Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Neighbors Petition to Save the Wylie Street Garden

From the Change.org petition:

Cities need gardens!  The community of ANC6a in Northeast Washington DC is growing with development and an exciting place to live.  The Wylie Street Garden has created community among the longtime and new residents over 10 years.  Two of three lots are privately owned and one is owned by H Street Community Development Corporation HSCDC.  The community of this neighborhood, HSCDC and property owners recognize the how public gardens bring value to our lives.  Time spent engaged in a green space after creates appreciation, communication, reflection and conversation.  We intend to save and update the only remaining green space along the H Street corridor as the heart of H Street that represents our historical path of perseverance.  Signing this petition will make a difference in every day of our city living in a great neighborhood.

17 comments:

pat said...

it's a great garden, we wanted to buy across the street from it...

djbays said...

Am I missing something or does this petition lack a clear ask? Who is the petition directed to, HSCDC, the private owners of the other two lots?

I'm all for community gardens and green space, so I want these folks to be as effective as they can be. Just think something is missing...

K on K said...

Agree with djbays -- that was my first thought too. Do the private owners want their lot back and the petition is asking to keep it as a garden? Does HSCDC have other plans? What is the petition for?

Anonymous said...

So buy the land, and garden your heart out.

Doug said...

Are they trying to raise the money to actually buy this lot? Are the owners even interested in selling?

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what the price is on the lot/s?

Anonymous said...

You won't find much sympathy with your elected officials. In all the redevelopment of NOMA, H Street, and the likes in NE, I dare anyone to show me a square inch of new green space. Still need to move south of H if you want to be close to a park. All eyes are on the $$. I don't foresake the redevelopment, but how about a little balance for quality of life?!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, fraid you don't get to keep your squatters garden. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Anonymous said...

Oh give me a break, the arboretum is within walking distance. The taxpayers don't owe you a herb garden.
One lot is $250, 000.

K on K said...

"I don't foresake the redevelopment, but how about a little balance for quality of life?!"

Paid for by whom? Should the owners have to give up their ownership because they allowed gardening on their unused land? BS - not a nice reward and discourages other owners of lots to do this.

Should tax payers buy the property and fund it as a community garden? Maybe, but you should state that if that's what you mean.

Who pays for your "balance"?

K on K said...

This is just sad. Paige should maybe pray for her garden. Otherwise, what is she looking for us to do? I have a personal hatred for petitions/protests/signs/bumper stickers that have no call to action. What do you want us to do Paige?

poo poo said...

i think this is basically a way of people simply showing their appreciation for the ability to enjoy green space. a "thank you card" if you will.

it's a thank you card and a letter to santa all in one!

i think it's cute, but it definitely is not any form of a real attempt to get anything done.

BUT it goes to show that there are some really nice, if not naive, people in the hood. yippee!

Anonymous said...

Get a clue Wylie Street. The lot(s) are privately owned. This is going nowhere, unless you come up with a bundle of cash. Don't get me wrong. I would love to see the lot remain a green space. However, private property is private property.

pat said...

there are other solutions...

People can but up green roofs, and garden there.

They can petition the city and close wylie street
and make a garden out of some of the street space.

Someone could donate their home to a garden space.

if everyone could chip in 10K, they could get some matching money from the city....

Anonymous said...

I'm glad I chose to buy on Stanton Park. I wouldn't be able to do without the permanent green space.

Anonymous said...

> I dare anyone to show me a square inch of new green space [in NoMa]

This comes up a lot, but is completely false. EVERY new residential development in NoMa has dedicated green space in the form of gardens, parks, and other amenities, as required by the PUD for NoMa.

Anonymous said...


> This comes up a lot, but is completely false. EVERY new residential development in NoMa has dedicated green space in the form of gardens, parks, and other amenities, as required by the PUD for NoMa.

Really? Show me a new public park in NOMA, old city, or near northeast (however you want bound it) - anything even remotely close to Stanton or Lincoln parks. The only real green space is where NOMA movies are held in the summer and that is private and will eventually go away. Seriously, get a grip. A litle strip of mulch and a couple shrubs trees at the entrance of Starbucks surrounded by sidewalk is not public green space. And rooftops on apartment buildings aren't public. You're only fooling yourself.