Charter school block party

[from Kevin Hummons via the Petworth listserv]

The ABC Charter School (Academia Bilingual Community) invites you to come out to their block party.

Saturday, August 25, Noon-6:00pm
4200 block of 2nd St NW

There will be games, food, cotton candy, as well as snowcones, and giveaways!

During the block party you will be able to meet the ABC staff, tour the new facility, and enroll your child in this new neighborhood charter school.

Academia Bilingüe de la Comunidad Public Charter School (ABC) is a Bilingual English-Spanish total-immersion school serving students in grades 6-8 from across Washington DC.

Comments

[Bill Murray]

Thank you to everyone who came to the ABC Public Charter School open house in late August and welcomed the school to the neighborhood.

As the school's development officer, I'd like to welcome you to come visit the school. Those with an interest in working with young people (middle school aged, 6-8th grades) may want to consider volunteering. Please call the school at 202-822-6301 and ask for Ms. Arie Baker.

[Erin]

Fair point.

Still curious why the units couldn't go on the roof, but there could very well be a logical explanation.

[Bill]

All good points, power to the school and its staff, and kudos for all the good things they are doing. I'm sincerely enthusiastic about the benefit the school is bringing to that block.

AND (not but) they could at least hide the AC units with plants or screens or something.

[embarrassed resident]

I recently spoke with the founder about the layout of the building. He is actually quite nice and willing to hear any concerns anyone may have and answer any questions. He explained the building had to be set back from the street due to DC's archaic zoning regulations...something about the zoning switching halfway through the lot. The AC units are in the only place they could be placed...there is no such thing as a "blank slate" in DC. They feed all the fresh air to the whole building and condition the air in the 3000 square foot multi-purpose room in the basement. When or if you tour the building you will see how cleverly it is laid out and how it makes the most use of the space available. And the front area is a play area made from recycled tires. I guess my overall point is that it is fine to have an opinion but to pass judgment without accurate information is unfortunate and not very neighborly. I encourage you to go meet Mr. Jackson the director and learn more about the school.

p.s. I like the way it looks and now that I understand the situation better I think it is a miracle the school was able to built at all.

[Erin]

embarrassed resident makes the points that anything that replaced the vacant lot used by drug dealers would be an improvement, a school is a positive asset to the area, and that the people work work there are nice.

All these things can be true AND it can also be true that their building is ugly and alienates the street rather than integrates with it. I'm sorry but it kind of gives me the impression of a prison -- as if those passing by are being discouraged from looking in. I don't know. Others can disagree. It is just my opinion that the school had an opportunity to do something really nice and special because they were starting from scratch, and instead, they made a very weird choice. It's almost like the builders forgot to install the AC units until the last minute and scrambled for some way to do it after the fact.

For the record, I am also happy to see something there. I am really pulling for that part of Upshur to thrive!

[mjbrox]

embarrased resident ,

I understand what you are saying, and I think the school is a great addition to the neighborhood, but just because someone build a new building and improves crime in the are does not mean that they should not build a visually appealing building.

The curb appeal of the building is appalling. That however does not mean however I have a problem with School, Students or Staff.

My problem is with the Architect that designed the AC units to be installed at the street.

[Petworth longtime and now embarrased resident]

I am surprised by you all's reaction - as someone who has lived here a long time and who remembers what was there before the school I have to say that anything is better than an open air drug market, squatters, and over grown lot full of needles and crack vials. I've visited the school and met the staff and kids who go there and they only want to be good neighbors. I am embarrassed by this exchange, its not a very neighborly way to welcome them. Also I've personally observed the illegal activities that took place in the alley behind Upshur and now they are gone because the school lights up the back of the building. The people who live closest to the school tel me that the drug dealing and other illegal activities in the alley have decreased.

[mjbrox]

I could go on and on about Architecture disasters. It truly upsets me.

Another example is the Church that was recently build on Illinois right before you get to Georgia Ave

[AJS]

To my knowledge, Petworth is not protected by any kind of historic-preservation laws. Thus -- within the bounds of DC's general zoning laws -- people are more or less free to do what they wish. Hence the butt-ugly yellow house at NH and Upshur.

[Erin]

I have been wondering the same thing about those AC units. It's one thing to not be able to do better in a retro-fit situation, but that was not the case here. The school literally had a blank slate situation and it seems that they bungled it. I can't imagine a design that would have melded with the existing street any less.

It would be great if someone from the school could enlighten us about this.

[mjbrox]

Am I the only one who drives by the new Charter school on Upsure thinking that it is ugly?

I honestly can not believe or understand why they would install the AC units in the front of the building the way they did.

Is there no Architecture review board for the city?

Also, what is the deal with that once beautiful house on New Hampshire Ave that was painted yellow?