Capitol Hill Restoration Society NEWS www.chrs.org September 2006 NCPC Planners to Address CHRS September 26 by Barbara Eck
avid Zaidain and Elizabeth DMiller, planners with the National Capital Planning Commission, will present two proj- ects related to the city’s monumen- tal core and the Capitol Hill neigh- borhood at a CHRS Community Forum on September 26th, at 7:30 pm in St. Peter’s Church Hall, 2nd and C Streets, SE. Mr. Zaidain will present the project relating to redevelopment of the RFK site. NCPC held a public meeting in July that focused on the RFK Stadium Site Redevelopment Study. More than 70 residents attended the meeting and contrib- uted comments and suggestions. The study covers future land use The RFK Stadium Site opportunities for this federally- Redevelopment Study is examining owned site in the context of the potential future uses for the 190 NCPC “Extending the Legacy” acres of federal land and is part of vision plan. An overview of the RFK the National Capitol Framework project and a summary of the com- Stadium Plan. "By creating new destina- ments received at the public meet- Site tions and improving connections ing can be found at www.ncpc. to and from nearby areas, the gov/planning_init/RFK/RFK.html. Framework Plan aims to provide Ms. Miller will introduce the accessible, inviting and attractive National Capital Framework Plan, places for public commemora- a new initiative that will address tion, participation and celebration plans to develop monument sites beyond the National Mall." around and beyond the National Top photo: David Holmes Mall, which continues to be the monument site of choice in spite of oped as a cultural destination for Everyone is invited to enjoy limited space. She will also discuss future generations. refreshments and socializing at 7:00 improvement of visitor services Plan to attend. Bring your pm, followed by a brief business and the quality of life for residents friends and neighbors AND your meeting and our two speakers. and workers as the city is devel- questions and comments. President’s Column: Vote! by Dick Wolf Ever since L’Enfant, planning has including a new 11th Street Bridge. been the determiner for the shape, How will the election affect these his is a most important time for look, and feel of Washington DC. issues? TCHRS. The issues that are at the Will it continue to be so? CHRS has been a leader among heart of our organization—plan- Among the issues affecting DC civic groups in advocating for a ning, zoning, historic preservation, Capitol Hill and CHRS are the local planning commission, remov- the protection and enhancement of Dreyfus condo development; al of the Office of Planning as a our neighborhood—are also central the Appletree charter school; subordinate agency to economic concerns in this month’s elections. the former Medlink Hospital; development, better appointments There is a new Comprehensive Plan for DC before the Council now which will affect the shape and A new Mayor, a new Council Chair, and a new council- nature of our community for many member for Ward 6 will all be critical in determining… years to come. It will drive a com- prehensive overhaul of our 1958 a revitalized preservation office; better appointments zoning code, and will also deter- to our land use regulatory bodies; and whether or not mine the importance of historic preservation in the development we will get—as almost every other city in the country of the city. has—our own planning commission. Land use is a central politi- cal issue in every state and local government in the United States. Congressional security actions; the to the Zoning Commission and the It is particularly important in the development plans of the Anacostia Board of Zoning Adjustment, and District, which is both the national Waterfront Corporation; the devel- improved assistance to neighbor- capital and a local government. opment of Reservation 13; water- hoods from the Office of Planning. Because of this dual governance, front planning for the area between In particular, a new Mayor, a new our local government is responsible Reservation 13 and Benning Road; Council Chair, and a new coun- only for a city of 39 square miles: expansion of the Historic District cilmember for Ward 6 will all be tiny, dense, filled with historic both north and east; planning for critical in determining the content buildings and homes, diverse, and Pennsylvania Avenue SE between of a Comprehensive Plan and the experiencing the greatest develop- 13th Street and Barney Circle; and means of its implementation; a ment boom since the Civil War. all the new transportation plans, revitalized preservation office; bet- ter appointments to our land use regulatory bodies; and whether or not we will get—as almost every Citizen Groups Urge Delay in other city in the country has—our own planning commission, Consideration of Comprehensive Plan which will have among its tasks the implementation of the new HRS has recently been all of the city’s needs for devel- Comprehensive Plan. Cjoined by the Federation of opment, neighborhoods, and Members of CHRS need to Citizens Associations of D.C. social welfare initiatives much determine where the candidates and the Committee of 100 on more contentious and divisive are on these issues. A number of the Federal City in a request than it is already. As the let- candidates for the seats mentioned to delay formal consideration ter explains, this proposed have expressed support for our ini- of the Comprehensive Plan new plan requires much work tiatives, and some have been either bill recently forwarded to the before it can properly serve the vague or lukewarm. Your partici- Council by the Mayor. As will needs of this city. (Dick Wolf is pation in this election is important be noted in the letter and the a trustee of the Committee of because whoever we elect will have accompanying list of problems 100 and served on the informal real consequences for Capitol Hill on pages 10 and 11, the Plan committee that drafted the let- as well as the rest of the city. So is a deeply flawed proposal. It ter. CHRS is a member of the vote on September 12th! will make the work of fitting Federation.)
• CHRS News September 2006 Capitol Hill Restoration Fall Preservation Café Line-Up Society (CHRS) by Nancy Metzger will have an opportunity to ask Board of Directors: questions and make comments in President...... Dick Wolf eading off this fall’s season of an informal setting. Afterwards, 1st Vice President. . . . .Barbara Eck LPreservation Cafés will be a spe- of course, there will be a chance to 2nd Vice President. . . .Gary Peterson cial look at “Barracks Row Below relax with friends over a plate of Treasurer...... Mike Canning the Freeway” on Wednesday, Trattoria’s wonderful pasta. Secretary...... Mary Withum September 20, from 6:30—7:15 pm The October 18 Preservation Past President...... Rob Nevitt at Trattoria Alberto, 506 8th Street, Café will feature a presentation At Large ...... Tom Grahame SE (upstairs room). This slide-show by John Deatrick and the DC At Large...... Donna Hanousek tour will focus on one of the most Department of Transportation on At Large...... Elizabeth Nelson historic areas of the Hill—and one the city’s Historic Streets and Alleys At Large...... Monte Edwards that everyone expects will be the program. Capitol Hill can claim COMMITTEE CHAIRS: site of much new construction in some very special alleys—residen- Paul Cromwell, Budget the coming years. Bill McLeod, tial alleys with historic houses from Dick Wolf, City Planning executive director of Barracks Row the 1880s and 1890s, alleys paved Amanda Molson, Communications Main Street, will be highlight- with cobblestone, and many with Barbara Eck, Community Development ing some of the renovations and red and yellow brick paving. Some Beth Purcell, Environment new ventures that have occurred of our alleys have been repaved Larry Pearl, Grants since these blocks were incorpo- under this DDOT program— Nancy Metzger, Historic Preservation rated into the Capitol Hill Historic Gessford Court and Brown’s Court, Ann Richards, House and Garden Tour District five years ago. Nancy for example. Residents will have an Elizabeth Nelson, Membership Metzger, chair of CHRS’s Historic opportunity to ask DDOT represen- Tom Grahame, Transportation Preservation Committee, will tatives about the program. Gary Peterson, Zoning add commentary on the historic On November 15, Robert NEWS: resources of the area—the buildings Sonderman, an archaeologist with David Holmes, Larry Janezich, Jane that provide the framework for new the National Park Service and a Ruyle, Allison Lewis, Editors construction that will fill many of Capitol Hill resident, will be spot- Roxanne Walker, design and layout the now-empty lots. lighting the archaeological finds of WEBSITE: This Preservation Café will Capitol Hill, particularly the Indian Martha Huizenga, DC Access, give residents a chance to take a artifacts collected near Barney Webmaster close look at a historic area just Circle. There will also be an oppor- before changes begin, learn about tunity for residents to have bits of OFFICE MANAGER: its past, and understand what pottery, glass, and other mysteri- Jeff Fletcher Barracks Row Main Street hopes ous lumps dug up in the gardens To contact any of the above, please will be here in the future. And, as of Capitol Hill identified by this contact the Society offices by calling 202-543-0425 or sending email to at all Preservation Cafés, attendees expert. [email protected]. www.chrs.org
Celebrating our fiftieth year helping Welcome CHRS Supporters to preserve and protect Capitol Hill’s We thank the following new members, patrons, and sponsors. residential character, the Society is now the largest civic association on Capitol NEW MEMBERS Michael Conly & SPONSORS Hill, and one of the largest in the entire Michael & Margot Green Mark Krikstan Gary & Mary Ellen Abrecht District of Columbia. From the begin- Richard & Alice Greene Harold & Louise Engle Bill Crews & Steve Kehoe ning, the Society has played a key role in maintaining the diverse, residential Steven & Penny Hix Peter Eveleth James Duley character of our neighborhood. With Jonathan Paret Brian & Charlotte Furness Barry & Sandra Harrelson your participation we will continue to do Austin & Megan Smith Jeannine Jacokes & David & Shauna Holmes so for many years to come. Dave Powell Robert & Ida May Manter PATRONS Lawrence & Patricia Start or Renew a CHRS Membership Robert & Maria McCulloch Hank Brothers & Molumby On the Web at www.CHRS.org Larry Pearl & Cathy Landry Angela Simmons Call 202-543-0425 and choose option 2 Anne Womeldorf Nir Buras Mike Singer Pick up a form at one of our meetings Lyle Schauer Jill Center & Ritch Tindall & Starting at just $25 per year for a single Phyllis Jane Young Steven Peil Michael Piziali membership, it’s a great deal. Susan vanden Toorn
CHRS News September 2006 • Surprises in DDOT Bridge and Road Proposals by Thomas Grahame 3. Do not increase the footprint of site is: www.11thstreetbridgeseis. the 11th Street Bridges in any com/. bevy of new transporta- new construction. When CHRS and other local tion projects that will affect groups were invited to initial com- A 4. Do not destroy parkland; Capitol Hill are now approaching munity meetings on this project, instead restore it for the use of important decision points. Chief we were told that among the the community as bicycle- and among these are the proposed 11th major benefits of establishing a pedestrian-friendly parkland, Street Bridges upgrades and the freeway connection between I-395 rather than as new commuter Kenilworth Avenue corridor proj- and Kenilworth Avenue/I-295 roads. ect, which despite its location on northbound would be a reduc- the east side of the Anacostia con- 5. Consider the impacts of all the tion in the “cut through” traffic tains plans which will determine projects together (no segmenta- that causes the Sousa Bridge to be how Capitol Hill enjoys incipient tion of transportation studies of so congested. This is traffic that new parkland on the west bank adjoining areas). takes the Sousa Bridge westbound of the river. Another such project in the morning and connects to is the Capitol Hill Transportation Here is a review of recent transpor- I-395 at Barney Circle, and vice Study, due this fall. The Anacostia tation-related proposals. versa in the afternoon rush hour. Waterfront Transportation Master Alternatively, some of this traffic Plan is in the mix as well. 11th St. Bridges Draft uses 17th and 19th Streets to con- The position of CHRS on the nect with Independence Avenue. many transportation proposals— Environmental Impact Community groups generally favor proposals that interact but are pre- Statement (EIS) removal of traffic from the Sousa sented separately— has consistently Bridge and Pennsylvania Avenue DDOT presented its draft EIS at a emphasized the following points: and local streets, which led several community meeting in late July for local groups, including CHRS, to 1. Remove traffic from local the 11th Street Bridges project. This endorse the proposed connection. streets via alternative routing. project, to a degree, is a follow-on The final MAC study (sum- to the Middle Anacostia Crossings 2. Connect I-395 and I-295 via a mer 2005) reinforced the benefits (MAC) study, which was finalized new northbound connection to that had been suggested by DDOT, in the summer of 2005. Comments I-295 at 11th Street. showing substantial reductions were due August 28. The EIS web- in Pennsylvania Avenue traffic in 2030. The 2005 MAC study pro- posed several alternatives, but, notably, none of them increased the total number of traffic lanes cross- ing the Anacostia at 11th Street. However, the Draft EIS con- tains several substantial surprises to community groups. Three major ones are: 1. At best, there will be no reduc- tions in Sousa Bridge and/or Pennsylvania Avenue traf- fic in 2030 from 2004 levels with the “build” alternatives as presented. DDOT explains that between the MAC study and the draft EIS, a new set of regional economic projec- tions became available for use in their models, which wiped Existing Proposed out the earlier projected traffic Existing and proposed road and bridge design at the Southeast Freeway Interchange reductions. just east of the Navy Yard, as part of the 11th Street Bridges Draft EIS. DDOT Proposals continued on page 5
• CHRS News September 2006 Making The Bus Fly recent Washington deemed a success. Innovations transportation and development AMetropolitan Area Transit such as electronic signs at bus stops picture. Evident also was a will- Authority (WMATA) presenta- announcing the next bus arrival ingness to work together multi- tion on plans for regional Rapid are slated to be installed in the near jurisdictionally to improve connec- Bus Service illustrated a range of future on Georgia Avenue. tions and overall workability of a planned improvements for Capitol CHRS attendees came away regional bus system. DC officials Hill, including the 90 buses on with a sense that regional leader- made it clear that they would be Eighth Street and the D-6. Current ship and WMATA finally realize holding WMATA responsible for implementation of rapid bus ser- the importance of improved bus service monitoring to eliminate vice on University Boulevard service and better transit informa- problems like stacking up of buses in Maryland, Columbia Pike in tion for riders. There appears to be and a consistent failure to maintain Arlington, and Georgia Avenue a general enthusiasm for improved schedules. in DC has been welcomed and bus service as part of the larger
DDOT Proposals from page 4 2. Major new additional traffic of the project of interest to Capitol Several community groups connections are proposed at Hill residents will be the propos- have opposed the “park road” the 11th Street Bridge location als for a new bridge across the because it would harm enjoyment by adding 4 new local lanes of Anacostia at Massachusetts Avenue of the narrow new park by tak- traffic, in addition to the 8 lanes extended. Another is the proposal ing up too much land in this nar- of freeway traffic. These added for a “park road” whose stated pur- row strip, and by adding vehicles lanes will no doubt create sig- pose is to increase access to the nar- to what could be just a walking nificantly more traffic in both row parkland to be created on the and biking experience in a sur- directions, spilling into the Hill west bank of the Anacostia from prisingly natural area just behind near 11th and M Streets, SE. Pennsylvania Avenue at Barney the Congressional Cemetery. Circle, northeast to East Capitol Nonetheless, no “no build” option 3. More than 80% of the cost Street (and perhaps beyond). The is presented at this time, just as no (current estimates are about changes appear to be driven by the “no build” option is presented for $500 million) will come from Anacostia Waterfront Corporation’s the Massachusetts Avenue bridge. DC taxpayers. plans for the area, although the CHRS will provide comments CHRS will provide comments KAC is a DDOT project. suggesting ways to rectify the pres- by the August 28 deadline that Despite the fact that the new ent draft as well. The current draft will emphasize the need to stick to bridge was proposed to enable new is not available on a website. the basics of the project—e.g., pro- access for bikers and pedestrians, vide only the freeway-to-freeway all proposed configurations allow Capitol Hill link—without adding new com- vehicles. Many community groups Transportation Study muter lanes into Capitol Hill. These objected to a new Massachusetts new lanes would appear to obvi- Avenue bridge on several (CHTS) ate a major reason the project was grounds—for example, a bridge The CHTS will not be available recommended in the first place—to which can carry vehicles could until mid-September. Reportedly, remove commuter traffic from carry commuters (one alternative this study may include some Capitol Hill. explicitly connects Massachusetts important traffic mitigation mea- Avenue with Randle Circle across sures for slowing commuter traffic Kenilworth Avenue the river); a bridge in the mile on such streets as Independence Corridor Project between the East Capitol and Sousa and Constitution Avenues. For Bridges would remove parkland example, there might be a proposal Around October, DDOT plans and spoil the viewscape, an impor- to make Independence Avenue to present the final Kenilworth tant part of enjoying a new river- two-way. CHRS will report on, and Avenue Corridor study (KAC). side park; and added access for bik- comment on, this study when it Much of the study is devoted ers and pedestrians could instead becomes available. to improving interchanges with be provided adjacent to the East Kenilworth Avenue at East Capitol Capitol Street Bridge, as it is now Street and Benning Road. One part at Sousa.
CHRS News September 2006 • Looking Back on Capitol Hill he 1950s and 1960s mark Tthe era of the “first genera- tion” of restorers of Capitol Hill houses. While there were profes- sional builders and developers who worked on houses, many of the new owners were young people who tackled the job them- selves—working on one part of the house while living in another part. One such family in the 1950s was the Glickerts—Betty and Peter, who restored 154 Eleventh Street, SE (the southernmost house of Philadelphia Row) and then 140 Twelfth Street, SE before they moved a few years ago to an apartment in Southwest. In an interview with Ev Barnes in 2003 for the Ruth Ann Overbeck Capitol Hill History project, Betty Glickert recalls the days before one could search the internet for spare house parts and when the Hill lost one of its most glorious houses—the Carry mansion at 12th and Independence SE, built in the late 1880s for the Albert Carry fam- ily. Mr. Carry was well known on that …were being torn down. So Photo of the Carry Mansion courtesy of Capitol Hill as the owner of the we knew this and we called Ace George Didden National Capital Brewing Company Wrecking. They came one day and a founder of the National and broke down one room deep window pulls, and even the back Capital Bank. in the back. We called to see about plates for … pocket doors. We had “… I want to say how dif- if there was going to be a sale of two sets of pocket doors. We took ferent things were at this time. It any of their artifacts. “Oh,” he said, them all, but you could hardly see was much later before restoration “there’s nothing to save. You go in the design on some. …The man- became what it is now. It was very and get whatever you want.” So sion had been taken down to being difficult to duplicate things that we had just one week because by a really, very bad rooming house, were lost. For instance the balus- Monday they had closed it off and and then finally, to nothing. It really trades: if you had them missing, they had a “ball” that was taking was condemned and no one was in you could climb about Ace wreck- down the rest of the house. My there. The Kreinheders, they were age junk yards for days trying to husband and—we had a couple of interested in the ornate tile, and so find one similar. … [The Carry foster children from Cuba—they they spent their weekend working mansion] was one of the most for- went over and took down the on the tile rows, and the Karrases midable places around the Hill. It lovely paneling from the hall and on getting more of the artifacts they had a ballroom and eighteen-inch the stairway, and although the had wanted for their Philadelphia thick masonry walls. The car- stairway of our house was much Row house.” riage house itself, if it had been smaller, it was remarkably within For other stories of Capitol Hill, saved—at the corner of the alley the same angle. We could use it visit www.capitolhillhistory.org. and Independence Avenue—would with very little change. Then we Interviewers, transcribers and have been a beautiful home. We took down, although there were volunteers for other tasks are had friends who had come on the layers and layers of paint, the always needed and welcome. Philadelphia Row, the Karrases hinges were bronze and brass, very Contact Bernadette McMahon from Philadelphia, and they had ornate; the screws were even brass, ([email protected]) for more saved parts of houses up there and the back plates to the doors, the information on how to volunteer.
• CHRS News September 2006 Save the Dates! 50th Annual CHRS House and Garden Tour, May 12 and 13, 2007 by Ann Richards sweeping the Hill. Last year some toric building were in attendance. 100 houses benefited from the kind of Tour publicity in 1962 referred to he first house tour benefiting the renewal these houses demonstrate.” “Inner Loop Freeway which has been TCapitol Hill Restoration Society In the early years of the tour, approved by the District of Columbia was in 1958; that’s before JFK was CHRS was in its formative years Commissioners to run from the Navy President, before the Beatles had as an advocacy group. In a press Yard to Florida Avenue NE between arrived, and before most of us had release for the 1959 house tour from 10th and 11th Streets. The plan will settled in the neighborhood. The early the office of Charles A. Halleck, then displace 6000 persons and scores of tours were very close in, generally Minority Leader in the House of business establishments. It also will bounded by 8th Street to the East, Representatives, “Plans for the tour break the constantly more cohesive New Jersey Avenue SE to the West, are going forward in face of legislation Capitol Hill community asunder by and A Streets, SE and NE. The first to create an East Mall which would placing a speedway in the center of East Capitol Street house on the tour eventually replace many homes in the the area.” CHRS President Dick Wolf was in 1962, and the first Lincoln Park area. Eight of the homes scheduled remembers that when he moved to the residence wasn’t on the tour until the for showing on the tour are located in Hill (Philadelphia Row) in 1964, this late 70s. the proposed Mall area.” While CHRS area had just been “de-mapped.” CHRS had only been established records don’t indicate which houses As we begin planning for the 50th two years before the first tour. Early were in the planned East Mall area, in year of the House and Garden Tour, publicity for the tour promoted mod- reviewing the dozen houses on this our neighborhood has become a des- ernization and restoration as goals; tour, three no longer exist. Two were tination for families, empty nesters, houses were showcased to give tour- victims of the new Madison Building and others seeking a sophisticated yet goers ideas of what they could do for of the Library of Congress, and one cohesive community in which to live, their own homes. The second tour in became a victim of House expansion. work, play, and worship. Its boundar- 1959 even had twin houses next door Belmont House at Maryland ies are much broader now and grow- to each other at 623 and 625 A Street Avenue and 2nd Street, NE, was given ing every day. We hope to showcase SE; one had been restored, the other a bronze plaque by CHRS that year to some of the changes that have taken not. In a Washington Post article dated commemorate its preservation from place: under-utilized properties, both 4/19/59, “The twelve homes that will threatened encroachment by the New government and church, that have be open for the Tour are examples of Senate Office Building. Legislators become beautiful homes, and new the wave of restoration which is now who helped CHRS preserve this his- development north toward H Street, NE, and east toward RFK. And don’t be surprised if you see A Capitol (Hill) Fourth me or other CHRS reps combing the f you missed the 4th of July parade the Capitol Hill Restoration Society. streets looking for beautiful gardens I down 8th Street SE, you won’t Members, board members, and and unfound gems to include on next want to make the same mistake family members marched together, year’s tour. next year. Participants included tossing Mardi Gras beads into the There will be many opportunities a Mini-Cooper contingent, the crowd. It was very gratifying to hear for volunteering during the 50th tour: Princess Patrol (with their hand- many of the folks lining the route • Selling tickets on weekends some princes, knights-errant, slain shout “Thank you” in recognition of at the CHRS kiosk at Eastern dragon, and pumpkin coach), City CHRS’s work to protect the quality Market; Council candidates, PTAs from of life in our neighborhoods. many local elementary schools—and CHRS plans to have an • Being a docent on tour days increased presence at community (May 12 and 13, 2007); events. We’ll be sponsoring a table • Accompanying the jitneys on and children’s activities at both the May 13 to provide information PSA 103/107 Community Party on to riders. Sept. 9 at Eliot JHS and at Barracks Row Day on Sept. 16. If you would As with the 40th anniversary of like to help “fish for marbles” (Sept. the House and Garden Tour, we will 9) or paint faces (Sept. 16), please approach owners of previous tour homes to see if they would welcome a contact Elizabeth Nelson, 543-3512 or [email protected]. commemorative sign in their yard. Photo: Abigail Terrones Abigail Photo:
CHRS News September 2006 • Overbeck Lecture: The Improbable History of Eastern Market
he Overbeck History Lecture His highly readable historical articles Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. As usual, TSeries begins a new season have appeared in American Heritage, admission is free, but a reservation on Tuesday evening, September Smithsonian, Preservation, American is required due to limited seating. 19, as Capitol Hill writer Stephen History, Washington Post Magazine, Please email OverbeckLecture@aol. Ackerman offers a sneak preview of and many other publications. com, or phone 202-544-1845, leaving his forthcoming book on the history The lecture will be held at your name, address, and phone num- of Eastern Market. 8:00 pm Tuesday, September 19, ber so you can receive a confirmation September marks the 200th anni- at the Naval Lodge Hall at 330 and any updates. versary of the market’s opening at its original location near 6th and L Streets, SE. Ackerman has unearthed CHRS Congratulates the Capitol Hill a wealth of detail from the market’s improbable history, including a brief History Project on Its Fifth Anniversary period when the facility was viewed as a security threat and another when This month, the Capitol Hill and the presentation of lectures the current building’s basement History Project celebrates five throughout the year, the Capitol served as a rifle range. years of hard work honoring and Hill History Project continues to A Capitol Hill native and sixth- furthering the significant research educate the residents of Capitol generation Washingtonian, Ackerman and writings of the late Ruth Ann Hill. We thank the project team has pursued a varied career, mov- Overbeck, beloved community for their commitment to our ing from college English teacher to historian. Through its ongoing neighborhood and its story, and collection of oral histories, an hope you will learn more at congressional aide to federal civil servant, and has worked for the past online database of information, www.capitolhillhistory.org. twenty years as a free-lance writer. A Tragedy Waiting to Happen by Nancy Metzger basement of a 2-unit flat. Concerned we challenge the DCRA and its about the safety of the basement director, Patrick Canavan, to give n the fall of 2002, CHRS and renters, CHRS representatives have our community a full accounting IDavid Clark, then-director of repeatedly asked for the results of for this property of inspections and the Department of Consumer and inspections, but information has results, as well as an explanation of Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), insti- been sketchy. the slowness of the process given tuted a series of monthly meetings to For example, the February 7, the substantial safety issues. If it address long-standing problems in 2006, agenda (prepared by CHRS’s turns out that this building and this the Capitol Hill neighborhood con- Gary Peterson) has 27 Third Street, use meet DC Code, then we feel an cerning vacant housing and irregular NE, first on the agenda with the fol- investigation is needed into whether permits and inspections. Through lowing notation, based on the dis- the DC Code meets the International these monthly contacts, problems cussions from the previous months: Residential Code (or similar nation- have been identified, and in some “Now has occupied basement. It is a ally recognized code) for safety in cases information from the commu- rooming house without a Certificate basement units. nity has caused DCRA to reconsider of Occupancy. Zoning inspector to Several years ago, there was a procedures and decisions. However, check. Added to Rooming house fire in the basement of a Georgetown sometimes there have been no or enforcement list. What has hap- house in which a student died. poor responses, even with persistent pened?” Six months later, the notes Immediately after that preventable prodding and requests for answers. on the August 16 agenda (a meeting tragedy, DCRA mounted an inspec- One of the most troubling that was cancelled by DCRA) noted: tion campaign of off-campus hous- cases—because it is potentially the “Six new students on one lease. ing. A fire hasn’t happened here yet, most dangerous—is 27 3rd Street, Need to look to safety, poor to non- but would students in the basement NE, where neighbors reported in existent egress from basement. Illegal be able to get out if one did start? March 2005 that the property owner lease, what has Housing done?” Would any DCRA official allow their was planning to add three bedrooms Given this potential for a college-age son or daughter to live in (sleeping 6) and one bath in the major—and predictable—tragedy, this place?
• CHRS News September 2006 Proposed CHRS Budget for 2007 Begins October 1, 2006 will be the fiftieth CHRS tour, and estimates for income after expenses from the 2007 tour are slightly higher than The proposed budget reflects a continuation of activities the $33,000 realized in 2006. from prior years at approximately the same budget lev- The 2007 budget also provides for the part-time CHRS els. Grants have been reduced because, as customary, the employee to be converted from a salaried position to that grant amount is set at 20% of the income from the House of a contractor with CHRS, with expected outlays remain- and Garden Tour after expenses. The 2007 House Tour ing approximately the same. Actual Actual Budget Budget Expenses 2004 Expenses 2005 Adopted 2006 Proposed 2007 I. Society Activities A. Total Income ...... 19808 ...... 23488 ...... 22700 ...... 20600 Membership...... 18878 ...... 19626 ...... 22000 ...... 20000 Interest ...... 195 ...... 415 ...... 300 ...... 300 Contributions ...... 46 ...... 20 ...... 200 ...... 200 Miscellaneous (DC Gov Photo project) ...... 689 ...... 3427 ...... 200 ...... 100 B. Total Expenses ...... 48896 ...... 58765 ...... 61800 ...... 58500 Administrative Expenses ...... 5799 ...... 4682 ...... 5000 ...... 4500 Insurance ...... 0 ...... 1087 ...... 0 ...... 1100 Computer support/purchase ...... 0 ...... 0 ...... 0 ...... 1500 Accounting Service Expenses ...... 3500 ...... 3500 ...... 3500 ...... 4000 Personal Services Contract ...... 0 ...... 0 ...... 0 ...... 9600 Salaries ...... 5575 ...... 7799 ...... 9000 ...... 0 Employment Expenses ...... 807 ...... 945 ...... 1200 ...... 0 Rent (office and storage) ...... 8526 ...... 8304 ...... 9000 ...... 9600 Grants paid ...... 6700 ...... 8425 ...... 10000 ...... 6600 President’s Party ...... 1500 ...... 482 ...... 1000 ...... 600 CHRS Elections ...... 699 ...... 610 ...... 800 ...... 500 City Planning Committee - Wolf ...... 1994 ...... 2000 ...... 2000 ...... 1000 Community Development Committee - Eck ...... 150 ...... 1462 ...... 500 ...... 500 Environment Committee - Purcell ...... 0 ...... 0 ...... 100 ...... 100 Historic Preservation Committee - Metzger ...... 2613 ...... 3602 ...... 4000 ...... 4000 Membership Committee - Nelson ...... 413 ...... 1581 ...... 2000 ...... 800 Communications Committee - Molson ...... 0 ...... 469 ...... 0 ...... 300 Zoning Committee - Peterson ...... 0 ...... 90 ...... 200 ...... 100 Newsletter Expenses ...... 9076 ...... 9085 ...... 10500 ...... 11000 Forums ...... 766 ...... 950 ...... 1000 ...... 700 Web Site (DC Access) ...... 780 ...... 875 ...... 1500 ...... 1500 Miscellaneous (including 50th in '05) ...... 0 ...... 2818 ...... 500 ...... 500 C. Net Gain
V. CHRS Net Gain
CHRS News September 2006 • 10 • CHRS News September 2006 Federation of Citizens Associations of the District of Columbia and The Committee of 100 on the Federal City Problems with the Mayor’s Draft of the Comprehensive Plan
1. The data are not reliable. 8. There is a loss of Ward identity. If the numbers are wrong, analyses cannot be relied Use of planning “areas” diminishes links with upon. Population subsets, transit-oriented develop- elected representatives, is not justified in any policy ment, development trends are untrustworthy. language, has had no neighborhood buy-in; greatly lacking in specificity to guide future development. 2. Adequate and useful financial information is lacking as to revenues, capital budget, 9. Additional statutory language is essential taxes, debt, and other benchmarks. for interpretation of the Mayor’s Draft Plan. We are asked to mortgage our future. There is no Our present enacted plan requires such Council financial impact assessment, as is required for the action; the Mayor’s Draft Plan ignores the most basic of Council actions. importance of such safeguards, leaving each and every future decision without guidance about the 3. Protective policies and goals have been lost. plan’s intention. Existing plan safeguards have been dropped, including those in Ward plans. Council must 10. The proposed maps are inadequate as restore hard-won standards. guides for future land-use policy and zoning. The maps represent floating targets, not firm 4. There is a lack of specificity, clarity, and cer- commitments. In prior plans, maps were relied tainty throughout the Mayor’s Draft Plan. upon to represent commitments to land use within Language is neither proscriptive nor directive neighborhoods and within blocks. The Mayor’s for many policies and goals. The Mayor’s Draft Draft Plan suggests the maps are merely current Plan is longer than the one we have now, and thinking, not bulwarks against challenge. twice as confusing. 11. Implementation is left solely and entirely 5. Powerful conflicts are presented among poli- in the discretion of the executive branch. cies and goals. The vague and permissive standards used Mayor’s Draft Plan gives no indication of how throughout mean that executive agents will have the conflicts would be resolved, or which policies exceptional ability to interpret the vague language would govern. of policies and goals, better left in the hands of 6. The Mayor’s Draft Plan lack definitions statutorily created bodies, such as a Planning essential to understanding plan intentions Commission, made accountable to the Council as and/or protections. well, offering citizens a vehicle for fulfilling much- clarified policies and goals. The terms are left vague, depriving property own- ers of the ability to protect their properties when 12. The Mayor’s Draft Plan doesn’t conform to challenged by intrusionary density, bulk, or use. the basic elements of a plan. 7. New and substantially different legislative There are no corridor plans, no guidelines regulatory approaches are being imposed for particular areas, no indication of need for before a revised Plan is enacted. “retained” land for future District uses, no linkage with infrastructure needs, no guidance about Changes already underway, e.g. OP proposals for proportions of land to be allocated among uses mandatory inclusionary zoning, PUDs in campus (such as residential, commercial, mixed-use, public plans, matter-of-right charter schools are being facilities, and institutions). processed by the Zoning Commission.
This powerful document should be acted upon by the persons who will hold office during its implementation.
CHRS News September 2006 • 11 business at 7:25 pm, speakers at 7:30 pm. Mark Your Calendar! 16 Saturday, 12 noon-5 pm Details: Barbara Eck, 544-0840. See page 1 Historic Preservation Fundraising for more information. SEPTEMBER Workshop. National Trust for Historic Preservation boardroom, 1785 28 Thursday, 10 am 9 Saturday, 12 noon-6 pm Massachusetts Avenue NW. Donation Historic Preservation Review Board. PSA 103/107 Back to School Bash. of $20 covers cost of lunch and bever- 441 4th Street NW (#1 Judiciary Square), Noon-6:00 pm. Eliot Middle School, ages. Details: Rick Busch, 462-0948 or Room 220 South. Details: Nancy Metzger, 1830 Constitution Avenue NE. Details: [email protected]. 546-1034. Stephanie Nixon, 396-7234. 19 Tuesday, 6:30 pm 30 Saturday, 9 am-12 noon 11 Monday, 6:30 pm CHRS Board of Directors. Kirby House, Lime-Based Mortars Seminar. Pacific CHRS Historic Preservation Committee. 420 10th Street SE, first floor. Details: Dick Café, 1129 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Kirby House, 420 10th Street SE , first Wolf, 543-4353. Free seminar sponsored by Frager’s floor. Details: Nancy Metzger, 546-1034. Hardware; light refreshments provided. 19 Tuesday, 8:00 pm Details: 543-6157 or fragers.hardware@ 12 Tuesday, 7 am-8 pm Overbeck Lecture: History of the Eastern verizon.net D.C. Primary Election. Find your voting Market. Old Naval Lodge Hall, 330 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Speaker: location on www.dcboee.org. OCTOBER Stephen Ackerman. Lecture is free, but Tuesday, 6-8 pm reservations are required. Send email to 12 Monday, 6:30 pm Proposed Tax Increment Financing [email protected] or call 544- 2 CHRS Historic Preservation Committee. District for H Street NE. Atlas Performing 1845 and leave your name, phone num- Kirby House, 420 10th Street SE, first Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE. Meeting ber, and email address to receive a confir- floor. Details: Nancy Metzger, 546-1034. for business and property owners, resi- mation and program updates. See page 8. dents, and developers sponsored by the city’s Great Streets program. Details: 20 Wednesday, 6:30 pm 12 Thursday, 7:30 pm Derrick Woody, 727-2981 or derrick. CHRS Preservation Café: Barracks Row CHRS Zoning Committee. Kirby House, [email protected]. Below the Freeway. Trattoria Alberto, 506 420 10th Street SE, first floor. Details: 8th Street SE, upstairs room. Slide show Gary Peterson, 547-7969. 14 Thursday, 7:30 pm and tour with Bill McLeod. Meeting CHRS Zoning Committee. Kirby House, is free and open to all, no reservations 17 Tuesday, 6:30 pm 420 10th Street SE, first floor. The required. Details: Nancy Metzger, 546- CHRS Board of Directors. Kirby House, Committee will consider the following 1034. See page 3. 420 10th Street SE, first floor. Details: Dick cases: ZC # 04-33A, Inclusionary Zoning, Wolf, 543-4353 Map Amendment-Historic; BZA #17518, 26 Tuesday, 7:00 pm 643 South Carolina Avenue, SE; BZA CHRS Community Forum: What Will 18 Wednesday, 6:30 pm #17520, 1104 East Capitol Street, NE; BZA Happen to the RFK Stadium Site? St. CHRS Preservation Café: Capitol Hill’s #17521, 601 to 645 H Street, NE; BZA Peter’s Church basement hall, 2nd & C Historic Streets and Alleys. Location #17528, 743 10th Street, SE; BZA #17529, Streets SE. Speakers are David Zaidain TBA. DDOT’s John Deatrick will discuss 208 10th Street, SE; BZA #17531, 1005 5th and Elizabeth Miller of the National the city’s historic streets and alleys pro- Street, NE. Details: Gary Peterson, 547- Capital Planning Commission Meeting gram and highlight how residents can 7969. is free and open to all, no reservations work with DDOT on repaving initiatives. required. Refreshments at 7:00 pm, CHRS Details: Nancy Metzger, 546-1034. 16 Saturday, 10 am-12 noon Native Plant Tour/Invasive Plant Removal Workshop. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue NE, Capitol Hill Restoration Society administration building. Open to partici- 420 Tenth Street, SE pants age 16 or older. Details: Joan Feely, Washington, DC 20003 245-4512 or [email protected]. 16 Saturday, 11 am-5 pm Barracks Row Fest: Featuring Art for Everyone. 400-700 blocks of 8th Street SE. Event features face-painting at the CHRS booth and a special salute to the 200th birthday of the Navy Yard Gate, designed by Benjamin Latrobe. Details: Bill McLeod, 544-3188 or bmcleod@ barracksrow.org.