Hill Rag | December 2007 | Eastern Market Watch

Eastern Market Watch

by: Peter J. Waldron

The Turkey Line
If you had to wait in line during the Thanksgiving shopping period, there was no better place in the metropolitan area than the famous “turkey line”, of Mel Inman’s Market Poultry. Monica Sullivan and Bill Philips fifteen year residents of the Hill, were two of approximately 1700 who either pre-ordered their bird (about 1200) or simply walked over to the Eastern Market and chatted with neighbors as the line moved quickly on a balmy day while the nation prepared for our American way of giving thanks. Sullivan, standing patiently in a line of just under 50 at noon explained why. “It’s a good juicy turkey. We love the Market. And then you want to support the Market.” When queried about the parking, these Garfield Park neighbors responded that they had parked on 5th St. “about halfway here.” By contrast the Safeway on the Hill sold 600 turkeys and has 140 parking spaces.

Darnell Anderson of Hyattsville has been coming to the Market since 1971 and was in line to pick up a 20 lb turkey along with 10 lbs of chicken wings for watching football during the day and thinks the “food is good and my wife can really cook.” Anderson was untroubled by the parking, adding that “parking is always a mess. This is DC.”

The one cloud in the day was across the street under the farmer’s line where Margol’s Produce, with over forty five years at the Market, reported that this was the second year that business was down. Dave Margols along with Grandma (“everybody calls me that”) who manned the cash box added that in other years “I would have gone through 50 to 100 cases of greens. Today I brought ten cases and I have five or six left. “

Parking and the Closing of 7th Street
The issue of parking is growing rapidly and exponentially and has quickly become riven with fractiousness that announces the Eastern Market wars are back as the peak season sets in to make up ground from a disastrous spring and summer. Larry Gallo, of Stio Design, a member of the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) and an arts and craft vendor, is one who supports 7th St. being closed even as he reports that if he has the good Christmas season that he had last year he will still be down 20% for the year (30-35 % of his business is at Christmas).

Not one customer or businessperson interviewed was without an opinion on this issue of an open or closed street with a variety of suggested and patched together parking plans springing to life. One group would keep 7th St. closed for the foreseeable future. Council member Wells, describing the parking situation as “controlled anarchy,” strongly supports a closed street and insists that the community is behind him on this matter.

Others make the argument that the enacted Market legislation did not consider the closing of the street, that its closing has been done by fiat. Outdoor arts and craft vendors who have found themselves potentially better positioned on 7th St. by the closure strongly support it. The East Hall merchants are against it, their argument being that their regular customers want and demand parking in order to continue to support the Market.

The “controlled anarchy” of Thanksgiving shopping is even more illustrative, if further proof is needed, that parking is a problem. 7th St. was open in the days before the holiday, not closed as on the weekends. Ellen Opper-Weiner who heads EMCAC’s Parking Committee and someone quite familiar with the legislation of the Eastern Market, reports that more than 40 plus spaces have been lost in the closing of the street and South Hall’s renovation. Opper-Weiner has submitted recommendations for a parking plan that takes into account the closed street, but the Department of Transportation (DDOT) which must sign off on this plan, still has it under review. Whatever the plan there was none in place as the rush of Thanksgiving took place. Bill Glasgow the dean of Market merchants said, “Parking is terrible. It is bad. Really bad. “

Thanksgiving shopping was a testament to both the strengths of a fragile business ecology at the Market with business strong where it might be expected while at the same time highlighting parking as its Achilles heal. Carrying a 15-20 lb turkey home to a Hill residence means fewer purchases. With the Harris Teeter’s and its projected hundreds of parking spaces coming in the very near future as well as an upgraded Safeway showing great vitality with a 40% increase in business in the past two years, there is a heightened concern to put in place a viable and long term parking solution so that Eastern Market retains its character as a neighborhood shopping district and does not turn into a weekend festival.

Business Level
Thanksgiving was yet another test of the durability and comeback powers of the Eastern Market. The results are mixed. Market Poultry, selling turkey’s at $1.69 a pound had a stellar few days which were offset with the Market being closed on Thursday and Friday. Bill Glasgow of Union Meat, reports that “business was not as good as we had hoped “with sales of hams, chitterlings and primed ribs of beef.” Calomaris Produce reported brisk sales with lots of sweet potatoes, greens and green beans. According to Jennie Glasgow, her Fine Sweet Shoppe had a spectacular two days; she sold out of the 350 baked pumpkin, apple and minced meat pies. Asked how sales were compared to last year, Glasgow ruefully reported that all her holiday records were lost in April’s fire.

Missing from the farmer’s line in the days that preceded the holidays for the first time in the fifteen years he has been at the Market was Dan Donohue of Agora Farms, a mainstay with his variety of products from the Amish farms of Pennsylvania and his full compliment of customer services. According to Donohue, EMV, the market management, was late in making space assignments and he was unable to gather his products in time.

Market Restoration and New RFP Developments
Minkoff Construction continues its restoration of the Market roof with the work expected to be completed just after Christmas. The Office of Property Management (OPM) has made a yet unannounced decision on bids that were submitted for Stage II of the restoration: the Market windows. According to Stacy Norris, liaison to the Market from OPM “the parties are coming to the end of the negotiations” and an announcement will be made in early December.

In a development which according to one member of EMCAC “is a slap in our face as well as the DC Council’s,” OPM has issued an RFP or “Intent To Bid “for the remaining and most substantial work in the $20 million renovation of the fire ravaged South Hall. Contrary to enacted DC Council legislation, OPM issued the RFP and once again did not consult EMCAC after previously apologizing for this oversight. .

With even more serious concerns raised by members of EMCAC for the process (sending out bid packages that were created and distributed without EMCAC consultation and letting bids that do not place priority of the Market as a historically designated building with the related concerns of historic materials), the possibility grows of work that will seriously jeopardize that required for a restored Eastern Market that genuinely meets historic standards.

Donna Scheeder, Chair of EMCAC had this comment: “We can’t let OPM do things without listening to us. They need to follow the legislation that is there. If they had in the East Hall, they would have avoided some of its problems. The real issue here is whether or not this gets done right.

The situation with the RFP for Eastern Market Rehabilitation issued by OPM has become increasingly disturbing and complex. More importantly, EMCAC questions the appropriateness of the entire RFP procedure OPM has initiated as well as their use of their standard contract language. EMCAC was created to give the city the benefit of the community’s knowledge gained over many years. It is a shame that OPM does not see fit to use it wisely.”

These matters, along with the legally deficient and incorrectly signed leases of the East Hall merchants that are in the process of being re-done without resolving their issues speak of shoddy work that is coming from the offices of OPM”s General Counsel.

One positive note is that the highly regarded Project for Public Space will be awarded an expedited contract to assist the EMCAC advisory group in developing a unified market management proposal for bid sometime in the near future.

The Eastern Market Budget : 07-08
Eastern Market Ventures (EMV), as required by law and under their new contract extension, submitted a budget for the upcoming year. Projected annual revenues extrapolated through the length of their contract period are $365.662.14 the bulk of the revenue coming from rents. On the expense side of the ledger is $454,242.66 with $322,740 in personnel costs: $72,900 for porters; $25,272 for parking control. EMV earns a management fee of $225,000. There is a projected deficit of $88,580.52 with no provision allowing for deficits. This does not include the substantial salary of Stacy Norris, a full time liaison from the OPM whose internship is dedicated to Market affairs and who is a daily presence at the Market.

EMV’s website as of publication had no indication of holiday events, hours or announcements and under News and Events suggested the viewer “check back later for updates.” The site was last updated in late September.

Christmas Trees
Jesse Dunhill is selling Christmas trees daily from 11-8 PM. He is located under the farmer’s line shed and will have approximately 400 trees with delivery on the Hill and only during the weekdays. Dan Donohue’s Agora farms will set up his trees adjacent to his space assignment proximate to the East Hall on weekends and will deliver every day.


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Eastern Market Watch

by: Peter J. Waldron
The Turkey Line If you had to wait in line during the Thanksgiving shopping period, there was no better place in the metropolitan area than the famous “turkey line”, of Mel Inman’s Market Poultry. Monica Sullivan and Bill Philips fifteen year residents of the Hill, were two of approximately 1700 who either pre-ordered their bird (about 1200) or simply walked over to the Eastern Market and chatted with neighbors as the line moved quickly on a balmy day while the nation prepared for our American way of giving thanks. Sullivan, standing patiently in a line of just under 50 at noon explained why. “It’s a good juicy turkey. We love the Market. And then you want to support the Market.” When queried about the parking, these Garfield Park neighbors responded that they had parked on 5th St. “about halfway here.” By contrast the Safeway on the Hill sold 600 turkeys and has 140 parking spaces. Darnell Anderson of Hyattsville has been coming to the Market since 1971 and was in line to pick up a 20 lb turkey along with 10 lbs of chicken wings for watching football during the day and thinks the “food is good and my wife can really cook.” Anderson was untroubled by the parking, adding that “parking is always a mess. This is DC.” The one cloud in the day was across the street under the farmer’s line where Margol’s Produce, with over forty five years at the Market, reported that this was the second year that business was down. Dave Margols along with Grandma (“everybody calls me that”) who manned the cash box added that in other years “I would have gone through 50 to 100 cases of greens. Today I brought ten cases and I have five or six left. “ Parking and the Closing of 7th Street The issue of parking is growing rapidly and exponentially and has quickly become riven with fractiousness that announces the Eastern Market wars are back as the peak season sets in to make up ground from a disastrous spring and summer. Larry Gallo, of Stio Design, a member of the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) and an arts and craft vendor, is one who supports 7th St. being closed even as he reports that if he has the good Christmas season that he had last year he will still be down 20% for the year (30-35 % of his business is at Christmas). Not one customer or businessperson interviewed was without an opinion on this issue of an open or closed street with a variety of suggested and patched together parking plans springing to life. One group would keep 7th St. closed for the foreseeable future. Council member Wells, describing the parking situation as “controlled anarchy,” strongly supports a closed street and insists that the community is behind him on this matter. Others make the argument that the enacted Market legislation did not consider the closing of the street, that its closing has been done by fiat. Outdoor arts and craft vendors who have found themselves potentially better positioned on 7th St. by the closure strongly support it. The East Hall merchants are against it, their argument being that their regular customers want and demand parking in order to continue to support the Market. The “controlled anarchy” of Thanksgiving shopping is even more illustrative, if further proof is needed, that parking is a problem. 7th St. was open in the days before the holiday, not closed as on the weekends. Ellen Opper-Weiner who heads EMCAC’s Parking Committee and someone quite familiar with the legislation of the Eastern Market, reports that more than 40 plus spaces have been lost in the closing of the street and South Hall’s renovation. Opper-Weiner has submitted recommendations for a parking plan that takes into account the closed street, but the Department of Transportation (DDOT) which must sign off on this plan, still has it under review. Whatever the plan there was none in place as the rush of Thanksgiving took place. Bill Glasgow the dean of Market merchants said, “Parking is terrible. It is bad. Really bad. “ Thanksgiving shopping was a testament to both the strengths of a fragile business ecology at the Market with business strong where it might be expected while at the same time highlighting parking as its Achilles heal. Carrying a 15-20 lb turkey home to a Hill residence means fewer purchases. With the Harris Teeter’s and its projected hundreds of parking spaces coming in the very near future as well as an upgraded Safeway showing great vitality with a 40% increase in business in the past two years, there is a heightened concern to put in place a viable and long term parking solution so that Eastern Market retains its character as a neighborhood shopping district and does not turn into a weekend festival. Business Level Thanksgiving was yet another test of the durability and comeback powers of the Eastern Market. The results are mixed. Market Poultry, selling turkey’s at $1.69 a pound had a stellar few days which were offset with the Market being closed on Thursday and Friday. Bill Glasgow of Union Meat, reports that “business was not as good as we had hoped “with sales of hams, chitterlings and primed ribs of beef.” Calomaris Produce reported brisk sales with lots of sweet potatoes, greens and green beans. According to Jennie Glasgow, her Fine Sweet Shoppe had a spectacular two days; she sold out of the 350 baked pumpkin, apple and minced meat pies. Asked how sales were compared to last year, Glasgow ruefully reported that all her holiday records were lost in April’s fire. Missing from the farmer’s line in the days that preceded the holidays for the first time in the fifteen years he has been at the Market was Dan Donohue of Agora Farms, a mainstay with his variety of products from the Amish farms of Pennsylvania and his full compliment of customer services. According to Donohue, EMV, the market management, was late in making space assignments and he was unable to gather his products in time. Market Restoration and New RFP Developments Minkoff Construction continues its restoration of the Market roof with the work expected to be completed just after Christmas. The Office of Property Management (OPM) has made a yet unannounced decision on bids that were submitted for Stage II of the restoration: the Market windows. According to Stacy Norris, liaison to the Market from OPM “the parties are coming to the end of the negotiations” and an announcement will be made in early December. In a development which according to one member of EMCAC “is a slap in our face as well as the DC Council’s,” OPM has issued an RFP or “Intent To Bid “for the remaining and most substantial work in the $20 million renovation of the fire ravaged South Hall. Contrary to enacted DC Council legislation, OPM issued the RFP and once again did not consult EMCAC after previously apologizing for this oversight. . With even more serious concerns raised by members of EMCAC for the process (sending out bid packages that were created and distributed without EMCAC consultation and letting bids that do not place priority of the Market as a historically designated building with the related concerns of historic materials), the possibility grows of work that will seriously jeopardize that required for a restored Eastern Market that genuinely meets historic standards. Donna Scheeder, Chair of EMCAC had this comment: “We can’t let OPM do things without listening to us. They need to follow the legislation that is there. If they had in the East Hall, they would have avoided some of its problems. The real issue here is whether or not this gets done right. The situation with the RFP for Eastern Market Rehabilitation issued by OPM has become increasingly disturbing and complex. More importantly, EMCAC questions the appropriateness of the entire RFP procedure OPM has initiated as well as their use of their standard contract language. EMCAC was created to give the city the benefit of the community’s knowledge gained over many years. It is a shame that OPM does not see fit to use it wisely.” These matters, along with the legally deficient and incorrectly signed leases of the East Hall merchants that are in the process of being re-done without resolving their issues speak of shoddy work that is coming from the offices of OPM”s General Counsel. One positive note is that the highly regarded Project for Public Space will be awarded an expedited contract to assist the EMCAC advisory group in developing a unified market management proposal for bid sometime in the near future. The Eastern Market Budget : 07-08 Eastern Market Ventures (EMV), as required by law and under their new contract extension, submitted a budget for the upcoming year. Projected annual revenues extrapolated through the length of their contract period are $365.662.14 the bulk of the revenue coming from rents. On the expense side of the ledger is $454,242.66 with $322,740 in personnel costs: $72,900 for porters; $25,272 for parking control. EMV earns a management fee of $225,000. There is a projected deficit of $88,580.52 with no provision allowing for deficits. This does not include the substantial salary of Stacy Norris, a full time liaison from the OPM whose internship is dedicated to Market affairs and who is a daily presence at the Market. EMV’s website as of publication had no indication of holiday events, hours or announcements and under News and Events suggested the viewer “check back later for updates.” The site was last updated in late September. Christmas Trees Jesse Dunhill is selling Christmas trees daily from 11-8 PM. He is located under the farmer’s line shed and will have approximately 400 trees with delivery on the Hill and only during the weekdays. Dan Donohue’s Agora farms will set up his trees adjacent to his space assignment proximate to the East Hall on weekends and will deliver every day.