This site is dedicated to saving 25 acres of green space in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, DC. While people who say they care about the environment are outraged about drilling in the northern tundra of Alaska, there seems to be little concern for turning 25 acres of green space in the nation's capital into concrete and asphalt. Once it is developed it will be lost forever.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
EYA's "Vision" includes almost zero usable park space.
If you lived next to the property, as opposed to the developer who lives in Bethesda, you would know the city does an excellent job of keeping this property clean. Ot is frequently mowed in the summer and trash is picker up around the property on a regular basis. It is the street outside of the fence that is littered with KFC bags, liquor bottles, used condoms, needles and tiny blue ziplock bags. Interestingly, even though the city recently installed garbage cans on both sides of First, the pig people continue to throw their trash on the street. The check-cashing stores, and the pager stores and the liquor stores will attract more pig people. It is laughable that adding hundreds of units of four-story low income housing will result in LESS trash! And, it is naive to think that doing something is automatically better than doing nothing.
This is a sample of the propaganda prepared by the developer, namely the package submitted in advance of the neighborhood meeting on December 13, 2008. Keep in mind that when the developer says there is no taxpayer money being used in the effort to sell this project, that is only true in lawyer-speak. Yes, the money they are spending right now is their own. If the community allows this dull project, complete with 3-story high low-income housing on Channing Street, to be built, the developer will include all of these costs, plus profits. How much they profit will depend on how high they can push the square footage. The out-of-town developer has no incentive to provide usable park space (like a running trail), or sufficient cross streets between First and North Capitol. And, all of the money they are spending now will ultimately be derived from the transfer of this public space to private corporations. In short, all of the money being spent now is taxpayer money. It’s our land, why are we handing it over to a developer from Bethesda?
1. This is not the current plan for the site and doesn't accurately reflect either the greenspace for the current development draft.
2. EYA is based in Bethesda, but has projects all over the region, including many in DC. This is basic intel-- if you went to their website you would know this. The person you keep referring to as the "agent" for the site, Aakash Thakkar, is in fact a VP at EYA and lives in DC. I can't imagine that he didn't share that with you (in fact, I know that he shared that with the group at both public meetings). He, like Jair and myself, grew up here and has done great work in DC proper.
3. JAIR LYNCH Development Partners is and always has been a DC-based company. Our offices are on U Street. Stop asserting that the development team is from out of town.
4. There are no plans for check cashing places or liquor stores, and to continue to assert that is to deliberately mislead people about the plans for the site.
If you would actually ask questions of the development team and reply to my repeated requests for a meeting and conversation, perhaps you would actually find out some meaningful information to share with the public rather than continuing to deliberately include falsehoods.
It's one thing to disagree with the interest of changing plans. It's quite another to deliberately mislead the public about what is going on in the neighborhood.
Tania Jackson JAIR LYNCH Development Partners tbj@jairlynch.com
First, this is YOUR document. Precious little information is available to the neighborhood. This was included in YOUR presentation on December 13th. So which is it? Are you saying you presented something that wasn't true then, or are you saying something untruthful now?
Secondly, we all understand that Bethesda-based EYA will have no choice but to hire some folks that live in DC. I never suggested otherwise. Are you suggesting that EYA shareholders will not enjoy the majority of the profit made from this publicly-owned space?
With regard to check-cashing stores and liquor stores, are you suggesting that EYA will have control over who rents retail space? This isn't China. Space will be made available for rent, and owners of space will rent to whomever emerges from the market. You say I am "deliberately misleading" folks, but I am only suggesting what is possible. I would say it is much more misleading for the team led by the Bethesda developer to suggest that we will all be able to walk to Trader Joe's, Ceviche, Sweetwater Tavern, Ray's and sushi restaurants. This is the neighborhood where Five Guys couldn't make it. To put it nicely, it is beyond misleading to suggest that high-end restaurants and shops will suddenly flock to Bloomingdale. I don't think 1,200 units, including an undisclosed number of eight-story subsidized housing projects, will offset the traffic nightmare this Superblock will create. Trader Joe's will never invest in a place with such limited traffic access. They and other high-end retailers look at disposable income, traffic, crime, etc. They do invest in projects LIKE this one, but the location would have to have a metro or fit into an existing, functioning traffic network. I don't think they are interested in spending a few million to build the Traffic Jam Trader Joes'.
No, it wasn't included in the 12/13 presentation; you would know that if you had been there. That's from what was generated for a meeting of the MAG, after which we changed it. I don't know who is giving you their materials, but they're not giving you the most current stuff.
It's also ALL DRAFT. You keep making it sound like this isn't an ongoing negotiation, which I have reiterated over and over again. Calling it propaganda is reducing your neighbors' input. And, "precious little information" is correct. First of all, we encouraged everyone to get intel from the MAG members. I've also been willing to talk to you and share info, but you won't contact me directly. Lastly, we're working on getting all of it up online.
Paul, I am saying that if you would even bother to look at the slide-- never mind the award or any of the information released about the selection of the development TEAM, you would see our company name staring you in the eye, and you would know that we're a major partner doing a huge chunk of the development on the site. The fact that you continue to state otherwise belies your insistence on continuing to mislead the public about who is working on the project.
Yes, I am absolutely suggesting that EYA "shareholders" will not be enjoying the majority of the profit on the project. I wish you would pay more attention to the team structure and ask some questions about how development finance works. Also do some basic investigating (like visiting websites) of the companies involved in developing and financing the project before you continue on this tangent about "out of towners". As a 7th generation Washingtonian I take offense.
I think you have no idea how the development structure will work and who is building what, because you're too busy making it up as you go along. You don't seem to understand how retail development works. SO YES, I am saying that EYA and JAIR LYNCH will have a great deal of control over who leases the spaces. Who is it that you think will be in charge of finding retail?
Try asking information seeking questions instead of going for the jugular. It might actually be helpful to you and your readership.
You make some good points. I am pleased we are having this conversation in a public forum.
You may believe everything you say is true.
But, nothing you have said has anything to do with the real issues here. Instead of ranting, I will take your advice and ask questions:
Which of the development partners will make more of a profit than the lead developer from Bethesda, EYA?
Why do you suggest I don't think EYA is capable?
Are you saying that EYA will be able the select the retailers they want to be in development? How can this be possible in a free society?
Why is this project going forward in a neighborhood that has documented traffic problems already?
Why is the design a Superblock instead of a more accessible normal city block?
Whom did you talk to at the Corps of Engineers about working together on creating more usable space around the reservoir?
At the first development meeting I was told the developer supports timed traffic llights down First Street to help moce the traffic. is this true?
What other traffic abatement issues are under consideration?
Why, in 2009, is it impossible for your development team to post things on this internet thingy?
As far as I can tell, this project is moving at the speed of light with no consideration given to worsening an already burdened neighborhood with considerably more cars, people and subsidized housing. The most important issue raised by the community is that there is no traffic solution. It is telling that the developer has created this Superblock and has not said how it will address the traffic problems in Bloomingdale. I did hear promises and platitudes about how the developer will work to improve transportation. What is the current proposal?
When will drafts of these agreements be made public?
When will the draft of the purchase agreement be made public?
I can prove otherwise-- it wasn't used in the presentation. It was part of one of the draft presentations, and if you talked to Aakash or me or anyone from the team before posting it, you would know that it was from the "where we've been" section of the presentation, indicating what we thought, reviewed and discarded via the public and MAG process. So your source either misled you or you're purposely misleading your readership.
I'm still very confused. Maybe you could help the whole neighborhood by answering some questions.
1) How many pages are in YOUR version of "McMillan Community Wide Presentation 12.13.08 Final.pdf"?
2) If this is the "where we've been" file, why isn't there also a "where we are" version in this file? That makes no sense.
3)Can you please provide information to the neighborhood? If you like, I would be happy to post it for you since your developer group has not shown any interest in sharing things on the internet. What year is it in EYA time?
4) Can we see a draft of the purchase agreement? Surely you have a draft?
5) Have you chosen the date yet for your next community meeting? If so, when do you plan on making that date public?
6) Why, when the community's number one concern is traffic, have you done nothing to assuage this concern?
7) Any progress getting your anchor to invest in the Traffic Jam Trader Joes?
8) Isn't it fun to develop in the city where the "Office of Planning" is more about observation than planning?
Well, Tania has had eleven days to answer eight questions, and has not answered one. In fact, this argument about the Land Use Plan is instructive. Today, I was forwarded a file sent out by EYA yesterday. Page 25 of the file was this very slide. That is why Tania was unable to come up with her version of the file. This willingness to re-write history and attempt to muddy the waters with falsehoods speaks volumes. Why is this developer so reluctant to post any documents on the internet? Why is this developer publicly calling Paul Kirk a liar when it can be proven that this was the Land Use Plan included in the December 13th presentation? Tania says she wants to answer questions. Why hasn't she answered ANY of the eight questions posted here ten days ago? In my opinion, the developer would rather not get into the details of the project. In fact, the developer does not control many of the final details. Who will be the tenants of the retail space, how many subsidized housing units will be built, will there be ten-story high subsidized housing, what will be done to mitigate traffic on First Street which is ALREADY overburdened, especially during shift changes at the Hospital Centers. I don't blame the developer for attempting to push forward and talk about how they care about our concerns, and then continue pushing forward. The developer is a private company attempting to make money for its shareholders. My question is why the elected officials in DC and Office of Planning and other affected DC government entities are engaged and supportive of an effort to drop a billion-dollar development package on Bloomingdale with nothing done to help traffic, create usable park space, incorporate the reservoir or ACT ON (not listen to) neighbors concerns such a massive transfer of public space which will be parlayed into profits for this team of developers, led by EYA of Bethesda.
"Almost zero", compared with "exactly zero" right now. This plan will result in *more* usable park space than leaving the site alone.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who wants this land to be used by the people of Bloomingdale as something other than a wind-swept dump for litter should support development.
If you lived next to the property, as opposed to the developer who lives in Bethesda, you would know the city does an excellent job of keeping this property clean. Ot is frequently mowed in the summer and trash is picker up around the property on a regular basis. It is the street outside of the fence that is littered with KFC bags, liquor bottles, used condoms, needles and tiny blue ziplock bags. Interestingly, even though the city recently installed garbage cans on both sides of First, the pig people continue to throw their trash on the street. The check-cashing stores, and the pager stores and the liquor stores will attract more pig people. It is laughable that adding hundreds of units of four-story low income housing will result in LESS trash! And, it is naive to think that doing something is automatically better than doing nothing.
ReplyDeleteThis is a sample of the propaganda prepared by the developer, namely the package submitted in advance of the neighborhood meeting on December 13, 2008. Keep in mind that when the developer says there is no taxpayer money being used in the effort to sell this project, that is only true in lawyer-speak. Yes, the money they are spending right now is their own. If the community allows this dull project, complete with 3-story high low-income housing on Channing Street, to be built, the developer will include all of these costs, plus profits. How much they profit will depend on how high they can push the square footage. The out-of-town developer has no incentive to provide usable park space (like a running trail), or sufficient cross streets between First and North Capitol. And, all of the money they are spending now will ultimately be derived from the transfer of this public space to private corporations. In short, all of the money being spent now is taxpayer money. It’s our land, why are we handing it over to a developer from Bethesda?
ReplyDeleteMr. Kirk,
ReplyDelete1. This is not the current plan for the site and doesn't accurately reflect either the greenspace for the current development draft.
2. EYA is based in Bethesda, but has projects all over the region, including many in DC. This is basic intel-- if you went to their website you would know this. The person you keep referring to as the "agent" for the site, Aakash Thakkar, is in fact a VP at EYA and lives in DC. I can't imagine that he didn't share that with you (in fact, I know that he shared that with the group at both public meetings). He, like Jair and myself, grew up here and has done great work in DC proper.
3. JAIR LYNCH Development Partners is and always has been a DC-based company. Our offices are on U Street. Stop asserting that the development team is from out of town.
4. There are no plans for check cashing places or liquor stores, and to continue to assert that is to deliberately mislead people about the plans for the site.
If you would actually ask questions of the development team and reply to my repeated requests for a meeting and conversation, perhaps you would actually find out some meaningful information to share with the public rather than continuing to deliberately include falsehoods.
It's one thing to disagree with the interest of changing plans. It's quite another to deliberately mislead the public about what is going on in the neighborhood.
Tania Jackson
JAIR LYNCH Development Partners
tbj@jairlynch.com
Tania,
ReplyDeleteFirst, this is YOUR document. Precious little information is available to the neighborhood. This was included in YOUR presentation on December 13th. So which is it? Are you saying you presented something that wasn't true then, or are you saying something untruthful now?
Secondly, we all understand that Bethesda-based EYA will have no choice but to hire some folks that live in DC. I never suggested otherwise. Are you suggesting that EYA shareholders will not enjoy the majority of the profit made from this publicly-owned space?
With regard to check-cashing stores and liquor stores, are you suggesting that EYA will have control over who rents retail space? This isn't China. Space will be made available for rent, and owners of space will rent to whomever emerges from the market. You say I am "deliberately misleading" folks, but I am only suggesting what is possible. I would say it is much more misleading for the team led by the Bethesda developer to suggest that we will all be able to walk to Trader Joe's, Ceviche, Sweetwater Tavern, Ray's and sushi restaurants. This is the neighborhood where Five Guys couldn't make it. To put it nicely, it is beyond misleading to suggest that high-end restaurants and shops will suddenly flock to Bloomingdale. I don't think 1,200 units, including an undisclosed number of eight-story subsidized housing projects, will offset the traffic nightmare this Superblock will create. Trader Joe's will never invest in a place with such limited traffic access. They and other high-end retailers look at disposable income, traffic, crime, etc. They do invest in projects LIKE this one, but the location would have to have a metro or fit into an existing, functioning traffic network. I don't think they are interested in spending a few million to build the Traffic Jam Trader Joes'.
No, it wasn't included in the 12/13 presentation; you would know that if you had been there. That's from what was generated for a meeting of the MAG, after which we changed it. I don't know who is giving you their materials, but they're not giving you the most current stuff.
ReplyDeleteIt's also ALL DRAFT. You keep making it sound like this isn't an ongoing negotiation, which I have reiterated over and over again. Calling it propaganda is reducing your neighbors' input. And, "precious little information" is correct. First of all, we encouraged everyone to get intel from the MAG members. I've also been willing to talk to you and share info, but you won't contact me directly. Lastly, we're working on getting all of it up online.
Paul, I am saying that if you would even bother to look at the slide-- never mind the award or any of the information released about the selection of the development TEAM, you would see our company name staring you in the eye, and you would know that we're a major partner doing a huge chunk of the development on the site. The fact that you continue to state otherwise belies your insistence on continuing to mislead the public about who is working on the project.
Yes, I am absolutely suggesting that EYA "shareholders" will not be enjoying the majority of the profit on the project. I wish you would pay more attention to the team structure and ask some questions about how development finance works. Also do some basic investigating (like visiting websites) of the companies involved in developing and financing the project before you continue on this tangent about "out of towners". As a 7th generation Washingtonian I take offense.
I think you have no idea how the development structure will work and who is building what, because you're too busy making it up as you go along. You don't seem to understand how retail development works. SO YES, I am saying that EYA and JAIR LYNCH will have a great deal of control over who leases the spaces. Who is it that you think will be in charge of finding retail?
Try asking information seeking questions instead of going for the jugular. It might actually be helpful to you and your readership.
Tania,
ReplyDeleteYou make some good points. I am pleased we are having this conversation in a public forum.
You may believe everything you say is true.
But, nothing you have said has anything to do with the real issues here. Instead of ranting, I will take your advice and ask questions:
Which of the development partners will make more of a profit than the lead developer from Bethesda, EYA?
Why do you suggest I don't think EYA is capable?
Are you saying that EYA will be able the select the retailers they want to be in development? How can this be possible in a free society?
Why is this project going forward in a neighborhood that has documented traffic problems already?
Why is the design a Superblock instead of a more accessible normal city block?
Whom did you talk to at the Corps of Engineers about working together on creating more usable space around the reservoir?
At the first development meeting I was told the developer supports timed traffic llights down First Street to help moce the traffic. is this true?
What other traffic abatement issues are under consideration?
Why, in 2009, is it impossible for your development team to post things on this internet thingy?
As far as I can tell, this project is moving at the speed of light with no consideration given to worsening an already burdened neighborhood with considerably more cars, people and subsidized housing. The most important issue raised by the community is that there is no traffic solution. It is telling that the developer has created this Superblock and has not said how it will address the traffic problems in Bloomingdale. I did hear promises and platitudes about how the developer will work to improve transportation. What is the current proposal?
When will drafts of these agreements be made public?
When will the draft of the purchase agreement be made public?
I look forward to hearing back from you...
Also, I went back to my source and the name of the file from which this document was pulled was:
ReplyDeleteMcMillan Community Wide Presentation 12.13.08 Final.pdf
So, unless you can prove otherwise, I will stand by this document.
I can prove otherwise-- it wasn't used in the presentation. It was part of one of the draft presentations, and if you talked to Aakash or me or anyone from the team before posting it, you would know that it was from the "where we've been" section of the presentation, indicating what we thought, reviewed and discarded via the public and MAG process. So your source either misled you or you're purposely misleading your readership.
ReplyDeleteI'm still very confused. Maybe you could help the whole neighborhood by answering some questions.
ReplyDelete1) How many pages are in YOUR version of "McMillan Community Wide Presentation 12.13.08 Final.pdf"?
2) If this is the "where we've been" file, why isn't there also a "where we are" version in this file? That makes no sense.
3)Can you please provide information to the neighborhood? If you like, I would be happy to post it for you since your developer group has not shown any interest in sharing things on the internet. What year is it in EYA time?
4) Can we see a draft of the purchase agreement? Surely you have a draft?
5) Have you chosen the date yet for your next community meeting? If so, when do you plan on making that date public?
6) Why, when the community's number one concern is traffic, have you done nothing to assuage this concern?
7) Any progress getting your anchor to invest in the Traffic Jam Trader Joes?
8) Isn't it fun to develop in the city where the "Office of Planning" is more about observation than planning?
Well, Tania has had eleven days to answer eight questions, and has not answered one. In fact, this argument about the Land Use Plan is instructive. Today, I was forwarded a file sent out by EYA yesterday. Page 25 of the file was this very slide. That is why Tania was unable to come up with her version of the file. This willingness to re-write history and attempt to muddy the waters with falsehoods speaks volumes. Why is this developer so reluctant to post any documents on the internet? Why is this developer publicly calling Paul Kirk a liar when it can be proven that this was the Land Use Plan included in the December 13th presentation? Tania says she wants to answer questions. Why hasn't she answered ANY of the eight questions posted here ten days ago? In my opinion, the developer would rather not get into the details of the project. In fact, the developer does not control many of the final details. Who will be the tenants of the retail space, how many subsidized housing units will be built, will there be ten-story high subsidized housing, what will be done to mitigate traffic on First Street which is ALREADY overburdened, especially during shift changes at the Hospital Centers. I don't blame the developer for attempting to push forward and talk about how they care about our concerns, and then continue pushing forward. The developer is a private company attempting to make money for its shareholders. My question is why the elected officials in DC and Office of Planning and other affected DC government entities are engaged and supportive of an effort to drop a billion-dollar development package on Bloomingdale with nothing done to help traffic, create usable park space, incorporate the reservoir or ACT ON (not listen to) neighbors concerns such a massive transfer of public space which will be parlayed into profits for this team of developers, led by EYA of Bethesda.
ReplyDelete