According to an article in the Washington Examiner, evidence points to waste of District money in the assignment of the general development contract for construction of the new Consolidated Forensics Lab in Southwest, on the site of the former Metropolitan Police Headquarters on 4th Street.
Assignment of the contract is still pending. White-Turner was chosen by the mayor's office for the contract, but Tompkin's Builders filed a complaint, citing their lower bid. The city subsequently pulled the contract when the appeals board upheld Tompkin's complaint.
Mayor Fenty has provided his arguments to the City Council in a letter to Chairman Vincent Gray. Thomkins is likely to file another complaint if the council awards the contract to Whiting-Turner.
Jonetta Rose Barras, who has followed the case, and cites evidence in the article, claims that her evidence proves "contracting in the District...is ripe for waste and/or abuse." I am not sure that the facts cited in the piece necessarily point to this conclusion, since they could also be construed to support the fact that the mayor's office is looking for the very best in technology to provide for the Forensic's lab. Whiting-Turner seems to have scored higher than Tompkins on technical experience (how much higher seems to be up for debate), but total scores (which ones?) "will not be considered determinative of the award" according to contracting documents.
Admittedly, the past instance of Wilbur Giles' suspension for a no-bid contract scandal does not look good, but the author is stretching when she calls him Whiting-Turner's "alleged defender" and claims that he worked in Balitmore, where Whiting-Turner is located. Well, so do many hundreds of thousands of other people. Giles is the deputy director of the Office of Property Management for the District.
So, just how much room is there for the mayor's office to maneuver when assigning a contract, and under what perimeters?
However, the conclusion reached by the author at the end of the piece is quite valid: "District residents likely will have to pay millions to resolve this latest contracting mess."
In other words, more delays.
Monday, July 20, 2009
More Trouble for the Cosolidated Forensics Lab
Friday, July 17, 2009
Southwest's Fire Station Delayed
But two councilmembers, Kwame Brown, D-At-large, and Mary Cheh, D-Ward, have decided the council ought to wait to act until the fall, holding the bills until then.According to Michael Price, press secretary for Councilmember Brown:
The reason is unclear.
Brown and Cheh have not argued that the projects don't meet residents' needs or aren't a good use of the land or are simply too expensive. In their five-hour roundtable last week, they seemed very supportive. Cheh's staff says more information is needed, although they do not say what information that is. Brown knows the projects in and out and says over and over again that he supports all of them (three are in his home Ward 7) but isn't pushing them through now.
in order for the Committee on Economic Development to dispose of public land it first has to be declared surplus property by the Committee on Government Operations and the Environment. While the two committees held a joint hearing to expedite public review of the land surplus/dispositions they must separately markup legislation to surplus and disposition the property. Since the surplus hasn’t occurred, the Committee on Economic Development is not able to act.At this moment, no one seems to know what information Government Operations is looking for.
The cumulative effect in Southwest is that our development projects are being delayed for reasons that are not entirely clear. Do we have to wait until after the recess for clarity?
Committee on Economic Development and Waterfront Delays
I have been trying to figure out why the Committee on Economic Development of the DC City Council is delaying development projects in Southwest. While a deal for the Convention Center was put on the fast track, even after talk of using monies promised to Southwest, our projects in Southwest are facing many delays with no real reasons given. We hear statements like "we want to get it right" or "this is not germaine to the deal" or "more information is needed" (what information?) while some hearings are scheduled, other hearings are not scheduled, or votes are put off after hearings.
We reported delays with approval of the land transfer deal for the Southwest Waterfront Project.
Weeks ago, Mayor Andrian Fenty, as part of the District budget, presented amendments to the affordable housing component of the Southwest Waterfront project, negotiated with PN Hoffman. Councilmember Kwame Brown believed that before any adjustments are made, there should be a public hearing and because of that, the amendments were removed from the budget. The public hearing hasn’t been scheduled yet, and that, too, must await the council recess. Waterfront financing, meanwhile, is left teetering on this important matter.
Michael Price, Brown's press secretary clarified with SWDCBlog stating that
the Mayor’s amendment to the budget would have gotten rid of the requirement that projects in the Anacostia Waterfront Zone have a for-sale housing component for low-income households making 30% or below of AMI.
The current language requires 60% affordable housing and that half of the 60% be made affordable to low-income households and half of the 60% be made affordable to moderate income households and that the respective 30% allocations be split evenly between rental and for-sale housing for each AMI group. Thus, the amendment also takes out the requirement that a set percentage in the project must be for-sale and a set percentage must be for rent. The amendment leaves that up to the developer and the market. Councilmember Brown considers this a major change in the law regarding affordable housing even going beyond the Southwest Waterfront project. A change of this magnitude requires public review.
However, the public hearing has not yet been scheduled, and now the recess further delays any progress. Meanwhile, PN Hoffman's financing search is in full swing. Investors will certainly want to know the details of the housing component before committing the hundreds of millions of dollars necessary for creating a world class waterfront on some of the hottest real estate in the entire capital.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Praise for Arena Stage
As the Meade Center for American Theater (the new Arena Stage) continues to rise on the corner of Maine and 6th Streets, Southwest, Arena Stage is garnering praise from Broadway World.com.
In an article published today, the New York City based website points out many of Arena Stage's accomplishments during the 2009 fiscal/stage year. Chief among the accolades is the fact that Arena has been able to show a profit in a difficult financial year and while in temporary digs in Crystal City and at the Lincoln Theater in Northwest.
The article points out the new leadership at Arena has been key to its success:The Arena Board of Trustees appointed Edgar Dobie as the new Managing Director of the theater in March 2009. With roots in non-profit theater management in the U.S. and Canada, Dobie is a Tony Award-winning commercial producer who began working with Arena at the end of March. Dobie succeeded Interim Managing Director Guy Bergquist, who led the theater after former Executive Director Stephen Richard left in Spring 2008 after 17 years with Arena Stage.
Carmel Owen was hired as Chief Development Officer. Owen is responsible for the Fundraising efforts of both the Arena Stage Annual Fund and the completion of the Next Stage Campaign. Owen comes to Arena Stage with 25 years experience in fundraising with organizations like the Children's Defense Fund, the Girl Scouts of the USA and Columbia University.
Construction goals have been met at The Mead Center in Southwest:Though this spring brought extended days of rain, which delayed scheduled work on the construction site, the renovation on the Southwest D.C. theater campus remains on time for an opening date in the Fall of 2010. The project is also still on budget. The multi-purpose campaign total goal remains $125 million.
The piece concludes with some history of the theatre and points out its importance in the greater American play scene:Under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith and Managing Director Edgar Dobie, Washington, D.C.-based Arena Stage has become the largest theater in the country dedicated to American plays and playwrights. Founded in 1950by Zelda Fichandler, Thomas Fichandler and Edward Mangum, Arena Stage was one of the nation's original resident theaters and has a distinguished record of leadership and innovation in the field. With the opening of the new Mead Center for American Theater in 2010, Arena Stage will be a leading center for the production, presentation, development and study of American theater. Now in its sixth decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 200,000.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
News from ANC 6D Meeting Last Night
With some help from ANC 6D Commissioner Jane Jorgensen, here are some notes from last night's meeting:
DDOT and WMATA turned down the ANC request to move the bus stop for the # 70 & 71 buses to the north side of 7th and G Sreets because of concerns about schedule adherence due to rush hour traffic congestion at the highway entrance just ahead of the proposed new stop and the perceived difficulty of changing lanes before that entrance.
Delta Elite, a night club currently located in NE is petitioning the Alcohol and Beverage Regulation Administration to transfer its liquor license to a location in SW. Service calls and violation history is being requested for 1714 Half Street. There is no indication of a date for the relocation.
The ANC Alcohol and Beverage Committee also expressed its concern that the ANC was never notified of a major violation and subsequent hearing at Zanzibar. Various sources report that a stabbing took place inside that waterfront establishment before the 4th of July, allegedly at a Go-Go night. The business remains closed.
ANC 6D Chairman Andy Litsky informed the community that The Department of Health has identified the presence of West Nile mosquito borne virus at Ft. McNair and distributed a health guide to control effects. It can be found on the Department of Health website here. Litsky also reported that the Department of Parks and Recreation has ordered a new pump for Town Center Park on 6th and I Streets.
The Commission voted to allocate up to $2,700 for the purchase of school supplies for free distribution at Amidon-Bowen School. This represents 1/8th of the total ANC annual budget. Other community organizations are contributing funds.
Monday, July 13, 2009
ANC Chair Asks for Action on Town Center Park Standing Water Health Danger
The following is a letter written by Andy Litsky, Chairman, ANC 6D, asking for action to be taken concerning the standing water at Town Center Park.
Dear Acting Director Hartsock -
Sunday's Washington Post announced the District's first cases of West Nile Virus in my neighborhood in several stagnant pools of water located at Ft. McNair. I am writing you to alert you to a situation that is larger, potentially more problematic and, since mosquito season is upon us, may soon turn a valued community amenity into a major health concern.
We have lovely park that is located at Sixth and Eye Streets, SW that Department of Parks and Recreation recently took over from the National Park Service. Some weeks ago, thanks to concerted action by Councilmember Wells's office and concerned SW residents, DCPR maintenance staff spent a considerable amount of time to get that park -- and the quarter acre fountain at it's center -- up to par. A truck load of leaves were removed, the pond was powerwashed and the fountains were once again turned on. For a while the water circulated beautifully and the park was operational.
As of a week ago, the fountain was no longer functioning. There is now only standing water throughout and for the second time in a week I have seen a DCPR worker in waders scattering chemicals all over the pond to kill the algae upon which the larva feed. Even before West Nile was found in the neighborhood, there was widespread concern that such a large body of stagnant water created a health hazard. Now that the virus has been reported in our neighborhood, this must be handled with dispatch.
If fountain activity is restored, the water will circulate, and the problem will be solved. If the power to the fountain is out, please restore it. If the motor that powers the fountain is not functioning, please repair or replace it. Southwesters greatly value this facility, one of our few neighborhood parks. We appreciate your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Andy Litsky
Chairman, ANC-6D
Photo: The standing water at Town Center Park at 6th and I Streets.
Activity at Lansburgh Park and ANC 6D Safeway Debate
The long neglected Lansburgh Park is getting some attention this month from Councilmember Tommy Wells (Ward 6). Tommy is planning a Ward 6 Family Day at the park on July 18th from noon to 4 p.m.
The K Street and Delaware Avenue park has been the object of community interest for some time, as we have reported in the past. This weekend will bring free food, arts and crafts, music, games, and community gardening. Daniel Connor is coordinating the event and searching for sponsors. You can contact him at dconner@dccouncil.us or 2/724-8063.
ANC 6D's monthly business meeting tonight should be an interesting encounter. Although not on the official agenda, community leaders are circulating word that Safeway has petitioned the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration for a liquor license. There is much talk in the neighborhood that improvements to the current service and hygiene situation at Safeway must be addressed before any approval should be given. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. sharp at St. Augustine's Church at 800 M Street.
Photos: Top - Lansburg Park. Bottom - SW Safeway.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Frank Gehry is Kind of Special. We Hope.
When news broke that Frank Gehry had been chosen by the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission to design the Eisenhower National Memorial in Southwest, I was pleased that a nationally known figure in architecture would be working in the neighborhood, while, at the same time, I hid my disappointment that no local architect was even in the running for consideration to work the design of the project near the Department of Education.
Brushing aside some stories I had heard about caution tape surrounding the buildings he has designed during inclemet weather as ice falls from curiously angled roofs, and trying to block from my mind the image of a crashed airplane fusilage, I started hoping for the best.
This tidbit came up last week on James Fallow's Atlantic blog about Gehry:
This evening at the Aspen Ideas Festival, the celebrated architect Frank Gehry talked about his life and works under the questioning of Thomas Pritzker. Until nearly the end, it was entirely captivating. Gehry was funny, illuminating, vivid, unpretentious-seeming....
Then the questions from the audience began. The second or third was from a fairly insistent character whose premise was that great "iconic" buildings nonetheless fell short as fully attractive and effective "public places," where people were drawn to congregate and spend time. He said he was challenging Gehry to do even more to make his buildings attractive by this measure too.
Gehry didn't like the question and said that the indictment didn't apply to his own buildings. He said that the facts would back him up -- and as the questioner repeated the challenge, Gehry said that he found the question "insulting."
Fair enough. The guy did keep pushing. On the other hand, anyone who has ever appeared in public has encountered questions a hundred times as personally challenging as this. But the questioner asked one more time, and Gehry did something I found simply incredible and unforgettable. "You are a pompous man," he said -- and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, much as Louis XIV might have used to wave away some offending underling. He was unmistakably shooing or waving the questioner away from the microphone, as an inferior -- again, in a gesture hardly ever seen in post-feudal times.
Despite any attitude issues, we still hope for something special.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Residential Real Estate Market Report in SW
Steve Dean with ReMax offers a report on his blog of the current situation with residential real estate sales in Southwest, D.C.:
The residential area of Southwest DC is bounded by South Capitol Street to the east, 14th Street to the west, the Southeast-Southwest Freeway to the north, and Washington Channel to the south.
Here are the figures:
Currently For Sale: 55 homes (current asking price)
Low: $115,000
High: $899,900
Average: $322,416
Under Contract: 26 homes (asking price at contract)
Low: $109,900
High: $539,900
Average: $313,387
Sold since 1/1/2009 43 homes sold (final sales price)
Low: $90,000
High: $750,000
Average: $267,470
Average asking price for sold properties: $282,137
I cannot really imagine what would go for $90,000 and under what conditions. But it is interesting to note the range of prices. If you follow the link to Steve's blog, you will see that he always lists the maintenance/co-op/condo fees clearly. This is important information for assessing the real cost of living in Southwest.
Any thoughts on how this is going to change in the next 5-10 years with redevelopment of the waterfront?
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Culture, Art, and Spirit in Southwest. Come and See The Drum Major.
To many D.C. residents, Southwest is synonymous with “nothing to do”. As the neighborhood enters its first stage of 21st century redevelopment, this common prejudice needs reconsideration. Even without the coming attractions of development future, Southwest is far from the cultural desert, devoid of oasis, it is often portrayed as.
Southwest is home to several museums and gardens: The American Indian Museum, The Air and Space Museum, The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, The Arts and Industries Building, The Folger Rose Garden, The African Art Museum, The Smithsonian Castle, The Ripley Center, The Sackler Galler, and The Freer Gallery. The Women’s Museum is also a serious contender for locating in Southwest.
Beyond the museums on the National Mall, the residents of Southwest have, over the years, built their own cultural event cycles. Arena Stage, although temporarily in Crystal City, will be a focal point of state of the art theater, not only for Southwest, but for the entire city. Around this new complex, there are plenty of local efforts which keep our residents’ cultural thirst satiated.
From Jazz Nights to Southwest Neighborhood Assembly sponsored lectures, from the SW Chamber Players to the planned stage uses of the new St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, our spiritual communities have contributed greatly to providing events presenting the arts for all of our neighbors. One such effort is the regular St. Augustine’s Art & Spirit Coffee House. The monthly series showcases local artists in their various media as they perform and share how their work and artistic viewpoints. Each evening features and artistic presentation, coffee and desserts and a chance for the audience to interact with the artists.
This month, actor, screenwriter and filmmaker Michael Mack will present and discuss his recently completed first documentary, “The Drum Major” at the Art & Spirit Coffeehouse, St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 600 M Street, SW, on Wednesday, July 29 at 7 p.m. The free evening includes coffee and desserts, followed by a Q&A with the audience.
“The Drum Major,” a 20-minute documentary captures the last year of the life of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., from April 4, 1967 through April 4, 1968 with Michael Mack as the voice of Dr. King. Recording artist Teejay Riedl will host the evening’s screening and follow-up questions.
Mack created “The Drum Major,” titled after King’s famous sermon requesting that he be remembered as “a drum major for justice…a drum major for peace …a drum major for righteousness,” as a “ way for Dr. King to speak for himself. A lot of his words have been lost, especially on the Viet Nam war, poverty and the human conditions as interconnected on a global level, explained Mack. I want to teach young people about who Dr. King was, by making his words be the star of the show.” The documentary features animation and 3-D like effects to appeal to young people as part of his mission to “inform, entertain and inspire.”
A native Washingtonian, Mack grew up learning the Bible from his mother and Dr. King’s words from his father John Mack, Jr., who is one of three family members mentioned in the film’s dedication. After an improvisational acting class when he was ten-years old, Mack quickly realized “as a black kid in a predominantly white school in the seventies, drama helped others see me as more than a color. I knew acting was a tool to help people see and hear and communicate with each other; the racial barriers just dropped.”
Mack’s varied career as an actor, screenwriter, acting coach and filmmaker, also included teaching acting and play production to incarcerated youth in Montgomery County and homeless people through nonprofit organization as a tool for positive changes. He has acted in several films and television shows and commercials, among them Commander Sirol in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and Ensign Hayes in “Star Trek: Generations.”
This past January Mack produced a multifaceted tribute to Dr. King’s life and legacy with a power point program of photos from “The Drum Major,” followed by a panel discussion at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church. A few years ago, Mack played Dr. King in the play, “The Meeting” by Jeff Stetson, performed at the Washington National Cathedral.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Waterfront Station Metro Plaza Prep
Monday, July 6, 2009
Brick-work Coming to Facades on 4th Street
Here are the promised photos of the "mock-up" for two facades of the two new 4th Street buildings. The terra cotta bricking seen on the left below will go on the silver band areas on the building in the photo on the right.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Arena Stage Takes Form
I took a walk on Saturday to see Arena Stage from the Maine Avenue side. The project is taking shape as the roof comes together. We can see horizontal supports beginning to be installed on the left side of the photo here. These supports will hold up the glass curtain which we might be seeing put into place soon.
Only one more large wooden support post is left to be installed on the 6th Street side by the new Cradle Theater.
The dramatic swoop of the cantilever roof can now be seen between the trees. Bing Thom used to have a rendering of this roof on their website, but it has since been removed. In that rendering, we could see patrons walking on the level above the stairway entrance below the cantilever.
Photos: above left is a view of Arena Stage from Maine Avenue; above right is the cantilever roof with Waterside towers in the background.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Here Comes 4th Street
A rather amazing transformation of the new 4th Street at I Street. The middle portion of Town Center park has been removed and is being brought to grade for the reopening of 4th Street as early as December of this year. The photo on the left was taken last summer, and on the right, today.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Summer News on the Waterfront
A joint public round table with the Committee on Government Operation and the Environment and the Committee on Economic Development will take place on Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 6:00 p.m., Room 500 of the Wilson Building. On the agenda: “Fourth/Sixth and E Street, SW, Property Disposition Approval Resolution of 2009” (PR18-337). You can testify by contacting S. Antonio Brentini at the Committee on Economic Development by email at SBrentini@dccouncil.us or by telephone (202) 727-6683 before the meeting. See our various past articles about this site and about the New Fire Station Development here.
Check out Wikipedia's article on The Southwest Waterfront, and see what can be updated. Actually, we might put a hand in it soon, since it lacks mention of any redevelopment plans or projects.
The Examiner.com recently published an article entitled "Maine Avenue Seafood Market is urban art for the palate". Yet another round of praise for our fish market.
Jazz Night at Westminister (Westminster Presbyterian Church 400 I Street, SW; 4th and I, south side of intersection) has added a fish fry to their offerings. Listen to Jazz every Friday night 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for a $5 cover and enjoy food and beverages at a modest cost: they serve fish and chicken, sides, desserts, iced tea, lemonade, soda and water. A (huge) main dish and one side is $5.50. Sides are $1. Dessert is $2. Specialty teas are $2, soda $.75 and water $1. Find this and other SW events at Whatsoncity.net.
Rebecca from We Love DC plugs the Waterfront: "I’ll keep it 'tranquilo' during the day by hitting up Cantina Marina for some on the waterfront margaritas and a fried catfish sandwich. The dockside restaurant is the perfect place to meet up with friends, soak up good the weather and enjoy the view." According to management, Cantina Marina will remain open during the first phase of construction of the new Waterfront in a temporary location while their new location is being built.
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