[WardFive] Re: Re: [ward5] ALERT: Tell Mayor Gray BACK OFF IVY CITY! Let them Breathe!

Thanks for the online & offline responses I rec'd.  I have further learned that there are also damages to the school's signage and the roof, and that back in September, 2012, the Ivy City Civic Association informed govt officials of needed repairs. 

 

Knowing Mayor Gray to possess high wisdom, having integrity, and I am sure Mayor Gray has the ability to not to have "hardened his heart" due to the lawsuit and where it stands today to know these repairs would be the right thing to do, and to at least provide some sense of peace of mind for the Ivy City Community who undoubtedly have shown how much they treasure this site, along with many others residents throughout the city, and many who may no longer live here, but have fond memories of their enlightening school days at Crummell for which they are grateful. 

 

Albrette "Gigi" Ransom
Commissioner, ANC 5C12

From: Metaphysical Angie <asisterin2050@gmail.com>
To: GigiRansom <gigifor5c12@yahoo.com>; "ward5@yahoogroups.com" <ward5@yahoogroups.com>; "ivycitycommunity@googlegroups.com" <ivycitycommunity@googlegroups.com>; "peoplespropertycampaign@yahoogroups.com" <peoplespropertycampaign@yahoogroups.com>; ParisaNorouzi <parisa@empowerdc.org>; Steve(EOM)Glaude <steve.glaude@dc.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 12:29 PM
Subject: Re: Re: [ward5] ALERT: Tell Mayor Gray BACK OFF IVY CITY! Let them Breathe!

Dont forget the lead money that was placed in the vacant school, that bishop crummel started.

Gigi Ransom <gigifor5c12@yahoo.com> wrote:

>On Sunday afternoon, 12/16/12, I went by to see the site.  With the amount of money DC Govt invested in this project, which started at approx $1.15 million to $1.9 million to now over $2 million according to the Court's decision, for which I think we paid too, too, much to repave a lot and set up a double trailer, I can't see why at least $3,000.00 wasn't put aside or added to the budget to replace the approx 6 broken windows on the building of this historic site!  I feel this further added fuel to the outrage over how this project was handled, no regard for the preservation of the entire historic structure. 
> 
>The pigeons and other birds had and will continue to have a safe and warm haven.  If these windows have been open for at least a number of years, we can only imagine the amount of bird waste and other internal deterioration and structural damage that has occurred because of this neglect.  This is a disgrace to the affected community, along with the name and accomplishments of Alexander Crummell for whom the school is name.
> 
>Many residents have been in the presence of Mayor Gray who has shared his vast historical knowledgebase of the significant contributions of distinguished African-Americans (Negroes) to improve the quality of life and opportunities not only here in DC, but around the world. I have no doubt that Mayor Gray knows of Alexander Crummell's positive impact/influence on/in society as a whole since amongst other accomplishments, Mr. Crummell: 
>    1. Was known as a pioneering African-American priest, professor and African nationalist. Ordained as an Episcopal priest in the United States;
>    2. Was an important voice within the abolition movement;
>    3. In 1873, took on the task of running St. Mary's Episcopal Mission in the Foggy Bottom area of Washington, DC.;
>    4. In 1875 he and his congregation founded St. Luke's Episcopal Church, the first independent black Episcopal Church in DC;
>    5. Had an influence on other black nationalists and Pan-Africanists, such as Marcus Garvey, Paul Laurence Dunbar (Dunbar HS), and W. E. B. Du Bois;
>6.      In 1903, Du Bois paid tribute to Crummell with a memorable essay entitled "Of Alexander Crummell," collected in his book, The Souls of Black Folk;
>7.      In 2002, the scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Alexander Crummell on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans; and,
>8.      In 1897, was one of the founders of the "American Negro Academy", an organization created in the District of Columbia that supported African-American scholarship. The organization was the first in the United States dedicated to African-American scholars, and it existed from 1897 to 1928. Other founders: John Wesley Cromwell; the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar; Walter B. Hayson, and Kelly Miller, a scientist. Presidents of the academy included W.E.B. Du Bois and Archibald H. Grimke (1903-1919), of which Dunbar and Miller have DC Public schools named after them.
> 
>Placing such a high priority on building  a bus depot without regards for the potential adverse impact on the immediate and within distance residents, with many DC government officials and the project managers on a daily basis seeing these broken windows throughout the developement of the parking lot, reflects poorly on the proper recognition and sanctity of the Alexander Crummell School, who worked diligently on behalf of African-Americans (then Negroes) in DC.
> 
>Now being aware, respectfully, I hope Mayor Gray has these windows replaced or boarded up immediately, which is a simple, small budget task, and simple, respectful thing to do.
>
>Albrette "Gigi" Ransom
>Commissioner, ANC 5C12
>
>From: Jerome J. Peloquin <jeromepeloquin@fastmail.fm>
>>To: ward5@yahoogroups.com; "ivycitycommunity@googlegroups.com" <ivycitycommunity@googlegroups.com>; "peoplespropertycampaign@yahoogroups.com" <peoplespropertycampaign@yahoogroups.com>; Parisa Norouzi <parisa@empowerdc.org>
>>Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 12:49 AM
>>Subject: Re: [ward5] ALERT: Tell Mayor Gray BACK OFF IVY CITY! Let them Breathe!
>>
>>
>>For those who have not seen it.  Here is my letter to Mayor Gray.  I is also on the Empower DC blog and The National Capital Jobs Coalition Blog at http://www.dcfirstsource.blogspot.com/  Stand up for DC forward this email to anyone you know who lives here in DC.
>>
>>Jerry
>>
>>
>>Mayor Gray ...
>>
>>I am writing in reference to the present Imbroglio involving The Crummel School and Ivy City.   I am Jerome Peloquin, Executive Director of The National Capital Jobs Coalition and a resident of Washington, DC and Ward 5. (The Jobs Coalition is a program of our non-profit, MicroVenture Support, Inc.)  I realize that thousands of issues pass before your desk and that  you must rely on competent staff to deal with many if not most of them.  I think, however at this point you need to step in and remedy a problem created by your administration and Mr. Hoskins, deputy Mayor for Economic Development.
>>
>>Incidentally,  we have had several meetings with Mr. Vincent Glaude who heads your Office of Community Affairs on issues relevant to jobs development and training.  He is being copied on this email in anticipation of  his conveying it to you.  It is my belief that the issue of the Curmmel School has reached the point where it is a, "no win," situation for our city and your administration in particular.  
>>
>>By the way, I worked for your re election, Mr Mayor ... I canvased and served as a poll-watcher for you. I attended every one of your town hall meetings.   I am not a hostile critic.  In addition, The National Capital Jobs Coalition has been active in the redrafting and crafting of the Workforce Intermediary Act.  We worked with Kilan Schroyer-Boardman in Member M. Brown's office during its journey through committees.  We held public awareness meetings in Ward 5 in support.  I am neither a crank, nor am I uninformed on the Crummel matter as we have participated and attended a number of the meetings at Bethesda Baptist and I have read the Court's recent ruling against the City.
>>
>>Perjury by the defendants - Let me be direct.  Please do not continue with this unjust, unproductive, and dishonest effort.  The findings and facts contained in the Judges granting of the  preliminary injunction provide a tawdry picture of overreaching on the part of both defendants in this matter.  It is clear that the engineer involved perjured himself at the behest of either your administration or the developers, who  were obviously trying to circumvent the environmental regs.  
>>
>>Devaluation of the ANC's - The evasion and the machinations undertaken by the city in a cynical and wrongful circumvention of the ANC (also noted by the judge) is another example of poor judgement and dishonest practice.    It is not a pretty picture.     It is simple.  Step away from the matter.  Move the buses to the former trash site on Benning road.  It is in Ward 7 but it raises no such issues.   it is accessable and with ]]easier access (down H Street) to Union Station. It is also more directly accessible to  I-95.  
>>
>>There is no upside for you or your administration here.  Mr. Mayor, move the site and actively engage with the community in turning The Crummel School into a national example of enlightened urban economic development and engagement.  You have succeeded admirably in bringing the Ivy City neighborhood together.  Turn the existing site over to the community.   Let us take advantage of that and make it a plus for the Gray administration.  I stand ready to support you in this effort and to volunteer my time and resources to that end.  Please see our suggestion as a sustainable alternative to the present course.  It will turn a political and social liability into a revenue producing asset.
>>
>>Respectfully 
>>
>>Jerome Peloquin
>>
>>----- Original message -----
>>From: Parisa Norouzi <parisa@empowerdc.org>
>>To: "ivycitycommunity@googlegroups.com" <ivycitycommunity@googlegroups.com>, "ward5@yahoogroups.com" <ward5@yahoogroups.com>, "peoplespropertycampaign@yahoogroups.com" <peoplespropertycampaign@yahoogroups.com>, Parisa Norouzi <parisa@empowerdc.org>
>>Subject: [ward5] ALERT: Tell Mayor Gray BACK OFF IVY CITY!  Let them Breathe!
>>Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:21:07 +0000
>>
>> 
>> 
>>URGENT ACTION ALERT!  PLEASE FORWARD!
>> 
>>Stand with Ivy City, Tell the Mayor:
>> 
>>LETIVY CITYBREATHE!
>> 
>>Call or Email the Mayor!
>> 
>>Tell him:
>>"Mayor Gray, I stand with residents citywide and call on you NOT to waste further public resources by appealing the Judge's decision on the Ivy City case.  Do the right thing - find another location for the charter buses, and work with Ivy City residents to restore the Crummell School for community use."
>> 
>>By Phone: (202) 727-6263
>> 
>>By Email: Mayor@dc.gov; EOM@dc.gov
>> 
>>COPY THE COUNCIL: mailto:%7Bpmendelson@dccouncil.us; abonds@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
>> 
>> 
>>VIEW THE VIDEO: http://tinyurl.com/CrummellVideo
>>SIGN THE PETITION:http://tinyurl.com/ivycitypetition
>> 
>> 
>>BACKGROUND INFO:
>> 
>> On Dec 10, 2012 Judge Judith Macaluso ruled in FAVOR of the plaintiffs from the Ivy City community who sued the Mayor and Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) to stop the construction of a polluting charter bus parking lot that would bring hundreds more diesel-burning vehicles to an area already suffering from poor air quality and high incidents of respiratory illness.
>> 
>>The Judge found that the Mayor and USRC had violated DC law by failing to notify the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) and treat their input with "great weight," thereby disenfranchising the community.
>> 
>>The Judge also found that USRC lied on intake forms to evade the requirement of conducting an Environmental Impact Study.
>> 
>>The proposed site of the charter bus lot is the Alexander Crummell School, a historic landmark and cherished heart of the Ivy City community.  Empower DC and the Ivy City Civic Association have identified partners to fulfill the community's vision of restoring Crummell School for community uses including adult education and job training programs, which is consistent with the recommendations of DC's Comprehensive Plan and several other DC planning documents.
>> 
>>Despite dire environmental conditions in Ivy City that are causing illness and premature death, and despite breaking DC's laws and long-time promises to the Ivy City community, the Mayor has arrogantly dismissed the community's outcry and indicated that he will appeal the Judge's ruling, wasting further public resources as he attempts to force these buses on an already burdened community.  Long time residents and new homeowners who were recently sold affordable homes subsidized and marketed by the city feel betrayed by the Mayor's actions.
>> 
>>IvyCity's victory has citywide implications.  We are tired of broken promises, developer-driven planning, disenfranchisement of the ANC and fake community input.  Send the Mayor a message - stand with Ivy City!
>> 
>>For more information contact Parisa at Empower DC, (202) 234-9119 or parisa@empowerdc.org
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>Parisa B. Norouzi
>>Executive Director
>>Empower DC
>>1419 V St, NW
>>Washington, DC 20009
>>(202) 234-9119 x 100
>>http://www.empowerdc.org/
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>Email had 1 attachment:
>>    * image001.jpg
>>  46k (image/jpeg)
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