Existing Public Parks Finally Getting Some Love

(This post is an abbreviated version of the South by West article that will appear in June's Hill Rag.)

The Southwest Playground Project (SWPP) is projected to receive $250,000 in the District's FY2013 Budget to bridge the funding gap needed to build a playground adjacent to the Southwest Branch Library at 3rd and I Street SW. Budget funds are coming from Ward 6 Council Member Tommy Wells' Committee on Parks, Libraries, and Recreation. The SWPP, a project of the Near SE/SW Community Benefits Coordinating Council, already raised over $100,000 on its own to build the playground, but several infrastructure issues need to be addressed at the city-owned park, such as storm water drainage, broken concrete pathways, and the need for retaining walls. These infrastructure improvements added nearly $250,000 to the budget estimate made by DC-based Landscape Architecture Bureau, who has been hired to design the playground. With the additional funds from the District, design work can proceed and a land survey can be conducted. Since the fiscal year begins on October 1, 2012, the District funds cannot be used until after that date. The first vote on the budget was done earlier this month and final passage is expected on June 5.

There will be a park clean-up this Saturday from 10am - 12pm at the Library Park. SWPP will provide bags, gloves, and refreshments.  Bring shovels, rakes, and of course, your children.

Meanwhile, another $400,000 is reserved in the FY2013 Budget for improvements to Lansburg Park, the large underutilized park located to the east of Greenleaf Gardens along Delaware Avenue. District funds reserved for Lansburg will go towards restoring the overhead lights, as well as installing basketball court to replace the tennis courts that are currently in bad shape. The "Friends of Lansburg Park" group was formed recently to join DPR's Parks Partners program and to use SWNA's 501c3 status to do fundraising. The Friends group is working with the PAWS of Southwest, who is applying with DPR to build what would be the largest dog park in the city at Lansburg, as well as with a group who wants a community garden. An open house was held last month to solicit ideas for the future of Lansburg and a charrette is planned for sometime this summer.

In addition, at the Southwest Duck Pond's annual Volunteer Recognition Event and sign unveiling ceremony yesterday, Council Member Wells announced there will be funding set aside in the FY2013 Budget for improvements to that park. As mentioned previously, there was funding set aside in the FY2012 Budget for park improvements, but since then, the newly created Department of General Services has taken jurisdiction over capital improvements from DPR and nixed the funding appropriation.

Yala Fitness Spring Sizzle

Capitol Skyline Pool Parties

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, the most trendy summertime activity in Southwest will soon start again - pool parties at the Capitol Skyline Hotel, located at Half and I Street. On Sunday, May 27, Liquid Lifestyle will host the first Adult Swim Pool Party of the season from 12pm-6pm. Admission is free until 1pm if you RSVP by sending your name via text to 202-RESERVE. The following weekend, Brightest Young Things will have a "Bride of Hipster Camp" pool party on Saturday, June 2 from 11am to 7pm for all ages.  Admission is $15.  Check out Liquid Lifestyle and BYT for more information on future pool parties throughout the summer.

The Music Man Opening Night Preview Event at SW Duck Pond

Volunteers Needed for SW Youth Tennis Club

The second season of the Southwest Youth Tennis Club will begin this summer.  Below is information from

the press release:

This season, free lessons will be offered on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings from June 20 through July 28 (excluding July 4th) at the King-Greenleaf Recreation Center Tennis Courts, 201 N Street, SW Washington, DC. Practice sessions may also be scheduled depending on the students’ needs. The Tennis Club can accommodate up to 40 students. 

This year, the club needs volunteers to: coach and teach tennis to 10-18 year-old beginners; practice with the students; distribute leaflets announcing the free lessons; pick up and deliver refreshments; take action photos of the students, and make wake-up/reminder calls. Interested volunteers should email Kay Hixson at swtennis2012@gmail.com.

Photo from last season courtesy of Kay Hickson

Waterfront Station Sale Runner-Up

As mentioned in this week's Washington Business Journal (subscribers only) the sale of Waterfront Station from Waterfront Associates to USAA Real Estate Co. was a runner up in the WBJ's Best Real Estate Deals of 2011. While the news on its own probably isn't of much interest, the last sentence in the description of the sale potentially is:

The sale, for about $557 per square foot, marked one of the highest per-square-foot sales in Southwest and also positioned Waterfront Associates to continue with plans to develop future phases of Waterfront Station.

In addition to the sale of the completed office buildings, the former EPA buildings were sold to Urban Atlantic in 2011, which began construction on Sky House I Apartments in February with the second building to begin later this month. Now flush with cash, perhaps Waterfront Associates may decide to move forward soon with new construction on one of their three remaining lots? There's been some chatter recently that the next phase of Waterfront Station (aside from Sky House Apartments) will begin in 2014 on the northwest parcel (slated for office or residential), followed later by the southwest and southeast parcels as office buildings. The District owns the northeast parcel and has not indicated when it will solicit a RFP for development. 

While the completed office buildings are 100% leased to the District government and the urban lifestyle Safeway reportedly has the most points of sale of any Safeway on the eastern seaboard, there are still four vacant retail spaces on the ground floor. There's a 1,230 SF space available in the 1100 building and three spaces in the 1101 building (2,952 SF, 1,172 SF, and 4,130 SF).  The property manager said there are no specific types of retailers they are targeting, but according to the most recent blog poll, readers would most like a dive bar, a hardware/garden store, or a fast-casual restaurant.  What specific retailers would you like to see at Waterfront Station? 

Other Capitol Park Apartment Buildings to be Sold

After it was revealed that Capitol Park Towers (pictured above) was under contract by Urban Investment Partners and the tenants formed a tenants association to exercise their Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) rights, it appears that the owner of the other two Capitol Park apartment buildings want to sell their remaining interest in those buildings as well. The Department of Housing and Community Development received a notice of transfer on April 18 for Capitol Park Twin Towers (a 320-unit building located at 101/103 G Street) and Capitol Park Plaza (a 328-unit building at 201 I Street). The owner intends to transfer 5% of their interest in the properties. The 95%/5% transaction was a loophole owners used to avoid TOPA taking effect before the law was amended in 2005. What was done previously was an owner would deed 95% of their interest in a building but maintain 5% interest, so the transaction was not technically a sale.  In the case of Capitol Park, 95% interest in the two buildings were transferred from Capitol Park Associates to Capitol Park Apartments (both Limited Partnerships) in 2002. Capitol Park Twin Towers formed a tenants association and sued to block the transaction in 2003 saying it was actually a sale and their TOPA rights needed to be enforced, but after several appeals, the suit was eventually won by the owners in 2006 due to the 95%/5% loophole.  What will happen now to Capitol Park Plaza and Capitol Park Twin Towers remains to be seen.

Amidon-Bowen Modernization

Big changes are underway for Amidon-Bowen Elementary School, the only elementary school in Southwest.  Starting on June 15, the school will begin a modernization program to be done in three phases. Five million dollars has been allocated for Phase One of construction, but funding has not been secured yet for the subsequent phases. Phase One will include a new ADA-compliant entrance, a new administrative office suite, a new walk-through from the front to the play area in back, a new air conditioning system, and re-sized classrooms with technology upgrades and movable walls. Phase Two will improve support components, such as the gymnasium and all-purpose room while Phase Three will improve interior systems. QuinnEvans Architects designed the planned upgrades, which include distinct color schemes for each section of the school to help differentiate spaces for administrative, pre-k, kindergarten, and other grade levels. Landscaping will also be refreshed with native plants and a mini-waterfall system that will capture rainwater and lead the water to a small stream bed. The renovation program complements a $200,000 grant received last summer from Target to redo the school’s library on the second floor with light construction, technology updates, new furniture, carpet and shelves, and 2,000 books. 

Vignette of the main lobby area.

Construction will be on-going all summer both day and night to get the school ready for the first day of class for students on August 27. The parking lot facing 4th Street SW will be used as a staging area for construction, so those parking spaces will be unavailable for visitors to Westminster Presbyterian Church’s weekly Jazz and Blues Nights located across the street from Amidon-Bowen.

In addition to school modernization efforts, recent personnel changes have taken place at the school. Amidon-Bowen was reconstituted this past year in order to help improve the school’s performance. Test scores for reading and math at Amidon-Bowen have been among the lowest in the city. According to DC Public Schools, only 15% of students at Amidon-Bowen met or exceeded the Washington, DC Comprehensive Assessment System (DC CAS) standards in math and 19% met, or exceeded standards in reading. As a part of the reconstitution, all faculty members had to reapply for their jobs and a new principal, Izabela Miller was hired. 

Meanwhile, the operation budget for Amidon-Bowen was cut for the 2012-13 school year. DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson stated in an email responding to a letter of concern written by the Near SE/SW Community BenefitsCoordinating Council (CBCC) that the budget cuts were directly tied to the projected decline in student enrollment at Amidon-Bowen. DCPS projects enrollment next year at Amidon-Bowen to be 252 students, the second consecutive year of decline in student enrollment, which places the school in the category of “small schools”, or schools with less than 300 students. As a result, budget cuts throughout DCPS targeted smaller schools to reduce costs since the per student cost at small schools are higher due to economies of scale. Next year, the Art, Music, and Physical Education teachers will become part-time positions instead of full-time. In addition, the Librarian/Media Specialist will become a part-time position as well as the Business Manager. Two teachers and one custodian will be let go, but a part-time School Psychologist will be hired. 

Renderings courtesy of Quinn Evans Architects

Running of the Chihuahuas Benefit

If you're looking for something to do on cinco de mayo, check out the "Running of the Chihuahuas" at 7th Street Landing from 11am to 2pm. Click here to enter your Chihuahua or Chihuahua mix for the race.  There will be other contests for all breeds as well. Proceeds will go towards the PAWS of Southwest, the organization that is trying to raise funds to build a dog park at Lansburgh Park.

Southwester Barkley is ready and raring to go!

A Few Quick Items: Capitol Park Tower TOPA, Wharf to Zoning Commission, Senate Passes Wharf Legislation, Redesign of National Mall

- It was reported in the Housing Complex blog that Capitol Park Tower apartments is under contract to Urban Investment Partners. According to the post, the tenants are trying to pull resources together to purchase the building, with 50% +1 of tenants needed to enforce their Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) rights.  Capitol Park Tower is located at 4th & G Street and contains 488 rent-controlled units.  It is part of the Capitol Park development, which was the first residential development built in Southwest after urban renewal.

- A setdown for the Stage 2 PUD application of Phase I of The Wharf development was granted unanimously by the Zoning Commission last week. The Hoffman-Madison Waterfront team will go before ANC 6D within the next couple of months to get support for their Stage 2 PUD application before they meet with the Zoning Commission this summer.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

- On a related note, the Senate passed legislation to allow the redevelopment of the Southwest Waterfront to proceed as planned according to The Hill, which will allow the Hoffman-Madison Waterfront team to build piers into the Washington Channel, as well as allow the sale of fruits, vegetables, and other items at the Maine Avenue Fish Market. The Maine Lobsterman statue, which is maintained by the National Park Service, must remain somewhere along the waterfront. The House of Representatives already passed similar legislation, but an amendment was added in the Senate version regarding navigation of the Washington Channel, so the House will need to vote again before the bill can be signed by the President. 

- Design alternatives have been released for three areas of the National Mall and were on display at the Smithsonian Castle, according to The Washington Post.  The three areas include Constitution Gardens, the Washington Monument grounds, and Union Square near the Capitol.  Four finalists have been chosen for each area and a winner for each will be announced next month. Check out the Post's photo gallery for renderings.