Archive for the 'Redevelopment' Category

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12
Apr
12

FoRIA Street Clean Up

By rhodeislandinsider Leave a Comment
Categories: Redevelopment

The time has come to step up for our community once again! The Friends of RIA (FoRIA) are at it again! Come out and help us clean up the Avenue!!

It may be chilly and rainy outside now, but Saturday’s forecast is nothin’ but
sunshine and warmer temperatures – perfect weather for coming together with your
neighbors to polish up Rhode Island Avenue, the backbone of our community!

Last time we targeted 18th Street to South Dakota, and this time we’ll be taking
on 14th Street to 18th Street. Please reach out to your neighbors, your church,
or anyone else with an interest in Ward 5. The more hands we have involved, the
faster we’ll see permanent, positive changes in Ward 5 and Rhode Island Avenue.

WHEN: Saturday, April 14, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Meet at the northeast corner of 1600 Rhode Island Ave NE (across 16th
Street from Flip It)

DETAILS: General trash pick-up – PLUS – a great opportunity to meet neighbors
and show your support for our neighborhood!

T-SHIRTS!!: We’ll have a limited number of FoRIA t-shirts for sale at the event
- $15 each.

We will have a limited amount of tools (brooms, etc.), plus bags provided by
DC-DPW, so bring your work gloves and comfortable clothes.

I’m looking forward to seeing everybody again on April 14th!

05
Apr
12

Why We Do What We Do

By rhodeislandinsider 3 Comments
Categories: Life on RIA and Redevelopment
Tags: , , , , ,

by Greg Roberts

I started this blog over four years ago as a means to show the rest of the world why I chose to move to a neighborhood off of Rhode Island Avenue. I saw the potential of a DC street that sees over 30,000 car trips daily in and out of the District, wide sidewalks along Main Street type of corridors, and wonderful people. Over the last year, the Insider grew to include more contributors who wanted to share their experiences and insight in this area. In addition, the readers of this blog used it as a means to connect and form a community group called Friends of RIA (FoRIA) to take our neighborhood to another level. None of us get paid for what we do…heck, we barely have time given our full time lives. So why do we do it?

The answer to that is in the email below that I received to a new RIA resident and neighbor:

Greg,

Hi- I have to thank you so much for your awesome blog.  My friends (future roommates) and I have been in DC for a few years.  I lived on H Street for two years and currently live on the Hill, the other two attended Catholic in undergrad and now live in NoVA (No!  terrible! haha) but none of us ever considered Rhode Island Ave.  We stumbled across the Rhode Island Row apartments, really loved the proximity to the metro and also the individual units, but we were concerned about the neighborhood.  Honestly, after reading your blog we were completely sold on the area.  It’s obvious that so many people care and are trying to make it better all the time.  I really just wanted to compliment you on the high quality of the blog, it’s clearly a labor of love on the part of all your talented contributors and that’s unique.  There are other good neighborhood blogs (PoP obviously) but more often than not they’re all posts clamoring for a LuLuLemon or something equally obnoxious. I like that you’re as focused on what the neighbors can do to improve their neighborhood as you are “when are we getting a Starbucks?”  Anyway, keep up the good work- we’re really enjoying all the info!

We’ll be moving in during May.

Thanks to all of our readers, those who comment, and those that volunteer your time… the message is for all of you. We all make a difference.

 

30
Mar
12

And Another Community Partner….

By rhodeislandinsider 2 Comments
Categories: Redevelopment
Tags: , , , ,

Yesterday, we reported that the Friends of RIA (FoRIA) has partnered up with the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF). Today, the group has announced that they are also partnering with the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GWHCC). Check out FoRIA’s website to help connect potential business owners with resources and training by clicking here.

More on the GWHCC:

The GWHCC’s Small Business Assistance Program will provide 1) practical workshop/business to business networking events and 2) customized, one-on-one technical assistance to low and middle income enterprises. The individualized assistance will include the following topics:

Accounting and financial management
Customer service
General business operations
General legal counsel
Merchandising
Property improvements
Real estate and leasing
Sales and marketing
Small business certifications
Social and other web-based media

All of this should excite residents and those that want to see the Avenue grow with positive redevelopment. Great job, FoRIA!

29
Mar
12

New Partnership for a Better RIA

By rhodeislandinsider 7 Comments
Categories: Redevelopment
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The Friends of RIA (FoRIA) has taken a bold step forward to help bring positive redevelopment along the Avenue by partnering with the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF), which is headquartered in Brookland.  On the FoRIA website, under “Start a Business” the group highlights their partnership with the WACIF and gives would-be business owners the contact information to the Investment Fund. Here is an excerpt of the FoRIA website:

FoRIA is now partnering with the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) to connect potential Rhode Island Avenue business-owners with financing and technical assistance.

WACIF provides low cost financing and technical assistance to small businesses, childcare centers, affordable housing developers, and community organizations.

Since inception, WACIF has closed 253 loans totaling $16.7 million, helping leverage $147.7 million in financing for local low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations. WACIF has assisted over 1,200 small businesses through one-on-one assistance, provided $45.6 million in access to capital in lending, and created more than 1,350 full- and part-time jobs.

If you are thinking about bringing your business to Rhode Island Avenue NE, we encourage you to reach out to us and WACIF.

 

29
Mar
12

Ward 5 Heartbeat’s Writes an Update on the Sp. Election

By rhodeislandinsider 2 Comments
Categories: Redevelopment
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Photos by Sierra Suris

In the latest issue of the Ward 5 Heartbeat (formerly the Brookland Heartbeat) published their views of the Special Election in Ward 5. According to the article, the race has come down to only 3 candidates: McDuffie, Hunter, and Wilds. The article has the listserve community in a buzz with claims that it was slanted against Hunter (although Hunter reportedly refused to answer questions) and that McDuffie and Wilds bought ads for favorable coverage. All of this is passionate views from supporters and opponents.

Here are some excerpts from the article:

Candidates are nearly identical?

In many ways, Mr. Hunter, Mr. McDuffie and Mr. Wilds are more similar than they are different. All three have lived in Ward 5 most of their lives. They all ran and lost in previous primary races against Harry Thomas Jr. In campaign speeches, they stick to familiar themes of jobs, education, economic development, workforce development, ethics, and programs for youth and seniors.

Delano Hunter has money issues?

Since 2010, Mr. Hunter has been sued four times in D.C. Superior Court. Judgments against him were entered in every case. Three of the lawsuits were filed by landlords suing Mr. Hunter for failing to pay his rent. The fourth lawsuit came from Mr. Hunter’s credit card company seeking payment for $3,211 in overdue bills.

Is there more to Mr. Hunter’s relationship to Mr. Shelton?

In January of this year, Mr. Shelton pleaded guilty to federal charges of stealing more than $28,000 from ANC 5B between August 2010 and March 2011. There is no suggestion that Mr. Hunter took part in Mr. Shelton’s theft.

Read the entire article, here.

01
Mar
12

Chairman Brown Delivers! Bikeshare coming to Rhode Island Ave NE

By Nolan 14 Comments
Categories: Redevelopment
Tags: , , , , , ,

DC Capital Bikeshareby Nolan Treadway

As I was putting together my testimony for DC Council Chairman Kwame Brown’s Hearing on Economic Development in Ward 5 a couple weeks back, I was sure to hit on Rhode Island Avenue development– of lack thereof (Friends of Rhode Island Avenue had been asking their membership to come out and testify on that topic).  But in finalizing it, I realized all the ideas I had proposed were big ideas that could only be addressed over a long period of time.  I thought: “What was something could ask for that could be delivered on in the immediate future?“… Bikeshare!

Driving (or biking) from Downtown, Rhode Island Avenue Northeast doesn’t have a bikeshare station after you cross 4th Street NE.  Right before the deadline to turn in testimony, I added a couple sentences highlighting this and asking Chairman Brown to help us get a bikeshare station.  It’s important not only so we can all have healthier and cleaner transportation options — but it also sends a signal to the neighborhood that we’re just as important as the other parts of town that are seemingly drowning in bikeshare stations.

After giving my testimony Chairman Brown noted my request and agreed.  He said he would work to get us a bikeshare station, and he has delivered!

Today, DC Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown thanked the Mayor and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) for moving forward with a new Bikeshare station near the Brentwood and Brookland neighborhoods in Ward 5. The new station will arrive in late summer or early fall and be installed later this year. This announcement comes as a follow-up to interest expressed at a community roundtable the Chairman held on February 21 at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center.

“I want to express my gratitude to the Mayor and DDOT for moving forward with Ward 5’s new Bikeshare station,” said Chairman Brown. “The expansion of the Capital Bikeshare into this area will give more of our communities the opportunity to take advantage of this health-promoting and environmentally-safe transit option.”

According to Jim Sebastian, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Bicycle Program manager, the new station will come in the city’s next shipment and will be located near the intersection of 20th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NE.

I can’t wait for the station to be installed so I can renew my bikeshare membership that I allowed to lapse after moving to Woodridge!  Thanks Chairman Brown!

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