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Articles
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| The Hill in 2007 |
VOICE writes, "
By Celeste McCall
Capitol Hill residents will remember 2007 as the year we lost our beloved Eastern Market, at least temporarily. After the April 30 fire gutted the South Hall, destroying the livelihood of 14 merchants and many others, we vowed, “We will rebuild.” And rebuild we are doing with the help of our new mayor and D.C. Council member.
January
• The year began on a somber note, followed by a restrained inaugural celebration for our new mayor and council members. On Dec. 26, 2006, our nation’s 38th president, Gerald Ford, died at the age of 93. Ford’s state funeral took place at the National Cathedral Jan. 2, a national day of mourning and the same day mayor Adrian Fenty and the eight D.C. Council members were scheduled to be sworn in. In deference to Ford, public inaugural festivities were postponed until the next day, when Fenty and the council members, including Ward 6 freshman member Tommy Wells, were sworn-in. The inaugural ball was rescheduled for Jan. 6 when 15,000 party-goers jammed the Washington Convention Center for the free “people’s” event.
• Phase two of Washington’s smoking ban went into effect the day after New Year’s. Across Capitol Hill and beyond, smokers stubbed out butts in pubs for the last time. Reactions were mixed; many customers praised the long-overdue health measure, while some bar owners fretted about losing business."
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• Federal prosecutors dropped charges against former Near Northeast advisory neighborhood commissioner Anthony Rivera, concluding that a conviction might be impossible after two mistrials. Rivera was indicted two years ago, along with former neighborhood commissioner Robert Hall Jr., on 10 counts of money laundering, conspiracy and fraud. A third defendant, Thomas Alston of Largo, Md., was charged with one count of money laundering.
• On Jan. 31, Capitol Hill residents Gary and Trudy Peterson foiled a home intruder and helped police apprehend the suspects. After robbing a man at gunpoint in Northeast, the trio fled in a red Jeep, which they abandoned at 17th Street and Maryland Avenue NE. Officers arrested two suspects, but a third wound up in the Peterson’s backyard. When the young man barged into their home, Gary whacked him on the head with a skillet. The couple fled the house with the family dog, and police later arrested the teenage suspect.
February
• Capitol Hill community activist and attorney William “Frank” Reed, 75 died Feb. 3 after a long illness. Reed was co-founder, president and general counsel of the Stanton Development Corporation, where he collaborated with partners Kitty Kaupp and Ken Golding many Hill properties. As president and board member of the Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals (CHAMPS), Reed was a staunch supporter of numerous Hill initiatives in planning, zoning, and historic preservation, including the Eastern Market Metro Plaza. He also had a distinguished career in District health care, serving on the boards of the old Capitol Hill Hospital and later Medlantic Healthcare Group (now the Medstar Research Institute).
• After three fun years of dispensing nifty cards and gifts along the “Avenue,” Pulp on the Hill pulled up stakes for Provincetown, Mass. The store’s last day was Valentine’s Day, when customers dropped by for cake and champagne.
March
• On March 21, the Great Hall of the Folger Shakespeare Library set the stage for the 2007 Capitol Hill Community Achievement Dinners. This year’s recipients were writer Stephanie Deutsch, who has lived on the Hill for 30 years; John Distad, proprietor of Distad’s BP Service Center for 33 years; and Kenan Jarboe, a member of the Southeast Capitol Hill advisory neighborhood commission for more than a decade.
April
• On the 2nd, it was “play ball” for the Washington Nationals last opening day in RFK Stadium. In the sunny, shirt-sleeved weather, Mayor Fenty tossed out the first ball after an enormous American flag billowed over the field and fighter jets roared overhead. The Nats lost 9-1 to the Florida Marlins.
• Two days later, winter arrived late and with a vengeance, slapping the District with one of the coldest, nastiest Aprils on record. The day before Easter (April 7) brought a dusting of snow to Hill lawns.
• Marking his first 100 days as Ward 6 council member, Tommy Wells celebrated with a reception in his John A. Wilson Building office. At the April 11 fete, he thanked staffers and volunteers who pitched in for his 2006 primary and November general election victories.
The party highlight was a tour of the beautifully refurbished District building, including the impressive hearing room, and Mayor Adrian Fenty’s “bullpen” office complex. Afterward, Wells spoke about life as a freshman council member.
• Also in early April, District officials announced plans to move forward with development on the Hill East waterfront. Congress gave the property, which includes Reservation 13 (the 67 acres near RFK Stadium that includes the former DC General Hospital and the DC Jail), to the city last year, but the official transfer has not taken place. When the city gives the Architect of the Capital a site for its mail-sorting facility, the land will belong to D.C.
• On April 16, District residents braved bone-chilling wind and rain to rally and march down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Wilson Building to the U.S. Capitol. Led by Mayor Fenty, the group demanded full voting rights in the U.S. House of Representatives. On the edge of the Capitol grounds, Fenty and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton addressed the spirited, if soggy, group.
• The Folger Shakespeare Library, which houses the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare memorabilia, turned 75 years old. At 201 East Capitol, the theater, museum and library celebrated the milestone with performances, concerts, exhibits and other events. A highlight was the 2007 Folger Gala, held April 27. On the 29th, the Folger threw its annual bash and open house, marking Shakespeare’s 443rd birthday.
• Long-time civil rights activist June E. Johnson, who was involved in Ward 6 politics, died April 13 of kidney failure at Providence Hospital. She was 59. D.C. Del. Norton was “heartbroken to learn of her passing.” Johnson was a personal friend and ally from Norton's early days in the civil-rights movement and "a fellow warrior on the front lines seeking democracy for D.C. residents,” Norton said.
• The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington announced April 26 that it would close its Eastern Branch club in August, ending its 70–year stay at the Hill East building. The decision came after a six-month review examining the efficiency of the organization's clubs, including 11 in the District. According to a six-month study on the efficiency of the organization’s 11 District clubs, the Eastern Branch, located 261 17th St. SE, costs too much to maintain, considering the relatively few nearby low-income families using it.
• On April 30, a pre-dawn, three-alarm fire gutted the South Hall of Eastern Market and Hill residents hurried to the still-smoldering market. Mayor Fenty and Wells arrived almost immediately, and it took at least 120 firefighters to battle the blaze. (Coincidentally, another three-alarm fire nearly destroyed the Georgetown Branch Library later that day.)
But Fenty, Wells, city administrator and Hill resident Dan Tangherlini and other community leaders vowed to rebuild and within days, plans were in motion to restore the market’s interior (which will take about two years) and erect a temporary structure for the displaced South Hall merchants.
May
• Plans continued for rebuilding Eastern Market and, more important, helping displaced merchants. The Hill community pitched in with a flurry of fundraisers, and the Capitol Hill Community Foundation held a mega donation drive, which included the sale of stylish, black “Rebuild Eastern Market” T-shirts. The efforts raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. On May 2, Marty’s, the popular Barracks Row sports bar, threw a fundraising bash that garnered $58,000.
A bronze pig in Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market also lent its support. The 3-foot-high bronze porker, Philbert, is the market’s mascot, and people often toss coins into the space surrounding him. Throughout May, the Reading Terminal sent Philbert’s money to the Capitol Hill Community Foundation.
Market Day went off as scheduled on May 6 as political leaders, neighbors, vendors and supporters gathered in front of the boarded up structure. Many South Hall merchants were dispensing goods from makeshift booths while visiting [outdoor] vendors hawked beer and food.
At a Monday meeting on Eastern Market, Wells announced that the Hill's Hine Middle School would not close this September. If students do merge with nearby Eliot Middle School and the Hine building becomes a school system headquarters, it won't happen until 2008.
Groundbreaking for the temporary digs of displaced South Hall merchants was May 18 at Hine’s playground. As cameras rolled, Mayor Fenty, Wells and State Board of Education member Lisa Raymond drove a single shovel into the earth. A few weeks earlier, Hill residents and merchants had agreed on the temporary site until the market itself is restored in 18 to 24 months.
• The next day on May 19, Congressional Cemetery turned 200 years old and celebrated its bicentennial with a day-long festival and expo at the historic site.
June
• Eastern Market fundraisers continued. Appropriately, many centered around food, including a spaghetti dinner June 1 at Christ Church, 620 G Street SE, using a recipe from John Philip Sousa’s mother. The dinner raised $4,400 for the market.
• Hoopla Traders, a Barracks Row mainstay since 2002 that was known for clothing, jewelry and other sustainable merchandise, pulled up its stakes and headed for Adams Morgan. Proprietors Laurie Morin and Denise D’Amour still operate Capitol Hill Bikes at 709 8th St. SE.
• In an attempt to stop crime and keep children safe, Wells introduced legislation to establish an earlier summer curfew for young people. On June 21, the D.C. Council narrowly rejected the measure. Although it passed 7 to 6, the vote was two short of the required three-fourths majority.
• On June 23, neighbors gathered at the Rosedale Recreation Center for the First Annual Ward 6 Family Day. A diverse crowd of 400 residents — and several dozen canine companions — picnicked, swam, played softball and socialized. More than $1,000 worth of prizes were presented, including gift certificates from local businesses.
• Upscale restaurants kept arriving on Barracks Row. In June, Jordans 8, a combination steakhouse, sushi restaurant and sports bar, opened at 523 8th St. SE.
July
• In an atmosphere reminiscent of small town America, Barracks Row set the stage for the fifth annual Fourth of July parade. Fire trucks, the Marine Commandant’s Drum and Bugle Corps, mini-automobiles, Model Ts, an energetic Eastern High School Marching Band and an adorable fairy princess float marched down 8th Street to Eastern Market.
August
• Eastern Market’s temporary structure, “East Hall,” was completed. Because of delivery problems and other glitches, the grand opening was delayed until Aug. 25, but it was a day to remember. After Mayor Fenty cut the ribbon, happy crowds surged into the bright, air-conditioned building.
“It’s more than a place to buy peaches,” said Fenty, who made purchases. City administrator Dan Tangherlini greeted neighbors, community activists and South Hall merchants, who were ready to work in their new digs.
There were glitches, of course. Because of staffing and equipment problems, Market Lunch could not open until early September. Southern Maryland Seafood lacked running water and the building’s air conditioning reportedly could not handle opening day crowds.
• Barracks Row welcomed a new business — Ipso Crafto — which slid into the space vacated by Hoopla Traders. Operated by Karen Kormandy, the shop carries materials for such hobbies as scrapbooking, jewelry making, beading, sewing, embroidery and other crafts.
• On the down side, Barracks Row lost District Lock & Hardware Aug. 16, when the city seized and shut down the venerable store –which had been on the Hill since the 1940s — for failure to pay taxes. The D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue cited delinquent payments of $373,000, which came to $675,000 with interest and penalties. Would-be District Lock customers were greeted by a sign announcing a public auction September 27. Many items went unsold and Central Safe and Locksmith Company, which operates two other area stores, moved into that space.
• Plans for leasing the Naval Hospital, the crumbling red brick structure at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, moved forward, as the D.C. Office of Property Management selected the multi-use Hill Center as the building’s new tenant. However, a major flap ensued as the current occupants of the property’s carriage house, Holy Comforter/St. Cyprian Community Action Group (CAG), would be essentially evicted. CAG fought to stay put, and offered to increase their rent payments. OPM spokesman Bill Rice said the agency hoped to settle the matter by the end of the year.
September
• September began with a bang–literally. On the Sept. 5, Eastern Market was decked out to resemble an Amsterdam flower mart for a scene in the thriller, “Body of Lies.” As extras sweltered in the 90-degree heat, a fake bomb was detonated, and the huge fireball flipped over a car. The fire department was on hand in case of a mishap.
• On Sept. 8 (Second Saturday) Groovy, the funky Barracks Row card and gift shop, turned a year old. A few blocks away, Grubb’s Pharmacy, at 3rd and East Capitol streets, unveiled its “extreme makeover” with new drywall, laminate floors, shelves, ceilings and a front garden. Due to popular demand, Grubb’s soda fountain —which long-time Hill residents remember — came with the renovation.
• Also turning one was the National Garden at the U.S. Botanic Garden, west of the U.S. Capitol. The garden celebrated Sept. 8 with family-oriented festivities.
• The D.C .Council and Mayor Fenty declared Sept. 18 “car free,” urging residents to take public transportation, walk or ride bicycles. Fenty, joined by Wells, who regularly bikes to work, helped promote the effort by hopping aboard a Metrobus.
• The long-delayed opening of Laconda, (formerly Mehane), 633 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, was greeted with enthusiasm, in spite of a too-high decibel level (later remedied). The innovative Mediterranean and Italian cooking received high marks.
October
• Although business continued to improve, Eastern Market purveyors squabbled over the weekend closure of 7th Street SE to car traffic. The measure has been in place since shortly after the fire. Some say the blocked-off street fosters a spirited atmosphere; others claim it hurts business. But city officials said the situation is unlikely to change until the spring of 2008. “Whenever I’m at the market, people tell me how much they like it,” Wells said.
• Capitol Hill dog walkers and others who frequent Lincoln Park (on East Capitol Street between 11th and 13th streets) were dismayed to see much of their green space surrounded by an unsightly chain-link fence. The historic park, which once housed a Civil War hospital and honors Abraham Lincoln and educator Mary McLeod Bethune, is being upgraded. Work began Oct. 22 to replace deteriorating sidewalks on the west end of the park. However, some of the park, including the playground, is still open. According to National Park Service spokesperson Frank Young, the job is scheduled to take 90 days, but hopefully work will be completed earlier, he said.
• Capitol Hill was saddened by the death of long-time Hill resident Robert Reed, 49, who died Oct. 10 following minor outpatient surgery. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Reed successfully developed several businesses, including Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream establishments (including the one in Union Station).
• Another Hill resident, Barbara Held Reich, whose many contributions helped shape Capitol Hill, died Oct. 13. She was 84. For many years she sold real estate for Coldwell Banker. She also helped restore Philadelphia Row and form Market Row, Barracks Row and CHAMPS.
• Belga Café turned three years old Oct. 23. The Barracks Row dining destination is reportedly the city’s first Belgian restaurant, Belga celebrated throughout the week with champagne and gala dinners.
• Fire struck Capitol Hill again on Oct. 29 on the 600 block of Fourth Street NE. The fire spread to four row houses, including the home of Barbara Thompson, whose family home suffered a similar fire more than 30 years ago. Thompson’s grandmother died in that blaze. This latest fire was likely caused by oil-soaked rags which spontaneously combusted on a neighbor’s back porch. No people were hurt, although Thompson’s dog, Zeus, died in the fire.
• Local pet owners were pleased to learn that the Washington Humane Society teamed up with Alley Cat Allies to fund the new National Capital Area Spay and Neuter Center. Located at 1001 L Street SE (across from the Navy Yard), the center provides low-cost sterilization for pets, as well as stray and feral cats and dogs.
November
On Barracks Row, Café 8 (formerly Ellington at Eighth), debuted Nov. 15 at 424 8th Street SE with a Turkish and Greek-inspired menu. November also brought at least two business birthdays: Marvelous Market on the corner of Seventh Street and C streets SE celebrated its first anniversary and Homebody, the trendy housewares and gift shop at 715 8th Street SE celebrated its third anniversary.
• Mayor Fenty announced the closure of 23 District public schools on the 28th, including three in Ward 6, which would affect 5,000 students citywide. Schools chancellor Michelle Rhee said the measures will save the city $24 million. Some D.C. Council members, parents and unions criticized the measure, saying they were not consulted on the planned closings, which would happen in 2008. Among schools slated for closure is Hine Middle School.
• The same day, the city announced that it hired the urban planning organization Project for Public Spaces to help manage troubled Eastern Market. Market stakeholders have complained for years that poor management has prevented the market from realizing its full potential. Currently, the historic structure is managed as two separate entities, the North Hall and the South Hall.
December
• The city’s first measurable snowfall coincided with the Dec. 5 lighting of the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree, situated on the west lawn. A gift from Vermont, the stately, 55-foot balsam fir was also a celebration of the Green Mountain National Forest’s 75th anniversary. The approximately 4,500 “old-fashioned New England-style” ornaments were crafted by Vermont artists, community leaders and school children.
• On the 11th, two D.C. Council members introduced legislation that would require council approval for the proposed school closings. Meetings addressing wards 1, 2 and 6 were scheduled for the 17th and Jan. 9.
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Posted on Dec 18, 2007 23:16pm.
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