North Capitol Main Street “Clean Team Sentinels” launch

See this message from Garry Clark, Executive Director, North Capitol Main Street, Inc.:

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NORTH CAPITOL MAIN STREET, INC.

Press Release

For Immediate Release

North Capitol Main Street, Inc. Announces Launch of the NCMS Clean Team Sentinels Kickoff Event -

Tuesday, November 24th 11A.M.

NCMS Headquarters -

1703 North Capitol Street NE

Washington, D.C. -November 18, 2009 -

NCMS is pleased to annouce the launch of its first BID Liter Clean Team for the NCMS corridor. NCMS, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, designated by D.C. Main Streets and funded by the Department of Small and Local Business Development. NCMS focuses on the commercial neighborhood revitalization of the NCMS corridor. NCMS recently received the grant approval from the Department of Small and Local Business Development. The grant will completely fund the 1st year of operations.  NCMS will utilize the services of Capitol Hill BID – Ready, Willing, and Working during this first year.

The NCMS Clean team will work five days a week from 10AM to 6PM.

The clean team effort will encompass the following NCMS boundary:

Rhode Island Avenue between Second Street, NW and North Capitol Street, NE (northern boundary); North Capitol Street between Rhode Island Avenue, NE and New York Avenue, NE (eastern boundary); New York Avenue between Second Street, NW and North Capitol Street, NE (southern boundary); and First Street, NW between New York Avenue, NW and Rhode Island Avenue, NW (western boundary)

Background on the Clean Team Vendor:  ”Ready, Willing & Working” (RWW) is a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation that provides work opportunities and supportive services to homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals. The program’s holistic approach empowers men to break the cycles of homelessness, welfare dependency and criminal recidivism and achieve permanent self-sufficiency. Most of the participants in the program will never see a shelter or be incarcerated again. RWW also provides maintenance, cleaning and landscaping serves the Capitol Hill Business Improvement District and Barracks Row Main Street. RWW President Patty Brosmer says “The NCMS Team is trained and ready to go to work making the area cleaner and more beautiful. With an emphasis on enjoying what we do and a philosophy that we are “serving the public,” we are looking forward making a big difference for those who live, work and do business in the NCMS area.” You’ll see them out in force Tuesday through Saturday, sweeping, weeding, mowing overgrown areas, mulching tree boxes and installing light pole baskets and commercial planters with seasonal plantings.

Be sure to attend the NCMS Clean Team Sentinels – Kickoff Event:

Date: Tuesday.November 24, 2009

Time: 11A.M.

Location: NCMS Office 1703 North Capitol Street NE Washington, D.C. 20002

 NORTH CAPITOL MAIN STREET, INC.

Garry Clark Executive

Director Phone

202- 905- 6039

Fax:202- 269- 0014

Email:gclark @ ncmsinc.org

S.O.M.E. receives grant

See this news item from the Washington Business Journal:

TD Bank gives $50K to D.C. housing nonprofits

Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 10:52am EST

Three local nonprofits won grants from TD Bank, which will be used to support affordable housing initiatives.

Under its fifth annual “Housing For Everyone” program, the bank’s charitable arm is giving $2 million to grant competition winners — a $500,000 increase in program awards from 2008.   There were almost 500 proposals, and 56 nonprofits from Maine to Florida won the grants. Grant awards ranged from $10,000 to $100,000.

Three local groups will get $50,000:

• Falls Church-based Shelter House Inc.,
• D.C.-based SOME Inc. and
• Alexandria-based Wesley Housing Development Corp. of Northern Virginia.

Winners will find out how the funding is divvied up on Thursday at the TD Bank at 1611 Wisconsin Ave. NW at noon. Recipients will use the money for projects that stabilize the housing environment in communities where TD Bank is present.

YouthBuild instructor responds to community concerns about LAYC/YB at JF Cook School

See this letter-to-the-editor in the Thursday, October 29, 2009, Examiner from Volita Russell, Math and Science GED Instructor at YouthBuild Public Charter School.   See her profile here:  http://www.ybpcs.org/aboutus.html .

Ms. Russell may very well be referring to the lively Monday, 10/05/2009, Bates Area Civic Associaton (BACA) meeting — at which the BACA members voted to oppose LAYC/YB coming to the JF Cook School on the unit block of P Street NW.

My observation is that Ms. Russell, in her letter below, only mentions the most fringe of stated concerns at the meeting.

Other concerns that were raised at that BACA meeting could be readily labeled as valid and not fringe.

Letters from Readers

October 29, 2009

Opposition to charter school doesn’t make sense

Ward 5 residents showed their true colors during a meeting with Mayor Adrian Fenty. The topic of opening a new YouthBuild Public Charter School in an old vacant school in Shaw/Dunbar was on the agenda. About 30 students and staff from YouthBuild, where I work as an instructor and college placement specialist, came out to show the community why the school would benefit them.

They didn’t really want to hear us because their minds were already made up. So we sat there quietly listening to many resident discuss why they did not want our new school in their neighborhood. I grew more disappointed, upset, angered and surprised at what I heard.

They didn’t really want to hear us because their minds were already made up. So we sat there quietly listening to many resident discuss why they did not want our new school in their neighborhood. I grew more disappointed, upset, angered and surprised at what I heard. I didn’t think the comments could get any more ignorant until I heard that they do not want more teens in the area because it would mean more trash, even though they do want to add retail development. Our students, only one of whom was able to speak during the chaotic meeting, were more respectful and mature than the adults. I just don’t understand why a community challenged with drugs, gangs, trash, and the homeless would not support a school whose mission and curriculum is designed to educate our urban youth to rise above such tribulations.

Volita Russell

Washington

You can view the letter here.

First project at Northwest One has a name: 2 M Street

Click on the link below to read an update on the Northwest One project — from the Washington Business Journal:

Work starts on housing at Northwest One

Washington Business Journal – by Jonathan O’Connell Staff Reporter

[http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/10/26/daily60.html?ed=2009-10-28&ana=e_du_pub]

The project now has a name:  2 M Street.

The article indicates that 2 M Street will have “ground floor retail, a rooftop deck, pool, club room, theater and gym.”

Wine tasting at Windows Café – Sunday, 11/08/2009

See this 10/28/2009 message from Bloomingdale resident Steuart Martens:

Tradewinds Specialty Imports, a DC based wine and food importer, will be having a neighborhood wine tasting event at Windows Cafe & Market on Sunday the 8th of November, from 6pm-8pm.   Our inventory of award-winning cava, red and white wine is nothing short of remarkable.  Prominent DC and Virginia based wine distributor, Brennan Downey remarked that “everything in the collection is outstanding.”

During this event, they will be accepting pre-orders for their flagship item, Centum Vitis, which was awarded the “#1 Wine of Rioja, 2008” and “Best Autor Wine of Spain, 2008.” This spectacular wine, presented in a gift box, along with a jar of 23K gold flakes.

The 3 guys who drive the success of Tradewinds are all residents of Columbia Heights and Bloomingdale and want to say thank you to their fans, friends and family that helped grow practically overnight. Today, you can find their wine at an array of top restaurants in the DC Metro area.  An equally impressive number of fine wine retailers from Richmond, VA to several neighborhoods in the District also boast of carrying their all Estate-grown wine selections.

Windows Cafe & Market is located at 101 Rhode Island Avenue NW (corner of 1st Street NW and Rhode Island Avenue NW). Tasting and amazing deals will be offered on several of Tradewinds premier products from Cava, to various white and red wines!  Come catch the fall savings before it’s too late.

–

Steuart Martens

President & CEO

Tradewinds Specialty Imports, LLC

http://www.TradewindsSpecialty.com

Smartens @ TradewindsSpecialty.com

+1 571 723 9462 (mobile) | +1 202 315 3303 (fax)

DC MUD reports that a Northwest One announcement may be made next week

The DC Metro Urban Diary (DC MUD) blog reports that there may be an announcement as early as next week on the Northwest One project.

Here is the first paragraph of the DC MUD article.  You can click on the link to read the remaining paragraphs and comments.

Northwest One Announcement on the Horizon

[http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2009/10/northwest-one-announcement-on-horizon.html]

It appears that construction is imminent on the next phase of development at Northwest One, the ambitious, $700m mixed-income housing project in the bursting NoMa neighborhood. Developer William C. Smith & Co. has been collecting subcontractors and is expected to announce shortly a schedule for work at the vacant parking lot – formerly the Temple Court Apartments – at the intersection of North Capitol and M Streets.

ANC 5C votes to oppose LAYC at the Cook School — a unanimous vote

A short note here.

At last night’s ANC 5C meeting, there was a unanimous vote to oppose LAYC coming to the JF Cook School.

difference between LAYC and the Youth Council …?

I attended this evening’s well attended and spirited Bates Area Civic Association meeting, which centered upon the Latin American Youth Council (LAYC) moving into the JF Cook School.

A new name emerged during tonight’s meeting:  Youth Council.

Perhaps someone could explain the difference between LAYC and the Youth Council.

Thanks.

Shaw Main Streets Annual Development Forum — Wednesday, 09/30/2009

Shaw Main Streets, the commercial revitalization and historic preservation organization serving central Shaw’s 7th and 9th Street commercial corridors, will hold its sixth annual community forum on major development projects on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 6:30 PM at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW, Room 102B (enter from L Street). Admission is free, and no reservations are required.

Representatives from developers will present the current status of their plans for major renovation and new construction projects in the area.   Invited developers include

• BBanneker Ventures (The Jazz on Florida Avenue),
• Ellis Development and Four Points (Howard Theatre and Broadcast Center One),
• Douglas Development (Wonder Bread Factory and Squares 450 and 451),
• Roadside Development (CityMarket at O),
• Quadrangle Development (Marriott Marquis Convention Center Hotel),
• Hines-Archstone (City Center DC),
• Metropolitan Development (Addison Square at Kelsey Gardens), and
• Inle Development (1501 9th Street, NW).

For more information, call 202-265-SHAW or visit www.shawmainstreets.com.

Alex
Alexander M. Padro
Executive Director
Shaw Main Streets, Inc.
1426 9th Street NW, Ground Floor
Washington, DC 20001-3330
Voice: 202-265-SHAW
Fax: 202-265-7529
Email: ShawMainStreets@aol.com
Website: www.ShawMainStreets.com

Shaw Main Streets is a designated DC Main Streets program and is funded in part by the Department of Small and Local Business Development

Hill Rag article on Walker Jones

The September 2009 issue of the Hill Rag includes an article on the new Walker Jones Education Campus just south of the Bates area.  I have pasted the first few paragraphs below of the article.

You can click on the link to read the entire article

Dropping the Anchor: New School in Northwest One Opens to Students

by Kyle Johnson

Standing on the steps of the new $50 million Walker Jones Education Campus at a mid-August ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor Adrian Fenty noted how close the school was to the Capitol building. The Capitol dome, about a mile away, could be seen when looking down New Jersey Avenue NW.

Walker Jones is even closer to one of the two schools the building replaced – just around the corner, actually – and signals the completion of phase one of a $700 million project to rebuild the Northwest One neighborhood.  The neighborhood, bordered by North Capitol Street and New Jersey Avenue on the east and west and New York Avenue and K Street on the north and south, is also near the rapidly changing NoMA (North of Massachusetts Avenue) and Mount Vernon Triangle communities.