On the calendar: Giant projects and public reactions

Development

On the calendar: Giant projects and public reactions

by David Alpert • December 12, 2008 12:12 pm

Learn about the Wisconsin Giant: Development projects in Ward 3 historically draw the strongest opposition from well-organized groups of residents. For the proposed Wisconsin Avenue Giant, however, the dynamic is reversing, as many residents eager for a new, mixed-use, walkable, modern Giant and retail at the corner of Wisconsin, Newark, and Idaho are rallying to support the project. They're calling themselves AWARE (Advocates of Wisconsin Avenue REnewal), and they're holding a holiday party and open house Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.

Enjoy hot cider and baked goods, meet with neighbors, and learn more about the proposed supermarket, residences, and neighborhood retail and amenities. See renderings of the proposed project. Find out how to express your views and let your voice be heard in the approval process. GC Murphy's, on Wisconsin Avenue between Macomb and Newark Streets, on the site of the proposed Giant development.

The X3, 96, and 30s buses all run right by the Giant, so it's easy to get to the holiday party without driving. (The great bus service to this corner is also big reason why walkable development is the right choice at this spot.)

Weigh in on priorities for Hine Junior High: At the last community meeting to discuss the future of Hine Junior High on Capitol Hill, residents disagreed about whether the new use should accommodate youth, how much parking the site needs, and more. Help to continue to refine the vision, hopefully in a livable, walkable direction, at the third community meeting Saturday, 10-11:30 am at Tyler Elementary, 1001 G St, SE (just a few blocks from Eastern Market).

See plans for the McMillan Sand Filtration Site: This large parcel at Michigan and North Capitol is slated to become a brand-new neighborhood. See the plans and give feedback Saturday, 10 am-noon at Trinity University's Social Hall, 125 Michigan Ave. NE. Or just see the proposal online at Bloomingdale (For Now).

Next week: Monday night, the Sustainability area of the DC Zoning Update will discuss how our zoning can address water conservation and protection. 6:30-8:30 pm at 441 4th St NW, 11th Floor, Room 1107.

Wednesday evening is the public meeting on bus stop standards, 5-7:30 pm at WMATA headquarters, 600 5th Street, NW.

I'm also interested in hearing what people have to say at the ANC 4B meeting on Georgia Avenue development, including the proposed Sheridan Theatre landmarking and proposals for the Curtis Chevrolet (Georgia and Missouri) and Sabor Restaurant (Georgia and Sheridan) sites. 7 pm, Takoma Rec Center, 300 Van Buren Street, NW.

Update: I knew I was forgetting something this weekend. I've added the McMillan Sand Filtration Site community meeting, also Saturday.

5 comments Share	— tags: Brightwood, bus shelters, buses, Capitol Hill, Cleveland Park, DC, development, events, links, Smart Growth, Wisconsin Giant

Wisconsin Giant opponents file lawsuit (Sep 11, 2009)
ANC and residents debate loading, parking for Wisconsin Giant (Dec 16, 2008)
Wisconsin Giant plan is not too giant (Oct 16, 2008)
From Wallach to Hine (Oct 8, 2008)
Wisconsin Ave Giant is a great project (Jun 3, 2008)

Comments

Isn't the Sheridan Theatre a dollar store or something right know? What a tragedy, if so. I'm surprised that CVS hasn't moved in yet. Lord know, they've done it to every other historic building/theatre across the region...

by SG on Dec 12, 2008 12:49 pm

Gosh darn, I sure wish the neighbors in the Eastern Market area would get over their incerdible fear of walkability, density, and living in a city w/o a car. I'm perpetually amazed by the people who live in the area who never walk anywhere, own multiple cars, never use Metro, Never bicycle, and complain about not having enough parking. These people need to consider moving out to Frederick or Herndon and stop screwing up the city. Why we need a huge amount of parking at Eastern Market when we have Metro & buses is beyond comprehension.

by w on Dec 12, 2008 3:43 pm

It's not fear that people in Capitol Hill have. Yes, many of us have cars, but many of us also walk when we can.

Telling people to move to Herndon because you don't like us is counterproductive. Convincing your neighbors who drive to walk or bike would be much more effective than name calling.

Think about it if it you said that the (black) (white) (poor) (rich) (fat) (gay) (latino) people should just stop screwing up the city and move.

by mike cap hill on Dec 12, 2008 6:35 pm

I was at this morning's meeting on Hine. It seemed to me that the only people insisting on a 2-3 story underground parking lot covering the entire footprint of Hine were the representatives from Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee, the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, and (regretably) ANC-6B.

Residents at the meeting seemed much more interested in asserting their preference for green space on the Hine site itself, restoration of the flea market space where it was on the Hine site before the fire at Eastern Market covering an area as large or larger than its former glorious size, and opposition to reopening C Street SE between 7th and 8th Streets.

Much of the discussion focused on the failure of the "red dot/green dot" exercise at the July meeting to accurately reflect the views of residents, and an insistence that the "community input" appendix to the RFP for Hine include the April meeting minutes, which residents at this meeting felt were more representative of residents' opinions. For example, in April about 1/3 of the community comments favored keeping a school or some youth-oriented use on at least part of the site, which the report from July buries. Even the author of the failed "red dot/green dot" exercise in July, Councilmember Wells, conceded that it was a "pilot effort not likely to be repeated."

Mr. w, I'm with you in opposition to a massive, underground parking lot covering every square inch of the site (why? for what? or rather, for whom?), but I read neighborhood sentiment to be strongly biased in the livable, walkable direction, and no one at the meeting was encouraged to move to Frederick or Herndon.

An organization of 8th Street SE residents who call themselves "Eyes on Hine" distributed an excellent summary of their consensus opinion on these topics, which Jose Sousa (of the office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development) and Councilmember Wells said they would try to see was also added to the "community input appendix" to the RFP.

by Trulee on Dec 14, 2008 1:17 am

It is sad that so many people in my area are vehemently car -oriented. These people have absolutely no idea of how densely populated the area was before the car era- when trolley cars plied Pennsylvania Avenues, 8th street SE, and people did not have cars for every house. Now people have 2-3 cars for every house- and they complain about parking parking parking. I'm sick of it. It is laziness, anti-urbanism, NIMBYism- and YES I WILL CALL A PIG A PIG WHEN I SEE IT !!!!!!!These people are the REASON why our young people are dying in Iraq & Afghanistan- to keep the gasoline cheap so that we can all live in our cars and get obese. Even in a city- where people should, in theory, know better- the car is still king.

by w on Dec 16, 2008 3:49 pm