Trinidad Ivy City Garden Club Meeting Monday

Where: Joseph H. Cole Fitness Center (1200 Morse Street NE)
When: 6:30pm Every Monday
What: A community group with members dedicated to beautifying the area while getting to know their neighbors. All are welcome. Join the yahoo group ("trinidadivycitygardenclub"), check out the blog, attend a meeting, or contact Thalia Wiggins at 202-397-7470 for more information.

Starburst Intersection Meeting Last Night

Anyone go to this? I went. I'll try to post something on it later, but it might not be until this weekend because I think it will be a long one. In the mean time, check out this link to the project website.

Striped Awnings & (Faux?) Fieldstone

At 7th & L ? I don't know the exact location on this one.

Cluck-U-Chicken Calls Itself "Fast Food"

I came across an online ad by Cluck-U-Chicken (the franchise currently arguing that it is not fast food so it can set up shop on H Street) where the company actually refers to itself as a "high volume fast food restaurant." Here is another ad with the same language.

Delux-O-Mat

1100 block of Bladensburg (just across from Trinidad).

Starburst Plaza Meeting Thursday

The first meeting for this project was definitely worth going to. This time around they have taken those first ideas and turned them into real plans for the community to examine. This is a very important meeting. From the email:

WHEN Thursday, July 28th
6:00 - 9:00PM
WHERE Delta Towers Community Room
1400 Florida Ave NE

Turn a ROAD into a PLACE!

2nd "Starburst Plaza" Placemaking Workshop
for H Street NE/Benning Road/Bladensburg Road/Maryland Avenue

District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is redesigning the intersection
of Benning Road, Maryland Avenue, H Street and Bladensburg Road to improve
pedestrian safety and create a new plaza. The meeting will review
community-generated ideas for design, use and management of the plaza.

Sponsored by the District Department of Transportation
Contact: Karina Ricks, Great Streets Program Manager
202-671-2542 or karina.ricks@dc.gov

Voice of the Hill re: V. Agreements w/Englert

The Argonaut (far left).

via the listserv here is a article on the latest developments in the ongoing Joe Englert H Street restaurants/taverns situation. Don't forget that the Argonaut (1400 block of H Street) will be open very soon so you can head down and satisfy your curiousity.

Harris Teeter Wants H Street

The rumors are confirmed. Harris Teeter is looking at the former BP site at 3rd & H Street. A dispatch from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning & Economic Developmemt says Harris Teeter sent a letter to the Zoning Commission about the site.

Missing Cat

Here are photos of my friend's missing cat Sashi. Sashi is about one year old and she normally live on Maryland Ave, but she has been spotted in the area around 11th & I Streets. She has been missing about a week and a half. She is a shy cat, and is probably only coming out at night. The are pictures of her from a while back. If you see Sashi please call 202-236-9460.

(Sashi is the one on the right)

TIC Garden Club's First Event Successful

Here's a shot from Saturday's planting project on Montello. Participants worked from 8am-1pm to clean and plant flowers on the block. The results are impressive. Take a look at some photos here. Click here for pictures of the block before the group went to work.

Northeast Trinidad

Near Bladensburg.

Trinidad Ivy City Garden Club Meeting Tonight

Where: Joseph H. Cole Fitness Center (1200 Morse Street NE)
When: 6:30pm Monday July 18
What: A community group with members dedicated to beautifying the area while getting to know their neighbors. All are welcome.

Join the yahoo group ("trinidadivycitygardenclub"), check out the blog, attend a meeting, or contact Thalia Wiggins at 202-397-7470 for more information.

No photos this morning ...

because Flickr is freaking out.

Linden Neighborhood Assoc. to Meet w/ Joe Englert

From the comments:

Linden Neighborhood Association Meeting
Date: Saturday, July 30, 2005
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Location Change Pending
Agenda:
The Linden Neighborhood Association plans to meet to discuss the proposed ABC Applications by Joe Englert to have a series of bars in our immediate area of 12th and 13th Streets on H.

The meeting is pending confirmation by both parties

This could be an interesting meeting. There are certain to be some strong & divergent opinions expressed.

Activity at Deli / Market at 4th & H?

I noticed last week that someone had cleaned a bunch of junk out this long vacant building on the corner of 4th and H Street (337 H Street?).

A Color at 14th & H

Definitely not bashful with either the color, or the razor wire.

Lost Cat

Black calico/torti with orange and white patches. Has black collar with tags and a bell. About 1 year old, answers to “Sashi.” Very shy & a somewhat meowy cat. Left home on Friday night, July 15. She has been spotted near 11th & H Street NE & mostly seems to only come out at night. If you see her please call 202-236-9460.

[Pictures to follow shortly].

Trinidad Ivy City Garden Club Event Tomorrow

Don't forget about the garden club project tomorrow. Volunteers will cut back overgrown weeds in the 1200 block of Montello & plant flowers in tree boxes. Volunteers will meet at 8am & work until the job is done. For more info on the project click here.

Farmer's Market Tomorrow

The Farm Fresh Market will be held tomorrow.

When: 8:30am-12:30pm
Where: 600 block of H Street NE
Why: breads, fresh fruit, fresh veggies, flowers, cookies, cheeses, & more.

Birdland 4 Sisters Cuisine

1100 block of H Street

Cluck-U-Chicken Not Too Concerned...

about that Certificate of Occupancy.

At the urging of the ANC DCRA is going to look into whether or not this new Cluck-U-Chicken franchise should be allowed to open in the 1100 block of H Street. The zoning rules dictate that a fast food operation cannot, as a matter of right, be awarded a certificate of occupancy. DCRA will also look into whether some existing fast food restaurants are complying with the conditions of their certificates of occupancy.

Opening Soon

The site of the Argonaut in the 1400 block of H Street. I don't know the exact date, but I have heard that the window coverings are down suggesting that the renovation is largely over (this photo is from early last week). The Argonaught is the first in a series of restaurants & taverns coming to H Street courtesy of Joe Englert.

Trinidad Ivy City Community Garden Club Launches New Blog

The Trinidad Ivy City Community Garden Club has officially launched its new blog so that you to can find out about the club's activities. Here is a link to the site, and here is a taste of the prep work for their project this Saturday's planting on Montello:

Correction on Birdland

I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I had some bad intelligence on this one (and the name "Birdland: Four Sisters Cuisine sounds like a Thai place...doesn't it?) But, no, this is a soul food restaurant. They will serve southern food straight out of the Carolinas, or as the sign puts it "North Carlina" (their misspelling, not mine). Apparently the Ohio restaurant is going to have a little competition. Birdland will serve (among other items) ribs, fried chicken & iced (sweet I presume) tea. I still think it will be a sit down place, but it's hard to tell since they are still doing so much work on the inside. Sorry about the Thai thing, but it would nice, no?

H Street in the Tax Sale (Brochure)

I was looking over the list of properties scheduled for the July 11th tax sale. I know the sale already happened, but I was wondering how many H street properties were listed. The tax sale is not some much a sale of the property as it is a sale of the debt. The process for purchasers of the debt to actually take possession of the property is long and difficult. Most properties "sold" at the tax sale never actually change hands. I just thought it was interesting to see who hasn't been paying their property taxes on H Street. I wonder how many of these places are vacant & run down. Here's a quick list of all the places on the brochure:

address/owner

[?] H Street William Ziegler
[?] H Street Thomas B. Spell
820 H Street Charles & Hope Stewart
904 H Street Charles & Elsie Kelly
1000 H Street David & Barbara Bailey
1005 H Street Anwar Saleem*
1010 H Street Robbie Mason
1012 H Street Robbie Mason
1014 H Street Robbie Mason
1019 H Street Irving Abraham
1025 H Street Irving Abraham
1210 H Street 1210 H Street LLC
1220 H Street Kelvin Adekunle
1245 H Street 1245 H Street LLC
1255 H Street Irving Abraham
1336 H Street Jowast Group Inc.
1350 H Street Liberty Development Group
1360 H Street 1360 H Street NE LLC
1362 H Street James Metcalf & Barbara Ford


18 Properties.

*Chairman of H Street Main Street (HSMS)

Trinidad Ivy City Garden Club Project Saturday!

The Trinidad Ivy City Community Garden Club is hosting an event Saturday morning & any interested parties are invited. There will be yard work & flower planting galore. Check out these before shots if you want a sneak peak at the site.

When: The action starts at 8am and goes until whenever.
Where: The 1200 block of Montello (the intersection of Montello & Morse).

You could always just show up, but it might be a good idea to give us a heads-up so we can make sure we have enough tools & gloves. To get in touch join the Yahoo group "trinidadivycitygardenclub," email me by using the mail to function on the profile page, or call Thalia at 202-397-7470.

FYI- The center house became vacant after it was torched, three years ago, by a serial arsonist. Also, not pictured is the severly overgrown lot (to the right of these houses) that is owned by the city & (in theory) maintained by a contractor.

Vacant, but Not Taxed for it on Montello

I recently called the city about this property, located at the intersection of Morse & Montello, because I noticed that the back door had been ripped off (so the vacant building was no longer secure). I also got curious and checked the real property tax database. I discovered that this building (that the database identifies as being owned by a Silver Spring resident)is not being taxed heavily enough. I know for a fact that this structure has been boarded-up for years, but the owner has been paying only the standard (non-homeowner occupied) tax rate for residential structures (currently $0.96 per $100 of assessed value). Because this particular structure is clearly vacant, he should have been paying the considerably higher rate of $5.00 per $100 of assessed value. Luckily the city hasn't done its 2006 inspections yet, so the office that I spoke to promised to add this address to the list of properties to be inspected. Still, I'm frustrated that I didn't notice this earlier. How long has this owner (who neighborhood rumor has it refuses to sell, or improve) been able to sit on a neighborhood eyesore without even paying that tax penalty legally required by the District?

Trinidad Ivy City Garden Club Meeting Tonight

Where: Joseph H. Cole Fitness Center (1200 Morse Street NE)
When: 6:30pm Monday July 18
What: A community group with members dedicated to beautifying the area while getting to know their neighbors. All are welcome.

Join the yahoo group ("trinidadivycitygardenclub"), attend a meeting, or contact Thalia Wiggins at 202-397-7470 for more information.

Birdland 4 Sisters Cuisine Progress

I have recently learned that Birdland will definitely not be operated by the same people that ran Dragon City (and had a few health department issues). This is a photo from last week (I've been out of town), but the front of the building now look like they are close to finished.

PSA 504 Meeting Saturday

When: 10am
Where: Joseph Cole Fitness Center (1200 Morse NE)

1400 Block of H Street NE

Discount Bedding at the Family Food Center

Here's a shot of the signs outside the former Family Food Center site.

413 H Street Up For Sale

I didn't get a picture, but I noticed a for sale sign hanging on 413 H Street this morning. 413, the Brother's Keeper Site, has long sat vacant & in disrepair. Currently the siding on the front has been ripped away exposing the wood to the elements. I hope somebody buys the space, because whoever does can't help but improve this eyesore.

Hillscape on Near Northeast & Sherwood Rec

The newest Hillscape column talks about the Sherwood Rec. Center & the recent disagreements over a Fathers' Day celebration that usually takes place there.

Last Boarded-Up House on the Block

Almost every block has/had one. This is the last one on the double 1200-1400 block of Florida Avenue. I snapped this shot because the recent removal of weeds & other changes make me suspect that the place has either sold, or is being put on the market.

H Street Profile From DC Marketing Center

A link to this document was recently posted in a comment (left by a visitor), but I am re-posting it here so that people see it. This pamphlet is basically a quick view book of H Street (there is a big doc on the main site about all of DC's neighborhoods). It does a quick run-down of neighborhood numbers in terms of age, income & very basic spending habits. It reminds me an earlier post. One thing that strikes me as odd is that the couldn't find something better to represent H Street than that eye sore that is the H Street Connection. But then, Cleveland Park got Petsmart & Marshall Heights got Safeway, so I guess I should be glad we weren't repped by Auto Zone.

Trinidad Ivy City Garden Club MeetingTonight

Where: Joseph H. Cole Fitness Center (1200 Morse Street NE)
When: 6:30pm Monday July 11
What: A community group with members dedicated to beautifying the area while getting to know their neighbors. All are welcome.

Tony's Carry Out

1400 block of H Street NE.

Post Article on Ivy City

Yesterday's Post featured this piece on Ivy City. Ivy City is Trinidad's neighbor to the north. It occupies a tiny triangular space that is best known for housing the Alexander Crummell School & Dream (LINK PLAYS LOUD MUSIC) nightclub. The article discusses the recent run-up in developer activity in Ivy City. Of note is the fact that in a neighborhood very recently considered one of the worst of the worst, the developers are not gearing all of the housing to low income tenants, but are adding "luxury" amenities. The article questions what will happen in cases such as this if interest rise & housing prices fall.

Senate Square in the Making

3rd & H Street NE. The Children's Museum's former home tranforms into Senate Square (luxury condos).

R & B Coffee's New Hours

Monday-Friday 6am-3 pm
Saturday 9am-5 pm
Sunday Closed
1359 H Street NE
Coffee, tea, sodas, sweets, salads & sandwiches.

(I snagged this info from the listserv since I haven't made it down to R&B since the new hours took effect.)

Starburst Plaza Website Operational

Here is the link for the website about the starburst intersection at 15th & Maryland.

Cluck-U-Chicken

The controversial Cluck-U-Chicken.

Trinidad Ivy City Community Garden Club Meeting

Where: 1200 Morse Street NE
When: 6:30pm Monday July 11
What: A community group with members dedicated to beautifying the area while getting to know their neighbors. All are welcome.

Farm Fresh Market Tomorrow

Don't forget the farmers market tomorrow!

Where: 600 block of H Street NE
When: 8:30am-12:30pm
Why: yogurt, sorbet, goat cheese, goat cheese tarts, greens, scones, cookies, breads, fresh mozarella, feta & other homemade cheeses, pork, eggs, squash, cucumbers, cherries, popcorn (on the cob!) & more.

Hillrag Re: Lifted Parking Restrictions on H Street

The July issue of the Hill Rag features a brief, but good piece on the removal of H Street's rush hour parking restrictions

Jumbo Liquor

1100 block of H Street NE.

Middle of the 1400 Block of H Street

Saturday morning around 8am.

Fashion One Sign

Okay, it's been up for a couple of weeks, but just in case you hadn't seen the new sign yet.

And in the Continuing Saga of Cluck-U-Chicken...

They've now got a permanent sign up. Read about the Cluck-U-Chicken issue here. This space is located in the 1100 block of H Street (next to family Dollar).

Bedding Store in Family Food Center Space?

Last night I saw two banners hanging up at the space that once housed the Family Food Center (900 block of H Street). One announced that something would be "OPENING SOON," & the other advertised a sale on brand name bedding. No word yet on the new store's name.

Overgrown on H

Following up on last week's post about trash I thought we might take a look at tree boxes. Here are a few photos from the 1300 block (shot Saturday morning). I particularly like how some of the plants are taller than the pay phone!


Slightly excessive, no? And it looks like someone else has been thinking the same thing.

The Argonaut

The future home of the first in a series of restaurants & taverns that Joe Englert plans to open on H Street. The Argonaut should open in the next 4-5 weeks.

Farm Fresh Market Tomorrow

What: a producers only farmers market
Where: 600 block of H Street NE
When: 8:30am-12:30pm
Why: fruits, veggies, cheeses; breads; honey; pork; eggs; yogurt; scones; flowers & more!

Taste of Jamaica Now Open!

I saw the grand opening sign yesterday. Taste of Jamaica is the first business to occupy this space since the African (Ghanaian, I think) fried fish place closed down in 2002. Taste of Jamaica is located at the corner of 6th & H Streets (directly across from Murray's).

Starburst Intersection Meeting Last Night

I attended the evening meeting, which ran from 6pm-9pm. We looked at a number of examples of small parks & plazas to get ideas. What they are doing to the intersection is not putting in a circle (that idea was deemed too expensive), but rather joining existing small islands together to create a single space. The meeting broke into 5 groups & headed outside to take a closer look at the spaces. Representatives from the groups stood up and summarized the ideas & observations of their groups. Ideas included (but were not limited to):
-changing the elevation of the plaza
-putting in a fountain
-putting in a stage / small ampitheater
-adding benches
-having some green spaces.
-adding nice, welcoming lighting

The major factors to consider during design are:
-crime: it is important to have a well lit space where visibility from the street is good enough to discourage drug activity.
-noise: elevation and a fountain could help reduce traffic noise.
-overall appeal / perceptions of safety: If it doesn't look welcoming & safe people simply won't use it.

essentially, the audience asked for a space (and public art) that would really reflect the neighborhood.