Special ANC 5C Meeting Tonight

There is a special ANC 5C meeting tonight and it was brought to my attention there is an item that looks suspiciously like the 4th Street NE "Gateway" project on the agenda even though it is not specifically named or given identifying information.  This is beyond troubling to me as that project team has not attempted any community outreach beyond attending a couple of minimally attended community meetings.  With all of the press and attention that other development projects get in the area it is really important that we come together and demand the best project possible for our neighborhood.  That said if you can attend tonight please do so and let the ANC know your concerns with the project.

Personally, I would like more retail and to ensure that the building is as green as possible.  At the last meeting I saw the project team had added a little more retail so it went from roughly 3,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet.  I think it could get even better.  Other neighbors have expressed concerns with parking that I do not think have been addressed.  The building design is still not the most attractive or open for adding to the streetscape.  I also think that they should buy the neighboring liquor store out and include that lot in the development.  I think it is really important that they get more feedback from the neighbors who live in the area.

There is also the issue of the project being 100% affordable housing.  Many neighbors are not supportive of this idea.  It was requested of the project team if it must be 100% affordable housing then they make it condos instead of apartments.  While I am not opposed to affordable housing it is very apparent the quality of the building that you get is inferior when it is 100% affordable housing versus a market rate building with a smaller percent affordable.  I would like this project to be the beginning of a transformation of the commercial corridor of 4th Street and Rhode Island Ave NE and feel that we need the best possible project we can get for our neighborhood.

NoMa Summer Screen Film Lineup Announced

Please see the schedule below for the NoMa BID outdoor movie nights this summer.  Taking a nice walk or fast bike ride down the Met Branch Trail from Edgewood makes this a great neighborhood event!

NoMa Summer Screen Film Lineup Announced
Washington, D.C., April 25, 2012 –

NoMa Summer Screen is the neighborhood’s most anticipated summer event – and the fun starts in just four weeks! This year’s theme ‘Is 2012 the End of the World?’ features films about world-ending scenarios as a spoof on the doomsday prophesies marking the end of the Mayan calendar. 

NoMa Summer Screen is a free, 12-week outdoor film series in NoMa, Washington, DC’s fastest growing neighborhood. The event takes place Wednesdays from May 23 to August 8 on the Loree Grand Field at Second and L Streets, NE. The event starts at 7 p.m. with music, giveaways, family fun, food vendors and picnicking. Films start at dark. Subtitles are provided for all films. http://www.nomasummerscreen.com/ 

Mark your calendars for your favorite blockbusters from ‘Is 2012 the End of the World?:’

May 23: The Day After Tomorrow: (Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal) A climatologist tries to figure out a way to save the world from abrupt global warming. He must get to his young son in New York, which is being taken over by a new ice age. PG-13.

May 30: Dr. Strangelove: (Stanley Kubrick, Peter Sellers) An insane general starts a nuclear holocaust process that a war room of politicians and generals frantically try to stop. PG.

June 6: Men in Black: (Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones) Two men who keep an eye on aliens in New York City must try to save the world after the aliens threaten to blow it up. PG-13.

June 13: Shaun of the Dead: A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother, and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living. R.

June 20: Wall-E: (Pixar, Animated) In the distant future, a small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind. G.

June 27: Ghostbusters: (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd) Three unemployed parapsychology professors set up shop as a unique ghost removal service. PG.

July 4: Independence Day: (Will Smith, Bill Pullman) The aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy. Fighting superior technology, humanity’s best weapon is the will to survive. PG-13.

July 11: Red Dawn: (Patrick Swayze, Lea Thompson) It is the dawn of World War III. In mid-western America, a group of teenagers bands together to defend their town and country from invading Soviet forces. PG-13.

July 18: War Games: (Matthew Broderick) A young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III. PG.

July 25: The Incredibles: (Pixar, Animated) A family of undercover superheroes, while trying to live the quiet suburban life, are forced into action to save the world. PG.

August 1: Jurassic Park: The Lost World: During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaurs to run amok. PG-13.

August 8: Deep Impact: (Robert Duvall, Tea Leoni) Unless a comet can be destroyed before colliding with Earth, only those allowed into shelters will survive. Which people will survive? PG-13.

*Disclaimer: NoMa BID was unable to show several popular Armageddon films (such as 2012 and Armageddon) due to lengthy running times of more than two hours. 

Now in its fifth year, NoMa Summer Screen was named one of the Top 10 Best Outdoor Movie Theatres in America by Travel and Leisure Magazine in 2011. The event attracts more than 300 people each week from the greater NoMa area and around the region. Bring a blanket, Frisbee and picnic cooler starting at 7 p.m., and connect with friends as you enjoy great films under the stars.

Follow us on Twitter @NoMaBID or Facebook for weather updates, surprise giveaways, food vendors and weekly activities. Special thanks to the Loree Grand for hosting NoMa Summer Screen for the third year! View or download photos of last year’s event. Watch a video to get in the NoMa Summer Screen vibe. To sponsor NoMa Summer Screen, contact Rachel Davis. 

The NoMa BID organizes more than 100 free community events each year. Register for the NoMa Bike to Work Day pit stop on May 18. Bring your bike in for a ‘day at the spa’ with BikeSPA, June 12 and July 24, through a partnership with BicycleSPACE. Each week before NoMa Summer Screen, stop by the NoMa Farmers Market, which takes place Wednesdays, May 30 to October 31, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. View more info here. Rhythm in NoMa, an outdoor concert series, takes place in three locations this year, on Thursdays at lunch, Fridays at lunch, and Thursday evenings. View dates here. 

Get your skill on! A new affordable workshop series

You’re invited to “Get your skill on!”, a new series of affordable workshops. 

The series starts May 10 with "Who does what in the legislative and executive branches?"  The new series includes five workshops.  They are:·        

Who does what in the legislative and executive branches?  (May 10, 10:00 am – Noon, $40)        

Getting the word out  (May 17, 10:00 am - Noon, $40)       

The basics of social media for advocacy (May 24, 10:00 am - Noon, $40)       

Making the most of public hearings  (May 31, 10:00 am - Noon, $60*)        

Advocacy communications beyond testimony  (June 7, 10:00 am - Noon, $60*) [*See blog for details]

Anyone individual registering for all five workshops receives a 15% discount!

Details about the workshops are on the Helping Others Better blog and in the attached flier.

You will also find attached (as page 2) information about engaging with me to provide individualized workshops, trainings, or learning opportunities for staff, community members, etc.

Susie
secambria@gmail.com

DC Public Policy blog:  http://susiecambria.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  @susiecambria