Fort Totten Park Tour - Sunday, June 10th

Join Washington Central Parks this Sunday, June 10th, 2007, for its third Walk Fort Totten Park! If you’ve missed the prior two, now’s your chance - before it gets too hot - to learn about the natural landscape, plants and geology of this wonderful gem in Washington’s Emerald Necklace. We will meet at 12:30pm in front of the Hitching Post Restaurant, across from the entrance to the Armed Forces Retirement Home/Old Soldiers’ Home, at the corner of Upshur Street NW and Rock Creek Church Road. No rain date.

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Washington Central Parks is a community-based organization that is working to reopen and revitalize the historic parks and open space network of North-Central Washington. Three parks - Fort Totten, Old Soldiers' Home, and McMillan Park (reservoir and filtration field) – could be threaded together with pedestrian and bicycle trails to create a unified network of open space and parks that would serve neighborhoods from Brightwood to Bloomingdale, Columbia Heights, Pleasant Plains, Park View and Petworth to Catholic University and Brookland. You can visit us on the web at www.washingtoncentralparks.org. We are seeking the support and help of our
community in this important endeavor. PLEASE JOIN US TO REOPEN WASHINGTON CENTRAL PARKS – NOW! For more information, Contact Reyn Anderson.

» More information from the first tour here

McMillan Sand Filtration Site Developers' Presentation - TONIGHT

What: Prospective land development partners for the McMillan Sand Filtration Site will present their qualifications to the National Capital Revitalization Corporation's (NCRC) Board of Directors. The winning team will evaluate and create master plan options for the Site. Residents surrounding the Site are encouraged to attend.

When: Tuesday, May 29th, 2007, 6-8pm

Where: All Nations Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 2001 North Capitol Street, NE

Etc.: Please contact Tiffany Simms with any questions at 202.530.5750

Washington Central Parks Community Meeting - Thursday, March 22nd

What: Washington Central Parks Community Meeting (see this entry for more info on their recent Fort Totten Park tour)

When: Thursday, March 22nd, 2007, 7:30pm

Where: 801 Shepherd Street, NW (MPD's Northern Regional Operation Command Center/ROC)

Agenda:
· Learn more about the Washington Central Parks concept and where the project stands
· Hear about the status of development plans at the Armed Forces Retirement Home and McMillan Park
· Find out how to become involved in this exciting initiative


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Washington Central Parks is a community-based organization that is working to reopen and revitalize the historic parks and open space network of North-Central Washington.

Three parks - Fort Totten, Old Soldiers’ Home, and McMillan Park (reservoir and filtration field) could be threaded together with pedestrian and bicycle trails to create a unified network of open space and parks that would serve neighborhoods from Brightwood to Bloomingdale, Columbia Heights, Pleasant Plains, Park View and Petworth to Catholic University and Brookland.

We are seeking the support and help of our community in this important endeavor. PLEASE JOIN US TO REOPEN WASHINGTON CENTRAL PARKS – NOW! For more information, contact Reyn Anderson.

7th Annual Ward 5 Economic Development Summit - Saturday, October 28th

What: 7th Annual Ward 5 Economic Development Summit

When: Saturday, October 28th, 2006, 8:30am-2pm

Where: Trinity University, 125 Michigan Avenue, NE

Invited Developers, Presentation, and Updates: Armed Forces Retirement Home; Fairfield Residential, LLC; DC Office of Planning; Florida Market - "New Town"; Fort Linclon - Costco/Shoppers Food Warehouse/Target; Irving Street Conference Center - Mariani Architects Engineers; McMillan Reservoir - National Capital Revitalization Corporation/NCRC; New York Avenue Arboretum - Abdo Development; Rhode Island Metro - Mid-City urban, LLC; Riggs Plaza Apartments - The Cafritz Foundation; Travel Lodge - Hotel Development Complex; Yes! Organic Market

For additional information please call the Ward 5 Council Office at 202.724.8028.

McMillan Community Stakeholders Briefing Wednesday, June 28th

What: Neighborhood residents and the communities surrounding the McMillan Sand Filtration Site are invited to come hear about National Capital Revitalization Corporation's (NCRC) plans for the site

When: Wednesday, June 28th, 2006, 6:30-8:00pm

Where: Catholic University's Life Cycle Institute (enter from Harewood Road, first driveway after Hartke Theatre)

Contact: Tiffany Simms at 202.530.5750

I haven't been keeping up on this debate as much as I should, but there's been a bit of grumbling on the Brookland listserv about what should be done with site. The DC Preservation League continues to list McMillan as one of DC's most endangered places (page 4) and "...welcomes limited development on this site, and encourages NCRC to work with preservationists, the city's Office of Planning and Historic Preservation Office, and the interested community groups for a mixed use development that preserves the historic character of this site as well as open space for the community." Now that NCRC owns the site, I imagine community input is critical at this stage. If you are able to attend, please leave your observations/opinions in the comments.