our town by the sea river

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graphic by DG-rad

perspectives

to Anacostia

cropped photo courtesy of flickr user Liliang

from Anacostia

photo by DG-rad (also seen in above post)

Anacostia Library Demolition

yep, that was a library, not a factory

This afternoon residents, students, librarians, and officials met at the Anacostia Community Library to officially begin demolition of the old (and already vacated) structure.

The neighborhood library's Cheif Librarian Ginnie Cooper even had the chance to to do some of the demolition. As someone who had to work in the dated structure, I'm sure her position in the wrecker's driver's seat allowed her the chance to release pent up angst about the old building.





Councilwoman Yvette Alexander, flanked by a 5th grade class at Ketcham Elementary, spoke about how great this project is for Ward 7 and how there will be more libraries in her ward than any other ward in the city (5):


Destruction!


...and a reminder of what the new library will, conceptually at least, look like:


photos by DG-rad

sweet houses

I mean, how great is that second story balcony?


another twin house (there are a lots of these), but this one has pretty great tall southern windows.

HGTV report card: Incomplete.*

playground that was never put together

The Bethel Christian Fellowship Child Development Center was supposed to be te recipient of a new play area behind their building at MLK Ave and Pleasant Street, but it is still just a pile of playground parts, a pile of mulch, and a fast-weathering sign about the project.

Rebuilding Together, the organization that partnered with HGTV, has assured me that the project will be completed by the end of the week.



*to be fair, it was pouring rain almost the entire time that HGTV was here, but I still had to make sure that this would be finished...

photos by DG-rad

kayaking the anacostia

tevas + a clear and sunny day + nature literally next door = perfect opportunity to kayak the anacostia:


photo courtesy of anacostia resident Drew J., taken between the Anacostia Park boat ramp and the arboretum

the U Street cut-through

Click images to Enlarge


This street needs to be rebuilt.

- the lot is already used as a pedestrian cut-through.

- construction of the through street would further integrate the areas to the east (pictured towards the right of the aerial) with the rest of historic Anacostia.

- it would provide a safer route to the elementary school.

- the new road, sidewalks, and streetlamps would place a greater emphasis on the adjacent lots.

*goodlinks

Here are two articles from the last couple days that talk about Anacostia's potential, both as a neighborhood and a riverfront destination, to change the way Washington, DC is experienced and viewed:

Missed Potential Along the Potomac
about how the district's waterfront land could be put to better use

Looking Past the Capital City
on DC's transformation from being viewed only as a federal city to one seen also for its neighborhoods and waterfronts

yep, it's a big chair.

Salvation Army Update

The slat-siding-esque material is now on the exterior, and I am really wishing they would cover the cinder blocks with it too, as they are looking less and less appealing every day. Can cinder blocks be banned or something?








Cinder Block Castle

Am I in the minority thinking this is turning into somewhat of a hodge-podge monstrosity?