Blog Archives
Crossing the Street: Activating Ivy City
Residents and artists can join efforts with Building Community and other partners in an art and creative placemaking initiative in the historic Ivy City neighborhood to implement a temporary, creative action that promotes community building, reflects the neighborhood’s rich heritage, and declares residents’ vision for the future of Ivy City.
Check the website for details and further information.
Happenings Around Ivy City
There are many new opportunities and events taking place around us. The long awaited street car is expected to start carrying passengers on Saturday, February 27th, with an opening ceremony scheduled for 10 am at 13th and H (see the website for details). There are also many new openings and happenings taking place in Ivy City that will benefit Trinidad residents. If you haven’t been over that way in a while, it would be worth checking out some of the new places.
Petco: They are expecting to open the store in the very near future. One employee noted that they were aiming for a February 22nd date for a soft opening but that may change as they continue to stock shelves. They also indicated that there would be many sales items and coupons available as they open. The store is located on New York Avenue, next to the MOM’s Organic Market.
Ivy City Smokehouse and Tavern: The Smokehouse is already open for
purchase of fresh fish and the neighboring tavern is expected to open in the next two weeks.They expect a menu of seafood related items as well as burgers. You can follow their Facebook page for news on the opening.
Gy
ms and Fitness: The Planet Fitness, Crossfit Hierarchy, and Bikram Yoga studios have been open for business in Hecht’s Warehouse. Entrances for all three facilities are on Okie Street.
Bicycle Space: The new bike shop has started installations on Okie Street. The soft opening will be in March and the grand opening is expected in early April.
Big Chief: The restaurant on the corner of Fenwick and Okie Streets is opening in the next two months but did hold a sneak preview of the space for a recent event.
Ivy City Smokehouse
Ivy City Smokehouse, a “wholesale to the public” seafood market, is now open at 1356 Okie Street NE over in Ivy City. For Trinidad residents this will be a source for local seafood with a more direct connection to growers as the market operates as a version of a Community Supported Fishery.
They have smoked and fresh fish as well as fresh oysters. Today during a stop in to see the site they were preparing snakehead fish fillets for one customer and selling smoked fish to another.
There will be a tavern opening in the new year as well. Stop in or check their website for additional information.
It is great to see small businesses growing and expanding retail options so close to Trinidad.
African Drumming Classes/Events
Interested in learning African drumming or purchasing artworks from Ghana? For now you can do that just a short walk, bike ride, or drive away from Trinidad.
Cultural DC, an organization that makes space for and supports visual and performing arts, is becoming more involved in art related events in and around Ivy City. They are joining forces with D. B. Lee Development and Construction and Brook Rose Development on an arts-focused hotel at 411 New York Avenue NE. While that project has not broken ground yet, they are already supporting some arts space in the area.
Hands on Drums is one of the groups being supported by Cultural DC. Hands on Drums represents artisan drums and craftworks from Ghana. They have started a pop-up store, community space, and arts empowerment initiative at 1518 Okie Street NE in Ivy City. Through the end of January they will be holding weekly drum classes on Sundays, drum and dance classes on Tuesday, and family drum circles on Saturdays. There are additional events planned, including an African bazaar and artisan market on December 19th. Check their website for more information on Hands on Drums, a full roster of events, and class fees.
Ivy City Development
The Washington Post ran an article about development taking place in Ivy City, our neighbor to the north. The link to the article is here. It is definitely worth a read.
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.
The Rumors Are True! Tasting Room Opening Next Month in Ivy City
During the TNA Social at Atlas Brew Works in June, our tour guide noted that another distillery was soon to open in Ivy City in the space above the brewery. There was little information at the time but now there are articles coming out in local publications as the date approaches for the Joseph A. Magnus Distilling Co. to open and start tours in August. One article in the Washington City Paper can be found here. Previous articles from March 2015 can be found here and here.
We look forward to adding a tour to our social outing calendar in the fall.
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.
Free Outdoor Movies in Ivy City — ’80s Movie Flashback
’80s movie flashback: outdoor shows in Ivy City
2 more shows this summer, start at dusk
Ivy City Playground Park – north corner of Mt. Olivet & West Virginia Ave. NE
free (all ages)
From playbackthetape.com:
this is a first for us — the most ragtag outdoor movie experience of the summer in d.c. is coming on the 3rd friday of the month this summer in june, july, and august. we’re partnering with the ivy city civic association to produce a neighborhood movie night — a true community partnership from spark to screen. join us on 3 select evenings at dusk for feature-length ’80s movies (screening from original, home-recorded vhs) with pre-show “garfield” cartoon specials. you’ll discover displaced youth on june 19th, displaced detective on july 17th, and a displaced bike on august 21st. bring friends, neighbors, and blankets to catch these favorites under the stars in ivy city.
Open Houses for WVA Ave Public Works Campus Master Plan
Here is a great opportunity for community members to voice their opinions on a major District development project on West Virginia Ave just north of Mt. Olivet Road. Here is the message from the District Office of Planning.
Trinidad Neighborhood Association 