6rttnbtlf Council Looks at T ra'ffic, Pedestrian Safety l-lazards by Heather Elizabeth Peterson The safety of Frankfort Drive as a two-way road was questioned by Mayor Gil Weidenfeld at the regular city lttws Rtt1itw council meeting of November 29. Weidenfeld told council that a resident of the area had AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER been concerned over the difficulty of turning out of Frank­ Volume 52, Number 7 P.O. Box 68,, Green belt, Maryland 20770 Thurs., Jan. 5, 1989 fort Dr. onto Greenbelt Rd. In order to see traffic coming up the hill, Weidenfeld reported, drivers must pull their Public Hearing Jan. 10 cars out onto the outside lane of Greenbelt Rd. The resident had asked the ruary 1989. State Highway Administration The matter was brought up at School Officials Present Options whether this inside lane could be the meeting because council had turned into a right-turn-only received a letter from Ralph A. Jane, in order avoid accidents be- Bram expressing his concern for tween cars on the two roads. the pedestrians walking in the For Upgra.ding Elementary School The State Highway Administra- Crescent Rd. roadway from the by Elaine Skolnik architectural firm of SHWC ovation before consirlerat;o" is tion had replied that, when Crescent and Ridge bus stop to Two options for providing which is headquartered in Res­ given to any other alternative." Greenbelt Rd. is widened up to Kenilworth Ave an upgraded elementary ton, Virginia. At the July 1988 (The city council at is:, 1ueet­ Mandan Rd., all three lanes will Staff reported that a sidewalk two-day charette concerning Cen­ ing next Monday is expected to be needed. will be built from Crescent and school facility in Greenbelt ter School,, Garcia had indicated direct the city staff to draw up Weidenfeld suggested that Ridge to Ivy Ln. and Kenilworth will be formally proposed by that the best educational value a report providing information on council ask the State Highway Ave Said Assistant City Mana­ school officials at a Public would be achieved by building a such concerns as the condition of Administrntion for recommenda- ger Mike McLaug,hlin in his re­ Information Meeting and new school, but that the best Center School, how the facility tions as to how the situation port, "This walk will follow Ridge Hearing on Tuesday, Janu­ social and cultural soluition would could be used in a similar way can be improved. Rd in front of the new police ary 10 at 7 :30 p.m. in the be gained by restoring the ex­ as env.isioned for North End Councilmember Thomas X. facility and cross over to Kenil- Center School auditorium. isting school. school, and how it could handle White advised that council bol- worth at Ivy Ln. This sidewalk No Clear Signal by Council programs already proposed for ster its request with possible so- urill not hP. !'Onl'!trrn,ted until the The options-renovation of lutions, such as those mentioned building contractor has completed historic Center School or the School officials had hoped -to North End.) get a clear signal from council Comparative Information at the meeting: putting on Green- his work'' construction of a modern members at the December 20 Information materials given to belt Rd. a flashine.- yellow light, In the meantime, council decid- new facilitv at the site of meeting that council would sup­ council at the Deceinber meeting a reduced speed limit, or a hid- ed to senrl a letter to the county old North End Scnool - will port the alternative of building with school officiais indicated den entrance sign. urging that service be started be reviewed by county school a new school at the North End that the cost of building a "pro­ However, Weidenfeld pointed earlier than scheduled. administrators and archi­ site if there were support from totype" school on the city-owned out that a hidden entrance sign Miscellaneous te"ts. the community. The officials North End site would be about won't prevent Frankfort Dr. cars In other business, council: The Sunerintendent of Prince wanted to know the city's plans $7,657,520. The total cost esti­ from having to pull out onto the Received petitions from the Georges County Public Scho;:,ls, for Center School in the event mate for restoration of Center inner lane. He sue:e-Psted the Windsor Green Homeowners As­ John Murphy, is tentatively an exchange of school sites is School was $8,282,212. Includ­ possibility of making Frankfort sociaiton, one opposing extending scheduled to speak, following recommended. Earlier school of­ ed in both figures was the cost Dr. a one-way road so that no Mandan Rd to Brae Brook Dr, opening remarks by District 2 ficials had announced "If the new of asbestos abatement and demo­ cars would exit it onto Greenbelt and the other onposing the pur- school board member Suzanne school is ultimately approved, the lition operations. Rd. chase of park land by the city Plogman and a slide show pre­ Greenbelt Center Building would According to these materials, Bus Stop "at a cost exceeding tha,t set forth sentation dealing with the concep­ be available for local community "Costs at North End can be con­ Council also discussed the new in the_ current Canital Improve­ tual design and the positives and use in Greenbelt." trolled better ..." Garcia later Metro bus stop at Capital Office ments ProPTam without a city­ negatives of each proposal by Council members told school told the News Review that there Park. The city approached Prince wine referendum." architect R. C. Garcia. officials that they remained open­ were uncertainties about Center Georges County nearly a year a- Authorized the city to seek a The program will also feature minded about the options. They School restoration costs, in par­ go about building such a stop, to end the· city's lease with the presentations by Center School stressed the need for more detail­ ticular those involving selective since the nearest stop at the mo- house on the former Schimmel principal John Van Schoonhoven ed information to be presented demolition, removal of asbestos ment is at Crescent and Ridge prooerty as of May 31, 1989. The and several of the school's tea­ by school officials at the school and compliance with historical Roads. However, county officials vroperty was acquired by the city · chers. Closing remarks will be system s public information meet­ concerns. He explained that were not willing to consider the As an addition to Schrom Hills delivered by Edward Felee:y, ing and hearing next Tuesday, there were unknown conditions proposal until buses had a way Park, and the house will need to Deputy Superintendent of Public including an opinion on which about part of the building that to move through the office park be destroyed in order to build the Schools. Frank Tracy. Associate alternative would serve best the would require selective demoli­ without turning around. park. Superintendent of Supporting educational needs of the students tion. With the construction last sum­ Services, has prepared materials for the present and for future mer of Cherrywood Ln. between Contributed $1,125 to the decades. Council members also According to the information containing pertinent questions materials, a new two-level school Kenilworth Ave. and Ivy Ln., the Council of Governments as start­ and answers that will be distrib­ stated that community reaction buses can now make a circuit. up funds for the implementation and the results of the public op­ (with internal ramps instead of uted at the meeting. stairs would provide "improved County officials have notified the of its drue: program in the D.C. According to Plogman, a pub­ inion poll would influence tht!ir city that bus service to the office metropolitan area. lic opinion poll will be mailed to positions. They noted their need See SCHOOL, page 4 park is scheduled to begin in Feb- parents and the Greenbelt com­ to receive answers to many Authorized the city to seek a munity early in February. Plo~­ questions dealing with the poten­ Departure from Parking and man and the majority of the tial use of Center School as a L1;arli_n"' Rtandllrrl8 (DPLS) llp­ Greenbelt city council have indi­ community center. For example, Public Information Meeting phcahon from the Planning Board cated that the results of the sur­ would the funds already allocat­ in order to allow the Greenbelt vey will have an impact on their ed for renovation of the city­ & Hearing Museum more off-street parking recommendations. The nine-mem­ owned North End School and for spaces. These are necessary be­ ber school board will ...'!lake the proposed programs there be cause the museum nlans to con­ final determination on whether transferable? Would there be ad­ Greenbelt Center School vert the garage at 10-B Crescent to renovate Center School or to equate parking around Center Rd. into a museum office. build a new facility. The latter School? Sponsored by Board of Education choice would require an amend­ School officials at the Dec. 20 Joined the Council of Govern­ ments in awardine.- the 1988-89 ment to the school system's Cap­ meeting were informed of the of Prince George's County ital Improvement Program which position of the absent White, bid for road salt to Morton Salt for many years has included which White reiterated to the Division at a cost of $27.72 per ton. funds for rehabilitating Center News Review: "My position is Tuesday, January 10 at 7:30 p.m. School. that Center School should be ren­ ' Thanked Valerie Siel-!"el for her North End Site Favored ovated as planned and that ev­ in service on the Crime Prevention School administrators are giv­ erything should be done to ex­ Committee, unon receiving her ing serious consideration to the haust all remedies for the ren- ietter of resignation.