AMERICASPEAKS ENGAGING CITIZEN VOICES IN GOVERNANCE Skyland Town Hall Meeting Report to the National Capital Revitalization Corporation November 13, 2004 Made Possible in part by a Grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation Summary Report of Proceedings District residents from Wards 7 and 8 came together on Saturday, November 13 to set priorities for the redevelopment of Skyland Shopping Center. Over the course of the five hour meeting, participants listened to presentations about the redevelopment process, discussed the retail mix of the future site, considered its look and feel, and discussed how the community could best take advantage of economic opportunities created by the redevelopment. When asked to evaluate the Town Meeting, 100 percent of participants said they had learned something from their participation in the Town Meeting. Eighty-four percent of participants rated the meeting as “excellent” or “good” (49 percent rating it as “excellent”.) Ninety-one percent of participants rated the use of technology at the Town Meeting as “excellent” or “good” (82 percent rating it as “excellent). Seventy percent of participants said they were “very unsatisfied” with the mix of stores currently at Skyland. Similarly, 66 percent of participants said they were “very unsatisfied” with the physical condition of Skyland and 63 percent said they were “very unsatisfied” with the level of safety there. The heart of the meeting was a discussion of the future retail mix for the new Skyland Shopping Center. Participants first considered the kinds of stores that they would like to see in the site. After prioritizing the kinds of stores to go on the site, they identified specific brands for each of the top categories. Bringing a “sit-down restaurant” was the overwhelming priority for participants with 70 percent of participants saying it was their top priority. It was followed by a hardware store, movie theater, clothing retailer, book store, office supply store, and ice cream parlor. When discussing other characteristics that they would like to see at Skyland, participants emphasized a clean, pedestrian-friendly center with sitting areas and landscaping. They said they want to feel safe and suggested the creation of a police sub-station for Skyland. They said they want ample parking and efficient traffic management. Town Meeting participants said they did not want the new shopping center to have an ultra-modern look, bright colors or murals. They hoped that the new site will not be a site of drinking and panhandling. Town Meeting participants also had an opportunity to identify those things the community needs in order to take advantage of economic opportunities from the redevelopment process. Participants said they need employment opportunities for Ward 7 and 8 residents. They said they want skill and job training, as well as effective and early marketing regarding job opportunities. They said they need “decent paying jobs” with career advancement opportunities. They said relocation programs were needed for existing businesses at Skyland, as well as the creation of new opportunities for small and local existing businesses. Participants at the Town Meeting represented neighborhoods throughout Wards 7 and 8. More than one-third of participants were from the neighborhood cluster of Fairfax Village, Naylor Gardens, Hillcrest and Summit Park. Eleven percent were from Historic Anacostia. Nine percent were from Twining, Fairlawn, Randle Highlands, Penn Branch, Fort Davis Park and Fort Dupont. Another nine percent were from Woodland/Fort Stanton, Garfield Heights, Knox Hill and Skyland. Eleven percent of participants were from elsewhere in Ward 8. The remaining participants were from outside Wards 7 and 8. When asked about their primary relationship with Skyland, more than half said that they live near Skyland but rarely shop there. Seventeen percent said they shop at Skyland and 13 percent said they were tenants or owned property at Skyland. Only two percent said they worked at Skyland. Most participants (45 percent) said the Town Meeting was the first meeting that they had attended on the redevelopment of Skyland. Twenty-one percent said they had been to two to five meetings. Nineteen percent had been to more than 20 meetings and the remaining 15 percent had attended between six and 20 meetings on the subject. While almost half of participants said they almost never shop at Skyland, only 12 percent said they seldom shop at Good Hope Marketplace. Eighty-two percent of participants said they shop at Good Hope more than twice a month with a third saying they shop there on a weekly basis. Polling Responses What is your gender? Female 66% Male 33% Twining, Fairlawn, Randle Highlands, Penn 9% Branch, Fort Davis Park, or FortWhere Dupont do you live? Fairfax Village, Naylor Gardens, Hillcrest, or 36% Summit Park Female 66% How Long Have MaleHistoric Anacostia 33%11% You Lived in DC Twining,Woodland/Fort Fairlawn, Stanton, Randle GarfieldHighlands, Heights, Penn 9% 9% Branch,Know Hill, Fort or SkylandDavis Park, or Fort Dupont FairfaxSheridan, Village, Barry NaylorFarm, BuenaGardens, Vista, Hillcrest, or Fort or 36%0% SummitStanton Park HistoricElsewhere Anacostia in Ward 7 11%0% Woodland/FortElsewhere in Ward Stanton, 8 Garfield Heights, 9%11% KnowElsewhere Hill, orin SkylandDC 13% Sheridan,Do not live Barry in DC Farm, Buena Vista, or Fort 0%11% StantonDon‟t live in the District 7% ElsewhereLess than one in Ward year 7 0%9% Elsewhere1 – 5 years in Ward 8 11%9% Elsewhere6 – 10 years in DC 13%2% Do11 – not 15 yearslive in DC 11%4% Don‟t16 – 20 live years in the District 7%11% LessMore than than one 20 yearsyear 9%59% 117 – or5 yearsyounger 9%6% Female 66% 618 – –10 24 years 2% Male 33% 1125 – – 15 34 years 4%8% Twining, Fairlawn, Randle Highlands, Penn 1635 –– 2044 years 11%9%21% Branch, Fort Davis Park, or Fort Dupont More45 – 54 than 20 years 59%10% Fairfax Village, Naylor Gardens, Hillcrest, or 36% 1755 or– 64 younger 6%35% Summit Park 1865 –or 24 better 2%17% Historic Anacostia 11% 25African – 34 - American 8%70% Woodland/Fort Stanton, Garfield Heights, 9% Hispanic 2% Know35 – 44 Hill, or Skyland 21% Asian/Pacific Islanders 7% Sheridan,45 – 54 Barry Farm, Buena Vista, or Fort 0%10% Stanton55Caucasian – 64 35%15% Elsewhere65Native or better American in Ward or 7Alaskan Native 0%17% ElsewhereAfricanMixed racial-American in heritageWard 8 11%70%0% ElsewhereHispanicIdentify with in DC another racial heritage 13%2%0% DoAsian/PacificPrefer not livenot toin DCIslandersanswer 11%7% Don‟tCaucasianShop atlive Skyland in the District 7%15%17% LessNativeWork than at American Skyland one year or Alaskan Native 9%0%2% 1MixedLive – 5 nearyears racial Skyland heritage (but rarely shop there) 9%0%51% 6IdentifyA –tenant 10 years withor own another property racial at Skylandheritage 2%0%13% 11PreferOther – 15 years not to answer 4%7%17% 16ShopThis – 20is at myyears Skyland first meeting 11%17%45% MoreWork2 – 5 meetings thanat Skyland 20 years 59%2%21% What is your age? Female 66% Male 33% How do you Twining, Fairlawn, Randle Highlands, Penn identify your 9% Branch, Fort Davis Park, or Fort Dupont race/ethnicity? Fairfax Village, Naylor Gardens, Hillcrest, or 36% Summit Park Historic Anacostia 11% What is your Woodland/Fort Stanton, Garfield Heights, 9% primary Know Hill, or Skyland Sheridan, Barry Farm, Buenarelationship Vista, or Fortwith Skyland?0% Stanton Female 66% Elsewhere in Ward 7 0% Male 33% How many Elsewhere in Ward 8 11% Twining, Fairlawn, Randle Highlands, Penn meetings have Elsewhere in DC 13%9% Branch, Fort Davis Park, or Fort Dupont you attended Do not live in DC 11% Fairfax Village, Naylor Gardens, Hillcrest, or 36% about the SummitDon‟t live Park in the District 7% redevelopment HistoricLess than Anacostia one year 11%9% of Skyland? Woodland/Fort1 – 5 years Stanton, Garfield Heights, 9% Know6 – 10 Hill, years or Skyland 2% Sheridan,11 – 15 years Barry Farm, Buena Vista, or Fort 0%4% Stanton16 – 20 years 11% ElsewhereMore than in20 Ward years 7 0%59% Female 66% Elsewhere17 or younger in Ward 8 11%6% Male 33% Elsewhere18 – 24 in DC 13%2% Twining, Fairlawn, Randle Highlands, Penn Do25 –not 34 live in DC 11%9%8% Branch, Fort Davis Park, or Fort Dupont Don‟t35 – 44 live in the District 7%21% Fairfax Village, Naylor Gardens, Hillcrest, or 36% Less45 – 54than one year 9%10% Summit Park 155 – 5– 64years 9%35% Historic Anacostia 11% 665 – or10 betteryears 2%17% Woodland/Fort Stanton, Garfield Heights, 9% African-American 70% Know11 – 15 Hill, years or Skyland 4% Hispanic 2% Sheridan,16 – 20 years Barry Farm, Buena Vista, or Fort 0%11% Asian/PacificFemale Islanders 7%66% StantonMore than 20 years 59% CaucasianMale 15%33% Elsewhere17 or younger in Ward 7 0%6% Twining, Fairlawn, Randle Highlands, Penn 18Native – 24 American or Alaskan Native 9%2%0% Branch,Elsewhere Fort in WardDavis Park,8 or Fort Dupont 11% 25Mixed – 34 racial heritage 8%0% FairfaxElsewhere Village, in DC Naylor Gardens, Hillcrest, or 36%13% 35Identify – 44 with another racial heritage 21%0% SummitDo not live Park in DC 11% 45Prefer – 54 not to answer 10%7% HistoricDon‟t live Anacostia in the District 11%7% 55Shop – 64 at Skyland 35%17% Woodland/FortLess than one year Stanton, Garfield Heights, 9% 65Work or betterat Skyland 17%2% Know1 – 5 yearsHill, or Skyland 9% AfricanLive near-American Skyland (but rarely shop there) 70%51% Sheridan,6 – 10 years Barry Farm, Buena Vista, or Fort 0%2% HispanicA tenant or own property at Skyland 2%13% Stanton11 – 15 years 4% Asian/PacificOther Islanders