tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25291847286070756622024-02-18T21:09:06.229-05:00The District CurmudgeonA blog about DC, focusing on some things that might not be perfect about our city. But we love this place, damnit, and we're willing to fight for it!IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-76942963867740545152014-02-11T10:41:00.001-05:002014-02-11T10:41:23.734-05:00Goodbye to another piece of old TrinidadChange happens all the time. When it comes to a neighborhood, some call it progress, while others lament the passage of time. Regardless of the position you take, it can be jarring to wake up one day and find the things you're accustomed to no longer being there.<br />
<br />
On our corner in Trinidad is the former home and office of Dr. Louis E. Lowman, M.D. Neighbors were born in that house and treated in his office. It was one of the only stand-alone homes in all of Trinidad. By the end of today or tomorrow, it will likely only be a memory, to be replaced by a six-unit condominium building. I'm putting these pictures online in hope that those who are interested in our history will have something to find when they go searching on the Internet, wondering what used to be at 1328 Montello Avenue NE before it was replaced with something modern and new.<br />
<br />
<i>(Photos by the author unless otherwise noted.)</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Google Street View</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Google Street View</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Google Street View</td></tr>
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<br />IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0Trinidad, Washington, DC 20002, USA38.905427969931274 -76.98857724666595538.905041969931276 -76.989207746665954 38.905813969931273 -76.987946746665955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-27670978592241850412014-01-10T15:08:00.000-05:002014-01-10T15:08:26.835-05:00This isn't goodbye…<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUclRKBus-jtE18qMPRY_0WYYV3GJszvyVRa3x-kkG-p_uF6aKHslUTMrGClMiNNhB6Xz0UzzUd6Ok_pn-JURKtpIB0ZntwODxFr1n5u7rIcVX16C0PmMoN6TZYEpIGojeFyVuGWxh2Y/s1600/20140110_115127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUclRKBus-jtE18qMPRY_0WYYV3GJszvyVRa3x-kkG-p_uF6aKHslUTMrGClMiNNhB6Xz0UzzUd6Ok_pn-JURKtpIB0ZntwODxFr1n5u7rIcVX16C0PmMoN6TZYEpIGojeFyVuGWxh2Y/s1600/20140110_115127.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"…got me invested in some kind of fruit company…"</i></td></tr>
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<i>"Made up my mind, make a new start, goin' to California with an achin' in my heart." - Led Zeppelin</i><br />
<br />
I'm going to keep this one short for now, and not bury the lede. We're moving to California soon.<br />
<br />
Jaime and I have lived in DC for a decade, it's our home, and there's no doubt we love it like crazy. We spent weeks agonizing over what it would mean to leave behind the friends we've made and communities we've connected with here. In the end, I was offered a career opportunity that's far too exciting to pass up, so we're going to take the plunge and see what life is like in the Bay Area.<br />
<br />
We promise we'll both have more to say on the blog and in other places in the coming weeks. The entire thing has brought forth a flood of thoughts that we need to write down and share.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-3658523687761228212013-07-18T14:39:00.001-04:002013-07-18T17:07:34.961-04:00Feel like your 311 requests get lost in the shuffle? They might be.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pirVXfLCuSEXwuqs62nqeYA5fyJkJMqy6IzbBU2QgLCmZw0jgfH5oiKaNn2b3_aqqEvFUjr8Mwr9-Cuv1qA0ER-OWT9LC7lAjAmjfSiolok8oaixuvOcyqVT__sHjRqK-81tfGfl1ow/s1600/Trinidad+Avenue+NE+School+Zone+Flasher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pirVXfLCuSEXwuqs62nqeYA5fyJkJMqy6IzbBU2QgLCmZw0jgfH5oiKaNn2b3_aqqEvFUjr8Mwr9-Cuv1qA0ER-OWT9LC7lAjAmjfSiolok8oaixuvOcyqVT__sHjRqK-81tfGfl1ow/s320/Trinidad+Avenue+NE+School+Zone+Flasher.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used the DC311 mobile app to report this damaged school zone flasher on April 23, 2013.</td></tr>
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<i><b>**UPDATE:</b> I just got off the phone with Ben Berkowitz, co-founder and CEO of SeeClickFix. It sounds like, for this specific request, downtime in the API may have caused it to get lost in a purgatory of sorts, rather than it being directed to DC311/OUC. Berkowitz noted that if a service request continues to show as "Open" with no response at all, it may be best to manually close the request and open another. Additionally, he mentioned that a very small number of requests in DC—something like 30 out of 18,000—have been caught up in this type of glitch. You can check under "Notified" in the right column on a specific request on the SeeClickFix site to confirm that it's been passed on to DC311. From my conversation with Berkowitz, it's also clear that DC has been at the forefront of municipalities embracing SeeClickFix as a large-scale, interactive tool.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>While I still have concerns about the confusion at OUC about whether or not the request could be accessed depending on if I submitted it via the mobile app or via the SeeClickFix website, I am generally pleased with the interaction and results today. Overall, I am happy to see DC embrace Gov 2.0 tools, and I hope bumps in the road like these are considered as learning opportunities and not as reasons to inhibit or stop the progress we've made in this realm so far.<b>**</b></i><br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Hang on, folks, this is a long one, though worth it, because it very likely outlines any number of the collective frustrations out there with the state of government ops and constituent services in the District (and possibly beyond)....<br />
<br />
In May 2011, SeeClickFix announced <a href="http://blog.seeclickfix.com/2011/05/washington-dc-cto-announces-seeclickfix.html">platform integration with DC's Open311 system</a>, and there was much rejoicing across the Distrcit: from Gov 2.0 nerds (like me), from oft disgruntled residents (like me), and even from the now-defunct <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/daily-gripe/post/dc-government-hops-on-seeclickfix/2011/05/25/AGXQpPBH_blog.html">Daily Gripe column on the Washington Post's website</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Now, instead of solely relying on operators fielding phoned-in requests to the city’s <a data-xslt="_http" href="http://311.dc.gov/" target="_blank">311</a>
line, residents and visitors can send non-emergency reports to 311
through SeeClickFix’s <b>free mobile <i>and</i> web platform</b> that allows them to
pinpoint locations and upload photos and videos.[emphasis mine]</blockquote>
Did you see that? Mobile <i><b>and</b></i> web platform. In case you think the Post got their signals crossed, let's go back to the horse's mouth<span class="st">—</span>the <a href="http://octo.dc.gov/DC/OCTO/About+OCTO/News+Room/District+Integrates+311-Service+Request+System+with+SeeClickFix">official press release from the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer</a>, dated May 24, 2011:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="centerBodyTextOneCol"><span class="centerBodyTextOneCol"><b>SeeClickFix is a free mobile <i>and</i> web
platform</b> that allows citizens to submit online reports of non-emergency
public problems to governments. <b>The SeeClickFix platform is available in
many locations and formats</b>, including mobile phones and widgets on the
Washington Post and other city blogs. Citizens can access SeeClickFix at
<a href="http://seeclickfix.com/" target="_blank" title="SeeClickFix">SeeClickFix.com</a>, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/metro/daily-gripe/index.html" target="_blank" title="The Washington Post">The Washington Post</a>, <a href="http://greatergreaterwashington.org/" target="_blank" title="Greater Greater Washington">Greater Greater Washington</a>, and <a href="http://dc.thecityfix.com/" target="_blank" title="The City Fix">The City Fix</a>.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
...</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="centerBodyTextOneCol">Overall, the integration of
SeeClickFix with the District’s 311 system <b>ensures a seamless flow of
information between residents and District officials</b>, and a more
efficient way of fixing problems throughout the city.</span> [again, emphasis mine]</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After over a month with no repairs on a lopsided school zone flasher, and a <a href="http://seeclickfix.com/issues/485011">still-open request on DC's SeeClickFix site</a>, I reached out to DC311 on Twitter on Monday, July 1, and followed up <i>again</i> on Wednesday, July 17:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/311DCgov">@311DCgov</a> Why is this still open? I reported in *April* when school was still in session—serious hazard for kids: <a href="http://t.co/0Btd61bHNU">http://t.co/0Btd61bHNU</a><br />
— Jaime Fearer (@bogrosemary) <a href="https://twitter.com/bogrosemary/statuses/351719183261773825">July 1, 2013</a></blockquote>
<i>Much, much more below the fold...</i><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/311DCgov">@311DCgov</a> Thank you - look forward to hearing what you find out.<br />
— Jaime Fearer (@bogrosemary) <a href="https://twitter.com/bogrosemary/statuses/351804862377365505">July 1, 2013</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/bogrosemary">@bogrosemary</a> stay tuned...following up now<br />
— 311 DC Operations (@311DCgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/311DCgov/statuses/357529540458856449">July 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/311DCgov">@311DCgov</a> Thanks, will do. So, to clarify, you didn't check on this back on July 1?<br />
— Jaime Fearer (@bogrosemary) <a href="https://twitter.com/bogrosemary/statuses/357536052203884544">July 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
<br />
And so I turned to email, and had the following exchange with Erick Hines from the <a href="http://ouc.dc.gov/">Office of Unified Communications</a> (OUC):</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">From:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Jaime Fearer </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 17, 2013 12:34 PM<br /><b>To:</b> Hines, Erick (OUC)<br /><b>Subject:</b> SeeClickFix/DC 311 Issue ID #485011</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Mr. Hines,<br />
<br />
I'm writing to check in on the status of a DC311 report filed via SeeClickFix on April 23, 2013: <a href="http://seeclickfix.com/issues/485011" target="_blank">http://seeclickfix.com/issues/<wbr></wbr>485011</a>. Since <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1224210551" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">April 23</span></span>,
the issue has been open, with no comment from applicable government
agencies. While I did not take a detailed look at the flasher, my
understanding is that the lower bulb mechanism simply needs to be turned
back around to face oncoming traffic.</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
I
followed up with @311DCgov on Twitter on July 1 and again today, and
they said in a reply today, "Need more information. We can not pull up
the SCF serv request #. Please email <a href="mailto:Erick.Hines@dc.gov" target="_blank"><span class="il">Erick.Hines@dc.gov</span></a>, and he will assist."</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Can
you please look into this further and let me know what you discover?
While the fix likely could have been made in the 1.5 months leading up
to DCPS's release for summer, it most certainly should be repaired
before school returns for the fall.</div>
</div>
Many thanks,<br />
Jaime Fearer<br />
<b>--- </b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 12:37 PM, Hines, Erick (OUC) wrote:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Can you please provide me with the nature of the issue and address you provided at the time of the reort. [sic]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">--- </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">From:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Jaime Fearer </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 17, 2013 12:43 PM<br /><b>To:</b> Hines, Erick (OUC)<br /><b>Subject:</b> Re: SeeClickFix/DC 311 Issue ID #485011</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Mr. Hines,<br />
<br />
Are
you unable to open the link to the SeeClickFix issue I provided? It
contains the location, a description of the issue, and a photograph: <a href="http://seeclickfix.com/issues/485011" target="_blank">http://seeclickfix.com/issues/<wbr></wbr>485011</a>.<br />
<br />
The
issue is that the bottom flasher bulb on the school zone flasher on
Trinidad Ave. NE, near - but preceding - the intersection with Neal St.
NE (where Wheatley Education Campus is), is turned the wrong way. It
needs to be turned back around to face oncoming traffic on Trinidad Ave.
NE, which is a one-way street with traffic traveling northbound.
SeeClickFix recorded the address as 1300-1322 Neal St. NE, but as I
mention both in a comment on the site and above, the flasher is on
Trinidad Avenue NE.<br />
<br />
Thank you,<br />
Jaime</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>---</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b>On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 12:48 PM, Hines, Erick (OUC) wrote:</b></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It
appears this issue was reported directly to see click fix and not by
the 311 phone app. We do not have access to requests submitted in see
click fix.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>---</b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">From:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Jaime Fearer </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 17, 2013 12:52 PM<br /><b>To:</b> Hines, Erick (OUC)<br /><b>Subject:</b> Re: SeeClickFix/DC 311 Issue ID #485011</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<br />
Mr. Hines,<br />
<br />
It
states - and I remember doing so as I was walking the neighborhood -
that I reported this via the mobile app. Are you able to file a 311
report for it at this time, or do I need to do this all over again?
Additionally, are you saying that anything reported directly through
SeeClickFix doesn't actually go to DC gov?<br />
<br />
Finally, it also
appears that the signage indicating that this is a school zone flasher
*on* the flasher is missing, and I'd like to add that to the request I'm
hoping you are able to submit.</div>
</div>
Thank you,<br />
Jaime<br />
<b>---</b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 12:55 PM, Hines, Erick (OUC) wrote:</b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We
will need the address and type of issue reported or DC311 app
confirmation which is not 485011 to follow up on the previous request.
If you would like to provide the type and location I will have the issue
addressed.</span> <br />
<b>---</b>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">From:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Jaime Fearer </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 17, 2013 1:01 PM<br /><b>To:</b> Hines, Erick (OUC)<br /><b>Subject:</b> Re: SeeClickFix/DC 311 Issue ID #485011</span> </div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Mr. Hines,<br />
<br />
In addition to giving you the link, I detailed both
the type of issue as well as the location in my first email below. What
information do you that I have not yet provided? I am also attaching the
photograph I initially submitted through the DC311 mobile app.<br />
<br />
Thank you,<br />
Jaime<br />
<b>---</b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 1:00 PM, Hines, Erick (OUC) wrote:</b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You should be receiving a confirmation for Trinidad/ Neal shortly to have signals repaired</span><br />
<b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">---</span></b> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">From:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Jaime Fearer </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 17, 2013 1:03 PM<br /><b>To:</b> Hines, Erick (OUC)<br /><b>Subject:</b> Re: SeeClickFix/DC 311 Issue ID #485011</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Thank you. Do you know if this will include the missing signage as well,
or do I need to submit a separate request via the mobile app the next
time I am home during the day to do so?<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
Jaime<br />
<b>---</b></blockquote>
<br />
To date, I still have not heard back from Mr. Hines on the reported (by him) disconnect that leaves OUC/DC311 staff unable to access SeeClickFix service requests that are submitted via the website rather than through the mobile app. And, needless to say, it was frustrating to have to repeat, and repeat, <i>and further repeat</i> the details of my service request.<br />
<br />
So I turned back to Twitter, just after needling @311DCgov a bit for retweeting<span class="st">—</span>multiple times<span class="st"> in the past week—</span><a href="https://twitter.com/311DCgov/status/357532323975147520">Anacostia Playhouse's opening celebration</a> coming up on Saturday [full disclosure: I'm an Anacostia Playhouse supporter and patron]:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I'm excited for - and supportive of - <a href="https://twitter.com/AnacostiaPHouse">@AnacostiaPHouse</a>'s opening, but am confused as to why <a href="https://twitter.com/311DCgov">@311DCgov</a> keeps tweeting about it.<br />
— Jaime Fearer (@bogrosemary) <a href="https://twitter.com/bogrosemary/statuses/357584085327167488">July 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/311DCgov">@311dcgov</a> Can you also plz update why OUC can't access 311 issues input directly into <a href="https://twitter.com/seeclickfix">@SeeClickFix</a>? Didn't get clarification from Mr Hines.<br />
— Jaime Fearer (@bogrosemary) <a href="https://twitter.com/bogrosemary/statuses/357609013279600640">July 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/seeclickfix">@seeclickfix</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/311DCgov">@311DCgov</a> Not sure, was told today "We do not have access to requests submitted in see click fix"—only via DC311 app.<br />
— Jaime Fearer (@bogrosemary) <a href="https://twitter.com/bogrosemary/statuses/357619118687518721">July 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/seeclickfix">@seeclickfix</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/bogrosemary">@bogrosemary</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/311DCgov">@311DCgov</a> We always recommend using the DC311 APP as that is where the connection is best supported!<br />
— Ben Berkowitz (@benberkowitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/benberkowitz/statuses/357914470447722499">July 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Ultimately, I'm still waiting to hear back from District staff who made it sound like this wasn't just a glitch, but is in fact a more widespread concern about how residents can report their 311 service requests. I absolutely appreciate Ben Berkowitz, co-founder and CEO of SeeClickFix, jumping in<span class="st">—that certainly exemplifies the targeted communication we can create within Twitter</span><span class="st">—though I worry we've been given some potentially amazing tools here in DC that, are, well, too often ineffective. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="st">If the overall environment and capacity of the District staff isn't strong enough to support the integration of SeeClickFix and 311, then let's not offer that service until it is. Otherwise, we're left with a process that is even more onerous, laborious, and frustrating than the original, as the nearly 1500 words above indicate.</span>jaimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02066196339503671651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-28018804547437720812013-07-11T10:26:00.001-04:002013-07-11T10:26:49.741-04:00The West Virginia Avenue Wetland is gone - or is it?For years, there has been a leak of some sort coming up through the sidewalk on West Virginia Avenue NE, just north of the intersection with Fenwick Street, in front of property used by the DC Department of Public Works.<br />
<br />
This is what it looked like for a long time:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9HKkjEEc8og8srNEsWSkGj677dweFClc6yXwy3NJZ2DRT_WvqwvRShjxAeF2hv7jpKBSORnjWCRLXL1_RA2_QNli9C2_NVZXRitDEiETCIY4NPXhIYZywVE1b5SNXsDWVsQMCvV-gD0/s1600/20130503_170636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9HKkjEEc8og8srNEsWSkGj677dweFClc6yXwy3NJZ2DRT_WvqwvRShjxAeF2hv7jpKBSORnjWCRLXL1_RA2_QNli9C2_NVZXRitDEiETCIY4NPXhIYZywVE1b5SNXsDWVsQMCvV-gD0/s400/20130503_170636.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "West Virginia Avenue Wetland"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Water constantly flowed down the sidewalk. The water had been sitting for so long that cattails and other aquatic plants had colonized the walkway. As you can see in the photo above, the city's solution was to throw a few cones in the pond and call it a day.<br />
<br />
I complained about this regularly on Twitter, mostly to DC Water, assuming this was their problem. They tested the water, though, and asserted that it was not coming from one of their pipes.<br />
<br />
I figured this wasn't possible. The water <i>had</i> to be coming from a municipally-owned source, and DC Water controls all of that in the city. But, they're the experts!<br />
<br />
The morning I took the photo above, I included the mayor's Twitter handle in my semi-regular complaint. Surprisingly, I received a direct message shortly after letting me know that the executive's office would be getting to the bottom of this issue quickly. I guess you just have to get your timing right, sometimes!<br />
<br />
After a few days, crews were there digging up the area around the leak. <a href="http://twitter.com/bogrosemary">Jaime</a> asked the workers if they had found anything, but they treated it like a state secret and wouldn't talk.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkeP7YWo35QpLKhlS2MZWu45wrS7QmK6FqzhbB_BOdn5b9ofyiYF2ELTvO-xJFw-GYp1WdZt7399W4CH8bHj3_5yMImKGc6vTHXtpxB0aHqVQE6GhKwY3yH7dzvhFg24SDlxAAY8ocfs/s1600/2013-05-14+15.53.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkeP7YWo35QpLKhlS2MZWu45wrS7QmK6FqzhbB_BOdn5b9ofyiYF2ELTvO-xJFw-GYp1WdZt7399W4CH8bHj3_5yMImKGc6vTHXtpxB0aHqVQE6GhKwY3yH7dzvhFg24SDlxAAY8ocfs/s400/2013-05-14+15.53.26.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Construction crews dig to find the source of the leak.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, a few days later, this email arrived from Matt Desjardins, who works in the mayor's office:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Hello – Mayor Gray asked me to follow up with you regarding some standing water on the sidewalk near a DPW facility in NE. I know that this has been an issue you have been looking to resolve for some time now and I apologize if any of the below information is redundant.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Here is what we currently know. DPW is working with its partner agencies to address the issue:</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>· DPW has hired a contractor to address the flooding of the sidewalk at 1725 West Virginia Avenue, NE (Fleet campus). The contractor uncovered an abandoned storm water drain that originates at a manhole and dead ends into multi chambered structure under the sidewalk. When it rains, all of the runoff water backs up in the manhole and bubbles up onto the sidewalk and street on West Virginia Avenue, NE. There is no access for the runoff into the sewer system.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>· The current DC Water regulations require that there be either an oil/water separator or a storm water management system on the property. Neither system is in place for this section of the campus.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>· One possible solution is to have DC Water build a storm water management system as it builds the new parking lot. DC Water needs to use the Fleet campus to construct a 110 foot shaft to address the Bloomingdale flooding issue. DC Water will construct a new parking lot for DPW to replace the parking lot where the shaft will be used for the tunnel.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>· Unfortunately, a solution may be a few months away.</i></blockquote>
The upshot is this: there's a drainage system under the sidewalk that apparently does not connect to the regular storm sewer system. It could get "fixed" when DC Water works on the tunnel that will ultimately divert storm water from Bloomingdale.<br />
<br />
Isn't infrastructure fun?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEh7hUI76f2bgkqoW6RF0o0tp_5R1WWUweyNZ_lqsLG4gFL8w_-3tCgISfuUN5Pr7L3Tl-FQTO01bWauXvaq6Os4jfHqm573aIIlmtUf1oSCN8AZNkJvWTyyTYvWL91cR6eptNPhNrFYo/s1600/20130526_170955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEh7hUI76f2bgkqoW6RF0o0tp_5R1WWUweyNZ_lqsLG4gFL8w_-3tCgISfuUN5Pr7L3Tl-FQTO01bWauXvaq6Os4jfHqm573aIIlmtUf1oSCN8AZNkJvWTyyTYvWL91cR6eptNPhNrFYo/s400/20130526_170955.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After construction to cap the abandoned storm drain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-83357176634794077192013-06-14T11:45:00.000-04:002013-06-14T11:45:00.065-04:00A run-in with kids outside of Frager's while biking homeBy necessity, this is just going to be a narrative without embellishment. I just wanted to share this story because I mentioned it on Twitter, and many people responded out of concern for me and out of anger at the situation.<br />
<br />
-----------<br />
<br />
First, let me say that I'm okay. 100% fine. There's not a scratch on my head.<br />
<br />
I was taking the Green Line home from work. We arrived at the Anacostia station, and the train doors were held open for over ten minutes. I decided to leave the station and find another way home.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/wmata">@wmata</a> train sitting at Anacostia for over 10 minutes. Finally bailed. <a href="https://twitter.com/bikeshare">@bikeshare</a>, take me home.<br />
— say 'Eye Em Gōph' (@IMGoph) <a href="https://twitter.com/IMGoph/statuses/345310512973746176">June 13, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
I hopped on a Capital Bikeshare bike at the station and headed north, across the 11th Street bridge. When I got to the corner of 11th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue SE, I had to wait for a red light. Four kids were standing on the corner, next to the fence that has been put up around the charred remains of Frager's Hardware Store. There were three girls and one boy, all around the same age (12 or so).<br />
<br />
One of the girls approached me and asked for five dollars. I told her I didn't have any cash on me. She looked at the bike and said, "You need money to pay for that, right?"<br />
<br />
I told her, "Yes, I use a credit card."<br />
<br />
She said, "Credit cards have money on them, give me some!"<br />
<br />
The light turned green at that point, and I said, "Sorry, no, I have to go."<br />
<br />
As I started across Pennsylvania Avenue, she lunged at me, pushed on my backpack, and yelled, "Give me money! Give me money!" a couple times, while the other kids laughed. The events of <a href="http://www.titanoftrinidad.com/2013/06/savage-beating-on-met-branch-trail-victim-bloodied-eye-swollen-shut/">Tuesday on the MBT</a> came to mind, and I turned around to make sure the other kids weren't coming after me. I scolded them and asked if they heard about the MBT assault.<br />
<br />
The boy in the group started yelling, "Fuck you! Fuck you! Get the fuck out of my neighborhood!" At this point, I realized I could hurry up and bike away, but I wasn't in the mood to let these kids think they could get away with threatening someone on a bicycle, so I yelled out, "These kids are trying to assault me."<br />
<br />
I moved my bicycle to the southwest corner of the intersection (in front of the dry cleaners) and called 911.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kids in the city have it out for cyclists. Just tried to assault me at 11th & Pennsylvania SE. Called 911. No more tolerance. This ends now.<br />
— say 'Eye Em Gōph' (@IMGoph) <a href="https://twitter.com/IMGoph/statuses/345314324987908096">June 13, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
A gentleman came out of the dry cleaners and told me that the kids had been causing problems in the past, throwing rocks at the store's windows.<br />
<br />
Two officers arrived after about 3 or 4 minutes. I told them what happened, and in which direction the kids went after our encounter. A quick check on the radio and the first officer was able to confirm that a third officer had some kids a block down the street. The second officer went to bring them back.<br />
<br />
While she was gone, I spoke with the first officer. She told me that kids in the area were apt to do things like this, and that the children doing this get younger every year. The second officer returned a couple minutes later with a woman in her cruiser. This turned out to be the mother of the girl who had shoved me. The first officer insisted that the young girl be brought back as well, so a couple more awkward minutes passed while the first officer, the girl's mother, and I stood around waiting for the other officer to bring back the girl.<br />
<br />
When they returned, the first officer asked the girl to state what had happened. She basically gave the full story, but claimed that she had just touched the bike, and not pushed me. The officers wanted her to apologize to me, which she did, but clearly not in a sincere manner.<br />
<br />
The police told the girl she could be charged with both aggravated panhandling and simple assault. The girl's mother quietly told her not to be stupid and to apologize.<br />
<br />
The officers stepped aside for a moment, leaving me with the girl and her mother. We stood there awkwardly as a light rain began to fall. The officers then called me over to where they were discussing things, and asked if I wanted to press charges. They were willing to lock the girl up, and told me that there would be a few hours of paperwork, but it was up to me how to proceed.<br />
<br />
I told the officers I wanted the girl to learn a lesson, but I wanted to do what they thought was best. They called her over, and had her stand right in front of me. The officers told the girl that I had the power to ruin her life then and there, to give her a criminal record. They told me to tell her what I thought about the whole situation.<br />
<br />
I told the girl that I thought what she did was stupid, and there was no reason for her to have done anything more than say hello to me on the street.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I'm okay. But these kids are going to learn a lesson. MPD is here.</p>— say 'Eye Em Gōph' (@IMGoph) <a href="https://twitter.com/IMGoph/statuses/345316247434559489">June 13, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<br />
The officers jumped in and told her to look me in the eye, stand up straight, stop mumbling, and pay attention. The girl's mother, standing nearby, implored her daughter to listen. The police asked her if she had goals, wanted to go to college, and wanted to get away from the bad influences around her. They reminded her that her attitude and actions were going to damn her to a life of dead-ends.<br />
<br />
Finally, I told the girl my name, and offered my hand to shake. She did, and apologized again (personally, it still didn't feel 100% sincere, but I remember how much of a sullen brat I could be at 12 years old myself).<br />
<br />
Her mother said she'd be going home and would be on a short leash. I obviously don't know what happened once they got home, but I hope we got some sort of message into the girl's head.<br />
<br />
As I got back on the Bikeshare bike to head towards home (yeah, I racked up some fees for having the bike out more than 30 minutes!), I thanked the officers and they apologized for my ruined evening. I told them it was absolutely not their place to apologize, and thanked them for doing a great job.<br />
<br />
The officers remarked that, while the girl avoided a criminal record, they had her name and would put her on a "juvenile watch list." If she gets caught causing trouble again, there will be no mercy.<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/19194/">Cross-posted at Greater Greater Washington</a>.</i>IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-52029567757298355662013-06-03T11:32:00.001-04:002013-06-03T11:32:16.968-04:00Vanished/The Ruined Capitol doesn't live up to promiseSloppy work on blogs deserves to be called out, especially when the author of the work seeks an air of authority on a subject. I'm taking this opportunity to ask <a href="http://www.hughjacobsen.com/SimonJacobsen.htm">Simon Jacobsen</a> to do a better job with the Vanished/The Ruined Capitol blog.<br />
<br />
Early last year, his blog called "<a href="http://www.theruinedcapitol.com/">The Ruined Capitol</a>" (since re-branded "Vanished:Washington," though the URL never changed) was <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2012/01/09/city-as-graveyard-new-blog-explores-what-went-before/">briefly profiled</a> by the Washington City Paper. In this short interview, he gave an interesting quote:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>I'm not putting any facts down...</i></blockquote>
In fact, Mr. Jacobsen puts a lot of facts down with every post. The most important of these facts is the address of the buildings. Unfortunately, he can be sloppy with those facts. Here's an example:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theruinedcapitol.com/2012/08/6th-college-street-ne.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjou2nXaUg953MIOcb397Priv-N2BAhP44vCEHVVbPGJgO4zh2jvBUqkczBRpg0F9BryooLhsEIBnAM0yQL5sALWyjLggZWdidRm733dq0-WBRw6qA58NTEkcZBoSHtoWtZZwHKCUNBjnMk/s640/Screen+Shot+2012-08-08+at+4.26.00+PM.png" width=400 /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.theruinedcapitol.com/2012/08/6th-college-street-ne.html">Vanished</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Mr. Jacobsen shows this picture and says it's at 6th and College Streets NE. That's a non-existent corner. There is a 6th and College Street NW, though. Here's a piece of the Baist Atlas for that part of the city in 1937 (two years after the date shown on the photo):<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/703992/Plate+014/Washington+D.C.+1937+Vol+3/District+of+Columbia/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0b8VzmS93FYyeXgIC1H1mK6xJhwqk_ABMdNdOpyQA1ZasyuTJ6xojk5HvTjV56KBVtjUHOyJ9soevxQcEp6MjazJZ3VbVHuaT4mxP0pTU-dk5rbspeN3AL2DUn8Bx5pzFrrAeEFgl1wU/s320/Screen+shot+2013-05-31+at+8.29.05+PM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/703992/Plate+014/Washington+D.C.+1937+Vol+3/District+of+Columbia/">Historic Map Works</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You can see a line of rowhouses on the west side of 6th Street, north of College Street. I think it's a safe bet that these are the houses in the photo. What's there today? This:<br />
<br />
<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=38.921022,-77.020866&spn=0.007179,0.009935&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=38.921112,-77.020879&panoid=LmnO90KYKGvz65HcmxRxwA&cbp=12,332.33,,0,10.01&source=embed&output=svembed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=38.921022,-77.020866&spn=0.007179,0.009935&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=38.921112,-77.020879&panoid=LmnO90KYKGvz65HcmxRxwA&cbp=12,332.33,,0,10.01&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small><br />
<br />
It's Lewis K. Downing Hall, home to Howard University Engineering.<br />
<br />
Jacobsen, though, shows this image of what he believes is at that corner today:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theruinedcapitol.com/2012/08/6th-college-street-ne.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxunRkTuVeYi2WCqq7yJ2_g4xO-BiaTR_lHpykKwAO4BUDAQZAEMYvsZsyW7lrs_UhqLfYvq4QtFFxIQB1RIvHGGAC8Klle05DFdg4vkSOf_O8K_v5txQTcsdxtP5r0Ww5H7JEWTmJdkNo/s640/Screen+Shot+2012-08-08+at+4.26.47+PM.png" width=400 /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.theruinedcapitol.com/2012/08/6th-college-street-ne.html">Vanished</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
That's actually the corner of <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/1NXEe">Georgia Avenue and Howard Place NW</a>. Jacobsen manages to start by saying the original location is in a different quadrant, then believes today's corner has somehow moved a couple blocks away. It's terribly sloppy. Google Maps is how he verifies the location of all present-day buildings. He'd be helped by actually going out to the corners where he believes these old buildings were located and doing some ground-truthing. It would probably make clear some of the more egregious errors and avoid the embarrassment of publishing mistakes.<br />
<br />
Here's one more. The page was taken down after I pointed out an error, he refused to acknowledge it, and further information from me made it crystal clear that he had made a simple mistake. I saved the page as a rough PDF:<br />
<br />
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/145005471/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&show_recommendations=true" data-auto-height="false" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" scrolling="no" id="doc_1609" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
<br />
Jacobsen mistook the numeral "1" (for 1st Street) for the letter "I" (for Eye Street), and insisted Florida Avenue "flattens out" (whatever that means) at Eye Street NE. A simple walk around the neighborhood would show how incorrect that is, but he didn't take the time to go out and look at things in the real world.<br />
<br />
It's a shame, it could be an authoritative site, but there are so many holes in it, it's hard to say how many of the before and after pictures he posts are just plain wrong.<br />
<br />
A better example of the genre is the "<a href="http://greatergreaterwashington.org/kent/">Then and Now</a>" series that Kent Boese did for Greater Greater Washington. Admittedly, this is more thorough than the "drive-by shooting" (a poor choice of words) that Jacobsen claims to offer at his site, but the basic idea is that a little more research goes a long way.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-12292411448825030122013-04-23T12:03:00.001-04:002013-04-23T12:03:08.602-04:00Non-professional #four23dc election predictions<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTj4nxGfZB3YcBeXUgHANTabe44xbazsJ0_9j65pxLy0RjTXDfnMkHd7UUxrfAO2a1VxDlPFa74GGbZsclQ9W2fr4cx06VmEXCi7ZKpSGkqFMdSEK2UnXB6YZ3Lbwx9sco-mcROCCu9Bc/s1600/dcboee_blue_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTj4nxGfZB3YcBeXUgHANTabe44xbazsJ0_9j65pxLy0RjTXDfnMkHd7UUxrfAO2a1VxDlPFa74GGbZsclQ9W2fr4cx06VmEXCi7ZKpSGkqFMdSEK2UnXB6YZ3Lbwx9sco-mcROCCu9Bc/s1600/dcboee_blue_logo.jpg" /></a>I'm not here to give you a prediction regarding the results of today's election. We'll find that out very soon. What I do want to put out there are some things that I would wager would be <i>talked about </i>given a few different scenarios. Here they are, in no particular order, and remember, I'm no professional prognosticator!<br />
<br />
If <b>Anita Bonds</b> wins:<br />
<br />
- She has the inside track for reelection in just <i>under</i> a year. Yes, that's right. The primary for next year's general election is April Fool's Day (April 1), and the power of incumbency will aid her greatly in that Democratic primary. Voters will get to vote for two candidates in the November 2014 election, and whomever has the (D) next to their name is a shoo-in for one of those seats.<br />
<br />
- Expect talk about how the "newcomers/gentrifiers/progressives/white residents" still aren't organized enough to elect someone citywide (even though that loosely-defined demographic just did that with Grosso's election last fall).<br />
<br />
If <b>Patrick Mara</b> wins:<br />
<br />
- Expect some right-leaning blog or <i>Washington Post</i> pundit (George Will? Charles Krauthammer?) to write about how Mara's victory signals that "even a jurisdiction with an African-American majority is sick and tired of the librul Demoncrats and Barry Obummer." Don't expect them to discuss the fact that many of the people voting for Mara are HUGE Obama supporters and that the party affiliation of Council candidates really has little to nothing to do with national politics.<br />
<br />
- If David Catania chooses to run for attorney general, mayor, or simply retire in 2014, Mara's incumbency would give him a pretty solid shot at reelection. As mentioned above, there will be two spots on the November 2014 ballot for at-large councilmember, and whoever wins the Democratic primary on April 1 has the inside track at one of those spaces. Since there would be no incumbent Democrat at that point, I'd expect an epic 15-way scrum for the Democratic primary.<br />
<br />
- If David Catania chooses to run for reelection as councilmember, it would set up an interesting race between him and Mara for the likely non-Democratic seat in November 2014.<br />
<br />
- Expect talk about how it looks possible for the city to elect a white mayor in 2014.<br />
<br />
- Expect wailing, gnashing of teeth, rending of garments and the like from those who supported Bonds.<br />
<br />
If <b>Elissa Silverman</b> wins:<br />
<br />
- Elissa would have the inside track for reelection in 2014. (Seeing a pattern here? Elected incumbency is a powerful thing in DC.) Expect an attempt from the groups she didn't strongly court (big business, etc.) to draft a strong challenge to her in the coming year, though.<br />
<br />
If <b>Frumin</b>, <b>Redd</b>, or <b>Zukerberg</b> win:<br />
<br />
- This won't happen. One does not have a broad-enough base, another represents a party with no infrastructure, and the third is a non-serious one-trick pony.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-16188535066924450282013-03-28T23:20:00.000-04:002013-03-29T10:43:56.916-04:00Reader submission: WMATA passenger shortcomings<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUprmHH49ZzYUcHQ-pU-BbyveBS2fEbNV6iMJPR5Ewnf5WGQStqD76wTf_R-HsNcHorDoWmglHlhXXzWGP_KDDXv_EDV6kAb3DwF0TdYX-XcPHIeyG_IQNPb8FAg5qehjXefxYgWpsyX4/s1600/4527224122_2972623a98_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUprmHH49ZzYUcHQ-pU-BbyveBS2fEbNV6iMJPR5Ewnf5WGQStqD76wTf_R-HsNcHorDoWmglHlhXXzWGP_KDDXv_EDV6kAb3DwF0TdYX-XcPHIeyG_IQNPb8FAg5qehjXefxYgWpsyX4/s320/4527224122_2972623a98_b.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Metro Blur, by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/theqspeaks/4527224122/">theqspeaks</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>We welcome the occasional reader submission here at The District Curmudgeon, and this little bit of righteous anger from our friend Jonathan Gitlin sums up what we're sure are pretty common feelings for many who use Metrorail on a daily basis.</i><br />
<br />
Dear fellow WMATA passengers, here are some things I hate about you:<br />
<ul>
<li>Standing on the left on the escalators.</li>
<li>Standing still at the exit of escalators, during rush hour.</li>
<li>Standing still at the exit of escalators, during rush hour, pulling your enormous suitcase behind you.</li>
<li>Standing in the doorway of the train I’m trying to get out, resolutely refusing to move an inch. No, I’m not sorry I barged you out the way.</li>
<li>Meandering slowly up the platform, wandering from side to side as you go.</li>
<li>Wearing sunglasses. Underground. When it’s already dimly lit. You look like a cretin.</li>
<li>Eating. Are you blind, stupid, or just inconsiderate? Because it pretty clearly says no eating, you blind, stupid, inconsiderate fool.</li>
<li>Schoolchildren.</li>
<li>Having to deal with the pages of your copy of the Examiner that you littered all over the seat.</li>
</ul>
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<br />
<br />
Let me add:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Meandering slowly down the platform, during rush hour, in a crowd, pulling your tiny backpack on wheels behind you. You're an adult, carry the pack on your back, you lazy, inconsiderate, space-wasting fool. You're taking up the room of 4 people on this crowded platform!</li>
</ul>
Have a wonderful weekend!IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-8168911368183235092013-03-20T09:54:00.001-04:002013-03-20T10:05:03.444-04:00State of IncompletionAs a former Michigander, it always bothered me to see the state represented without the Upper Peninsula or Isle Royale. A map showing only the Lower Peninsula, labeled "Michigan," is incomplete. End of story.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nUKt49xdvHZ3Oh6v-NgC_OPLsLsCb56O4E1JQVaNhnW97XL4TkWvlQjdmdAqRDF7R7I8a6W5lUlvz7OY2I0B371r0t9_tS4nmd4hGAxq0TJxCNuxwdnUIhF5LPpx0m_-_0LZOa946Gc/s1600/mi-state-map2012.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nUKt49xdvHZ3Oh6v-NgC_OPLsLsCb56O4E1JQVaNhnW97XL4TkWvlQjdmdAqRDF7R7I8a6W5lUlvz7OY2I0B371r0t9_tS4nmd4hGAxq0TJxCNuxwdnUIhF5LPpx0m_-_0LZOa946Gc/s1600/mi-state-map2012.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of "Michigan" from <a href="http://www.vdsc.com/locations/states/michigan.aspx">Van Diest Supply Company</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When I see maps of Virginia like the one below in today's edition of the Washington Post's <a href="http://www.readexpress.com/">Express</a>, without the Eastern Shore included, I wonder if Virginians are equally bothered.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaQijjgzTC6Sms9gypyVzzJZX7YhRW0tx4ICfl5M6xt2uhPqIZSWTBbEFiyArrEms6oADIULW1uaDetJNBS6vEg7KYMMFL4rzobrGl5iiVEn5G9eTD3N525iviX65fD0uNxTlXo7SOtA/s1600/virginia.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaQijjgzTC6Sms9gypyVzzJZX7YhRW0tx4ICfl5M6xt2uhPqIZSWTBbEFiyArrEms6oADIULW1uaDetJNBS6vEg7KYMMFL4rzobrGl5iiVEn5G9eTD3N525iviX65fD0uNxTlXo7SOtA/s1600/virginia.jpg" width="450" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of "Virginia" from the <a href="http://www.expressnightout.com/printedition/PDF/EXPRESS_03202013.pdf#page=8">Express</a> [PDF] </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It bothers me to see maps produced without some level of concern for cartographic accuracy. This is the world we live in. Everyone can be a "mapper," but the level of quality is <i>greatly</i> diluted.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-45430859984189685882013-03-02T17:53:00.000-05:002013-03-02T17:53:30.535-05:00Irony: litter from Two Rivers PCS on its way to the AnacostiaI guess it's that time - the yearly litter bomb from <a href="http://www.tworiverspcs.org/">Two Rivers Public Charter School</a>.<br />
<br />
Nearly a year ago to the day, I <a href="http://distcurm.blogspot.com/2012/02/two-rivers-pcs-produces-rubbish-for.html">wrote about</a> this school's lazy attempt at neighborhood outreach. They've printed the exact same flyer, on different colored paper, with updated dates, and done the same thing - hanging it on the fence of every house in the neighborhood.<br />
<br />
Same thoughts as last year - couldn't they have procured a database of some sort so they know which homes actually have school-aged children? The vacant homes on the block aren't going to send to many children to <i>any</i> school. Same goes for the houses with retirees and those with <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/DINK">DINKs</a>.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, there was a pretty good breeze today, and many of the flyers blew off the fences and into the streets and gutters. Here are a few photos from our street.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0A8SN7E_YNCU4D8xtoNB8c1E1L9fz5mym6VAEPM8seM372PRtCa5UOIBPVxa8mqUNNR3ZYID4N4ot_hCRUvR-1JqZs19cDkfNNUUccVactJp0vvKJhaNif3SM8zZv1jeI7f-p44fmg0/s1600/20130302_151320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0A8SN7E_YNCU4D8xtoNB8c1E1L9fz5mym6VAEPM8seM372PRtCa5UOIBPVxa8mqUNNR3ZYID4N4ot_hCRUvR-1JqZs19cDkfNNUUccVactJp0vvKJhaNif3SM8zZv1jeI7f-p44fmg0/s320/20130302_151320.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Irony? Flyer from "Two Rivers"about to go down the drain toward one of those rivers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyNVRIhtvXjchcLC4hKTojXnJrt3K6eZ3mEOgWD9tmC1MoU3VFQvUTJP0q1E_DIqvqaKqtzKrHrZ4UWS_IA6LXm0I0TXKt49ldq0Jf6RiuJq4jy8r27vT2aib77WskPMqQpqY_X1y-1Y/s1600/20130302_151614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyNVRIhtvXjchcLC4hKTojXnJrt3K6eZ3mEOgWD9tmC1MoU3VFQvUTJP0q1E_DIqvqaKqtzKrHrZ4UWS_IA6LXm0I0TXKt49ldq0Jf6RiuJq4jy8r27vT2aib77WskPMqQpqY_X1y-1Y/s320/20130302_151614.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeXSkcGUrYgjj05PPTMqi88W1bRNScFdyXSGU38nytWKv09BLmsMIJgzVSSQpy7rAX7GyrsKvFoBktpCL8M3JWH2wc-3VZhS7lbe4zo9IgVxY9qy6pZhuszUTGjJYjFUSLBAOy3ucqas/s1600/20130302_171653.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeXSkcGUrYgjj05PPTMqi88W1bRNScFdyXSGU38nytWKv09BLmsMIJgzVSSQpy7rAX7GyrsKvFoBktpCL8M3JWH2wc-3VZhS7lbe4zo9IgVxY9qy6pZhuszUTGjJYjFUSLBAOy3ucqas/s320/20130302_171653.jpg" /></a>
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They gave us <i>three</i> flyers this year. I guess one wasn't enough?</div>
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I could take a dozen more pictures of the treeboxes and gutters of our neighborhood, but I believe the point is clear enough. I wonder if teachers teachers at Two Rivers could take their students out for a real-world lesson about stewardship of our natural resources and how good neighbors aren't litterbugs.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-36233301308740918702013-02-22T09:18:00.001-05:002013-02-22T09:18:54.341-05:00DDOT photo of the old Sears building on Bladensburg RoadI was poking around in <a href="http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/">DDOT</a>'s photo <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ddotphotos/">archive</a> on Flickr last night, and I came across the following photo:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH6PmM4jumv4wOopdmAJ1sUjgA080FQxve1O6QfyZb26qwpP6rZJQEpihoyjxMbX5UaCuFCpC9tvElFxQBcAYgHn6qKrHndyfZh98jOAIQYnrYvOAHYXyNhcYC5t2xEH4kz26moiLEQc/s1600/4950948823_63281b1ff6_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH6PmM4jumv4wOopdmAJ1sUjgA080FQxve1O6QfyZb26qwpP6rZJQEpihoyjxMbX5UaCuFCpC9tvElFxQBcAYgHn6qKrHndyfZh98jOAIQYnrYvOAHYXyNhcYC5t2xEH4kz26moiLEQc/s320/4950948823_63281b1ff6_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southeast/Southwest Freeway 1968 (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ddotphotos/4950948823/in/set-72157624457000512/">DDOT</a> on Flickr)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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It's a picture of the construction of the Southeast/Southwest freeway through Capitol Hill in the late 1960s. It's a stark reminder that the freeway cut a neighborhood in two, and it's a scar that we'll likely continue to have for decades to come.<br />
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What caught my eye, though, was the bright patch at the top of the photograph. I've cropped that section out, enlarged it, and circled the interesting spot below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAcfYBMY8idbgBgh1xQVfeBDVU_4XwxtCm0a5OwvmZrlwJDUsU6e8EnSqv7qoAejgdrSjsn-gtrBz4MA6uVkHSeXJVmhiIt3J33uoFVMnC4x8IWIkfDL5d2-44wQcHHsoP5JRPIJxVU4/s1600/smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAcfYBMY8idbgBgh1xQVfeBDVU_4XwxtCm0a5OwvmZrlwJDUsU6e8EnSqv7qoAejgdrSjsn-gtrBz4MA6uVkHSeXJVmhiIt3J33uoFVMnC4x8IWIkfDL5d2-44wQcHHsoP5JRPIJxVU4/s320/smaller.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can click above to enlarge it even more. I'm pretty sure this is the old <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kinorama/4412329804/">Sears, Roebuck & Co. building</a>. (At that link, you can see a photograph of this amazing Art Deco building, which was still standing until the late 80s/early 90s). It was located on Bladensburg Road, just north of the Starburst intersection, across the street from Trinidad. It's now the location of the <a href="http://flatsatatlas.com/">Flats at Atlas</a> apartment building, which is better than a vacant lot, but certainly not as cool as a repurposed Art Deco beauty would have been.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-74982143130561395292013-02-20T10:11:00.000-05:002013-02-20T10:11:59.699-05:00A two-block shuttle for "urban lifestyle" apartments?<a href="http://trilogynoma.com/trilogy-noma">Trilogy NoMa</a> is a strange apartment complex.<br />
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To start with, the name is ridiculous. The buildings were built in a long-established neighborhood (<a href="http://www.eckingtondc.org/EckingtonHistoryBrochure.pdf">Eckington</a> [PDF], since 1830) that just happened to have some empty lots. The business improvement district (BID) to the south is called NoMa, and it includes a few of the commercially-zoned lots at the southernmost extent of Eckington. The developer decided to use the NoMa name for the complex, most likely because they felt it was a "brand" they could exploit.<br />
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The <a href="http://trilogynoma.com/trilogy-noma/contact">contact page</a> for the complex, though, says these are "Apartments in Chinatown DC - Trilogy at Noma DC Chinatown" at the top of site. Clearly there is some confusion on the part of the ownership regarding where they made their investment. I wonder if they know the city and neighborhood well enough to know where they're actually located.<br />
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What "drove" me to write this post, though is the photo below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEAGXdacT_osScwG6yRhS-no3y_vhs7G6bkDVUwQFBfpUiBox8V-D71msfDGdV-3Ufz_fpWXrgHFjY2nSPhHfOXCM9uN5R9-hbWHqDyfdYQUIyWQyNkSxMmalTV3lTpK34Un_Yinn_qM/s1600/20130213_081826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEAGXdacT_osScwG6yRhS-no3y_vhs7G6bkDVUwQFBfpUiBox8V-D71msfDGdV-3Ufz_fpWXrgHFjY2nSPhHfOXCM9uN5R9-hbWHqDyfdYQUIyWQyNkSxMmalTV3lTpK34Un_Yinn_qM/s320/20130213_081826.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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That contact page touts the Walk Score for the apartment complex - a respectable 71. (Worth noting - the Transit Score is a 72 and the Bike Score is a fantastic 89!) It's questionable if the management really believes in that Walk Score, though, since they have a shuttle van to drive you the two blocks to the Metro station.<br />
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Sure, a shuttle service for handicapped residents might be necessary and a nice service for those who need it. But this van, dropping off passengers at the northern entrance of the NoMa station, wasn't equipped for wheelchair access, and the twenty-somethings disembarking from the van appeared to have no problem walking the few feet from the van to the turnstiles.<br />
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Lazy? Silly? A waste of fuel while the van idles at the curb? All of the above? All of the above.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-74594730402322664802013-02-18T22:04:00.000-05:002013-02-18T22:04:13.031-05:00Open letter to local stone masonsA solid low-stone retaining wall is about to become part of history (probably tomorrow). Do you know any stone masons in DC who could use this material? Let them know as soon as you can! Read on for more...<br />
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Titan of Trinidad <a href="http://www.titanoftrinidad.com/2013/02/photos-of-the-demolition-of-faith-baptist-church/">noted</a> that the church at the corner of 14th and Maryland NE has finally been demolished. This is the first step in the construction of the new "<a href="http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/h_streets_development_the_maia_almost_doubling_in_size/5312">Maia</a>" apartment building that will be built in its place.<br />
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I'm writing about the detritus of the construction project, though. As you can see from these pictures, there are thousands of bricks, many of them already broken into shards, remaining on site. There are many who would gladly take solid, century-old bricks to reuse them for other projects, but I'm afraid that it's probably too late for most of these solid pieces of history. We don't value recycling and reusing in this society to the extent that we should.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdGscuT2T56gWGkZCWauRmzq72JibHwaIWjnkjB6RQ5jI7ofmsE_ikPE2xL6OjdSPL-94itgJ0TbrXzNiZOb3XwyI17uHRpbP2AGgjjGo3Y_pqcNKp0E0FXQENofmYBuTa6pC-kXSToI/s1600/20130217_164310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdGscuT2T56gWGkZCWauRmzq72JibHwaIWjnkjB6RQ5jI7ofmsE_ikPE2xL6OjdSPL-94itgJ0TbrXzNiZOb3XwyI17uHRpbP2AGgjjGo3Y_pqcNKp0E0FXQENofmYBuTa6pC-kXSToI/s320/20130217_164310.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm concerned about this stone retaining wall that encircles much of the property. Surely the demolition crews will be removing it very soon. This is the kind of thing that simply isn't built these days - people use cheap cinder block construction for retaining walls instead.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVDUSVrUrbUSiaeq5qj6zO3o6F7Db1A-YCJBTQIilXEK1qczZV1XPKIMKEiYbicTgNGhU7LO7XU_R1pu550wNf7mYNekQnb3NjjYgLWuS-ILBjoivy-iR28Q5hv0ngED_YFGDAE7O2GA/s1600/20130217_164250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVDUSVrUrbUSiaeq5qj6zO3o6F7Db1A-YCJBTQIilXEK1qczZV1XPKIMKEiYbicTgNGhU7LO7XU_R1pu550wNf7mYNekQnb3NjjYgLWuS-ILBjoivy-iR28Q5hv0ngED_YFGDAE7O2GA/s320/20130217_164250.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWITQO2kg8HlmSen6EGvOr604JmB4BRVC37twUOR5qy_gin6RoIJrggCNEnIcXcR7_pSsIn78ksoTjnN1uR2hhY73W_GGubEtuY4ZZHd3uSAv-fevD9JH5U4hNiMEyBVyeOGsdwScVIKc/s1600/20130217_164219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWITQO2kg8HlmSen6EGvOr604JmB4BRVC37twUOR5qy_gin6RoIJrggCNEnIcXcR7_pSsIn78ksoTjnN1uR2hhY73W_GGubEtuY4ZZHd3uSAv-fevD9JH5U4hNiMEyBVyeOGsdwScVIKc/s320/20130217_164219.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRGpG3kDtQaJfJ6dqOia_kZS8o4GrBXFD_4gEp7LM4KjryMBdHUgGB4URAbiXQ1DcIoBIZFBFf0HfPCA2UbHF7PhxV7VWWz-KLX495OWFDsRgeNtyYYT9B82Mu3d86AxWKwtVJ8j3AWg/s1600/20130217_164304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRGpG3kDtQaJfJ6dqOia_kZS8o4GrBXFD_4gEp7LM4KjryMBdHUgGB4URAbiXQ1DcIoBIZFBFf0HfPCA2UbHF7PhxV7VWWz-KLX495OWFDsRgeNtyYYT9B82Mu3d86AxWKwtVJ8j3AWg/s320/20130217_164304.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There must be a stone mason in the DC area that would be interested in getting their hands on this material. I imagine someone could take this wall apart relatively quickly (certainly not as fast as a backhoe, but let's be realistic here!) and reuse the material elsewhere.<br />
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If you're reading this and you know someone who might fit this description, please pass the story along. I'd love to see some of this material reused instead of becoming backfill for a pit somewhere.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-25186186354609454202012-11-29T10:31:00.000-05:002012-11-29T22:50:50.217-05:00WMATA changing more than just the "rock throwing" bus routes<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=rock+throwing+at+buses+DC">Most DC news outlets</a> have covered the story about WMATA cutting bus service to some streets east of the Anacostia River. The rationale for those cuts are incidences of rocks being thrown at buses. This news coverage has failed to point out that <a href="http://www.wmata.com/community_outreach/B12-03_landing/B12-03_landing.cfm">many other lines in the city are being adjusted or removed altogether</a>. Two of those changes greatly affect my neighborhood, Trinidad. Very little time remains to let WMATA know what you think about these changes.<br />
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The biggest change is the proposed elimination of the D3 line. The D3 currently provides a direct connection from Ivy City, through Trinidad, to downtown, Dupont Circle, and Georgetown. It provides a convenient way to access Metrorail's Green and Yellow lines, by disembarking at 7th and E Streets NW.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0uLXUUn1b3qLomSRxHYYnNtQBYON8d0Lj1f1dK2bL-DACqHNWrABOs7Jv7p6qbWaLk2xKqDNhmIizn7kMWsK1dCEU-asJz64P9mLhY-U6DWX8xHEg4LZaF9rvTsW3CQHnWME1pg4bcM/s1600/d3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0uLXUUn1b3qLomSRxHYYnNtQBYON8d0Lj1f1dK2bL-DACqHNWrABOs7Jv7p6qbWaLk2xKqDNhmIizn7kMWsK1dCEU-asJz64P9mLhY-U6DWX8xHEg4LZaF9rvTsW3CQHnWME1pg4bcM/s320/d3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Metro's rationale for eliminating the D3 is "duplication with other routes" and "low productivity." I cannot find anything quantifying "productivity" on WMATA's website, so I don't know how it is defined. Perhaps one thing causing "low productivity" would be a low farebox recovery rate on the line. I (and others) often note that the fareboxes on the buses are not working - it means a free ride, but that clearly hurts the system financially in the long run. Additionally, I'd guess those free rides aren't counted in the overall ridership totals for the line.<br />
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Other bus routes certainly ply the same streets, but nothing provides a direct connection from our neighborhood to the other side of the central business district in the morning. The D3 buses are usually crowded by the time I board at Montello Avenue and Neal Street. WMATA does not clearly state whether they will increase bus frequency on the other lines that run on Montello Avenue (D4 and D8) to make up for the lost capacity.<br />
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Speaking of the D4, it will be changing as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesJb8UHWLod3OTeZREBnmIVZYNcsKNznslyZRo5SD-JP0p18Gn699gY7e25l83pGLUg8D5qqhw4XRN-m3XmNXkBadTZOUuOYEVkenxEJMa3meoTgIOun4MxruAVezc1JOH8f97bXXKns/s1600/d4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesJb8UHWLod3OTeZREBnmIVZYNcsKNznslyZRo5SD-JP0p18Gn699gY7e25l83pGLUg8D5qqhw4XRN-m3XmNXkBadTZOUuOYEVkenxEJMa3meoTgIOun4MxruAVezc1JOH8f97bXXKns/s320/d4.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
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The D4 route, which currently runs between Ivy City and Franklin Square, will more than double in length when it's extended north from Ivy City to the Fort Totten Metro Station. It will be taking over the easternmost part of the E2, E3, and E4 lines, which currently run from from Friendship Heights through Fort Totten to Ivy City.<br />
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Longer routes can lead to more opportunities for buses to fall off schedule, as well as "bunching," which is when many buses on one route arrive at a stop at once. This can lead to very long waits between buses instead of the expected even spacing.<br />
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Metro originally <a href="http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=5353">announced</a> a hearing for the changes happening in Northeast DC for October 30, but the impact of Hurricane Sandy meant that it was <a href="http://www.wmata.com/community_outreach/B12-03_landing/B12-03_landing.cfm">rescheduled</a> to November 26, the Monday that just passed.<br />
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A heading says "<i>Routes seeing improvements in this bus service change proposal</i>" on the page with the public hearing schedule, but the list does not mention the elimination of the D3. Certainly, one could argue that the elimination of a route is not an improvement, so WMATA was under no obligation to list the removal of the route on that list. I would argue the total elimination of a route is something that should be prominently noted, regardless of whether this is an "improvement" or not.<br />
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An additional problem is that I have seen no signs at the bus stops along the route alerting people to these changes. Certainly people who ride the D3 would be interested to know their bus is going away, and wouldn't the best place to reach those people be on the bus itself?<br />
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There's still time to let WMATA know what you think (though not <i>much</i> time). Written testimony can be emailed or faxed to WMATA, but you must do so by Monday, <strike>November 5</strike> December 3. From WMATA's website:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Written statements and exhibits may be sent to the Office of the
Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, or e-mailed to
<a href="mailto:writtentestimony@wmata.com">writtentestimony@wmata.com</a>. Statements also may be faxed to
202-962-1133. Please reference the hearing number.<b> [Ed. Note: The hearing in NE DC was number 579, and the Docket number for all the proposed changes is B12-03.]</b></i><br />
<i>Submissions must be
received by 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 5 <b>[Ed. Note: From what I understand, the date for submissions was changed due to the hurricane as well, though this press release does not indicate that.]</b>. Please note that any personal
information such as name, e-mail address, address, or telephone number
you provide in the statement may be releasable to the public under the
WMATA Public Access to Records Policy, available at <a href="http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/public_rr.cfm">http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/public_rr.cfm</a>.</i></blockquote>
Let WMATA know what you think about the changes to the D3, D4, or any other route that they plan to change in the new year.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-47048463505442881002012-11-26T11:28:00.000-05:002012-11-26T12:23:25.738-05:00'Urban Pioneers'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsfP0t61jldIkeT9cMl-b4ugJsFRbk1G1tZzsGrLtllROTM8GcmRUKgjVy5RlJT00cl1PcnHWJ6mGS5E_idVsXQ5tlqWqh_NQ-eEhXYM0Uk_vy1jQs1Hq3Lo0NczBB8Onon54GUfOhVY/s1600/20121125_141702_LLS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsfP0t61jldIkeT9cMl-b4ugJsFRbk1G1tZzsGrLtllROTM8GcmRUKgjVy5RlJT00cl1PcnHWJ6mGS5E_idVsXQ5tlqWqh_NQ-eEhXYM0Uk_vy1jQs1Hq3Lo0NczBB8Onon54GUfOhVY/s400/20121125_141702_LLS.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
Can a relatively innocuous real estate sign be tone deaf? Maybe.<br />
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These signs, advertising the <a href="http://flatsatatlas.com/">Flats at Atlas</a> apartments, have been up for months in tree boxes in the blocks surrounding the building at 1600 Maryland Avenue NE.<br />
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A minute looking at the pictures of the faces on their website quickly tells you the people who these apartments are being marketed toward - twentysomething, single, well-to-do folks looking to live where there are a lot of bars and restaurants nearby.<br />
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While the building is located in the Carver Langston neighborhood, across the street from Trinidad, the advertising team chooses to claim the building is in the "H Street NE" neighborhood (and the name of the development obviously evokes the Atlas District).<br />
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Can you blame them? Their target demographic has certainly heard of H Street as a place where they can drink, eat, and have fun. The other two neighborhood names, if anyone has any clue about them, don't necessarily engender the same feelings. The fact, though, is that the building is on the periphery of the H Street commercial district, not right in the heart of it all, as they might like you to believe.<br />
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What bugs me most is the first two words at the top of the sign.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Urban Pioneers."</span><br />
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The term "pioneer" <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pioneer">is defined</a> as <i>a person who is among those who first enter or settle a region, thus opening it for occupation and development by others</i>.<br />
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From a simple reading, one could infer that this apartment building has been built in an empty place, and that's true, from a very narrow point of view. The lot was vacant for years before the Flats went up, though imagine if the very solid Sears and Roebuck building (seen <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kinorama/4412329804/">here</a>) was still there.<br />
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From a broader point-of-view, the area is nowhere near empty. The "pioneers" of this area arrived in the first half of the last century. Most of the buildings on the surrounding blocks were built sometime in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Some of those "pioneers" still live in the area, while many have been replaced by generations of new arrivals, coming in changing waves of class, color, and creed.<br />
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The "Urban Pioneers" branding that the Flats at Atlas has chosen essentially says "Hey, nothing was here before you. This place has no history, there was nothing of importance before YOU moved in." That's myopic, shallow, and simplistic.<br />
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<span dir="ltr" id=":9wf">What's not too late, though, is for those who
live in the new apartments and their neighbors on the surrounding blocks
to get to know each other, despite the marketing team's willful
ignorance of the latter. </span>IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-84920666432274361822012-11-21T11:30:00.000-05:002012-11-21T11:30:23.937-05:00D.C. United's appreciative open letter to fansWe went to my first-ever <a href="http://www.dcunited.com/">D.C. United</a> match on Saturday (it was Jaime's second). While the end result was ultimately unsatisfying (a draw that led to the team being bounced from the playoffs), we had a good time, and hope to attend more matches in the future.<br />
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The team placed an open letter <a href="http://www.dcunited.com/news/2012/11/an-open-letter-from-dc-united">on their website</a>, thanking politicians, fans, businesses, employees, and local organizations for their support this year. I just wanted to share the print version of it from today's <a href="http://www.expressnightout.com/">Express</a> to make sure those who didn't pick up the paper saw it. It shows that print still holds the ability to present things in an elegant and beautiful format that the Internet sometimes cannot match.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybmvmdzay_U3rMbBgVFXQPs6KEZxlTlo-KQc-J5dWYeA1Fm9l_6iwMhbJBYpFQKhrn-IWoehURz3hVj34a9GlHjHtelun4_25fIUy7W6DGqAZaeefV9dLOcNjdxv260KvSy5IG7xgcDA/s1600/EXPRESS_11212012-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybmvmdzay_U3rMbBgVFXQPs6KEZxlTlo-KQc-J5dWYeA1Fm9l_6iwMhbJBYpFQKhrn-IWoehURz3hVj34a9GlHjHtelun4_25fIUy7W6DGqAZaeefV9dLOcNjdxv260KvSy5IG7xgcDA/s400/EXPRESS_11212012-16.jpg" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Vamos United!IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-56590520970900137662012-11-20T12:04:00.000-05:002012-11-20T12:04:03.998-05:00New homes at the corner of Florida and West Virginia AvenuesThis summer, DCRA's Office of the Zoning Administrator <a href="http://dcra.dc.gov/DC/DCRA/About+DCRA/News+Room/Zoning+Determination+Letters/Florida+Ave+and+9th_St+NE+to+Sher+6-13-12">issued a preliminary ruling</a> on a plan for new houses to be built on the piece of land at the southwest corner of Florida and West Virginia Avenues in Near Northeast. Today, the plot includes a pine tree and weeds that tend to get very tall before being occasionally trimmed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9telhOoF9dzIJrlbv8c3WghSu8vPrAdjrs-U8yH_4B6N3wWzrLgjEN6f-Ot-IWvDcUxwuy5oQkEPISYsZTq1pedorMzZ_OERUZx6NhUYW3LhM6lNzZ5Yf7IiTTfwdfnpnHvoQ4fXQktk/s1600/20121120_080638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9telhOoF9dzIJrlbv8c3WghSu8vPrAdjrs-U8yH_4B6N3wWzrLgjEN6f-Ot-IWvDcUxwuy5oQkEPISYsZTq1pedorMzZ_OERUZx6NhUYW3LhM6lNzZ5Yf7IiTTfwdfnpnHvoQ4fXQktk/s320/20121120_080638.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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That hasn't always been the case. Three rowhouses existed here until late in the last decade. Here's an image from DCRA's website, dated August 22, 2004, after the homes had fallen into disrepair.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU2A0ccUK6TrUpOTo5hbCUGKaHQb3qAMC0wix4GaliVLjzK1ZC4QJaMnFQcfICBAYScCqnTYm554E8ouIhvMJ762UX-XUiwTu8ozUx2zaf55OND4xiHv0Fu3FoCvh9ZDf3J3qHne-LdY/s1600/MM092824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU2A0ccUK6TrUpOTo5hbCUGKaHQb3qAMC0wix4GaliVLjzK1ZC4QJaMnFQcfICBAYScCqnTYm554E8ouIhvMJ762UX-XUiwTu8ozUx2zaf55OND4xiHv0Fu3FoCvh9ZDf3J3qHne-LdY/s320/MM092824.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can see where they were located on the block in the aerial image below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWT_TgSpQpcuPrvFq7iUErQbr06A0_f9_OqVP2Wbw8E-Uy8oZNt4BblKPXxufaeZgknaBA5fsebWEskVs5_W6RlDs8jKdyf9Gp9ksY6xYOr9UogXuKk_IcmahvIqs9rEsckXxfBHKIFE/s1600/aerial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWT_TgSpQpcuPrvFq7iUErQbr06A0_f9_OqVP2Wbw8E-Uy8oZNt4BblKPXxufaeZgknaBA5fsebWEskVs5_W6RlDs8jKdyf9Gp9ksY6xYOr9UogXuKk_IcmahvIqs9rEsckXxfBHKIFE/s320/aerial.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's how the 3 lots on the block are currently platted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIW66Ei7q_z4fieqszIUesrL3pjpyUEERu8yIX-sBTm-PRYYnJMAVauIl25YpHyjspHFRx2fYrlwMShqsRj3AFYiVJZqkuQN9u9O0JuR5uYGtA8XjJphA7xo4CUOY4UzwLvg44wjbtLw/s1600/currentlots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIW66Ei7q_z4fieqszIUesrL3pjpyUEERu8yIX-sBTm-PRYYnJMAVauIl25YpHyjspHFRx2fYrlwMShqsRj3AFYiVJZqkuQN9u9O0JuR5uYGtA8XjJphA7xo4CUOY4UzwLvg44wjbtLw/s320/currentlots.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The developer plans to combine the 2 easternmost lots. This is how the proposed buildings would be laid out on the resulting lots. I'm not a fan of the fact that these buildings won't directly address Florida Avenue. Hopefully the small, oddly-shaped front yards will not be an afterthought in this design.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16qYfe0hyphenhyphen3E3ouiwdWE_eDkfCwYsFEMcC3esQKidAcanNM1vfQnnEt7FhJ_FqzIVF7bIiMVCWbTZTcuq_dW3imfwLiUexUvw0qVTpHBCF67Lh6W1d07d8Gzf4NTLzk76TJykM1rfYUm8/s1600/plat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16qYfe0hyphenhyphen3E3ouiwdWE_eDkfCwYsFEMcC3esQKidAcanNM1vfQnnEt7FhJ_FqzIVF7bIiMVCWbTZTcuq_dW3imfwLiUexUvw0qVTpHBCF67Lh6W1d07d8Gzf4NTLzk76TJykM1rfYUm8/s320/plat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's worth noting that the current zoning for these lots calls for at least one parking space per building. DDOT has already let the developer know that they will not allow any curb cuts on the perimeter of this block, so the developer will have to go before the Board of Zoning Adjustment to get a variance. Only if they receive that variance will DCRA issue building permits.<br />
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The variance should be a no-brainer. There is plenty of room for street parking on the surrounding streets, and the lots are a short walk to many bus lines one block south where West Virginia Avenue meets 8th and K Streets.<br />
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Here are the (very preliminary) sketches representing the front, rear, and sides of the proposed buildings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMJ3642nbXFpa5z6A5yuveoioT-BW89iFEu4U0A9ndFvvEYtJjdUKzAh0v2lKE2Ja6uA4veFovMF_9a7HKlsITfyEPzoHOdCgAS17ByQfCw-hlzz1_qme8hV5VqOI993rqmEummLWiVM/s1600/elevation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMJ3642nbXFpa5z6A5yuveoioT-BW89iFEu4U0A9ndFvvEYtJjdUKzAh0v2lKE2Ja6uA4veFovMF_9a7HKlsITfyEPzoHOdCgAS17ByQfCw-hlzz1_qme8hV5VqOI993rqmEummLWiVM/s320/elevation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztz4f4ZkboQ6kIvYvZsNTndYXYZQYsUjmOecsdVsTab-q90e6jZ43PlU_LLF3xChrWFrnqQLJePyQihCAajk8iAZuxR-hZGUApUbzthQAdFiV9PDq7pSDr5XEj0YJW-d6iDfbuwcadrY/s1600/side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztz4f4ZkboQ6kIvYvZsNTndYXYZQYsUjmOecsdVsTab-q90e6jZ43PlU_LLF3xChrWFrnqQLJePyQihCAajk8iAZuxR-hZGUApUbzthQAdFiV9PDq7pSDr5XEj0YJW-d6iDfbuwcadrY/s320/side.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I always thought this would be an interesting candidate for a park, either for people, dogs, or both, but more housing opportunities in a city that sorely needs them is a good thing as well. <br />
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Finally, a big thank you to <a href="https://twitter.com/20002ist">Mark Eckenwiler</a> for pointing me towards these documents!IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-87799852986289582622012-11-19T10:40:00.000-05:002012-11-19T10:40:35.630-05:00Carry-out menu from...the Department of Public Works?Is your supercan's lid, wheels, or lift bar (the metal bar halfway down the front of the can) broken? Get in touch with DPW via the <a href="http://311.dc.gov/">311.dc.gov</a> website ASAP, and you'll get it repaired for free!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwi8g5SsZxb3qv1Dn8ABt-UNZjDLCY9DAtW34cSZ8jGOb88_rU8vFmsQgmMNBqHoIpeTeLXJzxI7ymv96GpcyP2nr-lP5oEufLBKVZYR4AD_imyKd4-f56nak60DQGIPDlaf5iHsShctY/s1600/20121119_084814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwi8g5SsZxb3qv1Dn8ABt-UNZjDLCY9DAtW34cSZ8jGOb88_rU8vFmsQgmMNBqHoIpeTeLXJzxI7ymv96GpcyP2nr-lP5oEufLBKVZYR4AD_imyKd4-f56nak60DQGIPDlaf5iHsShctY/s320/20121119_084814.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The note DPW left at our back gate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Recently, a crack on the lid of our supercan had been growing, and the stress of being rapidly flipped open and closed by DPW workers every week finally caused it to break on the Election Day pickup. The next day, I asked DPW via their <a href="https://twitter.com/DCDPW/">twitter feed</a> who I needed to contact to get the lid repaired.<br />
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A quick response reminded me that it's an option on the 311 website. I went there on November 8 and put in a request for "Supercan - Repair," unsure how long it would take to get a new lid.<br />
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Sometime on November 16, a DPW contractor put a new lid on our supercan and left the card to the right (which says the recycling cart was repaired, but that's not true) stuffed into our rear gate.<br />
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I didn't notice the card until the next morning. From the bedroom window, it looked like a carry-out menu. "Carry-outs are leaving their menus at the front AND back doors of houses now, huh?" I thought. I was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn't the case!<br />
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I left a positive comment for DPW on the <a href="http://grade.dc.gov/">grade.dc.gov</a> website. <br />
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The service was relatively prompt and totally painless. If your supercan (or recycling cart!) needs repair, don't delay. Take advantage of this simple service your tax dollars provide.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-36185494369940649372012-11-16T10:41:00.000-05:002012-11-16T10:51:36.270-05:00"Pretty soon you won't recognize the place" - goneDo you remember the "<a href="http://frozentropics.blogspot.com/2006/07/hill-rag-new-town-capital-cityflorida.html">New Town</a>" project that was pushed by John Ray and Sang Oh Development 6 years ago in the Florida Avenue Market area? It was touted by Vincent Orange during his failed mayoral run that year, but never really got off the ground (thank goodness).<br />
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The last reminder of the project was a sign at the northwest corner of 4th Street and Florida Avenue NE. The vacant U.S. Beef building had been located at that corner, but it was demolished in 2006 and a sign quickly went up promising a large residential building. "Pretty soon you won't recognize the place. Promise," it declared.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/179/471295707_a40f28cc58_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/179/471295707_a40f28cc58_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pretty soon you won't recognize the place</i> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/inked78/471295707/">Inked78</a></td></tr>
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The sign became something of a joke, as its promise stood for 6 years, faded from years of promising something that never came to be.<br />
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Until now? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8K3OT-vHC82_4w23vgcHksBShdV9AB3MqHEOjdcxlbo9PdwQ4X1mD-IydMh1ouQm-yHb2o38iQW5KQq1QuW9Drn80oQWHWh0wQQzVlJuLnWe6LjUtWCxNW9S9TYVhzphmCtjzb70KPc/s1600/20121116_080657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8K3OT-vHC82_4w23vgcHksBShdV9AB3MqHEOjdcxlbo9PdwQ4X1mD-IydMh1ouQm-yHb2o38iQW5KQq1QuW9Drn80oQWHWh0wQQzVlJuLnWe6LjUtWCxNW9S9TYVhzphmCtjzb70KPc/s320/20121116_080657.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This new sign went up yesterday, and <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyTGoodman/">Tony Goodman</a>, the neighborhood commissioner who represents the area across the street, linked to <a href="http://www.macrealtyadvisors.com/gateway-market-and-residences-union-market">this</a> showing the latest proposed building for this space. From the sign, it appears that <a href="http://www.edens.com/">EDENS</a> has teamed up with <a href="http://sodllc.com/">Sang Oh Development</a> for a project related to the new <a href="http://unionmarketdc.com/">Union Market</a>.<br />
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Is it possible that we really might not recognize the place this time? Until shovel hits dirt, I'll remain skeptical. But the area is certainly on local developers' radar in a way it wasn't 6 years ago.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-59550160551659908342012-11-15T12:40:00.000-05:002012-12-04T17:46:19.104-05:00Friends of the Woodridge Library Book Sale this Saturday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNcAkynNPNih3IEihp8AA5Ii6QUZc0zxXmk0CfJm4p-NKhjOlYjGBai4hpm50igk93JunWJbn3dj_j-fOU8qqyasAmI9sjyIa0nxgdKI8VOF1fofj6rrnvNt5Gae9W-hiqlZGRUwNrqE/s1600/FWL+Used+Book+Sale+November+17,+2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNcAkynNPNih3IEihp8AA5Ii6QUZc0zxXmk0CfJm4p-NKhjOlYjGBai4hpm50igk93JunWJbn3dj_j-fOU8qqyasAmI9sjyIa0nxgdKI8VOF1fofj6rrnvNt5Gae9W-hiqlZGRUwNrqE/s400/FWL+Used+Book+Sale+November+17,+2012.JPG" width="355" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.dclibraryfriends.org/woodridge/">Friends of the Woodridge Library</a> is having its fall used book sale this Saturday, November 17, from 9:30 am until 4:00 pm, at the library (located at the corner of 18th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NE).<br />
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Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit organization, which in turn supports the branch library's programming.<br />
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This is possibly the last FWL book sale before the current branch closes and an interim building is set up to make way for the new Woodridge Library. You can keep up with the details of the transition, and provide your feedback, on <a href="http://woodridgedclibrary.wordpress.com/">the project's site</a>. A heads-up, the <a href="http://woodridgedclibrary.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/date-set-for-next-community-meeting/">next community meeting</a> is coming up on <strike>December 3</strike> January 7, 2013, 6:00 pm, at the library.<br />
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Hope you'll come out, find a deal or three on some books, and support a great cause - see you there!jaimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02066196339503671651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-28716950478890905492012-11-14T10:18:00.000-05:002012-11-14T10:18:08.475-05:00A new neighborhood just appeared in DC - Bloomingdale!Check out this full-page advertisement from the current issue of the <i><a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/">Washington City Paper</a></i>:<br />
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It turns out Bloomingdale is a new neighborhood! Not sure exactly when it came into being, but for the sake of argument, let's assume it's happened in the last year or two.<br />
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I'm looking forward to checking this new neighborhood out! Wonder what was there before the hot new Bloomingdale neighborhood appeared? It would be neat if someone could dig up that history. Maybe it was a corn field back in the 1980s? It must have been platted some time in the 1990s, with construction beginning at the dawn of the current millennium. Great to hear that DC continues to grow!<br />
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Now, in all honesty, this is just another example of people in one part of the city "discovering" a part of town that simply wasn't on their radar. DC's neighborhoods, from North Portal Estates to Bellevue, from the Palisades to Capitol View, have all been there for years, but some just don't have the recognition of a Dupont Circle or a Capitol Hill. Eventually, the "gentrification wave" washes over them, though, and suddenly a neighborhood becomes a "hot, new" place. Get ready for it, Deanwood. You don't <i>really</i> exist right now, but someday, you'll become hip and cool, and someone will declare you "new."IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-1508651313869628772012-11-13T10:35:00.000-05:002012-11-13T11:05:11.430-05:00First step for the Post Metro section - report local election resultsThis weekend, Patrick B. Pexton, the <i>Washington Post</i>'s ombudsman, wrote an article lamenting his paper's coverage of local news [<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-post-forgets-to-be-local/2012/11/09/5fe7c4a2-2a89-11e2-b4e0-346287b7e56c_story.html">The Post forgets to be local</a>]. In it, he states that the complaint he hears most is that "The paper is so thin" and that the Metro section could use some more heft.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEOhgwBTAfmWNufr54EE0a7EuAA7mn8ndNuKysHsIGu14kW1tFnA6SvAq1xEQvpXfGeqr8k0UPJbVaqwv0bnR2g474BZcBnDAbehiGRG0xW17I8NWJ83ShUfF74nXOSg-9a7hqzX0dD8/s1600/Ward5+2013+ANCs+and+SMDs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEOhgwBTAfmWNufr54EE0a7EuAA7mn8ndNuKysHsIGu14kW1tFnA6SvAq1xEQvpXfGeqr8k0UPJbVaqwv0bnR2g474BZcBnDAbehiGRG0xW17I8NWJ83ShUfF74nXOSg-9a7hqzX0dD8/s400/Ward5+2013+ANCs+and+SMDs.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Ward 5 from ancdc.us</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I recommend the following as a start: actually report the election results for the representatives most closely tied to the people in the city that the paper calls its home: the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners.<br />
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To the best of my knowledge, these results have not been published by a single print medium in DC (to this point). If you want them, you need to go to the Board of Election's <a href="http://www.voteresults.org/default1112.asp">results page</a>. This is fantastic if you have internet access, but much of the city's population does not, and gets its news from the daily paper and evening television news, just like we all did two decades ago. Elderly neighbors and people who don't obsessively check local blogs need a place to find this information that's accessible to them.<br />
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This wouldn't need to be a flashy story, and it certainly wouldn't need a novel infographic. Just a simple map for each ward, like the one above, along with a list of each candidate and the results.<br />
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Simple. Informative. Necessary (information is the lifeblood of a functioning democracy). And the best part: NO ONE ELSE HAS DONE IT. The <i>Post</i> can take the lead here.<br />
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To be certain, it would be a week late, so perhaps it doesn't qualify as <i>news</i> anymore, but it would be a service to residents whom the <i>Washington Post</i> and its ombudsman yearn to serve. The new commissioners don't take office until after the first of the year, so this would still give residents time to familiarize themselves with their new representatives.<br />
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What do you say, Mr. Pexton? See what you can do about getting this feature in the paper. It might add two pages to a thin Metro section.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-20098401536451779132012-11-07T10:35:00.000-05:002012-11-07T10:35:52.398-05:00Art Enables Saturday Workshop<div class="p1">
We're always happy to spread the word about events at <a href="http://art-enables.org/">Art Enables</a>, one of our favorite places in Woodridge, DC, on Rhode Island Avenue NE. This weekend, check our their latest art workshop.</div>
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From their release:</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Please join Art Enables for the first in a series of Second Saturday workshops</b></span></i></div>
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<i><b>Saturday, November 10th from 1 to 3 pm* <span class="s1">A wired workshop</span></b></i></div>
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<i>Come make artwork from wire and create lines that take
on a life of their own as 2D objects expand to the 3rd dimension. We’ll
provide basic materials, instruction, and guidance as long as you bring
the inspiration.</i></div>
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<i>Second Saturday workshops are designed to increase
community engagement and provide everyone a chance to participate in a
variety of the creative processes and bring more art into their lives.
Come tour the studio and make some art!</i></div>
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<i><b><span class="s1">*</span>Free - reservations are required so we have enough materials. </b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfulEK9aZdOzUPGFEqIFZp81Ss1tKDr_wsJ8dibNUI8c5y7_KKE9mW_a6ctuQHQ-TrjS-wLtG4dqOtl9ITMQtZsjcGRBZOw0wNsy5NQON0GPDsnHJcA0YMEnzwX6xZ-3niRUUYeFWiJE/s1600/Wired+Workshop+-+v3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfulEK9aZdOzUPGFEqIFZp81Ss1tKDr_wsJ8dibNUI8c5y7_KKE9mW_a6ctuQHQ-TrjS-wLtG4dqOtl9ITMQtZsjcGRBZOw0wNsy5NQON0GPDsnHJcA0YMEnzwX6xZ-3niRUUYeFWiJE/s640/Wired+Workshop+-+v3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Please RSVP to events@art-enables.org</b></i></div>
IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-82788418064829884732012-09-19T15:33:00.000-04:002012-09-19T15:33:08.586-04:00This Saturday - the first FoRIA Fall Fest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeosypyq2ygpcd26vDHIbQwOdCb2mzEDGNUcf1pMzZUQhdUGAGq7BK8zREYRXnY_01S91tJKBS6VAYR5v-q9Y_zayWU65btkYYguA0N_gVs7QPlzwNOOFzSRtCvhuaf8HtS3mm2i_GzY/s1600/FallFest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeosypyq2ygpcd26vDHIbQwOdCb2mzEDGNUcf1pMzZUQhdUGAGq7BK8zREYRXnY_01S91tJKBS6VAYR5v-q9Y_zayWU65btkYYguA0N_gVs7QPlzwNOOFzSRtCvhuaf8HtS3mm2i_GzY/s640/FallFest.jpg" width="387" /></a></div>
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Different commercial districts around the city have had fall festivals for years, taking advantage of what is usually good weather to invite people from around the city and the region to see the great things available in those neighborhoods. <a href="http://www.adamsmorgandayfestivaldc.com/">Adams Morgan Day</a> has been the granddaddy of these festivals for some time now, but thanks to increased buzz (and a lot more space to work with), the <a href="http://hstreet.org/events/festival/">H Street Festival</a> is quickly becoming one of the bigger ones in the city.<br />
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Thankfully, another festival is being added to the mix. A stretch of Rhode Island Avenue NE that runs through Woodridge will be hosing the first Friends of Rhode Island Avenue (FoRIA) Fall Fest this <b>Saturday</b>, September 22, from <b>noon</b> <b>to</b> <b>4 p.m.</b><br />
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"Downtown" Woodridge is an underutilized, under-appreciated, and under-capitalized diamond-in-the-rough. It has the bones that are required for a great commercial strip - tree-lined wide sidewalks, nearly continuous commercial frontage, lots of people within walking distance, and the proposed return of a streetcar line will give it the premium transportation that it needs to shine.<br />
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If you haven't been to Woodridge lately, head over there on Saturday and check it out, and <a href="http://www.friendsofria.org/">consider joining FoRIA</a> (it's free!) and lending a hand to their great momentum.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529184728607075662.post-66765557224562141782012-07-31T10:46:00.000-04:002012-07-31T10:46:29.297-04:00Northern charm and Southern efficiency?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqHb-rgKIDVmsoNQGsREVJrpJAe7DI4-Bur27GSXizxKE2KDigvQ1VX3_99UT0SGyX5wJ_73cTOKdgf4RU6Q3cwwGKHJJWAJITdjIWMQVr5tEtm8xhJjZY-HDZYpfI6SZRnLZu3WCs3s/s1600/DC-DMV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqHb-rgKIDVmsoNQGsREVJrpJAe7DI4-Bur27GSXizxKE2KDigvQ1VX3_99UT0SGyX5wJ_73cTOKdgf4RU6Q3cwwGKHJJWAJITdjIWMQVr5tEtm8xhJjZY-HDZYpfI6SZRnLZu3WCs3s/s200/DC-DMV.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Here's a quick story about how, even though city services in DC are so much better than in the bad old days, there still is much to be desired...<br />
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I found a license plate from a car in our front yard one morning. I sent a tweet to the DMV, asking what I should do with it. They told me to mail it to the Southwest Service Center. Unfortunately, I didn't have an envelope big enough to do so at the time, so I left the plate next to the mail pile in our entryway, planning to take it to the DMV personally when I got a chance.<br />
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That chance came yesterday. After biking to Dupont Circle for a haircut and Foggy Bottom for a appointment with my doctor, I headed down to Southwest to give the plate to the DMV in hopes they could reunite it with its rightful owner.<br />
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Since I don't have a car anymore, I've stopped paying attention to when DMV offices are actually open. I didn't realize all locations are closed on Mondays. When I arrived at 95 M Street SW, a few women were talking with the security guard who had come outside to give them directions about when and where else they could conduct their business.<br />
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Thinking I might have a chance at simply leaving the license plate with the guard, I told her my story and asked if she could give it to someone when they came in the next day. She quickly responded, "I don't want to be responsible for that. You take it to the police next door."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpjOKOEg0RZgzp0TkVjpGQ5ZXNpVEfbwYWB7aXqfgZn-6MFEr72HYWEBhzASO3YYBbVLLyRBP7TykUy_woRRIGJpPkhIZ8OPLDIRqeKfs4B59xc5YuP0g5eO5r5d_l36gJtQajPjpgZc/s1600/MPD+Badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpjOKOEg0RZgzp0TkVjpGQ5ZXNpVEfbwYWB7aXqfgZn-6MFEr72HYWEBhzASO3YYBbVLLyRBP7TykUy_woRRIGJpPkhIZ8OPLDIRqeKfs4B59xc5YuP0g5eO5r5d_l36gJtQajPjpgZc/s200/MPD+Badge.jpg" width="194" /></a>Disappointed that this was going to be more than a simple transaction on my part, I trudged over to the police station I had walked past moments earlier. After opening the door, I realized I had to walk through a metal detector. I thought about the small saw blade that I often carry with me (handy for taking down illegal signs on lampposts and doing a little illicit tree pruning where kids have torn branches from our young street trees), and then I realized that I had a metal license plate in my hand, so there was no way I could avoid setting off some alarm.<br />
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Boldly striding through the arch, I was greeted with a loud beep that caught the attention of a woman behind a desk about 40 feet away. She mumbled something in my direction, but I couldn't hear her over the rumble of an air-conditioner. After letting her know <i>twice</i> that couldn't hear her, she finally got out of her seat and came over to the front desk. I briefly explained the situation, and told her that the DMV guard recommended I bring the plate to the police.<br />
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After looking at me quizzically, she turned around to grab a piece of paper and asked for my name, phone number, address, and date and time I found the plate. I couldn't remember the date exactly, but let her know it was some time ago. She asked why I didn't return the plate immediately, and I let her know that I was busy and it hadn't been a priority. "This was my first chance to go to the DMV, and that's why I'm here now," I replied.<br />
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The woman (who did not appear to be an officer, as she was not in uniform), took the plate and walked past her desk to a cubicle located behind hers. A uniformed officer emerged, and after a brief discussion, they both came back up to the front counter.<br />
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The officer told me to take the plate back over to the DMV. I reminded him that they're closed on Mondays, and he replied that I should go back tomorrow. When I told him that I did not have time to do so later, he shrugged, handed the license plate back to me, and walked away.<br />
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At that point, I strongly considered just pitching it in the garbage can and walking out of the building. Thinking better (I really didn't want to provoke the kind of reaction that would get me jailed for some stupid reason), I put the plate back in my bag, laughed, and walked out of the building.<br />
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Anyone want a DC license plate? Maybe you could try to find its owner. I gave it a shot, I failed, and I'm ready for someone else to take a turn.IMGophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.com8