The DC flag. Photo by María Helena Carey, via Instagram.
We periodically share updates from your ANC commissioners, only lightly edited for clarity. Although these are most pertinent to the particular single member districts (SMDs) each commissioner represents, we feel the information shared can be of interest to the whole Capitol Hill community.
Are you an ANC commissioner who shares regular updates? Add thehillishome@gmail.com to your distribution list– María Helena Carey
From Scott Price (ANC 6C03)
Thanks to the efforts of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, the Commissioners of ANC6C and many others, DC’s Department of Transportation has decided to install 3000 lights along Massachusetts Avenue instead of 4000 lights that were originally planned when the current lighting fixtures are replaced along Mass Ave southeast of Stanton Park [N.B. East of 6th Street NE– MHC]. As noted earlier, this work will almost double the number of street lights. Work might begin before August.
Applications for $25K grants to improve historic homes are due by July 5. The residents of the ANC district I represent (ANC6C03) as well as the residents of ANC6C01, 02 and 04 are eligible to apply for these grants. The application can be obtained at http://planning.dc.gov/node/590782. More information about the program is at http://planning.dc.gov/service/apply-historic-homeowner-grant
New metro fares and schedules begin on Sunday, June 25. More information is at https://wmata.com/service/status/details/june-25-changes.cfm
From Denise Krepp (ANC 6B10)
Soumya Dey (DDOT) will be briefing Hill East neighbors on traffic calming measures that can be added to our streets to slow down commuters and others who view Hill East as a race track.
The briefing will be on Wednesday, June 28th at 7 p.m. at St. Coletta of Greater Washington (1900 Independence Ave, SE).
Everyone is welcome to attend.
Green Field Community Garden
The Green Field Community Garden (located in the alley between Independence Ave, 17th St, Massachusetts Ave, and 16th St SE, SE) is seeking donations. Information about the garden can be found by emailing GreenFieldCommunityGardenSE@gmail.com.
7-Eleven
7-Eleven has volunteered to work with neighbors to create a monthly trash clean-up day. Tentatively scheduled for the first Saturday of each month. I’m looking for volunteers to help set up this program. Please let me know if you’d like to assist.
DC Pole Vault
If you or someone you know would like to learn how to pole vault, please Perry Smith (perry@avalonleadership.com). He’s opened a new pole vault center at 2201 East Capitol Street NE DC (NW corner of 22nd and East Capitol).
Description – Outdoor Pole Vault Training Center located on East Capitol street near the RFK Stadium. Used for training entry level through elite athletes, youth through adult, in group and private settings.Description – Outdoor Pole Vault Training Center located on East Capitol street near the RFK Stadium. Used for training entry level through elite athletes, youth through adult, in group and private settings.
From Kirsten Oldenburg (ANC 6B04)
PENN11 DEVELOPMENT
This project–more commonly known as Frager’s–got underway in May in the 1100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. I have set up a “construction progress” article on my blog where I will post photos and some info from time to time. For the benefit of the neighborhood and whom ever is interested, I also set up a Google Group Penn11Fragers where all can discuss what’s going on, good and bad. I expect to hear about contractor employee parking in the immediate neighborhood, truck traffic, and noise. If you want to refresh your memory of what’s being built, go here to find the historic preservation review concept plans of last year.
PEPCO DIGS ON PA AVE
A few weeks ago, Pepco resumed work upgrading the electric grid to bring additional power to the eastern portion of SE Capitol Hill. Lately, the work has been along E Street and at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 11th Street SE, causing intersection backups all day long. Next week, Pepco plans to dig a trough along the 1100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, in front of the Penn11/Fragers development, and onto 12th Street. I have already called Pepco once about securing the steel plates so they don’t rattle all night long as traffic passes over them. Let me know if I need to remind them again.
ANC6B JUNE 13 MEETING SUMMARY
Chaired by 6B Vice Chair Diane Hoskins, the meeting flowed fairly well but did get bogged down in rodent issues. These arose first during the Q&A after the presentation by Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) Director Fred Mossally. Otherwise, Director Mossally spoke clarified the agency’s mediation services. He also alerted the ANC to the fact that all Class B licenses (stores that sell alcohol beverages) will go through a license renewal process this Fall and liquor store licenses will be renewed in Spring 2018.
Two ABRA licenses (Lola’s and Hawk ‘n Dove), 1 historic preservation case, 1 alley naming, and 1 zoning case were on the consent agenda and were approved by a unanimous vote. On the regular agenda: a change in the Ugly Mug license was discussed and received a unanimous vote as did the ANC’s Large Track Review comments on the Safeway project, and a public space application for the paving of the alley between 7th and 8th Streets SE next to the Hine apartment building. A zoning relief request for 119 7th Street SE barely scraped through on a 3-1-4 vote. There were two votes on a renovation project for 1108 South Carolina Avenue SE. The historic preservation application got a 7-1-0 vote in support while the zoning relief case was supported with a 5-0-3 vote. Both of these cases (in my SMD) were somewhat controversial. The renovation involves changes to the front facade, usually unacceptable in a historic district but there was uncertainty about whether an existing porch was an original feature. On the zoning case, some neighbors were concerned about a reduction in light from a rear addition. The shade study showed minimal impacts.
Finally, the ANC’s letter to DDOT on the Pennsylvania and Potomac Avenues Intersection Improvement Project Environmental Assessment was approved on a 6-1-0 vote after several amendments. This letter is now posted here. Scroll down to “Notes & links to Documents” section.
Next ANC 6B meeting is Tuesday, July 11, and then there is no meeting in August. Whew.
818 POTOMAC AVENUE SE APARTMENT DESIGN REVIEW
This development has two parts: renovation of the existing apartment building at 816 Potomac and construction of a new building around the corner of 9th and Potomac Avenue SE on the site of a parking lot. Renovation of the existing building starts soon. The design of the new building will be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Review Board in July. ANC 6B will conduct its review at the Planning & Zoning Committee meeting on Wednesday July 5, and vote its position at its monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 11. All these meetings are open to the public.
BTW, the existing building will have 19 units with parking for 7 vehicles on lot abutting on its west side. Plans are still being tweaked but the new building will have about 49 units with underground parking for a similar number of vehicles. Construction won’t begin until mid-2018.
STATUS OF 11TH AND 8TH STREETS
CSX has opened up all lanes on 11th just north of M Street SE. This configuration is its final (post Virginia Avenue Tunnel project) status. I noticed the other day, however, more work needs to be completed for pedestrians/bicyclists who pass through this area. At 8th Street & Virginia Avenue, the roadway is now in its intermediate configuration (i.e., until the final restoration at the end of the project). That “end” is still expected to be mid 2018. Final restoration of Virginia Avenue and Virginia Avenue Park are slated to begin Winter 2017/18.
1013/1015 E STREET SE PROJECT
This project was completed a month or two ago Congressional Capital converted two single family dwellings into apartment units. Each building has 5 units; a mix of studios and one bedrooms. All five units in 1015 E Street have been rented. When I toured 1013 last week, four units were still available. At the time of its initial review, the project was quite controversial. Issues included parking, air/light blocking residents on 11th Street SE, and its contribution to the increasing density of the CH population. The air/light issue was mitigated by moving the placement of the addition to 1015. During my tour I asked Brian Athey, the owner, how many of the new tenants have automobiles. The answer was none despite the availability of onsite parking pads in the rear.
PSA 107 MEETING: Thu July 6
I met with MPD 1D Commander Kane last week. Among the things we discussed were PSA meetings. Commander Kane considers these monthly meetings with residents to be important. But, she recognizes that many never attend them. Because she sees MPD/resident interaction important, Kane and I devised a trial meeting style for July: a Walking PSA Meeting. Plan is that she will determine an area of the PSA that is significant in some crime aspect and all of us with walk through this area with MPD discussing as we walk. At this point, the meeting will start off at the SE Library but that might change if the focus area is further north.
Commander Kane showed me her data on thefts and thefts from auto, which are on the increase in 1D. While I don’t know the details of what is being stolen, I figure that anything not tied down is liable to be taken. And, just this week, I proved my point. Someone lifted the empty basket off my bike and walked away with it. Fortunately, the bike was locked to the fence. [The day after the theft, I received delivery of a standard metal bike rack I had ordered for installation in my back yard.]