Tuesday, 17 July 2012

[WardFive] RE: Shaed Elementary School 300 Evarts attached to Edgewood Rec

This School sits empty and has been closed for over a year. We have a comunity petition with 60 signatures from the community attached to a document I put together that ANC put great weight behind. The community wants the school to be a Family Life Center with computer lab, new rec, and Librbary.

I have given this document to every councilmember, Deputy Mayor, and DCPS. At the moment the school sits frozen according to the Council. Our rec is very small and we need a new rec/community center in Edgewood.

I send you this email because this community has neglected for years and the Council on Ed has said nothing. I just think there should be fair coverage schools sitting in Ward 5. I hope you will add this to your list and I will be happy to give you the 25 page document so you are educated on the short history.


Boston


From: jeromepeloquin@fastmail.fm
To: Brookland@yahoogroups.com; ward5@yahoogroups.com; wardfive@googlegroups.com
Subject: [WardFive] EMERGENCY-Ivy City-Save The Crummel School
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 10:33:05 -0400

HELP SAVE THE HISTORIC CRUMMEL SCHOOL FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS ... THIS IS OUR HISTORY
 

Dear All,

 

It is with great urgency that I write to share both exciting and devastating news regarding the future of the historic Alexander Crummell School.

 

The great news is that there is finally an entity interested in carrying out the Ivy City community's vision for the creation of workforce development center at Crummell School.  That entity is the Workplace DC Collaborative, a network of DC's most established adult education, job training and job placement nonprofits.  Per the attached concept paper, these entities (such as Academy of Hope, Byte Back, Jubilee Jobs, etc) have come together to find a shared home and have agreed Crummell and the surrounding community would be a good fit. 

 

This use is directly in keeping with the community's vision and would serve the great needs in the area (see attached fact sheet/need assessment), comply with the Comprehensive Plan [Action UNE-2.1.C: Crummell School Reuse - Rehabilitate the historic Crummell School for a community benefit use, such as adult education, a trade school, or art studio space.] as well as fulfill the legacy of the school's namesake, the Rev Dr Alexander Crummell – an abolitionist and educator who worked for the uplift of low income African Americans.

 

The very sad news is that Mayor Gray has authorized the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation to use the Crummell School lot for the relocation of Bolt Buses.  This would bring 65+ buses to the community per day, contributing to pollution, traffic, and eroding quality of life.  The Mayor recently erected a sign on the site saying "Coming Soon, Bolt Bus Depot" and has moved forward with these plans despite community opposition, lack of ANC input, and lack of Ward 5 Council representation.  See the attached document outlining the city's plan to build a lounge for the Bus Drivers on the site.  Also attached are letters of opposition from LISC DC, a second letter with a number of other organizations, and petitions against the plan with community signatures.  ANC 5A passed a resolution opposing the plan this past weekend, as we have asked ANC 5C to include it on their agenda tomorrow night. 

 

Thankfully, our new Ward 5 Councilman McDuffie has expressed his support for the residents and their alternate vision for the site.  I write as a follow up to a meeting we had with the Councilman last week, during which he was pleased to hear about the multiple entities that have an interest in the restoration of Crummell for job training and recreation, not bus parking.

 

We request the following:

 

1)     please immediately send a message to the Mayor urging him to halt the process of relocating Bolt Buses to the Crummell site.  Messages can be sent to Mayor@dc.gov; eom@dc.gov and copied to the full Council {pmendelson@dccouncil.us; mbrown@dccouncil.us; vorange@dccouncil.us; dcatania@dccouncil.us; jgraham@dccouncil.us;jackevans@dccouncil.us; mcheh@dccouncil.us; mbowser@dccouncil.us; kmcduffie@dccouncil.us; twells@dccouncil.us; yalexander@dccouncil.us; mbarry@dccouncil.us}.  Email me for suggested language if needed. 

 

2)     Please attend an emergency meeting about this issue in the community on Monday, July 126th at 6:30 PM, at Trinity Baptist Church, 1814 Central Pl, NE.  Michael Durso of the Deputy Mayor's office and Eulois Cleckley of the Dept of Transportationhave confirmed their attendance.  We need you there. 

 

3)     Please forward the action alert to your networks, which will include a link to an online petition against the Bolt Buses.  I will send the alert to you under a separate email

 

4)     Please participate in a meeting with Councilman McDuffie to discuss how we can make the Workplace DC a reality at Crummell School.  I will work with the Councilman's office to schedule the meeting.  For now please reply to me to indicate your interest in working with us moving forward

 

As the Councilman said, it's not over til it's over… and actually, this may be our chance to shine a bright light on this issue and finally move in the right direction for the community.

 

Feel free to contact me or Andria Swanson at (202) 234-9119 for more information or to discuss.

 

Many thanks,

 

Parisa Norouzi

Executive Director

Empower DC

(202) 234-9119 x 100

 

This message was sent to:

Ward 5 – Councilman McDuffie and Corey Griffin

Manna Inc - George Rothman

Mi Casa - Elin Zurbrigg & Fernando Lemos

DC Habitat for Humanity -  Heather Phibbs

Workplace DC Collaborative - Marina Streznewski & Bob Wittig (Jovid Foundation)

Empower DC - Parisa Norouzi

Horning Family Foundation - Missy Young

Share Fund - Pamela Nash & Julie Jacobson

City First Enterprises - Dave Wilkinson

Stoiber & Associates Architects - Nicle Mroczkowski & Jeff Stoiber

Ivy City Civic Association - Andria Swanson  & Rodney Glover

Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development – Bob Pohlman

Local Initiatives Support Corporation DC – Marty Mellett & Ramon Jacobson

 

Attachments:

Ivy City Fact Sheet/Needs Assessment

Workplace DC Concept Paper

LISC Letter to Mayor re Bolt Buses

Empower DC/sign on letter to Mayor re Bolt Buses & Signed petitions against Bolt Buses

Union Station Bolt Bus Parking Plan

 

Attachments

Documents

  • LISC Gray Bolt Bus Letter June 2012.pdf(64k) View Download
  • TWPDC Concept Paper and Business Model 032712.pdf(541k) View Download
  • Ivy_City_Fact_Sheet 7.12.pdf(296k) View Download
  • Union Station Bolt Bus Parking Plan 2012.pdf(391k) View Download
  • Bolt Bus Ltr to Mayor & Petitions.pdf(2.4M) View Download
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