Cleveland Park Service Road Survey

A Cleveland Park resident took it upon himself to establish a survey regarding the Service Road between Macomb and Ordway Streets at Connecticut Avenue in the Cleveland Park commercial district. Here are the results:


500 opinions are registered! 60% of these were residents of Cleveland Park. A few highlights from the data:



A majority of our community would like to see the service lane changed. 56% of Cleveland Park residents, and 55% of the sample overall, are looking for something other than the status quo when it comes to the CP service lane.


Among people who support the status quo, the Flex Space was their preferred second choice by a wide margin.


Among those supporting a full restoration of the sidewalk, a partial extension was, by far, their second choice.


- Keep Service Lane (Option 1) 44%

- Restore Sidewalk (Option 4) 30%

- Partial Sidewalk Extension (Option 3) 15%

- Flex Space (Option 2) 10%



There were very significant demographic difference on this issue within the community, primarily on age. Among CP residents 18-44, 77% want to see something done with the service lane. Among CP residents 45+, 60% want to see the service lane remain unchanged.


Similarly, there were big differences by the type of housing one has. Two-thirds (67%) of those living in a multi-unit building want the service lane changed. 56% of those living in single family houses would like to keep the status quo.


This sample has 52% of CP respondents living in multi-unit buildings. This is not even close to being representative of the neighborhood. There are approximately 1100 houses in CP compared to 1900 condo units. That doesn’t count apartments. Just provide some perspective, Quebec House alone has nearly 900 units. Newark St, from Connecticut Ave to Wisconsin, has 82 homes.



87% of CP residents walk to the CP strip, and 47% drive (yes, many do both). When asked their primary mode of transportation to the businesses on the CP strip, 70% of CP residents said they primarily walk, while 26% said they primarily drive.


70% of those who primarily walk to the strip would like to see the service lane changed. 86% of those who primarily drive to the strip would not like to see the service lane changed.


The raw results can be found at a public dropbox.

Cleveland Park Service Lane Revisited

A Cleveland Park resident has shared a little history surrounding the Cleveland Park service lane. It is time to end this anachronism and restore the commercial strip to its past glory.

Cathedral Commons, At Long Last

DC MUD has a small review of the groundbreaking for the new Wisconsin Avenue Giant, or Cathedral Commons in Cleveland Park. Expected completion is 2014, or 15 years after the first proposals hit the community.

Repeal the Anti-Food Zoning in Cleveland Park

Cleveland Park resident Herb Caudill has written an excellent summary about the 25% zoning overlay restricting food uses on the Connecticut Avenue commercial strip. With a new ANC and more residents clamoring for this change, there is an opportunity to finally get a decent breakfast place or some more carry out options in the neighborhood.

If you think some loosening here is a good idea, fill out the petition today!

Cleveland Park Antics

So someone has decided to game a listserv poll. Read about it at the City Paper

Zoning Overlay: More Food in Cleveland Park?

The every two year discussion about the restaurant zoning overlay is taking place on the Cleveland Park listserv. Recall that about 25 years ago, neighborhood leaders, fearing the "Adams Morganing" of their neighborhood took two measures. First, they created a historic district to help manage changes to the Connecticut Avenue commercial strip in the vicinity of the Metro station. Second, they were able to convince the city to install an overlay restricting the percentage of storefronts that can be dedicated to restaurants.

In the early 2000's, clarifications were made with the DC Office of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs related to how the 25% was measured and what kind of food places counted towards the cap.

In the intervening years, the wishes for the desired book store and hardware stores, while still present, seem to be measured with the reality that the viability of such places in a neighborhood like Cleveland Park are pretty slim. Instead, non-food places include a number of tanning salons, nail salons and other uses that some in the community feel are less desirable.

In this era, with internet based retail and more flexible working patterns, the neighborhood experience is evolving. More people want to be able to conduct meetings at coffee houses, enjoy a unique meal or be able to carry out lunch or dinner in an expedient manner. Corridors such as 14th Street, U Street, H Street, or 8th Street South East and the Navy Yards are transforming to very vibrant and unique places based on the services available.

Cleveland Park, on the other hand, remains relatively static in comparison. It is a wonderful neighborhood with fantastic building stock and natural foot traffic based on visitors to the National Zoo and the density of apartment buildings and condos along Connecticut Avenue to the north and south of the commercial strip.

In a 2008 poll, neighborhood listserv members supported the removal or relaxing of the zoning overlay by a factor of 70%. While this is not a scientific survey, it is one measure of public sentiment. So again, there is a new poll to measure public sentiment. Maybe this time, the ANC and Community Associations will take note that residents of the community really do not like this artificial barrier to improving realistic and improved choices in the community.

If you are a member of the listserv, vote now!

Hearst Elementary Renovation

ANC 3F Commissioner Adam Tope updates the community on the planned Heast renovation for 2013.

Construction Starts at Cathedral Commons

After almost 14 years, ground has finally broken on the former Wisconsin Avenue Giant. DC Metro Urban Diary has a good update.

ANC 3C Update on Wisconsin Avenue Giant

ANC 3C to ratify Giant Construction Management Agreement

At long last, ANC 3C intends to consider and vote on ratifying a negotiated construction management agreement with Giant and Bozzuto Development. We submitted a draft Construction Management Agreement to Giant in June 2011. Serious negotiations began last winter. The four ANC commissioners whose SMDs are contiguous to the development site have been involved in meeting with the parties and exchanging drafts up until this summer when the final format and provisions began to take final shape.

We feel that the agreement is reasonable and provides good protections for the parts of our community that will be most directly affected by the construction. We did not get agreement on everything that we proposed but neither did Giant. I urge you to go to the anc3c.org website to read the CMA that is linked to our September 18 public meeting agenda. Among the provisions in the agreement are:

* establishment of a liaison committee with public meetings and
reports to the ANC
* pre-construction surveys of homes or buildings in the potential
zone of impact as determined by Giant's engineers (those have already been completed)
* regular public notification of upcoming construction activities
throughout the construction period
* ban on construction-related parking on streets or alleys within a
multiple block radius of development (map is attached to CMA document on ANC website)
* ban on construction vehicles driving on local streets rather than
arterial roadways to or from the development site
* Saturday work hours between 8AM-5PM

ANC 3C has asked representatives of Giant and Bozzuto Construction to
attend the ANC to provide a brief update on the construction plans for the next few months. This would not repeat previous presentations to the community, but would rather focus on the planned activities for the next few months. The CMA discussion is scheduled at the top of agenda and we expect this part of the agenda to conclude by 8PM.

The meeting begins at 7:30PM and will be held in the community room of the Second District Police Station. Please note that meeting is on Tuesday this month.

Nancy MacWood
ANC 3C09

Update on Wisconsin Avenue House

DC Metro Urban Diary updates the fate of 3611 Wisconsin Avenue.

New Zoning and Ward 3

The District is embarking on a city-wide zoning revision. While this is not solely a Ward 3 issue, there has been a tremendous amount of discussion on various community listservs. Below is a recent, very relevant post:


we have centuries of evidence to see what neighborhoods look like
without parking minimums. I recently stumbled on this great little piece
entitled "Legalize Georgetown" (http://bit.ly/QKVm6a), written by David
Alpert in 2008, back when the zoning rewrite process was just getting
underway. He points out that some of DC's most beloved neighborhoods would
be illegal under today's zoning code.

"If Georgetown burned down tomorrow, then the zoning code should allow it
to be rebuilt similar to the way it is today. If someone wanted to expand
the rowhouses of Capitol Hill to vacant blocks in Southeast they should be
able to. But that's not true...

"My current building in Dupont has 13 apartments and zero parking spaces.
If it were rebuilt today, it would need an empty lot next door that's about
the same size as the building to fit the seven spaces required under
current zoning. It would mean more cars crossing the sidewalk, and one of
the prettiest blocks in Dupont would be much less. And having these spaces
would encourage more driving and raise the cost of living here."


I would add Cleveland Park to that list; many of the grand buildings lining
Connecticut Avenue predate the zoning code and would be much less grand if
they were subject to the 1950s rules. For that matter most of the pre-WWII
duplexes and townhouses in the neighborhood wouldn't be allowed.

None of the great cities of the world rose up under the constraints of
restrictive zoning codes or parking minimums, nor could they have. The most
beautiful parts of Paris, Rome, London, New York - and Washington DC -
would have been prohibited, or scarred with ugly parking lots and garages.

It's the zoning excesses of the 1950s that were reckless experiments, and
their unintended consequences - from the oceanic parking lots and strip
malls of Rockville Pike to the bleak megablocks of Southwest DC - are plain
for all to see. Today's zoning reforms take a small step towards undoing
that damage.

Residential parking scarcity is a problem; but the correct solution, as
I've argued before, is to price parking on public land in a way that
reflects its value, not to impose arbitrary Soviet-style supply quotas on
developers.

Preservation versus Sustainability

In brief, here is an article about a recent Historic Preservation Review Board case related to the installation of solar panels on a visible roof in Cleveland Park.

Thoughts?

Cleveland Park Farmer's Market (?)

Despite endorsements from the Cleveland Park Citizen's Association and the local Business Association, the local ANC voted 4-2 not to support the effort to develop a farmers market for the commercial district. One Commissioner noted several reasons for their lack of support:


First, Brookville opposed the application. They are an anchor for our community and have very much been there for us when we have needed them. They agreed to open up shop when no other grocery stores would (including Magruders which came years later). They have literally opened up and stayed open during blizzards. I could go on about the things they've done for the community. I wasn't persuaded that shoppers would both shop at the farmers' market and cross Connecticut Avenue to continue shopping at Brookville or Yes. If we are hoping to attract pedestrians more than drivers, people can only carry so much and are not likely to buy a week's worth of sundries and carry them home.


Second, I was persuaded by my fellow Commissioner, Richard Steacy's, concerns for his constituents who are very dependent on Brookville. He represents many seniors and young professionals who do not own cars and use Brookville as their primary grocery store. I didn't want to contribute to the pressure Brookville is already feeling from Petco (pet food sales are down) and CVS and Walgreen's that have significant grocery departments.



Third, I was not satisfied with the Market manager's response regarding truck management. She stated that she had secured 6 spaces for the 10 expected trucks.
But when asked where the other trucks were going to park, she said two blocks away in the residential neighborhood. Saturday mornings are prime shopping and zoo parking times. This would only add pressure to the shortage of parking we're already experiencing. She also did not seem to have an enforcement plan if the vendors chose to park in the neighborhood rather than the designated parking spaces.


And finally, there are already 4 farmers' markets within a short distance of Cleveland Park; two are less than a mile away. Three are also located where there isn't direct competition with brick and mortar stores. Plus, we heard that Adas Israel may be considering sponsoring a market as well.



While many in the neighborhood have suggested that they concur that a Cleveland Park Farmers Market is a good idea, one neighboring ANC Commissioner has pointed out that the final decision rests with the Public Space Commission.



One should follow the Cleveland Park Listserv for more information regarding the support of this proposal.

Cathedral Commons to Commence

The last piece of the puzzle on Wisconsin Avenue has announced its intention to relocate by July 13th to make way for Cathedral Commons. The Cathedral Sun Trust Branch disclosed to customers the intention to open a temporary branch adjacent to the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Macomb Street during the construction period.

Glover Park Streetscape

Glover Park has been undergoing a streetscape process for several years. DDOT and OP have put a lot of effort into making the area more walkable, more pedestrian friendly and more like a neighborhood village, than a pit stop along the Wisconsin Avenue Corridor. The Georgetown Patch has a nice review of the plans. A similar treatment could be a nice addition for Cleveland Park, Tenleytown and Friendship Heights.

Cleveland Park Firehouse to Move Forward

Avoiding some of the pitfalls associated with the Tenleytown Firehouse, the Mayor's Agent has granted relief to the DC fire Department in its effort to upgrade Engine Company 28 to 21st Century Standards. At issue were the fire station doors, which were too narrow for modern firefighting equipment. The HPRB referred the case to the Mayor's Agent, which agreed that public safety supersede preservation in this matter.

Wisconsin Avenue Giant - Is it time?

According to the Washington Post, the Wisconsin Avenue Giant will close its doors in April to make way for the new Cathedral Commons development. Is there a development project in the District that has taken longer to get approval and move forward with groundbreaking?

Water main break in Cleveland Park

This is an amazing image of the water main break in front of the Uptown Theater.

Raze Pending for Clevleand Park Giant

As reported in the DC Metro Urban Diary, The Wisconsin Avenue Giant and the block immediately north are slated for demolition to make way for a new grocery store and mixed use development. This process started with community meetings in 1999.

A generation in the making.

Wisconsin Avenue Giant Affirmed

The appeal (PDF) for the Wisconsin Avenue Giant has been issued. From the order:


Petitioners, Wisconsin-Newark Neighborhood Coalition, the Ordway Street Neighbors Association, and 3300 Idaho Neighbors, challenge a July 13, 2009 order issued by the District of Columbia Zoning Commission (“Commission”), which approved a Planned Unit Development (“PUD”) and related Zoning Map amendment application submitted by Intervenor Friendship-Macomb SC, Inc. (“Giant”) for a project on property that Giant owns. The project encompasses a 178,236 square foot area bounded by 1) Wisconsin Avenue, N.W. and Idaho Avenue, N.W., and fronting Macomb Street, N.W. Petitioners argue that the Commission erred in

(1) failing to refer the project to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (“BZA” or “Board”);

(2) failing to enforce the Macomb-Wisconsin Neighborhood Commercial Overlay District’s (“MW Overlay”) height and density restrictions to the project;

(3) approving a project that allegedly conflicted with the Comprehensive Plan for the District of Columbia; and

(4) concluding that there was substantial evidence supporting Giant’s claim that its truck-loading plan was feasible.

We disagree and affirm the Commission’s order.


This project can now move forward towards the planned Spring 2012 groundbreaking.