April 1st --> Ward 8 City Council Candidate Forum

Ward 8 City Council

Candidate Forum!

Have you decided who you are voting for as your next Ward 8 City Councilmember on April 28, 2015? If you are still sorting through the bunch, the Anacostia Coordinating Council along with 30+ Ward 8 and city-wide community based organizations would like to invite you to participate in the upcoming candidate forum!

The forum will include a Ward 8 Resident Straw Poll. Come out and vote your candidate of choice!

Ward 8 City Council Candidate Forum 

When: Wednesday April 1, 2015

Time: 6:30pm - 9:00pm

Where: F.W. Ballou High School - 3401 4th St., SE

Straw Poll: Ward 8 Vote

Bring a friend and neighbor with you! See Flyer Below...

East of the River Book Festival!

The River East Emerging Leaders and the Historic Anacostia Block Association team up for the East of the River Book Festival!

Redevelopment = Gentrification? Pt. 3 "Affordable Housing"

No matter where you live in the District, many people have a negative reaction when they hear the term “affordable housing” especially as it relates to their own neighborhood. Is there a difference between low-income, public, subsidized, and affordable housing? Do you feel there is too much affordable housing, or not enough?

You are invited to join r.e.e.l. for a interactive roundtable discussion on affordable housing. Learn about the current trends in the District's housing market, who is affected and how. We want to know what affordable housing really means and examine whether it is important and needed in the development of our communities.

When: Monday October 28th
Time: 7pm
Where: Anacostia Library - 1800 Good Hope Rd., SE (Ora L. Glover Community Room)

Demystifying Development Forum

What does this all mean, and how can you get involved?

Hi All,

Does all this talk about development coming to your neighborhood make you a little nervous? Are you wondering what role the District Government and zoning play in development? Or do you just want to know how you can play an active role in guiding new development in your community?

If you need answers to these questions and more, we invite you to join us on Tuesday August 27th for a great discussion. The conversation will focus the realities of development and how to get involved in meaningful ways. We have chosen a panel of individuals with varying backgrounds to help us view development from a few different perspectives.

We will see you in the audience. Feel free to bring a friend!

Thanks,

r.e.e.l.

Redevelopment = Gentrification? (Vibrant Retail)

Redevelopment = Gentrification?

Part 2

Hi All,

What is it going to take to have vibrant retail East of the River? Meeting after meeting, it has been stated that we want to be able to eat, shop and live in our own community? However, the big questions are "How are we going to get there and how are we going to be able to participate in these changes?"

r.e.e.l. is still asking if Redevelopment = Gentrification? Join us this WEDNESDAY April 17th for Part 2 of this discussion as we continue to search for answers.

We have invited an esteemed panel of business owners, developers and market analyst to discuss what is needed for vibrant retail and the lessons they have learned when neighborhoods are redeveloped. We want to help prepare our community for the FUTURE!

Event Info
Date: This Wednesday April 17, 2013

Time: 7pm

Where: Old Birney School - 2501 MLK Ave., SE

East of the River Backyard Beekeeping Club

Art of War Concept: Let your rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest.
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Shhh…do you hear that buzzzzing sound? If not, you will surely hear it this spring! The River East Emerging Leaders hosted an East of the River Backyard Beekeeper interest meeting last week. We had about a dozen residents from Wards 7 and 8 participate in the meeting in which we talked about how to get started, the role bees’ play in the environment and how sensitive the species are to climate change. They all left "pumped up" to get started as Backyard Beekeepers! If you missed the meeting and still would like to participate it is not to late. Please email us at info@reeldc.org for a follow-up discussion. Here are some pics below…

 Future beekeepers listening intently

 Asking question...

 A frame of honeycomb...

 Show and tell...

 Kids are taking notes. Can't wait to get started

 Mom, explaining whats going on...

 Invited guest: Jeff Miller from DC Honeybees

 

 Can't wait to own your own hive

 There is real interest East of the River!

 More and more questions

 Jeff Miller from DC Honeybees explaining what is in a hive

Alexis and Antawan can't wait to begin!



Wow, St. E's East Campus is going to be Awesome!

Art of War Concept: As water has no constant form, there are in war no constant conditions.
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Last Saturday, I took a drive over to the St. Elizabeth’s East Campus in Congress Heights for the unveiling of the Gateway Pavilion development plan. When I first heard about this project, I thought it was going to be something like the temporary tent structure used by the City to house vendors during the Eastern Market renovation. Boy, I was wrong! What I learned was this will be an awesome $5 million structure that will serve as a cultural and market center. It will have cafeteria spaces to allow for more eating options for residents and government workers along with an open-air theater/pavillion on top.

Normally, when I hear about these types of projects they are always light-years away, but I was excited to learn that the City will break ground in January and plan to be complete by late summer. Additionally, "if this goes according to plan,"  Microsoft and other technology company anchors will begin to move in within 3-5 years. The City is serious folks! 

As I understand more about the St. Elizabeth’s project, I get excited! As Mayor Gray said, this development will be the center of City activity and that soon the District will be considered a City of 8 Wards and not  6 Wards and the other 2.

And here is a not so bold prediction. Though Ward 8 has been known as a place to avoid, it will soon be considered a place where people will be tripping over themselves to get in. With the development of St E's, soon to be Poplar Point and possibly the 11^th Street Recreational Bridge, East of the River will be pride of the City! Mayor Gray promises that Ward 8 Residents and Businesses will have a seat at the table, but it is going to be up to us to position ourselves and take advantage of the changes to come! There is going to be tremendous amount of business opportunity...stay tuned, I'm sure the River East Emerging Leaders and other community organizations will keep you posted on how you can get involved.

A food court on the bottom, and open-air theatre on top!

Can't forget about the food trucks...

Can you imagine seeing this structure on MLK Ave!?

Another view from MLK Ave

I think that is an iPhone 5?

Imagine the possibilities of the theatre venue!

After the event, I took my own tour of the campus. It has so much potential!

This is a one shot deal, so I hope the City puts a great plan together.

I am sure there will be some serious community convo regarding this chapel.

It was built in 1955 so it is not considered historic. It would be

great if some architects could incorporate the building into the design of

the grocery store...hint, hint...Wegmans!

r.e.e.l. CBC Networking Reception