Wall of Shame

[from Joe Martin, an email to the Ward 4 Neighborhood Services Coordinator]

Back on May 24th, I put in a service request for the repair of two areas of the sidewalk of the 200 block of Upshur Street NW - where the sidewalks are in dangerously bad shape. It is especially disturbing that those sidewalks have been in that shape for years.

I am planning to put a lot of effort into attracting new businesses to the closed storefronts in that area. Anything you do to help is appreciated, but I feel very strongly about wanting to see those horrible sidewalks repaired soon.

Joe Martin
ANC 4C09 Commissioner

[From the editor - send your pictures of poor conditions that need city attention for an occasional series we'll call: the Wall of Shame. And don't forget to call 727-1000 for service requests]

Comments

[AJS]

Two properties are currently for sale on the 200 block of Upshur St., and I believe both are zoned commercial: 208 Upshur (open house this Sunday 1-4) and 231 Upshur.

[mjbrox]

If they put a starbucks on the 200 block of Upshur, I would go broke.

[Joseph Martin]

Regarding the 200 block of Upshur, keep in mind that there will be busloads of tourists coming into our neighborhood to the Lincoln Presidential Home starting next spring.

Read: Potentially more business for a nice, new sandwich shop in the area -- with the requisite outstanding coffee and outdoor cafe.

Thoughts, Neighbors?

JM

[Joseph Martin]

Kevin Morton, How dare you say such things about my well-tended lawn! Actually, it is Clint who is adding the many plants (with some stolen). I tend to do the lawn-mowing. I am looking for periwinkle to put in the patches of grass between the sidewalk and the streets. Read: It's pretty, evergreen, stays short and needs no mowing -- leaving me more time to attend to my ANC stuff, Kevin.

Seriously, on the Grant Circle front, Donald Kirk, the horticulturalist for the Park Service/Rock Creek & Sherman/Grant Circles, told me yesterday that the pile of broken glass in Grant Circle was to have been removed yesterday. He also registered his concern that their subcontractor had neglected the playground area and triangular park on the north side of the Circle. Mr. Kirk told me the National Park Service would not be able to mow and weed that area until next week. Should anyone want to contact Mr. Kirk about Grant or Sherman Circles and the pie-shaped parks on the edge of those circles, his email address is:
[email protected]
Telephone: 202-895-6061.

Joseph Martin
ANC 4C09 Commissioner
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anc4c09
202-309-1817

[AJS]

Ken,
I can't tell you how excited I am to hear this news. If you need help with anything around the store I'm sure you'll find a lot of neighbors willing to pitch in to help out! Just post something here ...

[Ken Rubotzky]

Regarding the small bakery at 225 Upshur--We are trying to open this summer with a just a few products. Difficulties with the utility companies caused lengthy delays and consumed our budget. I have other sad stories. But I want to focus on the positive, like neighbors who helped us move in heavy equipment, and like ANC reps like Joseph and Joey that spend their valuable time prodding officials. Because of dumping and vandalism we have held back on fixing our windows. We have been picking up trash and keeping the alleys clean with the essential help of DPW. We own the building, and with more hard work are looking forward to serving the community.

[mjbrox]

Please do not mention Crack on this board.

[Kevin Morton]

I checked the grass around the Grant Circle playground last night and I'm pretty sure that it is an ornamental grass used as a ground cover, not something that should be mowed. Joe Martin disagrees, but what does he know? Have you seen his garden? The grass could use some weeding and maybe a trim, though. Joe and I will be up at the crack of dawn this Saturday morning, weeding and clipping.

[matt]

I noticed this morning that the grass *still* hadn't been mowed at the Grant circle playground, either.

Maybe I'll try to get in touch with Mr Goodman again.

[Joseph Martin]

The National Park Service is NOT responsible for the triangular parks along Rock Creek Church Road. Those parks are controlled by the DC government, the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Within Petworth, the only other tiny parcels of land controlled by the National Park Service in Petworth are the pie-shaped sections of grass, two each on each side, on the north and south sides of Sherman Circle in addition to Sherman Circle itself.

[Ed]

So is the park service responsible for all the triangular little parks along Rock Creek Church Rd as well? The park at the corner of RCC, 5th, and Park Pl. hasn't been mowed once this year.

[Joseph Martin]

Calls to 727-1000 help with areas controlled by the city.

The pile of shattered glass dumped in Grant Circle is dangerous. Everyone, please call Mr. Benny Goodman, operations manager for Grant Circle for the National Park Service, and ask him to have glass cleaned-up as soon as possible. His office number is 202-895-6017. His email: [email protected]

The Park Service, not the city, controls Grant Circle and the triangular parks on the north and south sides of the Circle (as well as Sherman Circle).

I called Mr. Goodman's office number when I was walking through Grant Circle Saturday evening and discovered the glass. Didn't hear from him today, but I plan to follow-up tomorrow, Tuesday. (I happened to have his number programmed into my cell phone.)

Joseph Martin
ANC 4C09 Commissioner
202-309-1817 cell

[Bill]

About Amy's question, yes everyone should barrage 727-1000 with streetlights out and anything else you come across related to city services (abandoned autos, graffiti, bulk trash, sanitation problems, overgrowth, etc etc etc). I've found them reasonably responsive.

[Virginia]

Just an FYI, there's a ton of shattered glass in Grant Circle on the south end-- someone dumped construction waste-- I called public works but until then be careful if you walk through there.

[amy]

I felt so bad for the man who had his wheels/tires stolen! He is my neighbor and it was heartbreaking to see his poor cadillac and those milkcrates.

By the way, can I use the 727-1000 # to report blown/broken streetlights?

[AJS]

That the 200 block of Upshur has so many abandoned storefronts is a shame. From a markets perspective, I see no valid reason for it.

Repairing the sidewalks will be a good first step. A good second step will be persuading the owners of these properties actually to allow businesses to open in them. I've heard anecdotally that a small bakery sought to open along the stretch but the owner of the vacant property was not interested in having that happen.

[mjbrox]

I think the crumbled streets add a charm that you can not get in the new suburban neighborhoods, much like Cadillacs sitting on crushed milk crates.

[Joseph Martin]

Neighbors,

This was an email address to Ayana Rockett, Ward 4 Neighborhood Services Coordinator. For the record, Ayana has already today asked for a status report on plans to fix this sidewalk, and Councilmember Adrian Fenty is also pressuring the appropriate authorities to act promptly. Feel free to add your two cents by calling the Citywide Call Center at 727-1000 from 7 am - 7 pm, Monday - Friday.

Joseph Martin
ANC 4C09 Commissioner
202-309-1817 cell
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anc4c09