Blog Archives
Who Was Alexander Crummell?
The Crummell School has been in the forefront of Ivy City development news as the site is considered for development. Many of us have seen the building but may not know much about the Rev. Alexander Crummell, an abolitionist and Pan-African nationalist after whom the school was named. There will be an event at the school site (1900 Gallaudet Street NE) on Thursday, September 10th from 6:00 to 8:30 pm to celebrate his life and view the school grounds.
The event is sponsored by Friends of Crummell School, Empower DC, DC Preservation League, dog & pony dc, and ANC 5D01. You can learn more about Rev. Crummell or RSVP for the event at the Empower DC website.
What’s your vision for the Future of the Historic Crummell School in Ivy City??
Here’s an opportunity to speak up about the Crummell School, 1900 Gallaudet Ave NE, which was mired in controversy last year as the city designated the site to be used as a Bolt Bus parking lot. The Trinidad Neighborhood Association supported efforts by the Ivy City Civic Association to utilize the space for job training rather than an inner-city bus lot. Named after pioneering African-American priest and professor, the school was built in 1911 and closed in 1977; it is considered an historic landmark.
Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development hosts a Public Workshop on Future of Crummell School
July 29th from 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Bethesda Baptist Church
1808 Capitol Avenue Northeast
Please join Mayor Bowser, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) for an exciting opportunity to share your ideas on the future development of the Crummell School site.
On July 29th, the Bowser Administration will host an interactive discussion with the Ward 5 community for redeveloping Crummell, located at the intersection of Kendall St and Gallaudet St Northeast.
The goal of this “OurRFP” workshop will be to incorporate community engagement early in the Request for Proposals (RFP) process to ensure that the public’s perspective and priorities are considered when crafting and issuing the RFP.
District officials will present information regarding this new initiative as well as provide a thorough analysis of the Crummell site and neighborhood. DMPED will actively solicit feedback on how to shape the future development of this site from the public in the form of a facilitated break-out group session. Your ideas and feedback will be combined to create OurRFP and help deliver a project that District residents can be proud of.
For more information contact Dion Townley at dion.townley@dc.gov or 202-531-2272.
Planning to attend? Learn more about the project and register in advance at: dmped.dc.gov/OURRFP_CrummellSchool.
Ivy City petition supports job training over intercity bus parking at Crummell
The Trinidad Neighborhood Association board voted this week to support the Ivy City Civic Association/Empower DC petition on Change.org calling for workforce development and recreation at historic Crummell School over the DMPED’s proposed Bolt and intercity bus rest area and lot. The text of the petition letter is below, and we encourage you to add your signature to the growing list of supporters, and to also share this with your neighbors and friends.
The Ivy City Civic Association and Empower DC call for an immediate halt to the location of 65+ Bolt Buses on the lot of historic Crummell School, which would further pollute and harm the Ivy City community in the midst of its efforts to revitalize the community and develop a workforce development and recreation center on the Crummell site for the uplift of area residents.
DC’s Mayor Vince Gray & Deputy Mayor Victor Hoskins appear to moving forward with plans – despite community opposition – to allow 65+ Bolt Buses per day to park on the lot of the historic Alexander Crummell School lot for the next 5-10 years. The proposal goes against decades of civic activism during which the community has a laid out vision for Recreation and Workforce development at Crummell and has recently identified a nonprofit partner to provide necessary services. Even the City’s own Comprehensive Plan calls for the school to be restored as a workforce and youth development center. The Bolt Buses will also contribute to pollution and traffic in this already heavily impacted neighborhood. The Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Dept of Transportation officials have repeatedly refused Ivy City’s request for a meeting about this issue, and moved forward with their plans while the community had no City Council representation due to the resignation of former Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. There is no rationale for the buses to be parked at Crummell School when, like the proposed Bus Barn at Spingarn High School, they could be located at RFK, The PEPCO site or other available sites in close proximity to Union Station.
Sincerely,
The Ivy City Civic Association
Empower DC
Trinidad Neighborhood Association 