Rebuilding Place Responds to DCmud Post

Richard's got a well written post responding to the DCmud post I mentioned yesterday. That post concerned a proposed project at 1242 H Street. DCmud is, as Richard says, a very pro-development/developer blog. People often send me links to DCmud posts. The reason I don't regularly read their posts is because:

1. The posts are basically puff pieces produced off of press releases (or similar info) from developers. This means, for instance, that you can read all about the great stuff Clark is about to build behind the Safeway. Except that Clark isn't building anything behind the Safeway right now. They are playing wait and see the same way they have been for at least four years. Not that I blame Clark, I'm sure they'd rather wait for street construction to wrap up, and the economy to improve. But I don't need to read a bunch of junk about how Clark is about to build something they aren't close to building.

2. Some of the authors seem very ignorant about the neighborhoods, and even the history of the projects, about which they write. Do a little research people.

3. The writing is uneven, and sometimes downright bad/insipid.

In short, I get annoyed. Don't get me wrong, sometimes they turn out some good stuff, and they do have sketches, and plans. I'm just saying that a little quality control might be in order. Until then I can't deal with reading them regularly.

One odd thing in Shaun's post:
1. "An empty lot could become one of the first new commercial enterprises on the 1200 block of H Street NE"

+Maybe Shaun defines "new commercial enterprise" differently than I do. I would have considered the following to fall into that category:
Philadelphia Water Ice, Souk, Stella Bleu (now closed), Palace of Wonders, the Red and the Black, the Pug, H Street Martini Lounge, Doctor Granville's, Merry-Go-Round, and Drew. Maybe Shaun meant new construction.

Overall, the developer is asking for a lot here, and the deviation from the plan is significant. I'll back the ANC on this one and say the project need to be better. Why do they need four stories, again? And the building is just plain. I know it's infill on a vacant lot, but come on. I think we can do better.

WP: Businesses Feel the Pinch

The post has a piece on the pressure business owners are feeling over rising tax assessments.

Hill Rag: H Street Life

Art on display during the 2005 H Street Festival
The Hill Rag has a piece on the new arts offerings in the 400 block of H Street (the art classes I mentioned this morning, and the Dissident Gallery across the street), and the upcoming bar opening in the 1200 and 1300 blocks of H Street. It also mentions that new art galleries are expected to open across the street from the Rock and Roll Hotel (which, despite what the article says, is located in the 1300 block of H Street, rather than the 1200 block).

a not yet open gallery in the 1300 block

Channel 7: H Street Development

Check out this video on H Street's renaissance from tonight's newscast. It offers a plethora of familiar faces, so the only real question is how many you can recognize.

Benning Corridor Development Meeting

The DC Office of Planning invites you to attend . . .

The First Public Meeting for the Benning Road Corridor Land Development Plan
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
6:30p.m. to 8:30p.m.
Richard England Clubhouse (Boys & Girls Club) - Basement
4103 Benning Rd NE

Discussion topics will include:

Land use
Economic Development
Transportation
Urban Design

Come help us shape the future of Benning Road!

Questions? Contact Jeff Davis, Ward 6 Neighborhood Planner
202-442-7704 or jeff.davis@dc.gov

A Little Comparison: Penn Ave Arts

I don't have time to do a point by point analysis right now, but take a look at this article on recreating a neighborhood through art. I've read about this area before (I really like their website, it's got a cool map similar to the Atlas District website [temporarily offline]) and it sounds cool. I've never been to Pittsburgh, but this makes me want to visit (just to see this area). They've done a great job of packaging the neighborhood for outsiders. I wonder a bit what it is like for people to read about the stuff on H Street if they've never been here.
There are many differences between H Street and Penn Avenue Arts, but there are also similarities worth noting. We're doing a bit more of an entertainment based revitalization, so we've got less art production (we also don't have a huge number of massive buildings), but maybe this won't always be so. They've got cheap real estate (it's Pittsburgh, ok?), while ours is probably overpriced (I submit as exhibit A the price tag sitting on the Sun & Moon building). Their neighborhood, notably, came close to being branded "The Zipper District," so we're not the only ones struggling with names for an area. Their planning seems far more comprehensive. They've got a cool sounding program to help artists secure cheap housing. Anyway, check it out.
Thanks to Rebuilding Place for the the Pop City Link. Check out what Richard has to say on the issue of arts based revitalization.

Flashback: Market

Here's an old article from 2005 referencing the Office of Planning study I sometimes refer to when I say we should be doing more sensitive development.