Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6D
St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church
Minutes
May 12, 2008
The meeting was called to order by Chair Roger Moffatt at 7:07 p.m.Present: Commissioners Hamilton, Litsky, McBee, Moffatt, Siegel, Skolnik, Sobelsohn. Commissioners Hamilton and Siegel arrived at 7:20 p.m.
1. Approval of agenda
Commissioner Moffatt requested that the discussion of the Corcoran/Randall School project be moved to the first item under New Business to accommodate the presenter’s schedule. Motion: Commissioner Litsky moved/Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to approve the agenda as amended. The motion passed 5-0.2. Community Comment
Perry Klein spoke about the Do Not Enter sign at 6th and G Streets SW. Willie White, of Capitol Park IV, spoke about the unavailability of restrooms for Safeway customers. Nancy Masterson, resident of the Gangplank Marina, discussed plaques for street drains, flyers on cars and littering.
3. New Business
Randall School/Corcoran Gallery – Zoning Modification
Carolyn Brown of Holland & Knight, representing Monument Realty and the Corcoran Gallery, presented information on their plans to modify the phasing on the PUD to build a school for the Corcoran Gallery and residential units. The new plan is to reconstruct the three historic structures on I Street for a partial completion of the Corcoran School first, to be followed immediately by the east residential wing, and finally, in 2015, the west residential wing and the remainder of the Corcoran School. Street level parking on Half Street will be included in the first phase of construction. The Zoning Commission will hear the case on its consent calendar on June 9th, the date of the ANC’s next business meeting.The ANC, the Corcoran, and Monument Realty, with the assistance of Councilmember Tommy Wells and in exchange for the ANC's support of the original PUD, had previously negotiated a community-benefits package. The revised PUD would delay, by several years, elements of that package, including the promised Annual Neighborhood Visual Arts Project, Annual Arts Festival, scholarships for ANC 6D residents, and ANC 6D Volunteers program (with its Corcoran tuition waivers). (Applicant’s proposed, revised community benefits agreement attached).
Motion:: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion opposing the application for a modified PUD on the grounds that it delays, by several years, important community benefits included in the original community-benefits agreement. The motion passed 7-0
The Yards Waterfront Park
Randy Meiser and David Avitabile of Forest City DC,
and Rick Parisi, a principal in M. Paul Friedberg, Landscape Architects, gave a
presentation on the waterfront park planned for the Yards. It will go before the Zoning Commission on
May 29th for a Southeast Federal Center Zoning Overlay design
review. The 5-acre park, to be
completed in 2009, will contain lawns, water features, overlooks, walks and
bicycle paths, areas that can be used for concerts and public gatherings, as
well as retail and food areas, and will have provisions for the addition of
public piers, a marina and a ferry/water taxi landing. It will be partially funded with $42 million
DC PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) funds, and the maintenance plan for the
park, which will probably be some form of Parks Corporation, is still being
negotiated with GSA. They are
affiliated with Living Classrooms to provide job training, and the park will be
open to the community 365 days a year.
Motion: Commissioner Litsky moved/Commissioner Sobelsohn
seconded a motion to support the Forest City Washington application for design
review for the planned waterfront park at The Yards. The motion passed 7-0.
Public Space Permits
Three requests for support of public space permits were presented to the Commission. They were presented en bloc.
500 12th Street SW
Request for the installation of security bollards at a GSA-owned building for which permanent security is required. The bollards will be on the inside of a drive aisle in front of the building and on its south side.
400 7th Street SW
Request for curb cuts, driveways handicapped ramps and tree planters on all four sides of the former federal Department of Transportation headquarters at 400 7th Street SW. The Commission was told that the L’Enfant Plaza Metro entrance in the building’s courtyard, which has been closed since construction began on the building, will reopen for July 4th.
1100 1st Street SE
Request for a fence, garden planters and lights on the L Street side of a matter-of-right residential building on 1st and M SE.
Motion:
Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion to
support the public space request for bollards at 500 12th Street
SW. The motion passed 6-1, with
Commissioner Skolnik opposed.
Motion:
Commissioner Litsky moved/ Commissioner McBee seconded a motion to approve the
public space permit for curb cuts, driveways, handicapped ramps and planters
for 400 7th Street SW. The
motion passed 4-2-1, with Commissioners Hamilton and Skolnik in opposition, and
Commissioner Sobelsohn abstaining.
Motion:
Commissioner Litsky moved/Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to support the
public space permit request for 1100 1st Street SE, for planters, a
fence and light fixtures. The motion
passed 4-3, with Commissioners Hamilton, Skolnik and Sobelsohn in opposition.
4.
Old Business
250 M Street SE/Carrollsburg Capper Hope VI PUD
Kyrus Freeman, of Holland + Knight, returned to the Commission, presenting a proposed new memorandum of agreement (attached) with the ANC, committing to various community benefits concomitant with construction of the building at 250 M St., SE. Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion to support the request for modification of the building’s height, with the inclusion of the memorandum of agreement on community benefits. The motion failed 3-3, with Commissioners Skolnik, McBee and Moffatt in opposition. (Commissioner Hamilton left the meeting prior to the vote.)
6. Committee Reports
Alcoholic Beverage ControlChair Coralie Farlee gave a report on the protest hearing on Zanzibar that took five hours. The ABC should reach a decision within a few months. Cantina Marina has been granted a postponement of its protest hearing so that decibel readings can be taken on the establishment’s deck during the summer months. H2O will have a hearing on June 7th. The ANC is currently in mediation with the establishment. There were no reports from the Development Committee or the Community Outreach Committee.
7. Minutes
Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Siegel seconded a motion to approve the revised April minutes. The motion failed 2-2, with Commissioners Moffatt and Skolnik in opposition.
Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner McBee seconded a motion to table the April minutes. The motion passed 3-1, with Commissioner Moffatt in opposition.
8. Treasurer’s Report
Commissioner Skolnik presented the May Treasurer’s
Report (attached). The report shows that the opening checking account balance
was $37.436.21, and that the savings account balance was $5,156.45. There were two District allotment checks
deposited in the amounts of $5,062.40 and $5,062.40. There was an interest
payment to the savings account of $1.30.
There were disbursements of $941.87 to Roberta Weiner for salary (Check
#379); $90 to St. Augustine’s Church for meeting space rental (Check #380);
$5000 to Paul Strauss and Associates for legal fees associated with Zanzibar
protest (Check # 381); $113.23 to Robert Siegel for office supplies (Check
#382), leaving a balance of $41,415.81 in the checking account, and $5,157.75
in the savings account. Motion: Commissioner Skolnik
moved/Commissioner Siegel seconded a motion to approve the May Treasurer’s
Report. It passed 6-0.
Motion: Commissioner Skolnik moved/Commissioner
Siegel seconded a motion to approve the Quarterly Report for the second quarter
of FY 08. The motion passed 5-0-1,
with Commissioner Sobelsohn abstaining.
9.
Chairman’s
Report
Commissioner Moffatt reported that there is legislation before DC Council that would bar the sale of single servings of alcohol of less that 70 oz. at stores in Wards 7 and 8. He reported that he had spoken with the Vice President of SWNA to determine whether single sales could be placed on the SWNA agenda, and she had agreed. The action was taken as an effort to gauge the SW/SE community’s desires and to have representation by the owners of local establishments.
10.Community Concerns
Commissioners McBee, Siegel, and
Sobelsohn volunteered to make up a delegation to speak with the Waterfront
Safeway manager about making restrooms available to Safeway customers.
Without motion or objection, the ANC approved the makeup of this
delegation and its mission."
11. Adjournment
Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved
and Commissioner McBee seconded a motion to adjourn. Without objection,
the motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 10:05 p.m.
June 3, 2008
Chairperson Anthony Hood
DC
Zoning Commission
441
4th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Re: Z.C. Order No. 07-13 -- 65 I St., SW
Corcoran Gallery of Art/MR Randall Capital
LLC
Dear Chairman Hood and Commissioners:
On
Monday, May 12, 2008, at a regularly scheduled meeting of ANC 6D, the ANC voted
unanimously, 7-0 (four commissioners comprising a quorum), to oppose the
application of the Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art
("Corcoran") and MR Randall Capital LLP to modify the planned unit
development ("PUD") of the former Randall Junior High School, 65 I
St., SW, Washington DC (Square 643-S, Lot 801) in Zoning Commission Order No.
07-13 (the "Order").
We write to urge your rejection of that application.
We originally supported this PUD. We did so because of a written
agreement with the applicants as to certain benefits the applicants promised
our community. As our December 6 testimony before your Commission made
clear, "our neighborhood still ha[d] some discomfort with this
project." Nevertheless, we supported it because of the promised
community benefits.
For many of us, our agreement with applicants hinged primarily (although not
exclusively) on three specific promises they made to us: scholarships for
residents of our community, an annual arts festival, and an annual arts
project. Each was to commence during the Corcoran's "first full
academic year of occupancy of the Randall facility," which the Corcoran
assured us would take place no later than 2011. To some, the Corcoran's
additional promise to establish, "[w]ithin the first year after opening of
the Randall facility," a special ANC 6D volunteer program, complete with
tuition waivers, was even more important.
Some of our residents remarked at having to wait so long for these important
benefits. With increasing rent and property taxes, many wonder how long they
can remain in the neighborhood. But most reluctantly accepted the
three-year delay, because it was only three years.
We were pleased, therefore, to learn that the Corcoran now plans to open its
Randall school in early 2010, instead of fall 2011. But we are appalled
that the Corcoran now urges this Commission to approve a four-year delay, until
2015, in fulfillment of its promises to the community of an annual art
festival, an annual arts project, scholarships, and a neighborhood volunteer
program. This delay would be twice as long as we were promised.
Our support of this project did not depend on the real-estate market, nor (to
quote the applicants' May 27, 2008 letter to you) on the applicants'
"secur[ing] additional financing to complete the project." We
agreed to support the project in exchange for firm commitments, from the
applicants, to deliver certain specific benefits to the community in the
Corcoran's "first full academic year of occupancy of the Randall facility."
We consider our agreement with the applicants to be a binding contract.
We will hold the applicants to their promises under this contract.
We hope and expect this Commission to do no less.
Because ANC 6D holds its June meeting this very evening, June 9, we may be
unable to present our case in person. Nevertheless, anticipating that
this Commission will give great weight to ANC 6D's unanimous vote on this
matter, we respectfully urge you to deny the applicants' proposed PUD
modification.
Respectfully submitted,
Roger Moffatt
Chair
Randall
School SW Community Benefits
ARTS EDUCATION
A. Educator Institute:
Beginning in the academic year following the year of this agreement's
execution, the Corcoran will assign an official mentor to each DC public-school
teacher who seeks art-teacher certification through the Corcoran College of Art
+ Design.
This is currently
happening and will stay the same with the new phasing and timing of the Randall
School Project.
Beginning in the academic year following the year of this agreement's
execution, for each DC public-school art teacher, and also for each
schoolteacher designated by an ANC 6D public-school principal--whether or not
that teacher is already certified or employed to teach art—the Corcoran will
fully waive tuition for continuing-education classes not otherwise at maximum
enrollment.
This is currently happening and
will stay the same with the new phasing and timing of the Randall School
Project.
B. Graduate Students:
Beginning in the academic year following the year of this agreement's
execution, in each academic year, as part of their curriculum, the Corcoran
will require its Master's in Art Teaching students to provide arts education
for youth in ANC 6D. Some of this education will take place on
public-school days. Some of this education will include art, done by ANC
6D neighborhood youth, to beautify ANC 6D neighborhood schools.
This is currently happening and will
stay the same with the new phasing and timing of the Randall School Project.
C. ANC 6D Scholarships
1.
General Provisions
a. In
each academic year, the Corcoran will promote each category of ANC 6D scholarships by purchasing an ad in the Southwester.
This is currently happening and
will stay the same with the new phasing and timing of the Randall School
Project.
b.
The Corcoran will make, as one of its highest fundraising
priorities, raising funds to
expand the number of these scholarships.
This is currently
happening and will stay the same with the new phasing and timing of the Randall School Project.
c.
ANC 6D will make a good-faith effort to raise, from among ANC 6D
residents, funds to expand
the number of these scholarships.
This is currently
happening and will stay the same with the new phasing and timing of the Randall School Project.
d.
The Corcoran will award these scholarships beginning with its
first full academic year of
occupancy of the Randall facility.
This will happen when the entire Randall School Project
has been completed.
2. Specific Scholarships
a. Degree Program: Every academic
year in which the Corcoran receives a
qualified applicant from among the residents of ANC 6D, the Corcoran
College of Art + Design will provide at
least one (1) full scholarship, including a waiver of lab fees, for
its degree program, to an ANC 6D resident. In awarding these ANC 6D degree-program scholarships, the
Corcoran will include financial need as
one of its selection criteria.
This will happen when the entire Randall School Project
has been completed.
b.
Non-degree Courses: The Corcoran will provide at least ten (10) annual
full
scholarships, including a waiver of lab fees,
for ANC 6D residents, both youth and adults, to take non-degree art courses, at
the Corcoran, of the students' choice
These non-degree art-course
scholarships will be first-come, first-served. Each year, the actual
number of these scholarships, if more than 10, shall be determined as follows:
(1) The Corcoran will provide a formula by which, as of October 1, 2007, 0.5%
of its non-degree students equals 10; (2) On July 1 of each academic year, the
Corcoran will apply that formula to the number of non-degree students enrolled
at the Corcoran during the previous academic year; (3) The Corcoran will
communicate the resulting number to ANC 6D in writing by the July meeting of
ANC 6D; and (4) For the academic year including that July 1, the Corcoran will provide
scholarships equal to 0.5% of the number of its non-degree students for the
previous academic year.
This will happen when the entire Randall School Project
has been completed.
c.
Camp Creativity: The Corcoran will award at least 5 annual full
Camp Creativity scholarships to ANC 6D residents. After the Corcoran's
Randall facility opens, the Randall facility will host part of Camp Creativity.
The Corcoran will award 5 scholarships to Camp Creativity
in the firs phase and it will host Camp Creativity when the entire project has
been completed.
D. Artist Internships: The Corcoran will make a good-faith effort
to negotiate, with artists who have studios on-site, for potential internships
for Corcoran students with those artists.
This is currently happening
and will stay the same with the new phasing and timing of the Randall School
Project.
E. ArtReach: Once open, the Randall School will become a
Corcoran Gallery ArtReach center with an on-site ArtReach staffperson, similar
to the other ArtReach centers the Corcoran currently operates.
Currently, the
Corcoran is working with St. Augustine’s Church in operating a small ArtReach
Pilot program for SW. We will have our
Youth and Community Programs studio in the first phase of Randall. This will
include a classroom space for ArtReach programs along with other educational
programming in conjunction with our Masters in Art Teaching students.
F. ANC 6D Art Show: from March 5-April 9, 2008, students in each
of the public schools in ANC 6D will participate in an art show at the
Corcoran's art gallery at THEARC in Southeast.
This has already been completed and we are
showing a segment of the SW students
work in our Expression 2008 show at the Corcoran Gallery of Art opening on May
29, 2008 in Gallery 31.
ART IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
A. Annual Neighborhood Visual Arts Project: Beginning in its
first full academic year of occupancy at the Randall School, in each academic
year the Corcoran will designate an ANC 6D neighborhood visual arts project for
that year (ANVAP), and provide the resources needed to make that project a
reality. In selecting any year's ANVAP, the Corcoran will seek input from
ANC 6D, from the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, and from artists who live or
work in ANC 6D. However, the Corcoran alone will determine any year's
ANVAP.
This will happen when the entire Randall School Project
has been completed.
B. Annual Arts Festival: Beginning in the
Corcoran's first full academic year of occupancy at the Randall School, in each
academic year the Corcoran will organize, sponsor, and provide resources for an
annual public free-admission outdoors Arts Festival in ANC 6D. The Arts
Festival will serve as the occasion for announcing that year's ANVAP, and
include space for artists who live in ANC 6D, for Randall School faculty and
students, and for artists who have studios in the Randall facility. In
planning any year's Arts Festival, the Corcoran will seek input from ANC 6D,
from the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, and from other ANC 6D neighborhood
organizations. The Corcoran may solicit co-sponsorship from Arena Stage,
Southeastern University, and other ANC 6D institutions. However, aside from including an
announcement of each year's ANVAP, and space for artists with studios in the
Randall facility, the nature and scope of each year's Arts Festival will be up
to the Corcoran. In particular, the Corcoran will have discretion to hold
the festival entirely on a part of the Randall School rounds to which the
community has access.
This will happen when the entire Randall School Project
has been completed.
C. Corcoran Gallery Art Tours: Periodically, and
targeted to ANC 6D children and seniors, the Corcoran will lead free tours of
its own museum on 17th Street, NW, and of other DC art museums and galleries.
As to seniors, this does not commit the Corcoran to providing
transportation.
This will happen
in the first phase of the Randall School project.
D.
6D Volunteers: Within the first year
after opening of the Randall facility, the Corcoran will establish a program of
recruiting volunteers from ANC 6D for Corcoran activities at the Randall
facility and elsewhere. As part of this program and during their period
of volunteering, ANC 6D volunteers will receive full tuition waivers to take
Corcoran non-degree classes, of their choosing, not otherwise at maximum
enrollment, and free admission to at least one paid Corcoran event not
otherwise sold out.
This will happen when the entire Randall School Project
has been completed.
E. Randall Neighborhood Night: Starting with the
year in which this agreement is executed, and annually thereafter, the Corcoran
will hold an annual "Randall Neighbor Day" at its museum on 17th
Street, NW, during which ANC 6D residents (with proper identification) will
have free admission to the museum.
The first “Randall
Neighborhood Day” happened on Dec. 27,
2007 and it will continue on a yearly basis.
F. Educator Memberships: Starting with the year in which this
agreement is executed, and annually thereafter, the Corcoran will give five (5)
free year-long Individual Memberships to DC public-school teachers. The
DC Public Schools Art Director shall select each year's DC Public Schools
Corcoran Educator Members, except that (1) each year one membership must go to
a teacher in an ANC 6D public school, and (2) no DC public-school teacher can
receive an educator membership for more than two (2) consecutive years.
In addition to the general benefits of an Individual Membership, educator
members shall also have the right to one year's free membership in a Special
Interest society.
This is a benefit
that has already started and it will continue on a yearly basis.
G. Open Art Gallery: The Randall facility will have a public
gallery to which residents of ANC 6D will have free admission, except during
exhibition installation or de-installation. This gallery will have
periodic shows of art from artists who live in ANC 6D.
This will happen in the first
phase of the Randall School Project.
H. Open Student Space: The Corcoran will provide their Randall
students with workspace on the grounds of the facility, outside and visible to
the public. However, Corcoran faculty will have discretion to exclude
members of the public during art classes.
This will happen in the first phase of the Randall School Project.
I. Randall School Interim Beautification: Within three months
after execution of this agreement, the Corcoran will arrange for beautification
of the current Randall School exterior by, for example, murals covering the
plywood,
This was completed on Feb. 17,
2008 and the posters are on display at the Randall School.
J. Delaware Circle Sculpture: The Corcoran will
make a good-faith effort to obtain approval, from the DC Department of
Transportation, to place a sculpture in the middle of the circle at the
intersection of H Street and Delaware Avenue, SW. Once such approval is
granted, and no later than the opening of the Corcoran's portion of the Randall
facility, the Corcoran will obtain and place a sculpture in the middle of the
Delaware Avenue circle. This will happen in the first phase of the Randall School Project.
MEETING SPACE
If the Randall facility has a lecture hall, the Corcoran will provide
space at the Randall facility--at no charge--for 24 neighborhood town meetings
per year. If the Randall facility has no lecture hall, the Corcoran will
provide space at the Randall facility--at no charge--for 24 public community
meetings per year.
This will happen in the first
phase of the Randall School Project.
EMPLOYMENT
Except for educational services, as to administrative, management,
community-relations, landscaping, janitorial, and other services needed after
the project opens, the Corcoran, and its contractors and subcontractors, will
have-
A. An overall 5%
"first-source" employment goal for qualified ANC 6D residents; and--
B. Tie-breaking preferences, as to
service--
1. Companies,
for companies headquartered in ANC 6D, and-
2.
Workers, for qualified workers living in ANC 6D.
This will happen
in the first phase of the Randall School Project.
LOADING DOCK - No Corcoran loading dock at the Randall facility will
accommodate vehicles over 40 feet in length, and the Corcoran will not permit
vehicles over 40 feet in length to unload on the Randall grounds.
This will happen in the first
phase of the Randall School Project.
WEBPAGE - Within three months
after the execution of this agreement, the Corcoran will set up a webpage for
the Randall School project. At the Corcoran's discretion, this webpage
may be on the Corcoran's own website.
However, this webpage shall be in addition to any webpage set up by
Monument Realty or by MR Randall Capital LLC.
This has already been completed
and it will be expanded at the project grows.
ANNUAL REPORT - Beginning with the
year following the execution of this agreement, each year the Corcoran will
make an annual report, to ANC 6D and to the DC city councilmember whose
district includes the Randall facility, of the benefits covered by this
agreement. In the Corcoran's discretion, the report may be in writing;
may be a combined report by both the Corcoran and the owner or manager of the
residential portion of the Randall facility; and may include other aspects of
the Corcoran's Randall facility.
This will happen in the first phase of the Randall School
Project.
ANC
PROJECT SUPPORT - Upon execution of this agreement, ANC 6D will
support the Corcoran's currently proposed Planned Unit Development for the
Randall project, before any government bodies with the power to approve or
reject the proposal.
DEPENDENT ON MR RANDALL CAPITAL
AGREEMENT - This agreement
depends on execution of a related agreement between ANC 6D and MR Randall
Capital LLC. However, once these agreements are executed, the Corcoran's
obligations under this agreement are independent of the obligations of MR
Randall Capital LLC under its agreement.
DEFINITION - In this agreement, the term "ANC 6D" means the
Advisory Neighborhood Commission or Commissions that cover the neighborhood, or
the geographic neighborhood itself, bounded by the following: on the west,
Raoul Wallenberg Place, NW, the 14th Street Bridge, and the Potomac River; on the
south, the Anacostia River; on the east, South Capitol St. (north of I-395),
7th St., SE (between I-395 and M St., SE), and 11th St., SE (south of M St.,
SE); and, on the north, Independence Ave., NW (west of South Capitol St.),
I-395 (between South Capitol St. and 7th St., SE), and M St., SE (east of 7th
St., SE). We expect the official designation of this Commission to change
periodically with decennial reapportionment, and intend this agreement to
benefit the residents of the above-defined neighborhood in perpetuity, whatever
the designation of the Commissions that cover the neighborhood in which they
live.
The
Corcoran Gallery of Art
By:
Name: Paul Greenhalgh
Title: Director and President
Date: May 12, 2008
Advisory
Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D
By:
___________________________________________
Name: Roger Moffatt
Title: Chair, ANC 6D
Date: May 12, 2008