spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
spacer
spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer spacer

In the News

Did we miss a story or item of interest? Let us know

Developers Present Plans for Tenleytown Project
By Jonathan O'Connell, Washington Business Journal, 02/29/08
Three developers made their pitches to the Tenleytown community Thursday for the rights to expand Janney Elementary School, new housing and, possibly, a new Tenley-Friendship Heights neighborhood library.

Bank's Alley Access Draws Agency Scrutiny
By Ian Thoms, The Northwest Current*, 02/27/08

Giving Up on Smart Growth -- Adventures in Tenleytown
By Marc Fisher, Washington Post, 02/20/08

Visitor Parking Plan Nets Mixed Reviews in Ward 3
By Victoria Solomon, The Northwest Current*, 02/20/08

City Mobilizes on Pedestrian Safety
By Elizabeth Wiener, Northwest Current, 1/23/08
DDOT vets plans to reduce growing fatality rate.

Three Teams Vie for Tenleytown Project
By Jonathan O'Connell, Washington Business Journal, 01/09/08

Three teams have submitted proposals to develop a 3.6-acre site in D.C.'s Tenleytown neighborhood, a site that includes the Tenleytown Branch Library and Janney Elementary School. The teams are LCOR; Roadside Development and Smoot Construction; and the See Forever Foundation and UniDev LLC.

DC Uses Tenleytown Site to Entice New Development
By Jonathan O'Connell, Washington Business Journal, 11/09/07

There is a shrinking amount of developable land near Metro stations in the District, and almost none along the Red Line in Northwest, through some of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods. Except for the neighborhood library on Wisconsin Avenue. It, and the elementary school next door, need replacing, and the city is seeking developers interested in rebuilding them in exchange for the unique chance to build housing there too.

Condos Near Metro Require Less Parking
Letter to the Editor by John Wheeler, Northwest Current*, 10/31/07

New Library, Coffee Shop, and Park Would be Perfect
*Scroll down to read the letter*
Letter to the Editor by Ellen Myer, The Examiner, 11/07/07

The city’s [Request for Proposal] for a public-private partnership is a great idea. A mixed-use development in addition to a new library would be great for a neighborhood “center” at Wisconsin and Albemarle. I applaud these efforts and hope city officials will also consider adding a coffee shop and a small outdoor park to the plans.

Proposal to Reopen Library in Tenleytown Welcomed
*Scroll down to read the letter*
Letter to the Editor by Michael Hechter, The Examiner, 11/06/07

I’ve heard of the city’s plans to solicit proposals for a public-private partnership to rebuild the library in addition to condos or apartments above. What a welcoming addition that would be to the vibrant heart of Tenleytown!

Office of Planning to Release Tenley RFP
By David Loebsack, DCmud Blog, 10/26/07

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development will release the final Request For Proposal (RFP) for the Tenley-Friendship Library (pictured) and adjacent Janney School site on Monday, October 29. The solicitation for design plans will come more than a week after the library was demolished and several years after its closure for upgrade.

Tenley-Friendship Development Plan Criticized
By Michael Neibauer, The Examiner, 10/22/07

Tenleytown community leaders are opposing a plan under consideration by Mayor Adrian Fenty’s administration to incorporate the new Tenley-Friendship Branch Library as part of a mixed-use development on what is now public land.

Residents Fear Bank Boom is Leaving DC None the Richer
By Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 10/15/07

"It contributes nothing to the community," resident Jonathan Bender said, grousing about Commerce Bank's plan to open where he once watched foreign films. "We already have tons of banks. It replaces one of our last vestiges of funkiness."

Tearing Down a DC Library, Only to Build It Back Up
By Elissa Silverman, Washington Post, 10/04/07

The demolition of the library branch has been long awaited as a critical first step in remaking it, though it is unclear what its replacement will look like.

Suburban-Style Bank Doesn't Suit Tenley
Letter to the Editor, Northwest Current*, 08/22/07

Welcome Competition
Editorial, Northwest Current*, 08/22/07

Officials Tout Progress After Tenleytown Wait
By Victoria Solomon, Northwest Current*, 08/08/07

Contested Waters: How Rich and Poor Swim in DC
By Marc Fisher, Washington Post, 08/21/07

Quick--what's the one part of the District that has no public swimming pool? No, it's not any of the city's impoverished, struggling sections, but rather, the richest part of town, Ward 3 in upper Northwest.

Fenty Slips in Library Contracts Without Approval
By Bill Myers, The Examiner, 07/25/07

The contracts would pay architectural firms Davis, Brody, Bond, Aedas more than $2.4 million and the Freelon Group more than $2.5 million to design neighborhood libraries in Tenleytown, Shaw, Anacostia and Benning.

City Board to Weigh Historic Merit of Tenley Buildings
By Kevin Hilgers, Northwest Current*, 07/18/07

The Kojo Nnamdi Show
WAMU 88.5 FM, 07/20/07 -- Listen online

Packed meetings, long hours in court -- it's the politico's version of Summer in the City. The source of all the angst? Neighborhood libraries!

At Uptown, Sundays to Get a Dose of Divinity
By Jacqueline L. Salmon, Washington Post, 07/20/07

Starting in January, Uptown theater, the art deco movie landmark in Cleveland Park that has hosted such blockbusters as "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Star Wars," will reach a bit higher into the heavens. McLean Bible Church said yesterday that it will take over the theater's giant screen on Sunday mornings for worship services, as part of the megachurch's ambitious plan to expand across the Washington area.

ANC Committee Vets Plan for Public-Private Project
By Elizabeth Wiener, Northwest Current*, 06/27/07

Akridge Project Gains Panel's Nod
By Ian Thoms, Northwest Current*, 06/13/07

District to Overhaul Outdated Zoning Regulations
By Michael Neibauer, The Examiner, 06/19/07

The regulations manual for District development is far behind the times. “We actually have some of the oldest, dare I say antiquated, zoning codes in the country,” D.C. Planning Director Harriet Tregoning said Monday. Planning officials hope to change that over the next several years as they embark on the first comprehensive rewrite of the zoning regulations in a 50 years.

Tenley Library to Undergo Renovations
By NBC 4, 06/19/07

More residences and school space is expected after a Tenley library construction project.

Construction of New Ward 3 Pool to Start Before End of Year
By Elizabeth Cotner, The Examiner, 06/11/07

Construction of the Ward 3 Aquatic Center in Tenleytown at the site of the condemned Woodrow Wilson High School pool could begin by December and be completed by spring 2009.

Closed DC Libraries See Progress
By DCist, 06/07/07

On December 30, 2004, D.C. Public Libraries closed four branches — the Anacostia, Benning, Tenley-Friendship and Watha T. Daniel/Shaw neighborhood branches — announcing replacement libraries in 18 months.

Editorial: Finding the Right Partner
Editorial by the Northwest Current*, 05/23/07

Tenley Group Doesn't Aid Area's Interests
Letter to the Editor, Northwest Current*, 05/23/07

Tenley Residents Ponder Partnership
By Katie Pearce,
Northwest Current*, 05/02/07

Friendship Heights Condo Stirs Not-So-Genteel Debate
By Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 05/12/07

But south of Mazza Gallerie, as Wisconsin heads toward Tenleytown, the vista is less upscale, lined with car dealerships and frame shops, low-rise office buildings and inexpensive eateries.

Proposal Submitted to Merge Library, Condos
By Michael Neibauer, The Examiner, 05/04/07

A D.C. developer is proposing to merge a new Tenley-Friendship public library with a six-story condominium complex on the grounds of Janney Elementary School in upper Northwest.

New Mayor, New Chance: Will Fenty Build on DC's Investment in Metro?
By Columnist Marc Fisher, Washington Post, 05/09/07

Now, the mayor is about to get a chance to show his true colors at one of the greatest development opportunities in the city, the woefully underbuilt area around the Tenleytown Metro station. A developer, Roadside Development, has proposed a last-ditch effort to put a substantial residential building at Wisconsin Avenue and Albemarle Street NW, immediately across from the Metro station.

Letter to the Editor: Ward 3 Vision Backs Smart-Growth Policy
Northwest Current*, 05/02/07

Letter to the Editor: Akridge Just Wishful Thinking
Northwest Current*, 05/02/07

Akridge Hearing Shows Scale of Disputes
By Ian Thoms, Northwest Current*, 04/18/07

...Some residents testifying during last Thursday's hearing characterized themselves as part of a silent majority that supports the project. They said the neighborhood commission and a small but vocal group of residents have monopolized the discussion and skewed it to give the impression that most residents are opposed to the project.

A Good Partnership
Editorial by the Northwest Current*, 04/11/07

An apartment building atop a prominent library would be an ideal use of the site, located on prime real estate across from the Tenleytown Metro station.... While we do not want the library system to prolong the process of rebuilding the Tenley library, the long-overdue opening of an interim library means that now it is worth a few extra months to make sure the construction of a permanent facility is done right, particularly at a reduced cost to taxpayers.

Friendship Heights Struggles with Project
By Michael Neibauer, The Examiner, 04/09/07

Two key D.C. Council members are staking opposing positions on the impact of a mixed-use, transit-oriented development slated for Friendship Heights, a split indicative of the divide in the community over the controversial project.

Viewpoint: Urban Planning Can Save the Earth
By Adrienne Tissier, San Francisco Examiner, 04/02/07

The solutions to global warming are found in modern urban planning and zoning and three little words: Transit Oriented Development. Build well-designed, affordable housing within walking distance of efficient mass transit, and the air-fouling traffic jams will unclog themselves. Better yet, build well-designed, affordable housing within walking distance of jobs, schools and retail, and car use will plummet.

Friendship Heights Struggles with Project
By Michael Neibauer, The Examiner, 04/09/07

Two key D.C. Council members are staking opposing positions on the impact of a mixed-use, transit-oriented development slated for Friendship Heights, a split indicative of the divide in the community over the controversial project.

Developer Floats Janney-Library Plans
By Katie Pearce, Northwest Current*, 04/04/07

A proposed public-private development project on the site of Janney Elementary could allow the school to merge reconstruction of its aging facility with renovations of the neighboring Tenley-Friendship Library, according to school and library officials.

Gone Parkin'
Op-ed by Donald Shoup, New York Times, 03/29/07

Several studies have found that cruising for curb parking generates about 30 percent of the traffic in central business districts.

Plan It, Harriet: D.C.'s new planning boss sets her sights on making the city affordable, walkable
By Prabha Natarajan, Washington Business Journal, 03/23/07

... As the District's new director of the Office of Planning, Tregoning hopes to carry out her vision of D.C. as a transit-based, walkable community with plenty of retail. A place, she says, where middle-income people can afford not only to live -- but also to have enough spending money left over every month to prime the city's economy.

Neighbors Protest Friendship Heights Project
By Scott McCabe, The Examiner, 03/01/07

The Sierra Club's D.C. chapter has endorsed their plans, saying in a press release that the number of environmentally friendly features will set "new standards for green urban development." Neighbor Tom Hier also supports the project, described it as an attractive addition the block. He said it will fill the lot which he called "a broken tooth on the face of an urban street."

Residents Protest Proposed High Rise in Friendship Heights
By Roby Chavez, DC Fox 5, 03/03/07
Watch online!

Critics Rap Plan for NW Condos
By Tarron Lively, The Washington Times, 03/04/07
Allie Hajian, a member of Ward 3 Vision, said the building's proximity to the Friendship Heights Metro station will encourage public transit and make the area more pedestrian-friendly. "I personally think this is a great project that Akridge is proposing," Miss Hajian said.  "It's a very forward-thinking building," she said. "It's exactly the type of growth and development that doesn't contribute in a negative way to traffic and parking problems."

Akridge Condo Gets Planners' Backing
By Ian Thoms, Northwest Current*, 03/07/07

Proposed Building Would Benefit Area
Letter to the Editor by Robert Burchard, Friendship Heights
Northwest Current*, 03/07/07

Next Stop, Tysons
By the Washington Post, 02/18/07

Over three decades, Arlington has transformed what was once a timeworn commercial strip into a thriving corri dor of gleaming towers and busy sidewalks strung like an open necklace along Metro's Orange Line, which reached Ballston in 1979. Most notably, the surge in development along the corridor has produced relatively little additional automobile traffic, which is why Fairfax, Montgomery County and other suburbs are invoking the high-density model as the cure to their traffic woes.

Library Darts and Laurels
Blog entry by Marc Fisher, Washington Post, 02/12/07

More than two years ago, the District, in its infinite wisdom, shut down four neighborhood libraries. ...Of course, the new libraries were never built. Their designs were never even approved. And the neighborhoods have gone without any libraries. The old buildings sit padlocked or surrounded by chain link fence, monuments to colossal failure on the part of the city.

Columnist Puts 'Something in the Air'
By Julie Westfall, Northwest Current*, 02/07/07

Chevy Chase resdient Marc Fisher publishes his second book..Still Fisher wants more development to make Upper Northwest more like the city it is in, and he said it wouldn't be bad for the city's tax base either..."If we could see an extension of a very urban feel from Mazza Gallerie all the way down to Tenley Circle, I think we'd see a real step-up in vitality and usefulness of that neighborhood."

New Planning Chief Talks About Density
By Victoria Solomon, The Northwest Current*, 02/07/07

Speaking along two planning and urban-design experts at the National Building Museum last week, new DC Office of Planning director Harriet Tregoning said the city's new Comprehensive plan will serve as a foundation for development in DC while ensuring neighborhood preservation...Leinberger said the market nationwide is driving demand for places of "walkable urbanity" or areas where there are more people and better public transportation systems.

Council member wants four branch libraries reopened
By Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner, 02/12/07

Council Member Harry “Tommy” Thomas Jr. plans to focus on speeding renovations at four closed neighborhood libraries during a hearing today on the library system’s finances.

Why Don't You Walk More?
By Sue Anne Pressley Montes, Washington Post, 02/05/07

D.C. officials want more people to take to the streets. To make life easier for pedestrians, they want to widen sidewalks, redesign crossings and reduce driving speeds. They want to know where brighter lighting is needed, where more trees should be planted, which intersections are too perilous for foot traffic. For the next 10 months, officials are working on the District's first formal plan to make the area a more enjoyable -- and safer -- place to walk.

Cities Rediscover Allure of Streetcars
By Haya El Nasser, USA Today, 01/10/07

The streetcars that rumbled and clanged through many American cities from the late 1800s until World War II helped shape neighborhoods. More than a half-century later, streetcars are coming back and reviving the same neighborhoods they helped create. Several cities have resurrected the streetcar tradition and about three dozen others plan to — from Tucson, and Birmingham, Ala., to Miami and Trenton, N.J.

Transit Saves Commuters Hundreds, Saves Economy Billions
By Stephanie I. Cohen, MarketWatch from Dow Jones, 01/09/07

Americans who use public transportation are helping save 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline each year, according to report released Tuesday by ICF International. By riding buses, subways and trains to work each day Americans reduce the number of vehicles packing the roadways. That eliminates the need for 33.5 million barrels of oil each year, according to the report.

The Washington of the Future: Planning and Public Policy Perspectives, and A View from Local Communities
The Kojo Nnamdi Show, WAMU, 01/03/07

With guests including Ellen McCarty and Marc Fisher
Revitalized neighborhoods. Shorter commutes. A business corridor stretching from Northeast Maryland to Hampton Roads, Virginia. By most accounts, the region will look radically different in twenty years. We get some predictions on our economic, cultural, and aesthetic future -- and hear your wish list for the area where you live

Mayor Fenty, Please Sweat the Small Stuff
By Marc Fisher, Washington Post, 01/02/07

But I'm also looking to you to take care of some smaller things: The half-done road project near my house is virtually dormant. Preservation zealots have joined with NIMBY activists to prevent needed development along Wisconsin Avenue. And the branch library has been shut down for two years.

Many of Williams's Officials Will Serve Fenty
By Elissa Silverman, Washington Post, 12/29/06

Fenty plans to make Harriet Tregoning the director of the Office of Planning, replacing Ellen McCarthy. Tregoning is a former Maryland state planning secretary who is executive director of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute, an offshoot of Smart Growth America, a nonprofit group that advocates high-density development clustered near Metrorail stations and other transit centers.

City Could See 5,000 Additional Students Within 4 Years
By V. Dion Haynes, Washington Post, 12/14/06

"Our ability to attract people to come and stay in the District depends on our ability to have good schools," Ellen M. McCarthy, director of the D.C. Office of Planning.

Planning Office Creating Guide for DC Development
By Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner, 12/14/06

The book, which is in its preliminary stages and could be published within a year, is meant to be a tool accessible to all residents, said Patricia Zingsheim, associate director for revitalization and design for the planning office. “We want something that’s oriented to the whole community and communicates well,” Zingsheim said.

DC Bike Station Proposed
By Dr. Gridlock, Washington Post, 12/12/06

The District government tonight will present its proposal to create a Bicycle Transit Center at Union Station. The idea is to offer bike parking, rentals, repairs and accessories in a very modern looking structure of glazed panels and steel just to the west side of the train station. It's near where the Metropolitan Branch Trail, a planned bike route from Silver Spring, would pass by the station. There would be parking for about 200 bikes, some changing rooms and lockers.

DC Council Passes Green Building Rules for Private Development
By Sarah Karush, The Examiner, 12/5/06
The bill, which is expected to be approved by Mayor Anthony A. Williams, would make Washington the first major city to require private developers to adhere to the standards of the U.S. Green Building Council.

No Such Things as "Free" Parking
By James A. Bacon for Bacon's Rebellion

Free parking is like a free lunch: Someone pays, whether they know it or not. Trouble is, the hidden subsidy increases driving and worsens traffic congestion.

Car Sharing Picks up Speed -- and Groceries
By Eric M. Weiss, Washington Post, 11/30/06

Too much traffic and too little parking have already made Washington area drivers among the most enthusiastic adopters of car sharing -- and the two leading car-share companies are betting millions that many more area drivers are willing to give up their car keys.

Rethinking Glover Park
By Michael Neibauer, The Examiner, 11/28/06

In the model Glover Park, sidewalks are wide, uncluttered and lined with trees, parking is readily available, pedestrians move safely and easily and restaurants thrive. But today, a new planning document finds, the community just north of Georgetown suffers from “underutilized retail spaces,” while the “character and identity of the area is not well-defined.”

New Look at Old Convention Center
By Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 11/27/06

The master plan approved last week for the 10 barren acres at New York Avenue and Ninth Street NW, where the old convention center stood, means that locations have been selected for housing and offices and the designing can begin.

Developers: Thumbs up for Green Building Mandate
By Sean Madigan, Washington Business Journal, 11/17/06

D.C. is poised to become the first major U.S. city to require "green" building standards for almost all new office buildings, no matter if they are publicly or privately financed.

DC Moves to Become Pioneer in Forcing "Green" Construction
By Nikita Stewart, Washington Post, 11/16/06

The District is poised to become the first major city in the country to require that private developers build environmentally friendly projects that incorporate energy-saving measures. By 2012, most large construction in the city -- commercial and city-funded residential -- would have to meet the standards, if the D.C. Council gives final approval to a new bill next month.

A Primer on "Green"
By the Washington Post, 11/16/06

What makes a building green? Here are a few requirements: sidewalks to encourage walking; low-flow shower heads, toilets and faucets; energy-efficient appliances; and nontoxic paints and sealants.

Remade City Centers
By Kim Hart, Washington Post, 11/13/06

Clarendon is one of hundreds of so-called urban villages around the country that combine residential, retail and office space in a compact area, harking back to a time when city centers were thriving economic engines. As demand for the urban village rises, developers and retailers are flocking to cash in on its mass-market appeal.

More Urban, Less Village
By Kim Hart, Washington Post, 11/13/06
Clarendon, which over the past few decades has become the prototype of a modern urban village, is at a crossroads.

Stranger Than Fiction? Having People Live on Top of Branch Libraries
By Janny Scott, the New York Times, 11/13/06

No Parking: Condos Leave Out Cars
By Linda Baker, New York Times, 11/12/06

Although condominiums without parking are common in Manhattan and the downtowns of a few other East Coast cities, they are the exception to the rule in most of the country. In fact, almost all local governments require developers to provide a minimum number of parking spaces for each unit -- and to fold the cost of the space into the housing price. ...Today, city planners around the country are trying to change or eliminate these standards, opting to promote mass transit and find a way to lower housing costs.

Development Drives Election
By Amy Doolittle, Washington Times, 11/3/06

Development plans for Northwest neighborhoods have emerged as a key issue in the race for the Ward 3 seat on the D.C. Council between Democrat Mary M. Cheh and Republican Theresa Conroy.

How Will the USA Cope With Unprecedented Growth?
By Haya El Nasser, USA Today, 10/29/06

"We're going in the wrong direction right now," says Don Chen, executive director of Smart Growth America, a coalition of groups working to slow sprawl. "The rate of land consumption is twice the rate of population growth.".....Detroit, Washington and St. Louis supported hundreds of thousands more residents in 1950 than they do today. Dozens of cities across the country are well past their heyday but still have all their streets, roads, power lines and water supplies in place.

Planner: Area Needs More Jobs and Homes Near Transit
By Darci Marchese, WTOP Radio, 10/19/06

D.C. traffic is getting worse -- and it's time for transportation planners to put jobs and homes closer together, says Mike Knapp, chairman of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' Transportation Planning Board.

Cropp Pledges to Move City's Long-Range Plan Despite Council Objections
By Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner, 9/27/06
D.C. Council Chairman Linda Cropp pledged Tuesday to end “paralysis by analysis” and move the city’s long-range revamped roadmap to the full council despite objections from at least three members who questioned the timing as one administration makes way for another.

Split Aired on Development Guidelines
By Nikita Stewart, Washington Post, 9/27/06

The D.C. Council heard testimony yesterday from dozens of residents who think that the city needs a new Comprehensive Plan to guide development over the next 20 years. About 90 people spoke before the council or submitted documents, and they all said the current plan, adopted in 1984 and last amended in 1998, is outdated.

The Downtown Drag
By Steven Pearlstein, Washington Post, 9/8/06

One of the disappointing things about downtown Washington is how limited and boring its retail offerings are, particularly considering the wealth and sophistication of the millions of people who live and work in the District or visit here each year.

Study: Transit-Friendly Development is Working
By Mike Rupert, The Examiner, 8/8/06

Nearly 1 in 3 residents who live or work within a half-mile of a Metro station use the rail system daily, according to a new study that is likely to provide more fuel to efforts to develop around the region’s 86 stations.

Affordable Living, Not Just Affordable Housing
By Robert Steuteville, July/August issue of New Urban News

H ow can the goal of healthy, diverse, mixed-income, and mixed-use neighborhoods be achieved?

Residents, Interest Groups Comment on Building Blueprint
By Nikita Stewart, Washington Post, 6/14/06

Residents and special interest groups attended a public hearing about the draft plan that will guide where the District should build housing, schools, transportation and parks during the next two decades.

Preserve History, Not Random Old Stuff
By Marc Fisher, Washington Post, 5/25/06

Anti-development forces in upper Northwest are gearing up to argue for declaring a Metro bus barn across from Mazza Gallerie to be...historic.

Viewpoint: Akridge Project Would Boost Wisconsin Ave.
By Reed Fawell, Northwest Current*, 5/17/06

Akridge PUD Draws Battle in Friendship
By Victoria Solomon, Northwest Current*, 5/3/06

Viewpoint: Wisconsin Ave Building Would Add Vitality
By Allie Hajian, Northwest Current*, 5/3/06

Letter to the Editor: Upper Wisconsin Could Use Changes
By Tad Baldwin, Northwest Current*, 4/19/06

Activists Prefer Car Lots to High-Rises
By Elissa Silverman, Washington Post, 4/9/06

Although many neighborhoods in the District clamor for new construction and national retailers along their commercial corridors...Ward 3 neighbors have been fighting to limit development in the zone between Tenleytown and Friendship Heights.

ANC Requests 'Conservation' for Corridor
By Chris Kahn, Northwest Current*, 3/16/06

*Please note that the Northwest Current does not have a website.

spacer spacer

Receive email updates

First Name

 

Last Name

Email Address

I am 13 years of age or older

(FTC requirement)


Trouble submitting?
   

 

 

spacer spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
© Copyright 2006-7 Ward 3 Vision.   Get updates by email.
 
spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer