Streetcar Meeting

ART of WAR Concept: Therefore the considerations of the intelligent always include both benefit and harm. As they consider benefit, their work can expand; as they consider harm, their troubles can be resolved.
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The Federal Transit Administration and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) are hosting the fourth public meeting for the Anacostia Streetcar Extension Environmental Assessment and Historic Preservation Study, on Thursday, January 26, 2012, 6:30 pm – 8 pm, at Savoy Elementary School, 2400 Shannon Place, SE.

The study team will provide an update on the status of the route alternatives that are being evaluated to create a transit connection between the Anacostia Metrorail Station and the 11th Street Bridge.

The remaining proposed route alternatives that were presented at the last public meeting held for this study have undergone further analysis based on overall study goals and objectives, community input and technical evaluation. DDOT is seeking public input on the remaining four alternatives to identify the preferred route alternative for this study.

The study team will also share information about: 1) the upcoming milestones that are planned for this study; 2) the opportunities that will be made available to review and comment on the Draft Environmental Document that will be prepared for this study; and 3) the next steps that will follow the conclusion of this study.

I am happy that the streetcar conversation has started up again. If this project moves forward, I hope DDOT will consider using a model of the streetcar that will complement the historic character of the surrounding neighborhoods and not that ”big red bus” they spent all the money on years ago. I am a firm believer that part of the long-term economic vitality of the downtown Anacostia area is the appreciation of historic preservation. We can have brand new streetcars but make them fit within context of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Also, one of the biggest problems that occurred in the past was DDOT never demonstrated to area residents that streetcars could work in Ward 8 -- that it is possible for a streetcar to share MLK Ave and Good Hope Rd with the existing traffic. Right now all we can see are backed-up streets during rush hour and it makes us wonder if a streetcar will add to the traffic headache. The opening of the new 11th Street Bridge will hopefully reduce the amount of cut-through traffic during peak hours. If we are able to see the benefits of the new bridge maybe we can get more residents' support.

Below are the four proposed streetcar routes. I prefer Options #1-3 because it encompasses both the neighborhood and commercial corridor of MLK Ave. It also addresses the concern some of the business owners have about a streetcar interrupting supply delivery.

Option #1: - Travels through the heart of the community
- Major activity centers are connected along Good Hope and MLK Ave
- Lessens traffic/parking impacts
- May have adverse effects in residential areas

Option #2: Travels through the heart of the community
- Major MLK Ave activity centers are connected
- Incorporates undeveloped land west of MLK Ave (future development)
- May have adverse impact on traffic

Option #3: Travels through the heart of the community
- Major MLK Ave activity centers connected
- Incorporates undeveloped land west of MLK Ave (future development)

Option #4: The Streetcar will run along the CSX railroad track - my least favorite option
because it does not touch the existing commercial corridor of MLK Ave or the neighborhoods.
But this optionavoids the traffic concerns

 Here is the "big red bus" streetcar I spoke about earlier. The District spent nearly $10 million
on three cars so it is more likely we will see this model first.

Here is a pic of the Streetcars used in San Francisco. It adds to
the charm of the city.

Just in Case You Missed It: Pics from the 2012 MLK Parade Celebration!

The MLK Jr. Parade is Back!

ART of WAR Concept: An army may march great distances without distress, if it marches through country where the enemy is not.
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I love a good Parade!  In the next couple of weeks the streets of Ward 8 will welcome back it’s very own – The Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. A year ago, I wrote an article inquiring what happened to the MLK Jr. Parade. It had disappeared since the spring of April 2008. But this year a dedicated team of community residents, business owners and many others have been working and planning this event for months.

Meeting after meeting, weekend after weekend they have been working to ensure it’s a success.  We will see the final outcome of all this hard work on Monday, January 16^th, 2012 on the civil rights leader’s birthday. Along MLK Jr. Ave,  District civic associations, community/political groups, local government officials, motorcycles, corvette clubs and the great Ballou High School Marching Band will participate in such a long awaited event. This will truly bring the community together.

For those of you that enjoy a little history, the MLK Parade in Ward 8 began in 1979 from the vision of Calvin Rolark and his wife, then Councilmember Wilhelmina Rolark. It was a national effort to persuade Congress to designate King’s birthday January 15, as a national holiday. It has always been a discussion as to whether the event should be held on his birthday or in April when the weather is warmer. I think we can all agree that with the opening of the MLK Memorial on the National Mall, it is appropriate to have the Parade that celebrates the beginning of life of this great man on his birthday.

With the opening of the new 11^th Street Bridge, it would be awesome to one day extend the parade route across the new bridge down to the MLK Memorial. This will allow the Parade to become truly a City-wide event.

The last time I participated and helped organized the Parade, I was a candidate for the Ward 8 Councilmember seat. To see the hundreds of residents lining both sides of MLK Jr. Ave. as participants and spectators, you could not help but feel so much positive energy all around. The music from the marching bands, recognizable faces, engine noise from the corvettes and the colorful  banners was truly an overwhelming experience. We constantly hear of the struggles within our community. This is a day to highlight our community’s talent and accomplishments.

I know the Parade will be a success. It is an opportunity for Ward 8 residents to put down the cares of the world for a couple of hours and see the life, sights and sounds of the District’s strong and celebratory spirit.   This day is also reserved to remind us of the importance of service to others. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. As community leaders, we still have a long way to go in the improvement of the quality of life in our Ward. We must empower residents to aim higher and reach further to meet these  goals.

So hats off to the committee who has worked so hard in planning the Parade this year. Whether its 80 degrees or 50 degrees, let us all be sure some out on Monday January 16, 2012 to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Be sure to bring a neighbor or a friend out to enjoy the Parade!

New Anacostia Bridge - 2 Months of Unnecessary Inconvenience

Art of War Concept: With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up

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I’m sure you all have noticed the progress being made on the new bridges being built across the Anacostia River. This is pretty exciting because all the morning cut-through traffic in the downtown Anacostia area will soon come to an end and Anacostia will have its own local bridge that will allow us to drive, walk and/or bike across the river.   In addition, the new bridges will allow Maryland and VA commuters to get to downtown DC without using Good Hope Rd or MLK Ave.

The good news of progress is almost always accompanied with a little not so good news.   DDOT has plans to close the 13^th Street ramp before the new 11^th Street bridge is completed. This was not the original plan DDOT proposed to the community years ago when first informing us of the new bridge. The new proposal closes the 13^th Street Ramp on March 1, 2012, months before the 11^th Street Bridge is completed—summer of 2012.

The reason for the change is because the bridge construction was a Design-Build project. This means, as sections of the bridge are built the design may change a little. What has changed was the portion over the 13^th Street ramp. If you were to drive up the 13^th St ramp and look to the left and right, notice the bridge is not connected. The only way to complete this section is to close off traffic on the ramp.

You are probably wondering, what does this mean for me? If you live in Fairlawn, Anacostia, Hillsdale and other greater Anacostia neighborhoods, for at least 2 months, you will have to find an alternative route to leave the neighborhood. These routes include:

·         To Suitland Parkway or Howard Rd to access the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge

·         To Malcolm X Ave at MLK Jr. Ave to north or southbound 295

·         To Pennsylvania Ave to access the Sousa Bridge

  

Traffic studies estimate that it will take 12 minutes to leave the neighborhood-apparently only Anacostia residents will be affected by this change.  Residents on the other side of the river will be fine.

I’m not sure about you, but I’m very disappointed in this proposal. As usual, the underlying reason for this change is MONEY. If the bridge is completed earlier, all parties involved get a monetary bonus.  This includes the construction company, the District and the contractors. In return, Anacostia residents get inconvenienced for 2 months. Get this, in a recent meeting, even the contractors advising residents of the bridge stated they would not be in favor of this proposal if they were living East of the River.

To my understanding if residents speak up enough, there might be a possibility to put forth for a new proposal. One that would include keeping the 13^th bridge open until the 11^th St bridge is completed. Today, I wrote the following email to Mr. Terry Bellamy, Director of DDOT.

Dear Mr. Bellamy,

My name is Charles Wilson, a resident of Historic Anacostia. Recently I learned that DDOT plans to close access to the 13^th Street Ramp prior to the opening of the 11^th St bridge. This will force me and other neighbors to find an alternative route out of Anacosita. As you can imagine, my neighbors and I are very disappointed in this proposal. We hope that DDOT will reconsider and keep the 13^th Bridge open until the 11^th St Bridge is completed.

If you are in agreement, feel free to copy and paste my email or send one of your own to Mr Terry Bellamy at Terry.Bellamy@dc.gov

Soon the 13th Street Ramp will be closed. You

will have to find another way out of the neighborhood for 2 months.

If you look in the distance, you can see the
disconnected sections of the bridge overpass

The Mayor and other City Officials at the grand opening of
the new bridges. More changes are coming...

 

Did You Help Prepare Thanksgiving Dinner?

ART of WAR Concept: When orders are consistently trustworthy and observed, the relationship of a commander with his troops is satisfactory.
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Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my favorite holidays. In part, because I get to see my family and have time away from work to relax. However, the best part of all is the FOOD.  Yes, I am a foodie. From the turkey, ham, candied yams, salads, stuffing and rolls- this time of year is always a feast of all those home cooked favorites, not to mention a guaranteed way to gain a quick 5 pounds.

If you are like me, typically you show up to the family gathering empty-handed. This happens because my mom, her sisters and my grandmother slave in the kitchen the night before preparing scrumptious dishes for the rest of us to enjoy. Then once dinner is over they say the same thing every year. “It is time for you young people to learn how to cook some of these dishes, so we can sit back and enjoy.” The response is always the same as we say, "yeah we should," and then its back to watching the Thanksgiving NFL tootball games. I’m sure it's because we assume that things will be the same the next year.

The statement from my family chef's got me thinking about a few challenges I would like to issue to the following 1. All us free loaders, 2. The Ward 8 Community 3. Long-term community activist.  The first challenge is for all our young people out there to learn to cook one dish for Christmas dinner. This may/will involve enlisting the help of the family chef(s), to show and share with us young people the tricks of the kitchen trade.

Secondly, as a resident of the Ward 8 community, I've heard many long-time community activists say that it is time for more young people to take on leadership roles in the community.  I’m sure some of us just assume these individuals will always be there as the voice of our community, but in reality, they won't. That is why I am challenging all the 20-40 something’s out there to get more involved in your neighborhood and larger community building effort. Help coach in a basketball league, attend a community meeting, mentor a high school student, or join a neighborhood committee. We need to do more than just get up and go to work every day.

My last challenge is for the long-time community activist to mentor someone younger to fill your shoes. Ask yourself, if you wake up one day and decide that you are too tired to do this community building thing, is there someone 45 years or younger who is ready, willing and ABLE to step in and continue where you left off? If not, please start looking.

Looking forward to Christmas Dinner!

Of course you have to begin Thanksgiving Dinner
with a family prayer

Salad and rolls...

Thanksgivng dinner classic - Turkey and Ham

 Its time for seconds...

Do You Love Your ANC?

Mama's Kitchen Cafe

ART of WAR Concept: A general waits until the army's food is cooked before he eats.
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In the past couple of weeks, I noticed some activity in the former Maple View Deli location. The old signage had come down and the building recently had a paint job. This past weekend, I decided to stop in to be nosey to see what was going on. There, I met Richardo Da’Salvia who introduced himself as the new chef at what is now “Mama’s Kitchen.” Of course, I was excited to hear this news because MLK Ave., SE could always use another food option.  And, I was equally pleased to learn that Richardo, a 15-year veteran chef, is also a Ward 8 resident and a member of our own Bethel Christian Fellowship Church located directly across the street from the newly re-opened MLK restaurant.

A few days after they opened, I stopped through again and met Fatima Nayir (Mama). Fatima and her husband own the new café. They moved to Washington DC from their native country, Turkey.  When I inquired about what brought them to Ward 8, she replied, “my husband always thought this building was in a great location and with Homeland Security soon to be down the street we know we will have a steady customer base.” I inquired further about the inspiration for the name of the café.  “My four kids tell all their friends that there is no better food than what is made in my Mama’s Kitchen.”

Ricardo and Fatima have the vision to offer some of the best tasting food in the city. “I want folks who work in the White House to want to drive over here and talk about how great the food and service are,” says Ricardo.

After being so nosey, I decided I needed to sample the food and ordered a slice of cheese pizza that cost me about $3. I was not expecting much, but to my surprise the pizza was pretty darn good. Fatima makes all her pizzas and breads fresh daily.

Be sure to stop by Mama’s Kitchen located at 1208 Maple View Pl., SE and let me know what you think.  Store hours are:  7am – 11pm; Monday – Friday and 9am - 5pm Saturday - Sunday.  One of the first things you’ll notice is that there is no bullet proof glass.  The Nayirs want to provide a truly “open kitchen” environment.

Fatima and Richardo

You don't have to eat and run...

Already a steady flow of customers

Anacostia Resident, Earl ordering a pizza.
He says his daughter loves Mama's pizza.

Ricardo likes to brag on his homemade Mambo Sauce.