? new FBI headquarters building possibly south of Bloomingdale ?

From the Washingtonian:

Developer’s Proposal Would Keep FBI Downtown, Build New Headquarters Near Union Station

A previously unreported plan by Republic Properties would allow the FBI to remain in downtown DC rather than relocating to the suburbs, answering the dreams of many FBI officials.By Garrett M. Graff

An architect's rendering shows what a proposed new FBI headquarters might look like on land now used as a parking lot by the Government Printing Office. Image courtesy of Arthur Cotton Moore. ....see this subsequent DCist story: 

The FBI Near Union Station? Probably Not Gonna Happen After All

Under a new proposal, the FBI headquarters would be moved to an existing building and parking lot just north of Massachusetts Avenue and a block west of Union Station.

Yesterday Washingtonian had quite the scoop: the FBI could potentially stay in D.C., taking a site a block away from Union Station. Well, that's news to the Government Printing Office, which owns that land in question and told us today that it has no plans of decamping or giving up the site for the purposes of a new FBI HQ.

"Concerning recent reports of a plan by Republic Properties for location of an FBI headquarters on the site currently occupied by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), this is news to us," said GPO spokesman Gary Somerset.

"Republic Properties has not discussed this proposal with us and GPO has no relationship with them. GPO has no plans to dispose of the property currently behind our buildings. GPO’s buildings are utilized for GPO operations supporting the information product requirements of Congress, the White House, Federal agencies, and the public. Per congressional authorization, they also house elements of the U.S. Capitol Police, the Architect of the Capitol, the Senate Sergeant at Arms, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom," he added.

D.C.'s official offering for the new FBI HQ remains Poplar Point along the Anacostia River; jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia have offered up their own proposals in hopes of wooing the law enforcement agency and its 11,000 employees beyond city limits. The existing FBI building on Pennsylvania Avenue, worth some $900 million, will be put up for development. 

step forward and serve Bloomingdale as the captain of your block

See this message from Bloomingdale resident Jenn McCann:

Metropolis needs Superman, Gotham City has Batman…

NO SUPER POWERS REQUIRED!

Step forward and serve Bloomingdale as the Captain of your Block

Be a hero! Volunteer Block Captains help spread the word about community news, events, and important information in Bloomingdale. Arming your neighbors with COMMUNICATION and INFORMATION keeps our community safer, friendlier, and more connected.

Have fun! Block Captains are encouraged to take on as little or as much is needed to help keep neighbors informed or involved. While there are no specific expectations or benchmarks you must meet, a list of “Block Captain Best Practices” is available.

Join the team! When you (or you and a friend!) volunteer as a Block Captain or co-Captain, you have a direct line of information sharing and direction via The Bloomingdale Civic Association. And whether you can help cover a full block, half-block, apartment building or side of the street, ALL volunteer requests are considered. No block proposal is too large or too small. 

For more information or to volunteer, email mccannjen@gmail.com (please put "BCA Block Captain" in the subject line).

National Association for Olmstead Parks (NAOP) testimony for McMillan Reservoir park site

Bloomingdale resident Hugh Youngblood asked to have this letter posted.
                                  

NAOP Testimony for Millan Park - DC Historic Pres Review Board 2013 04 04 by Scott Roberts

Washington DC Chapter of the Sierra Club letter of opposition to Vision McMillan Partners revised master plan and design guidelines

See this message from Bloomingdale resident Hugh Youngblood:

Please publish the following letter from Sierra Club. 

Thank you,

Hugh

Sierra Club Letter of Opposition to Vision McMillan Partners Revised Master Plan and Design Guidelines - 3A... by Scott Roberts

want to watch this afternoon's HPRB hearing live on McMillan?

Here is McMillan item on today`s HPRB hearing agenda:

MCMILLAN PARK RESERVOIR

15.          2:45 – 5:00     Revised master plan and design guidelines

And here is Bruce Yarnall`s message on the URL to use to watch today's HPRB hearing live:

HPRB Live Video Webcast  April 4, 2013

Posted by: ``Yarnall, Bruce (OP)`` bayarnall

Greetings:

Today'`s HPRB hearing will be webcast live beginning at 9 am. Citizens may view the hearing through this abbreviated URL:

http://tinyurl.com/44u8rq8 Please select ``View Live Video``.

Bruce Yarnall

Historic Preservation Office/DC Office of Planning

1100 4th Street SW Suite E650

Washington, DC 20024

T (202) 442-8835

F (202) 442-7638

Visit the DC Office of Planning on Facebook and on Twitter @OPinDC

Ward 5 Community Happy Hour at Boundary Stone -- tonight, Thursday, 04-04-2013

Ward 5 Community Happy Hour

                                        
Meet your neighbors - Support local - Share some laughs - Why not?

Thursday, April 4, 2013
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Boundary Stone
116 Rhode Island Avenue, NW

Please feel free to invite and share this info with neighbors!
We are making new friends and showing what Ward 5 is all about!!
Contact me for info: Jennifer.parker3@yahoo.com

a suggestion has been made via tweets to place the planned Chuck Brown Amphitheater at McMillan rather than at Langdon Park

Here you go:
 
"@Sept11GroveW5DC: @CM_McDuffie how can we get #ChuckBrown amphitheater placed in@McMillanPark & not #LangdonPark?"


What
do
you 
think?

Here is the latest design of the Chuck Brown Amphitheater over in Langdon Park, from the March 26, 2013 Washington City Paper article:

assorted renovations in Bloomingdale

Here are the DCRA building permits for Bloomingdale and Truxton Circle for Monday, 04-01-2013, and Tuesday, 04-02-2013:

PERMIT_SUBTYPE_NAME	FULL_ADDRESS	DESC_OF_WORK
GAS FITTING	82 SEATON PL NW	REPLACEMENT OF NOT MORE THAN 1 GAS APPLIANCE, ON A RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL PROJECT.
EXCAVATION ONLY	119 R ST NW	PRIMARY ALTERATION AND RENOVATION BUILDING PERMIT NO IS B1208229.   REQUIRE NEW PERMIT TO EXCAVATE AND ENLARGE AREA WAY STEPS TO CREATE A WIDER AREA WAY TO ACCESS LOWER APARTMENT.
PLUMBING AND GAS	1706 1ST ST NW
PLUMBING AND GAS	1708 1ST ST NW
PLUMBING AND GAS	101 N ST NW
ELECTRICAL	60 ADAMS ST NW	1 ELECTRIC BOILER
ELECTRICAL	60 ADAMS ST NW
ELECTRICAL	67 SEATON PL NW
PLUMBING AND GAS	60 ADAMS ST NW
ALTERATION AND REPAIR	30 CHANNING ST NW	AN EXISTING SFD ROW STRUCTURE WITH EXCAVATE EARTH, PLACE CONCRETE, REMOVE PORTION OF MASONRY WALL, CONSTRUCT NEW RETAINING WALLS, CONC. WALK AND STEPS AND LANDING AND INSTALLL NEW ENTRY DOOR AT BASEMENT DOOR.    "ON LINE"

last chance to submit your testimony for the McMillan Park HPRB hearing by today at noon

Bloomingdale resident Hugh Youngblood asked to have this message posted:

From: Katelijn van den Berg <katelijnvandenberg@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, Apr 2, 2013 at 3:45 PM
Subject: Last Chance to Submit your Testimony for the McMillan Park HPRB Hearing by April 3rd at Noon; Hearing on Thursday, April 4th @ 2.30 pm in Room 220-South @ 441, 4th Street, NW
To: "friends-of-mcmillan-park@googlegroups.com" <friends-of-mcmillan-park@googlegroups.com>

The DC Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) has scheduled a hearing on 4 April 2013 to review the revised VMP development proposal for McMillan Park. Please join us for the hearing to testify in person or submit written testimony in advance to steve.callcott@dc.gov. The deadline for submitting written public testimony for the hearing is noon on Wednesday, 3 April 2013. The posts below contain useful information for developing your testimony.  Additionally, please review HPRB's comments from the previous VMP hearing. 

The HPRB hearing will begin at 9:00 AM at 441 4th Street NW in Room 220-South, the office building immediately outside the Judiciary Square Metro station (Courthouse exit), 2nd floor.

The MCMILLAN PARK RESERVOIR portion of the hearing is planned during the following time period:

2:45 - 5:00 PM – VMP Revised Master Plan and Design Guidelines

Those interested in testifying in person should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the assigned time for the case. Please join us there to request that HPRB reject the revised VMP plan. Each person is allowed three minutes of verbal testimony, and you may submit additional testimony in writing. Please bring 15 copies of your testimony with you if you are unable to submit it in advance of the deadline.

Please also review the excellent alternative plan for McMillan Park prepared by Collage City Studio.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Fiddleheads Salon, 25 Florida Avenue NW, opening seven days a week, Starting this Sunday, 04-07-2013

See this message from Beth Abroms:
                                           

Yes!  FIDDLEHEADS SALON is now open seven days a week starting this coming Sunday April 7th.  We are located at 25 Florida Avenue NW.  Our phone number is 202-588-5959!  Please call for an appointment.  We use only all natural botanical products and our hair color is ammonia free!  Our hours are 10am-7pm Tuesday through Saturday, Sundays and Mondays are 12-5 (until the Farmers Market re-opens then we will be open at 10am).  

in LeDroit Park on Sunday, 03-31-2013: 'overnight double stabbing along U Street corridor outside makeshift "club" '

Some comments from residents from the LeDroit Park list.  This would be at the House of Secrets, 507 T Street NW.

1) House of Secrets?  Is this place licensed to hold parties?  I was looking for parking and drove near 5th and T on Saturday evening where there were a number of people dressed in club gear.  I thought they were going to the Howard Theatre or the Elks Lodge which also had a big event going on.  I guess they were guest of the House of Secrets.  Fortunately, MPD was out issuing tickets to a number of illegally parked cars.   I did see that there was an incident that took place there that night.  Here is the WUSA 9 news story:

Overnight Double Stabbing Along U Street Corridor Outside Makeshift "Club"

Submitted by WUSA9 Web Staff

Sunday, March 31st, 2013, 5:47am

WASHINGTON (WUSA*9) -- D.C. police say two people were stabbed outside a house party.

One man was stabbed in the rib, another in the hand. Officers arrested a man in connection with the incident. 

We're told a house on the 500 block of T Street N.W. was turned into a nightclub. The victims apparently did not know the suspect.

2)  They definitely don't have a permit, looks like the guy that owns the house was arrested almost 10 years ago for not having proper licenses: 

http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/abra/section/2/release/6466/year/2004

 

3) That's so interesting -- I live on that block but had never heard of the house and it's infamy, though I pass it all the time.  But I did search around on Google and it looks like every once in a while they let people rent it out for huge DJ parties.  Looks like the last one (before Saturday anyway) was in December. http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?423845

Big Bear Cafe receives grant award from developer EYA

See this message from developer EYA:

EYA Awards $55,000 in Grants to Small Businesses

0 Comments

2 Apr 2013 // from EYA

Washington-Based Real Estate Developer EYA and The Community FoundationAward More Than $50,000 in Grants to Ward 5 Businesses

Washington, DC – EYA, in partnership with The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, is pleased to announce the winners of over $50,000 in grant funds from the Chancellor’s Row Small Business Loan Fund.

The fund, established as part of the St. Paul’s College redevelopment now known as Chancellor’s Row, provides grant monies to locally-owned businesses in ANC 5C (now 5E) in Ward 5. The grant program is designed to stimulate economic activity within the Ward, encourage entrepreneurial activity, and support businesses which provide local jobs and job training to local residents.

The grant recipients are:

• 4 U Body and Beauty Palace
• Big Bear Café
• Clean Green & Professional
• Dance Place
• Excel Movement Studios
• Strong Mind, Strong Body

Grantees, along with EYA, The Community Foundation, and Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie will gather to celebrate:

Small Business Mixer & Grant CelebrationThursday, April 11, 2013
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
San Antonio Bar & Grill
3908 12th St NE, Washington, DC

Media are invited to attend. Please contact jhebert@eya.com for questions or to RSVP.

  

PopVille: Red Hen gets a red hen; Bacio gets outdoor seating

From our pals at PopVille: 

In Bloomingdale – Red Hen Gets a Red Hen and Baccio Pizzeria Gets a Sweet Patio

                              
Click on the link above to see the two pics!

volunteer meeting Wednesday, 04-03-2013, for the 10th Annual Bloomingdale Yard Sale and Community Day!

See this message from Molly Scott:

Good Morning everyone,

Happy spring to everybody--I hope you all had a chance to enjoy the lovely weather Saturday and yesterday. Buds are blooming and birds are singing so that means its time for Bloomingdale's biggest and best neighborhood event...

The 10th Annual Bloomingdale Yard Sale and Community Day!

(featuring the Taste of Bloomingdale--of course!)

The event will take place on Saturday May 18th (rain date Saturday June 1st) from 8 am--2 pm

We need lots of help from our loyal CADC volunteers. Tynesia Hand-Smith, our Yard Sale co-ordinator, is having a meeting tomorrow night, Wednesday, April 3rd at 7 pm at her house (2015 1st Street NW) to plan and assign items from the "to-do" list.

We would love to have your help in any way--can you help organize restaurants for the incredibly popular "Taste" event? Can you round up vendors to sell items at the sale--do you yourself want to sell items? We need folks organizing before the event, help on the day of, whatever you can give. 

The Yard Sale is always a good time, lots of great music and food (I wonder what our newest restaurants, Grassroots, Aroi, the Red Hen and Costa Brava will have for us this year??) and a wonderful day spent with neighbors. 

Please email me or Tynesia (tynesia27@aol.com) for more information or if you have questions.

Thanks so much!
Best,

Molly
                                                 

Crispus Attucks Park Bloomingdale YardSaleSellerFlyer2013 by Scott Roberts

Washington Times 07-07-1907: "Eckington streethouses are nearly all sold"

Unearthed by Bloomingdame:

Washington Times 1907 07 07 Eckington Street Houses Nearly All Sold by Scott Roberts

DC Water switching from chloramine to chlorine from 03-18-2013 thru 04-29-2013

See this press release from a few weeks ago from DC Water.  

           

Mar 11, 2013 -- From March 18 through April 29, 2013, the disinfectant in drinking water will temporarily switch from chloramine to chlorine. 

The annual switch in water disinfection is part of a routine program to clean and maintain water distribution systems in the District of Columbia, Arlington County and Falls Church. During the temporary switch to chlorine, local water authorities will also conduct system-wide flushing to enhance water quality. This program is standard practice for many U.S. water systems that use chloramine during the majority of the year.   

The Washington Aqueduct is the organization responsible for treating — and disinfecting — drinking water for the District of Columbia, Arlington County, and Falls Church, Virginia. Local water authorities are responsible for monitoring drinking water to ensure chlorine levels continue to meet safe target levels. 

Individuals and business owners who take special precautions to remove chloramine from tap water, such as dialysis centers, medical facilities and aquatic pet owners, should continue to take the same precautions during the temporary switch to chlorine. Most methods for removing chloramine from tap water are effective in removing chlorine. Individuals with special health concerns should consult a health care provider on the use of tap water.   

During this time, individuals may notice a slight change in the taste and smell of their drinking water. Local water authorities recommend running the cold water tap for approximately two minutes and refrigerating cold tap water for a few hours to reduce taste and odor. Water filters are also effective in reducing chlorine taste and odor. For more information, please contact the appropriate water authority below. 

DC Water: 202-612-3440 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) or 202-612-3400 (24-hour) / www.dcwater.com 

Arlington County: 703-228-6570 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) or 703-228-6555 (24-hour) 

Falls Church City: 703-248-5071 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) or 703-248-5044 (24-hour) 

Washington Aqueduct: 202-764-0008 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

Related Links: Title:   Frequently Asked Questions- Chlorine Switch Filename:   FAQ Chlorine Switch 2013.pdf [36K]

Shae Kims Memorial Park mystery solved! (or, at least, it appears so); GoogleMaps pranked

Has the mystery of the name of the federally owned National Park Service park -- Shae Kims Memorial Park adjacent to Big Bear Cafe -- finally been solved?

See this message from Bloomingdame: 

Maps are my new obsession, and I spend a lot of time looking at the ones that include our neighborhood.

Last year, I noticed a name – Shae Kims Memorial Park -- for the small triangular park across from Big Bear Cafe that I did not recognize. I Googled the name and came up with nothing. Last summer, the name was used in a press release from the Mayor's office, and our local blogger, Scott, posted that he did not know the origin of the name. He didn't get any feedback. 

Since the park is a US reservation, I contacted the US Parks office, and all they gave me was the Reservation number. I contacted the DC office who sent out the press release, and they could not help. Next up, our Ward Councilmember's office - still nothing.  

This morning, I noticed that the park across Florida Avenue NW -- which most of us just refer to as the "Florida Avenue Park" -- had a name of Larsinda Banks Park. I Googled that. Finally, a hit! And a link to the other name of Shae Kims.

I think it is safe to say that both park names are part of a prank, related to a prank website -- a DC DMV joke website.

Not sure how the prankster got Google to use the names on their map.... I wonder if there are other triangle parks in DC that have prank names. If not, that may be a clue that the prankster is local.

View Parks in a larger map

Here is a link to a Washington City Paper story on the DC DMV joke website:
                                         

The First DMV Joke to Cross the Line?

Posted by Sarah Godfrey on Apr. 11, 2006 at 12:16 pm

The link referenced in the story is invalid; here is the correct link. 

Here is the direct link to Shae Kims' name at this DC DMV joke website:

Shae Kims
Star Employee, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2008 and 2010

Ms. Kims was DCDMV director for three years and is the most storied and talked about employee of the agency. Known for her abrupt and rude style, Ms. Kims is a heavy hitter that gets the job done or assigns it to someone that will. It was Shae herself that introduced the highly successful DCDMV Fried Chicken program originally at the Brookland DCDMV. Ms. Kims is a Washington, DC native and enjoys smoking cigarettes near entrances and reading National Enquirer on the Metro. Ms. Kims has three daughters, Sharae, Sinead and Shashae.Ms. Kims was tragically killed by an unmanned street sweeper on January 1st, 2011 near First Street and Florida Avenue. Mayor Vincent Grey decided to dedicate the nearby park in her honor. Shae Kims Memorial Park is located at 111 Florida Avenue, NW and is open daily.

And here is the direct link to the name of Larsinda Banks. 

(cringing in my chair posting this...)

Ward 5 Councilmember McDuffie launches his official website, www.kenyanmcduffie.com

From: Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie <dcdocs@dc.gov>
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2013 3:40 PM

Subject: McDuffie Announce Launch of His Official Website

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

For Immediate Release:
April 1, 2013

Contact:Darrell Jackson
202.724.8028
DJackson@DCCOUNCIL.US 

McDuffie Announce Launch of His Official Website

www.kenyanmcduffie.com 

Washington, DC – Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie (D – Ward 5) announced the launch of his official website. Councilmember McDuffie’s office has focused on building a strong constituent service outreach program including a weekly Ward 5 e-report. The new website will help broaden the access constituents of Ward 5 and the District of Columbia have to Councilmember McDuffie and his office.
                                  

“As we continue to work together to improve economic security, safety of our residents, and the education of our children, I want to make sure I am doing what I can to stay connected with my constituents,” said Councilmember McDuffie. “I want residents to consider my website a resource that provides information about our great Ward and what they can do to get involved.”
         

Councilmember McDuffie’s website can be accessed by visiting www.kenyanmcduffie.com or through the Council of the District of Columbia’s website. Councilmember McDuffie encourages residents who visit the website to also sign up to receive his weekly Ward 5 Reports. Constituents are able to sign up for the report directly through the website.

###

Bloomingdale home renovations underway

Here are the Bloomingdale and Truxton Circle DCRA building permits for Friday, 03-29-2013:

PERMIT_SUBTYPE_NAME	FULL_ADDRESS	DESC_OF_WORK
ALTERATION AND REPAIR	152 THOMAS ST NW	BUILD ROOF OVER EXISTING TWO STORY PORCH DECK.  MODIFY EXISTING PORCH DECK STRUCTURE  ENCLOSE PORCH DECK WITH INSECT SCREEN
ALTERATION AND REPAIR	74 W ST NW	REPAIR AND REPLACE ROOFING (MEMBRANE AND COPING) TO DETACHED GARAGE.
ALTERATION AND REPAIR	221 BATES ST NW	CONSTRUCT 18'X18' DECK  W/BSMT ACCESS PANEL AND STEPS
HOME OCCUPATION	2302 1ST ST NW	HOME IMPROVEMENT GENERAL SERVICES - HOME OFFICE.
ELECTRICAL	73 U ST NW

Wangari Gardens open plots for 2013 and Opening Day Festival

See this message from Bloomingdale resident Jeff Hayward:

Local community garden plots available at Wangari Gardens located corner of Park Pl and Kenyon St NW. Please share information from the Wangari Director, Josh Singer, with our community.

                     

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Friends of Wangari Gardens <wangarigardens@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Apr 1, 2013 at 2:15 PM
Subject: Wangari Gardens open plots for 2013 and Opening day Festival
To:

Hello Everyone,

New Garden Beds
    

We have just built 35 more garden plots this year and we're beginning to accept applications to gardeners to fill them.  We're attempting to better represent our surrounding communities and to serve more people in need so were giving priority to longtime community members of our area and low income households.  If you are or know of anyone who fits this criteria please forward them our application.  And if you know of any place we could outreach let us know too.  Thanks!

Requirements to become a gardener at Wangari Gardens.

- Must live within a mile and a half of the garden (located at the intersection of Kenyon and Park Pl)

- $50 a year, which includes free water, soil, seeds, compost, etc

- We have lots of free plots reserved for people experiencing economic hardships

- Must volunteer 2 hours a month to maintain our public plots
         

We also built a youth garden for youth organizations to garden with this year.  Please let us know if you're interested in helping or know of a youth organization that can benefit from a youth garden.  

Opening Day festival
           

We are also having our opening day festival this Sunday the 7th, noon to 5pm.  We will have garden workshops, a grillout, a bike clinic, yoga class, kids games, and a moonbounce.  Please come join us. 

If you can please bring a potluck dish and outdoor games to donate. We're creating a community toybox for the community.  If you can't please just bring yourself.  Thanks!

--
Josh Singer
Director of Wangari Gardens
                       

Wangari Gardens 2013 Opening Day Festival by Scott Roberts

Wangari Gardens Community Garden Plot-Holder Application 2013 by Scott Roberts