What's the Story, Maple View Glory?

The grand manse at 1220 Maple View Place SE is one of the worst vacant/blighted property offenders in the neighborhood.


the house is literally a big ol' Do Not Enter for the neighborhood

Look past the boarded-up windows, the flaking paint, and the general sense of pure abandonment, it's a completely beautiful house that deserves so much more. Located at the corner of Maple View and Mount View, the house will eventually succumb to the elements if something isn't done to save it.


check out the awesome detail work

The house, built sometime between 1880 and 1905, is a great example of the Queen Ann Victorian architecture found mostly in the south end of the neighborhood (Maple View Place, Mount View Place, and High Street, with a few exceptions): protruding bays, curved windows, both shingle and clapboard siding, and grand porches.


its location on the corner makes its abandonment all the more obvious

So what gives? Why is the owner (New Rhode Island LLC), who currently owes $98,100.93 in back taxes on the house, letting the property just fall apart? And why isn't the city stepping in to do something about it? The owner's address on Rhode Island Avenue NE is currently a print shop with no knowledge of the house, but I was told that mail still comes there for the LLC and is never picked up.


check out the (potentially) awesome sleeping porch on the second floor

The house is consistently listed in the city's tax sales, and nobody has paid taxes since the 2007 tax year. At what point does the city just take the property and give it to someone who will fix it up? Come on now.

Update: I've dug a little deeper and discovered that the agent for the LLC is listed as Daryl Dudley of NE DC. From a quick google search, it looks like he is part of a real estate management company called Dudley Pro Realty on Rhode Island Avenue. After speaking with a co-owner Cornelius Dudley, it sounds like they are not making any efforts to rectify the situation.

Click Here for a Washington City Paper article on the owner

New House on W Street

Another new house is sprouting up on the 1500 block of W Street, just a half block up from the Frederick Douglass estate. This house also went through the Historic Anacostia Design Review Committee, so it'll be interesting to see how the exterior finishes turn out.



We (back when I was still living in the neighborhood and co-chair of the committee) suggested that the builder - who also built the new white houses on 14th Street last summer - add more windows the the back of the house, but that didn't happen.



Also, the house extends to the property line on both sides, which is why there are no windows there.



It's a unique block, because only one side of the street (the side the house is on) is within the historic district. Just across the street are some pretty bombed out looking apartments and a vinyl behemoth at one end. And hey, it's just about three blocks up from Uniontown Bar & Grill!

Anacostia, in my experience.

My reaction to NPR's Morning Edition story yesterday. The segment, titled "D.C., Long 'Chocolate City,' Becoming More Vanilla", was written by Alex Kellogg, and is available in audio and article version by clicking the linked text.

Mr. Kellogg’s story was a dishonest portrayal of the changes that are happening in Anacostia. First, his evidence that black people are being forced out is based entirely on the story of one man who chose to buy a larger and more expensive house in PG County than one he was considering near Anacostia. Second, he attempts to prove that Anacostia is becoming “more vanilla” by talking about one white person, me – and I don’t even live there anymore. On a personal note, I was disappointed that he chose to sensationalize my move out of Anacostia, which had absolutely nothing to do with the much-reported-on break-in that occurred at my 2009 holiday party – in fact, I moved eight months later, was very transparent about my reasons for doing so, and am still working (and hosting parties) in the Anacostia neighborhood.

If Mr. Kellogg were interested in writing honestly about what’s going on in Anacostia, I’d suggest he step back from the canned story that’s been told before about every other neighborhood, look around, and realize a few key points he missed the first time: Anacostia, and the River East community in general, is becoming more and more economically diverse, but mostly at the hands and monthly mortgage payments of black professionals, not white ones. Check out the Historic Anacostia Block Association or River East Emerging Leaders, and you will see a very impressive mix of people, the majority of whom are black. Patronize Anacostia’s newest businesses, Big Chair Coffee and Uniontown Bar & Grill and you will meet the friendly (and black) owners. Take in a meeting of the Friends of Logan Park/Old Market House Square, a group run out of St. Philip the Evangelist Episcopal Church that is working to rebuild the park at the heart of Historic Anacostia – something that will surely add to the look and feel of the neighborhood and make it more attractive – and you’ll find that most of the members involved in this effort, although quite age diverse, are black. But hold on. Pause. Are we really still getting worked up about skin color?

White people are moving into Anacostia. So are black people. So are Asian people, Middle Eastern people, gay people, straight people, and every other mix. And good for them for believing in a neighborhood in spite of its challenges, and for meeting its hurdles head on and its new amenities with a sense of excitement. And good for the countless residents who have stayed in the neighborhood through its worst times, many of whom are glad to see signs of progress. A few months after I moved into Anacostia, my next-door neighbor – an amazing woman who raised her family in the house adjoining mine, and for years dealt with heavy drug activity and physical neglect next door – told me “you know, this is the first summer in a long time that I’ve felt comfortable sitting on my front porch.” If that’s the kind of change that’s coming to Anacostia, then amen and hallelujah.

for more, read WAMU 88.5's blog DCentric: And Now, Another View of Anacostia, from David Garber, Greater Greater Washington's GGW discusses: Gentrification in Anacostia, part 1, and We Love DC's NPR’s take on Anacostia: Whitey Is Coming

Anacostia on NPR's Morning Edition - Update

Set your radio dials to NPR's Morning Edition (88.5 in DC) tomorrow morning at 6:20AM and 8:20AM to hear a segment about population shifts in DC, with a special focus on the Anacostia neighborhood. I was interviewed along with Charles Wilson, Natasha Dasher from Uniontown, Stan Voudrie of Four Points development, and others.



I hope the story accurately depicts some of the changes taking place, but also get the feeling it might skew towards "black people are being forced into PG County" ... to which I usually reply, in general terms: 1) Most of the people moving to Anacostia are black. 2) If you can afford to buy in PG, you can afford to buy in Anacostia. Sure, there are trade-offs, but give me a break.

Update, with links: I see that the reporter insisted I "left the neighborhood after a 2009 incident where 15 friends were robbed at gunpoint" -- so not true (I left eight months after the incident for much less exciting reasons), and a fact that I clarified for him multiple times.

Click Here to read the written aricle or listen to the story

Uniontown Glows in the Washington Post

The front page of the Metro section in today's Washington Post is a keeper. The headline, "Every neighborhood needs a 'Cheers' and maybe this can be ours", speaks to the hope and excitement surrounding the new restaurant and bar - the first of its kind in Historic Anacostia, and one of a growing stream of businesses catering to the winds of change blowing east of the river.



One of the great things about diversifying the business offerings in the neighborhood is that residents don't have to cross the river for every amenity.

"Uniontown has brought people out that many of us didn't even know lived in this neighborhood," said Greta Fuller, an Anacostia Advisory Neighborhood Commission member. "And those people are hungry to come out and spend their money. We have jobs. We have homes. We are positive. And when you walk into Uniontown, those are the people you see."

For the neighborhood to be truly sustainable, vacant storefronts need filled, residents need places to congregate, and there have to be reasons to stay or visit. For Anacostia, Uniontown is a big step in that direction.

Sure, Uniontown is still working out kinks, and being one of the only places like it in the neighborhood, the lunchtime rush can get a little crazy. Big Chair Coffee - which now also serves alcoholic drinks - certainly has competition. But in this case, competition is a good thing, and I think Uniontown is a great pioneer for the kinds of businesses this neighborhood can expect to see more of.

Uniontown Bar & Grill is located at 2200 MLK Avenue, at the corner of W and MLK SE, about a 5 minute walk from the Anacostia Metro

Capital Bikeshare in Anacostia

DC's newest form of public transportation, Capital Bikeshare, opened in September of last year and has been picking up speed as a truly hot new option for getting around. Year-long memberships are just $75, and but there are also month and day memberships available.



As long as there are convenient stations, Bikeshare is a great way to get from point A to point B, especially on one-way trips, without having to deal with bike storage.

There are three Capital Bikeshare stations in Anacostia:


at the corner of MLK and Good Hope...


across from the Anacostia Metro on Howard Road...


and at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library


View Larger Map

I think the current station locations are a good start - but also think that it would be helpful to have one at the corner of MLK and W Street. What do you think? Any other suggested stops? What are your thoughts about this new transportation option?

Good Reads: Why is Capital Bikeshare usage low east of the river? on Greater Greater Washington, and Biking While Black in the Washington City Paper

Super Bowl @ Big Chair & Uniontown

Just a heads up, both Uniontown and Big Chair will be showing the Super Bowl this Sunday. Big Chair is now set up to serve alcohol, so let the business competition (this is a good thing) and the games begin!

look what's being tweeted about the neighborhood

I present to you the last four tweets about Anacostia:

Uniontown Bar & Grill Opens TODAY

Today's a big day for Anacostia. Opening day of its first sit-down restaurant and alcohol-serving bar: Uniontown Bar & Grill. Stop on by to 2200 MLK Ave SE for lunch, dinner, happy hour, or a nightcap -- the option is now here!



Official opening is at 11AM for lunch. Regular hours are 11AM-9PM Sunday through Thursday; 11AM-2AM Friday and Saturday; Happy Hour is from 4PM-7PM Monday through Friday.



Contact information for Uniontown:
Website: www.UtownDC.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/UniontownBar
Phone: 202-445-4021

Sheridan Station Taking Shape

Have you noticed the massive dirt hill / construction site just past the Anacostia Metro station along Sheridan Road? Once home to failed housing projects, the site is fast transforming into Sheridan Station: an assortment of brand new, mixed-income apartments and townhouses - with some offices space as well. In total, there will be 344 new housing units.


the utility lines are conveniently not shown in the rendering below


there will be office space on the ground floor (dentist offices, etc)

Adjacent the multi-family rental shown above will be the townhouses, 165 of which will be for-sale units.





Sheridan Station is the first of two major HOPE VI "housing projects to mixed-income neighborhoods" programs in the vicinity of Anacostia. The other, Barry Farm/Park Chester, has not yet begun demolition and construction.



Click Here for a map of the Sheridan Station project in Google Maps for better context

Streetcar Survey + Happy Hour

In case you missed last week's meeting, there is an online survey to give input on the next phase of the Anacostia streetcar line. One of the reasons I first invested in Anacostia was because I was excited about positive changes like the streetcar - and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. Let's support this improvement and help it get here ASAP!

Click Here to go to DDOT's survey

Also, check out Greater Greater Washington's ideas for running the line down MLK Avenue. Why have the line if it isn't conveniently located?

** Update 1/21/11 **

On Thursday, January 27 at 6PM, the DC chapter of the Sierra Club will hold a happy hour for streetcar supporters to celebrate recent victories and to discuss what next steps should be taken in their campaign to make streetcars a viable transportation option for as many residents of the DC metro area as possible. The happy hour will take place at SOVA, which is located along the route of the proposed H Street / Benning Road NE line. To learn more about DC's streetcar initiative, visit www.streetcars4dc.org

Restoration on 1600 Bl. U Street

There's a new restoration taking place on the 1600 block of U Street SE - and it looks like it's gonna be great. (How do I know? Because it looks nasty now, and because the same folks just did one a few houses down)


a very typical "Anacostia look" house - awesome potential


the fake brick asphalt shingle siding has been mostly removed


looks like the porch floor needs a complete rebuild, but glad to see original columns and decorative elements in place

This is the house on the same block that the same builder just completed and sold. Looks great from the outside, and original wood siding was restored!



It makes such a big difference in the neighborhood when people actually care what the end product looks like ... the city and its future are very thankful.

Anacostia Streetcar Meeting Tonight!

Late notice, I know, but there is a kick-off meeting for the environmental and historic preservation impacts of Phase 2 of the Anacostia Streetcar tonight from 6:30-8:30 at Savoy Elementary. Phase 2 is the section that will bring tracks from the Anacostia Metro, down MLK Ave, to the 11th Street Bridge. In other words, this is the section that really affects the Anacostia neighborhood!




View New Anacostia Streetcar plan in a larger map

The sections in green and blue above is the line that this meeting is about. It would be great to have a good showing at the meeting from neighborhood folks.

map courtesy of Greater Greater Washington

New Supermarket - Survey!

The Anacostia Warehouse Supermarket has been purchased by the Anacostia Economic Development Corporation and will be undergoing a major renovation, re-concepting, and new management-ing. Exciting! But they need your help in determining what exactly the new concept will offer. More organic? More fresh foods? More attractive exterior?



Click Here to fill out the survey (it's fast, it's easy, and it will benefit everyone!) ...and please call for them to do something about unattractiveness of the building. Kind of an eyesore right now...

Anacostia on HGTV Tomorrow

Set your DVRs for tomorrow's episode of HGTV's "My First Sale", which features Historic Anacostia (and me and the house I just sold...).

Click to Enlarge


I believe the episode will be available online later on as well. Click Here for the description of the episode and to find local TV station listings.

Wednesday 1/5 - Blank Space Open House

Blank Space, the new "permanent pop-up" space in Historic Anacostia is having an open house tomorrow from 11am-7pm.

Blank Space SE welcomes all professional, experimental, visionary, original artists and organizations to use the space as their own temporary creative home, as it is meant to be the ideal rental venue for all forms of creative projects and outlets.

Blank Space SE, located at 1922 MLK Ave SE, is available for many different projects, including (but not limited to): the production of your own art exhibit, a dance or theatre event, a workshop or classroom, a short term studio, a think tank, a creative crucible, a pop up boutique, or business.

Check out the Blank Space website: www.BlankSpaceSE.com

Sounds awesome, right? Love that there are creative forces at work in the 'costia.

Scare Tactics, Part 2

In Part 2 of this series, I'm posting another email I received about tactics that are being used to scare certain people away from the Anacostia neighborhood (and I'm sure other neighborhoods across the city).



This email comes from a resident who has witnessed an increase in negative and racial comments since posters appeared across the neighborhood advertising an effort to "Keep DC A Chocolate City":

Keep DC a Chocolate City - Stop the War On the Black Community! Gentrification and home foreclosures are just a few of the tools used to remove black people from their homes and move whites into the community.

This was the message on the intense yellow posters that were attached to every telephone pole along MLK Avenue as I walked from the Anacostia Metro to my home after work a few weeks ago. The posters brought on a feeling of confusion. Had I misinterpreted the views of my neighbors towards me these past two years? I tried to shake off the feeling of judgment that crept into me as I walked past the Thurgood Marshall Academy. The after school groups of kids were hanging out as per usual, except that day someone mumbled “better get on home whitey” and another of “get off our street”.

I chose to live in Anacostia for the same reasons that my non–white neighbors have in the past couple of years: affordability, short commute to work, the views of the city, and the friendliness of the people that live here. People say hello to each other here, we greet each other, we still take time to really talk with our neighbors. Maybe I have taken these posters too personally, but in a city that just elected Vincent Gray as Mayor with a mission statement of “One City”, I am dismayed and angered by these blatant words of racism plastered in my neighborhood. I like to think that all of the many varieties of chocolate can be equal, including white.

These signs and efforts come across as a desperate way to preserve some artificial sense of uniformity. Is this just a mirror of the integration fears many predominantly white communities held in 20th century?

Scare Tactics, Part 1

A young woman reached out to me a couple months ago about her interest in moving to Anacostia. I get these emails frequently, and try to be as honest as I can about the neighborhood, its potential, and why I think it's a good investment. This particular person ended up buying a house and is getting really excited about moving in.



However, the usually-untold story in cases like hers (and mine, and probably many of you who have recently moved to Anacostia or neighborhoods like it), is that her friends have now taken it upon themselves to convince her to back out of the deal. Here's one email, from a DC cop friend of hers:

[Please read with a Huge grain of salt, as clearly this person is more concerned with statistics than with any kind of nuanced understanding of the neighborhood.]

I don't want to preach, pile-on, or come across in a negative way, as I am sure [person's name] has been trying to get you to reconsider, but I would feel bad if I did not offer my opinion on you plans to move.

The area you are moving to is bad, and it is not getting better. After they changed the section 8 housing rules a few years back, and forced many of the criminals who were in subsidized housing out (into PG), there was a brief decrease in crime. That was short-lived and now crime is rebounding, with no anticipation of any similar programs to provide such relief again. But even at it's best, that area was still the worst.

I am sure you are aware that 7D has the highest frequency of car-jackings, stolen cars, home invasions, domestic violence, sexual assaults, shootings, etc, but you should also know that many of the crimes throughout the city are linked back to people from your neighborhood. And you will be viewed as a target, someone with money, valuables, a car (an old car that is easy to steal). Those hood-rats will see you as someone they can beat down quickly, or intimidate, and take whatever they want. It happens every day.

The only reason any other areas have comparable stats is because of club zones (drunken crimes), and reporting differences. Much of the crime, probably the majority of it, is not reported. It happens everywhere but the lack of crime reporting is notoriously high in 7D. Simply put, many residents hate the police down there, and don't call them (for a number of reasons I wont get into). There are some bad people down there, who think in ways that you don't understand.

I am sure the people who want to sell that house are giving you a distorted view of the area. They obviously don't have your best interest at heart. And anyone who would encourage you to move there is either ignorant of the reality of the area, or they don't give a shit about you. Some people want to see the glass half full, and be optimistic about the area turning around, with development, Homeland Sec. moving in, etc., but those people are idiots. That area will not turn around, the subsidies maintain the status quo. The only people who truly know the reality of crime are criminals, police, and victims. I'm telling you, you are on your way to learning about crime.

I could go on and on, but you have to let the information in. It sounds like your mind is made up, but I beg you to reconsider. I have no reason to bullshit you, I have no stake in your decision aside from the fact that I don't want to see you hurt. You must ask yourself if any of your other influences may have an angle that you are not yet aware of. There are plenty of other options, and deals to be had, please back out.

I remember when I first bought in Anacostia, I had friends that never even came to see the house. The fear was too deep. Of course, after being there for a few years, I was able to turn a lot of those perceptions around ... but the fear is still alive in a lot of people. Is this experience similar to yours? What's the proper response?

New Apartments for Good Hope Road

After years of redevelopment limbo, construction is finally underway on the Art Deco building at 15th and Good Hope Road. I noticed that new windows were going in (and glad to see that they are good looking windows), so peeked inside and learned that it will be a mixed-use residential building.


no word on what the other uses will be, but likely ground-floor retail or office space


despite being just outside the historic district, I hope further efforts are made to protect and highlight the Art Deco design


the residential units will be on the second floor, with a few on the first floor on this back half of the building (technically 1916 15th St)


the interior is being gutted now, but it appears that general layout is being preserved


this permit is only for interior demolition

Although the permit I saw was just for interior demo, it shows that there will be 11 residential units, and that the building will remain mixed-use. Here's hoping that the building ends up looking great!

RSVP: SANTA COSTIA this Saturday

Please mark your calendars for this Saturday evening. I am hosting my annual holiday party at Honfleur Gallery this year, and I would love for you to attend. As it is technically a private (with security) event, you must RSVP to dggarber[at]gmail.com to get on the list!

Click to Enlarge


Thanks to Glacéau Vitamin Water, Flying Dog Ale, and ReadySetDC.com for sponsoring this year's event, which will feature a special performance by Joseph LMS of the Intangible Collective, a New York City-based consortium of slam poetry and spoken word artists.

Suggested donation of $5 goes towards the leadership and academic training of Anacostia teens at FLY Youth DC