DC Government

Lincoln Theater Could Close Next Week

By Prince Of Petworth

Twitter lit up Wed. afternoon when Ward 1 Council Member Jim Graham tweeted:

“I want to keep Lincoln Theater open. But no $ for them in fy12 budget. Looks bleak and it may close. Emergency bd mtg 2nite at Linc @ 6”

Though at 8:30pm he also tweeted:

“We had a good board mtg and are planning an annoucenment on the financial situation and future theatre ops tmrw, 1 pm at the Lincoln”

I think the Lincoln Theater located at 1215 U Street NW, is one of the most striking/classic buildings on U Street. I love it. However, besides one promo concert in Nov. ’07, I have never actually attended an event there. I’m wondering how many others have attended an event at the Lincoln Theater?


Either way, it’s clearly an amazing property with a great history – so what do you think the city should do with it?

Back in Apr. ’08 Washington Business Journal reported on plans to:

“seek developers interested in turning a 40-spot surface parking lot behind the Lincoln into either housing, offices or hotel space. Revenue from the project will go to maintaining and operating the Lincoln.”


Dear PoPville – How Do You Get DCRA to Look Into a Project?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Several of our neighbors are at our wits end. We have a major building effort going on at a house on 1400 Block of A Street SE. Numerous neighbors have expressed calling and sending email to city officials to express concern regarding the builder’s compliance to building code / permit requirements but have not gotten any responses. Construction activities go on every day of the week including Sundays. The owner and the construction crew continue to park illegally behind the property and block several residents on either side of the alley from being able to enter their garages.

We would like your help to get DCRA and Parking Police to investigate and do the following:

1) Confirm that the construction efforts have the proper permits

2) Confirm that the construction is in accordance with building codes

3) Stop construction during Sundays

4) Increased monitoring of illegally parked vehicles in the alley

I’d be curious to hear from other people who have dealt with similar issues. How did you get it done?
Thanks,

Neighbors on the 1400 block of A Street and East Capitol St SE”

I have found DCRA to be extremely responsive on twitter. They can also be reached via email [email protected] and Phone: (202) 442-4400.

Dear PoPville – Help in Getting Rid of Illegal Dumping

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

We are at our wits end. I have a suspicion we are not the only city residents dealing with this issue. Our calls and emails to city officials have thus far been helpful in getting us on the right track to navigate DC’s bureaucracy. But we’ve been told the soonest possible date this huge trash heap can be cleaned up is October 3. And that is unlikely as the city will send out yet another inspector to see if the property owner has cleaned up the mess and only then will they hire a contractor to actually do the clean up.

This heap has been in existence at a now vacant home since September 1. It has grown a little every week. The mattress you see on top and the glass cabinet and cardboard box in the foreground are new this week. All of the homes adjacent to the vacant property are now dealing with cockroach and rodent infestations. The picture does not do justice to the depth of the pile.

I want 2 things to happen:

1) This pile needs to be cleaned up and thrown away.
2) Whoever is adding to the pile needs to stop.

I’d be curious to hear from other people who have dealt with similar issues. How did you get it done?

Thanks,
Neighbors on the 900 block of 7th St NE”

I’ve had success with 311 but it seems like this could also be a public health issue with rodent infestations. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? Anyway (besides contacting your council member) to get the city to expedite the clean up?

Room 11 Seeks to Expand Outdoor Patio – Columbia Heights Listserv Chaos Ensues

By Prince Of Petworth

What I thought was going to be some just straight up good news – is slowly devolving into listserv hilarity/insanity.

The super popular Room 11 is hoping to expand its outdoor patio at 11th and Lamont St, NW. I hear they’ll be adding 18 seats. To do so they’ll need to amend their voluntary agreement. Which leads us to the Columbia Heights Listserv which started with the following message at 8:25am this morning:

“Commissioner Boese,

You’re a lowlife! I was under no obligation to stay until the very end of the meeting. Other commissioners left before the meeting’s end; why couldn’t I?

–Lenwood Johnson, ANC 1A10”

An email from ANC rep 1A08, Kent Boese, sent to one of the owners of Room 11 (as well as all ANC reps) was included in the above message. Apparently the offending language was:

“1) While we were able to add the amendment of your VA to the agenda of the last ANC meeting, but the time we got to that item Commissioner Lenwood Johnson had left the meeting reducing the number of commissioners present to five. We need at least six for a quorum. Because of this, we were not able to take a vote.”

You can find the full emails and resident responses on the Columbia Heights Listserv here.

While ANCs can play a positive role in our neighborhoods, (and personally I think voluntary agreements can be very useful) this is a perfect example of why many people either actively dislike ANCs or completely tune them out.

At the end of the day – I hope this doesn’t negatively affect Room 11’s ability to expand their patio.

Dear PoPville – Help in Filing a Restraining Order

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Rukasu1

“Dear PoPville,

I am trying to find information on obtaining (I think it’s called) a Civil Harassment Restraining Order in DC, but I can’t seem to find a direct answer anywhere online.

Everything seems to focus on abuse victims, but this is not a situation of domestic abuse or physical stalking. My situation involves cyber stalking, slander, harassment and minor threats from someone who is unstable and who lives in close proximity to me. Is this grounds for a restraining order? How do I go about getting one?”

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library closing on Sundays

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user mosley.brian

From a press release:

“Beginning October 2, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, located at 901 G St. NW will no longer be open on Sundays.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library new hours will be: Monday-Tuesday noon-9 p.m.; Wednesday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

It is the Library’s priority to have the library open as many hours as possible. When faced with having to reduce library hours as a result of the FY2012 budget, closing the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Sundays, as difficult as it is, was the least painful option.

The Library’s local FY2012 budget was reduced from $35.2 million in FY 2011 to $34.4 million. Increases to provide staff and operate the new libraries opening in the next fiscal year were offset by cuts to the book budget and other areas; ultimately creating a loss of $700,000.

Library users can place books on hold, download electronic books, research electronic databases, and use live online homework help through the Library’s website at dclibrary.org during and after library hours.”

Dear PoPville – DC GOV owned properties?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

What should DC do with houses that it “owns” due to vacancy or tax issues?

I have an interesting example of one way the DC gov has tried to solve this issue. I think that if the DC gov works on this they have the opportunity to be a flexible and agile, expediter of state owned properties while creating revenue and eliminating blight.

I have attached a picture of 514 3rd St NE from January 2009 when the DC gov was going to auction it off along with other properties. I was interested in bidding on the place and then the day of the auction the property was not put up for sale.

Per property records the home has been owned by the DC government since June 2006.

I contacted the DC GOV back in 2009 and here is what I learned….

“The District reserves the right to remove any of the auction properties from the auction prior to the event, and 514 3rd ST, NE has been removed from the auction. The property will be included in an upcoming turnkey development solicitation, whereby DHCD will coordinate with the Office of Contracting and Procurement to contract directly with a construction company or a fee developer to rehabilitate the structure. The rehabilitated structure will then be offered for sale, below market rate, to affordable households. The anticipated issuance of the OCP solicitation should be by the second week of February.

Thank you,
Martine

Martine Combal
Manager
Property Acquisition
and Disposition Division (PADD)
Department of Housing
and Community Development”

Fast forward several years and the house is back on the market in a ‘rehabbed” state, paid for by the DC gov.

http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/514-3rd-St-NE-20002/home/21648655

The “affordable house rule” no longer applies. The only major stipulation is that you must use it as your primary residence for 5 years.

While I like that DC has put the house back into working order I would suggest that DC can improve on this process in several ways.

First, the government held onto the property for almost 5 years. That is far too long.

Second, the renovation is on the low end based on the REDFIN pics and only 1.5 baths for a 3 bedroom house which means the GOV will lose potential income ($300,000,000 budget shortfall I am looking at you).

Nicely rehabbed houses in this area go for at least $100,000 more than they are asking for this place.

http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/612-4th-St-NE-20002/home/9892752

http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/526-4th-St-NE-20002/home/9893218

So what do your readers think should have been done with this and other DC GOV owned properties?

Overall, I think the DC gov tried to do something interesting with this house and I am happy to see the house finally moving back onto the open market and making the neighborhood nicer.”

$1 Taxi Fuel Charge Extended to November 17, 2011

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user AWard Tour

“Dear PoP,

I’ve recently had some mixed messages on whether or not cabs can still charge the $1 gas surcharge. A couple of nights ago I was in a cab that didn’t charge it. When I asked him about it, he said that it ended on July 25 and that drivers should have stopped charging it then.

However a cab this morning charged me for it and said that the surcharge hasn’t ended.

Not sure if you or your readers have any insight, but I’d love to stop paying that extra dollar! Or at least know if I should be paying it.”

While the original $1 surcharge did expire on July 25th – it was extended again:

“The DC taxicab fuel surcharge became effective as of July 27, 2011 and is valid for up to 120 days and is scheduled to expire on November 17, 2011.”

Dear PoPville – Protesting the De-funding of Georgia Ave Great Streets

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo of ‘Park Rd. & Georgia Ave., NW’ by PoPville flickr user rockcreek

“Dear PoPville,

Your readers may be interested in an effort to reverse Mayor Gray’s decision to remove the remaining $1.44M from the Georgia Avenue Great Streets Project. This is an area, which includes the storefronts around Howard University that has receive countless unfulfilled promises for development and assistance over the years.

The Great Streets Project has a history of recouping costs through increased tax revenues in just a short number of years. To me, it just seems like another example of poor judgment from the Mayor’s office. There is an opportunity to change course, though. As the Washington Business Journal reports, “D.C. Council members Jim Graham, D-Ward 1, and Muriel Bowser, D-Ward 4, …issued a joint disapproval, delaying the funding move until after the council’s summer recess”.

What is Georgia Avenue Great Streets? Great Streets funds were set aside to improve the streetscape of Georgia Avenue including lighting, trees, bicycle lanes, traffic control, and sidewalks. The Lower Georgia Avenue segment, from Otis Place to Florida Avenue was never implemented and funding for this area has been moved to projects in other parts of the city. Mayor Gray has just proposed moving the remaining $1.44 million to a project in NE.

What does the resolution I’m signing say? The resolution issues a strong and formal protest of the Mayor’s actions and requests a meeting with the Mayor’s office and the DC Department of Transportation to discuss projects that will benefit the residents and small businesses of Lower Georgia Avenue.

You can sign the petition online here.”

Dear PoPville – Requesting a Tree Box?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

We live in a row house on 4th St NW in LeDroit Park. One of the things we love about LeDroit is the amount of trees and greenery, including numerous tree boxes on the sidewalks. However, our section of 4th St is actually fairly bare with few trees or other greenery. Is it possible to request that the city installs tree boxes on our block? What would we need to do? We would be willing to maintain them ourselves – and even possibly pay for the installation – but obviously we can’t just start ripping up the sidewalk and putting in plants ourselves! Would appreciate any advice others might have.”

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