Monday, October 20, 2014

Next Meeting this Thursday 23 Oct at 945 O Street from 7-8PM

Next Meeting is this Thursday 23 October at 945 O Street from 7-8PM

Thanks to Sherri and Bob for hosting the meeting.

Agenda items will include:

Candidates for ANC2F06 - both Danielle Pierce and Charlie Bengel will attend, introduce themselves and answer any questions you have.

Delayed - The Architects for 928 O Street will return to present the design for 930 O Street the vacant lot immediately to the West and the location of the Blagden Alley picnic the last few years - the architect asked that this be taken off the calendar for this month.

SBUrban will stop to discuss the accommodations they are proposing for 90 and 91 Blagden Alley to address parking, trash and delivery concerns.  Their response includes a new Bike Share station among other things.  Their BZA requests will be formally addressed at the Oct CDC and Nov ANC meetings.

I have invited the owner of 1337 11th Street to stop by to discuss his progress at the corner of 11th and O Street.

The next CDC meeting is Wed 29 Oct and the full ANC meets on 5 Nov both at the Washington Plaza Hotel.  ANC2F.org

Other related news:  New restaurant in Blagden Alley in the Douglas Development owned "Gang of 3" project under construction.
http://badwolfdc.blogspot.com/2014/10/jeremiah-langhorne-to-open-new.html

Note that Douglas will also be asking for a zoning variance to construct a larger building at the Gang of 3 location.  Requires a zoning variance - more to come on that matter.

End of Secrets - this is the former "sports" lounge that used to be at 1414 9th Street.  The new owner is John who runs the Broadbranch Market in Chevy Chase.  I have invited him to stop by on Thursday night if he can.  He is planning a fast casual restaurant downstairs and a full restaurant upstairs.  More to come.

Blagdenalley.blogspot.com

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Carneige Library expansion to incorporate the Spy Museum is Dead

Dear Consulting Parties,

I am writing to provide another update on the Section 106 consultation for the proposed redevelopment of the Carnegie Library. In my last update to you I indicated that the project would be before the District of Columbia Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) on Oct. 2, 2014. During that review, the HPRB acknowledged that progress on the design had been made to respond to various comments, but ultimately the HPRB declined to approve the project  and requested that the project team come back with concept revisions.

Following the HPRB review, Events DC and the Spy Museum announced via a press release that they have withdrawn the plans for the project. Below is a link to that press release for your information.

Given that the current plans have been withdrawn, NCPC will not continue to advance the Section 106 consultation or the preparation of an Environmental Assessment for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). We thank you for your comments and participation to date in both the NEPA process and Section 106 consultation. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

With this update, Events DC asked that NCPC include the following message to the consulting parties:

Events DC would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who participated and provided feedback throughout the Section 106 process.  We are respectful of the process, and while HPRB stated that our latest effort was a move in a positive direction, the project team has decided to withdraw our proposed redevelopment plan from further consideration.  Again, we thank you for your contribution and also thank NCPC for their assistance in guiding us through the Section 106 process. 

-Greg O’Dell
President and CEO, Events DC

________________________________________________
Jennifer Hirsch
Federal Preservation Officer | Urban Design and Plan Review
National Capital Planning Commission
401 9th Street, N.W. | Suite 500
Washington, D.C., 20004 | 202-482-7239

Monday, October 6, 2014

Next Meeting is Thursday 23 October, location TBD

I am looking for a host for the next meeting.

Agenda items will include:

Candidates for ANC2F06 - both Danielle Pierce and Charlie Bengel will attend, introduce themselves and answer any questions you have.

The Architects for 928 O Street will return to present the design for 930 O Street the vacant lot immediately to the West and the location of the Blagden Alley picnic the last few years.

There may be other project returning for updates prior to the next CDC meeting, I will update the Blog when I know more and send an email out the weekend before the meeting.

The next CDC meeting is 29 Oct and the full ANC meets on 5 Nov.

Last but not least I want to thank those who did all the hard work to make the Blagden Alley Picnic a success (held back on the 20th of September).

First Paul and Nez for letting us use the lot/garden next to their home.
Next Richard, Jimmy, Brad and others for shopping for the food and drink and then doing all the set up, cooking and clean up.  I may have missed a few but thanks for everyone's help.
Last Elizabeth took lead to contact the many politicians/candidates who visited that day; it was great to see Jack Evans, Phil Mendelson, and the many other candidates.