It’s all about the neighborhood
The draft agenda for the upcoming ANC 4C meeting next week has been posted. Hopefully we'll get a chance to meet the new 4C03 Commissioner, Elisa Irwin. Ms Irwin won the seat after Commissioner Jeff Standish resigned in March (he and his family are moving to the mid-west).
Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend as I have a schedule conflict, but I hope to grab some notes from 2 people who are attending and...
Read More1300 block of Seventh Street NW (Courtesy D.C. Fire)
Very saddened to hear about the DC firefighter who died in the line of duty this morning. DCFD was fighting a fire on 7th St NW in Shaw, and Lt. Kevin McRae collapsed while exiting the building.
DC's bravest.
From the Washington Post article:
"The fire was first reported about 8 a.m. in a building in the 1300 block of Seventh Street NW, two blocks north of Mount Vernon Square and the convention center. Tim Wilson, a fire department spokesman, said it was extinguished in less than one hour.
McRae’s unit was one of the first to arrive on the scene to help put out the fire, according to [Mayor] Bowser. He safely exited the building and then collapsed. Paramedics transported him to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead."
Read the full story on the Washington Post website: D.C. firefighter dies after fighting 2-alarm apartment fire in Shaw
Around 10:10pm on May 5th, MPD responded to 911 calls of a shooting near the 600 block of Kennedy Street, and several officers also heard the 6-7 shots.
While canvassing for possible suspects, officers located an adult male victim in the rear of a residence in the 5500 block of 8th Street, NW (east alley). The victim had been shot once in the back by an unknown suspect. The victim was transported to a local area hospital in serious condition. I spoke with Captain Bray, who covers night duty in 4D, who said MPD does not believe the man who was shot was in fact the intended victim...
Read MoreWard 4 resident and WAMU reporter Martin Austermuhle has started publishing his three-part series on problems with flipped / renovated homes in the area. (He went on a neighborhood walkthrough with CM Vincent Orange the other week.)
It's a good read and focuses on a young couple, Stuart Crampton and his wife Violeta Roman, who purchased a flipped house on Perry St NW.
Read MoreCurrent Latney's Funeral Home at 3831 Georgia Avenue NW
If you think we don't have enough apartments on Georgia Avenue with too little allocated parking, well, good news!
What is now Latney's Funeral Home (3831 Georgia Ave NW) will be demolished to put up a 20-unit residential building with 2 parking spots (zoning requirements specify 10 parking spots for a building of this size). The building will also feature a 1,488 sq foot retail space at the ground floor.
I would imagine future residents of this building won't receive zoned street parking permits, so hopefully hipsters who love bikes and Car2Go are the target customers for this new building.
This is proposed -- the developer will need a variance for the parking decrease and will need to go before ANC 4C for the commissions approval. This is in Timothy Jones' SMD (4C08). You can email Commissioner Jones at taj_reinv@juno.com.
Rendering of project planned for 3831 Georgia Avenue
Here's my previous Facebook post on it from March 19th, with an update from March 23rd... originally Murillo Malnati said 5 parking spaces would be requested:
"[Commissioner Jones] said that the development will include two inclusionary zoning units (affordable housing), one at 50% of AMI and the other at 80%. The new building will have five parking spaces ("including one for the handicapped"). The developer expects the project to be completed in two years. (To date no BZA application has been submitted or plans approved by DCRA.)
On March 23rd, I updated the post:
Commissioner Jones consulted with the office of the Zoning Administrator today regarding this project. The redeveloped building will require ten parking spaces -- the developer is proposing five. They will need to see a parking exception from the ANC.
>See the PRIOR PETWORTH NEWS POST from March 19th & 23rd.
More info on DC Urban Turf.
The Petworth Dance Project starts this Saturday in the lawn at the Petworth Park (801 Taylor St NW, along 8th St).
If you like dance and you like Petworth, then this was made just for you. It's free, so come out and support the arts and hang with yer neighbors.
Below is their announcement:
"We are 5 days away from the first round of dance performances from our PDP artists! Bring your family and friends and come to meet new ones, as you relax and watch the lawn at the Petworth Recreation Center be transformed and taken over by some of the best DC dance has to offer, Maru Montero Dance Company (ballet folklorico), Motion X Dance DC (contemporary), and Rick Westerkamp with DancEthos (modern)...and that's just the first show!! Plus, don't forget the Petworth Jazz Project's music series will begin on Saturday, May 30th. Lots of FREE concerts in your own backyard! See you there!"
Check out the Petworth Dance Project Facebook page.
These are my new fav sour things from @Number1Sons. I go Mmm Mm outloud. Super sour green beans.
The 3rd Annual Spring Fling at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, put on by the Friends of the Soldiers Home, was a great time and a fun day.
Great jazz and music, great food and some really tasty beer, combined with a ton of residents and kids having a great time made for a wonderful day.
Read MoreWow, the Petworth Community Market is kickin’ this morning. I just got back and it’s crowded with residents and a ton of vendors.
There’s meat and sausage from the Meat Crafters, really cute (and tasty looking) individual-sized pies from Teeny Pies, tomato-free ketchup from ‘Chups, kimchi from Number One Sons and lots of veggies and bread. I seriously would not be surprised if this is the biggest opening day the Market has had...
Read MoreThe 4th District Citizen’s Advisory Council met last night at 4D MPD headquarters at 6001 Georgia Avenue NW. Police Chief Cathy Lanier came by to discuss recent issues in the area, as well as current MPD resources, status, etc.
There were around 60 or so residents in attendance, along with Councilmember-Elect Brandon Todd, At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman, Ward 4 liaison Khalil Thompson, ANC 4A05 Commissioner Patience Singleton, ANC 4C Commissioner Timothy Jones and ANC 4D05 Commissioner Krystal Braxton. 4D Commander Wilfredo Manlapaz was there, as was Inspector Vendette Parker and another Commander that I didn’t get a chance to meet...
Read MorePetworth is all about the neighborhood and your neighbors.
Tonight was a good example as neighbors from the “southwest Petworth” area had their inaugural “Lemonade Social” at the triangular park between Quincy and Kansas Avenue.
Like the Grant Circle Social held, coincidentally enough, in the middle of Grant Circle, the Lemonade Social is about getting local neighbors together for an informal, one hour meet & greet. It’s residents meeting residents in a low-pressure setting — with lemonade and a nice crudité platter.
I arrived late, but in enough time to see the little park was crowded (40-50 people must have been there). I was “that guy” walking around with a camera talking to people and taking pictures, and the two simple questions I asked were “Why are you here?” and “What does this mean to you?”
Read MoreCouncilmember Vincent Orange is working to prohibit pop-up conversions in R-4 zoned areas around the city (with his proposed Prohibition on Single Family Dwelling Conversions Emergency Amendment Act).
CM Orange went on a neighborhood walk-through with several residents and ANC 4C Commissioners Joe Martin (SMD 4C09) and Kathleen Crowley (SMD 4C10) to look at alleged permit violations at recent or ongoing construction of conversions, pop-up and complete redevelopments of existing properties.
“Councilmember Vincent Orange, chair of the Committee on Business, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, walked with me and Kathleen for about 90 minutes in our SMDs,” said Commissioner Martin.
Read MoreLooks like the (not that) old Safeway pharmacy at 4034 Georgia Ave is set to become the "Brightwood Mart," with the tag line "Your Neighborhood Convenience Store."
Note: I don't think they know where Brightwood is... mebbe they meant "Petworth"?
The Public Safety Meet & Greet was this morning at the Swift apartments, above Safeway on Georgia Avenue. (Nice building, by the way!)
As a summary, the meeting was more presentation than any meet or greet, and covered the same information we’ve heard at the emergency PSA 407 meeting on March 21 and other ANC meetings. The difference this time was that two different DC Councilmembers attended (as well as two candidates, Leon Andrews and Brandon Todd), shining more attention on this issue and hopefully bringing more government action to a solution.
Read MorePetworth News, a neighborhood blog on local news, information & events about the Petworth area in Washington DC.
Petworth News is a news site about Petworth area neighborhoods in Washington DC, written by Drew Schneider and other amazing contributing writers. It features facts and objective reporting, as well as an occasional subjective point of view and opinion.
Volunteer with the Friends of the Soldier's Home!
