Development Walk - June 28, 6:30 p.m.

Interested in learning more about area developments from the developers themselves?!  ANC2c Commissioner Rachelle Nigro will host a Community Development Walk on Thursday, June 28, at 6:30 p.m.  Below is the flyer, and details may be found here.

Proposal for 926 N Street, NW

The CCCA has the scoop on a plan for a three story, mixed use (fourteen residences, two retail spaces), fifty four foot tall building for 926 N Street, NW.  The HPRB Staff Report (viewable here in PDF) indicates that the design is a work-in-progress (particularly with regard to scale, materials and detailing of the front and alley façades), and the project is on the agenda for tomorrow night's ANC2F meeting, so now is the time for community input to help shape how this project ultimately looks.

Here are some of the renderings:

What do you think of the current design for 926 N Street?  Can a well designed modern structure be appropriate at this site?  Or should a building at this site -- an entrance to Blagden Alley -- replicate existing alley architecture?  What materials would you like to see used?  What changes would you suggest regarding the current design?  

Everytime I see a proposal for a modern building in a historic district, I'm reminded of a panel I attended in 2010 at the AIA called Context/Contrast:  New Architecture in Historic Districts. The discussion was inspired by an an exhibition at the AIA headquarters exploring the role and realization of new architecture in urban historic districts.  It was neat to see what a beautiful justaposition modern and historic design can be together, and it also explored some not-so-great examples of attempts at the same.

Go Caroling This Sunday

This Sunday (December 11), ANC 2C04 Commissioner Rachelle Nigro invites all ANC2C residents to join her for an evening of caroling!  Meet in front of Good Libations (1201 Fifth Street, NW, at the intersection of Fifth and M Streets) for an evening of caroling around the area.

Contact the Commissioner with questions at 202.670.1732, on Facebook at nigroanc2c@gmail.com, on facebook.com/votenigro, or on Twitter at @nigroanc2c.

August Community Safety Walk

ANC2C04 Commissioner Rachelle Nigro is hosting another Community Safety Walk tomorrow night (August 2). Meet in the alley behind the new Yale West building between New York Ave and M St NW off 5th St NW. Come out to meet your neighbors and take a stand against crime. The final stop will be The Passenger at 1021 7th St. NW for some neighborly fun. All ANC 2C residents are encouraged to attend!

If you have questions or comments, contact the commissioner at 202.670.1732, nigroanc2c@gmail.com, facebook.com/votenigro, or on Twitter at @nigroanc2c.


Community Safety Walk
Tuesday, August 1, 6:30 PM
Meet behind the new Yale West building between New York Ave and M St NW off 5th St NW

ANC2C Newsletter, July Agenda

Advisory Neighborhood Commission ("ANC") 2C's new Communications Committee recently published its first newsletter.  It is available online here and is being distributed in hard copy throughout the ANC.  Congrats, ANC2Cers!

ANC2C's July meeting is tomorrow night (July 6, 2011) at 6:30 PM at the Watha T. Daniel Shaw Neighborhood Library (1630 7th Street, NW). The agenda is available on the ANC's website, but I've copied and pasted it below too.

Agenda

1.  Call to Order and Roll Call
3.  Approval of Agenda
3.  PSA 308 Report: Lt. Jeffrey Carroll, Metropolitan Police Department
4.  DC Statehood: Request for Support for Resolution Endorsing Statehood for the District of Columbia
5.  DC Statehood: Request for Co-sponsorship of DC Statehood Teach In at Shaw Library (Stand Up! For Democracy in DC)
6.  KIPP WILL Academy, 421 P Street, NW: Proposed Disposition of Montgomery Elementary and New Curb Cut on 5th Street, NW
7.  Bundy Field (400 block of P Street, NW): Proposed Transfer from Department of Parks and Recreation to Department of Real Estate Services to Accommodate Private Sector Restoration of Field and Use by KIPP WILL Academy
8.  509 Q Street, NW: Request for Support for Special Exception to allow Construction of an Addition (Raymundo Madrid)
9.  Squares 450 and 451 (Bounded by K, L, 6th and 7th Streets, NW): Request for Support for Raze Permits for Demolition and Moving of Buildings to Facilitate Construction of American Association of Medical Colleges Building (Douglas Development)
10.  1225 5th Street, NW (HPA #11-375): Request for Support for Subdivision of Adjacent Corner Lot and Construction of an Addition
11.  1200 Block of 9th Street, NW: Proposal for ANC 2C to Request Diagonal Parking on Sundays
12.  Parcel 42 (NE Corner, 7th and R Streets, NW): Request for Support for Temporary Art Installation (Washington Project for the Arts)
13.  901 Restaurant, 901 9th Street, NW: Request for Support for Valet Parking Application (U Street Parking)
14.  SOME’s Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger, November 24, 2011: Request for Support for Street Closures (So Others Might Eat)
15.  Art All Night: Nuit Blanche DC, September 24, 2011: Request for Support for Street Closures (Shaw Main Streets)
16.  Audi Best Buddies Challenge, 10/22/11: Request for Support for Street Closures (Special Olympics)
17.  DOES Job and Opportunity Fair, 07/07/11: Employment and Training Event Scheduled for Kennedy Recreation Center, 11 AM to 3 PM (CCCA)
18.  Request for Proposals for ANC 2C Website, Branding, and Newsletter: Presentation by Insomniac Design Vendors
19.  Other New Business
20.  Old Business
21.  Approval of Minutes of 06/01/11 Meeting and FY 2011 3rd Quarter Report
22.  Approval of Expenses
23.  Announcements
24.  Adjournment

To receive ANC 2C notices via email, send your request to ANC2Clist@gmail.com

There are certainly some interesting items up for discussion. I'm particularly interested in the angled parking proposal for the 1200 block of Ninth Street on Sunday mornings (I'd be curious to hear neighborhood businesses weigh in on the proposal in addition to churches), the temporary art project proposal at Parcel 42 (Seventh and R Streets, NW) and the various development-related topics.

Community Safety Walk Thursday

ANC2C04 Commissioner Rachelle Nigro is hosting another Community Safety Walk this thursday (June 30). Meet in front of the Miles Memorial CME Church at 5th and N Streets, NW. The walk affords the opportunity to meet neighbors and take a stand against crime. The final stop will be a soft opening at Shaw’s Tavern at 520 Florida Ave NW for some neighborly fun. All ANC 2C residents are encouraged to attend!

If you have questions or comments, contact the commissioner at 202.670.1732, nigroanc2c@gmail.com, facebook.com/votenigro, or on Twitter at @nigroanc2c.


Community Safety Walk
Thursday, June 30, 6:30 PM
Meet at the corner of 5th and N Streets, NW

ANC2C Meeting Tonight

Tonight (June 1) at 6:30 at the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library
(1630 Seventh Street, NW) is the monthly ANC2C meeting. Below is the agenda:

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

2. Approval of Agenda

3. PSA 308 Report: Lt. Jeffrey Carroll, Metropolitan Police Department

4. Impact of Ward Redistricting on ANC 2C

5. CityMarket at O, 1400 7th Street, NW: Request for Support of Minor Modification to Planned Unit Development

6. 509 Q Street, NW: Request for Support for Special Exception (BZA Case #18250)

7. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk, October 15, 2011: Request for Support for Street Closures

8. Department of Health Live Well DC! Ward Community Coaches: City-Wide “Keep It Moving DC” Campaign

9. Request for Proposals for ANC 2C Website, Branding, and Newsletter: Presentations by Responding Vendors

10. Other New Business

11. Old Business

12. Approval of Minutes of 05/04/11 Meeting

13. Approval of Expenses

14. Announcements

15. Adjournment

This meeting, and others, is on the calendar tab above. If you ever have an event or meeting you'd like me to post to the calendar, e-mail me at slumhistorique@ yahoo.com.

Community Safety Walk Monday Night

ANC2C04 Commissioner Rachelle Nigro has organized a community safety walk, which will take place this coming Monday night (May 23).  Meet in front of Good Libations at 5th and M Streets, NW at 6:30. Come out to meet your neighbors and take a stand against crime. The final stop will be Beau Thai restaurant for a fun neighborhood gathering at their bar. All ANC 2C residents are encouraged to attend!

If you have any questions, contact Commissioner Nigro at 202.670.1732, nigroanc2c@gmail.com, or www.facebook.com/votenigro.

Community Safety Walk
Monday, May 23, 6:30 PM
Meet at the corner of 5th and M Streets, NW

ANC2C May 2011 Agenda (UPDATED)

Tomorrow night is the monthly ANC2c meeting (held the first Wednesday of every month at 6:30 pm at the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Neighborhood Library).  Below is the agenda as received via e-mail:

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 2C
PUBLIC MEETING

May 4, 2011, 6:30 PM
Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Neighborhood Library
1630 7th Street, NW

Agenda

1. Call to Order and Roll Call
2. Approval of Agenda
3. PSA 308 Report: Lt. Jeffrey Carroll, Metropolitan Police Department
4. 624 9th Street, NW/RP MRP Realty: Request for Support for Special
Exception and Variance Relief
5. 1706 10th Street, NW: Support for Zoning Relief for Rear Addition
6. Goethe-Institut Washington, 812 7th Street, NW: Presentation on
Proposed Renovations and Request for Input
7. 1547 7th Street, NW/Warren Williams: Owner to Discuss Development
Plans for Building
8. 1618 Market, 1618 8th Street, NW: Request for Support for Single
Sales Ban Exemption
9. Other New Business
10. Old Business
11. Approval of Minutes of 04/06/11 Meeting
12. Approval of Quarterly Report for Period Ended 03/31/11
13. Approval of Expenses
14. Announcements
15. Adjournment

I'm particularly interested in hearing what's said regarding Item 7 ("1547 7th Street, NW/Warren Williams: Owner to Discuss Development Plans for Building"). The currently-vacant-corner-property-with-tons-of-potential was recently advertised for sale by Long and Foster (I think the asking price was $1.2m), but it seems that the listing has expired or gone inactive.  I would love to learn that the beautiful development plans I wrote about in 2007 are on again.

UPDATE - Mr. Williams will be unable to attend tomorrow night's meeting due to illness and has requested that the discussion of Item 7 be postponed until the June meeting.


Note -- tomorrow night's ANC2c meeting, and  many other important and/or fun neighborhood activities, appear on the renewshaw.com calendar.   

Shaw in Brief

Here are a few noteworthy items on my radar:

Rendering of 1501 Ninth Street.

+ This morning, I spotted excavation equipment at 1501 Ninth Street, NW, thus indicating that construction is finally underway!  While funding has been in place for a while, permits were finally issued in December 2010, enabling the project to move forward. This small but highly visible and anticipated development will be a four story mixed use building with ground floor commercial and residential above. Mandalay Burmese Restaurant will occupy the commercial space. 

+ At its first meeting of the new term earlier this month, ANC2c commenced a new era of productivity, effectiveness and citizen involvement. One of the first items the Commission approved was the creation of five new committees: 1. ABC Licensing; 2. Communications (Website, Newsletter); 3. Housing and Economic Development; 4. Planning, Transportation, and Zoning; and 5. Public Safety. These committees should provide great outlets for us all to get involved in important matters affecting Shaw. If you are interested in serving on any of the new ANC2c committees, e-mail ANC2Clist@gmail.com to express your interest and to receive additional information.

+ On Monday, January 31, 2011, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m, at Martin’s Restaurant & Lounge (1919 Ninth Street NW 2nd floor), there Shaw/LeDroit community meeting ANC1B Commissioner Myla Moss. Of note, on the agenda is a discussion of Progression Place (the major mixed use project under construction on Seventh between S and T Streets), future home to the United Negro College Fund’s headquarters. The developers will make a presentation and answer questions.

Vote Padro, Chapple, Lanza, and Sule TODAY!!!!

I've been silent lately because of work demands, but should be back to a normal schedule and life now. I just got back from voting today at Shiloh, and from the looks of things, this is going to be a tight ANC race. Please, PLEASE get out the vote and elect Alex Padro, Kevin Chapple, Jessica Lanza and Theresa Sule to ANC2C today!!!

Here are some of my reasons for this dream team ANC.

My Picks for ANC2C

The following are the candidates who I hope are elected to ANC2C in a few weeks. They constitute my dream team of ANC2C commissioners.

1. Alex Padro. Alex is running for reelection as ANC2C01 Commissioner (I live in ANC2C01 so will be casting my vote for Alex). He has earned his reputation as a true public servant. He works hard for all people in the neighborhood. He has developed invaluable relationships and connections over the years that allow him to do a lot in his role as an ANC commissioner.

2. Kevin Chapple. Kevin is running for reelection as ANC2C02 Commissioner. He has done a lot in his first term as ANC commissioner, holding regular constituent forums, publishing a fantastic newsletter and online forum, hosting community clean-ups, and so on and so forth. He is a sharp contrast to the person he unseated, who somehow managed to remain on the ANC despite being voted out in the last election.

3. Jessica Lanza. Jessica is a downtown resident running for the ANC2C03 Commission seat. She is eager to lead and represent interests of all who live and work in Shaw, Penn Quarter and Gallery Place. I enjoyed speaking with her at the CCCA candidates' forum a few weeks ago (a forum to which her opponent did not show up).

4. Theresa Sule. Theresa is running for the ANC2C04 Commission seat. I have had the pleasure of hearing her speak on a few occasions, and I am really, really impressed. She has an energy about her that is contagious, and she is eager to work towards addressing problems in our community.

This election is critical -- our ANC has been deadlocked this past term due to, in my opinion, two ineffective and incompetent commissioners (Brooks and Curtis), and one former commissioner who shamefully managed to remain in command of the ANC despite being voted off by his constituents last election. We cannot have such deadlock or shenanigans again.

Candidate Forum Tonight

There is a CCCA Ward 2 & ANC Candidates Forum tonight from 7 to 9 pm at the Long View Gallery. Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans and his challenger for the Ward 2 seat, Christina Culver will participate in the event tonight. ANC Commissioners Alex Padro, Kevin Chapple and Mike Bernardo (ANC2F06) have confirmed their attendance along with ANC candidates Theresa Sule (ANC2C04) and Jessica Lanza (ANC2C03).

The moderators, David Smith and Virginia Lee, will be asking the bulk of the questions, but there will be a short time afterward for public questions and an opportunity to meet with the candidates individually.

The question I'd most like to ask is this: A bureaucratic technicality has held up the overhaul to the Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park at 9th and Q Streets and Rhode Island Avenue. What will you do to make this park overhaul a reality?

So do you have any burning questions you'd like to ask the candidates?

CCCA Ward 2 & ANC Candidates Forum
Thursday, September 18 7-9pm
Long View Gallery
1302 Ninth Street NW

ANC Meeting Tonight

The June ANC2c Meeting is at 6:30pm tonight (June 6, 2007) at Africare House, 440 R Street, NW. Agenda is available here. I have a good friend in town from California and, resultantly, don't think I can make this important meeting. Please don't follow my lead and make your best efforts to attend.

On a tangentially related note, a neighborhood happy hour was held last night at Old Dominion Brewhouse. I lament that I've yet to make one of these great meetings that serve as a time to mingle with neighbors as well as to discuss hot topics affecting the neighborhood. I ran into Ray on the street afterwards last night; he gave me a summary of what I missed. Kudos to JMC and others for organizing these great gatherings.

June ANC Meeting
6:30pm, June 6, 2007
Africare House
440 R Street, NW

ANC2c Meeting Tonight

The May ANC meeting will be held tonight (May 2, 2007) at 6:30pm at Africare House, 440 R Street NW. Check out the agenda here. I won't be able to make it due to work, so I look forward to hearing about this evening's events (check out a preview of some of the excitement to expect here).

On a different subject, Queen of Sheba's liquor license hearing was held this morning. At last report, at least 1 protest group was seated, that of Campbell Johnson with the Urban Housing Alliance. Shiloh's protest group was denied standing for failing to meet residency requirements for 2 of its members in its group of 5. Mary Sutherland was awaiting a ruling on her group's status. I believe that once the ABCB figures out who has standing and who doesn't, the ABCB determines the validity of each valid group's protest and then issues/doesn't issue the license. My fingers are crossed that all went well!

Shaw's Tag Line Ganked?

I was just on the NoMa Business Improvement District's snazzy new Website and noticed a little saying at the bottom of their home page: "NoMa- It all comes together here!"

Now I'm not a branding expert, but NoMa's (new?) tag line sounds mighty close to the one used by Shaw Main Streets to describe Shaw: "Where DC Comes Together." It seems like all tag lines are easily subject to critique, but having two very similar tag lines for abutting neighborhoods is, to say the least, problematic.

The Shaw Main Streets tag line will likely adorn banners on telephone poles throughout Shaw later this year. Shaw Main Streets has been on the past 2 ANC2c meeting agendas for the purpose of seeking ANC2c's approval for hanging the banners, but both meetings have been cancelled by Chairperson Brooks. Have you had a chance to check out the proposed banner designs? They are available for viewing here.

"This Is Not a Public Meeting" - Doris Brooks, Chaiperson of ANC2c

ANC2c Chair Doris Brooks cancelled tonight's ANC meeting upon failing to stop attendees from videotaping the gathering. The videotapers had received prior approval from the United House of Prayer Church to tape the meeting, but at tonight's gathering, the Church ultimately deferred to Chairperson Brooks's desire not to have the meeting videotaped. See one of the outrageous videos of Chairperson Brooks in action here.

Among many other things, what's irksome about Chairperson Brooks's unilateral cancellation of the meeting is that she wasted the time of the citizens who showed up to this meeting and that she has now called off two consecutive ANC meetings, thereby causing countless delays in projects needing ANC approval.

Fortunately work precluded me from what, in hindsight, turned out to be a huge waste of time.

ANC2c Meeting Tonight

ANC2c's April meeting will be held tonight at 6:30 at the United House of Prayer [Church] at 6th & M Streets NW. The meeting's agenda is available here.

ANC 2c April Meeting To Be Held at United House of Prayer

As reported by Commissioner Chapple, the April ANC 2c meeting will be held at the United House of Prayer at 6th and M Streets. A .pdf of the typo-laden agenda is available here, or view the corrections at Commissioner Chapple's website here.

Leroy and Doris have vocally opposed the videotaping or photographing of our ANC meetings, and previously vehemently pointed to Africare's rule of no-photography/videography as the justification for enforcement of their rule. Africare recently announced provisions allowing anyone wanting to video or photograph the ANC meetings to do so. The March ANC meeting, the first subsequent ANC meeting after announcement of those provisions, was cancelled. And now Africare has been nixed as a meeting site for April. ANC2C stipulated in January that a majority of their meetings must be held at Africare (so at least five).

March 7 ANC2(c) Meeting Cancelled Unilaterally by Chairperson Brooks

As reported at Commissioner Chapple's Forum:

This month's ANC 2C meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, March 7, 2007, has been canceled unilaterally by the chair, Doris Brooks. No other information is available at this time.
— Alexander M. Padro
Commissioner, ANC 2C01