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Danny Harris is a DC-based photographer, DJ, and collector of stories. In September, he launched People’s District, a blog that tells a people’s history of DC by sharing the stories and images of its residents. Every day, People’s District presents a different Washingtonian sharing his or her insights on everything from Go Go music to homelessness to fashion to politics. You can read his previous columns here.

“Today was just another sad day for our community. Murder of any kind is so senseless, but it is especially hard when it is a young person. I knew the young gentleman who was killed on U Street. He used to come around the Kalorama Recreation Center, where I work, all of the time to play basketball and hang out. His name was Jamal Coates, but people called him ‘Big Pun.’ I always knew him as a decent and respectful young man. Now, he is just another kid who died too young and will never get a chance to marry or have grandchildren. His legacy ended right there on the street. It is so sad.

“For 39 years, I have been working with kids all over this city through the Parks and Recreation Department. When I was a child, I was a trouble maker, but a friend introduced me to my neighborhood recreation center. The people there really saved me and turned my life around. At the time, I didn’t know that I had it inside of me to help others and be a leader, but the people there saw it in me. They helped me to realize my potential and here I am, 39 years later, still holding on and doing what I can to help our youth.

“See, I can relate to these kids because I’ve been there. I grew up in a single-parent household, as one of 13 children. I was the first to go to college, and I have worked hard all of my life and have been rewarded. I am proud to say that I won the Cafritz award in 2006 as a distinguished D.C. employee. No matter how good you are, though, these streets are some of the toughest competition there is.

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From a press release:

The District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host a public meeting on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, to update residents and merchants on the preliminary streetscape design plans for 14th Street, NW between Thomas Circle and Florida Avenue.

The streetscape design strives to help create an identity for the 14th Street corridor that reflects the neighborhood’s history and diversity, while making needed infrastructure and safety improvements and accommodating multi-modal transportation.

At the September 29 meeting, the project engineers will present the 65% design plans and solicit feedback and comments from the community. The final design plans are scheduled to be completed in November. Construction is expected to start by spring of 2011 and be completed in late summer of next year.

More information about the 14th Street Streetscape Project is available at: http://dashboard.ddot.dc.gov/ward1/14thThomFLAve.

Meeting Information:

What: Public Meeting for 14th Street, NW Streetscape Project

When: Wednesday, September 29, 2010
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm (Presentation starts at 6:45 pm)

Where: Reeves Center
2000 14th Street NW
2nd Floor Community Room

Photo of Thomas Circle by PoPville flickr user bajidc®

Classic Georgetown rowhouse. Notice the non traditionally sized windows.

Thanks to a reader for forwarding on. From a press release:

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch announced today the arrests of three suspects in three unrelated homicides. Each of the suspects was arrested on Friday, September 24, 2010.

On Monday, August 30, 2010, at approximately 11:30 pm, units from the Sixth District responded to the 4400 block of F Street, SE for the sounds of gunshots. Upon their arrival, they located a victim suffering from gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived and transported the victim to a local area hospital where he was pronounced dead. The decedent was identified as 22-year-old Antonio Valdez Vela of Waldorf, MD.

At approximately 12:30 p.m. today, members of Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 24-year-old DeAngelo Jose Garner of District Heights, Md., pursuant to an arrest warrant. He was charged with Murder One While Armed in the death of Mr. Vela.

On Monday, September 13, 2010 shortly after 4 am, officers from the Sixth District responded to the 3500 block of Croffut Place, SE for the report of a man down. Upon arriving, they discovered an unidentified male lying on the ground suffering from gunshot wounds. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded and determined that the victim did not show any signs consistent with life. The decedent has been identified as 37-year-old Min Soo Kang of Dunn Loring, Va.

Today at approximately 1 p.m., 31-year-old Marlon Williams of Southeast, DC was arrested and charged with First Degree Felony Murder while Armed pursuant to an arrest warrant charging him in the shooting death of Min Soo Kang. Members of MPD’s Fugitive Task Force transported Mr. Williams from DC Jail to the Homicide Branch for processing.

On Saturday, September 18, 2010 at approximately 3:30 am, officers from the Seventh District responded to the 2700 block of Bruce Place, SE for the report of a woman shot. Upon arriving, they discovered an adult female in a vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported the victim to a local hospital, where she later died. The victim has been identified as 21-year-old Ashley McCrae of the 1300 block of Columbia Road, NW, Washington, DC.

Just before 1 p.m. today, 22-year-old Damon Antonio Sams of Southeast, DC was arrested and charged with Murder Two While Armed in the shooting death of Ashley McRae. Mr. Sams was transported to the Homicide Branch for processing.

“I commend the detectives for their tireless efforts, and we are hopeful that these arrests will bring some comfort to the families of the victims,” said Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier.

Danny Harris is a DC-based photographer, DJ, and collector of stories. In September, he launched People’s District, a blog that tells a people’s history of DC by sharing the stories and images of its residents. Every day, People’s District presents a different Washingtonian sharing his or her insights on everything from Go Go music to homelessness to fashion to politics. You can read his previous columns here.

Ed. Note: The following may be B.J.’s personal experiences but I’d like to remind all that this is not necessarily the case for everyone. Just the other day I was hanging out on the stoop with some neighbors. On the stoop were – my neighbors, 25 year residents of the neighborhood (black), me (white) and two other neighbors (Latino). And we were one happy family drinking and laughing and having a good time. But I recognize that we all have our own experiences and it is important that we each listen to what the other is saying.

“Man, I can talk about Washington all day. I have lived in this city my whole life. I have seen this place change in a way that I don’t like. Let me talk at you for a minute about it. My neighborhood used to be all black. A white person would never, and I mean never, come passing through.

“For 30 years or better, we lived how we lived. We hung out on the stoop because we couldn’t afford air conditioning. We had cookouts in the backyard with music. We dealt with problems our own way and didn’t need no police. We lived in neighborhoods where you knew everyone on the block, and could rely on them. Then, the white people started moving in.

“I am not trying to sound racist, but everything changed after that. When the neighborhood started to become more white, things became less neighborly. White people mostly stayed in their houses and didn’t do much to meet the neighbors. That doesn’t create a neighborhood, it creates nothing but a series of houses next to each other. Maybe they stay in because they are scared. Thing is, if they are so scared, why’d they buy the damn house to begin with?

“Now, when we hang out on the stoop, the cops roll up on us and give us a hard time. Come on man, the police didn’t even show up when I got shot four times around the block from my house when I was 17. I learned not to need them then, and I sure as hell don’t need them now. Now, they roll up in two cars over a noise complaint. Are you kidding me? That ain’t right.

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Jessica Bonness runs JGB Interiors and will answer PoP reader questions about decorating and design. If you have a question send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com and write ‘design question’ in the title.

“I have a design question! We live in a Wardman style row home with a large bay window in the living room. I love the light the bay window provides but we are having trouble figuring out how to arrange the furniture. In addition to the bay window which takes up one wall, we have an oversize opening to the hallway on another wall, the same opening to the dining room on a third wall and a large fireplace on the forth wall. We must keep the 52 inch tv in the room, which is currently in a corner across from the bay window. We have the sofa in the bay window right now but it doesn’t give us enough seating to entertain. (And only allows for one person to stretch out to watch tv!) Do you have any suggestions about what furniture would be better or how to best arrange the furniture when there is no wall space? Thanks!””

Jessica responds:

You could do a couple of things to maximize your seating with this wall-less floor plan.

First, you could get a modified sectional sofa. Not necessarily a huge 7-piece monstrosity, but more like a sofa with a chaise built in. Lots of retailers have “apartment sized” furniture – Crate and Barrel has some great options, like the City 2-Piece Armless Sectional – and the sectionals in this category would be a good fit without taking up too much space in the room.

If you’re keeping your furniture, I’d probably put your existing sofa in the middle of the room and place some armchairs or a bench opposite it. If you can fit two more small chairs next to each other in that bay window, you can define the area with a small rug and create a place to read a book or sit while you’re not watching television. You might even have room for a tiny table or a cube.

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Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC

Good but scary news:

“Three alleged members and associates of the MS-13 gang have been indicted for various violent crimes stemming from a home invasion last year in the District of Columbia in which several persons were held at gunpoint. A fourth alleged member has been indicted for subsequent efforts to threaten potential witnesses in the case.

According to the indictment, Silva, Aguilar and Mejia, “for the purpose of gaining entrance to and maintaining and increasing position in MS-13,” invaded an apartment in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 11, 2009 and held five occupants at gunpoint. The indictment alleges that the purpose of the invasion was an apparent effort to steal funds from the victims to support the gang’s activities. According to the indictment, a female occupant was sexually assaulted during the attack.

Silva, 28, Aguilar 20, and Mejia, 25, subsequently were arrested and originally charged in D.C. Superior Court. Sarba, 20, allegedly began calling potential witnesses sometime after the arrests and made threats.

The indictment charges Silva, Aguilar and Mejia with kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, weapons offenses, and other charges. Silva also is charged with assault with intent to commit first degree sexual abuse while armed and third degree sexual abuse. Sarba was indicted on charges including accessory after the fact, obstructing justice and threatening to injure or kidnap a person.

The indictment states that MS-13 is a racketeering enterprise that constitutes one of the largest street gangs in the United States. MS-13 is a national and international criminal organization, and its members have been found responsible for murders, narcotics distribution and other crimes, the indictment states.

The charges carry significant penalties. The statutory penalty for kidnapping in aid of racketeering, for example is 30 years.”

Full press release after the jump. (more…)

Wow, this is coming together really nicely. You can see what it looked like in the beg. of August and a rendering of the completed building here. Hard to imagine this was just a vacant lot a couple months ago. Do you think the building fits even though it’s a bit higher than the original ones on the block?

This home is located at 2130 Bancroft Pl, NW:

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The flier says:

“Built as the grand ballroom for the adjacent property, this completely renovated 2BR/2.5BA, 3-story townhouse is a graceful study in symmetry, proportion and elegance. A sophisticated alternative to a luxury condominium. Beautiful rear garden & deck, plus 2-car detached garage.”

You can find more info here and a virtual tour here.

I think it is particularly cool that it used to be the grand ballroom for the adjacent property. That just blows my mind. How does this one rank among HP posts? Anyway, this 2 bed/2.5 bath is yours for $2,095,000.