VOICE Vol. 5 No. 5 August 2003 of The Hill This Month 10 Uline Arena: Is There A Future? 14 H Street Neighborhood Story: The Conclusion 20 Congressional Renaissance 21 Mold: The Creature in the Basement 22 XM: A New Age of Radio 24 A Noble Cause 25 The Politics of Hair 27 Werner Fornos: A life of Perseverence 29 Inside Post 8 32 The Veggie Harvest 36 Courtney’s Adieu 37 Out to Pasture 39 C’est La Vie 40 Life’s A Beach Departments VoiceMail............................................3 City Desk............................................4 DownLoad ..........................................7 Ask Judith ........................................42 Armchair Movie Reviews....................45 Business Bits ...................................46 Business Snapshot...........................47 Health and Fitness............................48 Barracks Row ...................................50 H Street Main Street .........................51 Ask the Vet.......................................52 Kids’ Sports .....................................54 Kids’ Calendar ..................................56 Capital Kids......................................57 Community Calendar .........................57 Horoscope........................................59 Classifieds .......................................59 Business Services ............................60 Restaurant Review ............................62 Amidsummer’s night…Capitol Hill style TODD AND STAN’S JULY ACTIVITY 219 12th Street, NE #1 (Selling Agents) Listed @ $289,000 Under Contract 1243 I Street, NE (Selling Agents) Listed @ $339,000 Under Contract 633 C Street, NE (Listing Agents) Listed @ $499,500 SOLD 1803 Burke Street, SE (Selling Agents) Listed @ 289,999 SOLD 1814 Bryant Street, NE (Selling Agents) Listed @ 135,000 SOLD 301 G Street, NE #21 (Selling Agents) Listed @ $299,000 SOLD 4617 Arkansas Ave, NW (Selling Agents) Listed @ $379,000 SOLD 225 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, S.E. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20003 TEL: 202-544-3900 FAX: 202-546-1771 PETE’S JULY ACTIVITY 700 12th Street, NE (Listing Agent) Listed @ $435,000 SOLD 401 Kentucky Ave, SE (Selling Agent) Listed @ $359,000 SOLD 420 South Capitol Street, SE (Listing Agent) Listed @ $409,000 SOLD 227 S Street, NE (Listing Agent) Listed @ $309,000 SOLD Coming Soon: New renovation near the Potomac Avenue METRO! $419,000 BISSEY &BISSEY Residential & Commercial Real Estate Consultants 202-841-SOLD “WHEREWASHINGTON SHOPS FOR ANEWADDRESS!” Sales • Rentals • Commercial Leasing • Property Management www.johncformant.com 331 7th Street, NE 1310 Congress Street, SE 323 7th Street, SE 1411 5th Street, NW Large 3 Level 2BR/2.5BA home on serene block with 2 car PARKING! $529,000 Call Todd Bissey at 202-841-SOLD (7653) Gorgeous renovation of 3BR/2.5BA w/ gourmet kitchen, PARKING, & sep. rental unit! $495,000 $459,500 Call Pete Frias at 202-744-8973 Magnificently renovated & sunny 3BR/2.5BA w/ vast open interior, oak flrs throughout, beautiful finishes, gourmet kitchen, & more! $415,000 $369,000 Call Pete Frias at 202-744-8973 Zoned for Residential or Commercial. Over 1700 sq. ft. of renovated office space within 2 blocks of the METRO! $419,000 Call Pete Frias at 202-744-8973 20 Q Street, NW 407 O Street, NW 1231 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Investor’s delight: 2 large 3BR apartments, central air, storage basement, & 2 car PARKING in Red Hot Shaw! $429,000 Call Pete Frias at 202-744-8973 PETEFRIAS, ESQ. Winner of GCAAR’s highest honor, the Platinum Award. 202-744-8973 Todd Bissey & Stan Bissey Pete Frias OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE Over 450 sq. ft. of beautifully appointed office space ideally located on top of Eastern Market & METRO! This 2nd Floor office has its own private entrance, 3 built-in desks, a built-in conference table, full kitchen, full bath, tons of light, & extra loft storage. $1,600/month +electric Call Stan Bissey (301) 332 8651 Over 10,000 sq. ft. of GUTTED space 2 blocks from the Congress Heights METRO! 13 units: 7 2BRs & 6 1BRs. NEW MODIFIED BITUMEN RUBBER ROOF & OFF STREET PKG for 13+ cars! Solid bldg & only $20K/unit. Call Todd Bissey at 202-841-SOLD (7653) Frances; CHAW’s Kindermusik classes, led by Sue Hendrickson and Mary Jester; the Watkins Elementary School Drum Club with Bryan King; the Peabody Safety Patrol, the Roving Rollerblader, the Capitol Hill Bike Kids and all the other marchers! The Liberty Float was the creation of the talented Harrison Girls, with mom and dad, Libby and Ben, driven by Randolph Harrison. The Arrunategui and Peterson families created our other fantastic float. The vintage cars belonged to Dana Gillespie and Sandy McCall, and our wonderful pace cars, the Mini- Coopers, were driven by their owners Marina Martin and Maria Rios. Victoria Lord helped organize the marchers at Eastern Market, and her husband, Mark Eckenwiler, entertained everyone with his juggling skills. And last, but certainly not least, what would we have done without Engine Co. 18 leading off the parade with its fire truck, and MPD’s finest from the 1st District Substation blocking the street and keeping us safe? This first parade was so fantastic, and exceeded all our expectations to such a degree that I can hardly believe that it could get any better—but I know it will, thanks to the wonderful smalltown community that we are all so fortunate to live in—Capitol Hill. This began as one small idea on the Watkins playground and has turned into what I know will be an instant tradition, so start planning your parade entries now for 2004!! Many, many thanks to you all. GINA ARLOTTO Bergman, who gave so generously toward all the flags, balloons and other handouts; and Wentworth-Levine and Marina Martin, who also provided for many of the prizes for the kids. Thanks also to CHAMPS and Bill Rouchelle, along with Laurie Morin and Denise D’Amour of Hoopla and Capitol Hill Bikes for the fabulous balloons and bubbles that transformed the street into such a festive scene. Lieutenant Herold and Officer Gamble with the MPD assisted with securing the parade permit, and the Capitol Hill Cookie Monsters’ Bake Sale raised over $1,000 for Share Our Strength. The highlight was the impromptu concert put on by the Commandant’s Own Drum and Bugle Corps, just as we made the turn to come back up 8th Street. This concert was made possible by Sharlene O’Brien, wife of the 8th and I commanding officer Col. Daniel O’Brien, and I just can’t thank her enough for her help! Even though I had called and talked to the Marine Band’s scheduler many times, they couldn’t promise anything, since the 4th is obviously a busy day for them. But when Mrs. O’Brien saw us coming down the street, she sprang into action! Hundreds of people marched and watched, and a big thank you goes to these fantastic marchers, including the Capitol Hill BID with their wonderful Clean Team and Bicycle Ambassadors, and Dan Tangherlini and Bill Rice at DPW, who sent the much-sought after pothole repair truck! Everyone loved the Boy and Girl Scout troops, the stroller brigades, Bildad and his fabulous Harley; the Capitol Hill Cooperative Playschool and Nursery School, led by Garland Scott and Ms VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 www.voiceofthehill.com 3 Voicemail The Voice of the Hill is published and distributed monthly to Capitol Hill residences and business locations. The focus is on the community and includes contiguous neighborhoods from Gallaudet University to the Navy Yard and from the Capitol to the Stadium Armory Complex.Publication and distribution is the last Friday of each month. Advertising deadline is the first of the month preceding publication. Voice of the Hill 120 11th St., SE, Rear Washington DC 20003 202-544-0703 Main office 202-547-5133 Fax www.voiceofthehill.com editor@voiceofthehill,com bruce@voiceofthehill.com patti@voiceofthehill.com adele@voiceofthehill.com Staff Scott Shumaker Editor Bruce Robey WebMaster Adele Robey Graphic Design and Production Courtney Bell, Assistant Editor Patti Shea, Political Reporter Larry Kaufer, Sports Editor Publishers Phoenix Graphics, Inc. T/A Voice of the Hill Community Action Group: Distribution Contributing Writers Laurie Aomari Stephanie Briggs Judith Capen JoAnne Carey Gene Clapp Nick Germanotta Colin Gustafson Dug Hanbicki Larry Kaufer Jessica Leshnoff Memberships Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington Barracks Row Business Alliance Independent Free Papers of America H Street Merchants Association VOICE of The Hill Celeste McCall Bill McLeod Gene Miller Andrew Noyes Julia Robey Shirley Serotsky Patti Shea Nicole Spiridakis Robert Wander Barbara Wells Restoration Society Responds To the Editor: Although my personal preference is to ignore Mr. [Larry] Quillian’s confused and misleading letters (June 2003 Voice of the Hill), I have been persuaded to write in response to set the record straight. The Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) has indeed supported the request by the neighbors of the house Mr. Quillian owns at 1229 E St., SE, for the removal of the curb cut there. Doing so has nothing whatsoever to do with the potential for development of the properties Mr. Quillian owns in the 1200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. The house on E Street is residentially zoned, and the curb cut there does not link to the Pennsylvania Avenue properties, which are commercially zoned. There is a curb cut on Pennsylvania Avenue which allows access to them. There is a clear record of CHRS support for the development of the Pennsylvania Avenue properties, including concurrence in a raze permit for historic structures there in order to make development easier. We are also clear in opposing Mr. Quillian’s attempts to pursue demolition by neglect of the E Street house that he purchased in 1993. Steps are being taken by the Office of Corporation Council, the Historic Preservation Office (Office of Planning) and the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs to insist that the house be made habitable. In short, the Shotgun House and the Pennsylvania Avenue properties are separate issues, and the curb cut removal accords with the neighbors’ preference and DC regulations. There are no obstacles to progress other than Mr. Quillian’s own priorities. ROBERT L. M. NEVITT President Capitol Hill Restoration Society Thanks for a Successful Parade Dear Editor: I would like to thank all those who supported the Capitol Hill Cluster School’s first annual Fourth of July Parade on Capitol Hill and turned out to make it such a huge success! The idea for this parade was conceived of just a mere five weeks before July 4th, and it came off without a hitch, thanks to a great group of dedicated helpers: Libby Clarke and the Capitol Hill Cluster School PTA, through Principal Jennifer Smith, and PTA President Gary Carleton for all their support; Robert One Hundred Words from the Hill The Voice Continues Popular Contest for Readers What can you say in 100 words? Plenty. Continuing in our September edition, The Voice of the Hill is giving our readers the chance to express themselves in 100 words. Each month, we’ll give you a different theme, and let your creative juices flow! Whether it’s a poem, a written memory, or a funny observation, your words will no doubt strike a chord with our readership. We will select our favorites each month and publish them in that edition. Guidelines are as follows: 1. Entries must follow the assigned theme for that month (examples: love, home improvement, gardening); 2. Entries must be sent via email to votheditor@hotmail.com, or via snail mail at 120 11th Street, SE (Rear), Washington, DC 20003; 3. Entries must include the author’s name, address, and contact number and email address. The current contest theme is SECURITY. We will publish the best entries in our July edition. The deadline for entries is August 15. 4 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 cityDesk COVERING THE HILL’S POLITICAL SCENE AND MORE Tati Kaupp and Kitty Kaupp Coldwell Banker-Pardoe 546-7000 x 257/247 kkaupp@coldwellmove.com ANC 6A and ANC 6C Joint Meeting Held H Street Zoning and Overlay Recommendations Heard ANC 6A and ANC 6C held a joint meeting June 25 to present to the DC Office of Planning their collective zoning recommendations for the revitalization plan for the H Street corridor. Both ANCs represent portions of H Street, NE, with 8th Street, NE, serving as a border. According to Gottlieb Simon, Director of Office of Area Neighborhood Commissions, this was the first time in the history of DC government that two ANCs held a joint meeting to formally make recommendations to the city. These recommendations included the development of an overlay district; specific zoning changes to the 300 and 600 blocks of H Street; zoning-related incentives for specific types of commercial uses along the corridor; design standards for new development; and design guidelines for new development requiring special exceptions to standing zoning requirements. The consideration of these recommendations was the only point of business for this meeting, which was hampered at the outset by the lack of a quorum for both organizations. Discussion continued on the merits of the recommendations and four subsequent amendments offered by the commissioners and Norman Beeke, a local developer. The commissioners worked through the merits of the recommendations and amendments informally, as no quorum meant no official business. After two hours, a quorum was finally established for each ANC. The joint committee approved the recommendations on a vote of nine in favor with one abstention. A series of amendments relating to the use of green space, bicycle storage requirements, use of recycled material for building construction and best practices to achieve low energy uses (provided by Commissioner Bob Morris) were also discussed, but not officially approved as part of the recommendation. The joint commission voted to include these amendments as areas of concern. The entire package will be forwarded to the Office of Planning. The next step in the process will be for the Office of Planning to complete the zoning text amendment application and submit it to the Office of Zoning. That office will then hold a series of public meetings and hearings during the fall as it considers the adoption of the zoning overlay text amendment for the H Street corridor. For more information, interested persons are asked to contact Commissioner Cody Rice at rice_cody@yahoo.com (ANC 6A) or Commissioner Bob Morris at mssbobm@earthlink.net (ANC 6C). Grant Application Approved By 6A Commissioners Form Makes it Easier for Residents to Apply for Community Project Grants BY PATTI SHEA ANC 6A made it easier for residents to apply for community project grants during its July 11 meeting. The panel approved a one-page application form for neighborhood associations and other organizations to request subsidization for public events. Grants are often issued to activities focused on the public good, such as cultural field trips, literacy projects or music programs. At issue, however, is the legality of the commission’s ability to distribute grants to individuals or service providers, and not simply to non-profits, as stated in the ANC charter. Discussion from the panel and audience members turned to the issuance of checks to individuals instead of to registered organizations. Commission Treasurer Nick Alberti said he had reservations about distributing checks to individuals. 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Excello Hearing Scheduled A public hearing is scheduled regarding the reissuing of the liquor license for Excello Liquor, located at 419 13th St., NE. Commissioner Michael Musante will represent the commission at a July 23 hearing in front of the ABC board. The commission strongly opposes the store, claiming it has a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood. Before this hearing, a sit-down meeting has been scheduled with the store owners, ANC commissioners and board members to try and work out a compromise. Musante said the sit-down meeting is a little too late. “We’re way beyond the halfway point,” he said. Trash Talk Fines will be issued to residents of Gail, Rosedale and Kramer Streets who do not put trash in new cans in alleys behind the homes for pick up, Commissioner Gladys Mack said. The fines range from $35 for residents who fail to dispose of waste property to $5,000 for illegal dumping. Any residents with questions can call 202-673-6833. Wanted: Office Space The commission’s request to obtain office space in a city building within its district went unanswered by the city’s Office of Property Management. Commission Chair Joseph Fengler said the office stated there is no space available for 6A to locate. At the meeting, Fengler said he will send a letter to the mayor requesting a stipend to subsidize the panel renting from a private property owner. Website Plans Move Forward The commission unanimously approved a notion to ask students at Gallaudet University to design 6A’s website. A letter will be sent to the college’s computer department with the request. The panel will wait to see if any charges will come with the design. Commissioners hope the students will be able to receive course credit for the project, but added that there is money set aside in the budget should any nominal charges surface. If Gallaudet turns down the commission proposal, the panel paved the way to get bids for a private firm to do the job. Light Rail Meetings Scheduled Metro will hold a series of meetings concerning a pilot program of a light-rail system in Anacostia. The line would be one of four lines citywide and begins at the John Philip Sousa Bridge on Pennsylvania Avenue, continuing southwest, paralleling the Anacostia River and ending at Bolling Air Force Base. The first meeting is set for 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, at the Southeast Branch Library, located at 403 7th St., SE. The second meeting is at the same time on July 30 at the Southwest Branch Library, 900 Wesley Place, SW. Interested residents can visit the project’s website at www.publicspaceforum.org. Bike Lanes to be Added The District Department of Transportation announced it will install bike lanes on C Street, NE, spanning from 6th through 15th Streets and 14th and 15th Streets between Maryland Avenue, NE, and Potomac Avenue, SE. The five-foot wide lanes won’t impact parking or driving lanes, officials said. The move is a part of the Capitol Hill traffic-calming measures and transportation plans. Officials say the lanes are popular among bike riders, and their use cuts down on accidents. DDOT doesn’t plan on installing the lanes until the end of summer. Lincoln Thinkin’ Commissioner Alberti said talks are continuing with park police about the closing hours of Lincoln Park. Current signage states the park is closed from dusk to dawn, but the commission is trying to change the hours to make it more reasonable for residents’ use. Treasurer’s Report Treasurer Alberti said the city auditor plans to release the commission’s allotments for the first and second quarters. According to Alberti, the panel will receive two payments, one for $8,947 and the other for $5,400, as soon as funds have been cleared through the city treasurer. For the third and fourth quarter, the commission is expected to receive two checks for $5,468. Checking account: $1,892.65 Savings account: $4,086.26 Commissioners present were Michael Musante, Joseph Fengler, Cody Rice, Wanda Stevens-Harris, Nick Alberti and Gladys Mack. Commissioners Jessica Ward and Colleen Harris were absent. 6A will not meet in August. The next meeting will be on Thursday, Sept. 11, at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th St., NE. Residents can call 202- 423-8868 for more information. ANC 6D Members Scoff at Ft. McNair Expansion Plans Army’s Plan to Expand on Adjacent Lot Discussed BY PATTI SHEA ANC 6D members scoffed at the US Army’s plans to expand Fort McNair during the commission’s monthly meeting July 14. Consultants hired by the Army presented the project to the board that calls for purchasing roughly eight acres of prime real estate in Southwest for expansion of the National 202-544-4366 www.fdgrayton.com 6 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 Wright Rowland, LLC Historic Conservation Consultants _ Preserve the historic character of your neighborhood while earning significant federal income tax benefits.We can assist you in making a charitable contribution of a facade easement on your property, which the IRS has concluded should result in an income tax deduction of 10-15% of the property’s appraised value. Phone: (202)543-9477 Email: wr@jswright.com Defense University, a project pushed by the Defense Department. Consultant Bill Wilbert said the Army wants to expand onto the 8.5-acre lot adjacent to the base, but may not get the clearance from Department of Defense officials for the purchase. The department placed a moratorium on the Army from obtaining land inside the District, and it can only be waived by the Secretary of Defense. Plans for the $105 million project include upgrading the base’s physical fitness center, as well as expanding the NDU campus. The extra land is needed to provide post-Sept. 11 security buffers, Wilbert added. Nonetheless, the news of the possible land purchase wasn’t received well among the panelists. Commissioner Andy Litsky said he didn’t like to see the vacant land, which has been eyed for 550 multifamily units, to go unused when it could be utilized to bring tax dollars into the city. “It affects the wellbeing of the people that live there,” Litsky said about the project. “I don’t see what it has to do with national security.” A representative from the Army was not present at the meeting. The consultants did not need a recommendation or other action to be taken by the ANC; the presentation was strictly informative. Wilbert said there are two plans in the works: one with the lot and one without. Both plans have been submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission and are slated to go before the board in October. If the base doesn’t get the waiver by the secretary, plans without the eight-acre plot will move forward, he said. City special projects planner Steve Cochran said the expansion project isn’t well liked inside City Hall, but didn’t sound too optimistic that it would be held up. “Realistically, what the Army wants, the Army gets,” Cochran told the panel. The planner said the city agrees with the commissioners that the loss of thousands of dollars of potential tax revenue isn’t the best use for the land. Johnson: NCPC Bucks Commission Commissioner Ed Johnson said the National Capital Planning Commission ignored the pleas from the panel to have a voice in the development of Waterside Mall. Mail snafus caused the ANC’s letter of protect to land in NCPC’s box after the petition date was closed. Johnson said the letter was dated and stamped before the closing date, but the panel refused to hear the argument. “They’re not community friendly,” Johnson added. As a result, the commission unanimously decided to send a letter to the planning board chair, stating its protest. Since the planning office doesn’t accept correspondence through email, commissioners also decided to send future letters via fax and postal service. The Waterside Mall development is a consent item on an upcoming NCPC meeting. Public Safety Meeting Scheduled The commission set Aug. 18 for a special public safety meeting with neighborhood associations and law enforcement officials. Rising concern over crime in the area pushed the panel to plan the discussion. Incidents concerning the Waterside Mall will be among the topics of discussion. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m., but the location has yet to be determined. Concerned citizens can call 202-554-1795 for more information. Waterfront Businesses to be Warned Letters will be sent to businesses along the Waterfront regarding noise pollution during summer events. Several commission members complained about loud music coming from restaurants and bars, which violates the city noise ordinance in that area. Commissioner Johnson said he researched the issue and found that the Waterfront does not have special consideration with noise ordinances, unlike commercial areas downtown. The letter will include Johnson’s findings, as well as express the concerns of the impact the noise has on residents in the immediate area. Treasurer’s Report Treasurer Bob Siegel said despite some outstanding drafts, the commission’s bank account is healthy. Checking $19,078.09 Savings $5,105.81 Commissioners Edward Johnson, Charles Hargrave, Mary Williams, Andy Litsky, Roger Moffatt, Ahmed Assalam and Robert Siegel were present. No commissioners were absent. The board’s next meeting will be begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8, at Westminster Church, 400 I St., SW. Residents can call 202-554-1795 for more information. Patti Shea can be reached at patti@voiceofthehill. com. GIL PAINTING CO. Residential • Commercial Interior and Exterior Painting Plastering,Drywall,Wallpaper Removal Power Washing, Carpentry Good References • Low Prices Free Estimates (301) 370-9940 • (301) 445-4385 Licensed. Bonded. Insured Looking for an affordable, faith-based private elementary school? Cornerstone Community School offers: Scholarships Small class size Strong discipline Parental involvement Mandatory homework Academic excellence Dedicated teachers Faith-based curriculum School uniforms High quality instruction Scholarships available! Immediate seats available for students in grades K-6 For more information call 202-543-2881 907 Maryland Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 www.voiceofthehill.com 7 VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 Doolittle Guest House 506 East Capitol Street A spacious and conveniently located bed and breakfast. 202 546-6622 www.doolittlehouse.com downLoad ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM THE VOICE WEBSITE FOR THE LAST MONTH We really do take the mystery out of real estate (202) 399-1999 or (202) 543-0954 by appointment only www.sherlockehomes.com PANCHITA BELLO Broker Licensed DC, MD and VA The following stories have appeared on www. voiceofthehill.com during the past month. If you’d like your information to appear on our well-read website, please send it to editor@voiceofthehill.com. Office of Property Management Announces Settlement of Litigation Over Eastern Market Government to Collect Increased Rent, Pursue Improvements The DC Office of Property Management announced in early July a tentative settlement with Market Five Gallery, Inc., to resolve a long-standing dispute regarding the North Hall and adjacent grounds of Eastern Market. Aimee Occhetti of OPM explained: “We have reached a tentative agreement with Market Five, under which it will become a regular, rent-paying subtenant at the market—cooperating with the city, the market manager, and the other vendors in fulfilling the community’s vision for this historic public market. We believe this tentative settlement will improve the operations at the market and enhance the Market’s ability to be financially self-sustaining,” Occhetti added. Market Five had objected to DC’s efforts to increase the payment for use of the North Hall and adjacent grounds in conjunction with the city’s efforts to implement the Eastern Market Act. The act calls for a market manager to be put in place to administer the day-to-day operations for the entirety of Eastern Market Square, helping make certain the market is financially self-sustaining over the long-term. Market Five had sued in DC and federal courts, challenging the act and challenging the city’s past efforts to collect use payments from vendors in the North Hall and adjacent grounds. When Market Five refused to vacate the North Hall and adjacent grounds, the city sued for possession. Several different court cases involving this subject matter had lingered in DC and federal courts for about two and one-half years. A jury trial was slated to begin on Monday, June 23. Judges assigned to the case had previously denied several motions from the city seeking eviction as a matter of settled law (earlier, in a separate case, another Superior Court judge had adopted the city’s similar arguments prior to trial, and the DC Court of Appeals had upheld the judge’s decision granting possession to the city of the South Hall of Eastern Market). Occhetti added, “We were confident that ultimately the Court of Appeals would again rule in our favor, even if the trial court did not - based on the recent Court of Appeals decision. But we also knew the process could take too long - perhaps another two years or more if the matter was appealed and remanded. We wanted to move forward with capital improvements for the entirety of the market, including the North Hall. When Market Five agreed to enter into a sublease directly with the market manager at a significantly increased rent, and to drop all suits seeking monetary damages and other relief against the city, we had really achieved our main objectives.” The various court cases have been dismissed without prejudice while the parties finalize a sublease based on a previously agreed-to term sheet. It was anticipated that the sublease between the market manager and Market Five would be in place by August 1. Arboretum Extends Hours of Operation The U.S. National Arboretum will stay open to the public until 7:30 p.m. on Friday evenings, now through August 15. The arboretum is normally open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except December 25. The arboretum’s National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, which normally closes at 3:30 p.m., will also be open until 7:30 p.m. Access to the arboretum between 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. will be through the R Street gate only. This is accessible from Bladensburg Road. The New York Avenue gate will continue to close at 5 p.m. What To Do With Those Out-of-Town Visitors? ‘A Walk About Capitol Hill’ Can Help Now through the end of October, on every second and fourth Saturday, visitors (and neighborhood residents) can troll the charming 19th century streets of Capitol Hill, a virtual museum of Victorian architecture. The two-hour tours, at a cost of $12 per person, begin at 1 p.m. at the Eastern Market Metro station, Seventh Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. Hear tales of fortunes won and lost in land speculation, the double life of a Lincoln assassination conspirator, and local lore that includes stories of flirtation, scandal, and suicide. Stops include a back Khan El-Khalili 321 7th Street, SE 202-543-5295 1-800-397-9441 Mohamed & Venetta Khattab Owners Hand Made Egyptian Gifts & Oils Imported from Cairo VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 8 www.voiceofthehill.com 200 C Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 phone: 202-543-6000 fax: 202-547-2608 In the heart of a residential and historic Capitol Hill neighborhood, Capitol Hill Suites offers spacious accomodations with kitchenettes, ideal for short and long term stays. Perfectly located two blocks from the US Capitol and one block from the Capitol South Metro, Capitol Hill Suites is your home on The Hill. alley that once housed well over 100 people, a charming Gothic Revival church, and the Marine Commandant’s historic home. Complete your tour at Eastern Market, a lively urban scene that draws thousands to its food stalls, crafts fair, and adjacent flea market each Saturday. Reservations can be purchased by calling 202- 661-7576 or purchasing them online at www. dcheritage.org. “Capital Neighbors: A Walk About Capitol Hill” sponsors include: Barracks Row Main Street, Capitol Hill Business Improvement District, Capitol Hill Restoration Society, CHAMPS, Coldwell Banker Real Estate, DC Chamber of Commerce, and Union Station. First Step Taken to Realize Light Rail Demonstration for Anacostia Corridor New Mode of Transit is Gaining Speed A new mode of transit is gaining speed in the District of Columbia. Metro’s Planning and Development Committee on July 7 endorsed setting a public hearing this fall to receive public input on a light rail demonstration project within a portion of the Anacostia Corridor—from Pennsylvania Avenue to the Anacostia Naval Station/Bolling Air Force Base along an unused spur of CSX railroad tracks. The Anacostia Corridor Demonstration Project is proposed as a transitional investment along an unused railroad industrial spur adjacent to the Anacostia Metrorail station in the Anacostia Corridor. The new service would provide immediate access to Metrorail for Anacostia, the far northeast neighborhoods, and the Anacostia Naval Station/Bolling Air Force Base to demonstrate the feasibility of light rail transit in the District. The permanent transit mode for the Anacostia Corridor will be determined through an 18-month alternatives analysis underway for four corridors across the District. The District of Columbia and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) are conducting a community-based study of transit alternatives that will be a complementary addition to Metrorail and Metrobus. Four high-priority corridors were identified: the Anacostia Corridor (Minnesota Avenue to National Harbor), the Silver Spring to Anacostia Corridor, Woodley Park to Stadium-Armory and Georgetown to Stadium- Armory. All four corridors include approximately 33 miles of potential surface rapid transit—light rail, tram, or bus rapid transit. Metro and the District’s Department of Transportation are working to conduct an 18- month alternatives analysis and environmental assessment on the four-corridor system, due to be complete in 2004. The analysis is a first step in the process for the four corridors to qualify for funding by the Federal Transportation Administration’s “New Starts” funds. The key decisions that will be made through the alternatives analysis will include the preferred mode (light rail, tram, or bus rapid transit) for each corridor; the specific alignment and preferred station locations; and how the projects will be phased in. The goal is to move people and offer new transportation choices in the District on new and different transit technologies, complementing existing Metro service, and expanding the capacity of the entire transportation system. The Metro Board will consider the recommendation to hold a public hearing on the environmental assessment of the Anacostia Corridor Demonstration Project at its July 17 Board meeting. In addition, the Board will consider the purchase of the appropriate light rail vehicles as selected through the environmental assessment process. Doolittle’s Selected as Canine Fashion Retailer Capitol Hill Dogs Can Now Be ‘Red, White and Blonde’ Doolittle’s of Capitol Hill was recently selected as one of the official distributors of the Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde canine fashion collection. Released on July 2, the film stars Reese Witherspoon as Harvard law graduate Elle Woods, who comes to Washington, DC, with her Chihuahua, Bruiser, to take on Congress and secure passage of an animal rights bill. The fashion-conscious Ms. Woods, of course, makes sure Bruiser is also appropriately dressed for lobbying. Now Capitol Hill dogs can follow Elle’s lead with “Super Fun, Super Cute” Legally Blonde collars, bandanas, headwear, and other pet accessories from Doolittle’s. The collection features both a patriotic and pink line. Included in the collection is the charming pink beret sported by Elle and Bruise during an animal rights rally. “This has been the most popular item so far,” states Doolittle’s owner, Dennis Bourgault. “But, the entire collection has been selling quickly, particularly on our website, www.doolittles.com.” Doolittle’s Legally Blonde collection was recently featured in the Washington Post’s Sunday Source. A portion of the proceeds of the official Legally Blonde 2 Pet Accessory Collection goes to the Film & TV Unit of the American Humane Society. Doolittle’s is located on Capitol Hill at 224 7th Street, SE, across from Eastern Market. Update on the Master Business License: Once MBL, Now BBR Council Passes Compromise Bill From the Greater Washington Society of CPAs website The DC City Council passed a compromise Master Business License (MBL) bill at its meeting July 8, by a 12-to-1 vote. Councilmember Adrian Fenty’s was the only vote in opposition. The council later The first annual Capitol Hill Cluster School parade took place Friday, July 4th. The parade traveled down 8th Street, SE, from E to I Streets, and finished up with a bake sale with all proceeds going to the Share Our Strength organization. Capitol Hill Cluster School Fourth of July Parade a Success VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 www.voiceofthehill.com 9 “The used key is always bright.” BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Let my thirty years of real estate experience work for you. JOHN JANKE (202) 857-4385 Real Estate Capitol Hill’s Only Vietnamese Restaurant Lunch and Dinner Parties Full Bar Vegetarian Specialties Pho—Traditional Vietnamese soup Carry out 11am-10pm Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm Friday and Saturday 1129 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 202-543-1600 ANATOLIA BAZAAR 631 Pennsylvania Ave., SE (202) 543-7099 Tues-Fri: 11:00-6:30 Sat-Sun: 10:00-7:30 Mon: Closed ANATOLIA TURKISH CAFE 633 Pennsylvania Ave., SE (202) 544-4753 Mon-Fri: 11:30-2:30, 5:30-10:00 Sat: 5:30-10:00 Sun: Closed Please your palate and take a journey into the realm of timeless heritage, cuisine and rediscover Anatolian carpets, kilims, glassware and fine dining... passed emergency legislation to put the compromise into effect immediately. Highlights: Businesses previously required to obtain licenses to operate (hotels, gas stations, restaurants, etc.— those in the so-called “A” category) will be required to obtain the newly-named Basic Business Registration (BBR) as part of the regular renewal cycle; Business that were to be included in the new “B” category (not-for-profit organizations, writers, etc.) are no longer subject; Many professionals who obtain a license from DCRA / OPLA will continue to obtain that license and not be subject to the further filing for BBR (MBL); For those organizations who filed during the District’s FY’03 year and will not be required to file in the coming year, refunds are not anticipated; and The compromise legislation includes a requirement for a study period of 16 months to gauge the effectiveness of the system. In other words, those who always had to obtain a business license will still be required to get the new Basic Business registration. The license will be marked with a specific endorsement (hotel, restaurant, etc.). Those who did not have to get a “license” will continue to be (or will be again) exempt. More details will be posted on various websites ... including www.gwscpa.org ... as they become available. It should be noted that Councilmembers Ambrose, Brazil and Evans were aided in the final compromise by DC City Council Chair Linda Cropp. Chairwoman Cropp’s efforts were instrumental in completing the compromise. Some final polishing may be required for definitions, regulations, etc. However, the compromise legislation should put MBL / MBR / BBR to rest. The Mikado Being Presented Performances Set for Aug. 7-9 at Arts Workshop The Mikado will be presented by the GLBT Arts Consortium and the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) at 7:30 p.m. August 1 and 2 and 7-9. This loving adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado is under the musical direction of Scott Barker (DC’s Different Drummers). Jill Strachan is providing stage direction, and choreography is by Alvin Mayes. Cast members hail from Bread & Roses Feminist Singers, DC’s Different Drummers, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, Lesbian & Gay Chorus of Washington, and the community at large. This rendition of The Mikado features several unique twists, beginning with the action set in Titipu, Washington, DC. A religious group has taken over the land, with particular ramifications for the residents. Savoyards will still enjoy the highlights of The Mikado, including Ko Ko’s list, the three little maids, and Katisha’s wrath for her perjured lover Nanki Poo. All performances are at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St., SE—at thecorner of G and 7th Streets. Tickets are $15 and are available by calling 202-547-6839, or by clicking on www.chaw.org. One performance will be interpreted for the deaf – interested patrons should inquire at: 202-546-1549. The production is funded in part by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities/ National Endowment for the Arts. 10% off with this ad Dine in only Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Voice Available for Private Par ties LOOK! SAVE! VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 10 www.voiceofthehill.com one of Washington’s most colorful businessmen of the last century, Migiel J. Uline—nicknamed Mike and usually misspelled as Miguel in newspaper accounts—and his last name was probably Americanized phonetically rather than using the Dutch-German spelling of Uihlein. Uline loved sports and was determined to bring major-league teams to the city he had adopted. He built the arena on land adjoining his icemaking company, using the brine from the plant to create the ice surface, and then obtaining professional franchises for both a hockey and a basketball team to play at the facility. Uline had made a fortune in the ice business. He immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 16 from the Netherlands, working his way up through focus, drive and an exceptional intelligence. In Ohio, where he first settled, he came to own 30 ice-making plants, improving their operation through some 69 inventions he patented during his long career. A difficult divorce, however, prompted him to leave Ohio and come to Washington, where in 1931 he bought a struggling ice company and turned it into a highly profitable business. In the days before modern refrigeration and air conditioning, ice was a vital commodity, particularly during the humid DC summers. Ice was purchased in varying amounts by government and other institutions, freight companies, dairies and markets, hotels, restaurants, merchants, and individual residents to preserve perishables. Several ice manufacturers existed in Washington in the 1930s, and the Uline Ice Company soon rose to prominence among them. By 1940, profits from the Uline Ice Company allowed Uline to indulge his interest in sports, build the arena Not too long ago, at 2nd and M Streets, trucks lined up to get weighed. Once past the control, they entered the huge, domed cavern, wheeled around, and dumped their loads of trash onto the floor. The trash was then pushed into two-story high heaps by huge bulldozers, to be reloaded into waiting tractor-trailers, one monstrous bite at a time, by a claw loader with an arm that can cover a hundred feet of space. The intense roar and grind of machinery filled the dark and fumefilled cavern, while a light mist from sprinklers settled the dust. In the corners, a few truncated rows of dingy stadium seats are all that remain of the glory days of the Uline Arena. The forlorn seats are a reminder that this vaulted cavern once hosted much different spectacles, including the most delicate of ballet, inaugural events for Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Nixon, and Nation of Islam meetings featuring speeches by Elijah Muhammed and Malcolm X. For this was the Uline Arena, once Washington’s premier sports and special events arena, a place with a history of fierce competitions, stellar performances, and even glittering society events. In its heyday, from the 1940s through the 1960s, Uline Arena was one of Washington’s major performance locations. It hosted some of the city’s premier sports events, exhibitions and special shows, circuses, rock concerts, even cultural performances and patriotic rallies. The variety and scope of its schedule assured that most Washingtonians of the period had at least one reason to go there for an evening. The arena began as the project of lons of water, for a Water Follies show. Within nine months, he already had his first of many fights with the Boxing Commission, over the number of seats he could put out on the arena floor over the ice. Mike Uline didn’t avoid challenges; he welcomed them. When the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to rent Constitution Hall to Paul Robeson for an April 1941 concert to benefit Chinese Aid and the National Negro Congress, Uline gladly let Robeson use Uline Arena for a highly successful performance. The Robeson concert demonstrated Uline’s essentially pragmatic approach: he had no blanket admittance policy for the Arena, letting each promoter set his own. The outbreak of war in 1941 brought thousands of footloose war workers to Washington and new demands for the arena’s space. Even before the war, it had been the scene of a black-tie patriotic rally, and now it saw use as a temporary dormitory for soldiers, and even as a repository for FBI files. It was opened to public skating on nights when no other events were scheduled, and converted on occasion to a huge, 500 table beer garden and night club. But the bulk of the business continued to be sporting events and special events such as the Ice Capades and rodeos. It was because of some of these special events that Uline began to have trouble. His admission policy was challenged as early as 1943, when the Washington Tribune and the NAACP both called for a boycott of the arena because the Ice Capades show remained segregated. African-Americans were admitted to boxing and wrestling events, but were otherwise excluded from most events sponsored by the primary promoter of events in the Uline Arena, Mr. Uline himself. Tensions next door, and bring new professional teams to the District. Ever the hard-headed businessman, however, Uline built the arena with largely borrowed money, with $450,000 of the total cost of $700,000 coming from the government-subsidized Reconstruction Finance Corporation. The arena’s barrel vault roof, supported by nine huge concrete arches, enclosed a space that would seat 5,600 spectators for a hockey or basketball game, and up to 9,000 for boxing evenings, when seats could be placed over the playing area. Near to downtown, the arena was a short walk from nearby trolley lines. At the time, it was Washington’s biggest indoor arena, and Uline— even though the economy was just coming out of the Depression and World War II was already looming — had great plans. He had obtained an American Hockey League franchise for a class B team, that he would call the Washington Lions. Opening night at the arena, Jan. 29, 1941, was not a sports event. Uline had a flair for the theatrical, which he displayed on this occasion by scheduling the Ice Capades for the inaugural performance. Before the event, he created publicity for his new venture by advertising conspicuously for, and hiring, a corps of comely, redheaded usherettes. The event was not a triumph, however: the house sold only 3,000 seats, and the performance was marred by an ice surface rendered dangerous by accumulations of dust from the justcompleted construction. Uline was, typically, not deterred. Nor was he in March, when the Gene Autry Rodeo’s 250 animal show had major problems with an arena floor turned into mud by too much moisture, nor in June, when he had to build a 75- foot long tank, holding 80,000 gal- Uline Arena Uline Arena Stellar Past, Uncertain Future BY GORDON BROWN www.voiceofthehill.com 11 rose over time, as the predominantly African-American local community continued to be excluded from events happening in their backyard. While the arena suffered in some respects from the difficulties its white patrons had in reaching its somewhat remote location in the industrial part of town alongside the B&O and Pennsylvania Railroad tracks, African-Americans living in the immediate area were denied admission. The exclusionary policy of the Uline Arena led famous physical education teacher, activist, and author E.B. Henderson to lead the fight to open Uline Arena to all of the capitol’s citizens. E.B. Henderson introduced the game of basketball to the African-American community, through the establishment of the 12th Street YMCA. No stranger to the fight for African-American rights, Mr. Henderson founded the Fairfax County NAACP, the first suburban chapter of the organization in 1915. After the war, the arena gained important clients when the Shrine Circus became a regular spring event, and Uline acquired the first professional basketball franchise for Washington. The original Washington Capitols enjoyed the greatest success of any of the three teams that ended up playing in the Uline Arena, thanks in large part to its early leadership from legendary coach Red Auerbach. A former George Washington University star, Auerbach had never coached professional basketball when the thenhigh school coach convinced Uline that he was the man for the job. A charter member of the Basketball Association of America, which would later evolve in to the modern NBA, the Capitols finished their inaugural season with a 14-game lead over their closest competition, before losing in the league playoffs in a stunning upset series to the Chicago Stags. Red Auerbach stayed on as coach of the Capitols until after the team won the league championship in 1949. To start their championship 1948-1949 season, the Capitols set a league record that still stands today, winning their first 15 games of the season. The Capitols suffered mightily after Auerbach’s departure, and the team folded midway through the 1951-1952 season. Perhaps Washington’s long tradition of failure with professional basketball started with Uline’s decision to not give Red Auerbach the longterm, three-year contract that he wanted! Given the segregationist history of the Uline Arena, it is ironic that the Washington Capitols also deeply affected the social and cultural the city and the nation by drafting Earl Lloyd of West Virginia State as the second African-American taken in the 1950 basketball draft. Although the Boston Celtics, by then led by the same Red Auerbach that had brought the Capitols so much success, drafted the first African- American, Chuck Cooper in that same draft, it was Earl Lloyd who integrated professional basketball by playing his first game against the Rochester Royals on Oct. 31, 1950. A day later, Lloyd played his first home game at Uline Arena. Integrating professional basketball as a member of the Washington Capitols was only the first of many achievements by Mr. Lloyd, who was the first African- American member of a championship team in 1955 with the Syracuse Nationals. Mr. Lloyd also became the first African-American assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons in 1968 and the second African-American head coach (and first African-American bench head coach) in 1971, also with the Detroit Pistons. Mr. Lloyd has been selected for induction into the NBA Hall of Fame, in a ceremony to be held Sept. 4-7, 2003. The hockey and basketball teams, which had been the central element of Uline’s business plan, somehow never caught on with Washington’s transient population. Uline also had to face a new competitor when the National Guard Armory became available for public use. In 1947, Mike Uline threatened to close his arena because of what he claimed was unfair, government-subsidized competition by the Armory, and falling gates for his sports teams. The threat turned out to be largely bluff, however, because the arena still turned a profit with special events, which grew to include tatoos by the Scots Guards, exhibition basketball games by the Harlem Globetrotters and even midget car races. The latter event may have been a mistake, as it only aggravated Uline’s already stormy relationship with the public health officials about the arena’s inadequate ventilation system. By the 1950s however, the sports teams were losing money, in spite of the efforts to draw from a larger population. The basketball team folded in 1950; the hockey team followed in 1952. Uline was reaching his 80s and the loss of his teams was a blow. He claimed (not very accurately, it would appear,) that he was losing money on the arena: in a 1955 Washington Daily News interview, he called building the arena his only mistake: “I like sports and I like athletes, but not that much,” he complained. In February of 1958, Mike Uline died, age 83. Not surprisingly for a man who had led such a combative career, his will was contested. By 1959, however, the estate was settled and the heirs sold the company for a reported $1 million. The ice company continued to operate, but the Uline Arena was closed. The new owner, Harry G. Lynn, was a local businessman who promised to keep the arena as a sports hall, and to bring new professional teams to Washington. First, however, he found it necessary to completely refurbish the aging building. A new lobby, seats, and amenities were built, and the cavernous hall brightened up by a paint job on the huge arched ceiling. But the concrete absorbed the paint as fast as it could be put on, and moreover it was impossible to remedy the arena’s major drawback in the increasingly prosperous 1960s, its lack of air conditioning. Finally, the arena was handicapped by other problems of the changing city: the lack of nearby parking for audiences that increasingly wanted to come by car, and the growing crime rate in the neighborhood. Lynn did his best to provide police protection for events, and to arrange parking lots in the area, but the inner city site by the railroad tracks had become a problem. All the same, Lynn was determined to make the arena – renamed the Washington Coliseum – into a upscale auditorium as well as a sports arena. The reopening in early 1961 was marked by a suitable event: Lynn had succeeded in attracting one of the inaugural balls for the Kennedy administration. Indeed, over the next few years the Coliseum Uline Arena was the site of one of the Beatles’ U.S. concerts. VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 © Michael Ochs Archives VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 12 www.voiceofthehill.com booked some of the most prestigious shows of its history. When the Capitol Theater closed in 1963 and Washington for a time had no auditorium with a suitable floor for ballet performances, Lynn rose to the occasion. He converted the arena, had the auditorium chairs painted gold, and drew a stellar crowd for a blacktie performance of the Soviet Union’s Bolshoi Ballet—an event marred only by the fact that some chairs, too hastily painted, shed their paint on the guests! In addition to the Bolshoi, star shows like the Leningrad Ballet, the British Royal Ballet, the Mexican Ballet Folklorico, Harry Belafonte, and Vienna’s Lipizaner Stallions were booked during the 1961-1965 period. Proven draws like the Ice Capades and the Globetrotters continued to use the arena, and Lynn even booked White House speaker events to keep the place busy. But his effort to get a regular audience through a major sports franchise failed; he never did sign a hockey team, and his American League basketball team, the pitiful Washington Tapers, lasted for only two years, moving on to the more promising atmosphere of Long Island in 1962. Moreover, the arena’s awkward location and other drawbacks were beginning to limit its attractiveness to impresarios as well as Washington audiences. Increasingly, Lynn had to turn to one-time and more risky events such as concerts. One of those rock concerts, of course, was a historic event of sorts —the first appearance of the wildly popular Beatles in the U.S. Their February 1964 appearance, with a young audience of 8,200 warmed up to a fever pitch by the Righteous Brothers, was a huge and delirious success for the fans, but not something Lynn could count on to fill the house regularly. 1967 saw the first riot at a Coliseum rock concert, and by 1968 Lynn was reduced to renting it to the Poor Peoples’ Campaign as a sort of giant urban campsite. In 1971, after the latest attempt at professional basketball, the Washington Capitols featuring Rick Barry and Larry Brown, decamped to Richmond to become the Virginia Squires, with no prospects for a viable sports franchise, and the fact that his university clients were building their own basketball facilities, Lynn sold out his interest in the Coliseum. The new owners kept him on as manager, and he did have some successes, among which were a Joan Baez concert in 1972, and booking the Ringling Brothers Circus when it decided to abandon the big top. But too often the arena was dark, and by 1978 it was sold once again – reportedly for $880,000, just about what it had cost some thirty seven years earlier. Boxing, professional wrestling, roller derby, evangelical meetings, and rock concerts still kept the place going until the early 1980’s, but events—particularly the evening ones—were increasingly marred by vandalism, crowd control problems, and complaints from the neighbors. The 1968 riots had placed a permanent pall over businesses in the inner city, including the nearby H Street business area, and the Coliseum’s location had finally become a fatal handicap. Its death knell was sounded by the building of the Capital Center—bigger, air conditioned, with adequate parking – outside the city in 1983. The few remaining regular clients such as the Ice Capades and the circus were quick to decamp, and the Coliseum’s future was behind it. The arena entered a new phase in 1986, its facilities dedicated to serving Christ instead of the public’s taste for spectacle. It was sold to the Takoma Park Christian Faith Center, and converted to an evangelical and teaching facility, but its upkeep proved to be troublesome and it was gradually t h e c a n c e r d i a g n o s i s frightening, maddening, confusing individual, couples and group psychotherapy for those with cancer joseph tarantolo, md board certified psychiatrist certified group therapist 202/543-5290 but also a time for self-reflection and enhancement of personal development THOMAS JENKINS and COMPANY A Professional Corporation Certified Public Accountants Corporation, Partnership, Trust, Individual Income Tax & Financial Planning 202-547-9004 Washington, DC Capitol Hill Art & Frame Expert custom designs Museum quality materials Superior frame selection Same day framing available Custom framed mirrors623 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Washington, DC 20003 202 546-2700 10-6 Tues-Sat • Eastern Market Metro K.C. COMPANY VIEWED TO BE THE BESTTM 12100 Baltimore Ave. Suite 1 Beltsville, MD 20705 TIM ALLEN, Sales Leader 301-419-7669 Fax 301-419-2963 Mobile 301-675-9324 Email tallen@kc-pella.com Owned and operated by the Cassidy Family since 1931 Mike Uline’s building is still sound and impressive; the huge machines seem dwarfed by the vast vault of the roof. Yet the city just grew too big for such a “small” arena. VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 www.voiceofthehill.com 13 Full time Staff Doctor On Site Complete Veterinary Services Science Diet & Prescription Diet foods Cat Boarding Totally New Facility Morning drop off service International Health Certificates Microchip ID 202-544-2500 Julie D. Giles, DVM Susan R. Cooke, VMD 609 2nd St, NE across from Union Station UNION VETERINARY CLINIC High Quality General Practice Monday 8-8, Tuesday-Friday 8-6 Saturday 9-2 Worship —Sunday 10:00 am We warmly invite everyone to share in a journey of faith and service to our community and the world. 201 Fourth Street, Southeast Washington, DC 20003 tel 202.547.8676 fax 202.547.2182 caphillpc@cs.com www.capitolhillpreschurch.com LaPlazaRestaurant Fine Mexican/Salvadoran Cuisine 629 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE 202-546-9512 15% off with this ad LOOK! SAVE! Summer is Blooming We have what you need to make your summer garden beautiful. Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm Sunday 9am-5pm Trees Shrubs Annuals Perennials Soils Mulches Herbs Fountains Pottery House plants Books Seeds Garden Plaques Statuary and much more 911 11th Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 202.543.5172 ginkgogardens.com abandoned. The current owners, LG Industries, bought the facility in 1996. After a many year fight, finally with the assistance of law students from the Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Public Representation, the illegally granted certificate of occupancy for a trash transfer station was revoked, and the Arena became quiet once again. Mike Uline’s building is still sound and impressive; the huge machines seem dwarfed by the vast vault of the roof. Yet the city just grew too big for such a “small” arena. The place was, more basically, done in by its drawbacks relative to our post-war lifestyles, as well as the history of the inner city. But nothing is permanent, and the success of the MCI Center has shown that a central-city arena is once again a viable and vital element of our community. In May, Waste Management, the property owner of the Uline Arena, filed for a permit to raze the Uline Ice Plant and Arena Complex. With the assistance of the DC Preservation League, a group of Near Northeast neighborhood residents filed a landmark application in an attempt to prevent the demolition. The hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25. Interested persons may subscribe to the new email list: near northeast preservation (nnep@yahoogroups. com), or contact krista@dcpreservation. org or rlaymandc@yahoo.com for more information. NOTE: The Capitol Hill North/Near Northeast Cultural and Social History Study has been funded with the assistance of a matching grant from the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, through the state Historic Preservation Grant-in-Aid Program, Historic Preservation Office, Office of Planning, District of Columbia, under provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 14 www.voiceofthehill.com HA Neighborhood’s Story Part VIII, Conclusion BY NANCY SCHWARTZ Street Introduction What follows is the eighth and final installment of a brief history of the Capitol Hill North/Near Northeast neighborhood. The first installment appeared in the January issue of the Voice, and all installments are available on the website at www.voiceofthehill.com/history.htm. This history is the product of the first phase of a multi-year cultural resources survey undertaken in October 2001 by the Near Northeast Citizens community organization with the support of a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant. The first phase of the project focused on gaining a broad historical overview of the survey area. Future phases will include additional research on the neighborhood as a whole as well as documentation of individual buildings. The survey area is roughly bounded by the Union Station railroad tracks/2nd Street, NE (west), Florida Avenue (north), Maryland Avenue (east) and F Street, NE (south). This area, platted as part of the original L’Enfant plan for the Old City of Washington, is comprised of 66 city squares and over 3,500 buildings. The project’s Principal Investigator and the author of this history is Nancy Schwartz, a former Chief Historian of the federal Historic American Buildings Survey, the author of What Style Is It?, a popular guide to architectural styles in the United States, and the Architectural Historian for the Eastern Market Historic Structure Report. RICHARD LAYMAN Project Administrator Capitol Hill North/Near Northeast Cultural and Social History Study Recreation Except for the movies, the neighborhood was not particularly rich in recreational outlets, especially for families. Saloons and restaurants (combined in the same business category by the city directories) and oyster houses appeared in the blocks near the streetcar barns in the early 20th century. There were seven pool halls and two bowling alleys by 1910. There was even a shooting gallery on H Street. After Prohibition was repealed, package liquor stores appeared, another continuing business on H Street.1 Restaurants began to appear along H Street. One of them, the Kavakos Grill, was opened in 1933 at 737 H by a Greek family that had run a confectionary business on the site previously. It later turned into a nightspot with a bar-restaurant on one side and a nightclub on the other that featured well-know talent. Jazz greats like Charlie Parker played, and even recorded, there.2 However, before it closed in 1955, it had become a lower class club with nude dancing.3 There were two segregated Recreation Department playgrounds for children in the study area. The Logan Playground was across the street from the old Logan School, on the southwest corner of 3rd and G. It was founded in 1922 and had one of only six tennis courts for African Americans in the city. The new Logan School was built on the site in 1935 and the playground moved to the southeast corner of 2nd and G Streets. Eventually there was also a playground in the Langston area at 24th and Benning Road. The Sherwood Playground at 9th and F was for whites. There was a swimming pool for whites at the Rosedale playground east of 15th Street, but in the 1920s Black children would have to journey all the way to the Howard Playground near Howard University to swim.4 As a result, kids sometimes swam in the Anacostia with occasionally disastrous results.5 The memories of barber Stanley Carroll, who was born in 1921, echo the statistics about the lack of recreation for African American children in the 20s and 30s. “It was pitiful. We couldn’t eat at the 5 and 10 cent store down the block. We couldn’t go to movie theaters. We couldn’t play on the playgrounds. As kids, all we could do was ride the streetcars.”6 Recreational opportunities for African American adults were almost non-existent in the neighborhood. Between the closing of the Florida Theater in 1925 and the opening of the Plymouth in 1943, African Americans had to journey to U Street or upper 7th Street to go to the movies. Eventually, the Langston on Benning Road also provided an African American movie venue. Nightclubs and pools halls for African Americans were located in the northwest as well. Informal socializing took place for men in the barbershop,7 and the church and its activities were the primary religious and social outlets for the entire family. 8 Population Demographics, 1930-50 Throughout the 20th century, the African American population of the study area had been growing, both in total numbers, and as a percentage of the population. By 1930, the Black population represented about ¼ of the population in the study area, a bit less that the city as a whole. The 8 percent of the population who were foreign born was 30 percent above the city average. But this figure does not reflect the many people in the study area who, as children of immigrants, retained strong ethnic associations and were still identified by others with their parents’ country of origin.9 By the 1940 census, the percentage of African Americans had risen to 1/3 of the population in the two census tracts that most closely align with the study area. There were far fewer professionals of all races that in the city as a whole. Over 30 percent of the population worked in skilled craftsmen jobs, and there were over 60 percent more laborers in the study area than in the city as a whole. Rents were also substantially lower than the city average, between $31 and $38 compared to the city average of $52. Although not as affluent as some parts of the city, the study area had a slightly higher average rate of home ownership, for both whites and Blacks. A summary of census data through 1930 reveals a solid working neighborhood with an above average level of home ownership. The 1940s was a decade of demographic shifts within the study area and in the city as a whole. The census figures for 1940 show that the overall population of census tracts 84 and 85 had risen by 12.7 percent and 17 percent respectively, but this was considerably less than the 37 percent increase for the city as a whole. The study area was fully built up, and except for the addition of some large apartments in the 1940s, there was little space for new housing. The African American population of Near Northeast, which had risen from ¼ to 1/3 of the total in 1930 became a majority by the end of the 1940s. Since the population totals for the area were not rising rapidly, this meant that African American families were beginning to replace white families at an accelerating rate in the 1940s. Many of the immigrant families who had moved into the area in the early 20th century with very few resources, had established and maintained successful businesses. Their aspirations of advancement were held in check, first by the Depression, and then by World War II, but after the war, they were among the many Americans who looked to the suburbs for modern housing, open space, and new schools. The reasons for the exodus from the cities are well documented, and the Near Northeast was no exception. White families began leaving even before the war, but the trend accelerated after the war as housing in the suburbs became available. Their departure opened up opportunities for home ownership to African American families whose fortunes were also improving after the war. WWII to Present Social and demographic changes begun in the 40s continued in the 1950s. Official segregation barriers finally began to fall. Catholic schools desegregated in 1949. Theaters were desegregated in the early 50s largely through public pressure. DC Recreation Department playgrounds and swimming pools were desegregated. Three Supreme Court decisions spurred the changes. One, in 1948, outlawed restrictive covenants; one in 1953 ended segre- www.voiceofthehill.com 15 VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 J U S T L I S T E D 129 6th St., NE and 601 Constitution Ave., NE, Fully Detached 1860s Farmhouse Over 4000 sq. ft. of finished living space on 2 levels with 3 large bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths plus a full basement partially finished with a fourth bedroom and a 3rd full bath. This beautiful historic home features all of its fine original details: pocket doors, transoms, hardware, crystal chandeliers, gorgeous wide heart pine floors, 2 formal parlors, large dining room, front and rear staircases, 2 FPLs, window (33) on all 4 exposures, 2 car parking. This fine home offers the ultimate in entertaining and informal family living. Comfortably priced at $849,777 COMING AUGUST 1 2737 Devonshire Pl., NW, #501 Large 2 BR, 2 bathg Condo, Park views from your private terrace. Priced at $795,777. More information to come. Work with a real estate professional. Get the results you want. WDCAR Platinum Award Winner for 2002 202-262-3848 (O) 202-546-1553 (H) RE S I D E N T I A L RE A L E S TATE RE/MAX 329 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE C A P I T O L H I L L 202-543-3300 FAX 202-543-9038 Welcome Softball Teams! Margarita Madness Grande 32 oz. $11 Watch the pennant races on four different Satellite Receivers PLUS Cable on 14 TVs The Patio Is Open! gation in public places such as restaurants, hotels, taverns, and barbershops in Washington; and in 1954, public schools were ordered desegregated.10 Gains in civil rights for African Americans came at the same time that white families were already leaving the study area for other parts of the city or the suburbs The exodus of whites from an area of affordable housing led to a marked increase in the number of non-whites moving into the study area. There were 9,980 non-whites living in enumeration districts 84 and 85 in 1950; that number had grown to15,013 in 1960. Figures show that by 1955 only a handful of white students remained in the elementary schools in the study area. Blair had the largest percentage, 47 out of 291 students. By 1959, that number had fallen to 10 out of 492.11 Demographic changes are also reflected in the churches of the study area. Centennial Baptist Church, a white congregation at 7th and I, moved to Hyattsville in 1956 and sold their building to the Pilgrim Baptist Church, a Black congregation that had been displaced by Southwest urban renewal. Calvary Episcopal Church, a Black congregation at 11th and G, took over the larger facilities of the white Episcopal congregation, Church of the Good Shepherd, at 6th and I in 1956. Enon Baptist Church moved to the neighborhood from temporary quarters in Southeast Washington Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Voice VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 16 www.voiceofthehill.com and built a new building at 507 L Street. Both the Holy Name Catholic Church and the Douglas Memorial Methodist Church officially desegregate their congregations, and both become largely Black. When Douglas Memorial was assigned its first Black minister in 1958, he found the huge church so empty that he literally went door to door to build a new congregation.12 By the end of the 50s, there are no white congregations remaining in the study area. Even though whites had moved out of the area, many white shop owners continued to operate their businesses on H Street. Although the income level and buying power of residents in the area was dropping, businesses remained viable. A 1963 study indicated that the H Street corridor “ranked after the Central Business District in total retail floor space.”13 But the fact that white business owners were no longer residents led some in the neighborhood to regard them as outsiders and exploiters, and caused resentment to build against them. By the 1950s, the general level of prosperity in the area was beginning to decline. Where there had been a struggling, but stable, laboring class, there now began to be proverty. References to the decline of the neighbor can be found from many sources. John P. Wymer, the amateur photographer who walked the city around 1950 making a visual record of its neighborhoods, recorded these comments about the study area. “South of Florida Avenue the area is residential, varying in character from lower middle class to actual slums in the vicinity of Union Station. It is a mixed white and Negro neighborhood with the two races often living in the same or adjacent blocks. The dwellings are predominantly row houses, many of them quite old, with a number having been built before 1900.” 14 A 1961 article about the minister of Douglas Memorial Methodist Church refers to the neighborhood as “poverty-burdened and crime-ridden.” 15 In 1967, Israel Baptist Church debated whether to leave the neighborhood. Many of the members had moved to other places, and they were concerned about the transience and deterioration of what had formerly been “one of the ‘better’ ing its seemingly intractable deterioration. Drugs sellers and gang violence increased, reaching a dreadful nadir in the murder of Catherine Fuller on the corner of 8th and H in 1984. In 1984, the H Street Community Development Corporation was formed to use Federal funds to encourage development in the H Street area. Through its efforts and those of other non-profit groups, there have been some new structures in the neighborhood in the last 20 years. Over 100 units of low and moderate-income housing have been erected, including a high rise for the elderly, garden apartments and town houses. The entire south side of the 600 block of H Street was built up with large office buildings, now occupied by various social service agencies of the District of Columbia government, and a much needed, but now defunct, super market. The south side of H from 8th to 10th has become the 8th Street Connection, a two-block long onestory shopping mall with parking in front. With the notable exception of the Atlas Theater and its associated commercial buildings, new development has not rehabilitated or been complimentary to the older stores on H Street. As a response to the riots, the Hechinger family rebuilt their 15th and H Street store, creating around it a new shopping mall. John Hechinger believed that the Hechinger Mall, which opened in 1981, would provide needed shopping for residents and would serve as a spur to encourage redevelopment of the riot scarred street. The mall absorbed some of the principle anchors from H Street—Safeway built the largest store in its chain and People’s Drug moved there and so did the post office. The mall did bring new stores to the area, but also served to bleed the remaining life from H Street. With the closing of the Hechinger Store in 1999, it too began to decline. The 1970s also saw the erection of the H Street bridge, replacing the underpass that once carried the street beneath the railroad tracks. The bridge connects with a large parking facility that was built to serve the renovated Union Station, which since the 1980s been a premier shopping and entertainment facility. Even more than the long underpass of 1907, the bridge serves to visually isolate the Northeast neighborhood. After years of frustrating efforts by private and public groups to bring neighborhood- generated improvement to the study area, especially the H Street corridor, change now seems inevitable. Economic and development pressures from outside the area are beginning to impinge on the Near Northeast. The Station Place project along 2nd Street will bring Union Station area offices buildings to the west end of H Street. A proposed new Metro station at Florida and New York Avenues will increase development pressure on the northwest corner of the study area. The housing renovations of Capitol Hill are beginning to move north of H Street for the first time, crossing what for decades was a formidable psychological barrier. But there are promising signs from within the neighborhood as well. Merchants on H Street have received one of the city’s first urban Main Street grants to develop the business corridor using the historic building stock as an asset. A new task force on redevelopment of the area is tapping community sentiment before developing yet another revitalization plan for the area. Churches, neighborhood groups, and a core of long-time residents remain committed to the neighborhood. The next decade will see a new chapter in the history of the Near Northeast. The late 19th and early 20th century building stock of the Near Northeast area remains largely in tact. There have been significant losses due to the riots and subsequent renewal efforts along H Street, but many blocks retain their small scale and architectural variety. The buildings exhibit a number of periods of building and architectural styles, often layered on a single structure that was altered from residential to commercial and then modernized further over its retail life. Some facades have been completely rebuilt, but for many the original buildings are clearly visible above more modern shop fronts. Years of abandonment or inadequate maintenance have taken their toll on the commercial buildings that remain on H Street. Although a growing number have been, or are being, restored, others are reaching a critical point of deterioration. On either side of H Street, the residential sections of the study area retain most of their original houses. There are some pronounced holes in this fabric. The erection of Wilson and Logan Schools displaced large numbers of houses, as did the moderately- prices apartments and townhouses built since the riots. The light industrial area at the northwest corner of the survey area between 2nd and 3rd Streets now has a number of large vacant parcels. However, the overall impression of the streetscapes of the Near Northeast area is similar to that of the Capitol Hill Historic District to the south. Row houses of various periods and styles are juxtaneighborhoods.” 16 The church decides to stay and renovate, but by 1985 they moved to a new building at Saratoga Avenue and Brentwood Road.17 1968 Riots and Their Aftermath H Street was one of three areas of the city most damaged during the civil disturbances that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King. Ninety buildings containing 51 residential units and 103 businesses were damaged during the riots. Forty-one of those 90 sustained more than 50 percent damage. Total damage to the street was estimated at $1.8 million, compared to $6.6 million on 14th Street and $4.3 million on 7th Street.18 Business on the street was decimated. Many stores that weren’t destroyed were closed and never reopened. Following the riots, planning began quickly for renewal of the damaged areas. Because H Street was the least damaged of the three major riot corridors, and because the business area had been so vigorous before the riots, it was assumed that it would recover more easily. Rebuilding efforts concentrated more heavily on 7th and 14th Streets. Renewal plans were used as a tool to address social and economic problems in the area rather than as a way to rebuild existing businesses. The first plan developed in 1969 by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA) and the Reconstruction Development Corporation (RDC) proposed a totally rebuilt H Street with retail on the first floor and housing above. Such a grand scheme, that envisioned the destruction of most existing structures, did not encourage private investment in rebuilding businesses. 19 RLA only had the authority to clear and sell land. It did not have funding for helping existing businesses repair damage. As a result, more businesses closed and buildings were boarded up. The NCPC plan was revised several times and then languished. More schemes were proposed, but few materialized. Newpaper articles predicting the renaissance of H Street would be followed by others lament- H Street was one of three areas of the city most damaged during the civil disturbances that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King. Ninety buildings containing 51 residential units and 103 businesses were damaged during the riots. VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 www.voiceofthehill.com 17 Worship with your neighbors In the heart of your community. SUNDAY HOURS Worship 8:30 am and 10 am Nursery Opens 9:45 am Vacation Bible School, pre-K through 5th grade, August 4-8. Call office to register. For Calendar, Concerts, Lectures and Events, Log on to www.reformationdc.org 212 East Capitol Street • 202/543-4200 Handicapped Accessible • Chapel open daily _ MICHELE PIQUET, PH.D. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST Individual, couple, and group psychotherapy CAPITOL HILL 202-544-4480 Handyman on the Hill Masonry Brick & Stone Concrete Brick Pointing Carpentry Decks & Fences Roof Repairs Painting 202-206-7185 posed along its streets, creating a chronology of styles and illustrating the architectural development of the area. There are many Italianate buildings remaining from the earliest period of development, including examples of the paired frame houses that characterized development on a number of blocks. Bay-, flat-, and oriel-fronted houses from the later 19th century also remain in significant numbers. Because there was much vacant land remaining, especially north of I Street, at the turn of the century, the study area has a higher percentage of the distinctly 20th century row houses styles than is found in the Capitol Hill District. Although there are some quite large houses from the late 19th century, the majority of the residences in the study area are the modest homes of the middle and working class residents, of many ethnic groups, who made this neighborhood their home from the 1870s on. Bibliography Altchuler, David, editor. The Jews of Washington, D.C. Chappaqua, N.Y.: The Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington and Rossel Books, 1985. Baist’s Real Estate Atlas Surveys of Washington, D.C. (1903-1968) Beauchamp, Tanya E., National Register Nomination Form for Public Schools of Washington, D.C. 1864- 1945. Beckwith, Irene M. Washington Afro- American. November 2, 1963. Title unknown. In vertical files, Washingtoniana Room, Martin Luther King Library. Beigel, Mary F. “Early Planning of Sites for Federal and Local Use in Washington, D.C.,” Records of the Columbia Historical Society, Vol. 51- 52, pp. 19-31. Bell, T. David. “Application for Historic Landmark Designation: H Street Playhouse.” March 2002. Photocopy. Boshke, A. Topographical Map of the District of Columbia Surveyed in the Years 1857, 1861 Boyd’s City Directory. 1854, 1874, 1880, 1890, 1910-1970. Broadway, Bill. “In Catholic Tradition, the Week of Halloween Is a Time For Visits to Graveyards and Prayers for Souls Departed.” Washington Post. October 26, 1996. B1, B7. Ceremonial Resolution 9-1, The Council of the District of Columbia, February 5, 1991 Clark, Allen C. “The Mayoralty of Robert Brent,” Records of the Columbia Historical Society, Vol. 33- 34, pp.267-305. Coleman, Barbara. “New Pastor Rebuilding Old Church.” Washington Post, August 16, 1958 Cullen, Elizabeth O. “Railroading In and Around Washington Since 1900.” Records of the Columbia Historical Society. Vol. 53-56. 173-182. Derthick, Martha. The City Politics of Washington, D.C. Joint Center for Urban Studies of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University and the Washington Center for Metropolitan Studies, 1962. D.C. Early Transportation System Survey: Early Roads, Railroads and Streetcars Final Report prepared by Traceries & Parsons Engineering Science, Inc. for the SC Preservation League and the DC Historic Preservation Division, September 1996 District of Columbia Library, Martin Luther King Library, Washingtoniana Rooms. Card Catalog: “Structure Index by Quadrant” D.C. Preservation League. “Application for Historic Landmark Designation: Atlas Theater and Shops.” January, 2000. Photocopy. District of Columbia Schools, Office of the Statistician. “Biographical Directory of the Public Schools of the District of Columbia.” Typescript, 1953. Duhamel, James F. “The Burial Places of Washington.” Washington Past and Present. John Clagget Proctor, editor. Vol II. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co, Inc. 1930. 537-41 East Washington Citizens Association. Washington DC, 1891, 64 pp. Eberlein, Harold Donaldson and Cortlandt Van Dyke Hubbard. Historic Houses of George-Town & Washington City. Richmond, VA. The Dietz Press, Inc. 1958. Faehtz & Pratt Real Estate Atlas, 1873-1874 Formwalt, Lee W. “Benjamin Henry Latrobe and the Development of Transportation in the District of Columbia, 1802-1817. Records of the Columbia Historical Society. Vol 50th: 36-67. Gomery, Douglas. “A Movie-Going Capital. Washington, D.C., in the History of Movie Presentation.” Washington History Vol. 9, No.1 (1997): 5-23. Goode, James M. Capital Losses. Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Institution Press. 1979. Green, Constance McLaughlin. Washington, A History of the Capital, 1800-1950. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1962. Reprinted in a single volume, 1976. Green, Constance McLaughlin. Washington. A History of the Capitol 1800-1950. Volumes I and II. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1962. Gutheim, Frederick. Worthy of the Nation. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. 1977. “Gypsy Clans Gather From All Sections To Bury Prince.” Washington Times, October 31, 1933. Harrison, Michael R. “The ‘Evil of the Misfit Subdivisions,’ Creating the Permanent System of Highways of the District of Columbia,” Washington History Vol 14, No.1. pp. 26-55. Headley, Robert K. Motion Picture Exhibition in Washington, D.C., An Illustrated History of Parlor, Palaces and Multiplexes in the Metropolitan area, 1894-1997. Jefferson, NC and London: McFarland & Company, Inc. 1999. Hinkel, John V. “Great and Humble Buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery.” Catholic Standard, 1/30/1959. Holmes, Oliver W. “Stage coach Days in the District of Columbia,” Records of the Columbia Historical Society, Vol. 50 pp. 1-42. G.M. Hopkins Real Estate Atlas, 1887, 1892 Jones, William Henry. The Housing of Negroes in Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.: Howard University Press, 1929. Recreation and Amusement Among Negroes in Washington, D.C. Reprinted by Negro University Press, Westport, CN. 1970. Originally printed by Howard University Press, Washington, D.C. 1927. King, LeRoy O., Jr. 100 Years of Capital Traction. The Story of Streetcars in the Nation’s Capital. Taylor Publishing Company, 1972. King, Rev. Lorenzo A. “Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Washington.” No source given. Copy in vertical files, Washingtoniana Room, Martin Luther King Library Lee, Antoinette. School Building Survey for the District of Columbia Historic Preservation Division, 1986 Marans, Hillel. The Jews of Greater Washington. Privately printed, 1961. “Memorial of the Northeastern Suburban Citizens’ Association. Senate Document 58. 54th Congress, 2nd Session, January 12, 1897. Miller, Elizabeth J. “Dreams of Being the Capital of Commerce: the National Fair on 1879.” Records of the Columbia Historical Society Vol. 51. pp. 71-82. Nannes, Caspar. “Douglas Memorial Methodist Church Started in 1878, With Dr. G.G. Markham as Minister.” Star, March 2, 1946 “Northeast Group Honors Tucker As Pioneer in 1892 Founding,” Star, December 12, 1952. “Only Its First Story, Church of the Good Shepherd Awaits Completion,” newspaper clipping from 1903, no source given. In vertical files, VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 18 www.voiceofthehill.com Washingtoniana Room, Martin Luther King Library. Overbeck, Ruth Ann. “Capitol Hill: The Capitol Is Just Up the Street.” In Washington at Home, Katheryn Schneider Smith, Editor. Windsor Publications, Inc. 1988. (Need pages) ____________ National Register Nomination for the Interior of Eastern Market. 1992. Proctor, John Clagett. “Ancient Cowtown,” Star. February 6, 1938. _________________. “Bladensburg Road and Its Old Homes. The Sunday Star, November 29, 1931. ________________.. Proctor’s Washington and Environs, Written for the Washington Sunday Star (1928- 1949). Privately printed: 1949. _______________. “Swampoodle Days,” Star July 30, 1950 _______________. “When Cows Roamed.” Star, January 28, 1951. Proctor, John Clagett, editor. Washington Past and Present: a History. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc. 1935 “A Ramble About Town” Daily National Intelligencer 6/25/1867 Rauschart, Lisa. “Barber to Close Shop for 70 Years,” The Washington Times, May 16, 2001 Report on Civil Disturbances in Washington, D.C., April 1968. (Booklet prepared immediately after the riots “as a quick reference to the actions taken by key District Government Departments….”) Report of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1874, 1887, 1892. Report of the Operations of the Engineer Department of the District of Columbia for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1892. Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, 1893. Samuelson, Robert J. “Period of Adjustment on H Street.” The Washington Star, probably spring 1969. Clipping in Vertical files, Washingtoniana Room, Martin Luther King Library Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of Washington, D.C. (1888-1999) Schwartz, Nancy. Unpublished manuscript on Calvin Brent, 1994 Scott, Pamela, and Antoinette J. Lee. Buildings of the District of Columbia. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1993. Simmons, Ruth O. “Spite of Reverses, Obstacles Hurdled As Church Reaches 67th Anniversary.” Washington Afro-American, November 15, 1947 Smith, Jessie Carney. Powerful Black Women. Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1996. Sunderland, Byron. “Washington Doolittle’s -Your #1 Source for Flea, Tick & Mosquito Protection New K9 Advantix Now Available! Also - Frontline & FleaScience Topical Treatments, Carpet Sprays & Foggers, Shampoos & Collars Everything you need to keep your “Best Friend” pest FREE! Doolittle’s — The Best for Our Best Friends! (202) 544-8710 — www.doolittles.com Across from Eastern Market — 224 Seventh Street, SE, Washington, DC Coming in September! Dog Training Classes with Ruff Ruff Doggie Services! Group Classes Beginning After Labor Day! Check the store for sign-up information! Space is limited, so sign up early! Here’s what one satisfied client had to say — “In just a short time Kaellie was performing as if she had been trained for years. It is so much easier for us to walk and I enjoy her more when we are outside.” T. R. Dean VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 www.voiceofthehill.com 19 Come Visit our Huge Showroom! Over 20,000 square feet of furniture, carpets, paintings, lamps and accessories Antique& Contemporary Antique& Contemporary L E A S I N G A N D S A L E S Monday-Friday 9am-5pm 709 12th Street, SE on Capitol Hill Free off-street parking Convenient to Eastern Market Metro 202.547.3030 www.antiqueleasing.com Monday-Friday 9am-5pm 709 12th Street, SE on Capitol Hill Free off-street parking Convenient to Eastern Market Metro Your Neighborhood Furniture Source for Leasing or Buying 709 12th Street, SE • Washington, DC As I First Knew It, 1852-55.” Records of the Columbia Historical Society Vol 5, pp 195—. Traceries. DC Warehouse Survey. Prepared for the D.C. Historic Preservation Division, 1992. Traceries and Parsons Engineering Science, Inc. “DC Early Transportation Systems Survey: Early Roads, Railroads and Streetcars.” Report prepared for the D.C. Preservation League and the D.C. Historic Preservation Division, 1996. United States Census for the years 1880, 1900, and 1910. The Washington Board of Trade. The Book of Washington. Washington, D.C. Cleland C. McDivitt, Publisher. 1927 and 1930 editions. Water and Sewerage Authority of District of Columbia. Two sets of detailed engineering maps by square and block-face, one for water, and one for sewerage. Records Office WASA Headquarters Wright, William. “Now Arriving Washington: Union Station and Life in the Nation’s Capital.” Manuscript of dissertation draft. 2002 References 1 Marans, 44 Many of the package stores were owned by Jewish families. Marans states that because the law forbid owning multiple liquor stores, this was one of the few businesses open to someone starting out with limited capital. Many of those being forced out of the grocery business by the chain stores, saw this as an alternative business. 2 These recordings can be found on the CD Charlie Parker: The Washington Concerts. “Directions in Sounds,” (Program notes from the web site of WFIU Public Radio, Indiana University.) 3 The Rainbow History Project, Website. The Kavakos Grill was also known to be a gay-friendly night spot. 4 Jones. Recreation and Amusement among Negroes in Washington, D.C. p. 34, 37 5 James Powell, oral history interview, September 2002. 6 Rauschart, Ibid. 7 Most of the Black barbershops, Jakes, Carrolls, Masons, Gills, were in the 1300 Block of H. (James Powel 1023 H Street, oral history interview, September 2002) 8 Jones. Recreation and Amusement among Negroes in Washington, D.C., Ibid. 9 For instance, a strong German presence was noted in William Wright’s study of the residents of Swampoodle. Ruth Ann Overbeck mentions a German neighborhood near 12th and C NE (National Register Nomination, Eastern Market). Census schedules and directory entries also reveal many German names in the study area through the 1930s, although many would not longer be classified as foreign-born. 10 Derthick, Martha. The City Politics of Washington, D.C. Joint Center for Urban Studies of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University and the Washington Center for Metropolitan Studies, 1962. 11 D.C. Board of Education Records, Sumner School 12 Coleman, Barbara. “New Pastor Rebuilding Old Church.” Washington Post, August 16, 1958. 13 Samuelson, Robert J. “Period of Adjustment on H Street.” The Washington Star, probably spring 1969. Clipping in Vertical files, Washingtoniana Room, Martin Luther King Library 14 Wymer Collection, Historical Society of the District of Columbia. Introduction of Area 24, 1949. 15 Dole, Kenneth. “Methodist Minister Stith Offers a Helping Hand.” Washington Post, March 4, 1961. 16 “Israel Weathers Storm; Sets ‘Model City’ Pace.” Washington Afro- American. 1967. In Vertical files, Washingtoniana Room, Martin Luther King Library. 17 Photograph. Washington Post, December 29, 1984. 18 Report on Civil Disturbances in Washington, D.C., April 1968. (Booklet prepared immediately after the riots “as a quick reference to the actions taken by key District Government Departments….”) 19 Samuelson. Ibid VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 20 www.voiceofthehill.com you didn’t want to go. But just as Capitol Hill has experienced a rebirth, so has the cemetery. There are visitors every hour of the day, Crowley says. This landmark that was once almost, well, dead, is now bubbling with energy, a revival its founders would truly welcome. Congressional, as it’s called by locals, is one of the District’s hidden treasures—but oddly enough, most people, both visitors and residents, don’t even know it exists. Though it makes appearances in Washington, DC, guidebooks, no tour buses whoosh by, there are no clicking cameras, and, save for a few annual patriotic celebrations, rarely ever a crowd. The cemetery sits in its 33-acre glory—so big it takes $5,500 and a crew of at least 10 to mow the grass—in its dignified quiet, the final resting place of veterans from every major United States war, from the Revolution to Vietnam. Identified as one of the nation’s 11 most endangered historic places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, its famous gravesites include U.S. Marine Band leader and time-honored composer John Philip Sousa; Elbridge Gerry, signer of the Declaration of Independence; Tobias Lear, aide to George Washington; William Thornton, one of the Capitol building’s designers; as well as J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Visit Capitol Hill’s Congressional Cemetery any weekday after 5 p.m. and experience one of the area’s best outdoor social hours. Humans and dogs alike convene on the grass and mingle amongst the tombstones. Suddenly, the historic urban green is filled with chatter, happy dog yelps and the jinglejangle of collars against swinging ID tags. Some might say it’s an unlikely, even creepy, place for neighbors and their canine companions to convene. Not so, says Patrick Crowley, secretary of the cemetery’s board, the Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery. It’s a peaceful place, fresh with grass and chirping birds—the type of place any urbanite would relish. People come here to relax, he explains, to take a breather from the metropolis, to socialize, both man and dog, and connect with their city, rich with history of legendary and ordinary Americans. A Vibrant Place: A Living History The cemetery, established in 1807 by Christ Episcopal Church, wasn’t always treasured, though. Only 20 years ago, Congressional Cemetery was a dismal place. Tall weeds surrounded the once proud home of some of the United States’ finest. Decades of neglect attracted drug dealers; the cemetery was a place old tombstones is no easy feat, as most of them must be rebuilt and strengthened from the ground up and can cost thousands of dollars to repair only one. Beyond the repair work, the association’s treasurer and resident archivist, Sandy Schmidt, has been compiling obituaries of those buried in the cemetery from its 19th century beginnings. So far, she’s collected some 17,000, all of which are posted on Congressional’s website. Schmidt dedicates her weekends to this effort, burying herself in the Library of Congress, sifting through ancient newspapers and then merging the information with the cemetery’s records. Her goal is to assemble as many personal histories as she can. Quite an aspiration for a cemetery with approximately 60,000 people buried in it—18,000 of which actually have tombstones. Notables and Regular Folks Although over 200 people of national importance are buried at Congressional, Schmidt is more interested in researching ordinary people. “The notable people are important because they had their place in history, but I think it’s more important to find out how people like me lived,” she notes. Their stories, about their lives and deaths, reveal “what life was like those days.” People died harsh deaths back then, Schmidt recounts, not only from today’s easily curable sicknesses, but from big-machine industry, even horses. “You get a sense of how risky life was back then,” she says. For those involved in the cemetery’s leadership, Congressional is addictive. “There’s a lot of history here. The more you come around, the more it grabs you,” says Crowley with a smile. He, like Schmidt, started as a dogwalker and wondered why “they,” as in the cemetery staff, weren’t fixing the bumpy roads and poor drainage system. “One day I realized there’s no ‘they,’” he says. The cemetery has only one part-time gatekeeper; that’s it. “There are no employees here, and if we don’t do it, it won’t get done.” Crowley now knows the place like the back of his hand, pointing out this and that and telling littleknown anecdotes about notable Americans as he guides newcomers through the hilly maze of tombstones and memorials. He wasn’t a history enthusiast before he started volunteering with the cemetery. “Now it’s taken over my life!” he admits with genuine gusto. “I’m here all the time.” Jessica Leshnoff is one of the Voice’s regular contributing writers. Three presidents—Zachary Taylor, John Quincy Adams and William Henry Harrison, as well as celebrated First Lady Dolly Madison—have passed through Congressional’s public vault, which was used to temporarily hold the deceased until they could be moved to family plots or hometowns. A Renaissance The cemetery’s renaissance came from a remarkable source— Congressional’s loyal dogwalkers. Eighteen years ago, the Capitol Hill residents who walked their dogs through the cemetery banded together and began taxing themselves to pay for the cemetery’s basic maintenance. Today the dogwalkers’ membership dues and fees—$125 per membership and $25 per dog— make up about a quarter of the cemetery’s operating budget. The landmark’s most recent salvation arrived in 1999, with a $1 million matching grant from Congress, and an additional $1 million matching grant just last year. This summer, the association has kicked off $100,000 in repair work, much of it directed to the cemetery’s famed public vault. The group hopes that each summer, the cemetery can have $150,000 worth of long-overdue repair work. Some graves are, after all, almost 200 years old, and the wear and tear of the elements have made some tombstones nearly unreadable. Refurbishing centuries- Living Reminders A Trip to Congressional Cemetery Reveals a Renaissance in Progress BY JESSICA LESHNOFF VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 www.voiceofthehill.com 21 How to Deal with Mold, Mildew Residents inundated with mold caused by flooding or condensation may not be able to get a pro to come fix the problem right away. However, there are steps you can take to remediate the problem yourself, until the professionals arrive. The cleanup: Use rubber boots/gloves with a non-ammonia soap or detergent and hot water. Thoroughly scrub all contaminated surfaces using a stiff brush to clean brick walls. Rinse all objects with fresh water. Exhaust areas as quickly as possible using fans and opening windows. Use wet-dry vacuum to collect extra clean solution. Source: DC Department of Health, www.dchealth.com There’s an old adage that claims an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The person who coined that phrase probably had a different meaning in mind, but Capitol Hill residents can take the underlying meaning to heart when it comes to their basements. The devastating snows from winter and the non-stop rains through spring have caused some homeowners to panic, and reasonably so, since basement flooding is too much of a reality lately. And those who fail to clear out rain gutters and drains are learning a particularly harsh lesson. Clogged gutters and drains cause the water to search for other means of displacement, and according to waterproofing expert Jay Whitton, that is bad news for your floor and walls. Whitton, a project manager for the Hill-based firm King & King, said the three-year drought preceding this past winter’s weather dried up the soils beneath Hill homes and made them more vulnerable to flooding, especially units without drainage systems installed. Stagnant water sandwiched between foundations and flooring can cause a mess, not to mention a less-than-pleasant odor. Mold and mildew attach to synthetic fibers, and many homeowners find themselves recarpeting and repainting, tacking on to the already expensive reparations. But local property managers say residents can save themselves thousands in home repairs if they take the proper preventative measures. Buck Waller of Yarmouth Management, Inc., said clear gutters and drains are the staple to floodfree basements. “People don’t see the connection,” Waller said, adding that this is one of the worst years he has seen in a long time. “We do whatever we can do preventatively.” Property management company owner Joel Truitt agreed, saying the basis to staving off any flooding or molding problems is prevention. Truitt said his company routinely cleans out gutters and “snakes” drains. “You can never take all the steps necessary, but we do what we can,” he said. “We’ve been lucky that we haven’t seen the worst of it.” But 15-year Hill resident John Fleming has seen the worst of it. Fleming left his English basement apartment earlier this year because of mold. The former resident returned from a long business trip and discovered that melted snow and burst pipes left nearly three feet of water collecting in his apartment. He didn’t know if his residence had a drainage system, but said the damage was already done. “It was a nightmare,” Fleming said. He said black mold climbed the walls, making the home uninhabitable. Fleming fled the Hill for a newer, mold-free apartment in Arlington. Whitton said the only cure is a sump pump, a fixture common in most city homes. Water or moisture seeps through foundation or wall cracks that homeowners never knew they had. Most of his business comes from interior protection by waterproofing floors and walls or installing French drains and sump pumps, mostly in older, brick homes. French drains, also referred to as dry pumps, line the perimeter of the unit, usually a few feet deep and lined with gravel. The water is led through the gravel to the sump pump, which filters it to the building main sewer piping. The average installation cost runs from $4,500 to $8,000, Whitton said, depending on the complexity of the system. There are three types of sump pumps: pedestal, submersible and water-powered. The pedestal pump is activated when water levels reach a certain depth. It is electronicallypowered and sticks out of the ground, making whirling sounds. However, the submersible is more durable and quieter than the pedestal, it is also more expensive. The pump’s underground installation protects the parts which allow a longer life-span. The water pump operates by the water pressure from underneath the structure’s plumbing system. If residents don’t have water pouring into their basement, but suffer from continual condensation or moisture, preventative measures also need to be taken. According to a sump pump informational website (www.sump-pump-info.com), homeowners can dry up the moisture before it has a chance to cause any damage. The site instructs residents to use fans to keep air circulating and a humidifier to remove all excess moisture from the air. It advises not to leave any wet clothing or other materials in the house and recommends air conditioners to be used during the humid, stuffy summer months. As for home décor, the site suggests homeowners use rugs instead of carpeting in basements, since rugs can be cleaned or replaced easier and cheaper. But when it comes down to it, Whitton said any type of prevention is the key. “That’s the best advice,” he said. Hill resident Patti Shea can be reached at patti@voiceofthehill.com. The Rains Come Down, The Mold Crops Up D E A L I N G W I T H T H E D A N G E R S O F M O L DY B A S E M E N T S BY PATTI SHEA VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 22 www.voiceofthehill.com of FM, a lot of interesting programming sneaked in under AM radio’s radar (everybody in Washington remembers Essex and the Subterranean Sound Experiment on WMOD, don’t they)? When FM stereo got rolling big time in the ’60s, FM music programming left AM in the dust. Marketing consultants got hold of FM and started preaching market segments and survey- based play lists, and soon every town had a Q-103 or K-97, all playing the same songs and prattling the same prattle, over and over again. You can name the main formats: top 40, classic rock, adult contemporary, country: they’re all doing their programming exactly the same way. X songs followed by Y commercials and a few shouts of “More music, more often!” XM Lives But Washington’s XM Radio is changing all of that. XM Radio beams over 100 channels of radio to your boom box, car radio, or home stereo. The satellite antenna is a little larger than a bar of hotel soap. Here in the eastern U.S., you point your bar of soap at the southeastern sky, grab the remote, and you’re in business. It’s sort of like cable TV on radio, except, of course, you’re not tied to your cable box coming out of the wall. You don’t have to wonder what you’re going to listen to any more when you drive out of range of your radio preset button, because the only way to drive out of range of XM radio is to drive way north into Canada. Everything you hear comes from XM’s headquarters on Eckington Place, just off Florida and New York Avenues. All the programming goes from there to the two satellites that rebroadcast it to subscribers on the ground: Rock is the satellite parked over Atlanta that serves the eastern half of the lower 48, and Roll is the First, there was AM radio: porkbelly, corn and soybean prices; Paul Harvey saying “Stand by for NEWS!”, Sheb Wooley’s “Purple People Eater,” Big John and Sparky, The Lone Ranger, Sunday morning fire-breathing pulpit-pounding sermons from a local tabernacle, and Mel Allen calling “...a long fly ball into the night!”—only he would fade away into the night right along with that long fly ball. Did it end up in the seats or in the left fielder’s glove? Sometimes the ionosphere left you hanging until the post-game show, and sometimes even later. It was the golden age of radio, all right. Then there was FM: much better sound quality and a consistent signal day and night. In the early days some 133 feet by 45 feet by 25 feet. Once your tour gets underway, the first really astonishing thing you come to is the main control room, which has a bit of the look of the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. There is a captain’s chair that might even be Picard’s chair. It’s the master control operating position, and it looks the part. Beyond Picard’s chair is an arc of control consoles with monitors and screens and operators a la Goddard/Greenbelt. Forming the back wall of the main control room is a bank of more than 100 paired and dancing sets of red lights, each showing the modulation level of one of the outbound channels. They dance endlessly, soundlessly, as the unheard words and music move them. Even the floor of the control room has special lights that change color, although your guide may inform you that the color changes have been toned down because they made the operators dizzy. Past the main control room are what seem to be hallways and hallways of production and air studios, with a separate air studio for each of the channels whose content is produced here. Aside from small studios in New York City for the Broadway channel and a few others, and in Nashville for one of its country music channels, the rest of the music content is produced here in Washington. From Shake, Rattle and Roll to Click, Drag and Drop If you’re lucky, one of the on-air programmers/ hosts might give you a brief tour of an air studio and show you how a show gets put on the air. If you’re really lucky, that on-air programmer/ host might be Pat Clarke, who helps do the ’50s channel, which is channel 5. He’ll show you that everything is now computerized, and that there are two million or so songs all stored in a couple of one parked over Phoenix. In addition to the two satellites, there are 800 repeater stations to help fill in the urban chasms and abysses so your XM signal doesn’t get eaten by that Bauhaus knock-off across the street from you. Why Washington? The strategic partners that formed XM Radio were already located in Washington, because developing the concept of satellite radio broadcasting meant lots of conversations with the FCC. When bricks and mortar time came, they thought it made a lot of sense to build the rest of the operation here in the city, too. “Live music is an important part of XM, and being close to venues like the 9:30 Club and the MCI Center is very important to us,” is how Chance Patterson, Executive Vice President for Corporate Affairs, put it. So XM bought the old Judd & Detweiler building, where the National Geographic used to be printed, and hired Studios Architecture to develop the old print shop/warehouse complex. After four phases lasting 18 months, the former print shop was not even a ghost of itself, for it had been transformed into a stunning combination of broadcast and production facilities, music library, open office spaces, and even a small staff cafeteria. Quite a Space The space was also designed as a place musicians would want to hang out, and it is a pretty nifty place to hang out, if you can swing it. Your first inkling that you’re entering a different space comes when you walk in the front door, and there, hanging right over the reception desk, is a model of the XM satellite. It looks pretty impressive just as it is, but it becomes a lot more so after you’re told that it is only around ¼ to 1/5 actual size. The birds themselves are, with wings fully unfurled, Radio’s New Golden Age XM Radio—Sound Waves from Capitol Hill BY GENE MILLER XM’s lobby satellite VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 www.voiceofthehill.com 23 terabytes of digital memory in racks down the hall—and that any of them can be played in just a few seconds. He’ll point out the active window on his monitor that shows the name of the song that is currently playing, with the songs scheduled to play next in a neat list right underneath, and how easy it is to click, drag, and drop in a promo for his show on channel 5 that the original Coasters cut for him, and then segue right into “Charlie Brown.” No albums, no tapes, no CDs. Nothing to scrape, scratch, or spill coffee on. Just click, drag, and drop. Over here to his right is another monitor where he can read his email request line. If AM radio was a nifty ’56 T-bird convertible, XM Radio’s channel 5 is the Enterprise at warp speed. Just down the hall from Pat Clarke’s studio is the XM Live Performance studio, which can hold an audience of 50 or a 40-member orchestra. One wall of the performance studio is glass, so that performances inside can still be seen from the outside. Beyond the music, some of the talk radio is produced here in Washington as well, while the news channels are rebroadcasts of BBC World Service, CNN, ESPN Sports Radio, and even the Weather Channel. A couple of special talk studios may stand out to your eye: the Trucker’s channel, which provides news and weather tailored for longhaul truckers, and the NASCAR channel, which is devoted to—you guessed it—NASCAR racing. Your tour may next take you up the steps and out onto a little glassenclosed balcony. From here, you can see the two dishes that squirt the soup up to the two birds, all of which is geek talk for the two parabolic antennas that transmit the signals up to the two satellites. Behind the two gleaming white dishes area, some extraordinarily impressive exhaust manifolds. Turns out that if Washington’s underground wiring decides to start playing tiddleywinks with manhole covers again, XM Radio has about four megawatts worth of back-up generators that will switch on automatically if the power goes off. The beat will go on. Some Nuts and Bolts Of course, XM Radio is about money. It’ll take them something like two million subscribers to break into the black, and they’re at around ¾ of their first million now and growing steadily. Lots of car manufacturers are coming on board and making XM radio capability available in their new models. Avis will also rent you a car with an XM radio in it. But it’s not just about the money: XM Radio is also interested in being a good neighbor. As its space was being renovated, XM came to an agreement to lease a part of it to the Metropolitan Police Department to use as a regional operations center for the Eckington neighborhood. The MPD now has the part of the building that fronts along Florida Avenue and operates with a rotating staff of 10-20 officers. XM also participates in local neighborhood clean-ups and local softball leagues. They’re also actively supporting the effort to bring major league baseball back to Washington, particularly since one possible stadium site is just diagonally across New York Avenue from the XM building. And they’ve also opened their building to be a meeting place for several community groups. The Sounds of XM The final test is, of course, the programming, and XM Radio lent me a boombox to use for a while. Once I figured out which direction to point the little antenna, I was in business (“Another remote?” my wife asked). Even though I’m not fat or bald or orange, I nevertheless “skew older” than Tony Kornheiser; I started listening to “Frank’s Place.” Frank’s Place is channel 73—commercial- free and featuring great American vocalists like Frank, Ella, Rosemary Clooney and Mel Torme, along with sprinklings of the likes of Erroll Garner and Oscar Peterson. They’re classics. And even though there is almost no talk at all, every now and then one of the greatest of all radio talkers is on: Jonathan Schwartz. Who else would even think of describing Ella Fitzgerald’s long-time accompanist Paul Smith as looking pretty much like the Senators’ old first baseman, Frank Howard? After hearing Jonathan Schwartz talk, I’m not interested in very many other radio talkers, although I will make an exception for old, fat, bald and orange ones: Tony K’s ESPN Radio show is on channel 140. The second channel I’ve listened to is Vox, the classical music channel devoted to vocal music. Commercial- free, Vox is particularly welcome here now that Washington’s best FM classical music station is Baltimore’s WBJC, which sometimes hisses and spits on my stereo. Not so with Vox: I’ve listened to Verdi’s Luisa Miller (Domingo/Levine) and Rigoletto (Sutherland/Pavarotti), the re-release of Callas’s La Somnambula recorded live at La Scala, and a wonderful arrangement for men’s chorus and orchestra of Brahms’s Four Serious Songs. I couldn’t be more pleased. So little time, so many channels. I’m sure the sounds on some of them will melt the wax in my ears, but so be it. XM lives! XM Radio makes arrangements for a limited number of special group tours. Interested groups should contact Carolyn Turner at 202-380-4000. Longtime Voice contributor Gene Miller thoroughly enjoyed this assignment. Pat Clark on the air in the “50s on 5” studio. The XM mother ship master control room. VOICE of the Hill / August 2003 24 www.voiceofthehill.com to organize in new states and working on gubernatorial and mayoral elections. The year 2002 brought more new challenges and opportunities for Noble, beginning with a surprise call from the campaign of Mirth York for Governor of Rhode Island. After a close primary victory (900 votes) and a firm standing in the polls (up 20 points), Noble left that campaign for what he calls the “most fulfilling work in his professional career” to date—the campaign of openly gay Jim Roth for County Commissioner in Oklahoma. Roth won that election by 11 points, and Noble beams about the effect that campaign had. “Some 14- year old kid could pick up the paper the next morning and know that it was possible to be openly gay and succeed,” he says. Noble was pleased to see the crosssection of people at Roth’s inauguration party, reiterating that there is “nothing you can do that’s more important, that will have more of an impact, than coming out. Coming out of the closet, being open, changes hearts and minds.” Critical Crossroads: ‘If No One Is Pushing For Progress, Progress Won’t Happen’ As director of the Stonewall Democrats, Noble sees a three-fold mission: to educate the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community; to mobilize volunteers to get out the vote; and improve the record of the Democratic party on issues important to the LGBT community. The NSD is the only national grassroots Democratic organization a collection of over 70 chapters knocking on doors and canvassing communities, helping to get out the vote and the message. Noble stresses, “We can run all the ads we want, but if we don’t engage the community, too many people feel they can’t make a difference.” In our conversation, the sense of urgency—the idea that this was a You may not have heard of Hill resident Dave Noble. My guess is that won’t be for too much longer. The 28-year old Noble is the Executive Director of the National Stonewall Democrats (NSD), an organization dedicated to “working through the Democratic Party to advance the rights of all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.” A quick glance at the headlines (and the election calendar) reminds us that this is a pivotal time for Noble’s organization. Noble’s journey to the NSD, along with his passion both on and off the political field of battle, combine to make him a force worth watching in the years to come. Building Political Momentum Noble’s political roots began with State Senator Thomas R. Coderre’s campaign in Rhode Island in 1996. He then took a job as Field Director of Not For Profit (NFP), an organization committed to keeping for-profit hospitals out of Rhode Island. The coalition of labor organizations in NFP led Noble to the Rhode Island AFL-CIO and to a key realization after the 1998 political cycle. Noble saw a critical mass of “young drivers,” movers and shakers in the Democratic Party, and realized they needed to mobilize. He started the RI Young Democrats, and within six months took the force to 150 members. Noble arrived on the Hill during the Presidential election of 2000 with a new position as Executive Director of the Young Democrats of America (YDA). He mobilized support for Al Gore, being “proud to say people under 29 and over 65 supported Gore.” After helping Gore win Oregon, he was dispatched to a Florida county courthouse to observe overseas ballot counting. He recalls it being “heartbreaking,” watching the Gore concession speech in an airport bar. Noble stayed in YDA through 2001, helping working to make a difference. “Those who work to affect change are the real heroes,” he says, “and there are so many of them on the Hill.” Noble plans to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October and trains regularly with the National AIDS Marathon Training Program. His current training regime takes him running from the Hill to Georgetown and back, where he gains a unique perspective on DC. “You get a whole different feel for your community when you walk or run it. You know you are making a difference, but you’re behind a desk or on a phone. This is making a connection with something that’s real.” Noble is also active in the Whitman Walker Buddy Program and sees it as a way to make a difference at the individual level. Mobilizing Youth Noble feels his youth gives him a unique perspective at the NSD and in the Democratic party. He doesn’t settle for the LGBT wins already achieved and sees younger Democrats as “fresh blood” to complement those who have already been in the fight for decades. He finds meeting and working with the leaders and groundbreakers of the movement for LGBT equality to be a treat and to be humbling, but adds, “We have a long way to go and we have enough energy to do it.” As the interview drew to a close, Noble came back to his sense of urgency and reiterated his charge for people to stay vigilant and become engaged. “We [the LGBT community] are at a turning point,” he says. “But we have to make sure it keeps turning in the right direction.” Residents interested in learning more information or discussing volunteer opportunities at the Stonewall Democrats should check out the NSD website at www.stonewalldemocrats.org. This is longtime DC resident Nick Germanotta’s first piece for The Voice of the Hill. “critical crossroads” for the Democratic party and the LGBT community—came across loud and clear. Noble links the Democrats being in control of Congress and of state houses to making real progress on LGBT issues; without control of the agenda-making process, votes just don’t come up. His 2004 goal is to target nine states to build a list of LGBT voters, run grassroots campaigns and increase the LGBT vote 10 to 15 percent, which can take the total Democratic take up 1 - 1.5 percent. In a close race, this can make the difference or be a substantial part of a close victory. The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling (Lawrence v. Texas) serves as both a victory and a start, according to Noble. Though it’s moved the LGBT community forward, it’s also helped to crystallize the opposition around a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Noble sees the Republican strategy, in part, as using this issue to drive up the conservative vote, adding that the bill now has 33 co-sponsors (29 of whom are Republican). “In Middle America, voices are either against [gay rights] or for tolerance ... not for advancement,” Noble states. “Let’s try and push the envelope and try to achieve. If no one is pushing for progress, progress