Alexandria Gazette Packet
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Alexandria Summer Fun Gazette Packet Pages 13-19 25 Cents Serving Alexandria for over 200 years • A Connection Newspaper May 25, 2017 Commuting on Two Wheels Adjusting Shortfall Cyclists take to the School Board struggles to close streets for Bike operating and capital budget gaps. By Vernon Miles ments. to Work Day. Gazette Packet This starts with another techni- cal adjustment: $79,163 for the By Vernon Miles efore Superintendent Dr. pay differences between initial Gazette Packet BAlvin Crawley leaves in the projections of employee staffing summer, there’s still one and actual staffing in Spring 2017. undreds of cy-clists flocked to four major hurdle at Alexandria City The superintendent’s proposed stops across Alexandria on May 19, Public Schools (ACPS): the bud- adjustments also includes a slight Hthe annual Bike to Work Day. Ven- get. While the City Council ap- price increase: 1.2 full time em- dors from local restaurants and bi- proved $242.6 million in operat- ployee from the School Board Ap- cycle repair shops came out to offer free snacks ing funds and debt service for pub- proved Budget at a cost increase and check-ups for bikes. Packet Miles/Gazette by Vernon Photos lic schools, ACPS still faces short- of $103,693. “It’s been a great turnout,” said Carrie Sanders, falls in both their operating and An additional $92,416 was re- deputy director of Transportation and Transit. “We capital improvement plan budgets. duced from the capital replace- had about 500 people come to this pit stop, and The first step in the budget pro- ment of hardware budget. there are others in Carlyle, Del Ray, and the Mark cess is to close the $2.1 million gap Due to the CIP-funded replace- Center. I’m happy to see such great weather too. in the operating budget. The easi- ment of buses approaching their It’s such a great event for us.” est changes come from revenue end of life, $100,000 for vehicle Many of the cyclists in attendance are fairly new adjustments, which led to an in- parts, supplies, maintenance and to bicycling as a commute. John Leacock rides crease of $246,200. This comes repair was decreased in the oper- from Braddock to the Pentagon, and though it’s a from a change in the state budget ating budget. tiring ride, he says once he reaches his office it and Medicaid funding. The major- A communications outreach spe- feels good to have ridden. ity of that closure comes from cialist for Capital Projects position Leacock rode as a youth and loved it, but as he $1,841,672 in expenditure adjust- See School Board, Page 3 grew up used his bike less often. As an adult he had a bike but rarely used it. After someone in his office who biked to work for 30 years encouraged April Johnson (left) with Liz Golden Uncovering Bones him, he dusted off his bike and gave it a try. He’s outside City Hall. still relatively new to the bike commute, having done it maybe 10 times, but Leacock says he’s Hall along King Street, coasting down beside the From shipbuilding to townhomes hooked. Masonic Memorial on the newly painted bike “When I ride to work, I’m in a better mood,” lanes. in Robinson Terminal South. said Leacock. “It’s not an easy ride, but the day is “I love riding into D.C. on the weekends,” said By Vernon Miles “It’s quite a rich and remarkable better.” Johnson. “A friend told me about [bike to work Gazette Packet site,” said Breen, “It will keep re- For April Johnson and Liz Golden, the morning day]. I would do this again.” searchers busy for years.” ride to City Hall was all downhill. Johnson had a Like Johnson, Golden says she loves being able here are bones under Robinson Terminal South is lo- four mile ride from her home in Arlington to her to take the Mount Vernon Trail into D.C. T Robinson Terminal cated on what was once called work, ThinkFun Inc. Golden came towards City See Cyclists, Page 3 South. Human remains Point Lumley, one of two points of were found buried deep in the dirt, the bay Alexandria was built likely making it a dumping ground around. In the mid 1700s, the site for the deceased who weren’t laid was common for ship building. In to rest in Alexandria’s historic cem- the 1780s, Alexandria was the fifth eteries. It’s just one of the many busiest port in the Americas. But stories layering the archeological despite the discover at the adja- dig through the site’s history. cent Hotel Indigo last year, Breen On May 20, Dr. Eleanor Breen, said discovery of ships or related an archeologist for the City of Al- artifacts would be unlikely at the exandria, took a group of Old site. No shipbuilding-related dis- Town residents on a trip back to coveries have been made at the early days of the site. See Where, Page 20 Alexandria, VA 22314 VA Alexandria, To: 1604 King St., King 1604 To: ted Address Service Reques Service Address material. Time-sensitive Postmaster: Attention Tom Reeder (left) with #482 Permit Alexandria, VA Alexandria, Ruth Reeder outside Officers Carl Wortham (left) and Aaron Talinferro. PAID U.S. Postage U.S. City Hall. STD PRSRT www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ May 25-31, 2017 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ May 25-31, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Editor Steven Mauren News 703-778-9415 or [email protected] Building a place and community Eisenhower East in Alexandria’s office park. By Vernon Miles hotel, and office have all stayed mostly con- Gazette Packet sistent, residential development has become much more profitable for the city. All types ld Town has the Waterfront. of residential developments rank at between Del Ray has Mount Vernon 62 and 70 percent profitability. According OAvenue. But what is the draw to city staff, this indicates that encouraging for Eisenhower? At a City residential development is becoming a more Council meeting on May 23, the council profitable venture for the city to encourage faced the question of how to turn in areas like Eisenhower East. Eisenhower East from an office park into a Farner also said the city has observed a neighborhood. trend of home and work spaces merging and “The central issue is the conversion of mixing. some of the development that is existing “Residential and office spaces are becom- office or planned office into residential-re- ing more fluid,” said Farner. “35 percent of tail,” said Karl Moritz, director of Planning residents at a new building in Eisenhower Land use zoning for and Zoning. “That’s part of a conversation work at home. [These buildings] are de- Eisenhower East. about office conversions city wide.” signed to function more for people who Jeffrey Farner, deputy director for Plan- work at home. When you walk into the ning and Zoning, said this is particularly employees per thousand square feet has government provided services and support. lobby, it often looks like an office.” crucial to encourage residential develop- increased dramatically [in Eisenhower], City staff analyzed the fiscal impact of vari- To add more retail, Farner said the city is ment in the Eisenhower area, where there residential numbers have stayed consistent. ous types of development and found that going to have to look at repurposing obso- has been limited population growth. Farner If we’re looking at balancing employees and while hotel, office and retail had all main- lete office buildings. also noted that having a higher residential residential in the area, we need more resi- tained similar financial impacts from 1999 “[These buildings] have ceiling heights population in an area is what helps create dential square footage.” to 2017, residential had increased in prof- and depths that do not meet current best retail opportunities and gives an area a Farner noted that residential is becoming itability. In 1999, hotel, office, and retail practices,” said Farner. “We need to look at stronger sense of community. more profitable for the city than it once was. all had the greatest financial impact on the placemaking and clustering of retail and the “Offices doesn’t tend to be a leader in an A development’s profitability rating is the city with between 83 to 93 percent profit- importance of having amenities.” area,” said Farner. “Offices want amenities, amount of revenue a property generates for ability. Residential homes only ranked at 40 Finding a sense of place and community like Metro and retail. While the number of the city compared to what is consumed in percent profitability. In 2017, while retail, See Eisenhower East, Page 22 Cyclists Take to the Streets for Bike to Work Day From Page 1 Over the last year, BPAC has led an effort to ride.” Woodrow Wilson Bridge, or taking the to teach cycling in elementary schools. BPAC Ruth and Tom Reeder have been riding Washington and Old Dominion Trail out “It’s free,” Golden said. “You don’t have to raised funds and helped run a cycling pro- together in Alexandria for years. Ruth west. worry about parking. You don’t need any gram at Mount Vernon Community School Reeder used to work for the City of Alexan- Both Prince Street and Cameron Street other technology. You’re not polluting. It’s and Polk Elementary School. More than dria and says she’s proud of the work the have recently had bike lanes installed with exercise, but it’s fun.