Town Topics

Robert Devaney • June 18, 2013

The D.C. Office of the Attorney General issued a “corrective action” that cancels the remaining four years of a contract with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to run Jelleff Recreation Center at 3265 S Street. The Friends of Jelleff had protested the previous decision. The city bought the land two years ago from the cash-strapped Boys & Girls Club.

The Jan. 31 ANC 2E meeting was a dust-up of who gets to use that field. Director of Parks and Recreation, Jesús Aguirre, was at the meeting to talk about the deal of use by Maret School on Cathedral Avenue. The school’s head Marjo Talbott defended the 10-year deal and Maret’s exclusive times of use as the school has invested about $2.5 million in improvements to the property. Maret had been in discussions with the Boys & Girls Club before the city purchased the land for the community. Among the others who use the field regularly are the nearby British School and Stoddert Soccer.

Some participants and community members at the meeting said they felt blindsided by the exclusive deal that seemed “to lack transparency” with the public. The ANC agreed on a resolution that sought to have the Department of Parks and Recreation and Maret School void the existing contract: “These agreements . . . were entered into behind closed doors, without meaningful attempts by DPR [Department of Parks and Recreation] to solicit community input or engage in a more competitive process.”
A little confused? Who’s on first? Stay tuned, kids.

Robert Devaney •

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar – established in 2005 – celebrated the official opening of its new building in Education City on Feb. 13, the university reports. “The memorable affair marked an important milestone in the history of the university’s valued partnership with Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.

“At the beginning of the 21st century, Georgetown ventured out of its traditional confines, left its comfort zone at the hilltop in Washington, D.C., and began a partnership with Qatar Foundation,” said Mehran Kamrava, interim dean of the School of Foreign Service in Qatar. “Our strong and vibrant partnership with Qatar Foundation, and our new spectacular home, would not have been possible without the vision and patronage of Her Higness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.”

University president John DeGioia presented Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation, with a sculpture of a lyre, a traditional musical instrument invented in ancient Mesopotamia. In a nice connection with the neighborhood back home, the sculpture chosen as a gift was designed by artist John Dreyfuss of Halcyon House on Prospect Street. “It represents the unification of cultures through music, beauty and art,” the university explains. “The instrument is also found inscribed in the university’s seal.”

Robert Devaney •

The Citizens Association of Georgetown salutes Black History month with author Breena Clarke speaking at First Baptist Church, Georgetown at 2624 Dumbarton St., NW, on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. Come tour the church, meet Breena Clarke and learn about the influences that shaped her work – “Stand the Storm” and “River, Cross My Heart” – much of which focuses on Georgetown and Washington, D.C.

Robert Devaney •

The Georgetown University Lecture Fund will be hosting Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the former spokesman of the controversial Park51 mosque, according to the Georgetown Voice. The Park51 mosque, commonly referred to as the Ground Zero mosque, became a controversy this past summer because of its proximity to the location of the World Trade Center, whose two main towers imploded on Sept. 11, 2001, because of terrorist attacks, killing more than 2,000 persons in New York City.

As reported by the Hoya, Rauf will be part of a panel at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center on March 1: “Religion in American Politics and Society: A Model for Other Countries?”

The panel is largely geared toward graduate students and faculty members. The Voice also reported that the Lecture Fund has scheduled Rauf for a lecture at 6 p.m. that evening in Lohrfink Auditorium geared toward undergraduate students. Rauf will be speaking about the separation between religion and politics in both the United States and in the Muslim world. A moderated question and answer period will follow the speech.

Robert Devaney •

It’s that time of year again to vote for your Georgetown favorites in the Washington City Paper’s “Best of DC” Readers Poll 2011! In 2010, Georgetown was bestowed the honor of “Best Neighborhood for Shopping,” and Georgetown businesses won in 13 categories and had nine runners-up.
Nominate and vote for your favorite Georgetown businesses beginning February 16. Voting ends March 15!

Georgetowner •

February 28 at 6:30pm, ANC 2E will hold a Committee of the Whole meeting to consider a recommendation to the full commission regarding the Georgetown University proposed 2010-2020 campus plan, followed by a meeting of the Commission.

6:30pm
Georgetown Visitation School
35th and Volta Place
Heritage Room, first building on the left by the gatehouse, 2nd floor.

Robert Devaney •

Georgetown’s advisory neighborhood commission (ANC2E) approved, six to one, a resolution that opposes Georgetown University’s 2010-2020 campus plan and adds 15 recommendations of its own at a Feb. 28 meeting. The resolution, which has no legal binding but does have influence, has been sent to DC’s Board of Zoning Adjustment, which has the power to amend the university’s plans. The ANC’s resolution underscores the sour state of Georgetown’s town-gown relationship. “The context for examining the current proposed campus plan begins with G.U.’s severe adverse community impacts over the past 10 years,” the ANC wrote. “In a nutshell, G.U. has conducted itself so that what was supposed to happen over the past 10 years – a steep reduction in undergraduates living off-campus and in adverse community impacts – demonstrably did not happen. In fact, the situation that was considered objectionable by the BZA 10 years ago has become worse.” The commission went on to state: “G.U.’s conduct-enforcement measures are loophole-strewn, sporadic and demonstrably inadequate. Inexplicably, G.U.’s own conduct rules are considerably more lax for students living in off-campus housing than they are for students living on-campus, a disparity that only encourages the disruptive off-campus situation we are experiencing. While G.U. touts its ‘new’ enhanced enforcement, the fact is that all of the measures it cites except one (the off-campus ‘contract’) are already in place – and they do not work.” Many of the recommendations hit upon students’ presence in the neighborhood, whether living off-campus, boisterously returning to the campus from the M Street bars, or taking up parking spaces on residential streets during the day. A cap on enrollment and off-campus housing was advocated, as was satellite parking; and any additional land purchases in zip code 20007 would have to be approved by the community. Shuttle buses are also recommended so that students do not walk through neighborhood streets in the wee hours, disturbing the peace. Top neighborhood leaders spoke at the meeting. Jennifer Altemus, president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, said, “We cannot continue to live like this. The viability of Georgetown and Burleith as residential communities is being threatened.” Lenore Rubino, president of the Burleith Citizens Association, added, “G.U. has behaved like a stealthy corporate Goliath.” Linda Greenan, the university’s associate vice president for external relations, defending the proposals as a “very modest plan,” said, “We are disappointed that after two years we couldn’t come to an agreement with the community.” She then added that the university would not put a cap on its students living off-campus: “Our students have a right to live in the community.” A student newspaper, The Hoya, ran an editorial on the resolution, headlined “ANC Proposals Beyond Reason.” ANC3D – Foxhall Road and MacArthur Boulevard and northward from the campus – also voted against the plan at its March 2 meeting. The Foxhall Community Citizens Association will meet March 16 at Hardy Recreation Center to discuss the plan. BZA hearings are set for April 14, May 12 and May 16.
Visit ANC2E.com to download the PDF to read the full resolution.

Robert Devaney •

Work has begun on a project many public leaders and residents thought would never happen in their lifetime. The long-desired makeover of the 19th-century tracks for O and P Streets began Feb. 28 at 36th and P, as the District Department of Transportation waved the green flag to the Temple Group project manager. The construction – road rehabilitation, track restoration and water main replacement – includes 37th Street between O and P and runs to Wisconsin Avenue; parts of 36th, 35th, 34th and 33rd Streets are also on the list. Completion is expected in late 2012 and at a cost of more than $12 million. “Over many years, O and P Streets have greatly deteriorated due to vehicular traffic and sinkholes from damaged water mains,” said Mayor Vincent Gray at a Feb. 24 groundbreaking. “Today marks the exciting start of our work to ensure public safety and repair the structural integrity of these roadways, all while preserving this neighborhood’s indelible character and history.” The tracks on O and P Streets are the last visible evidence of the District’s citywide streetcar system, which operated until 1962, according to the Mayor’s office. They are set on 350-pound cast iron yokes beneath the center of the roadway, and besides a small section of conduit system streetcar track in London, the streetcar tracks on O and P Streets are believed to be the only surviving examples of this type of track system. DDOT will remove the streetcar wheel rails and slot rails and other historic elements including the granite street pavers, blue stone curbs and sidewalk brick and then reinstall them on O and P Streets. Archaeological monitoring will take place during all construction activities to ensure the historic resources are handled properly. The rehabilitation will include many other enhancements, from streetlight and drainage improvements to the installation of crosswalks, curb ramps, tree boxes and tree rails. Additionally, the effort will reinstall old police call and fire alarm boxes, while also planting new trees. Ed Solomon and Jeff Jones of the ANC will serve as neighborhood contacts.
Visit DDOT’s FixingOAndPStreets.com for details and updates.