Thinking About Running for ANC?

[cross-posted with permission from Frozen Tropics, the great blog covering neighborhoods surrounding H Street NE]



Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners are the lowest level of elected government official in the District of Columbia. They are also its most direct link to the citizenry. Commissioners are unpaid, and range in quality from the harmful obstructionist, to the apathetic, to the committed individual working hard to make his/her community the best it can be. One thing's for sure, we need more of the latter group. When you get a commission composed mostly of the latter sort it really can make all the difference.

So, if you have an interest in helping out your neighbors and neighborhood, consider running for ANC. Most ANC seats are uncontested, and that's a shame because competition can bring us more, and better candidates. It can also force us to step up our game. If you want to run, here's what you've got to do:

1. Head down to the Board of Elections and Ethics and pick up a nominating petition;
2. Get it signed by 25 registered voters who live in your SMD (you get extras in case some turn out to be invalid);
3. Turn in your petition by September 3rd.

You should probably also spread the news, and get feedback on which issues are important to your neighbors. Attend community meetings (hopefully you already do this). Talk to people in your community about their concerns. You should probably make up some flyers outlining your platform, and introducing yourself. You can distribute them door to door, and outside of polling places on election day.

photo by Mr. T in DC on flickr

Art Shows Opening Friday! Be there.

East of the River: 4th Annual Juried Exhibit
Honfleur Gallery (1241 Good Hope Rd SE)

Eleven artists are included in the exhibition; BK Adams, Nigil Brice, Ralston Cyrus, Melani Douglass, Matthew Mann, Samuel Mercer, Marlon Normon, Luis Peralta, Amanda Stephenson, Deborah Terry and Renee Woodward.

Capturing the Spirit
upstairs at the Honfleur Gallery

Photographs by local talent Bruce McNeil examining the Anacostia River, using the mythic spirit Mami Wata as inspiration.

Anacostia: Never Far From Home
The Gallery at Vivid Solutions (2208 Martin Luther King Jr SE)

Past and present look at Anacostia with help from local bloggers Nikki Peele, Fred Joiner and David Garber.

*Starting on July 30th, bring your own photographs to be included in this exhibit. Any photograph taken in the area: family, friends, houses, schools, church, etc. All photographs will be returned at the end of the exhibit. We need your help to share the story of our neighborhood. Questions or to drop off photographs, call Beth @ 202-365-8392*

Student exhibit: TREEts & TREEties
ARCH Training Center (1231 Good Hope Road SE)

Student exhibit includes works by James Holiday, Joseph Roberson, Brittany Jackson, and Audrea Blackwell are the final product of a digital photography class sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.



graphics courtesy of ARCH Development Corp

DHCD Buys Big in Anacostia

There are few properties in Historic Anacostia more derelict than those at the corner of MLK & Good Hope and the 4 buildings on the Big K Liquor block. Both sites reek of greedy, out of touch landlords and a complete failure to protect the fragility of the buildings on them.

And, in the past five months, both have been bought by the Department of Housing and Community Development, the DC agency now headquartered in the neighborhood.


corner of MLK Avenue and Good Hope Road

The MLK & Good Hope site is the first thing people see when entering the neighborhood from the 11th Street Bridge, and has long been home to absolutely nothing. The site once housed an awesomely art deco People's Drug store, which has since fallen into itself and is now a faded and dangerous barricade of blue plywood.

DHCD is currently working with some really great artists and the Summer Youth Employment Program to put a mural on the corner. I know the folks in charge of this at DCHD, and they are working hard to make this corner better. The mural will be in place only temporarily while the agency works to either sell the property or find a development solution for it on their own.


the Big K Liquor site, spanning MLK at intersection with Chicago

The Big K Liquor site, above, is home to the liquor store, a rowhouse, and two very sad yet very incredible estate homes. Earlier this year the block was listed as one of DCs most endangered historic places (pdf).

The news that DHCD was purchasing buildings on the block came on Wednesday as I was preparing to testify on behalf of their preservation. While it isn't clear if the sale is final, the move certainly turns the DC government into a major landowner in the neighborhood (as if they wasn't already). I look forward to seeing something positive come out of these sales.

Meet the Anacostia Library

The Anacostia Library at Good Hope and 18th opened up almost two months ago now and it has become an awesome gathering spot.



Most can agree that, regardless of design preference, the building is a great addition to the neighborhood (yes, even though it is technically in Fairlawn, it's just across the street).


the two iconic features of the building are its beacon tower and its overhanging roof

I will say that the only element that leaves me wondering is the vast expanse of concrete in the front of the building. I know that they expect to use it to host tents and such at events like Anacostia Day, but for the other 364 days of the year it is kind of a windswept wasteland.


some landscaping and tables could have extended the life of the library outdoors


bikers and skaters have already discovered it

Indoors, the library is awesome. People everywhere, different zones for different age groups and uses, and tons of natural light. The kids sections is in the front of the building. The brightly colored square to the left is a teaser for a new translucent mural to go on the glass partition.


so awesome seeing kids use the library ... very inspiring

All of the sections of the library are situated off of the main hallway/thoroughfare. The checkout is staffed, but also has a few self-checkout stations.



Looking for a cookbook? There's a shelf featuring tons of great cookbooks, many of which highlight organic and healthy eating ... something that we need more of (and more access to) east of the Anacostia River.


any cooking artists out there looking for a muse?

The back half of the building has the stacks, the computer area, a great sitting room, and a few private conference rooms. Again, natural light everywhere and enough bright green to keep you energized no matter how long your study period.


the stacks are made of recycled shredded paper in some sort of plastic


the reading room has some great lounge chairs


the conference rooms are really well-appointed and professional. Anyone can book them for meetings or study groups


a view of the computer area (these are the PCs, the Macs are in the reading/lounge area)

Outside along the 18th Street side is a massive rain garden that is still under construction. Of course, these 100 degree temps aren't ideal for new planting, but it's encouraging to see efforts made to make this an environment-enriching site.


to the left you can see the shade of a large oak that was saved during construction of the new library

In all, pretty exciting to see this new addition to the general neighborhood. It's awesome seeing people use it every day and that there's a place for neighborhood folks to be and gather that's new, nice, and constructive.

Big Chair Applies for Liquor License

It's no secret that the owners of Big Chair Coffee have been eying a future where hours are later, beer and wine (or a shot of Bailey's in your coffee) are sold, and the side patio is put to full use as a natural extension of the shop. Until now most of the energy has been put towards becoming established in the neighborhood and getting off their feet.



Well, Big Chair has been open for 5 months and the liquor license application is in the window! Prince of Petworth mentioned the license on his blog, and I commented that, like Bloomingdale's Big Bear, Big Chair is the first non-carry-out food option in the neighborhood and seems to want to be everything to everybody. Certainly negatives to that idea, but in general I tend to think the more establishments the better so long as the place is clean and isn't selling singles in brown paper bags. However, it will certainly be interesting to see how this all plays out.



I'm definitely digging the idea of a Summer Garden. With MLK's not very wide sidewalks, this alley cafe space is prime real estate.

What do you think - is the license a good idea? Do you like the idea of sipping a cab sav under a string of lights in your own neighborhood?

Renovation Central on 1600 Block of V

In the last two years, 4 of the first 5 houses going up the hill on the 1600 block of V Street have been renovated. And they don't look half bad!



1610 V Street, the tan one below, sure looks great with its faux-brick shingle siding gone, its porch restored, and a fresh coat of paint (among other improvements). Before:



And After. Glad to see the old fence was preserved, and some new landscaping put in. Too often these houses are renovated or built, then never graced with any new plants.



The house is currently for sale for a very reasonable (I think way too reasonable) $199,000. Say what? Check the listing Here.

[Update 6/25/10: House is under contract.]

New Columns on High Street

So refreshingly awesome. This porch used to be supported with dinky-looking iron columns. Don't the wood ones look great?



I think this house is one of the last Historic Homeowner Grant recipients. Unfortunately the program was chopped off at the knees in last year's budget. I'm hopeful that one day the amazing program will be fully funded.

The Emperor Has No Clothes

2345 MLK Avenue almost complete, and it's quite the eyesore. Designed by Höweler + Yoon Architecture of Boston, the building is an awkward mess of what appears to be the cheapest materials out there. I know that in development situations, the architects are at the mercy of their client's budget, but there are always creative ways to make buildings look good.



Why have I titled this The Emperor Has No Clothes? Because Höweler + Yoon is the partnership of a Harvard architecture professor and an MIT architecture professor. These should be the experts in their field. This is what happens when architecture becomes too much about lofty classroom ideals and theories and not enough about real life context, character, and permanence. I'm a huge fan of contemporary design, but not of design that ignores its surroundings and doesn't add anything to the block.



From the cheap light fixtures to the bubble skylight used as the second story window, to the harsh-looking sliding security gates attached to the storefront, this building screams straight utility without adding any whimsy or depth to the streetscape.



I'm not in the camp of adding buildings and blocks to the historic district simply as a way to get some design review, but buildings like this unfortunately push me that way. We need another solution. A "design review district" perhaps, with regulation as buildings progress to ensure quality craftmanship.



We simply cannot afford to have crap buildings go up if there is any expectation that Anacostia will one day be a much more desirable place to live and work.

Uniontown Update

The building at the corner of MLK and W Street that will soon house Uniontown Bar & Grill is progressing quickly. A couple months ago the exterior was a sad and faded mess. Now check it out:



Painting is almost done, and they're just waiting for the handsome new doors to arrive. The liquor license notifications are posted on the MLK-side windows, and at their second go last week the ANC voted to support a new license at the site. Certainly a milestone for this neighborhood.



Below are some details on the license which show hours of operation and occupancy limits. They are not seeking approval for live music, but then again this is meant to be a sports bar / restaurant, so not really a big cultural loss.



As you can see, the mural on the W Street side of the building is now painted over. It had been there for a couple decades, but nobody had any record of the artist, and it depicted pretty dated scenes. I like the clean look of the paint, but am also not opposed to something classy coming sometime in the future. ...or maybe just some good signage for the bar.


doesn't the storefront look awesome?

The interior is mostly designed and is currently awaiting building permits. If everything goes smoothly, Uniontown hopes to open sometimes in the next three months. (if H Street establishments are any indication, I know that opening dates can sometimes extend further than the owners hope. Rest assured, the owner here is very eager to open!)

so I'm moving "a few blocks away"

In full neighborhood blogger disclosure, I have to be honest about this or else it will somehow get awkward: I'm moving out of my house in Anacostia. Not because I don't believe in this neighborhood, not because I don't absolutely love my house, and not because I was scared away by some kids who waved guns at me a few months back.

I live in a four bedroom house, and all three of my roommates are moving out for various reasons (school and otherwise), so rather than trying to find a bunch of new people, I'm renting the whole thing out and relocating to The Closest Residential Building to Anacostia (in the Navy Yard Near Southeast).

Truth is, I love Anacostia to death (don't test me on that one). I just didn't feel like living in a big house and feeling burdened by being the "landlord roomate" with a bunch of people I find on Craigslist. And at this stage, Anacostia doesn't have a very diverse housing stock outside of new condos and old houses.

I will still be in Anacostia every day restoring houses, working with ARCH and others to revitalize MLK and Good Hope, and just kind of pretending that the move never happened.

So, I'm sure this is all too much information, but people can get nasty online and like to invent motives. The blog will continue. The love will continue. I can see Anacostia from my apartment. It's all good.

the governess of Valley Place

Anacostia is filled with two types of houses: gorgeous houses that have been lovingly restored, and gorgeous houses that haven't. Valley Place is no exception, and this houses is a complete standout.


I love the Americana vibe from the flag


flowers are everywhere ... landscaping has such a huge impact!



Kudos to the owners for really investing on the block. I know this corner has had an unfair share of break-ins recently, but I truly believe that the more we fix the broken windows (literal and otherwise) in this neighborhood, the less that will happen.

Flip't: It's Finally Finished

the brand-spankin-new-yet-still-old-looking exterior as viewed from U Street SE

[Editor's Note: been wondering why I've been off the blogging recently? Well, here's my excuse. Sometimes you gotta get off the screen and make neighborhood changes the old fashioned way. Enjoy - and if you know someone looking to buy, send 'em this way!]

It took seven long months to finish this place, but it’s finally done. For some reason it’s always the last few things on the renovation checklist that end up being the most gruelingly difficult to finish. Even though I swore this would never happen again after it did during my own home renovation, my general contractor ran off with a couple thousand before finishing the job, so I had to squeeze out the final touches on my own.


the side of the house BEFORE (yikes)

With each project I do, I keep learning that you pay for what you get. If you’re pinching pennies, you have to be extra careful about the quality of work completed and how the contractors are managing your money. As much as I don’t enjoy micromanaging people, it’s a total must – especially on tight-budget projects – to take charge.


the side of the house AFTER ... loving how Charlston-esque it feels

Take the interior paint, for example. Absolutely grueling. Why? Because my contractor made the assumption that I wanted the entire house the exact same color. When I agreed to only do one color on the walls as a way to save money, somehow that translated to painting the ceilings and the trim the same linen color. To be honest, after countless similar episodes throughout the project, it was almost a relief when he left the job.



The interior of the house is totally new. Nothing original from its humble c. 1890-1905 birth year remains. So, I chose a dark stain for the red oak floors because I wanted to give the house a rich, oozing with history feel. Not to be fake about anything, but to restore some dignity to this home that had it all stolen away over time. Matte black doorknobs offer a crisp contrast to the white doors. Crown molding is made of three separate pieces of trim and makes the transition from wall to ceiling all the more graceful.



The 22 karat gold house numbers in a font created in the first decade of the 20th century give the house presence and legitimacy (expensive but totally worth it. Monumental Graphics of Hyattsville did the install and this was his first residential installation east of the Anacostia). It’s these details that really make the house pop. Would it sell without them? Maybe, but that’s not always the point.



I found a great mirror for the half bath on Craigslist. After searching high and low for something in my price range that looked decent, all I was coming up with was matchy pieces from Lowe’s and Home Depot. Ick. (allow me a gag, I shop at those places all the time) But, happily, I found a retiree in Takoma Village (super awesome lady who lived in the co-housing development) who had bought this windowpane mirror at Eastern Market but was downsizing and moving to San Francisco. Perfection, I thought, because it was what this house is all about: old meets new.



Enter my favorite place in the house, the kitchen. Doesn’t it look great? If I could do it all over again I’d probably make the wall cabinet doors on either side of the sink solid wood. I love the glass, as well as the in-cabinet lights, but people typically like hiding things in their cabinets more than they like displaying them.



I found the amazing farmhouse table at Miss Pixie’s on 14th Street. I wanted to have an island-like feature, so opted for a table with handsome pendant lights overhead. A casual place to sit is always welcome in the kitchen.


the hall bathroom (tub is just out of frame)

I’ve always liked it when bathrooms have unique themes. Nothing cheesy like Under the Sea or something … but some prefer the “all bathrooms in the house are one style” approach and that’s just not me. For the upstairs hall bath, I opted for a custom black and white tile design on the floor (very labor intensive, as each black hex has to be inserted into the already glued-together white sheets) and a classic white carrera marble countertop. The faucets, knobs, and lights all sport white porcelain accents on shiny chrome. It’s a clean look.


the view into the master suite ... stairwell is to the left

As much as I would have loved to totally stage this house, I’m not sprouting money (yet), so you’ll have to imagine the complementary shower curtains and freshly rolled towels.


the master bath

For the master bath I went with a travertine-look porcelain tile on the floor, with a tumbled travertine accent in the shower. Mirrors and vanity are dark cherry. I’ll be honest, I think this bathroom would look better in a different paint color. It comes across as a calm, sort of sophisticated look, but isn’t the most exciting of combinations. Fortunately painting is the easiest thing (for the next owner) to do.

So that’s it, folks. Crossing my fingers the right buyer comes along shortly. It’s been fun meeting the visitors: young couple from Adams Morgan, home-schooling mom from Woodley Park, young family from Hillcrest, and even a government contracting firm looking to locate near St. Elizabeths.


looking towards U Street BEFORE

This has been one heck of a project but a really rewarding one. Here’s the Redfin listing one more time: 1214 U Street SE


looking towards U Street AFTER

Thanks so much for reading! Ciao!

Click Here for the entire Flip't series on Prince of Petworth
Click Here for the project write-up on Urban Turf

beautiful houses on W Street

We looked at these houses just before the facelift, and man do they look great now. The hot pink roses against the bright periwinkle blue is a good look.





I like how they coordinated with each other on the same color trim. It makes this set of twins a more cohesive unit while the different body colors give each its own personality.