hello from Zee's Restaurant, 600 Florida Avenue NW

See this 10/31/2010 message from Zee of Zee’s Restaurant, 600 Florida Avenue NW, posted at the LeDroit Park list.

Hello from all of us Zee`s. Thanks to Ledroit Park not only for the warm welcome into the neighborhood but for being as excited for us as we are ourselves. We look forward to sharing as much of Trinidad with you as we can.

We are working on our beer and wine license and hope to have it in hand before the holidays. In the meanwhile, check out the updated menu and some great pictures of Zee`s customers on Facebook.

The best part of embarking on this new adventure is that we have all of you as our travelling companions.

Happy Halloween

Open Houses in and around Bloomingdale scheduled for 10/31/2010

Open houses for tomorrow can be found here. A map of the same information, complete with directions can be found here. Scroll over the push pins for info on each property.

The house pictured above is located at 65 Adams St NW and will be open from 1-4pm.

Update on Local Crime Issues and MPD Response

This top Email is from ANC 5C04 Commissioner John Salatti:

Many thanks, Commander, for the quick response to this uptick in crimes in this area. Commissioner Davenport is right. Overall, as you know, crime is down and most violent crime is down. The neighborhood has seemed quite a bit safer than just a few years ago, much to my surprise given the tight economy. But incidents like the ones below are very unsettling even in the face of declining crime stats. So we all appreciate your quick action. Of course, we will continue our collaborations with you and the Fifth District, which have contributed to the continued overall improvement in safety in and around Bloomingdale.

--

John T. Salatti

Commissioner, ANC 5C04

(202) 986- 2592

``Together, Building a Better Bloomingdale``

On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 8:18 PM, Greene, Lamar (MPD) dc.gov> wrote:

We assigned about twenty more officers to the area, they are already making progress on the burglaries and robberies, we hope to make arrest soon! We have noticed the patterns and we are focusing on them!

Commander Lamar D. Greene

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: stuart davenport gmail.com>

To: Greene, Lamar (MPD); Salatti, John T. (ANC 5C04) gmail.com>

Sent: Thu Oct 28 19:51:48 2010

Subject: Residents beaten on 2nd street.

Commander Greene-

There has been another rash of crime in the neighborhood and it is getting pretty violent.

See these posts below (attack in a home with a kitchen knife, beatings, muggings).

It is rare, but it is very violent. People are getting comfortable with doing this in our neighborhood - where it has seemed pretty safe and quiet for about a year.

Can we get more of a police presence for an amount of time? Do you currently know of these issues and do you already have a plan in place?

Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help. We can help get the word out to people if you are looking for anything specific.

-Stuart Davenport

Commissioner 5C-03

202. 549. 6996

1. guests beaten & robbed last night on the 1800 block of 2nd St NW

From a 2nd Street NW resident who was assaulted on this block before:

Last evening around 11pm, my guests, driving in from Baltimore, were just getting of their car, right under the street light opposite my home in the 1800 block of 2nd St NW. A ``person`` walked by them as they were getting out, turned around, hit my female guest in the neck & grabbed her bag, carrying credit cards, jewelry, my house keys etc. Her she fell down, and her husband came to her rescue, and was savagely beaten on the head with something (maybe a bottle) in a paper bag.

Police & ambulance were called - they were taken to the hospital. Tomorrow I will have to get my door locks changed AGAIN !!!! - this is getting very old. He is a Gospel preacher from Michigan, and visits the Churches in this area about every 3 months - very sad.

Update - my guests have now left (were going to stay through weekend) - said that they would think very seriously about visiting me again - At the hospital, they both were given MRI, and he had to have 3 stiches in his head.

2. Home Robbed by Man with a Kitchen Knife

From a 1st and R Street NW resident

House My home at 1st and R, NW was broken into early Friday morning. I have no idea if the thieves were black, white, asian or latino. I do know that they broke in with the use of a large kitchen knife that was left inches from the head of a friend who was sleeping on the couch. There were 5 of us and a dog in the house at the time of the robbery. Nobody woke up and nobody was hurt. Just wanted to give a heads up to all neighbors to keep an eye out for anyone lingering around the neighborhood looking suspicious. Thanks.

3. Man Beaten and Robbed in Bloomingdale

local resident

I was actually robbed Monday, October 25 at night in Bloomingdale by a young black male with a heavy coat. I just wanted to say that I appreciate your honesty in wanting to look out for people who live in the Bloomingdale and the connecting communities of Ledroit Park and Howard University area. After your reading your post I feel comfortable to even admit that it happened. I also would like to say to everyone to please be careful of your surroundings and not let your guard down. And to please report any suspicious activity happening in our community. It`s really important, I wouldn`t anyone to experience being robbed as I did.

At McMillan site, compromise could be beautiful

At McMillan site, compromise could be beautiful

by Malcolm Kenton • October 29, 2010 12:52 pm

While the discussion surrounding the future of the McMillan Sand Filtration Site has been polarized, there is actually plenty for everyone to agree on. A compromise is sure to emerge since few are happy with the site as it sits: unused and inaccessible.

Matt Bell (left) and Dennis Byrd listen to Bloomingdale residents outside Big Bear Cafe (Photo by Malcolm K.)

Unfortunately it took neighbors flatly rejecting the original proposal before planners went back to the drawing board. But the development team Vision McMillan Partners (VMP) has hired landscape architects Warren Byrd and Matt Bell to engage the community in a collaborative design process. This should result in a vision of a place that the neighborhood, the city, and perhaps even the nation, can be proud of.

Of course, there are a handful of people on either extreme. On one end of the spectrum is turning the entire parcel into a park; on the other is the construction of tall, densely packed buildings. But most of the people I spoke to, and who Byrd and Bell have heard from, fall somewhere in between.

Byrd and Bell hosted a series of "design salons," at which their only goal was simply to listen to whoever came to share their ideas. They will formally present the findings from all of the salons to the community on Saturday, November 6th, at St. Martin's Church at North Capitol and T Sts. NW. I attended the last salon of the series, held this past Monday evening at the Big Bear Cafe.

There is broad consensus that a significant chunk of the 25-acre rectangular parcel should be open greenspace. Many felt that a green corridor that welcomes pedestrians and cyclists should be the center of the new "village," recreating the sense of contiguous green that was part of the McMillan Commission's original vision. Most also feel that a mix of housing and retail is also desirable, but simultaneously don't want to see something imposed upon the neighborhood that is out of keeping with the architecture and scale of its surroundings.

August 2010 satellite image of the site (Google Maps).

Bell and Byrd have heard a plethora of creative ideas, from having all the restaurants in the development use food grown on-site, to all sorts of uses for the cylindrical sand bins that sit there as remnants of the water purification plant. Many brought up the idea of daylighting a now-underground creek that flows across the site's southeastern corner and making it a focal point of the new neighborhood.

Using a chunk of the site for solar power generation is another possibility. It is also likely that the project will make use of sustainably-sourced building materials and energy and water-saving design techniques.

VMP is still faced with the substantial task of allaying neighbors' concerns about what the new facilities will bring to the area, primarily car traffic. Many development supporters insist that the project include improved transit service. While a planned Michigan Avenuestreetcar line would connect the site with the Red Line at Brookland, the construction is likely to be finished well before streetcar service begins operation.

In the meantime, VMP could sponsor shuttle service to the Metro (a la the H Street Shuttleto Gallery Place and Minnesota Avenue Metros), and could offer incentives for bicycling, including bike valet service and a Capital Bikeshare station or two. WMATA should also consider increasing the frequency of the 80 and H-series Metrobuses that serve the area. Of course, some additional parking will also be necessary, hopefully in the form of underground decks on the outer edges of the site.

I left the design salon with a high degree of confidence that something great will become of the long-dormant McMillan site. This process shows that an organized neighborhood that is willing to cooperate with developers and the city government can exert a positive influence on the shape of new development. The community's involvement will almost surely be reflected in a place designed to complement and augment both its natural and human-made surroundings.

"It's a site of potential national prominence that deserves a world-class development: something people are drawn to and inspired by," said northern Bloomingdale resident and salon attendee Todd Crosby. "It can have retail and residential, but it should be a place for building community pride and city identity."

Let us seek such a transformation of this unique property, incorporating the historic structures, resurrected creek, and future streetcar station into a model for durable design that effectively blends the public and the private and harmonizes buildings with the landscape.

guests beaten & robbed last night on the 1800 block of 2nd St NW

From a 2nd Street NW resident who was assaulted on this block before:

Last evening around 11pm, my guests, driving in from Baltimore, were just getting of their car, right under the street light opposite my home in the 1800 block of 2nd St NW. A ``person`` walked by them as they were getting out, turned around, hit my female guest in the neck & grabbed her bag, carrying credit cards, jewelry, my house keys etc. Her she fell down, and her husband came to her rescue, and was savagely beaten on the head with something (maybe a bottle) in a paper bag.

Police & ambulance were called - they were taken to the hospital. Tomorrow I will have to get my door locks changed AGAIN !!!! - this is getting very old. He is a Gospel preacher from Michigan, and visits the Churches in this area about every 3 months - very sad.

Update - my guests have now left (were going to stay through weekend) - said that they would think very seriously about visiting me again - At the hospital, they both were given MRI, and he had to have 3 stiches in his head.

don't forget the free college planning seminar from Bloomingdale resident Chuck Donalies

From Bloomingdale resident Chuck Donalies:

Free College Planning Seminar

Place: Mt. Bethel Baptist Church
75 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Date: Friday, October 29
Time: 6:30PM - 7:45PM

Just in time for Halloween, come learn about one of the scariest subjects facing people today: How to save for a child`s college education.

Child care will be provided at the church so that parents can attend.

Presented by Bloomingdale resident and financial planner Chuck Donalies. Special thanks to the kind people at Mt. Bethel for allowing me to hold this event!

seeking a mentor

See this 10/27/2010 message from Bloomingdale resident Rene Wallis:

Neighbors:

I have an 18 year old teen mom living with me. She is between 11th and 12th grade, and is attending Cordozo High School. It would be extremely amazing if someone from the neighborhood was willing to help her understand what it means to be college-ready, visit some colleges, take a college placement test (i.e., is she ready for college level math and English), give us help looking for and applying for scholarship money. This might take 4-6 hours a month, to be done right, maybe twice a month getting together and one ``site visit`` to a university every month or month and a half (Univ of Md, Northern VA Com. College, etc) to experience and consider college life, etc.

The right person is extremely patient, has experience or is willing to learn about working with kids with childhoods with many disruptions, has a FABULOUS sense of humor and will enjoy spending time with a funny, smart and lively young lady. The baby is 10 months old and is also absolutely adorable. The young lady gave me the go ahead to ask for help from this list serve. You can email me at renewallis134@gmail.com.

seeking referrals for a contractor to build a carport

See this request:

We are looking for referrals for a contractor to build a carport. This will be a very straight-forward job, a couple yards of concrete, some 6x6 posts and a roof. We want the job done fast and right, so anyone who has had a good experience with a contractor with this kind of work, let us know in the comments.

thanks to John Salatti & others for helping to clean up Bloomingdale Court

See this 19/27/2010 message from a Bloomingdale Court resident:

John Salatti (not pictured), along with a few residents of Bloomingdale Court NW and the surrounding streets, took part in a ``Clean the Court`` day last Saturday, October 23. We worked for almost 5 hours to pull weeds, remove trash, collect bulk trash items to be picked up by the city, and generally beautify the small alley court of carriage homes.

Thanks to John, Lou, Andy, Beverly, and Lindsey for the hard work!

two suspicious 20-something black males milling around the neighborhood

See this 10/26/2010 message from a Rhode Island Avenue NW resident:

I`ve noticed that there are two early twenty something black males milling about at the intersections of 4th/Florida/3rd/Rhode Island NW. One has mid-back length dreadlocks and the other a close cut skin fade, slender build with a thuggish gait. The one with dreads was the one on a bike and the other (wearing an awful sub-zero winter coat - too hot for yesterday`s weather) was walking either in front or behind. Yesterday, as I was crossing Rhode Island Avenue, headed north on 3th street NW I noticed that they slowed their pace considerably in order for me to walk in front of them. I realized this and immediately shot across the street (it`s the BedStuy Brooklyn in me that sensed that these cats were up to no good). Anyway, they noticed my redirection across the street and turned around to head south on 3rd, back across Rhode Island
Avenue.

I got in my car and called 911 - it was obvious that these folks were looking to do a quick job to someone coming home from the Metro or some other pedestrian on foot. I flagged down a cruiser at R and 5th NW and just as I was talking to the officer, by us they strolled. It`s clear that they are taking the route to the east from Shaw Metro into LeDroit and Bloomingdale.

Be aware of your surroundings and don`t hesitate to call the police should you get a sense that you are being followed or are otherwise in danger.

And, for those who want to know, I too am a black male and have no malice intended by my aforesaid description.

a neighbor wants to know: What's the scoop with the abandoned untenanted 143 Rhode Island Avenue NW apartment building ?

See this general request:

Can you tell me the story, if there is one, on 143 Rhode Island Ave. NW?

It's the big, striking looking apartment building that seems to have been abandoned
for as long as I can remember.

seeking nearby track open for running

See this request from a 1st Street NW resident:

I`m a Bloomingdale resident on the 1800 block of North Capitol, and I am hoping to find a track open for running anywhere in the area. Is there access to the McKinley High School, Dunbar High School or the Howard tracks? Are there certain access points or hours? I walked to McKinley, but couldn`t find how to access the track.

.

Eckington resident Jamie Triplin-Hines: Are we really building bridges?

This message is from Eckington resident Jamie Triplin-Hines:

Dear Community Leaders and Civic Engagers,

Are we really building bridges? When me and my family moved to the Eckington/Edgewood area last year, I was directed to my civic association, list servs, ANC 5C, and other entities. It is very disheartening to see and hear how there are so many people who “want to change their community,” yet, they fight (even physically)
amongst each other.

I find it difficult to see true community efforts—efforts that don’t have one individual person’s or group’s political agenda attached to it. Bigotry, intimidation tactics, cronyism, corruption, lack of professionalism, and so many other issues steal the livelihood and enrichment that ALL of our neighborhoods offer. It really is a shame that we do not utilize all of our individual resources/skills to come together on behalf of the common good.

We all claim we are tired of the “petty politics” at the highest level of district government, but it seems to have trickled down to even the lowest level of public service in our ward. There are some of us out here that truly want to be a part of their communities and make that real change without all of the politics.

I truly hope that with the new year rapidly approaching, we can learn to put aside the pettiness and make better use of our time. I, for one, plan to become more deeply involved with my community—even if I have to begin building these bridges by myself.

I am looking to work with likeminded individuals. Feel free to contact me at anytime.

Kind Regards,

Jamie Triplin-Hines, MPA
www.thinkwritedevelop.com
202- 681- 2278

McMillan Sand Filtration Site Community Meeting #2 – Saturday, 11/6/2010

See this message from Tania Jackson:

McMillan Sand Filtration Site

Meeting #2: What We Heard- Design Principles & Approach

Join us for a discussion of the elements that will go into the final design plan, based on the feedback the design team got in Meeting #1 and the Salon Sessions at Big Bear. This is Meeting #2 of a three meeting series and will give you a chance to meet and talk to the design team, get a schedule for future meetings, and learn how to share all of your ideas.

Saturday, November 6, 2010
9 AM to 12 NOON
St. Martin`s Church
1908 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(Enter on T
Street NW)

The Deputy Mayor for Planning & Economic Development
Councilmember Harry ``Tommy`` Thomas, Jr.
Vision McMillan Partners

Questions?
Call: Tania Jackson (202) 355- 8998

seeking referrals for blow-in insulation contractors

See this request:

I am looking for recommendations on contractors who do blow-in insulation. I am interested in all thoughts, but would especially like to hear from people who had the work done 2+ years ago and are still satisfied with the quality of the installation.

seeking referrals for housecleaning service

See this request from a neighborhood resident:

I am seeking a recommendation or two for a good home cleaning service (i.e. 2x per month) in the neighborhood.

.

Chuck Donalies: free college planning seminar

See this message from Bloomingdale resident Chuck Donalies:

Free College Planning Seminar

Place: Mt. Bethel Baptist Church
75 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Date: Friday, October 29
Time: 6:30PM - 7:45PM

Just in time for Halloween, come learn about one of the scariest subjects facing people today: How to save for a child`s college education.

Child care will be provided at the church so that parents can attend.

Presented by Bloomingdale resident and financial planner Chuck Donalies. Special thanks to the kind people at Mt. Bethel for allowing me to hold this event!

5D Commander Greene: two adults occupying van on unit blk of Randolph NW arrested for various narcotic violations

I have copied a post to the MPD-5D list at Yahoogroups by Fifth District Commander Lamar Greene:

In reference to the below incident, the Fifth district responded during the week and arrested two adult subjects occupying the vehicle for various narcotic violations!!

I am posting this message from a resident on Randolph Place NW in Bloomingdale in PSA 501:

Residents of Randolph Place, N.W. (unit block) and surrounding streets, please take note: There has been a black Chevy Avalanche truck (newer model, 4 doors, plastic pick-up bed cover), VA tag with two black males (one bearded) sitting in it on Randolph Place, N.W., for the past 4 or more days. They are constantly in the car, and seem to be selling drugs, as people on bikes and on foot stop by their window. They may also be scoping out cars and/or houses, and noting the comings and goings of residents. The two men just sit there and appear to eat, drink, get high, and essentially live in the truck. Please keep an eye out for them, and if you see anything suspicious, report their location and activity to 911, identifying the truck and tag. They keep moving the truck every hour or so to a different portion of the block - and now that the block is being resurfaced by a road crew, they may have moved their activities to a different nearby block during the road work, so everyone look out please.

repaving of Flagler Place & the 100 block of U Street to start Monday; street sweeping suspended

From ANC 5C04 Commissioner John Salatti:

I have attached a letter that was hand delivered yesterday to all of Flagler Place; the 100 blocks of U, V, W, and Adams Streets; and the 2100 and 2200 blocks of 1st and 2nd Streets NW. However, I am sending the letter to be posted so others in the neighborhood are aware of this project and the impacts it may have. To limit the impact on parking, DC Water and I requested that DPW suspend street sweeping this coming week on all the blocks were the letter was delivered. DPW readily agreed to help out. So people should be able to park anywhere this coming Monday and Tuesday. The goal is to give residents maximum flexibility to park while the streets are being repaved.

Thanks for posting this information.

John
--
John T. Salatti
Commissioner, ANC 5C04
(202) 986- 2592
John.Salatti@gmail.com
``Together, Building a Better Bloomingdale``


October 22, 2010

Dear Neighbors:

The final phase of the Flagler-U water line replacement project gets under way next week with the affected blocks being milled and repaved. This work will start this Monday and run through Wednesday with the work day going from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Of course, this schedule is dependent on the weather; I note that the forecast is for a few showers on Monday and scattered thunderstorms on Tuesday. I have asked DC Water and its contractors, if bad weather suspends work, to notify Parking Enforcement that no work is going on that day so that residents can park without fear of tickets.

Each day only a piece of the entire project area will be worked on. The current schedule is as follows:

• Monday: the 2200 block of Flagler and the intersection of Flagler and Adams
• Tuesday: the 2000 and 2100 block of Flagler
• Wednesday: the 100 block of U Street and the intersection of Flagler and U

Of course, parking is our biggest concern. Here is what you need to know about parking.
• On the block(s) that are being worked on any one day, no parking will be available during work hours.
• You can park on the other blocks in the project area without incident.
• After work ends at 5:00, you can park, for the most part, on the block or blocks that were part of that day`s work. Each section should be milled and paved completely in one day.
• To abide by the rule requiring contractors to give residents 72 hours` notice before restricting parking, No Parking signs should appear on the all along Flagler Place and around the intersection of Adams and Flagler today letting you know that parking on that block and around the intersection will be restricted on next week.
• To ease parking problems, DC Water and I have asked DPW to suspend street sweeping operations next week on the 100 blocks of Adams, W, V, and U, and the 2100 and 2200 blocks of 1st, 2nd, and Flagler. DPW agreed. Thus, you can park on either side of all those streets Monday and Tuesday of next week without getting a ticket. If for some reason you get one, please let me know and I`ll get it waived.
• If any one needs to get their vehicle out of the way for those days next week, I have secured 10 off-street parking spaces in the neighborhood in the north part of the work area and 10 in the south part of the work area. If you`d like to have your car parked off the street on the day work is happening on your block, please let me know. Spots are available to people on a first-come, first served basis.

Hopefully, by Wednesday, all this will be over and we`ll have a few quiet months. You all have done a great job of making this project go smoothly and working with the disruptions. I applaud you. Contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Always at your service,
John Salatti,
Commissioner

a claim that 65 Adams was a foreclosure sale: any info available?

From an Adams Street NW resident:

I heard from a neighbor that 65 Adams NW was a foreclosure sale, but there's no
update on the DC property sales database. Just curious if anyone in the know has
any info on the buyer and sales price.