From an email:
“On Wednesday, March 31, DPR held a third community planning meeting to discuss improvements to the 11th and Monroe Street Park (aka Columbia Heights Park). The nearly final concept is posted on DPR’s website. We hope to make a presentation at an upcoming ANC 1A meeting.
Please send comments to me directly as I’m on several list serves: ([email protected])”
From an email:
“Our third community meeting to discuss the improvements for the park at 11th and Monroe Streets park is a week away. Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 31, 7:00 pm, Mount Rona Church. We hope to use the feedback from this meeting to refine our design before putting the project out to bid.
Visit DPR’s website here for this project for information about prior meetings.”
The former school is located at Georgia Ave between Columbia Rd. and Irving Street, NW. We learned there would not be a parking lot on the site here. From an email:
“The Bruce Monroe Site Interim Use Subcommittee of the Georgia Avenue Community Development Task Force will meet with Councilman Graham, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and the DC Office of Planning to disclose and discuss the community’s suggestions for use of the Bruce Monroe site. Please see the information below for the time, location and date of the meeting. Bring your neighbors with you.
What: Bruce Monroe Interim Use Plans
Where: Emergence Community Arts Collective, 733 Euclid Street, NW
When: Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Time: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Who Should be There: Community Members, Businesses, Parents and Youth”
Photo by PoPville flickr use Rukasu1
Thanks to a reader for sharing the news from the National Capital Planning Commission:
“We are pleased to inform you that the final draft CapitalSpace Plan is available electronically at www.ncpc.gov and at www.capitalspace.gov. The CapitalSpace partners appreciate your interest and previous assistance in helping us develop a plan that envisions a beautiful, high-quality, and unified park system for the nation’s capital. We believe this final document is a better plan because of the public comments we received from more than 40 civic leaders, organizations, and individuals. The comments provided by the public and the proposed responses were presented by staff to the National Capital Planning Commission at the January 2010 meeting.
The National Capital Planning Commission will be considering the final draft CapitalSpace Plan for adoption at its April 1, 2010 meeting. If you wish to speak at the Commission meeting, you can register until noon on March 31. Information about registering to speak, the April Commission agenda, and the executive director’s recommendation, which identifies how the CapitalSpace plan will be used by agency staff and the Commission, are available at the Commission Corner of NCPC’s website at www.ncpc.gov.”
The reader points out that the Armed Forces Retirement Home (Old Soldiers Home) is addressed on pages 23, 26, 27, and 95 and notes that: “No firm commitment for development, however, AFRH was entirely absent form the draft plan and was mentioned substantially in the new plan. Clearly they paid attention to the public comments.”
You can also download the report here – FinalDraftCapitalSpacePlan
Learn more about CaptialSpace here and National Capital Planning Commission here.
I received a couple of renderings for the parcel that is set to be developed at 1421 Euclid Street, NW. Above is from Dantes Partners. The proposal above is for 37 rental apartments. You can see all the other renderings plus more info on the project here. Do you have a favorite?
Ed. Note: Back in Dec. Council Member Graham said that Justice Park funding was back on track. However I don’t think construction has started yet, last time I passed it.
“Dear PoP,
I was walking over to the zoo today and saw this government vehicle stuck in a pretty odd scenario. The picture was taken on the rock creek path where it veers around the rock creek tunnel between the adams morgan and calvert street exits. I am not sure why the vehicle was driving down the pedestrian section of the path or why it tried to drive off where the forest floor has turned into inches of mud with all the rain over the last few days. The car had been there for a while today. The hood was cold and there was no one in site when i took the picture. I’m curious as to when anyone will be able to get it out. The ground isn’t going to dry for a few days. Hope the government doesn’t need that car for anything soon.”
That is pretty bizarre. It must belong to Park Police right?
Thanks to all the readers for sending the word about tonight’s second meeting.
Please join DPR
Wednesday, March 3rd at 7:00 p.m. to discuss improvement for the 11th and Monroe Streets Park
Metropolitan Police Department Substation
750 Park Road, NW
After the jump you can see the meeting notes from the previous meeting in Feb. (more…)
Update – Fear not CM Jim Graham reports the good news from today’s council meeting on twitter:
“First session finally over and we did get money back for Gage-Eckington Park project. Now on to Marion’s censure etc.”
“Dear PoP,
I learned this morning that the funding for the to-be-built park at the former Gage Eckington school is once again at risk; this time by Councilmember Harry Thomas. I was wondering if you could urge your readers to contact Councilmember Thomas if they disagree with his decision, and in fact support the funding for the park. We have waited too long and come too far to see the park plans simply disappear overnight. The link below shows a letter from the LeDroit Park Civic Association President detailing the news. I believe the Council is meeting sometime today to vote on this measure.
Dear Friends and Neighbors.
This evening I learned that once again the funding for the community park at the former Gage Eckington school is at risk. Tomorrow there is a resolution on the DC Council agenda by Councilman Harry Thomas (Ward 5) to “Disapprove” of the funds for the park being allocated to the Mayor’s office as planned. In order for the Mayor’s office to move forward on the project as planned and committed to the community, the funds must be approved by the Council.
Thankfully CM Graham continues to fully supports our efforts to get the park fully funded and is working hard to remove this latest obstacle. But for some reason CM Thomas is NOT supporting the building of this park based on the motion for disapproval. (“Reprogramming No. 18-0096 Disapproval Resolution of 2010”. PR 18-0742.)
CM Thomas has recently offerred support to the community for this project (see email below) but tomorrow his actions will essentially kill the funding for this project.
PLEASE CONTACT CM THOMAS to voice your support for the Park at Gage Eckington. Encourage him to withdraw his opposition and say YES to approving the funds.
Also, please contact the other members of the committee responsible for DC Parks and let them know how much the community park means to you, your family and the communities of LeDroit Park and Bloomingdale.
The resolution will come up for a vote TUESDAY March 2, so please make your calls and emails ASAP.
Thanks,
Jeff Herron
President LeDroit Park Civic Association
SEE CONTACT & EMAIL INFORMATION BELOW (after the jump.) (more…)
We had a lenghty discussion about some of the problems with the park a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to a reader for sending the following information from DPR:
“The Department of Parks and Recreation is convening three community meetings to develop a new design for the 11th and Monroe Street Park.
We are planning for a three step meeting process:
Wednesday, February 17: 1st community meeting for a general discussion of neighborhood priorities for the park,
Wednesday, March 3: 2nd community meeting with a presentation of two concept designs alternatives with a discussion of pros and cons for each,
Wednesday, March 31: 3rd community meeting with a presentation of final design concept and tentative construction schedule
I’ve reserved a room at the Columbia Heights Recreation Center (1480 Girard Street, NW). We want to start the meeting at 7:00 pm.”
“Dear PoP,
The plight of the park at 11th and Monroe, NW continues. Despite the mayor’s pledge at a public community meeting that there were funds to renovate the “drunk park”, these funds have disappeared and have been shifted somewhere else. Why does the city continue to turn its back on the citizens of Columbia Heights? Drunks and children don’t mix. It’s just a matter of time before real tragedy happens in that park. Friends of POP: please contact the mayor’s office and let them know “no more drunk park.”
The emails for contacting the mayor’s office are: [email protected] and [email protected]”
We’ve been discussing issues with this park for a few years now. Does anyone think that issues with the park have improved over the past few years?
Due to all the snow melt and rain, Rock Creek was huge this weekend. I accidentally got last in the park for about an hour and despite my frustration kept marveling at how fast the creek was running. Most of the pictures were taken when I found my way…
There was even a little waterfall:
