H Street Streetscape Details Revealed
Storeowners Fear Businesses Won’t Survive Project
The January meeting of ANC 6A,described by Chairman Joe Fengler as a “starting point for discussion” about the many changes along the corridor, provided an opportunity for the community to hear the latest H Street development details from “H Street movers and shakers.”

Streetscape Improvements Underway
By the time this paper goes to press, Mayor Fenty and the District Department of Transportation will have held a groundbreaking ceremony (Jan. 31) for the long awaited streetscape and streetcar project. The project, which is expected to take 30 months, will move in phases, with the first beginning between Third and Sixth Streets (on the north side), the second between Sixth and 11th Streets and the third phase from 11th to 14th Streets; construction crews will then cross the street to its south side and work the same three phases in reverse.

“I don’t want to be misleading; it’s going to be rough when we’re in those construction zones,” warned DDOT Project Manager Karina Ricks. During each phase Jersey barriers will be erected and on-street parking will be eliminated on both sides of the street. DDOT will install temporary parking meters on the first blocks north and south of H (only for use during the construction period), requiring non-residential parkers to pay for parking. Residential permit holders will be able to park for free in metered spots. “The intent is to have parking turnover … so we can continue to get you the service to your businesses and provide parking access.”

Storeowners in the 1100-1400 blocks of H, where construction will take place for 12-16 consecutive months, called the plans “unfair.” “A certain portion of businesses are going to be more adversely affected than the rest of the street for a year and a half,” said Frank Hankins, owner of Sova Espresso & Wine at 1359 H St. NE. “I’m a small-business owner; you’re going to put me out of business.”

Ricks discussed initiatives, namely a District government sponsored citywide advertising plan, to attract visitors to H Street during the 30-month period. She also promised storeowners “at least 5 feet of concrete sidewalk” and “solid walkways” leading to each business during the construction; and she assured access to DDOT staff and the contractors, who will be required to have an office on the H Street corridor (a location will be announced once the contract has been awarded). “You can walk in there and tell them, ‘Your construction vehicles are blocking my building,’ or ‘the walkway is insufficient for my patrons to get in my business,’ whatever your issues are,” said Ricks.

Ricks, who is not an engineer, was unable to explain why construction would make a U-turn at the 1400 block rather than returning to the 300 block at the start of the south-side phase of construction, but she promised a meeting with engineers who could answer these questions. Fengler suggested a venue – “to be set up sooner rather than later” – between the community and the engineers.

Streetcars and Transit Services  
DDOT Director Emeka Moneme warned there would be “a bit of disruption, [actually] a lot of disruption with transit services along the corridor” during the next three years, but he said DDOT and Metro were working on a better operations plan. Moneme said he’d “feel more comfortable” if Mayor Fenty announced the streetcar plans (which Fenty did on Jan. 31 during the ground breaking ceremony). Moneme did say that DDOT would use five to seven streetcars in the corridor “to make the service worthwhile,” but he admitted that multiple streetcars had not been ordered. And because it takes two to three years to construct each car, it is unlikely that the streetcars will be ready once the 30-month project is completed.

Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells told the crowd that he would seek funding for an “H Street Bus” to run between Union Station and Benning Road Station. “The idea is to help our businesses and bring in people from Ward 7, get them used to shopping and going out on H Street.” Wells also said he was looking into utilizing the “largest parking garage in the city over at Union Station.” Wells acknowledged the challenges ahead, but he expressed his strong commitment to doing whatever he could to promote H Street businesses.

At-Large Councilmember Kwame Brown, who was also in attendance, suggested copying the “things that worked” during the P Street Streetscape project (completed in 2007) – like valet parking, strong advertising campaigns, and “getting the residents to patronize the businesses.”

Still, these promises and assurances did little to calm business owners’ fears. “You guys are going to burn down the village to save it,” said H Street investor and business owner Joe Englert, who cited the example of Mark & Orlando’s, a restaurant at 2020 P St. NW which lost 70 percent of its business in one year due to the P Street Streetscape project. The H Street corridor is clearly more fragile than the Dupont Circle neighborhood, which has benefited from “continuous commercial activity for over 150 years,” said Englert. “We’re not going to survive it … our businesses are done.”

Fengler acknowledged that the next few years will be difficult. “We’ll have to work hard … to make what people see as doomsday survivable, and we’re committed to doing whatever we can to make this work.”

H Street Connection
Gary Rappaport, the developer and owner of the H Street Connection between 8th and 10th streets NE, shared plans to replace the 20-year-old strip mall with a new multi-use development “that can really make a difference and change the streetscape of H Street.” The proposed 430,000 square foot building would be 90 feet in height and include 35,000 square feet for retail use, 380,000 square feet for residential (about 400 units) and 550 parking spaces.

Fengler said he was “extraordinarily excited” about Rappaport’s long term vision for the property and said there would be plenty of time to work with Rappaport “to get the best building possible.” Fengler pointed out that the ANC was getting a “four year head start to work with [Rappaport]. We’ve never had that kind of cooperation with any developer on H Street.”

Elections
The commission unanimously reelected all commissioners and all community residents to the posts held in 2007.

Roll Call
Present: Chair Joseph Fengler (6A02) presiding, Raphael Marshall (6A01), Vice-Chair David Holmes (6A03), Treasurer Nicholas Alberti (6A04), Alcohol Beverage Licensing Chair Mary Beatty (6A05), Secretary Bill Schultheiss (6A06), Gladys Mack (6A07) and Public Safety Chair Stephanie Nixon (6A08).

Also present: community resident Chair Omar Mahmud of the Transportation and Public Space Committee, Drew Ronneberg of the Economic Development and Zoning Committee, and Elizabeth Nelson of the Community Outreach Committee.