In a surprising development, the Office of Property announced on March 27 that it “will continue to manage the Eastern Market ” and had withdrawn the solicitation for a new market management group. Robin Eve Jasper, Director of OPM, said that the Requests For Proposals “were fully examined by OPM and the Office of Contracts and Procurement and unfortunately we did not find them up to the standards we were looking for. ” The RFP process has been underway since August 2008 and OPM has recently drawn criticism for the delay in making a decision.

Barry Margeson, OPM’s choice for interim Market Manager, has been managing the Market since January 1 when the contract of the previous market manager expired. According to Margeson, the management team will be strengthened as the Market completes is scheduled renovation. The South Hall building, devastated by a fire on April 30, 2007 is expected to re-open in July.

Margeson has been credited by many with stabilizing an uncertain management situation. He is also engaged in helping to steer the Market through the last months of construction related issues and the closure of 7th St. with its forced dislocation of the arts and craft vendors as well as the farmer’s line stalls and the negative impact on the “bricks and mortar” merchants and on the surrounding residential neighborhood.

Jasper, noting that OPM does not yet have a clear picture of how the new unified management of the Market is taking shape, affirmed that at some point the RFP solicitation will be offered again, saying; “We think that it is better to see the Market stabilize economically and have a track record. At that point we can make that information available to bidders. For the Market to run better it will require more staff. [We need to determine] how much revenue is required to run the Market and what are the fixed costs to run an effective Market.”

Donna Scheeder, Chair of EMCAC, concurred with OPM’s decision: “The independent review of the RFP by EMCAC’s review committee reached many of the same conclusions. We think the decision by OPM is wise and bodes well for the future of the Market.”

Larry Gallo, a member of EMCAC’s Executive Committee strongly disagreed: “ I am tremendously disappointed. After seven months of efforts to deliver the best and highest standards for a market manager, for the District to step back means we all have failed. All of us. OPM’s managing the Market reflects the failure of the system to serve the Market as best is possible.“

Michael Berman, a 17 year arts vendor, who bid on the management proposal under the non-profit, Eastern Market Matters, was clearly disappointed with OPM’s decision: “I think I had a great team in place and I could have delivered the results I promised and within budget. I would have grown the Market and made it beautiful inside and out. I feel pretty bad for the Market. I don’t know how they are going to run it.“

Ward Six Council member Tommy Wells added his support to the OPM decision saying: “This is a chance for OPM to manage the Market. I am perfectly fine with the decision. If it works out it will be the model for governance of the Eastern Market.”

7th Street Closure And Parking
In a specially called meeting of EMCAC held on Wednesday March 4, both residents and operators of the “bricks and mortar” businesses expressed serious concerns about the proposal to close all or part of 7th St. so that the long planned for streetscape could be accelerated to coincide with the completion of the renovated South Hall. The streetscape will include new lighting, repaved brick sidewalks, a new cobblestone roadway, as well as trees and planters all reflecting the historical character of the Market built in 1873.

Suggestions that the streetscape work be postponed proved untenable when it was pointed out by EMCAC members that the work had been planned for years, was in the current DC budget, and had been postponed a number of times. DDOT officials added that the contract would expire and suggested its re-negotiation would be in a less than favorable budgetary environment. According to DDOT officials, a total street closure would allow foot traffic and access to the businesses located on 7th St. as well as the farmer’s line shed.

After some discussion and with DDOT representatives providing clarifications, the differences in the options of partial and full closing appeared inconsequential.

EMCAC voted to close the whole of 7th St. on DDOT assurances it would reopen in June with commitments from DDOT for a strong marketing and advertising campaign to let people know that the market and other businesses are still open. Equally important was a commitment that the closed Hine school’s parking lot would be made available for customer parking during the weekdays.

Seth Shapiro, proprietor of the popular Marvelous Market, best expressed the consensus, demonstrated with a show of hands from the community, when he said: “ I want this completed as quick as possible.“ At an EMCAC meeting at the end of March, it was reported that the streetscape was on schedule for the promised completion in June.

Bricks and Mortar Businesses Impacted Severely by Road Closure
“Terrible” was how Phyllis Marriot, operator of Petit Gourmet, an upscale deli & catering operation, characterized her current business. With heavy earth moving equipment shaking her shop’s windows, Marriot, speaking above the noise outside, said: “My business is off 50 to 75% with the street as it is. And it was off even before this.” Marriot responded with a bleak and worried, “I don’t know “ when asked if she can survive till June without closing.

Choong Lee of Pregos’s reports that his business is “50% down” since the streetscape work and that parking is “too far” but that weekends are “a little better.”

Debbie Danielson, owner of Forecast, a 32 year old upscale woman’s clothing store and a 7th St. anchor, feels that the recession is the reason her business is off 50% and is as much a cause as the closed street. Danielson indicated that she too is running scared and fears that she may not make it until the street is re-opened and worries, if she closes, for her six employees. “Parking” according to Danielson is the number one problem with her customer base who come from the suburbs, adding that her customers love to “partake of the neighborhood.” Asked if she will survive, Danielson responded: “ I am not sure.”

DDOT’s promise of adequate signage remains woefully lacking and confusing, Flyers are taped to business doors that there is parking at Hine: a cart before the horse approach since a perceived lack of parking means customers might not reach these intended destinations. The promised of clearly marked signs are instead a hodge podge scattered amidst the confusion of the construction work, especially in regards to the vital Hine parking. The promises to residents concerning traffic control -- especially trucks parking on 8th St. -- and in the alley next to the East Hall have not been kept. An inspector sitting in a DDOT vehicle cheerfully reported he was telling as many people as he could about the parking that was available but when queried about a lack of a Hine customer parking sign, responded; “I saw a sign around here somewhere. I just can’t remember where it is.“

Spring Concerts and CHCF
The Capitol Hill Community Foundation (www.capitolhillcommunityfoundation.org), collected over $450,000 in donations after the disastrous Market fire of April, 2007 and initially used it to help merchants and employees survive. Subsequently, CHCF used these funds in partnership with the District to help bankroll the return of the South Hall merchants to their temporary home in the East Hall.

Gary Peterson, coordinator of CHCF’s support of the Market, reports that CHCF held $100,000 in reserve for the merchants move back to the South Hall for “the stuff that happens.”