real street hitting local stories, it may help.

look for it sometime this decade.


I would like to add that pretty much all neighborhood bloggers write their blogs as a community service, not because we make money from it. I'll point you to my other and older blog from time to time, and i've got stuff to sell there. but not here.

here is just about sharing info. so long as the internet is free, blogger.com is free then this content will be free.

I will gladly plug local business here, but for the sake of economic and pedestrian and cultural revitalization, not for just making a buck.

so, read neighborhood blogs and share info when you've got it. Also, if you would like to help me with this blog, let me know, i might be open to that.especially if'n you want to talk about anc meetings, since i dont ever go to them.....


and please, post some pictures! or email them to me and i'll post them.

when nature doesnt come through for you

create your own global warming denial.

here

snideness aside, i LOVE that someone did this.

washington gateway

take a look at this

in an out in 30 minutes

I left bloomingdale at exactly 12:38
I am back in bloomingdale eating lunch at 1:23.


That was the fastest trip to the DC inspection station i have ever ever had.
i got there and was third in line.


and i passed.