News from The Voice of the Hill

Two mentioned items of interest for ANC 6A & the larger H Street Community:
-The possible moratorium on the sale of chilled singles on H Street.
-A drug house on the 800 block of F Street was seized by federal marshals. This should definitely be good news for anyone who passes through the general area from F to H Streets & from 8th to 11th Street.

* Also helping out H Street (but not mentioned in the Voice of the Hill article) is an increased police presence at 19th & Benning Road. The police have parked their (staffed) van in the location as a deterrent to crime.

Phoenix Rising

1000 Block of H Street NE. Looking west.

Revitalized Cities...But No Children

Today's New York Times includes an interesting article on the fact that as many cities, including DC, experience an urban renaissance, they also experience sharp drops in the percentage of the population under 18. Here is an earlier post on the flight of families from DC.

1300 Block of H Street NE

Looking westward.

Subway Problems: Not Just in DC

Even the New York Subway, a system generally regarded as far superior to DC's Metrorail, has been experiencing its fair share of problems lately.

DC Residents Raising Home Prices in Baltimore

Here is an article from the Baltimore Sun on how commuters from DC are causing Baltimore area homes to rise dramatically in price.

Pit Bulls in DC

I checked the blog In Shaw today and found the second report I have seen in the past 48 hours of unleashed (one seems to have been free roaming) pitbulls attacking people or dogs. The first report came from a listserve and described an incident at 16th & A NE (In Shaw's incident was at 4th & R NW). As I have mentioned before, Council Member Jim Graham has introduced a bill to ban the breed in the District. Although he has introduced similar legislation unsuccessfully in the past, this time may well be different simply because Sandy Allen (a major opponent of such legislation) no longer sits on the Council. Here is my old post on the topic (contains links to articles from The Post and The Slate). Here is the actual bill Council Member Graham introduced.

DCist on The Wholesale Food District

DCist has just posted a piece on the wholesale food district located at 5th & Morse NE. Check it out here. Also see earlier posts on the topic here and here.

Different Housing Styles in Trinidad

I decided to take my camera for a little walk through Trinidad last saturday, and I was really struck by all the different styles of houses that I saw. I shot more than a hundred photos, so the houses you see below only represent a small sample. Still, I wanted to post them for two (related) reasons:

-there isn't much information about Trinidad available online, and what is there is mostly a bunch of old articles about the neighborhood's hard times. You see words like "gritty" and "crack," but you never see the neighborhood itself.

-largely because of Trinidad's tough image, many people in DC (even those who live near Trinidad) have never really seen much of the neighborhood. I just wanted to offer a peak.

This is further up Montello (I believe these houses are from the 1600 block).

This detached house is on the 1300 block of Montello.

This is what pops into my mind when I think about the typical Trinidad rowhouse. These houses are just off Montello on Neal Street.


This shot is from the 1200 block of Montello. If this one looks vaguely familiar (and you haven't strolled down Montello recently), it could be because a very similar shot can be found on the NARPAC website.

More colorful homes, this time on Morse.

And finally...from the 1300 block of Montello.

Subterranean and Aroma Dough

This is the space where the sub sandwich shop Subterranean (1100 block of H Street) is supposed to go in. I'm wondering when they are planning on setting up shop. I know that I recently read an article (in the Voice of the Hill) that said they had a sign (through the expressive sign project) that was "pending." Another place I wonder about is Aroma Dough (600 block of H Street). Aroma Dough would be nice because it is located directly across from the H Street Farm Fresh Market. People could stop in for a cup of coffee before picking up their greens and goat cheese. Finally, that sketchy (the Health Department thought so) Chinese place on the 1100 block of H Street is gone, and has been replaced by a sign telling passersbye to watch out for the opening of a new Asian restaurant (I'm assuming at the same site). Does anyone have more information about these businesses?

Montello Deli

1700 Block of Montello. 8:30am Today.

R&B Coffee at Night

Still closed for repairs, but re-opening soon (maybe a week or so). Just try to imagine not only this sign lit up, but the first and second floor lights as well.

Lead Poisoning Linked to Violent Crime?

This is a recent cover story from the Baltimore City Paper discussing possible links between lead poisoning and violent behavior. Seems a little odd that we aren't seeing any stories like this here (or did I just miss those too?).

Thursday Night Jazz at Phish Tea

This appears to be what I photographed last night (see below). Thanks to Richard for sending it out to HSMS.

phish tea café @ 1335 H ST northeast
INVITES YOU to BN TRUTH ENT.#9474;
Presents (202-714-3963)
A BLACK & GREEN St Patrick’s Day Celebration
Thursday March 17th“THIRD THURSDAY JAZZ NIGHT”
Featuring a jazzy blues band:
DAVID COLE & MAIN STREET BLUES
5:00PM DOORS OPEN-7:00PM SHOWTIME
@ Phish Tea café 1335 H Street NorthEast DC
202-396-2345
$20.00 per person (includes light buffet and show with ½ price black & green specialty drinks)

Is seems that Phish Tea is now hosting live Jazz every Thursday.
Call them for details at (202) 396-2345.

Phish Tea at Dusk

And Conflicting with PSA 504's Meeting...

We have Council Member Phil Mendelson holding a tax assessment informational meeting. You can learn about how assessments are made, how to appeal assessments, and any credits you may qualify for. Or you could just go to the District's website on the issue. Still, Trinidad assessments did experience jumps of over 30% (the highest in the District)!

Saturday March 19
11:00 a.m.
J.O. Wilson Elementary School
660 K Street, NE.
For Trinidad & Old City I

Mr. Mendelson will also hold identical meetings throughout the city, so this is not exactly your last chance.

PSA 504 Meeting this Saturday

Come, meet your neighbors. Learn more about what's going on in your neighborhood. Eat powdered donuts and drink juice. Whatever your thing is, just come to the meeting.

Saturday
10am-11:30am

Developing Families Center
801 17th Street NE
Washington, DC

Article on Evictions

Here's a story, from the Baltimore City Paper, about an eviction crew. The story points out that forclosure petitions by mortgage lenders have dropped considerably in recent years (due to the real estate market). It would be interesting to see eviction/live writ numbers for renters.

Ever Wonder How Retailers See the Neighborhood?

I found this article on Planetizen. It's from Greater Milwaukee Today and it talks about companies like Claritas that make a business of determing who lives in a given area, and sorting the inhabitants into demographics groups to predict purchasing and behavioral patterns. Though they won't let you see details with out a paid membership, you can sneek a peak at who Claritas says dwells within in the 20002 area code.

Window

From the 1100 block of I Street NE.

More on Wi-Fi

Following up to my earlier mention of Wi-Fi on H Street, I offer this from Cool Town Studios.

Post Article on Dream

The well known night club Dream (caution, this link plays loud music) is not in Trinidad, but rather sits in our neighbor to the north Ivy City (just cut and paste the article into word if you can't read the text). Recently Dream has found itself on Chief Ramsey's bad side. The Chief of Police has written a letter asking the District's alcohol licencing board to re-examine Dream's alcohol and club licenses. The article gives a basic history of the club and it's relationship with various District personalities and agencies.

Joe Englert Elsewhere in DC

Joe Englert, the man planning to open H Street establishments Show Bar and The Olympic, will soon be opening a 1920s themed restaurant on Georgia Avenue called Temperance (the original plan called for a bar named Whiskey). This news comes from Hillscape.

Where to Go for Wi-Fi

I now know of three places H Street that offer wi-fi. R&B Coffee & H Street Playhouse both use DC Access as their provider (you do not need to be a subscriber to any service to use their wi-fi). The third location is Phish Tea Cafe. I'm not sure who the provider is for Phish Tea, but it may well be the same as for the other two establishments. So that's three newly available connections on H Street.

A Martini Bar on H Street?

The ANC 6A Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee will be meeting tomorrow from 7-9pm. Among the topics to be discussed...a liquor license for a martini bar. A Mr. Clifton Humphries applied for the license for a business he wishes to open called H Street Martini Lounge. The proposed lounge is to be located at 1236 H Street NE. A google search revealed nothing of interest except that there is a Clifton Humphries who lives hear the H Street Corridor. 1236 is the building with the Long & Foster in the window. Unless I am mistaken, the first floor of that builiding currently has no back wall. The committee will also discuss a possible moratorium on single sales on H Street.

Joy of Motion Opening Today

Please excuse the fence in the picture. I shot this last month, and I assure you the fences are actually down. (and that tarp stuff is gone too). I peeked in the windows on Saturday, and the visible spaces in the Atlas are looking really terrific. If your schedule permits you should definitely check out Joy of Motion. They are running on a special schedule for the first two weeks that will temporarily treat many of their classes as walk-ins (some classes will always be available on a walk-in basis). Class schedule and pricing info posted here.

Fences (Mostly) Down at Atlas

Just in time for the opening of the Joy of Motion dance studios The Atlas has removed the outer fences that forced you to cross over to the north side of the street. H Street is finally shaping up. But someone should probably still do something about the caution tape in that tree.

News About R&B Coffee

By way of the HSMS listserve I heard that R&B's owner, Alphonso Morgan, is reporting a slight delay in the repairs, but expecting to reopen in about two weeks.

Something Happening at 1220 H Street

Finally. This place has been on the market forever. I'm assuming it has been sold because I saw these guys installing new locks this morning. I'll be interested to see what will happen.

Urban Legends?

I saw this (in the place of now defunct Imagine U Unique) last night when I came home from work. I haven't heard any thing about this place, but I'm assuming it might be associated with the vehicle out front (the one that says "Urban Wear"). I'm glad to see that the space won't be vacant long.

Speaking of Cultivating a Neighborhood Image...

Apparently the once notorious NYC neighborhood Bed Stuy now boasts a brand new official motto. At least they get to keep their name, which is more that I can say for Hell's Kitchen.

New Panel to Study Legal Needs of Poor

Today's Post included this article on a new commission be set up to study the (civil) legal needs of the poor, and how to better meet those needs. According to the article, the idea for this commission sprang from a 2003 report by the DC Bar Foundation that found that only 1 of every ten people living in poverty in the District had access to necessary legal services. The order establishing the District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission is available here (it's short, read it). Here is a link to another article on the 2003 report that the Post article references. Here is the actual 2003 report.

Corner of 12th & I Street

Taken on our most recent snowy morning.

Age Trends in the DC Population

There is an article in today's Post about who's coming to DC, who's staying put, and who's leaving town. Essentially the piece is mostly stuff that you've seen before (new numbers, but you already had the idea):

1. DC's population shark between 2000-2004 *The city doesn't like to admit this is true since they are supposedly trying to attract new residents to raise the District's population. But who are they kidding? You take a house with a big family living in it (maybe the adult children still live with their parents?). You sell this house to some young couple for half a million dollars, and the original inhabitants hightail it to Prince George's. Now repeat the process, but this time do it with a big rooming house, or a place that used to be split into apartments. How do you not lose population?

2. DC is attracting more people age 25-34.

3. DC is losing people age 35-54 *News flash! Residents leave the city when it's time to have kids!

So once again it comes down to the school system. DC can't retain families because as, a whole (obviously there are exceptions), the public schools suck.

Another Post Article on the Wholesale Foods District

The wholesale food district made the Post again today. This time the area was the focus of the article, instead of just a brief note. I think it's really terrific to see the markets get a little attention. I'd like to write more on this, but I'll have to come back to it later. For now just check out my earlier post on the topic.

Music Venues and "Making" an Area

The following is a response to a post on the blog Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space about why music venues are good for revitalization, and just generally making an area cool.
A concert space would be great. I'm sure one would run into major opposition from people afraid of noise pollution. But Richard is right, people will head to some out of the way little place for a good concert. Perhaps a place like this might follow the opening of Joe Englert's bars (not so much the sports bar, but Show Bar might do it). A concert space would be good because it would pretty much ensure some night time traffic. Night time traffic means customers for any coffee shops/restaurants/diners that might stay open late. Foot traffic also makes an area safer simply because there are people around. Hey, maybe if we had decent foot traffic late, people would stop illegally dumping trash in front of the Salvation Army on Saturday nights. A final note is that you can have concerts even in very small spaces (check out Saint-EX, which is really a bar cafe, but does host small concerts, and is currently making a splash with its IPod Night).

Madonna at Holy Name Church

A Virgin Mary statue welcomes vistors to Holy Name Catholic church on 11th Street between I and K.

DCist on Metro Buses (Part Three)

DCist has posted the latest in its (3 part?) series on Metro buses. No time for a response right noe, but here's what I've said before (this earlier post links to another recent post leading to parts I & II of DCist's series).

R&B Coffee Temporarily Closed for Repairs

R&B Coffee, at 1359 H Street NE, has very temporarily shut it doors so that the owner, Alphonso Morgan, can make a few changes. He plans to add a new display case to accommodate the sandwiches and salads that patrons have requested. He is also working on expanding into the space on the second floor. No news yet on when R&B will reopen, but Alphonso promises that the closing will be brief, and that the changes will be worth it. He is actively soliciting suggestions regarding food items (sandwiches, soups, and salads). See his website for details.

Opening of the Atlas

Here is a nice article on the opening of the Atlas (from the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington).

Hillscape Column on Cody Rice and Joseph Fengler

I just wanted to point you to this Hillscape column from The Hill.

Corner of Florida and Montello

Just for the hell of it here's a photo taken on a recent snowy morning (it doesn't aways look quite that bleak). That's Brother's Liquor on the right and Eastern Heating and Plumbing on the left.

Follow-up on Post About Attracting Crowds to Emerging Main Streets

There is a post on the blog Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space that responds to an article (from Cool Town Studios) that I had linked to previously. The piece from Cool Town is specifically about Center City in Philadephia, but the response on Rebuilding aims to revamp it for DC (and H Street in particular).

Public Transportation Use In and Around DC

Yesterday's Post had an article entitled "Commuters Like Metro More Than They Use It." Basically the article focused on the fact that only 9% of area residents surveyed regularly take Metrorail to work (we aren't told told how many take Metrobus, or how many actually walk to work). So, yeah the number is very low (it might have been nice to also see some numbers on how many people use metro to attend recreational activities). Metrorail is not everywhere we want it to be. This does present a problem since many people either refuse to take the bus on principle, or simply don' t know the routes. This brings me to another item from Sunday's Post, this (you need to scroll down, and it does continue on the next page) is a snippet from the Dr. Gridlock column. A frustrated citizen has written in complaining about the epidemic lack of updated bus schedules and maps (even the recent, and rare, large shelter maps give old fare information). Metro responds that they have a contractor who is supposed to update time tables and maps. Bottom line, these things never get updated. Even when people are willing to ride the bus in this city, Metro doesn't exactly make it easy. You can used The Ride Guide, and you can call the hotline, but the hotline is a bit stupid about times, and you can't always log on to check The Ride Guide. If you want a comprehensive map, don't expect it to be free. No, you'll be paying, and waiting in line (woe to you with the short lunch hour) to get your copy. If Metro wants more people to use buses, why can't it get its act together and just get the info at the stops updated. After it gets that done, maybe it will consider giving away maps like you can get in other cities. Check out this other recent post on the topic.

Joy of Motion Releases Schedule for Spring Classes

Joy Motion has posted Spring class schedules on its website. Classes begin March 14th.

Old Sears Site

I wanted to post something about the condos I keep hear will be built behind the CVS over by Hechinger mall (at the old Sears site), but I can't seem to find any real information aside from this old Washington Post article. Does anyone have any more information about this project?

Redevelopment in Northeast & the DC Farmer's Market

Yesterday's Post featured an article on the recently released report "Northeast Gateway: Many Neighborhoods, One Community." According to the article, the report focuses on strategies for revitalization Ward 5 while protecting its residents from the problems that often accompany gentrification. I personally found the most interesting part of the article to be the discussion of the Dc Farmer's Market (and the wholesale foods district that surrounds it). I know that there is already some construction/renovation going on in the immediate area (I think as a spillover of the NY Ave action), and I have seen a sketch, or two of the plans. But I am thrilled to learn (from the article) of even the suggestion of putting in a culinary school. You have a lot of great old buildings in the wholesale foods district, but many have fallen into disrepair, and I suspect that the rough look of the area (and the fact that some of the stores don't do retail sales) keep away many potential visitors. The area needs a scrub down, more stores like A. Litteri's (places that will bring people in), and (eventually) some restaurants, and a coffee shop. The location, on the other hand , is terrific. Located just down the street from the NY Ave metro, a spiffed up market could easily attract crowds.
[Addition: If you want to check out the DC Farmer's Market, here is the info:
1309 5th St., NE
Tuesday, 7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Saturday, 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Sunday, 7:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m]

Empty Spaces on the 1300 Block of H Street

This is the black and white version of a photo I posted earlier.

This is the proposed space for the garden center rumored to be coming to H Street. I say "Hello fresh herbs. Goodbye illegal razor wire."

Sure You Can Take the Subway from Times Square to the Wild West, but Can You Watch TV on the Way?

As part of a promotion for the HBO series Deadwood, a New York MTA car will be temporarily dolled up in saloon style. For peek try a 3/2/05 post on Curbed. To read more try this article in the NY Post. In other train related news, Atlanta is adding tvs and radio to its subways in a bid to raise advetising revenue. We may start seeing similar changes in DC. For a little refresher you can refer back to this old DCist piece. We have to pay for metro somehow, but I suspect some people are not going to be happy.

Pit Bull Ban in DC?

Today's Post includes an article on Council member Jim Graham's push to ban pit bulls in the District (present pets would be exempted from the ban, but would have to be sterilized). It seems that Graham's past efforts in this area were repeatedly squashed by former Council member Sandy Allen. It isn't clear that the measure will pass, but several members have offered at least reserved support. Council member Marion Barry wants to add rottweilers to the ban. Certainly these are not the only breeds of dogs that can and do seriously injure people. Based on a rather unfortunate interaction with a german shepard, I can tell you they can be pretty aggressive, and I think we all know that a presa canaria can inflict some serious damage. Other council members objected that a breed specific ban would be ineffective. My view is that if you choose to live in the District, you choose to surrender the right to possess/use certain items deemed hazardous. This category includes items like fireworks and handguns (where was it the other day that I heard/saw statistics about what a large portion of guns recovered during drugs busts were shot guns?), but I'm not sure if it should include dogs that have not previously been violent (although when they are violent the cost can be inexcusably high). The question is really about whether we want treat dogs with certain physical characteristics as high risk weapons (we may ban assault rifles, but regard shotguns as acceptable). Certainly the prosecution has treated them that way in some high profile cases (like this and this). Here is a column that The Slate ran a while back on the issue of violent dogs. From The Slate article:

Contrary to stereotype, retrievers, poodles, and other popular breeds are much more likely to bite people than pit bulls or rottweilers. They also, as a rule, do less damage.

An Urban Garden in Chicago

This is a 2003 article from The New York Times. I remember reading it when it first ran, and feeling really struck by the juxtaposition of fancy organic produce and Cabrini Green. The garden in the story is not a traditional community garden, but that's what it makes me think of anyway. I see a few around my area (I think there's one at 13th & Wylie), but nothing big. I did find an article about community gardening in Brookland.

Want more info on gardens at Cabrini Green? Try these links:

Seeds of Change
Chicago Fourth Takes Root in Community
Risky Agribusiness
A Project Within the Projects

And here's why I'm thinking about Cabrini Green:
It's Bleak, But it's Home

In Anticipation of the Opening of Joy of Motion

...(or at least their newest site) I present a frontal photo of the Atlas. The entrance to the Joy of Motion studios is actually a couple of doors down, but it is currently obscured by metal fencing. So remember, March 14th is the opening date. The studio will offer classes for both children and adults. A wide range of classes will be offered, including, among others, yoga, hip hop, ballroom dancing & salsa.

The DC's Housing Bubble Will Burst? Think Again.

The Wall Street Journal today had an article discussing a new report released by The PMI Group that, among other things, discusses real estate bubbles and rates the likelihood that housing prices in a given market will decline in the next ten year. The report gave the DC metro area a risk index of 151 (meaning there is 15% chance of area prices declining). The top rating went to Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH with a risk index of 533. I haven't had time to read full report yet, but the charts are good even if you are feeling lazy.

DCist on Metro Buses

Today I'm suggesting you take a look at two recent articles, courtesy of DCist, that discuss the bus riding experience in DC.

Looking at Our Metro Bus: Part I & Part II

Buses definitely deserve a little respect in this city (face it, metrorail won't always get you where you want to go). I remember that key buses like the X2 (the H Street line) continued to run even when metrorail shut down during the big snow storm in 2003. During that storm taxis charged double fares (plus they mostly just ran on main streets), and since side streets weren't plowed you couldn't get your own car out. So buses and walking became the only way to get around. I was impressed by the hourly X2 service during that storm, but I am less impressed that Metro requires me to pay ($1.75 I think) and stand around in long lines just to obtain a bus map (don't other cities just give these things away?).

Attracting People to Emerging Main Streets

Here is a past post from blog Cool Town Studios concerning drawing people to "emerging" commercial areas like the H Street corridor. If you buy this blueprint, we seem to be a little short on restaurants, but I have a hard time imagining any hot restauranteur locating on H Street in its present state. But hey, if you need to feel more hopeful, take an evening stroll down the 8th Street SE strip (that's a pronounced before and after).

H Street Concept Master Plan 1100 & 1200 Blocks

What is the NCRC planning for this section of H Street? Get your answers here.

March 2005 Issue of Voice of the Hill

The most recent issue of Voice of the Hill is filled with H Street related stories. There is an article about R&B Coffee (referred to in the article as R&B Cafe), one about Joy of Motion (their new H Street studio opens in mid-March), and one about the H Street expressive sign project. For those unfamiliar with expressive sign project, this initiative is intended to spark interest in H Street businesses and to bring a sense of hipness and vibrancy through public art. I have posted a photo of a sign from the 1000 block. Also, I learned from the expressive sign article that a sub sandwich shop called Subterranean plans to occupy the empty space at 1110 H St. NE.

Subway Risks

The New York Times has an interesting article about airborne metal particles found in underground rail stations, and their potential links to respiratory problems. The article also touches on noise concerns and the persistent fear of crime that many subway riders experience. From the article:

While violent crime in the subway has plummeted over the past decade,
riders continue to have fears that are not rationally grounded, Dr. Gershon found. She cited, for example, a 1992 survey that found that 77 percent of subway riders were afraid of being pushed onto the tracks, and 80 percent said they took action to prevent this from happening, even though such incidents are extremely rare.

Vacant Space on 1300 Block of H Street

I suffer from a slight weakness for decrepit, or partially disassembled buildings, and I thought this picture (snapped through the door gate) was kind of cool. Now that I look at it, I think black and white would work better.

Where the Poor Go

I'm adding a new link to the gentrification section, and as I was rereading the page I remembered what struck me about it before. The piece is basically a dialogue about being gentrified out of neighborhood, and about being gentrifiers. Somewhere in the middle there is a section where they discuss what can happen to the poor who can't pay the suddenly sky-high rents when large areas gentrify. Now people who sell their houses can always move to another neighborhood (even if that does mean the suburbs), and middle class/lower middle class renters can either stretch to make the high rents, or move someplace less desirable, but the poor don't have many choices.

I remember living in a crappy flat (great neighborhood of Notting Hill) in London during a college semester abroad. Four of us lived in this one bedroom (there was an extra bed in the living room) flat with plywood floors. Frequently our kitchen ceiling would get wet spots in one corner and water would drip down. The first couple of times this happened we called the landlord and she resolved the issue. At first we were puzzled, but then we learned that the 2nd floor was split up into tiny rooms each occupied by a non-English speaking Eastern European family, and with a single shared bathroom above our kitchen (apparently there was a problem with the shower curtain). We were shocked. We had thought we were roughing it by squeezing four people into our place, and then we found out that like fifteen people lived upstairs.

Now this does connect to DC, and to illustrate this fact I'll relate an experience I had while house shopping in the District. I went to look at a place I'd seen an ad for online. The house was a three story wood frame located on Gales (Rosedale neighborhood of Capitol Hill). After arriving for the open house I discovered that the structure was currently employed as a rooming house. Now as I mentioned, this place was was huge, so each renter did have his/her own room (there were no families living here), so the surprising part was not overcrowding, the rent each person paid. As a rooming house, the structure operated without leases, and charged rent weekly, rather than monthly. The price was $125 a week (I lived in a group house at the time and my monthly rent was $425). Every dining room/living room/library had been converted into a bedroom (leaving only the kitchen and the three bathrooms as common rooms). So these guys (most of them had been there over a month) were forking over $500 a month to live in a bedroom (many with severely warped wooden floors, and the occasional broken window) and have access to a bathroom and a kitchen (with a giant hole from chasing a mysterious plumbing leak). The house was listed for $205k. I'm sure it sold. The slumlord, um, I mean landlord (at the time of the open house) had plans to move his tenants into another building, so no one was made homeless in the transaction.

Developer Douglas Jamal's Office Searched

Jamal, who has been under scrutiny for a while now,had his office raided two days ago as part of a criminal investigation focused on Michael Larusso (former director of the D.C. office of property management). Larusso, who is accused of accepting bribes (as well as committing other crimes), had dealings Jamal that seem to greatly benefit the developer at the expense of the city. Read all about it in yesterday's Post.

What Makes a Great Arts District?

Here is a link to a post on the blog Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space. The blog covers general urban issues, but the blog`s author, Richard Layman resides in Capitol Hill, and has been involved in furthering the revitalization of H Street NE. In this post he writes about creating dynamic arts districts. He links to a good site that I saw a while back when he sent it out on a neighborhood listserve. The site I refer to is Penn Avenue Arts.

R&B Coffee

This is a fairly recent photo of the 1300 block of H Street. The yellow building is the site of R&B Coffee. Although they do have their sign up now. I wish I had some photos of the inside (or of the new sign), but I hear their website should be up and running soon enough. Oh, and the building on the far right is the gallery/club Sanctuary.

Saint Elizabeth's Future

The current Hillscape column focuses on the southeast campus, and what may, or may not happen there. Hillscape is decidely downbeat on the topic, choosing to dwell on the bleakness that plagues much of DC once you cross the Anacostia. It seems almost inevitable that we will one day see development on the vast campus, and that the Kirkbride buildings that stand there will no longer hide behind their boarded windows (assuming the structures can be saved). Already attention is shifting to some areas south of the Anacostia, development will certainly come. The challenge is to bring opportunities and services, without driving out current residents.

Parking on H Street

So you've probably already heard that ANC commisioner Joe Fengler is trying to get the rush hour restrictions for parking on H Street removed. The hope is that allowing rush hour parking will increase foot traffic and help nurture the growing number businesses in the area. The current Hillscape column feature a brief word about the bid (at the bottom).

Build Your Own City

Just a quick game.

Want to Know More About Your Neighborhood?

Then try this site. Okay, the most recent info is from 2000, and the site is under construction, but it's still useful.

Unacceptable Quality of Life Issues

As a follow-up to my brief post re: PSA 504's 2/19/05 meeting, I am posting a link to a flyer (generously hosted by the Truxton Circle Website) that MPD handed out at the meeting. Just to clarify, the problem in the photo of the car is the color (this is not evident on the flyer) of the text on the temporary license plate. If you see a car with a temporary DC plate, and the text is green, the plate is a fake, and the car may be stolen. Report it by calling 727-1000, or by filing a report online.

More Art Invading H Street

So apparently plans are in the works to put an art gallery (or galleries?) into three adjacent buildings on the 1300 block of H St NE. The spaces in question are directly across from the H Street Playhouse, and next to space slated to become a garden center.

Slight Delay in Opening of Joy of Motion

Joy of Motion has announced a slight delay in its anticipated opening date. The opening has been pushed back until mid-March. Joy of Motion will offer a variety of dance and yoga classes. Their studio will be located in the Atlas Performing Arts Center.

A Garden Center Coming to H Street?

I just heard a rumor about plans to bring a garden center (similar to 14th street's Garden District) to the 1300 block of H Street.

2/19/05 PSA 504 Meeting

This morning I attended the PSA 504 meeting this morning at the Joseph Cole Rec Center (1200 blk Morse St. NE). This was actually my first PSA meeting, and I have to say I was impressed. We had a really good turnout and lots of people particpated in the discussion. They also handed out some useful info and talked about strategies for dealing with a wide range of community issues. Most of the issues we hit were fairly general, but a few did deal with specific trouble spots for drugs and dumping. I would say that the interaction between residents and law enforcement went very well. I think everyone walked out of there feeling upbeat.

Google Maps

Google has introduced a beta version of its new mapquestesque service. Typical of Google, this service looks poised to surpass those offered by both Mapquest & Yahoo. Check it out here. I should point out that I heard about this site from City Comforts.

Property Tax Relief

The City Council members are busy introducing a number of ideas for dealing with the problem of ballooning property tax bills in the area. Read all about in this Post article. In case you need convincing, here is an earlier article about the problems rising assessments are causing in NOVA.

One for Home Rule

The Post reports that the House has abolished the DC Subcommitee. Although the Senate will likely retain a stand alone panel on the District, the change should reduce overall federal involvement in District affairs.

A Joe Englert Project on Georgia Avenue

Check out this press release posted on Jim Graham's (Ward 1) website. I had heard that Mr. Englert (the developer bringing The Olympic and Show Bar to H Street) was considering opening a bar on Georgia Avenue, but now it looks like he has changed his plans and is opening a 1920s themed restaurant in the space. At any rate, this news seems to be generating a great deal of excitement.

Shelter for Homeless Families in DC

I saw the article in the Post about a family that city employee improperly (illegally) turned away from a homeless shelter on a night with a hypothermia alert in effect. This individual story is shocking, but here as always, the real focus should be on looking at the larger numbers (quoted below):

Last year, there were 3,326 applications for family shelter space in the
District, according to the Community Partnership for the Prevention of
Homelessness. The number of family shelter units, which by law are supposed to be apartment-style for the safety of children, declined from a high of 1,216 in 1991 to 110 this year, according to the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless.

On any given day, there are about 200 pending applications for
family shelter, French said. On nights that the city has declared a cold-weather alert, she said, there were a few times when there were only two or three vacancies for families out of 191 beds set aside.

From 1,216 units to 110? What the hell? Can the city really not come up with 100 more measly units?

Abdo & the Children's Museum Condos

Ok, so the parking space thing has been in the news a bit, but here is a little more info about the project itself (and why Abdo is such a good developer for this project).

Waiting for Spring

Thing have been pretty quite around here recently. The warm weather is getting a few more people out, but you can tell everyone's just gearing up for Spring. I'm not sure when the Farm Fresh market will return to 6th & H St, but I think it's set for sometime around late March. I keep thing about the great bread, cheese, & veggies I can get there when it starts back up. For now I'm stuck with the crappy Safeway at Hechinger Mall. But I am trying to take advantage of the current nice weather as much as possible (I even grilled out on Sunday night). Mostly I've been busy trying to get organized. I'm going back to school (part-time) this Fall, so I have been spending lots of time thinking about that. I keep checking the mail for acceptance letters (I've already gotten one, so I'm safe). Going back to school is not free, thus I am currently making plans to find a roommate. However, I have to finish doing a bit of work in the bathroom first. I'm doing this work myself, and it is minor work, but it still takes time (and after 2 years you sort of get lazy). So I'm counting on the Spring to motivate me to finish the stupid bathroom.

Can't Stop Juvenile Car Theft? Ban Grand Theft Auto!

According to a Post article the City Council has announced plans to ban the sale of violent, or sexually explicit video games such as those making up the Grand Theft Auto series. Attacking such games for inspiring violent behavior, council member Adrian Fenty described them as "unbelievably misogynistic and geared toward making whoever is playing perpetuate the worst parts of our society.'' Fenty and his fellow council members are not alone in their quest, Mayor Williams has expressed strong support for the measure. I am dubious. Of course I don't support letting 8 year olds play such games, but how much will a new law really do to (A) keep adult games out of children's hands, and (B) reduce juvenile crime? Keep in mind there are already widely enforced rules about who stores will sell these games to (remember the stickers?). As the Post points out:

The Washington-based Entertainment Software Association noted last year that the average age of a video game player is 30 and that the average age of a video game purchaser is 36. Parents are involved in the purchase of games 83 percent of the time, the association said.

It's time for a little reality check. First kids aren't really the ones buying these games most of the time. Second, while giving a kid these games is probably not a very responsible thing to do, and may put some bad ideas in his/her head, video games are probably not the only place many District kids witness drug use or violence. How about we deal with those issues rather than grand-standing over symbolic actions? Besides, even if this law does reduce in store sales of violent games to minors, the Council may find it a bit difficult to keep such games entirely out of the hands of minors when it is extremely easy to just download them on the internet (and burn them to CD, to pass onto friends), or to buy them off e-bay. No, no , clearly I'm wrong. It's a much better idea to introduce redundant legislation so we can pretend we're doing something to help kids and fight crime.

I don't have a problem with this legislation. I just hope we don't let surface rule over substance.

District to Garnish a Portion of Barry's Wages

The Post reports that a judge has ordered the District to garnish a portion of Marion Barry's Council member paycheck in order to settle a dept to his former campaign manager Dion Jordan.

DC vs Detroit: a Few Considerations

As I was reading an article in the New York Times about Detroit I couldn't help but compare Detroit to the District. Both cities have major poverty issues, a troubled school system, a high tax rate (Detroit's is high for Michigan), and a history that includes riots in the 60s and both white flight and black middle class flight. Detroit is currently facing the specter of receivership, and DC has DEFINITELY been there. Luckily, DC is currently in a position where its citizens can look at Detroit and breath one huge sigh of relief. It is true that in the District crime is a problem, the juvenile justice and school systems are largely in shambles, and affordable housing is in crisis. But it is also true that this city is leaps and bounds ahead of Detroit. We have a terrific public transportation system (even if coverage is not universal and bad weather can still wreak havoc); our average income level is rising not falling (tax revenues are increasing); and we are looking at a budget surplus, rather than a shortfall. But it's the similarities that get me. The following paragraph made me cringe.

Flight is even more furious from the public schools, which have lost 33,000 students since 1998-9, enough to fill 65 elementary schools (21 have closed). Competition that was supposed to promote improvement has instead hastened the district's collapse. Of the 9,300 students who did not return
last all, 3,400 went to charter schools and 1,300 to neighboring suburbs that recruit Detroit residents.

Those left are the hardest and most expensive to educate. One in seven Detroit students is in special education, and 72 percent are poor enough to qualify for free lunches, up from 61 percent four years ago.

I look at the District's public school system, and I feel overwhelmed. I have no direct experience with the school system here (never having attended, or taught in, any District schools), so everything I know about it comes from what I read, or from conversations with people who have taught in charter schools here. My point being that I can't begin to say how we can go about fixing the schools here, but I do know that until the problem is fixed, the District will never lure bright young families unable, or unwilling, to foot the private school bill, and the District government will continue to be complicit in the creation of permanent underclass (complete with all the inequality/crime that generally accompany such an unjust system).

DC Housing Prices Skyrocket (as if you hadn't noticed)

Today's Post featured an article on the continuing escalation of District housing prices to obscene levels. Seriously, who can afford these places? I read the Sunday Post (while sipping my latte at Rhythm & Beans) & I swear that I laughed more at the real estate listings that at the comics. I saw two houses on G St. (9th & 10th I think) listed for $700-800,000. Scandalous! For those who don't know, there is a small pocket of trouble between 8th & 10th, & H St & Maryland. This small patch features a House of Ruth (reportedly complete with drug & prostitution problems), a troubled (read home to drug use & sales) rowhouse, & a half-renovated building with a big hole in the ground (also rumored to host prostitution & drug activity). In recent memory the area also boasted a death shrine (10th & G St.) [Update: The February Issue of Voice of the Hill states that the 600 block of 10th St. NE "was the location of three homicides and four shootings as well as drug activity"] with a baseball bat and various liquor bottles suggesting (based on what I've heard, & an old Post article) that the shrine commemorates a revenge killing. I also recall (about two years ago) a rash of muggings in the area. Two young men, generally armed with a handgun, carried out these muggings. On at least one occasion these men had a 2'x4' instead of a gun and the used the lumber to beat one of their victims (they robbed a couple) when the loot was dissatisfying. So, you too (if you're lucky enough to qualify) can pay 3/4 of a million dollars to experience city living dc style.
[I should state that this area has greatly improved in the past few years, and they do have a nice new community rec center. I have no doubt that this area will totally clean up (I don't mean to bash it in the first place). I'm just poking a little fun at the crazy prices in DC.]

Rhythm & Beans Coffee

Ok, I went in to check this place out on Sunday and I was impressed. The shop occupies the first floor (divided into two rooms), and they are thinking about expanding into the second floor. The place was comfortable looking with a variety of table sizes, and couple of upolstered chairs (you can also sit at the bar). I saw plenty of electrical outlets, so laptops should be no problem). The had a jazz station (not WPFW) playing while I was there, but (thankfully) it wasn't smooth jazz. I ordered a latte, which tasted pretty good, but they also has juices and IBC Rootbeer. I saw a few baked goods, but didn't try any of those. In my opinion, this is just the kind place H Street needs. Now we just need to get out there and support it.

1359 H Street NE
[Wi-Fi Hot Spot]
Sunday 9-5
Closed Monday
Tuesday & Wednesday 11-7
Thursday-Saturday 9-9

Drunk/Stupid People as Obstacle to H St. Improvement (& major pain in the ass)

H Street can now boast a farmers' market, a couple of sit-down restaurants, 2 decent bars, a sweet coffee shop, and 2 theater related spaces. Yet the street continues to suffer the same old very basic problems. To be specific, I'm talking about trash and the issues related to public drunkeness. Yes H Street needs more businesses (with responsible owners who take an interest in the street's potential), but business owners don't want to move into an area where they fear customers won't want to venture. So it all comes back to the trash and the drunkeness. Also, these issues are all the more aggravating because they result from daily voluntary acts by their perpetrators. I have watched a mother wipe ice cream off her son's face only to toss the napkin onto the sidewalk (instead of aiming for the trash can 15 feet away). sometimes people just don't care. You can't do much when people refuse to respect their surroundings. H Street has a lot of traffic moving through it every day, so I like to think that much of the trash comes from outsiders moving through the neighborhood. But I know this isn't always true. Sure, much of the larger scale dumping is not local, but plenty of the street trash is clearly locally produced. This a good neighborhood, full of good people, but irresponsible behavior like this brings us all down. Then I come across this report in the Post:

Drunk Man Goads Rottweiler

EIGHTH AND H STREETS NE, Jan. 13. Police asked animal control to help with a Rottweiler that a drunk man was encouraging to attack pedestrians. When an officer arrived, police said that the man did not own the dog and that they had told him to go home. The animal was held at the D.C. shelter pending contact by an owner.

I swear...not surprising at all.

Time to Recycle Those Recycling Bins?

DCist drew my attention to an announcement by DC's Department of Public Works that the District is going city wide with a new recycling program that will replace those awful bins with spiffy blue mini super cans. As DPW puts it:

The new program will also introduce more residents to single stream recycling, which means that all recyclables will go into the same container. Once the blue carts have been delivered, customers will no longer have to keep paper and other recyclables separated, nor will they have to lift heavy bins.

I look forward to the blue container as I sense it means the end of searching my alley (post collection) for the bin with address (I have actually found it as far as 1/3 of a block away). Anyway, three cheers for the new cans, and I'd like to propose a promotional slogan: "New Recycling Cans...little, blue, different."

Rhythm & Beans Coffee Shop Opens on H St.

How many times have you lamented H Street's lack of a coffee shop? In some circles this seems to be a frequent refrain. Yet the void persisted...until now. R&B coffee, the long planned venture, has finally opened its doors. The shop will be located in the 1300 block of H Street. Surrounding businesses include (among others) the Salvation Army Store, Rose's Dream Bar, Sanctuary, H Street Playhouse, & The Atlas (which is scheduled to open phase 1 next month). Here are the vitals:

Address: 1359 H Street NE
Phone: 202-397-4357
Hours: Sun, Tues, & Wed 9-5;
Thurs-Sat 9-9
closed Mon

Creative Neighborhooditis in Chicago

So, face it, this is NOT Capitol Hill. Still, if you say Trinidad...who the hell knows where that is. if I advertise a room, I'll sure as hell call it Capitol Hill North in the tag line. still, I'm not as bad as some realtors who insist on calling properties Capitol Hill all the way up to New York Avenue NE. But, not surprisingly, this is no local problem. Here is a response to the issue in Chicago.

Cat Scares New Mother

Quick! Where's my copy of The Witch Hammer??

NEW YORK AVE. NE, 1200 block, Jan. 4. A woman who said she had
recently given birth took her cat to the D.C. shelter, saying she feared the cat would "suck the baby's breath away." Shelter staff members told her that wouldn't happen, but she said she was afraid nonetheless. The woman left the cat at the shelter, and it was transferred to a foster home.

From the Washington Post's Animal Watch

When A Crime Isn't A Crime

The latest version of the DC Watch's mail mentioned an article from the St. Louis Dispatch about the way some police departments manipulate numbers to artificially deflate the crime rate. DC Watch's Imhoff writes briefly about past allegations of similar stunts in DC.

Rent Control in DC

There is an interesting article in today's Post about the future of rent control in DC. From the article:

Couch's organization recently released a study that showed a tenant would have to earn $20.10 an hour to afford a rent of $1,045, the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in the District. She said a resident would have to work 122 hours a week at the District's minimum wage of $6.60 an hour to afford such an apartment.

One note, the article states that rent control affects most rental units in DC. Lots of people who rent rowhouses (or portions of them) do so unofficially (even if they have written leases), so they are not included in this count.

New Focus on the Neighborhoods?

I just received an email directing me to The Barras Report where I found an article suggestin that Mayor Williams is likely to appoint Stanley Jackson for Deputy Mayor for Economic Development. Here is a sampling of the article:

Jackson’s expected appointment signals that the administration intends to shift its focus more to neighborhoods. During the past few years, Williams has been accused of catering to the needs of downtown and big business, while ignoring the little people and blighted community commercial corridors like those in Ward 7 and Ward 8. While the mayor made some progress during Price’s tenure—the reopening of the Tivoli Theater and the promise of a Target in Columbia Heights; opening of a Home Depot in Ward 5; and plans for a retail-housing complex on the old Camp Simms site in Ward 8—the administration’s record has been uneven. With Jackson at the helm, Williams hopes to smooth out his administration’s rough edges and answer the hew and cry for more affordable housing while
improving overall relations with District residents.

All of the information (except links) above comes from The Barras Report.

And By Steps...I Mean a Mile

After my last post on misleading advertising I checked Craig's List again and saw a listing for a house locatred in the heart of Trinidad advertised as being "[s]teps away from [the] NY Ave Metro." Actually, the house is a MILE from the New York Ave stop. The house is WALKABLE to the metro, but unless you are the Collossal Man, it is not steps from the metro.

You Want HOW MUCH For That Room?

I found the funniest post on Craig's List today. The ad concerns two rooms open in a three bedroom house located just north of H Street NE. According to the ad, you can secure a room in the house for the bargain price of $750 a month (plus a $500 deposit & 1/3 of utilities). The house currently features a full bath upstairs, and a half bath on the first floor. The landlord notes that he will be adding a shower to the halfbath (which, if you are familiar with the layout of most rowhouses around here, you will know probably means walking through the kitchen to get to the shower). The house also boast a "conveniant" location (near a homeless men's shelter) with easy access to buses (true), grocery (I think he means Murry's, which is excellect if you want to stock up on generic ketchup or neon colored faux fruit drink), restaurants (this could refer to Citi Pizza (delivery only), or one of numerous takeout places that can always boast a lively dice game), and bars -I am puzzled by this reference to bars since the only bars around are on people's windows (though I suppose you could always just swill your brew with the gang outside Family Liquor). I don't mean to pick on this author in particular. The thing is that I see more and more ads/posts/emails just like this, and I can't let the truth stretching/price inflating pass without at least a little commentary.

News Flash on New H Street Bars

The Hillscape portion of The Hill reports that The Olympic (the sports bar) will start pouring beers sometime this summer. The vaudeville/circus themed Show Bar is set to open in fall. Here is the article.

The Big Search Last Night

I was a little tired last night, so I headed to bed early. Around 11:30pm I heard some noises and looked out the window to the alley between Florida and Morse. I saw about six police cars in the alley with more arriving quickly. I could see more police activity on Montello. I watched as the arriving officers left their cars and huddled in the middle. I saw flashlights switch on and start searching under cars and around backyards. An officer who walked into the alley from Morse shouted "ARMED! POSSIBLY ARMED!" There was at least one helicopter assisting. They searched all around for maybe 45 minutes. During this time additional police cars came and went as the search area expanded. So what was it? A drug bust gone wrong? A homicide? Nothing in the paper. Nothing on any local news websites. No news at all.

Truxton Circle Website

I found this website mentioned on another blog and was really impressed. This is what I wish the H Street Main Street website could look like. Truxtoncircle.org is attractive, easy to navigate, and functional (tons of great info). For reference, Truxton Circle is the neighborhood just on the other side of North Capitol Street. Maybe one day we will get our act together and create a site this good.

Another Stab at Juvenile Justice in DC

Today's Post features this article on Mayor Williams' pick to head the new Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. Here is a link to the website of The Justice Policy Institute, where Schiraldi currently serves as Executive Director. Sounds promising.

Little Help Here?

I just received an email reminding me that you can submit online service requests here to the District government. This a very handy service as it handles everything from abandoned cars to street light repair to illegal dumping clean-up. Basically this is the online version of the Mayor's Call Center (202-727-1000). I have not yet had occasion to use the online reports, but I have telephoned the call center many a time. The results have been mixed. I had particular issues trying to get a vacant lot cleaned up. The city's failure to clean the lot presented a problem not only because I had to look out my window and see trash everyday, but also because once one person dumped trash out there others would see it and follow suit. So pretty soon you would have like ten separate dumps on one property. There was all this broken glass out there where kid would play. There were pressurized cans in a lot that had, on more than one occasion, been set on fire by local youth. I envisioned one of these cans exploding on some 12 year old playing with matches. We were lucky not to have rats. The city cleaned it up after more than three months of phone calls. Ten days later someone else dumped more stuff there.

Thou Shalt Know Thy PSA

psa_newmap, originally uploaded by inked78.

This is the new (as of last May) PSA map for DC. I'm mostly concerned with PSAs 102, 103 & 504. That line dividing the 5th district & the 1st district is Florida Avenue. Follow this link to find out your neighborhood, neighborhood cluster, ANC & ward.