Winter 2012

Winter 2012 vol. VIII, no. 4

Circulation 20,721

Ward 5 Heartbeat

The future of public schools in Ward 5 was laid out in a pair of recent announcements. On November 13, District of Columbia Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson released the greatly-anticipated list of proposed school closures. The following day, DCPS held a public meeting at McKinley Technology High School to update residents on the progress of the Ward 5 Great Schools Initiative.

Ms. Henderson proposed closing 19 public schools, four of which are located in Ward 5: Spingarn High School, Marshall Elementary School, CHOICE at Hamilton (a school for long term suspensions) and Mamie D. Lee School (a school for students with disabilities). Spingarn STAY is also being closed.

Ms. Henderson said Spingarn High School would not remain closed for long. By closing Spingarn now, Ms. Henderson said its

DCPS Lays Out Changes to Ward 5

SchoolsFour schools to be closed;

Middle school options to increase

ABC Board Reinstates License of Violent Ward 5 Nightclub

On October 10, the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Board voted to reject Police Chief Cathy Lanier’s request to permanently revoke the liquor license of The Scene, a Ward 5 nightclub with a long history of violence. The Scene is located at 2221 Adams Place NE.

The most recent bout of violence at The Scene happened in September. In the early

hours of September 22nd, a fight that took place inside the nightclub reignited on Queens Chapel Road and adjacent residential streets as several clubgoers walked back to their cars. According to

continued on page 30continued on page 28

More than two years ago, the District was awarded $20 million in federal stimulus funds to increase internet usage in economically disadvantaged parts of the District, with a special focus on Wards 5, 7, and 8. With just six months remaining in the three-year grant program, a

review of agency progress reports indicates that the District has failed to use the money in keeping with program objectives.

Instead of concentrating the funds on “economically distressed areas,” the District has spent the money citywide, upgrading technology

Brian Cognato

Ward 5 Heartbeat is published quarterly by Brookland Heartbeat, Inc.1335 Lawrence Street NE, Washington DC 20017

©2012 All rights reserved

District Program Fails to Bridge Digital Divide

continued on page 26

At $12,000-$15,000 per pupil for charter schools and $30,000 per pupil for traditional public schools, D.C. government spending on education adds up fast. Small wonder, then, that some D.C. taxpayers’ blood boils when they see cars from Maryland and Virginia dropping children off at local public schools.

In response to tips from local residents, Ward 5 Heartbeat conducted three license plate tallies at local public schools in October. On the morning of October 16, Heartbeat observed that 22% of students who were dropped off in cars at Elsie Whitlow Stokes School came from cars with license plates from outside the District. The number was 13% at Washington Yu Ying School


Tally: Local Public Schoolchildren Arrive at School in Out-of-State

Vehicles

Another chance for The Scene, a nightclub the Police Chief has tried to shut down five times

Stimulus funds intended for Wards 5, 7, and 8 are used to buy public

computers for wealthy Ward 3

Objects created at Fab Lab DC using tools like a 3-D Printer and vinyl cutter. See article p.12.

Sara Fatell assembles a s’mores cake at Grassroots Gourmet. See article p.20.

Christian Kloc

Dedicated to providing local newsand information to the residents

and businesses of Ward 5

2 • Ward 5 Heartbeat • Winter 2012 • www.ward5heartbeat.org

The proposed construction of a four-story, 92-unit apartment building at the corner of South Dakota Avenue and Decatur Avenue NE is generating controversy and opposition in North Michigan Park. Faith United Church of Christ is seeking to build the apartment building, called Faith Senior Housing, for senior citizens over the age of 55.

The building is proposed for 1.5 acres of vacant land across the street from Faith United’s church at 4900 10th Street NE. The church is seeking support from the community to change the zoning of the property from R-2 to R-5-A so the project can be built.

At a meeting on November 7th, members of the North Michigan Park Civic Association voted overwhelmingly against the zoning amendment, 119 to 3. Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5A also voted to oppose the zoning change.

The Retirement Housing Foundation is a non-profit housing developer that is partnering with the church to build the project. Richard Washington, Vice President of Business Development at Retirement Housing Foundation, said apartments at the Faith Senior Housing building would be “affordable,” which means only those with incomes less than 60% of area median income would be eligible to apply to live there.

In 2012, this meant an individual with income less than $45,180 would pay a maximum monthly rent of $1,008 for a one-bedroom, single-person household.

According to current plans, the Faith

by the National Capital Planning Commission, allows development on 77 acres of land located at the southeast corner of AFRH’s property. The 77-acre parcel is bordered by North Capitol Street and Irving Street.

AFRH seeks to sell or lease the 77-acre parcel to raise money for its facilities and to serve its retirees. According to information published by AFRH, years of mismanagement severely depleted its funds, necessitating management changes and the sale or lease of part of its property.

According to the Master Plan, the 77-acre parcel is approved for the following uses: research and development, office, residential, hotel, retail and educational. Light industrial uses such as bus garages and maintenance facilities are not discussed in the plan.

The plan calls for the site to be developed in a manner “that benefits the local community, provides a model for the country, and is worthy of the nation’s capital.”

A bus garage “would absolutely be a change,” to the approved Master Plan, said Mr. McManus. He said changing the plan was not being contemplated. “We’ve had no discussions to change the Master Plan,” he said.

Asked if AFRH was required to comply with its Master Plan, Mr. McManus said, “From our perspective, it’s pretty binding. We went through a lot of effort to develop that.”

The creation and approval of the 2008 Master Plan was a years-long process that included an environmental study, a transportation plan,

Proposed Senior Housing Project Draws Community Criticism

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is proposing to build a 19-acre Metrobus garage and training, maintenance and storage facility on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home (also known as the Old Soldier’s Home) in Ward 5.

WMATA is also evaluating rebuilding the garage at its current location on the corner of 14th

Street and Buchanan Street NW in Ward 4. WMATA is attempting to conceal its plans from

the public. Spokesperson Caroline Lukas denied the existence of the proposal for a Metrobus garage at AFRH, dismissing it as “rumor.”

However, Steve McManus, Chief Operating Officer of AFRH, confirmed the proposal. “We have had discussions with WMATA,” he said.

As recently as last year, WMATA had planned to build the Metrobus garage – called the Northern bus garage – at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Ward 4. However, Mayor Vincent Gray and Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser nixed the idea. Ms. Bowser opposed the plan on the grounds that a bus garage undermines revitalization efforts, “discourages private investment, and harms the immediate neighborhood.”

After quashing the plan for a bus garage at Walter Reed, Mayor Gray is now downplaying the negative effects of such facilities. Mr. Gray told Heartbeat through a spokesperson that a bus garage “would have little impact on nearby neighborhoods.”

A Metrobus garage and maintenance facility at AFRH appears to conflict with the AFRH Master Plan and the D.C. Comprehensive Plan.

The AFRH Master Plan, approved in 2008

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Ward 5 Heartbeat • Winter 2012 • www.ward5heartbeat.org • 3

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5B (ANC 5B) passed four significant resolutions at its November meeting.

ANC 5B passed a resolution urging the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to reconsider its decision to reinstate the liquor license of The Scene, a nightclub located at 2221 Adams Place NE in Ward 5.

ANC 5B said it was “shocked and surprised” that the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board ignored the request of the Police Chief to perma-nently revoke the nightclub’s liquor license after customers engaged in a running gun battle in the Woodridge neighborhood surrounding Queens Chapel Road. (See front page article.)

ANC 5B passed a resolution opposing the proposal of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to build a 19-acre Metrobus garage and maintenance facility on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. (See article p.2.) ANC 5B suggested that an alterna-tive site be found outside Ward 5.

ANC 5B voted to oppose a regulation proposed by Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham that would make it more difficult for residents to oppose liquor licenses for large nightclubs in Ward 5. The proposed regulation would limit protests of liquor licenses to only those residents who lived within 400 feet of the establishment.

ANC 5B called the rule “an overly-strict restriction on standing” that would have a partic-ularly negative impact in Ward 5, where many

ANC 5B Takes Action at November

Meeting

Ward 5 Heartbeat is now daily.Go to www.ward5heartbeat.org to get

daily updates on news of interest to Ward 5: neWs CLIPPInGs

Ward 5 event CaLendar LoCaL buILdInG PermIts

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Go to “daily Posts & Comments”to post your own news and views online at

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Ward 5 Heartbeat


Newly opened Trilogy NoMA is the largest multi-family apartment development in the District of Columbia. The three-building complex sits on 4.3 acres of land bordered by Eckington Place NE and Harry Thomas Way in Ward 5. Q Street NE was extended to run through the center of the development.

Sam Simone, Mid-Atlantic Managing Director of Mill Creek Residential Trust, the Dallas-based developer of the project, described Q Street as the heart of the neighborhood. The names of the three buildings that comprise Trilogy – Cirq, Linq and Esqe – are an acknowledgement of its importance.

Fully occupied, the buildings will house 900 to 1,100 people. “This is like a little village,” Mr. Simone said, referring to the size and numerous amenities of the development. Amenities include a screening room, two fitness centers, two pools, a computer “elounge,” and a game room complete with pool table and shuffleboard. There are numerous gathering spaces for residents, all with a swanky feel, trendy light fixtures and stylish furniture.

Mr. Simone said Trilogy NoMa was designed to foster interaction between residents, who were likely to be members of “Generation Y.” “We found through studies and other communications that the generation that will be our profile wants public gathering space,” he said, adding “not mass space, but broken up seating areas.”

According to Mr. Simone, the three buildings reflect different architectural styles in order to appeal to different tastes – classic, warehouse/

loft and art deco. The styles are reflected in the exterior trim of the buildings and in interior details such as kitchen cabinetry and counter tops.

The apartments are geared toward upscale customers. Mr. Simone said the units range from junior one-bedroom apartments, which go for about $1,680/month, to premium two-bedroom apartments for $4,000/month.

A 1,200 foot retail space at the corner of the property will house a convenience store. A

In March 2011, the Edgewood Civic Association (ECA) received $20,000 from Mill Creek Residential Trust and $15,000 from EYA, two developers of local projects. Since then, ECA has struggled to use the funds in a timely manner and in accordance with how the money was supposed to be spent.

The Edgewood Civic Association received the two donations as part of the “community amenities packages” approved by the Zoning Commission for the developments. Community amenities packages are bundles of items funded by developers to benefit the local community.

According to orders issued by the Zoning Commission, the Edgewood Civic Association (ECA) was supposed to use the amenities funds for specific, neighborhood-improving activities.

Close to two years later, almost none of the activities have taken place. Yet, according to ECA President Michael Clark, half of the $35,000 in amenities funds has been spent. A significant amount of the money was spent on items not authorized by the zoning orders.

According to a contract Mr. Clark signed with Mill Creek in March 2011, ECA was required to spend that developer’s $20,000 contribution in specific ways: to print a local newsletter, to pay for snow removal and home maintenance for senior citizens, to hold summer youth festivals, to pay for community beautification projects, and to make donations to Langley PTSA, Harry Thomas Recreation Center and Edgewood Recreation

Three-Building Trilogy Opens to RentersMega-complex will bring 1,000 new residents to Eckington

Holley Coil



Edgewood Civic Association Struggles

to Implement Amenities Packages


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The November 6th elections represented a historic day for Ward 5: the victory of Brookland resident David Grosso (pronounced GRAH-so) brings to three the number of Ward 5 residents who will sit on the D.C. Council come January.

At-Large Councilmember-elect Grosso will join Ward 5 residents Vincent Orange and Kenyan McDuffie on the dais. Mr. Orange is an At-Large Councilmember and Mr. McDuffie is the Ward 5 Councilmember.

“I’ve lived or worked here since 1987 so Ward 5 is really close to my heart,” said Mr. Grosso in a recent interview.

Mr. Grosso acknowledged the District’s historic lack of spending in Ward 5. “Our ward really was forgotten for a time there with Harry Thomas Jr. not really focusing on the issues as he should have been,” he said.

Mr. Grosso said one of his main objectives as councilmember would be to get the District to “recommit” to investing in the satellite campuses of the UDC Community College, like the one at Bertie Backus in Ward 5. He said his goal was for the UDC Community College to stand successfully on its own. “It is an uphill battle but it is a huge priority for me,” he said.

Mr. Grosso also saw the District’s historic lack of investment in the North Capitol Street and Rhode Island Avenue corridors as a problem. He said he had already discussed the matter with Mr. McDuffie and believed that funding for the

Ward 5 Great Streets Program “was more likely now that we have councilmembers that are not distracted.”

Mr. Grosso discussed other important Ward 5 issues, like development at McMillan Reservoir and proposed changes to the District’s alcohol regulations. Mr. Grosso said plans for development at McMillan Reservoir were causing a great deal of “angst” in the community and he hoped “good government” principles would be followed in deciding what would take place there.

A.J. Cooper is an energetic campaigner who recently ran for an At-Large seat on the D.C. Council in the November election. Mr. Cooper lost to Vincent Orange and David Grosso, but he garnered 21,431 votes, enough to encourage him to throw his hat in the ring for the At-Large seat vacated by Phil Mendelson, who will be sworn in as D.C. Council Chairman in January. A special election for the At-Large seat is expected to take place in March or April next year.

Mr. Cooper recently spent some time with Ward 5 Heartbeat, talking about his views and his Ward 5 ties. Mr. Cooper, 32, is the policy director of the Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

“I grew up in Ward 5,” said Mr. Cooper, who currently lives in Ward 4. He said his father lived in Fort Lincoln, where Mr. Cooper spent many of his teenage years. “I still have a lot of strong connections there,” he said.

Mr. Cooper comes from a well-known District family. His uncle Mario Cooper was convention manager of the Democratic National Committee in the Ron Brown era. His aunt is Peggy Cooper Cafritz, a prominent patron of the arts.

Mr. Cooper expressed familiarity with many issues facing Ward 5 residents. “I feel like a lot of Ward 5 residents that we were the dumping ground for things that people in other parts of the city don’t want,” he said.

Mr. Cooper said he experienced the unpleas-ant smell of trash transfer stations in Ward 5 as a youngster. Now that he is older, he said the city

Grosso Victory Gives Ward 5 Third Seat on Council



A.J. Cooper Runs for At-Large Council Seat

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Long and Foster Brookland Office3527 12th Street NE, Washington DCPhone: (202) 526-7141 Fax: (202) 526-9290

Serving Ward 5 and Greater Metropolitan DC®

Price Appreciation in Ward 5(Year-to-Date Comparison of Average Home Sold Price)

As we near the end of 2012 we’re happy to report significant price increases throughout Ward 5. The following chart displays the year-to-date appreciation of single family homes (both detached and attached) for our biggest neighborhoods. The largest appreciation was seen in the Eckington/LeDroit Park/Bloomingdale area with the average home sale in that area up 31 percent over last year. Brookland home sales were up 12 percent, and the Woodridge/Michigan Park area was up 16 percent. Riggs Park was up 8 percent.

These are big increases! And while we’re not out of the woods yet, we are also beginning to see some downward trends in negative equity of neighborhood listings. The proportion of homes for sale that are listed as potential short sales is down significantly in Woodridge/Michigan Park and in Eckington/LeDroit Park/Bloomingdale. In the second half of 2012, only 9 percent of new listings in Woodridge/Michigan Park were potential short sales. That is down from a steady rate of about 19 percent in 2011. Similarly, only 4 percent of new listings in Eckington/LeDroit Park/Bloomingdale over the past six months were potential short sales. That is down from about 15 percent throughout 2011. In Brookland and Riggs Park, the proportion of listings that are potential short sales has remained relatively constant – at about 14 percent and 11 percent respectively. In Brookland, we know this is due to our bubble prices of 2005 and 2006.

And while the aggregate data do not show significant drops in the number of days it takes to sell a property, anecdotally, we are noticing lots of very quick sales when properties are priced correctly. This is due to a pretty extreme shortage of supply….meaning we don’t have enough houses to sell to all of the new Ward 5 buyers. Across Ward 5 neighborhoods, the number of sales has not increased from 2011 to 2012. So if you’re thinking about selling your house, now is the time! We have lots of buyers waiting!

$314,334

$499,418

$311,017$270,775

$227,212

$382,545$349,375

$246,466

$-

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

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Riggs Park Eckington/LeDroitPark/Bloomingdale

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Long and Foster Real Estate does not have editorial control over the content of Ward 5 Heartbeat. Opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of Ward 5 Heartbeat and not of Long and Foster Real Estate.To feaTure your home in The Ward 5 hearTbeaT, conTacT Long and fosTer’s brookLand office aT The phone number aT The Top of The page.

This nice Semi-detached home in Woodridge offers 3BR, 1.5BA, original HWFs, and much more. It needs some work, but shows well. This one won’t last long!

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This classic Brookland rowhouse features spacious rooms, updated kitchen, rec room in the basement, and a backyard with parking pad and lawn.

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Residents of Edgewood Terrace in Ward 5 say they used to call their neighborhood “Little Beirut,” a reference to the violence and upheaval that plagued their community in the 1990s. Rev. Donald E. Robinson noticed their plight and vowed to make a difference.

“People in the community were suffering so badly,” said Robinson, 74, who lives in Northwest D.C. “Edgewood, at that time, was under siege and controlled by drug dealers.”

In 1991, after taking early retirement from the District of Columbia Youth Services Administration, Robinson took over one of the dilapidated basement apartments at the Edgewood Terrace housing complex, enlisted the help of concerned residents, and founded Beacon House.

Robinson said he reached residents of the community one by one and slowly built a network. He passed out granola bars to Edgewood’s youngsters, helped them with their homework, and served as a role model to many.

“We’ve done a lot and have saved a lot of kids,” said Robinson, president of Beacon House. “In working with residents of the community, we all helped to save the community as well. It just makes me feel great.”

Today, according to Robinson, Beacon House serves nearly 125 children aged 5-18 each day.

During the school year, its 17 staff members feed and offer after-school tutoring, mentoring and college readiness programs to its children.

Academic preparation and classes on life skills are just a few of the programs at Beacon House. Beacon House also boasts baseball, basketball, t-ball, cheerleading and football teams. The football program has 10 teams, 350 players and 90 coaches. A $75 fee is required to participate in football, but league officials said the

Beacon House’s Rev. Robinson Gives Back to Community

Beacon House’s Pop Warner football team, led by head coach Rodney Cephas, has enjoyed national success.

fee can be waived depending on a family’s financial situation.

While each of its teams has enjoyed success, Beacon House’s Pop Warner football teams have not only competed on the national stage, but have also won. Two Beacon House football teams won Pop Warner Super Bowl championships at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida in 2008 and 2010. A third team finished as national runner-up in 2011.

Head coach and athletic director Rodney Cephas has been involved in the community for 16 years. Cephas said the formula for his team’s success goes beyond the football field. “My coaches are not just coaches,” said Cephas, 40, who lives in Northeast. “They are fathers and big brothers to the players on the team. My volunteers and coaches give so much of their time. The parental support here is also very big.”

Ward 5 resident Mike Williams served as commissioner of the

District’s Pop Warner football league for five years. While he’s seen countless teams throughout his tenure as commissioner, Williams said consistency among the Beacon House coaching staff plays a large role in the teams’ success. “Other programs have a lot of turnover, and waver because of that. But with Beacon House, I’m going to see the same coaches all of the time” said Williams, 63.

Around 30 Beacon House alumni are continued on page 25

BY ELTON HAYES

Courtesy of Rodney Cephas


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Union Market is rarely quiet. Customers crowd around Rappahannock Oyster Bar, which was named one of the best oyster bars in the country by the Wall Street Journal. Music plays from a small band outside. Shoppers create a lively din inside the warehouse-like space filled with market stalls. White walls and brushed aluminum give the market a modern, industrial feel.

Newly opened this fall, Union Market is home to 16 permanent vendors, or “artisans,” as they are called. Offerings include produce, meat, flowers, and gourmet items like high-end cheese, olive oil, spices from around the world, artisan pickles, lamb, smoked salmon, coffee and French pastries.

According to Steve Boyle, mid-Atlantic managing director of Edens, the developer of Union Market, it took time to identify and recruit a good mix of vendors. “Finding the perfect vendor to sell whatever it might be, it is more art than science. It requires a bit of luck, and a lot of ground work,” he said.

The market features newcomers alongside longtime favorites like Harvey’s Market, a family-owned butcher that has operated at that location for decades.

Since 1989, the building that is now Union Market housed the D.C. Farmers Market, a market that featured produce, meats and other

wares. Edens bought the property in 2007. In October 2011, Federal agents raided the market and arrested 11 people for selling counterfeit products. Six days later, the market suffered a devastating fire. Edens renovated and reopened the building as Union Market in September of this year.

Among Ward 5 residents, opinions about the new market are divided.

“Patrons of the old market, they don’t know what to think,” said Ward 5 resident Derek Swanson. Mr. Swanson is the owner of D.C.

Renovated and Rebranded, Union Market Opens Its Doors

Union Market

Mobile Sharpening, a knife-sharpening stall at Union Market that also offers pick-up and drop-off service. “It’s a pretty dramatic change to happen within a year. I guess that is how change happens. Or, how it is going to happen in this neighborhood,” said Mr. Swanson.

Ward 5 resident Hazel Thomas bemoaned the change. On a local listserv, Ms. Thomas said she thought the market had lost its “historic character” and no longer offered products “that reflect the interests of its traditional customers.”

Some hold a different view. “I’ve been to the old market, it was disgusting. It was nasty, there was criminal activity, and I wouldn’t shop there,” said a resident who gave his name as “Tony” at an Advisory

Neighborhood Commission 5B06 meeting in October. “This place, I would shop at,” he said about the renovated Union Market.

Edens is aware that the D.C. Farmers Market held a unique position in the neighborhood. “That authenticity, that richness is something we don’t want to lose,” said Mr. Boyle, adding, “We want this place to feel a connection to the past, as it evolves going forward.”

For many vendors, a stall at Union Market is their first brick and mortar operation. Keith Voight


BY HOLLEY COIL

Holley Coil

Benjamin T. Rome School of MusicCUA New Voices Festival January 25 and 26CUA Campus Concert Venues

The Music of Marvin HamlischJanuary 29 at 6 p.m.Millennium Stage, The Kennedy Center

The Drowsy ChaperoneFebruary 21, 22, 23, and 24March 1 and 2Ward Recital Hall, CUA Campus

Gounod: Roméo et JulietteMarch 14, 15, 16, and 17Hartke Theatre, CUA Campus

CUA Women’s ChorusApril 13 at 7:30 p.m.St. Vincent de Paul Chapel, CUA Campus

CUA Town and Gown Community ChorusApril 26 at 7:30 p.m.St. Vincent de Paul Chapel, CUA Campus

CUA University Singers and Chamber ChoirApril 27 at 7:30 p.m.Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle

CUA Symphony OrchestraApril 29 at 7:30 p.m.Hartke Theatre, CUA Campus

CUA Wind EnsembleApril 30 at 7:30 p.m.Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center, Great Room, CUA Campus

For a complete listing of events, ticket information, and disability accommodations, please call 202-319-5416 or visit music.cua.edu!

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BrutusBy William Shakespeare (an abridged version of Julius Caesar)Directed and edited by Allison FuentesFebruary 21, 22, 23, and 24Hartke Studio, CUA Campus

Spooky Action at a DistanceBy Matthew Buckley SmithDirected by Jerry WhiddonMarch 21, 22, 23, and 24Callan Theatre, CUA Campus

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In a nondescript, faded building on the western edge of Ward 5, you can find Fab Lab DC, the local beachhead of what Wired Magazine calls the “New Industrial Revolution.” Located at 1418 North Capitol Street NW, Fab Lab is short for “fabrication laboratory.”

With the pun on “fabulous” fully intended, Fab Lab DC is part artists’ studio, part workshop and part event and gallery space. Fab Lab aims to take the mystery out of how objects are made. It asks you the question, “What would you do if you could make almost anything?”

Worldwide, there are over 200 Fab Labs, all founded with the goal of helping individual people design and create unique solutions to their unique challenges.

A fully stocked Fab Lab has tools like a 3-D printer, which “prints” plastic into any shape you can dream of, and a CNC router, which can cut incredibly precise designs into a host of materials. Add a few more tools, some high-tech and some old fashioned, and the possibilities are limited only by your imagination: toys, furniture, appliances, sculptures, even pre-fabricated houses have all come out of Fab Labs.

Fab Lab DC is relatively young, but growing. It boasts a small 3-D printer and a range of cutting tools, including a mini-mill and vinyl cutter. Securing a CNC router is high on the Lab’s priority

list. Launched in late 2011, Fab Lab DC is a

nonprofit organization led by Phyllis Klein, a consultant and longtime D.C. resident, and her husband, Alex Mayer, an artist and designer. A dedicated team of volunteers helps out.

Fab Lab DC will soon offer a range of ways for people to use its tools and learn the basics of fabrication. Classes, one-time workshops, and subscription access will be offered in addition to events and exhibitions.

Klein and Mayer have owned the building that houses Fab Lab DC since the 1980’s. They leased it to a pharmacist for nearly two decades until the pharmacist closed shop. The pair unsuccessfully tried to lease the space for community-serving retail until a friend introduced Phyllis to the “Fab” movement.

The couple, harnessing the Do-It-Yourself ethos that animates Fab Labs everywhere, thought a Lab might offer a unique opportunity to enhance the community and bring a valuable asset to DC. “We focused on bringing something positive to the neighborhood ourselves,” Phyllis explains. “With backgrounds in art, ‘maker spaces,’ education, real estate, and urban renewal, Fab Lab seemed like a perfect fit.”

Phyllis ticks off the list of things she envisions in the Fab Lab when it gets to capacity: classes; networking and mentoring opportunities; a workshop for local artists, architects and designers;

an educational space and more. Fab Lab DC recently launched its first

speaker series, dotted with events like a workshop in Arduino (a basic and accessible form of microchip) and a class in “hacking” the Microsoft Kinect game console, which can sense body movements.

Right now, Phyllis is working on a partnership to start a “Fab Club” at a local independent high school and soon hopes to launch an international


Fab Lab DC: The Intersection of Art, Industry and Technology in Ward 5BY BRIAN COGNATO ON BEHALF OF THE BATES AREA CIVIC ASSOCIATION

Brian Cognato

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Should I limit foods high in fat? Healthy fats (unsaturated fats) come from plants, while less healthy fats (saturated fats) come from animals. Fortunately, holiday meats like ham and turkey are actually fairly low in fat. But watch out for the stuffing; it probably has a lot of butter, so take a small portion!

What about drinks?Over the holidays, just like anytime, you should avoid drinking a lot of sodas and juices. Yes, even 100% juice is full of sugar and can make you gain weight. Stick with water! Eggnog is definitely one of the high calorie drinks to be enjoyed in small portions. And keep in mind that alcohol has

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All of us want to eat healthy during the holidays, but few of us manage to do so. You’ll be happy to learn that you can eat healthy while still enjoying the holiday foods you love.

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What are some ways to enjoy holiday treats while still maintaining or losing weight during the holidays?Drink water or eat a piece of fruit before a party to fill up a little. Once you get there, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits. That will leave only half a plate for the less healthy meats and starches. For dessert, try whatever treats you want; but take a small portion.

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On evenings after work, folks are apt to find their way to Lace on the Avenue – Rhode Island Avenue, that is. The neighborhood bar is splashed with pink, glitzy decor. Gauzy chandeliers hang overhead and the walls are covered in floral patterns. People come to sit at the bar, have a bite to eat, and relax on sofas.

“I always thought it would be great to have a place in the neighborhood,” said Lace owner Linda McAllister. She described her unique blend of bar, lounge and restaurant as “as a neighborhood eatery open to the general public.”

Lace opened in 2008. At the time, McAllister had no experience in the restaurant business: her background was in child welfare services. But she had a passion to create a welcoming neighborhood establishment. Two years after opening, she said she was lucky when Raymond Crooks answered her ad for a part time cook.

Crooks is now chef and manager at Lace. Together, Crooks and McAllister are doing it all. “The last two years, I’ve seen the possibility of Rhode Island Avenue becoming something like U street corridor, or the H Street corridor,” said Crooks, a native Washingtonian.

The menu at Lace has plenty of appetizers, ranging from wings to tenderloin kabobs. There are a variety of salads, sandwiches and a selection of entrees, including some vegetarian options. Crooks is particularly proud of his crab cakes, which run $13 for a sandwich.

There is more than food and drink at Lace. It has become a popular spot for sweet 16 parties, when the doors are closed to regular customers

Lace on the Avenue: Food, Drink, CommunityBY HOLLEY COIL


14 • Ward 5 Heartbeat • Winter 2012

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As Tom Swarm stands outside his newest project at 391 Rhode Island Avenue, a woman parks her car to ask him about the construction taking place there. She’s not the first. Others have stopped by the old Frazier’s Funeral Home, located in historic LeDroit Park, curious about the changes that are occurring right before their eyes.

The building, constructed in 1910, is being turned into apartments. Mr. Swarm bought the property in September 2011 after falling in love with its old-world style and potential to be converted into stylish apartments. After a single competing bid, he got it for $850,000.

“The properties I buy are always historic in nature,” said Mr. Swarm, who would fit in on the set of “This Old House.”

Mr. Swarm said he used to own a retail photo business, which gave him valuable construction experience every time a store was built-out or remodeled. When he saw the writing on the wall about the future of photography, he sold his business and entered the world of construction and remodeling full time. Mr. Swarm said he has been rehabbing old buildings for the past 15 years.

The constant flow of traffic at the corner of Rhode Island Avenue and Florida Avenue NW, where the building is located, was not a deterrent to Mr. Swarm. He called the intersection “prominent

and busy,” and said the nearby metro stations, restaurants and nightlife would attract renters.

“It’s the type of apartment for two roommates or young couples. We have four other small apartment buildings in the area—they usually end up with young married couples and young professionals,” he said.

When renovations are complete, Mr. Swarm said the building will have six two-bedroom apartments, each approximately 1,100 square feet in size. Rent will be somewhere in the $2,500 per month range. Apartment amenities will include hardwood floors, custom woodwork

Hidden Under Stone: Funeral Home Renovation Reveals Building’s Beauty

Tom Swarm stands in front of the old Frazier’s funeral home

and modern appliances. “They are certainly upscale apartments,” said Mr. Swarm.

The building is actually two townhouses that were combined in the early 1900s. This gives the building the advantage of having multiple doors for individual entrances. “It’s nice to have your own entrance,” said Mr. Swarm.

So far, the most notable detail of the renovation is the façade’s transformation from “formstone” to its original brick. Mr. Swarm explained that in the mid 1900s, formstone was a popular material to install on the exterior of brick buildings because at the time, brick was considered “outdated.”

Fashions come and go, however, and the brick exterior that has been hidden for so long is now being restored to its original

beauty. Mr. Swarm said that at a cost of more than $50,000, removing the formstone was considerably more expensive than leaving it in place. He is also adding back exterior trim pieces and brick details that were removed when the formstone was originally installed.

Mr. Swarm said he expects the renovations to be complete in fall 2013 at a total cost of $2 million.

Although the building’s use as a funeral home is familiar to residents of the area, the building first served as a real estate office. Mr. Swarm said


BY ERICA SANCHEZ-VAZQUEZ

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The shop at 101 Rhode Island Avenue NW was called “Rhode Island Grocery” when Hunegnaw bought it in 2001. A 2004 remodeling transformed storage space and what had been a church meeting room into “the first sit-down eatery in the neighborhood in years,” according to a 2007 Washington Post article.

The name “Windows” came from the windows that wrap around the entirety of the building and give it its character.

The café and grocery store remain a neighborhood fixture today, with Hunegnaw at the helm serving breakfast and lunch in the front and offering a mix of groceries, including a wine and craft beer selection, in the back. “I’m happy when people see the change,” he says now, “People appreciate it when they see this kind of change, and that’s been the most rewarding thing.”

Owning his own business has long been Hunegnaw’s dream, something he says he learned from a family of entrepreneurs in his native Ethiopia. The journey took him to Addis Ababa, the


Change has been a recent fact of life in Ward 5, perhaps nowhere more so than among the businesses of Bloomingdale, Eckington and Truxton Circle. Within the past several years, a

number of local cafes, restaurants, art studios and more have sprung up.

At the forefront of it all, however, was Windows Café and Market and its owner, Hunegnaw Abeje.

Windows Café and Market: Consistency in a Changing WardBY BRIAN COGNATO ON BEHALF OF THE BATES AREA CIVIC ASSOCIATION

Hunegnaw AbejeBrian Cognato

capital, then to Italy and Canada before landing him in Washington. He held jobs waiting tables, in sales and even as a car dealer. Through it all, “the dream was always to be my own owner, my own boss,” he says.

According to Hunegnaw, the unique mix of café and grocery at Windows Café and Market came from listening to his customers.


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Sandwiched between four lanes of bustling cars, under a sky buzzing with helicopter traffic from the nearby hospital center, Wangari Gardens is an oasis at the crossroads of Irving Street, Kenyon Street and Park Place NE. The scent of rich soil fills the air, and a gentle breeze blows past the handmade signs that mark communal strawberry patches.

Wangari Gardens is a non-profit community garden founded by Josh Singer, a resident of Northeast D.C. Mr. Singer would go past the neglected parcel every day on his way to work at Casey Trees.

Inspired by Wangari Mathaai, a Kenyan woman who promoted the use of public land for community gardening, Mr. Singer partnered with Sarah McLaughlin, a garden instructor at D.C. Prep Charter School, to research the availability of the parcel.

The pair found out the land was owned by the District Department of Transportation, but DDOT was willing to set up a ten-year agreement for Wangari Gardens to use the parcel. “We have a maintenance agreement – [the land] is managed by DDOT but we’re responsible for upkeep,” Mr. Singer said.

To encourage community gardening, Wangari Gardens rents out 8-foot by 4-foot garden plots for $50 a year. Gardeners get free access to soil, water from a cistern across the street, and tools donated by local companies. Currently there are 60 plots, all of which have been rented out to local residents.

Mr. Singer and Ms. McLaughlin built the garden in Spring of this year with the help of more than 100 volunteers. The grand opening took

place on April 1, 2012. The garden is completely organic. Hot

pepper sprays, garlic sprays, and kaolin clay are the primary methods of keeping the gardens pest-free. Mr. Singer recalled a nasty Japanese beetle infestation this summer. “They were eating everything,” he said. Luckily for Wangari Gardens, the beetles’ natural lifespan is only 30 to 45 days.

After one season of growing, most of the garden plots are thriving. Kale and arugula grow in orderly rows. Tomato plants and sunflowers bowed lazily to one side during the summer when they were at their peak.

To keep the gardens well-maintained, Mr. Singer said gardeners are required to tend their plots and volunteer two hours of their time each month.

Mr. Singer and Ms. McLaughlin sought local community involvement from the very beginning. “We did a lot of outreach door-to-door,” Mr. Singer said.

B e n j a m i n Richardson, a local resident and proud renter of a plot where

Wangari Gardens: A Community Oasis of Greenhe grows sweet potatoes, enjoys taking his two dogs, Gucci and Coco, for walks around the garden. “They love the garden—coming around here, playing and eating grass,” he said.

Mr. Singer says that Wangari Gardens is an unofficial dog park in addition to being a community garden. In order to make sure individual plots are safe from wandering dogs, Mr.


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George Cassiday, a prohibition-era bootlegger to members of Congress, was known as “The Man in the Green Hat” for his distinctive green fedora. What better name, then, for the latest product to emerge from D.C.’s growing craft beer and spirits industry than Green Hat Distilled Gin?

New Columbia Distillers LLC produces Green Hat gin from a warehouse on Fenwick Street NE in Ward 5. The family business is run by Michael Lowe and his wife Melissa Kroning along with daughter Elizabeth Lowe and son-in-law John Uselton.

The operation has been producing gin for about a month now and is on its seventh batch, said employee Saul Mutchnick. Each batch contains 40-60 cases.

Hand-crafted gin is available for purchase at the Fenwick Street distillery or at bars and liquor stores around the city. Mr. Mutchnick said tours and gin tastings take place every Saturday at the distillery. Bottling parties on Saturdays afternoons are also popular events, he said. Anyone can volunteer to participate in a bottling party by sending an email in advance.

New Columbia Distillers Makes a Home in Ward 5First batches of Green Hat Gin now available

BY MIKE OVERTURF

So how did gin distilling become the Lowe family business? John Uselton and Michael Lowe explained.

John knew a lot about the beverage distribution and hospitality business, having worked for Schneider’s of Capital Hill as a

buyer for nearly seven years. “Through my regulars I would get information on who is brewing or distilling what and what products would be coming on the market when. I talked to Michael about it and we decided to go for it,” he said.

Michael was open to the idea, having retired from his work as a lawyer at Verizon Communications in 2008. He said he was bored and looking for something to do.

Michael said he had been experimenting with brewing beers and cocktail mixing as a matter of interest when John and he started talking about doing it commercially. “We’ve been at it for four years now,” said John.

John’s wife is a lawyer by trade and Michael’s wife works at the Smithsonian Institution. They both help out with the business.

So, how does one get started distilling gin? First, make sure you have a permit.

John said: “Brewing beer is one thing. You can brew beer at

home and experiment with various recipes and so forth and that’s great. With distilling it’s a little harder because if you make anything, it’s a felony, even just personal experimentation.”

continued on next page

John Uselton and Michael Lowe at the distilleryMike Overturf

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Michael explained: “You need a federal permit to distill anything….The regulation is profound. Consider this: We have to have specified and described locks on the doors.”

The first half of the distillation process for Green Hat gin is actually no different than making wheat grain beer. It is the second half of the distillation process that makes Green Hat gin unique.

Wheat grains are ordered and delivered in large SuperSack pallets. The grain is poured into a mill, which then pumps the resulting flour into a large stainless steel, sealed mixer. Inside the mixer a large paddle turns while steam and hot water is injected into the flour, making a mash that is then fermented to about 10% alcohol beer, without hops.

The beer is moved to the still and is then distilled into a first cut of about 30% alcohol. It is run again through distillation columns, which have a vertical array of plates where the vapors condense. At the end there is a 190 proof clean base spirit, which is effectively a type of vodka.

The spirit is then run through the plate distillation process one more time with something call ‘botanicals’ which contain the important, and required, juniper berries. Green Hat gin has a specific and unique mix of botanicals with almost a dozen ingredients. This makes for an absolutely

unique gin – a hometown D.C. product. Further, the stacked plates allow a selection

of the exact quality of distilled mix, giving John and Michael perfect quality control over their final product. Most distillers have only a few distillation plates, but Green Hat uses a system with three times as many in a special setup custom-made in Germany.

Both John and Michael did an internship at Dry Fly Distilling School in Washington State as part of their preparation for this challenging work.

“We trained to the point where the operators let us make the entire product batches. We had the job down pat,” explained John.

They then came back to D.C. to look for real estate, and signed a lease on a empty shell of a warehouse in Ivy City. “It was a rectangular box,” said John. Michael added: “We spent a year putting in gas, electricity, lighting, boilers, chillers, sprinkler systems, and finally the entire distillation system.”

Did the D.C. government help? “They nearly stopped us because we needed to have three parking lots. But after some back and forth, they gave us the old exception of the previous tenant, since there is no space for parking on this lot. Other than that, everything else went fine.”

Things are going so well that the business is embarking on whiskey production this winter. Mr.

Mutchnick said it will be several years before the whiskey matures and is ready for consumption.

• • •New Columbia Distillery

Saleroom hours: M-Sat 10am-5pmTour and tasting hours: Sat 1-4pmVolunteer bottling parties: Saturday

afternoons. Email in advance to reserve a place. www.greenhatgin.com

New Columbia Distillers Makes a Home in Ward 5 from previous page

The distillery and tasting room are located in a nondescript warehouseMike Overturf

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Two cousins moved around a Bloomingdale kitchen on a Sunday morning, icing red velvet cupcakes, filling gooey miniature pies, and washing dishes as inviting smells wafted from the oven.

Sara Fatell and Jamilyah Smith-Kanze were not preparing a family feast, but assembling an array of sweet treats for Grassroots Gourmet, their bakery and catering company, in Ms. Fatell’s home kitchen.

Now, Grassroots Gourmet has opened a shop at 104 Rhode Island Avenue NW. The bakery sells fresh-baked items every day.

In the morning, the bakery case is filled with muffins, scones, banana bread and other breakfast treats. By afternoon, there are cakes, cupcakes, mini pies, cookies and brownies to choose from. Full size cakes and pies are made to order.

Bakery Delivers Pies, Cakes with a Family Touch‘Grassroots Gourmet’ opens on Rhode Island Avenue

BY CHRISTIAN KLOC

Tea and fresh ground coffee from a local roaster are available all day long.

“Come on in. We’ll have something

good for you to get,” said Ms. Fatell. She said the variety of baked goods changes daily. “Stay tuned to our website and our winter holiday menu,” she added.

What Ms. Fatell started as an experiment with

Cousins Sara Fatell, left, and Jamilyah Smith-Kanz e, owners of Grassroots

Gourmet

Christian Kloc


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You can stop in during the morning for a coffee and D.C.-themed breakfast sandwich (my favorite is “The Logan Circle” – stacks of crispy bacon and cheese on a bagel, for $3.99) and sit in its open, airy main dining room.

Then, swing back in the evening for a Heartland Stickleback white wine from Australia ($15.99) or a six-pack of Schlafly Pumpkin Ale from St. Louis ($12.99), picked from towering shelves that make the market feel like your grandmother’s overstocked pantry.

Looking ahead, Hunegnaw is interested in expanding eventually, but says he still has to work hard just to keep Windows on stable ground. It’s got company now, sharing a corner with Bloomingdale’s first two bars and new businesses opening every week it seems. Windows, though, pre-dates them all, and judging by the bustle there, it isn’t going anywhere.

• • •Windows Café and Market, 101 RI Ave NW

M-F 10am-9pm, Sat-Sun 9am-9pm(202) 462-6585, windowscafedc.com

Windows Café from page 16

a friend in 2009 has become a thriving business, each month handling orders ranging from two dozen to 6,000 cupcakes for weddings, parties, and other local gatherings. With a storefront bakery, customers can now walk in and buy

freshly baked goods by the piece. Menu items include triple chocolate chip

cookies, “Sweet Elvis” cupcakes (banana cake topped with peanut butter frosting and honey), chocolate bourbon pecan pie and other favorites. The selection is mostly recipes passed down by Ms. Fatell’s grandmother, but she enjoys branching out to satisfy clients’ requests.

When a couple requested cherry pie at their wedding, she recalled spending three days looking for cherries in the middle of October, ultimately deciding to import cherries frozen at

the peak of their summer season from a family farm in Michigan. “That’s in line with what we’re trying to do,” Ms. Fatell said. “If I’m not proud of it, I don’t want to serve it.”

Ms. Fatell said the new storefront on Rhode Island Avenue would greatly benefit the bakery. “What we love about Ward 5 is the foot traffic here,” Ms. Fatell said. “There are dogs and babies and yoga mats walking by all the time.”

Ms. Fatell said she initially began baking to unwind from her political organizing work. While she now bakes full-time, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. most weekdays, she remains attached to the calming power of food. She values “The idea of eating together and sharing together,” she said. “Slow down and enjoy that moment.”

Ms. Fatell partnered with fellow baker and political organizer Causten Wollerman to start Grassroots Gourmet in Fall 2009, when they sent their first menu

of baked items, attached to cookie packages, to their 25 favorite non-profit organizations. The 12 orders that followed, coupled with the success of a winter menu, made the business profitable after only a few months, Ms. Fatell said.

Despite the promising start, the operation dwindled the following year as Ms. Fatell worked on political campaigns and Mr. Wollerman took a job in New York. In Fall 2010, Ms. Smith-Kanze moved from New York to D.C. and teamed up with her cousin to revive Grassroots Gourmet, bringing her financial expertise - and willingness

Grassroots Gourmet from previous page to help in the kitchen - to the company.As a family business, the two owners are

constantly using their networks of friends and relatives to help out. Ms. Fatell said she hopes to maintain this identity as the business grows. “If you look at any family gathering, it’s probably focused on the meal,” Ms. Fatell said. “Food brings up really good memories.”

• • •Grassroots Gourmet, 104 RI Ave NW

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ought to do better by its residents. Mr. Cooper said there was no reason for a capital city like Washington D.C. to store its trash in residential neighborhoods. “I would like to see trash leave the city as soon as it leaves our households,” he said.

Mr. Cooper said he refused to accept the status quo of existing zoning, which allowed undesirable industrial uses in neighborhoods like Ivy City. He said that as At-Large councilmember, he would use the legislative powers of the office to make much-needed zoning changes. “With a little more sensitivity and some strong voices on the Council that represent Ward 5, we can start getting the results our ward deserves,” he said.

Mr. Cooper faulted the District for its inability to solve the sewer problems that led to flooding in Bloomingdale. “They are acting like this was the first city that was ever built,” he said.

Mr. Cooper said the District was failing to perform the necessary scientific analysis to identify the flooding problems and find solutions, which could include using the grounds of the McMillan Sand Filtration site to absorb rainwater. Mr. Cooper said the District had an obligation to “share the data with the community and listen to what the community wants.”

Mr. Cooper applied the same logic to the D.C. public schools and its school closure plan, describing education as another area where the District needed to do a better job listening to the community.

Speaking about the results of the November At-Large race, Mr. Cooper was congratulatory to Councilmember-elect David Grosso and unsym-pathetic to Michael Brown, who failed to win

re-election. Mr. Cooper said Mr. Brown, “had every single benefit that a politician could have and he squandered it away.” He said Mr. Brown’s litany of problems had disappointed a lot of people.

Mr. Cooper, who recently changed his party affiliation from Independent to Democrat, allies himself with a younger generation of emerging D.C. leaders. He contrasts himself to possible competitors for the upcoming At-Large seat like Mr. Brown and Anita Bonds, Chair of the D.C. Democratic State Committee and former member of Marion Barry’s staff. “We don’t need any retreads,” said Mr. Cooper. “We don’t need our past to dictate our future.”

• • •

A.J. Cooper from page 5

A.J. CooperCourtesy of A.J. Cooper At-Large

so teens and their parents can have the place to themselves. There are theme nights for sporting events and specials like Margarita Mondays. Downstairs is a large lounge area used for watching football, holding discussion groups and gathering with friends.

McAllister described her average customer as “a 30-something person who expresses to me

they like the upscale atmosphere, they identify themselves as a foodie, and are interested in politics.”

McAllister said she owes much of her success to working with local Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, and civic organizations like the Friends of Rhode Island Avenue. She also credits her dedication and hard work to making Lace a popular neighborhood establishment. “That is where the passion comes in,” she said.

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community outreach, public hearings, and the participation of multiple agencies at the federal and local level. NCPC Spokesperson Julia Koster did not respond to a question asking what process would be required to change the AFRH Master Plan, which is 130 pages long.

According to the D.C. Comprehensive Plan, the Armed Forces Retirement Home is a property of “exceptional significance” because of its history, its beauty, and because it is one of the largest contiguous properties remaining in the city.

The Comprehensive Plan calls for any development at the site to be “compatible with surrounding uses,” with an emphasis on housing, open space and preservation of historic views. According to the Master Plan, land uses adjacent to AFRH are residential, small retail, medical, educational, cemeteries, and churches.

AFRH is a federal property and has never been zoned. Lack of zoning leaves the property vulnerable to all uses, including industrial uses.

To address the lack of zoning at AFRH, a memorandum of understanding was signed in 2007 between AFRH, NCPC and the D.C. Office of Planning (OP). Under the terms of the MOU, OP agreed to develop proposed zoning for AFRH that would conform to the Master Plan. OP was required to do this within five months of plan approval.

The Master Plan was approved in July 2008 but OP never created the required zoning. As a result, more than four years later, the property is still unzoned. OP spokesperson Tanya Washington said OP failed to act because AFRH asked the agency not to.

Mr. McManus said AFRH had no fixed timeline for deciding the future of the 77-acre parcel. He said an appraisal process was currently underway, after which AFRH would decide to sell the property; to put the property out to bid to developers; or to do nothing. “I hope by 2015 we will have done something on it one way or the other,” he said.

Mr. McManus said he questions whether WMATA’s proposal is a good “fit” with AFRH’s plans because WMATA is seeking only 19 acres of land instead of the entire 77-acre parcel.

Mr. McManus said any recommendations for AFRH development must be submitted to the Department of Defense for approval.

• • •

Bus Garage from page 2

Senior Housing development will consist of 84 one-bedroom apartments and 8 two-bedroom apartments. The developer has said repeatedly at public meetings that the apartments will not be Section 8 housing.

Mr. Washington cited a market study conducted approximately two years ago as justification for the project. “The market study at the time was favorable, saying there was a need,” he said. Mr. Washington said the District’s senior population was expected to grow by 8 percent next year. He also said there were 5,000 eligible renters over the age of 55 in the area surrounding the proposed development.

Mr. Washington encouraged the public to view the study and other information about the project at www.rhf.org.

At a packed and contentious community meeting on October 17, many residents of North Michigan Park objected to the size of the proposed building and expressed deep reservations about the project.

“This is a community of residential homes and we have enough apartment buildings in the area that are not being used,” said resident LaVerne Rodgers. Resident Catherine Jenkins said she feared the project would hurt property values. “You put that property there and the value of our homes decreases,” she said.

Some residents expressed concern about the impact on parking from an influx of new residents. “The issue with parking is going to be tremendous,” one resident said.

Mr. Washington said the application for zoning amendment would be submitted to the Zoning

Commission shortly. “I expect that we will submit an application within the next 30 days or so,” he said on November 9.

Mr. Washington said he anticipated project construction to begin in mid-2014 if the development received approval from the Zoning Commission.

The project is currently estimated to cost $19 million, which will be partly financed through Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Mr. Washington said the tax credits would be applied for after the zoning amendment was approved.

• • •

Senior Housing from page 2


warehouses are located. “These warehouses attract large nightclubs that impact neighborhoods much further away than 400 feet. Residents of these neighborhoods deserve to have a say in the licensing and operation of these nightclubs,” wrote ANC 5B in its letter.

ANC 5B used the recent gun battle at The Scene as an example of how nightclubs impact neighborhoods for many blocks around.

ANC 5B also voted to send a letter to the Office of Planning asking the agency to update parking requirements for large commercial estab-lishments as part of the District’s review of zoning laws.

According to ANC 5B, parking requirements are currently based on the number of “seats” in an establishment, which may be much less than total occupancy. ANC 5B pointed out that a conse-quence of the current law is that large nightclubs can open in Ward 5 without providing parking commensurate with their occupancy, causing club customers to park in surrounding residential neighborhoods.

The Chairperson of ANC 5B is Jacqueline Manning.

• • •

ANC 5B from page 3

CORRECTION: In the article “ANC Races to Watch” in the fall issue, Derrick Holloway was misidentified as being Chairman of the Board of the Friends of Rhode Island Avenue. The Chairman is James Holloway, not Derrick Holloway.

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Center. Mr. Clark said half of the Mill Creek money

had been spent. He said $8,100 was used to pay for last year’s Edgewood community festival and $1,500 was donated to Langley PTSA. $500 was spent on a table for 10 at the D.C. Federation of Civic Associations banquet and $260 was spent on a handful of tickets to the 5D CAC banquet. Mr. Clark said $9,643 remained.

Mr. Clark denies signing a contract with Mill Creek. “There were no signed spending agreement with any developers,” he said in an email to Ward 5 Heartbeat. ECA’s contract with Mill Creek, which shows Mr. Clark’s signature, is on file with the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

The contract also required ECA to spend the $20,000 within six months. If the funds were not fully spent, the contract required Mr. Clark to give an explanation to the Office of Zoning, and then “present evidence within one year indicating that the contribution has been properly allocated.”

However, ECA has not submitted any spending reports to the Office of Zoning. Tim Clark, ECA second vice president and son of president Michael Clark, said “I don’t think our president paid attention to when the spending and the reports were due.” He added, “It’s just lack of oversight really and it’s no excuse.”

Tim Clark is a member of Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie’s staff and an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner.

Tim Clark acknowledged that buying tickets to banquets was not an allowed use of the funds. He said ECA could have paid for the tickets out of its general fund but decided to use the amenities money instead.

Michael Clark and other members of the ECA Board did not respond to questions asking who received the banquet tickets.

Michael Clark offered to justify the $8,100 spent on the 2011 community festival. He said he would bring a vendor list and cancelled checks to ECA’s November 26 meeting, when a financial report would be given. However, Mr. Clark did not produce the documents and no financial report was given at the meeting.

Tim Clark attributed some of ECA’s lengthy delay in spending the Mill Creek funds to petty animosities. He said ECA had approved a donation of $1,500 to the Edgewood Recreation Center but his father was reluctant to pay the money because Michael Henderson, a critic of ECA, is president of the Friends of Edgewood Recreation Center.

Sara Bardin, Director of the D.C. Office of Zoning (OZ), said through a spokesperson that her office had no knowledge of how the Mill Creek amenities funds were spent and no responsibility to find out. Ms. Bardin said she would not take any steps to obtain the spending reports ECA was supposed to submit to her office.

ECA’s handling of the $15,000 in amenities funds from developer EYA also raises questions. According to an order issued by the Zoning Commission, ECA was required to spend the money on a laptop, a printer, legal fees for the association, and printing costs for a newsletter.

Michael Clark said that to date, ECA had spent half of the $15,000. He said $4,920 was spent on a laptop, printer, video camera and supplies. $2,663 was spent on items not authorized by the zoning order, such as $100 in awards for 20 students; $340 in supplies for the Coalition for Voter Empowerment (a group many

ECA board members are part of); $200 for the TCM Summer Youth Program; and $130 for ECA operating expenses.

Michael Clark said the remaining $17,000 from both amenities funds would be spent next year. He said the money would be used to publish a newsletter, to pay for donations to Harry Thomas and Edgewood Rec Centers ($1,500 each), to install “welcome to Edgewood” signs, and to hold a community festival.

To Edgewood resident Michael Henderson, ECA’s problems in executing the two amenities packages stem from the organization’s governance. He said the organization was run like a “family business” under the control of the Clark and Christian families.

The Board’s roster is peopled with members of the two families. Michael Clark is president, his son Tim Clark is second vice president and Tim Clark’s wife, Jacqueline Clark, is treasurer. Rashidi Christian, former president, currently serves on the board as assistant recording secretary.

Tim Clark said check-writing authority for the civic association is held by his father and Deborah Christian, the wife of Rashidi Christian, even though Ms. Christian is not on the Board.

Tim Clark disputed the notion that the Clark and Christian families were seeking to “control” the civic association. He said the two families filled a void created by other Edgewood residents’ unwillingness to participate. “If someone wanted a seat, they could have a seat at the table,” he said.

Sally Hobaugh, ECA Corresponding Secretary, suggested the organization should be more forthcoming with information. “I myself am

Edgewood Civic Association from page 4




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“I see it as having historic significance,” he said about the site.

Mr. Grosso said he was aware of Councilmember Graham’s proposal to limit to 400 feet the distance a resident can live from an establishment in order to protest its liquor license. He said that as a member of former Councilmember Sharon Ambrose’s staff years ago, he himself worked on a major re-write of the alcohol regulations.

Mr. Grosso said at the time, Ms. Ambrose made changes specifically to increase, rather than decrease, community participation in the liquor license process. He said he would review Mr. Graham’s proposed amendments with a view to making sure “we are not undermining those original efforts.”

Mr. Grosso said he intends to bring openness, transparency and ethics to his work on the D.C. Council. He said that as councilmember, the role he would play with regard to Ward 5 would be the same as with the other wards, “which is to open up the government to the people of the District of Columbia…and work with ward councilmembers to lift up public involvement and engagement.”

• • •

David Grosso from page 5

curious about the full financial picture of the money received by the Edgewood Civic Association,” she said, adding, “We should be transparent and open with our funding and spending to all our board members, regular members and the community.”

The Office of Planning has recognized that amenities packages are prone to abuse. Recently, OP proposed changes to the zoning regulations that would forbid developer contributions to community groups. Tim Clark agreed that cash payments to organizations never seemed to benefit the community. “I hope in the future the city doesn’t agree to these sorts of cash amenities anymore,” he said.

Michael Henderson said, “this whole thing of developers giving civic associations money has got to stop because there is no oversight.”

The Zoning Commission is expected to take action on OP’s proposed changes on December 10.

Mill Creek is in the final stages of constructing the Trilogy Noma apartment complex in Eckington and EYA is almost finished building the Chancellor’s Row townhouses in Edgewood.

• • •ECA held officer elections at press time. As of November 26, Michael Clark is president and Rashidi Christian is treasurer. Tim Clark and Jacqueline Clark did not run for any position

and are no longer on the board.

Edgewood from previous page

currently playing collegiate sports throughout the country. In November, Cephas and other Beacon House coaches took a group of 20 children to the Verizon Center to cheer on former Beacon House player and current Georgetown Hoyas basketball forward Mikael Hopkins. Hopkins went to high school in Hyattsville, Md. at DeMatha and is one of a growing list of Beacon House players who attended local private schools.

“We help a lot of kids get into private schools on scholarships,” said Beacon House Executive Director Gerry Kittner, 60, who lives in Bethesda, Md. In fact, some of the region’s private schools have shown significant interest in Beacon House. Cephas said he recently took 15 of his players to visit Gonzaga College High School in the District at the school’s request. He also sent his players to open houses at DeMatha and St. John’s in November.

“Education comes first,” said Robinson. “If you don’t get your education, you can’t go anywhere. If it weren’t for them getting a good education, we wouldn’t have all of these kids entering the private schools.”

Operating expenses for Beacon House total $900,000 a year. While the league receives some financial support from the District, more is needed. “It’s a struggle every year to get the money we need to pay our basic expenses,” Kittner said. “And in the case of the playoff teams, you can’t budget for that because you don’t know if they’re going to make it. So, every year, if we’re fortunate it make it [to the playoffs], we have to hustle to get the money to send the team.”

With the help of sports, Robinson and Beacon House are continuing to improve lives. “A lot of

the guys now are not selling drugs when they get older, they’re not using drugs,” said Cephas. “They’re finishing high school and going on to college.” • • •

Beacon House from page 8

modernization can begin “pretty immediately” instead of several years in the future as was previously planned.

“We actually want to close Spingarn and Spingarn STAY and modernize the building over the next year to reopen it as a state-of-the-art career and technical education center,” she said.

Once reopened, Spingarn High School would “complement” Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering High School next door, with a possible focus on transportation-related skills such as bus driver training, elevator repair, and streetcar maintenance and operation. “We have this tremendous need for more career and technical education programming that actually can result in our children walking out of high school and going into jobs,” said Ms. Henderson.

Ms. Henderson said Marshall Elementary was slated for closure due to low enrollment. She said the school’s current enrollment of 158 students meant that the building was only 33% utilized. She said fewer than 50 students attending Marshall actually lived in the surrounding neighborhood.

“Even if every family in Fort Lincoln went to Marshall, there is still not a critical mass enough to fill up that building,” she said, adding, “we want to wait until there are enough school-age children in that neighborhood and then we fully intend on reopening Marshall.”

Starting with the 2013-2014 school year, former Marshall students will be bused to Langdon Education Campus in Woodridge.

Ms. Henderson said four factors were considered in deciding which schools to recommend for closure: student enrollment and local population changes; building utilization rates; building condition; and quality and availability of


receiving schools. She said school performance was not a factor.

Ms. Henderson said there was “wiggle room” for the list of closures to change, but did not sound particularly encouraging about the idea. She implied that for every school taken off the list, another school would have to be added. “If it’s not this school, it’s that school,” she said.

Ms. Henderson said that the purpose of school closures was to concentrate DCPS’ resources to create the greatest positive impact. “My guess is parents would rather have a high quality classroom…than nostalgia for a school that is under-utilized and where we’re paying more for principals and custodians than we are for teachers,” she said. After the closures, she said DCPS’ portfolio of school buildings would be reduced from 117 to 101 and overall building utilization rates would increase from 72% to 84%.

Ms. Henderson cited the District’s long-term decline in population among 5-17 year olds and the migration of students to public charter schools as reasons for the closures. Ward 5 stands out: 54% of public school students in Ward 5 are enrolled in public charter schools, the highest percentage in the District.

Once the closure list is finalized, the schools will be closed at the end of the 2012-2013 school year, with two exceptions. Sharpe Health School in Ward 4 and Mamie S. Lee School in Ward 5 will be closed at the end of the following school year.

Ms. Henderson said staff layoffs would not be determined until the closure plan was finalized. She said the “vast majority” of teachers and instructional aides would be relocated to new schools along with the students.

Ward 5 Great Schools Initiative

On November 14, DCPS staff held a public meeting to provide an update on the progress of the Ward 5 Great Schools Initiative, a plan to increase middle school options for residents of Ward 5.

Announced by DCPS in March 2012, the initiative includes three elements: the construction of a new Brookland Middle School, the addition of middle grades to McKinley Technology High School, and the creation of an Inter-national Baccalaure-ate program at Browne Education Campus.

Shanita Burney, Director of Family and Community Engage-

DCPS Lays Out Changes to Ward 5 Schools from front page

Lloyd Chesley Jr, Agent3500 12th Street NE

Washington, DC 20017Office: 202-863-1400

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ment at DCPS, said the new Brookland Middle School is expected to open for the 2014-2015 school year. The school will be located on Michigan Avenue at the site of the old Brookland Elementary School, which has been closed for several years and will be torn down.

Ms. Burney said design of the new $44 million, 89,000 square foot building will be complete in Spring 2013. She said a School Improvement Team (SIT) of 16 people is meeting monthly to work on the building design and development schedule. The SIT is made up of five parents, five DCPS employees, and six community members.

By the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, a middle school will operate within McKinley Technology High School as a result of the relocation of grades 6-8 from Langley Education Campus next door. The middle school program will be a STEM program, which means a focus on science, technology, engineering and math instruction. $11 million in renovations are currently underway at McKinley Tech to prepare for the middle schoolers.

Gideon Sanders, director of partnerships and internships at McKinley Tech, said contact between middle schoolers and high schoolers would be avoided. “The intermingling of high school and middle school students will be held at a minimum,” he said. Mr. Sanders said the middle school wing would have its own separate entrance.

Ms. Burney made it clear at the November 14th meeting that students attending middle school at McKinley Tech would not be given automatic admittance to the high school. “McKinley Tech Senior High will remain an application school,” she said.

The third element of the Ward 5 Great Schools Initiative is an International Baccalaureate (IB) program for elementary and middle grades at Browne Education Campus. IB is an internationally accredited, standards-based curriculum.

When DCPS announced the Great Schools initiative last year, it said the IB program at Browne would be in place by the beginning of the 2013 school year. DCPS is now backing away from its pledge.

Ms. Burney told those in attendance that IB accreditation does not happen quickly. “It takes 2-3 years to become an IB school,” she said. Ms. Burney said DCPS plans to begin the accreditation process by submitting an application in March 2013. If the process proceeds smoothly, Ms. Burney said IB instruction should begin at Browne for the 2016-2017 school year.

Ms. Burney said that until Browne’s IB steering committee finalized its plan for the implementation of the IB program, all dates were estimates. — with reporting by Dale Sprusanksy

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the police report, two club patrons were chased by two other club patrons shooting at them. 5-8 shots were fired and one clubgoer was shot in the lower leg.

Within hours of the incident, Chief Lanier sent a letter to the ABC Board requesting permanent revocation of The Scene’s liquor license because “continued operation of this establishment presents an imminent danger to the health and safety of the public.” Chief Lanier closed the establishment for 96 hours, the maximum allowable under her police powers.

Police Sergeant Sherri Fox, who was providing security at The Scene on September 22nd, said in a report that lax practices by The Scene’s management “placed MPD officers and the community at risk of being victimized by further violent acts.”

On October 10th, the ABC Board rejected the Police Chief’s request. “Notwithstanding Chief Lanier’s request for revocation of the…license to protect the public safety, the Board will not revoke the…license at this time,” wrote the ABC Board. Instead, the Board ordered the club to adhere to its security plan, to submit a list of its performers in advance to the ABC Board, and to “abide by all laws and regulations of the District of Columbia.”

The Board issued similar orders to The Scene over the past three years with question-able success. More than a dozen violent episodes at The Scene have taken place since February 2010. The incidents included stabbings, assaults and—most recently—gun violence.

Brookland resident Willie Blakeney Jr. is the owner of The Scene. Reached by phone, Mr. Blakeney said his nightclub was not a dangerous place. He characterized the violence as “isolated incidents” caused by fans of certain bands. “It’s no so much the band. It’s the following,” he said.

Mr. Blakeney also said some of the violence was wrongly attributed to patrons of The Scene because “it happened to take place on a night when we were having an event.”

In the past two years, Chief Lanier has requested the revocation of a liquor license 22 times. Five of those requests were for The Scene—the most for any District establishment. However, the ABC Board rejected or ignored all of Chief Lanier’s requests to revoke The Scene’s liquor license.

Ward 5 has the dubious distinction of being the location of the most dangerous nightclubs in the city: almost half of Chief Lanier’s liquor license revocation requests in the past two years were for nightclubs located in Ward 5—far more than for any other ward.

On November 1, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5B passed a resolution urging the ABC Board to reconsider its decision not to revoke The Scene’s liquor license. [See article p.3.]

• • •

ABC Board from front page

Singer designed and built a bright green fence from discarded pallets and installed it around the perimeter. Mr. Singer credits the absence of rodent problems to the presence of dogs. “It’s a

symbiotic relationship,” he said.Future plans for the garden include planting a

medicinal plant grove, digging a rain garden, and getting the garden to be run completely by the community. “I want to make it more accessible for people with disabilities,” Mr. Singer added. Wheel chair paths and raised garden beds are two of his ideas for improving accessibility.

Mr. Singer partnered with Still Life Projects to kickstart a fundraiser for expanding and improving the garden. Mr. Singer said “depending on how much space we have and how much money we have we’d like to add 20 to 30 plots.”

Mr. Singer said that so far, Wangari Gardens has relied on a combination of grants, donations, plot rental fees, and his personal credit card to cover expenses. The organization is working under a temporary 501c3 status.

Intrepid gardeners can look forward to

Wangari Gardens being open all winter long so they can cultivate cold-weather vegetables such as collard greens, brussels sprouts, and carrots. “We’ll keep the garden open all winter and we’ll

see how it goes,” Mr. Singer said.• • •

Wangari GardensFor more information email

[email protected]

Wangari Gardens from page 17

Garden plots at Wangari Gardens, next to the Washington Hospital CenterRebecca Bartola

and his wife own “All Things Olive,” a California olive oil and aged vinegar vendor at Union Market. Before opening up at the market, they sold their products exclusively at farmers markets and are pleased to have a permanent location. “We’re here for the long run,” said Mr. Voight. “We’re confident that the longer we are here, the bigger our customer base will be.”

Currently, the market is open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday. The number of vendors is expected to increase over time. “Right now, we have a plan for 40 vendors in the market,” said Jeff Kaufman, Edens vice president of development, at a community meeting in October.

According to Mr. Boyle, the market must weigh vendor quantity with quality—all while leaving room for temporary “pop-up” vendors who add variety to the mix. “The goal is to reach capacity as quickly as possible while leaving a handful of spaces as seasonal and incubator spaces for new concepts to be tested,” said Mr. Boyle, adding that “reaching capacity with the best merchant mix is more important than anything else.”

Word has it that a seafood stall, a wine shop and a deli counter will be opening soon.

• • •Union Market

1309 5th Street NE Weds - Fri 11-8, Sat - Sun 8-8

www.unionmarketdc.com

Union Market from page 10

All Things OliveFresh extra virgin olive oil from California, and specialty barrel-aged vinegars. Almaala FarmsFresh produce from an Eastern shore farm. Buffalo & BergenNew York soda shop inspired refreshments like egg creams, malts and phosphates. CordialFine wines and craft beers. Curbside CupcakesSpecialty cupcakes and high-end desserts. DC EmpanadasEmpanadas made daily from scratch with fresh ingredients. Harvey’s MarketLocal butcher featuring meats, turkey, lamb roasts and pork roasts from sustainable nearby farms. Lyon BakeryVariety of breads made with high quality ingredients, all natural and no preservatives.


Oh! PicklesWide variety of pickles and kimchee. Sweet and sour, hot, half & half – all from family recipes. Peregrine EspressoMicro-brewed coffee made to order. Rappahannock Oyster CompanyLocally harvested oysters and clams, with a beer and wine selection. Red Apron ButcheryAmerican butcher shop specializing in meats with no antibiotics or hormones. Righteous CheeseGourmet cheese. Wine and beer pairings also available. Salt & SundryHome décor, including linens, serving dishes, utensils and vintage accent pieces. TaKoreanKorean BBQ tacos, a combination of Korean flavors with a Mexican influence. Trickling Springs CreameryHormone-free dairy products from local, family farms. Milk, fresh butter and ice cream.

VENDORS AT UNION MARKETBelow is a list of permanent vendors at Union Market.

A wide variety of pop-up vendors adds to the market offerings.

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Ward 5 Heartbeat

infrastructure and installing computers in public libraries located in some of the wealthiest neighborhoods.

The mission of the program, called the Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program (BTOP), was to “bridge the digital divide” by installing computers and internet connections in libraries, public buildings, schools and non-profit organizations predominantly in Wards 5, 7, and 8. The program also funded more than 2,000 hours of computer classes in local libraries on subjects like Internet Job Seeking 101 and Computer Basics.

The program was administered by two District agencies, the Office of the Chief Technology Officer and D.C. Public Library.

OCTO spokesperson Ayanna Smith said that the implementation of BTOP had not veered from its purpose. She explained that the program was targeted at District neighborhoods that were “broadband underserved,” which she said included areas of Wards 1, 2, 4 and 6 in addition to Wards 5, 7, and 8.

However, according to District government data on broadband adoption rates, no portions of Wards 1, 2, 3 or 6 have been “broadband underserved” since before BTOP implementation began. The federal definition of “underserved” is an area in which broadband adoption rates are below 40%.

To date, the biggest beneficiaries of BTOP have been residents of Wards 6 and 7. 373 new public computers—half of all those installed—went to libraries, recreation centers and other public facilities in Wards 6 and 7.

Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells is Chairman of the D.C. Council Committee that oversees D.C. public libraries. Ward 7 is the home of Mayor Vincent Gray.

Grant funds were also used to install public computers in the District’s wealthiest neighborhoods. Georgetown library in Ward 2 and Tenley library in Ward 3 received dozens of new computers—more than any library in Ward 5.

As a result of the grant program, wealthy Ward 3 now has 50% more public computers than Ward 5. In all, 67 public computers—6% of the District total—are located in Ward 5, leaving its residents significantly underserved.

DCPL held almost none of its computer classes in Ward 5, making it more difficult for Ward 5 residents to get assistance building their computer skills and performing online job searches.

OCTO spokesperson Ayanna Smith said the implementation of BTOP was in compliance with its goals. “We’ve held computer-training sessions at both Ward 5 libraries” she said, adding that approximately 150 out of 2,500 District residents who took a computer class said they lived in Ward 5.

Another aspect of BTOP included offering fast and affordable internet connections to public buildings, schools and non-profit organizations—

institutions called “community anchors.” Community anchors are expected to play an important role in boosting public internet use because each location serves as a wi-fi hotspot, providing free internet access to the public within 200 feet.

According to BTOP grant documents, community anchors were supposed to be located “largely in Wards 5, 7, and 8.” As of the end of September, however, fewer than half of the District’s 184 community anchors were located in those wards. The ward with the most community anchors – 37 – was Ward 6.

OCTO spokesman Jack Burbridge suggested that lack of interest in Ward 5 was to blame. “We didn’t get a whole lot of feedback from the community,” he said. OCTO held one public information session about the community anchor program in Ward 5. The session took place on March 29th at 8:30am. — with reporting by Dale Sprusanksy

• • •

Digital Divide from front pagea real estate agent set up shop there in the early 1900s. He said the building was then bought by the Fraziers, a couple who turned it into a funeral home in 1929.

According to Mr. Swarm, funeral homes were cutting edge businesses in the 1930s and the Fraziers prospered. The Frazier family sold the building 15 years ago and the business continued under the name Frazier’s Funeral Home until it closed and was sold to Mr. Swarm.

“There’s a lot of history behind this place,” he said.

• • •

Renovation from page 15

exchange program with other labs around the world.

• • •To learn more and start brainstorming your own creation, visit fablabdc.org, follow @FabLabDC

on Twitter or email [email protected].

Fab Lab from page 12

on October 17, and 15% at Latin American Montessori Bilingual School (Taylor Street campus) on October 18.

Iris Bond-Gill, director of federal grants compliance at the Office of the State Superintendent for Education (OSSE), was struck by the percentage. “That’s high,” she said.

Still, Ms. Bond-Gill was cautious about drawing the conclusion that an out-of-state license plate meant that a student was an out-of-state resident. “In times past we have seen it could be an indication, but not always,” she said.

Linda Moore, Executive Director of Stokes School, rejected the idea that license plates were reliable indicators of student residency. “It’s not always parents who bring children to school,” she said. Diane Cottman, Executive Director of LAMB, agreed that was the case, “especially in the DC Metropolitan area, where you have parents, grandparents and extended family members who pitch in.”

Parents are not required to show drivers’ licenses or car registrations when they enroll a child in a D.C. public school. Parents can establish residency by producing a number of different documents, which may include pay stubs, evidence of TANF or Social Security, utility bills or lease agreements. The rules are the same for traditional public schools as for public charter schools.

Currently, schools have significant discretion in deciding how zealously to pursue residency verification. The three public charter schools investigated by Ward 5 Heartbeat each had a different approach.

At Washington Yu Ying, Executive Director Mary Shaffner and Chief Operating Officer Cheri Harrington said their school took an active approach to residency verification. Ms. Shaffner said, “if we see someone with Maryland tags [dropping off a student] we always investigate it.”

Ms. Shaffner said she was vigilant about residency verification in part because the school was founded by DC. residents. Washington Yu Ying “is for children who live in D.C. Period,” said Ms. Harrington.

Ms. Harrington said if residency fraud was suspected, the policy at Yu Ying was to take steps, including researching the white pages to see where the family was listed and sending certified mail to the family’s D.C. address as a test. If questions remained, Ms. Harrington said a home visit was conducted. She said last year one dozen families were investigated by the school, all of whom were able to prove D.C. residency.

Linda Moore and Diane Cottman described a more hands-off approach to residency verification at Stokes School and LAMB. Both women said their staff did not ask questions when they observed out-of-state cars dropping off children.

Ms. Moore said the job of Stokes School was to “request and collect the [residency] documentation” from the parents, which she said her staff did according to the rules. She said verifying document authenticity and enforcing

Tally from front page

residency compliance were the responsibility of OSSE. “We’re not a police authority,” she said, “that’s not what we do.”

Ms. Cottman expressed a similar sentiment. “We don’t have a large bureaucracy to chase down a bunch of stuff,” she said.

Ms. Cottman said LAMB followed all required procedures for establishing student residency and that discussions about residency fraud were an unwelcome distraction. “Any of these side conversations that take me away from educating District children, I don’t have time for,” she said.

Until now, OSSE has been slow to acknowledge the possibility of residency fraud in the D.C. public school system. In a May press release, OSSE claimed that only 0.2% of students were wrongfully enrolled in D.C. public schools last year. Asked whether a residency fraud rate of almost zero was an accurate reflection of reality, Ms. Bond-Gill did not comment.

In the wake of D.C. Council legislation passed this year, OSSE has energized its residency compliance efforts. The new law, called the Public School and Public Charter School Student Residency Fraud Prevention Amendment Act of 2012, has led to “additional dedication to this issue,” said Ms. Bond-Gill. She explained that starting this year, public schools were required to keep photocopies of residency documentation provided by parents. She said this allowed outside auditors to conduct random audits.

Schools are also required to complete a residency verification form for each student, certifying that an official at the school “personally reviewed” the residency documents presented by the parent.

Ms. Bond-Gill said OSSE had set up a residency fraud hotline to accept anonymous public complaints. “We are required to look into all reports of residency fraud,” she said.

However, Ms. Bond-Gill did not provide an answer to the vexing question of how anonymous tips of license plate numbers would be handled. She said new policies and procedures were still being ironed out and would be published shortly in a residency verification “guidance” document to be issued to all public schools.

Even under the new rules, schools are not penalized if non-resident students are found to be enrolled.

Ms. Cottman expressed displeasure at the new requirement for schools to keep photocopies of parents’ residency documents available for audit. She said it put parents at risk of identity theft from school staff. “I don’t like having all that stuff on file like this,” she said.

To Ms. Moore, residency fraud is not a significant problem in D.C. public schools. “I can’t figure out why someone who lived in Virginia or Maryland would want to bring their children to a D.C. school,” she said.

Admission to Stokes School is highly competitive: Ms. Moore said the school had to turn away 600 students who applied for admission this year. Ms. Harrington said the numbers were

similar at Yu Ying: the school received more than 600 applications for 40 spaces, she said.

The Public Charter School Board issued a press release in November stating that it had taken over responsibility for residency fraud investigations from public charter schools. Persons wishing to report suspected residency fraud may either call the OSSE hotline at (202) 727-7224 or call PCSB directly at 202-328-2660. — with reporting by Dale Sprusanksy

• • •


similar-sized community room will be available to Eckington residents for meetings and other events. Underground parking is available to residents for $150-$250 a month.

Mr. Simone said the goal of the development was to fit in with the surrounding community and to attract people who weren’t looking for a high-rise experience. “I think that we try to embrace the community more than other [developers], and understand the context we are moving in,” said Mr. Simone.

Mr. Simone said original plans for the site, before Mill Creek got involved, called for a twelve-story building. He said Mill Creek agreed with local residents that twelve stories was too high and reduced the scale accordingly.

Randall Nolan, an Eckington resident for the past two years, said he saw Trilogy NoMa as an example of good things happening in the neighborhood. “This area has had a lack of amenities. With increased density, there are more amenities coming to the area,” he said, adding, “I am hoping cool development comes in along North Capitol, cool restaurants, and places to eat and shop.”

Before breaking ground in March 2011, the site that is now Trilogy NoMa was an open field that residents used as a dog park. Some residents lament the loss of open space. “My feeling is that in the neighborhood, the biggest issue is green space for kids, playgrounds,” Mr.Nolan said. “We really have a lack of recreational areas.”

Mr. Simone said Mill Creek was enthusiastic about building projects in Washington D.C. “I don’t think today, other than New York, there is a more exciting city,” he said. Mr. Simone did not rule out another project in Ward 5. “We are always looking,” he said, adding “We like the NoMa and Eckington market.”

Trilogy NoMa is expected to be completed by the middle of 2013.

• • •

Trilogy NoMa from page 4

Editor: Abigail [email protected](202) 255-2065www.Ward5Heartbeat.org

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DCPS Lays Out Closures and Changes to Ward 5 Schools ►ABC Board Reinstates License of Violent Ward 5 Nightclub ►WMATA Floats Proposal to Build 19-acre Metrobus Garage in Ward 5 ►Proposed Senior Housing Project Draws Community Criticism ►District Program for Wards 5, 7, and 8 Fails to Bridge Digital Divide ►Renovated and Rebranded, Union Market Opens Its Doors ►‘Grassroots Gourmet’ Opens on Rhode Island Avenue ►

Ward 5 Heartbeat is a community publication. For more information go to www.Ward5Heartbeat.org

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Dedicated to providing local newsand information to the residents

and businesses of Ward 5

Winter 2012

Documents

local public schools

lee school

spingarn high school

traditional public schools

schoolsfour schools

charter schools

marshall elementary

middle school options