Major Renovations to Bundy Field Underway

Check out the Friends of Bundy website for all of the details on the latest amenity coming to our great neighborhood!  There's going to be something for everyone, with new state of the art soccer, lacross, and softball fields and a new dog park!

French Street Park Renovation

Check out coverage by Borderstan and Prince of Petworth of the newly overhauled French Street Park (you may recall my post about the then-impending renovation back in 2008). The park is designed to attract Monarch butterflies and to be a peaceful green space in the neighborhood. What an improvement to what was there before, and what a great addition to the neighborhood!

May MCDC Shaw Streets Column

If you haven't yet grabbed a copy of this month's MCDC, check out a PDF online version of my monthly Shaw column here. In it, I write about the Marion Street Garden, the newly opened Tenth Street Park, and the tulips in bloom on Ninth Street.

You can pick up copies of MidCity DC at businesses throughout the neighborhood.  I usually grab mine from Azi's cafe.

Tenth Street Park Grand Opening Celebration Sunday

Back in 2009 I first wrote about an effort by a group of neighbors to turn an underutilized city parcel into a community park (the process actually began in 2008).  With the help of Mayor Fenty, Councilman Evans and countless others, their vision is now a reality, and a gorgeous green space is ready to be enjoyed. 

To celebrate the park's grand opening, the Friends of the Tenth Street Park are hosting an event this Sunday, April 17th.*  The grand opening event will start at noon and will feature an egg hunt, egg roll, light refreshments and a visit by a special bunny guest! 

For more information, check out the Friends of Tenth Street Park website.

Grand Opening Celebration of the Tenth Street Park
Sunday, April 17, 2011
12:00 – 2:00 PM
Tenth Street Community Park
10th Street, NW
(between L and M Streets)


*NOTE -- this was previously scheduled for tomorrow but has been pushed back a day because of tomorrow's forecast.

Thinking About: Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park Design

With funding committed, 2010 should bring us a redesigned triangle park honoring Dr. Carter G. Woodson. The new park will be designed by the Department of Parks and Recreation, which is awaiting the transfer of dollars from DDOT to begin the design process.

The artist designing the sculpture of Dr. Woodson created a conceptual park design (which can be viewed here), but the conceptual design is not likely represntative of what's in store. Personally, the conceptual design does not do it for me, as I do not think it relates well to the neighborhood or creates an inviting place. Below are my ideas on what I would like in the new park design.

Regarding orientation and flow, I think the sculpture of Dr. Woodson should be oriented toward the intersection of Rhode Island Avenue and Ninth Street for maximum impact. I think there should also be easy and clear flow from the historic Woodson home in the 1500 block of Ninth Street into the park, so the park entrance at the corner of Ninth and Q Streets and the view of the sculpture from that intersection should be significant.

Regarding the park content, I think the park should be an educational experience relating to Dr. Woodson. I think it would be neat to have quotes of Dr. Woodson inscribed in stone and inlaid into the paving throughout the park. I also think the park should be a beautiful natural space, with lots of trees, bushes and flowers.

Regarding the design, I think the park should be well lit with attractive lamp posts throughout, landscape and path lights and a spotlight on the sculpture of Dr. Woodson. I do not think benches should be in the park, but seating could be accomplished through low retaining walls. Landscaped berms behind the retaining walls would keep the park a safe and open green space. The paving and walls should be made of smooth stones for a sleek and natural but monumental look.

Below are some renderings of what I have in mind.

Grab Bag of Good Press

Were my mind not on roughly 800 tulips that will soon call Ninth Street home, I would surely be devoting more time to the following juicy news items:

1. DDOT announces funding for the Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park - My second blog post ever pertained to the stalled triangle park redevelopment at 9th and Q Streets and Rhode Island Avenue. Finally, after several years of anxiously waiting the new green space, the park project has received funding to proceed. The Department of Parks and Recreation is working on a design now (this is not their park design and is not likely what the park will ultimately look like). Rumor is that we should have a new park at this notable intersection next year!

2. Bonstra Haresign ARCHITECTS is Designing Warrenton Group's New Headquarters at 1547 Seventh Street - In response to some discussion on the neighborhood Yahoo! Group, I did some internet searching and found that in August of this year, the Warrenton Group awarded to Bonstra Haresign ARCHITECTS a project to provide design services to assist the Warrenton Group with the renovation and modern addition to historic 1547 7th Street, NW. The architects state that "One of the few remaining Arts and Crafts style buildings in DC, 1547 7th Street formerly housed the developer's father's business and rental apartments. The renovated building will house Warrrenton's corporate offices and a corporate apartment."

3. United Negro College Fund May Be a Co-Tenant in Media Center One - The Business Journal reports on the probable identity of Radio One's co-tenant in its new headquarters on Seventh Street. This should help the awesome mixed use project break ground soon!

Ground Broken on Tenth Street Park Today

In February, I first reported about a community movement to turn an under-utilized lot on Tenth Street into a community park. Demonstrating the power of our neighbors, the mayor broke ground on this soon-to-be asset today. From the Mayor's press release:

Today, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans and DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Acting Director Ximena Hartsock, joined community members to break ground on a new 10th Street Park, between L and M Streets, NW. The final concept for the conversion of this quarter-acre vacant lot into a beautiful new park was developed by DPR and the neighborhood through a number of community planning sessions.

"Working together with support and guidance from the community we are transforming this vacant lot, which has been a blight to the neighborhood, into a beautiful new park and public green space," said Mayor Fenty. "I look forward to re-joining the community for the ribbon-cutting of this new park."

Features of the new park will include:
a hard-scaped plaza;
open green space;
low-level lighting;
benches;
chairs;
tables; and
play area with rubber surface and creative play structures, such as climbing boulders.

Park landscaping will include native plants, bio-retention areas, and an eco-friendly irrigation system which will recycle site water.

"Today's groundbreaking is a celebration of the collaboration of the community and DPR," said DPR Acting Director Ximena Hartsock. "We are proud to be bringing a new park to Ward 2’s downtown community."

DPR will perform park construction in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. Plans for the new 10th Street Park can be viewed on the Project Page for 10th Street Park - Park Development.

Great work, neighbors!

Now, how can we work the same magic on other area parks (top of my list is the Carter Woodson Memorial Park at 9th and Rhode Island Avenue, which seems to have stalled for years despite a huge grant from the National Trust!).

Alternative to Massive Parking Lot Proposed for Bundy School

I am remiss for not having written about the ongoing debate regarding the current vacant lot behind Bundy School in the 400 block of P Street (not to be confused with the adjacent athletic fields, known as Bundy Athletic Fields). As I understand it, the lot is currently slated to become a massive parking lot for child advocacy group Safe Shores, which will soon occupy Bundy School. Some neighborhood residents have proposed reducing the size of the parking lot to accommodate a park (in particular, a dog park) while allowing for adequate off street, confidential parking for the reutilized Bundy School. The Washington Post and Greater Greater Washington report on the topic today.

I agree with park proponents that a large parking lot abutting P Street is harmful to the neighborhood. The oversized surface lot will create a dead-zone along P Street and will represent a missed opportunity for adding vitality to the block. A park, particularly a dog park, will attract users throughout the day and throughout the week, which will provide added security to the street and will enhance the adjacent and nearby parks, Safe Shores, schools, businesses, and residences as a result. Also, a dog park is needed in the eastern Shaw area, as none currently exists despite the area's numerous dog-owning citizens.

For more information, check out the Friends of Bundy Park webpage.

DPR To Host Beautification

This Saturday (June 13), the DC Department of Parks and Recreation will host its first "DPR Beautification Day" from 8 am to 12 noon. This citywide effort will “spruce up” DPR facilities and parks in preparation for summer through the combined effort of DPR, community organizations, and residents. DPR Beautification Day activities will consist of trash pick up, interior cleaning, and light landscaping. Kennedy Recreation Center, on Seventh Street between O and P Streets, is one of DPR's chosen sites for the effort.

Advance registration is not required; volunteer registration will take place on-site during DPR Beautification Day. For more information about DPR Beautification Day, please contact DPR's Office of Partnerships and Development at (202) 258-6021 or by email at DPRpartnerships@dc.gov.

Thinking About: Improving Shaw Recreation Field

Although it is fairly well used, I think the Shaw Recreation Field (bounded by Shaw Middle School, Rhode Island Avenue, 11th and R Streets, Northwest) could be a much better place and asset for our neighborhood. Below is a run-down of what I see as the problems with the current park and what could be done to fix the problems. I *believe* that the field may be due for a makeover when Shaw Middle School is overhauled, so maybe dreaming now of what we want isn't too pie in the sky. There are also some short-term solutions that could enhance the park without significant investment.

Present Conditions
In terms of amenities and uses, Shaw Recreation Field (the "park") includes a skate park, two basketball courts, a large field (used mostly for soccer), and a dog park, all of which are in constant use. There are no running or walking paths and no games available in the park. There is no ongoing programming for park activities, such as tournaments or concerts. Finally, there is no neighborhood group that maintains or watches over the park as a whole (the Shaw Dog Park group is very active and a good steward of its area, however).

Aesthetically, the park has no landscaping apart from some trees and grass. There are no flowers or shrubs. An asphalt parking lot takes up potential recreation space and acts as a physical buffer between the school and the park. There is no public art in the park. There are no banners and limited signage identifying the park.

The park lacks connectivity and flow. There are no clear primary gateways or entrance points to the park. There is no access to the park from 10th Street to the north. There are no paths within the park.

Proposed Solutions
I think the park’s layout should be realigned to accommodate additional uses, particularly uses that compliment the adjacent middle school. It would be great to add paths such that runners and walkers could traverse pleasant, measured loops. It would be nice to add volleyball courts and/or additional competitive sports areas. It would also be nice to have other game areas throughout the park – like a chess area, tetherball, four square, and the like. An amphitheater – perhaps where the large concrete plaza and temporary library is today – would also be a neat addition.

The park could benefit from programming. Concerts, performances and/or group exercise would bring additional patrons to the park. Food vendors – particularly on the weekend – could enhance passive use of the park (e.g., reading a book in the shade, people watching, etc.). A neighborhood group that could tend to flower beds and generally be stewards of the park would also be great.

As I’ve said before, I think it would be nice to re-open 10th Street between Rhode Island and R Street to vehicular traffic. Short of that, however, I think the pedestrian connection should, at very least, be restored by placing a path through the park. The park also needs clearer gateways and entrances.

Public art – perhaps a signature sculpture at 10th and Rhode Island Avenue – throughout the park would be a nice enhancement. Flower beds and landscaping would also make the park a more enticing place. Park branding – through entrance signage, street pole banners, and wayfinding signs – would also make the park more inviting.

What do you think would make Shaw Recreation Field a better place in Shaw? I’d love to hear your suggestions for short term, minor improvements and long term, money-no-obstacle dreams.

10th Street Park Planning Meeting Next Wednesday

Next week, DPR's Office of Planning and Capital Projects will host another meeting to discuss plans to convert a vacant lot on 10th Street, NW between L and M Streets into a new park (read my previous post about the project concept here). The meeting will be held next Wednesday (May 27, 2009) at 7pm at the Kennedy Recreation Center.

I recently noticed that draft plans for the park have been uploaded to the Shaw Yahoo! Group. Below are a few of the images, which I think look really neat.

Neighbors Unite to Make City Parcel Green Space

An under-utilized and unkempt city owned parcel on 10th Street may be transformed into a neighborhood park, thanks to the work of a group of citizens represented by the Friends of Tenth Street Park. The Friends of Tenth Street Park is composed of seven board members representing the Bladgen Alley/Naylor Court Neighborhood Association, the Clyde, the Eleven, Quincy Court, Quincy Park, the Whitman, and one at-large representative. The group is concerned about the existing condition of the parcel and shares a common vision to turn it into a "a positive element of the neighborhood, featuring green space, trees, and benches that can be used by residents as low-impact recreation space. " The 501(c)(3) organization was formed to represent the neighborhood’s goals, as well as to participate in the design, development and maintenance of a park.

For more information on how you can help, check out the Friends of Tenth Street Park Website .

French Street Park Makeover

The brutalist, concrete-intense, 1970's-era park once located at 10th and French Streets (pictured above, via Google Street View) is currently being transformed into a new community park. The Department of Parks and Recreation reports that the new park should be ready by next summer. The new park will feature a community patio, new level paths, mature trees already present, areas for community garden plots, and a lawn. Check out a .pdf of the design here.

Park Infrastructure

Carter G. Woodson Park
Originally uploaded by Rob Goodspeed.

I have noticed some common elements to several triangle parks around the city: notably, asphault surfacing and iron fencing with no raison d'etre (like in this photo of the Carter Woodson "park" at 9th and Q Streets and Rhode Island Avenue).

Does anyone know why or when these fences fencing no one in and this pavement paving no way were added to our parks?

Woodson Park Update (Sorta)

I just noticed two informative comments posted to Rob Goodspeed's report on the technicality holding up the improvements to the Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park. The comments were posted by the person formerly charged with administering the funding for it from the National Trust. The comments reiterate the need for the community to press city hall to allow this project--and other notable Shaw projects, also discussed below--to move forward:

Thank you for the great article. I was the person administrating the Washington Convention Center Historic Preservation Fund for the National Trust. I no longer work for the National Trust, but I have not lost interest in the project.

A couple of corrections:

1) The $2.5 million was for more than just the Woodson Park. It included public art at the Watha T. Daniel Library and in front of the Kennedy Rec Center, as well as streetscape design guidelines for the major commercial corridors.

2) The budget for each art site not only included a substantial artwork, but also included all of the site improvements and upgrades. Because the art sites are located on (technically) Federal Highways, the National Trust was able to leverage the Washington Convention Center’s $100,000 contribution to streetscape improvements into a $2.5 million initiative through the use of transportation enhancement funds (Federal and local).

3) The chosen art sites were based on a community-wide process that allowed the community to select and prioritize potential sites for streetscape improvements.

4) Now that the library project is back on track, the community needs to press DDOT and the city to return this site to the list. Craig Kraft, a local artist, was awarded this site. The DC Public Library approved his work. And I am pretty sure Mr. Kraft would be delighted to have his project revived.

5) The National Trust’s initial contract with DDOT was based on a competitive process during which DDOT asked for proposals that could utilize Federal Transportation $.

I encourage the community to press the city to resolve their outstanding contracting issues and honor its promises to the community. While I worked on this project in a professional capacity, I live in Shaw and it is a community that I believe in and have supported in numerous ways over the last 15 years.

You deserve these important streetscape improvements and it is part of the convention center’s mitigation of its impact on your historic neighborhoods. The money for these projects was budgeted for this fiscal year. So, it should be ready and waiting for you if you can succeed.

I wish everyone luck. One day I would like to be able to walk down Rhode Island Avenue and sit at Dr. Woodson’s feet and imagine him imparting his knowledge.

And here is comment number two from the same person:

One more thing I should add... Ray Kaskey was awarded the Carter G. Woodson site. For anyone who has not seen it, he has designed a monumental statue of Woodson (something that the neighborhood could really be proud of). And City Arts, a local non-profit, was awarded the Kennedy Rec Center site, an art project that would involve local youth.

So, all of the artists are ready to go for each selected site. If only the city can find a way to honor its commitment to pay for the art and the site improvements...

Call To Action: Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park

Read Rob Goodspeed's detailed story about the beaurocratic hold-up--potentially causing the shelving of the project completely--in the design and construction of the Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park here. Of note, he concludes that:

Since my polite inquiries and the assistance of the neighborhood’s elected officials has not resolved the problem, I encourage all District residents to contact the officials below. Tell them to find a solution to the legal technicalities, approve funds for design and construction of the Carter G. Woodson Park. I have no doubt a legal solution can be found to pay for the art for this much-needed park.
Contacts

Emeka C. Moneme
Director, D.C. Department of Transportation
Emeka.Moneme@dc.gov

David P. Gragan, CPPO
Chief Procurement Officer, D.C. Office of Contracting and Procurement
David.Gragan@dc.gov

Reba Pittman-Walker
CEO and General Manager, Washington Convention Center Authority
rwalker@dcconvention.com

Goodspeed: Carter G. Woodson Park Makeover Closer to Reality

Check out Rob Goodspeed's update on the Carter G. Woodson Park makeover. With its contracting issues finally resolved, the park--which will include a larger than life sculpture of Carter Woodson--should be complete in about a year.

Update on the Carter G. Woodson Park

It’s been a few months since I last wrote about the planned Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park, to be located in the little triangle of land between 9th and Q Streets and Rhode Island Avenue. Not having witnessed any visible signs of the makings of a new park, I decided to send a few emails to find out where the design and construction schedule stands. Through emails to the National Trust and to Raymond Kaskey, the sculptor selected to craft the statue of Dr. Woodson (I also emailed Lee and Associates, the landscape architecture firm selected for the park but got no response), I learned the following:

+ A recent change by DDOT's Procurement Office regarding contracting authority with respect to artists removed the National Trust's authority to execute a contract with the sculptor directly. DDOT is now responsible for contracting with Mr. Kaskey. The contract between DDOT and Mr. Kaskey is close to execution (DDOT has finished drafting it; Mr. Kaskey must now sign it).

+ The National Trust is in the process of revising a contract with the selected landscape architect Lee and Associates. The National Trust's intent is that the contract will be completed within 30 days.

+ The park should be complete within 13 to 19 months, assuming all new contracts are executed within the next 30 days.

+ The National Trust will again touch base with the community once everyone is signed up again under the new contracts. They are aware of concerns about safety and lighting of the new park, and are dedicated to completing their work in Shaw and to helping highlight our neighborhood's rich history.


I think it would be nice to have an "interim" park on the plot of land--something relatively simple like digging up the asphalt and planting wildflowers there.

Dog Park Pitch?

Matt at binformed.com is trying to organize Dog owners in Shaw to establish a dog park. Check out his ideas and join his cause here. As one who is eagerly awaiting the arrival of a boxer puppy this spring, I'm all for the effort to bring dog park(S!) to our area.

Matt also plugs the Department of Parks and Recreation Meeting scheduled for Tuesday night (01.09.07) at 6:30 pm at the Kennedy Recreation Center. The meeting will include a discussion of renovations to the park at 6th and N., and may present an opportunity to pitch that park, at least in part, as a dog park site.