Tag Archives: New York Avenue

Community News

New York Ave. Streetscape & Trail Project Public Meeting 2/23/2017

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View looking West along New York Ave.

Its of critical importance that all residents who live adjacent to New York Avenue come out to give their input on the Streetscape and trail plan.  This plan needs to be resident driven and not developer driven and we must be sure to hold DDOT accountable to not only planting trees but addressing the timing of lights, safe access by existing residents, multi-modal infrastructure, and connectivity not only to new developments but to the adjacent existing communities.  Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, New York Ave belongs to all of us and its important that all of our voices are heard, considered and included.  The announcement is below.

From the DDOT Website:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) invites you to a public meeting on Thursday, February 23, 2017, from 6 pm through 8 pm to discuss the New York Avenue Streetscape and Trail Project.

A brief presentation about the project will be given by staff at 6:30 pm. The purpose of this project is to develop design solutions for a streetscape and trail that target multimodal, safety and aesthetic improvements along New York Avenue NE. DDOT will introduce the project and gather comments from the community at this public meeting.

What: New York Avenue Streetscape and Trail Public Meeting

When: Thursday, February 23, 2017, 6 pm to 8 pm (a brief presentation at 6:30 pm)

Where: Gallaudet University, I. King Jordan Student Academic Center – SAC, 800 Florida Avenue, NW

Transit: Metro – NoMa -Gallaudet Metro Station (Red Line); Metro Bus: 90, 92

For more information about the public meeting, please contact Katherine Youngbluth atkatherine.youngbluth@dc.gov or Michael Alvino at michael.alvino@dc.gov.

Community News, Uncategorized

Petsmart to Host First Puppy Love Party @ the Fort Lincoln Store!

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Come party with Party with Petsmart on Saturday February 11, 2017!!!!    There will be Adoptable dogs and cats from @City Dogs Rescue, games, prizes, raffles, SMOOCH A POOCH kissing photo booth, giveaways, free bark bar, human snacks, caricature drawings and much more. They will have a “bone guess” jar game! The pet parents who comes closest to guessing the number of cookies in the jar will get to take the treats home! Our bark bar will have a variety of doggie snacks so your pups will get to sample an assortment of snacks!!

Feel free to bring your leashed pets and two legged children are welcome as well!
A few lucky participants could even win a $5 or $10 gift card or our “doggie basket” raffle!!!
City Dogs/City Kitties will have adorable dogs and cats that are in need of a furrrever home! Come by for a great time and maybe even add a new addition to the family!

RSVP for the event using the link below.  The store is located in the Shops at Dakota Crossing!

https://www.facebook.com/events/814941825321284/?notif_t=plan_user_invited&notif_id=1485885147605388

 

 

Community News

$250 Gift cards at Pet Smart Grand Opening in Fort Lincoln

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petsmart

Pet Smart’s grand opening is set for this Saturday, October 29th 2016 at 9:00 am. in the Shops at Dakota Crossing in Fort Lincoln   There are lots of prizes and give-a-ways including:

A Raffle for (3) $250 Dollar Gift Cards (Dog Owner, Cat Owner, Other Pet Owner)

Tee Shirts

Door Busters for the First 50 Customers

Promotional Gift Cards and much more.

The store officially opens today with limited services and hours.  Pet Smart is the 4th retailer to open at the Shops at Dakota in large parcel shops.  See you this Saturday!

 

 

 

ANC News, Community News, Uncategorized

DICK’s Now Hiring for new D.C. Store in Fort Lincoln!

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Dicks Flyer full page

Dick’s Sporting Goods is now hiring for positions at it’s new store in the Shops @ Dakota Crossing Shopping Center in Fort Lincoln.

Come out this Friday to the Hiring Information Session and hear first hand from the Store’s General Manager on what positions are available, apply online  for open job positions and schedule your interview.

Computers will be available to complete applications at this event for two hours.  Please come early and prepared.  You can also complete applications online from anywhere and schedule your interview at: dicksSportingGoods.jobs/newstores.  The hiring information session is not required but recommended.

Need help with your resume or need interview preparations?  The DC Department of Employment Services may be able to help. Visit their website at DOES.dc.gov

Community News, Uncategorized

Better WMATA Engagement Results in More Bus Options in Fort Lincoln

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Last year I testified at WMATA’s Public Hearing mostly in disbelief that the only options for fixing our bus ridership was to cut the B8/B9 and re-route the H6 to service the shopping center.  There was no consideration for upcoming development, changing community demographics or proximity to basic services; just a focus on return on investment which for Fort Lincoln can’t be the determining factor with the large concentration of senior residents.

However, this year was different, there was better coordination with WMATA and more residents from the community at the table to discuss their riding habits.  Although the B8/B9 is proposed to be cut again, there are a few new options which may increase ridership, continue service to Colmar Manor and finally gain access to Ivy City.

The screenshot below describes the extent of the changes. The link to the entire document is here.  071416_3APublicHearing2016BusSOGO

Proposed

 

Construction Updates, Uncategorized

Fort Lincoln Construction Updates

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Construction progress is in full effect in Fort Lincoln. We are getting closer to the opening of the much anticipated Shops at Dakota Crossing, the “almost” sold out Banneker Ridge Development and the start of the next large multi-family development in Fort Lincoln which consist of 123 town homes and 240 apartments.

Shops At Dakota Crossing

The Large parcels in the Shops at Dakota Crossing are expected to open 4th Quarter of 2016 with the remainder of the shopping center completing construction in the 1st Quarter of 2017.  The Opening dates of the remaining shops have not been announced, however the buildings will be completed.

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View of Dick’s Sporting Goods, Marshall’s, 5 Below & Pet-smart – Shops At Dakota Crossing
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Foundations for the Remaining Shops which includes restaurants, cafe’s and other shops with outdoor seating.

 

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Large stone retaining wall has been installed which will feature a radius shaped building shown in the rendering above.
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Brick, Stone, & Precast Panels will be featured throughout the shopping center which will enhance the overall architectural aesthetic of the community.  It will have a very suburban community feel with the benefit of being in Washington, D.C.

Banneker Ridge

There appears to only be 8 Home sites remaining at the new Banneker Ridge residential development. If you want to claim your piece of the most expansive view of the DMV there’s still time.  Granted you may have to wait a few years before you see services such as an adequate park & an unshuttered school  catch up with the progress  of the rest of community…Bazinga!   We are actually making progress towards conducting  a study for a more comprehensive park design & exploring options to expedite the opening  of the school; more details forthcoming.

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The first of 3 rows that will face Fort Lincoln Drive in the Banneker Ridge Development.  The Monroe Place model is shown in the picture above the back of this model is shown below.

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Fort Lincoln Multi-Family Development

Fort Lincoln continues its tradition of building family sized apartments, town homes & condos throughout the community.  Although the new developments all have the required Inclusionary Zoning Units, there is still a lot of concern about the affordability of new construction residential developments.  During the last SMD Meeting the developer announced that Fort Lincoln overall will be 60% affordable when development is complete, and that the affordable units were built earlier in the development.  I’ve met with neighbors and we are planning a home buying seminar later this year to be sure that long time & current residents are taking advantage of all possible home-buying incentives to increase their chances of attaining home ownership in new developments in Fort Lincoln.

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View of the new Multifamily Development Site with the protected Wetlands in tack.
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A possible 3 Bedroom unit filled with Windows which will bring in lots of natural light.

 

MULTIFAMILY COMBINED - 11x17 - 2

 

Bike Lanes & Trails, Community News, Uncategorized

Virginia plans to de-rail Development in Union Market & Ivy City

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The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is a commuter rail service linking the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia and has plans to expand/relocate it’s rail-car storage capacity as an apparent result of the Union Station Expansion. VRE plans to do this by  reactivating abandoned railroad through Union Market and creating a new storage yard on New York Ave. from 4th street to  16th street.  See pictures below:

yard extent

VRE 1 Summary

VRE’s plan would expand into a developing community absent of considering the obvious impact not only to the residents of this community but to the community development efforts and livability factor of such a facility.  These rails have been abandoned for decades and New York Ave. is becoming a residential and retail destination which will connect many of the communities from NOMA to Fort Lincoln. Today, there is an  existing 70 foot buffer between Amtrak Trains & New York Ave, which is used in part by Douglas Development as well as the planned trail connection along New York Ave. which will bring safe multimodal infrastructure to the community. Removing that buffer and storing idling diesel powered trains up to the curb is infuriating and is clearly a lack of engagement and care for the lives of people who live in this community.  Moreover, Virginia has much more space to store trains within its own state lines and close Proximity of D.C. but of coarse they wouldn’t dare dump on their own development projects.  VRE could easily store their  trains at the proposed Long Bridge Park Pool Site which still hasn’t broken ground or in Potomac Yards where they have decommissioned that entire rail yard and is redeveloping.

va options

In addition to the numerous and obvious environmental & health issues that stem from  idling trains within close proximity to District residents, this plan would significantly alter, or even in some cases halt or eliminate projects that are driving economic development for the overall community and addressing livability concerns along New York Ave which includes:

Market Terminal in Union Market

Ivy City

The planned N.Y. Ave. Trail Project

Hecht’s Warehouse District Development

The planned New City DC Development

Future Transportation Plans Along NY Ave.

halted

 

As you can see in the picture below, the The proposed train storage yard extends beyond Montana Avenue.

storage extents 2

Where is VRE in the Process?

In May of this year, VRE released it’s solicitation to establish a Contract with one (1) qualified and experienced firm to provide environmental documentation, public outreach and participation, real estate acquisition, urban design, survey, geotechnical investigation and engineering design services for a midday storage facility for rolling stock operated by Virginia Railway Express (VRE).  Proposals were due on the 13th of June.  It is important that as more information about this project becomes available that we align ourselves with the residents and leadership of the  impacted areas and do our part to make light of this potential travesty.   The link to the Conceptual Engineering Documents by VRE is below.

Attachment_U.1_Conceptual_Design_Docs

 

Bike Lanes & Trails, Uncategorized

Fort Lincoln Bike Trails & Lanes

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rendering via google images

Join us as we explore bike lane & trail options through Fort Lincoln for our upcoming connection to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail on Saturday March 12, 2016 from 11:00am to 12:30pm.  We are meeting at the corner of Bladensburg Road and South Dakota Ave.

Please bring your most innovative and creative ideas to engage in creating a safe and exciting transportation alternative!

Please note that this is a “walk-through” on foot, however feel free to bike to the meet-up location.

Register on Facebook at Fort Lincoln Bike Trails & Lanes to receive copies of handouts during the walk.

Proposed Alternative Alighnement

Community News, Development Updates, Uncategorized

“Upscale” TGI Fridays in Fort Lincoln  – New City DC Walkable Concept

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Fort Lincoln Retail Updates:

  
Site work at The shops At Dakota Crossing is progressing and last week we received updates on some of the prospective tenants to make Fort Lincoln their home.  The retailers include:

Starbucks 

Chipotle 

T-Mobile

TGI Fridays “New Upscale Concept ”

Vitamin Shoppe

Burger Place

 These stores would join Dicks Sporting Goods, Marshalls, 5 Below, & Petsmart which are slated to open within the next 12 months.  Some residents were expecting a healthier restaurant anchor or  more of a craft or specialty concept in lieu of TGI Fridays. There was also the discussion of Panera Bread and a dry cleaners that was proposed by residents. The response was that there were no negotiations with a dry cleaners at this time and nothing formalized with Panera Bread. What are your thoughts on the upcoming retail options?

Arboretum Community Retail Updates:

Just a 5 minute drive away WBJ posted an update on the New City DC Development by Douglas Development Corp.  Its dramatic architectural aesthetic will transform the intersection  of N.Y. Ave. & Bladensburg Road. The renderings also allude  to such retail options as a cinema, Target, and Wegmans but does not call it out specifically. The link to the WBJ article is below.  There will be more information on New City DC in the March ANC 5C Meeting.

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2016/02/first-look-at-newcitydc-the-massive-next-phase-in.html?ana=twt

Bike Lanes & Trails, Development Updates, Uncategorized

BRT Along New York Ave. – Upcoming Options for Community Review

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Accelerator Route

Accelerator Sample

New York Avenue, between the Anacostia River and the Brentwood Parkway will increase the number of residential developments upwards of 300o units.  The New York Avenue Corridor has scores of planned big box retail, industrial building reuse, new hotels, and potential Municipal office realignment which will add to the traffic density.  Earlier this month I proposed the possibility of using a portion of the Amtrak Right-of-Way, running parallel to the proposed bike trail along a portion of New York Ave, and designed to move people to the places they need to go along New York Ave and adjacent neighborhoods. The majority of the route would avoid congestion by running adjacent New York Ave but off the main road.  The idea is in its infancy and will need extensive modification with upcoming developments and has not received any level of approval.  This is part of a broader plan to provide a comprehensive transportation network to the residents of this community who’s homes are divided by rail road, major arterial roads and industrial land use.  This route is suggested to work in connection with the Circulator and traditional Metro Bus Service.  It is time that we update and modify the bus routes for the changing needs of residents and visitors, especially our streamlining and reducing travel time for Seniors.  I believe this will encourage increased ridership,as well as the  dependency and efficiency of our mass transportation infrastructure.

All diagrams are options for the community to weigh-in and comment on in upcoming meetings.

Circulator Route