Blog Archives
TNA community meeting: Tuesday, July 24
Please join us on July 24th at the Joe Cole Recreation Center!
Councilmember McDuffie’s office and DGS will discuss the recent fire at Webb E.S. and inform the community of the next steps with regard to the damage and the disposition process.
Mike Goodno from DDOT will share a bike lane proposal for West Virginia Avenue NE [pdf] The major change required to install the bicycle lanes per this draft plan would be the removal of the parking lane on the Gallaudet University side of the road. Removing this parking lane would create the necessary 10’ of roadway width to install a 5’ bicycle lane on each side of the road.
Webb E.S. fire is under investigation
As you likely know by now, Webb E.S. suffered a 2-alarm fire late Monday evening. The fire is under investigation, and early reports indicate that the building was not secure.
We have been pressuring the Department of General services over the past few months to increase the transparency of Webb’s property disposition. At this time, we do not know what the future of the building or the property will be; we have reached out to Councilmember McDuffie and will update you as new information becomes available.
Rather than attempt to paraphrase the coverage already out there, we will update the links below as we get them (please share any you’ve come across in the comments):
- DC Fire Department posted images and their experience with the blaze – DCFD
- Serious posts from Trinidad’s resident satirist – ToTville
- Webb Elementary School fire ignites in Northeast – ABC7
- Two-Alarm Fire Severely Damages Old D.C. School – NBC4
- Fire department investigates blaze at former D.C. elementary school – Washington Times
- More on Last Night’s Fire at Webb Elementary – Frozen Tropics
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
Your testimony needed ASAP on Webb E.S. surplus property
Webb Elementary, Mt. Olivet Road, Washington, DC. Photo by rllayman on Flickr.
***UPDATE: DGS has extended the dealine for testimony to Friday, June 15, at 5:00 pm. Please send your written testimony to Brian Hanlon, Acting Director of DC Department of General Services, at my.dgs@dc.gov, cc’ing Althea O. Holford, Realty Specialist, at althea.holford@dc.gov.***
Though it appears that a good majority of the community was unaware, the Department of General Services (DGS) held another public meeting on the disposition of Webb E.S. as a surplus property.
Webb was taken off the February public meeting agenda at the last minute, and DGS conducted an analysis of the property to identify whether or not it was suitable for a District agency use. Ultimately, such a use was not identified, and DGS held another meeting on May 17 to explain why the school is being surplused, to explain what the next steps are in the disposition process, and to solicit input from the community. You can review the presentation slides from that meeting here.
TNA was not notified of the May 17 meeting – when we found out about it this week, we contacted DGS for more information. We received the presentation slides and confirmation that the public record is open until Monday, June 11. We have requested a week extension to this deadline, and will update this post if that extension is granted.
In the meantime, please submit your written testimony, which will be added to the record of the public hearing, by 5:00 pm on Monday, June 11 to Brian Hanlon, Acting Director of DC Department of General Services, at my.dgs@dc.gov, cc’ing Althea O. Holford, Realty Specialist, at althea.holford@dc.gov.
Public meeting on proposed surplus of Webb E.S. property: February 27
Department of General Services
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS REGARDING
SURPLUS RESOLUTIONS PURSUANT TO D.C. OFFICIAL CODE 10-801
Webb Elementary, Mt. Olivet Road, Washington, DC. Photo by rllayman on Flickr.
The District will conduct a public hearing to receive public comments on the proposed surplus of the following District properties. The date, time and location shall be as follows:
Properties:
Parcel No: 01410047 at 1375 Mount Olivet Road, (“Webb School Building”)
Parcel No: 01600045 at 820 26th Street NE, (“Young School Building”)
Date:
Monday, February 27, 2012
Time:
6:00 p.m.
Location:
Trinidad Recreation Center
1310 Childress Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
Contact:
Althea O. Holford, Real Estate Specialist
Department of General Services
202.478.2428 or althea.holford@dc.gov
February 2012 events in Trinidad
Thursday, February 2nd
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 5B MONTHLY MEETING
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Community Room, 5th District Police Station, 1805 Bladensburg Rd. NE
Agenda: Presentations by medical marijuana cultivation center applicants with proposed facilities in 5B
Made up of the residents of the neighborhoods that are directly affected by government action, the ANC is the body of government with the closest official ties to the people in a neighborhood. ANC 5B meets the 1st Thursday of the month
Saturday, February 4th
GALLERY OPENING RECEPTIONS
6:00 – 8:00 pm, 1300 block of Florida Ave. NE
Connor Contemporary Art and G Fine Art will host opening night receptions for new exhibits with the artists in attendance. If you haven’t visited Trinidad’s art galleries, this is a great opportunity.
Wednesday, February 15th
HEARING ON DISPOSITION OF 5 PROPERTIES IN TRINIDAD
6:00 pm, DHCD 1st Floor Conference Room, 1800 Martin Luther King Ave. SE
DC Department of Housing and Community Development is holding this public hearing in order to assure that citizens are informed about the selling of the properties (1214 Staples St. NE, 1214 Montello Ave. NE, 1612 Montello Ave. NE, 1663 Montello Ave. NE & 1259 Holbrook Ter. NE) to Horizon Hill Ventures LLC, and to ensure that all citizens have the opportunity to present publicly their views concerning such sale. More information at DHCD.dc.gov.
Thursday, February 16th
POLICE SERVICE AREA 506 MEETING
7:00 pm, Community Room, 5th District Police Station, 1805 Bladensburg Rd. NE
Agenda: First meeting since realignment of PSAs will gauge interest for scheduling of future meetings
PSA officials work with area residents to address & resolve concerns to improve the quality of life in the neighborhoods.
Tuesday, February 21st
WARD 5 OVERSIGHT ROUNDTABLE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS & PROGRAMS
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE
The public oversight roundtable has two purposes: to allow the District government witnesses to inform Ward 5 residents about the economic development projects and programs occurring in their neighborhoods and to provide an opportunity for Ward 5 residents to testify on economic development matters and recommend areas for improvement. To register to testify contact Priscilla McIver, Administrative Assistant to the Committee of the Whole, at (202) 724-8196 or pford@dccouncil.us by February 20th
Thursday, February 23rd
5th DISTRICT CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Fifth District Station, 1805 Bladensburg Rd. NE
Will include meeting of all the 5th District PSAs
The CAC is an advisory panel in each police district that provides the District Commander with information and recommendations from the community on public safety problems and police service needs. All Fifth District residents are invited to the monthly CAC meeting.
Monday, February 27th
HEARING ON THE DISPOSITION OF THE OLD WEBB SCHOOL BUILDING
6:00 pm, Trinidad Recreation Center, 1310 Childress St. NE
The District will conduct a public hearing to receive public comments on the proposed surplus of the former Webb School Building (1374 Mt. Olivet Rd.) and the former Young School Building (820 26th St. NE)
Tuesday, February 28th
TRINIDAD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION GENERAL MEETING
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm, Trinidad Recreation Center, 1310 Childress St. NE
Agenda: Meet new board members and hear about TNA’s plans for 2012, how you can get involved and what we all can do to improve the quality of life in Trinidad.
Stay informed about the efforts of the Trinidad Neighborhood Association and happenings in the neighborhood.
Join the Trinidad-DC email list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TrinidadDC/
DHCD public hearing on disposition of Trinidad properties: February 15
DC DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the requirements of D.C. Official Code Section 42-3171.03 (a)(1), the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has scheduled a public hearing on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. at DHCD 1st Floor Conference Room, 1800 Martin Luther King Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20020, to consider the proposed disposition of the following properties.
Trinidad Neighborhood Association 