Click Here

Here are the candidate Web sites to date. The information is fairly anodyne and non-specific. If you want to know more about their positions on critical issues in our neighborhood, the best bet is to attend the candidate forum next week and submit questions.

Bill Cleveland (GOP Nominee)

http://www.clevelandforcouncil.com

Mark Feldheim (Democrat)

www.markfeldheim.com

Jim Lay (Democrat)

http://www.jimlay.org

Boyd Walker (Democrat)

http://www.boydwalkerforcouncil.com

Justin Wilson (Democrat)

http://www.justin.net

This Just In ...

The Growler has just learned that former City Council member Bill Cleveland was tapped last night as the GOP's candidate for the open Council seat, handily defeating Pat Troy and Lisa Miller in heavy turnout.

On the Calendar

June is going to be a busy month. A couple of events are coming up quickly, so mark them on your calendar:

Tuesday, June 5
7:00 PM -10:00 PM
Special Election Candidates Forum
Minnie Howard School Cafeteria
3801 West Braddock Road

Thursday, June 7
Community Meeting on Hunter-Miller Playground Renovations
7:00 PM
Durant Center
1605 Cameron Street

Saturday, June 9
Noon to 10:00 PM
Democratic Caucus
Minnie Howard School Cafeteria
3801 West Braddock Road

Monday, June 11
Community Meeting on Braddock Road Metro Small Area Plan
7:00 PM
Jefferson-Houston School
1501 Cameron Street

Concentration

In the wake of ARHA's failed attempt to win tax credits to salvage Glebe Park, the Alexandria Times last week published an editorial opposing "concentrating" public housing at the site.

"We realize the site presents difficulties but while a minority of the units could be public housing, the overwhelming majority should be a mix of workforce and market rate homes. These homes could be operated as rentals."

But just what is the current concentration of public housing around the City? Do Arlandrians really have anything to complain about?

The Office of Housing has finally published some of the statistical maps which staff routinely show at ARHA-Council work sessions and other gatherings.

And by the Growler's calculation, the map showing the locations of public housing units around town indicates some 838 or a whopping 73% of the 1,150 public housing units mandated by Resolution 830 are located in less than a square mile of Parker-Gray and Old Town.

By contrast, Arlandria has only 40 current Resolution 830 units, or 3% of all public housing. Even if the number were bumped up by moving 60 units from Bland (which was envisioned in EYA's last proposal), Arlandria would have only 8% of the total number of Resolution 830 units in Alexandria.

ARHA and City staff have stated repeatedly that the Adkins and Bland sites near Braddock Road Metro are more valuable than Glebe Park, that these sites have the best potential for market rate development that will underwrite the Glebe Park redevelopment. They also stated publicly that Arlandrians have the perception there is more public housing in their area than elsewhere because of the number of privately-owned, run-down market rate apartment buildings.

So are we seeing the containment theory at work once again in Parker-Gray, or are the affluent communities around Glebe Park better at exercising political muscle?

And if the City sells Glebe Park for private development while leaving Adkins and Bland untouched, will they essentially nullify their argument that land around Metro is so valuable it deserves the highest and best use?

Pre-Holiday Update

Master Planning

The Growler sees from a story in today's Alexandria Times that new Planning & Zoning Director Farrol Hamer is an advocate for developing a master plan for all ARHA properties.

Now that's a good idea. Let's hope we see more of this kind of thinking from Ms. Hamer over the next few months, especially in regard to the Braddock Road Plan.

Meanwhile, Melvin Miller is pinch-hitting for departed ARHA Executive Director William Dearman until another interim CEO can be identified for the troubled housing authority. The search for Dearman's permanent replacement will undoubtedly take months.

And City officials are mulling over rescue options for Glebe Park, including a scenarios that may involve paying the mortgage on ARHA's behalf of even paying off the $6 million mortgage and buying the property outright.

But don't forget, we've been told the City has no control over ARHA.

Slip Sliding Away

Something about bus rapid transit (BRT) and the Ad Hoc Transportation Task Force has puzzled the Growler for quite a while now.

How were the three transit corridors (Duke, Van Dorn, and Route 1) identified and why were some corridors like Mt. Vernon and Commonwealth Avenues left out?

After all, Route 1 through Parker-Gray has never had bus service in all the time the Growler has lived here (27 years this month) while Mt. Vernon and Commonwealth are served by both Metro and DASH buses.

Well, it appears the answer is BRAC — the Base Realignment and Closing Act that is forcing the transfer of thousands of defense jobs out of Arlington and Alexandria to Ft. Belvoir in Fairfax County.

Late last week, Congressman Jim Moran obtained approval for an amendment that would ban the Army from moving those jobs to Ft. Belvoir until necessary transportation improvements are in place. And those improvements include bus lines.

"Specifically, Moran's amendment would require the Army to ensure that transportation improvements are "substantially" completed before the transfer takes place. The Army has identified 13 transportation projects, with an estimated cost of $446 million, as necessary to prevent roads near Fort Belvoir from experiencing greater congestion. The projects include completing the Fairfax County Parkway, widening Route 1 and adding bus lines to serve the post." (House Delays Army Plan to Move Jobs to Ft. Belvoir, Washington Post, May 18, 2007)

We've been told that the Task Force's work is targeted at serving Alexandrians and protecting neighborhoods.

But is Parker-Gray going to be sacrificed to shuttle commuters through Alexandria to Ft. Belvoir?

And why would the City pursue a BRT strategy that will only encourage the further loss of jobs to other jurisdictions? That's what Planning Commissioner H. Stewart Dunn asked recently.

May we also ask why Alexandrians — and Parker-Gray in particular — will be required to pay for this through a special tax district?

Friends

According to the latest Alexandria Gazette, City Council candidate Justin Wilson "sees no inherent problem with accepting money from developers, who have a constitutional right to donate under the 1975 Supreme Court case Buckly v. Valeo."

Interestingly, Mr. Wilson also picked up an endorsement from Kevin Beekman of the Lenox Place homeowners group. This group protested the transfer of public housing units from Bland to Glebe Park, claiming they were getting more public housing units than they had before. (ARHA and the City countered that the total number of low-income units at Glebe Park was actually being reduced.)

The Growler also noticed that while Boyd Walker eschews developer contributions, he lists Engin Artemel as one of his supporters on his campaign Web site.

Mr. Artemel is the City's former Planning & Zoning Director and a consultant who has worked closely with attorney Harry "Bud" Hart on his projects in our neighborhood, including the Payne Street condos and the controversial 1261 Madison Street project at Braddock Place that has been fought by open space advocates.

V for Vendetta

Meanwhile on Monday night the Alexandria School Board voted 5-4 not to renew Superintendent Rebecca Perry's contract amidst accusations that a cadre of five members flouted state rules governing open board meetings.

Even though many Alexandrians including the Growler were conflicted about retaining Ms. Perry after her drunk driving incident in 2004, her record of achievement has been impressive. When she arrived in 2001 only two of 16 schools in the system were accredited but today all but 2 are accredited. Ms. Perry has also been responsible for boosting minority pupils' testing scores.

Yet none of the Board members who voted to oust her had any comment or could explain their actions after the meeting on Monday. What indeed are their benchmarks for performance?

The Gazette published a stinging editorial this week criticizing the Board's decision while letters of protest are streaming in from local heavyweights like businessman and philanthropist Jack Taylor.

Meanwhile, the principal question for those of us who live in Parker-Gray is what are the implications for Jefferson-Houston?

Primary Colors

The situation is still fluid about which candidates will be competing in their parties' upcoming primaries for the open Council Seat.

Justin Wilson, Boyd Walker and Mark Feldheim (former president of the Old Town Civic Association) are the Democrats who have thrown their hats in the ring and are busy holding fundraisers. Matthew Natale, whose name had been mentioned as a possible Democratic candidate, just announced on Monday that he will not be running.

On the Republican side, the Growler hears that former City Council member Bill Cleveland, who was defeated by William D. Euille in the 2003 Mayoral race, will attempt to regain his Council seat. But it's not clear yet if perennial GOP candidates Pat Troy and Townsend Van Fleet will also run or will be persuaded to stand down and support Cleveland.

At any rate, here is the critical primary or canvass or caucus information for voters in Parker-Gray:

Republican Primary

Web site: http://www.alexgop.org

Special Republican canvass election for City Council
Tuesday, May 29 (7 to 9 pm)
Location: Minnie Howard School cafeteria
3801 W. Braddock Rd., Alexandria (½ mi. west of King/Quaker/Braddock - see map)
For more info: chair@AlexGOP.org or 703-823-1801

Democratic Primary

Web site: http://www.alexdems.org

Democratic Primary
Saturday, June 9 (noon to 10 PM)
Location: Minnie Howard School cafeteria
3801 W. Braddock Rd., Alexandria (½ mi. west of King/Quaker/Braddock - see map)
For more info: office@alexdems.org or 703-549-DEMS

Rehab

A puzzled reader noticed surveying crews at work yesterday near Andrew Adkins and alerted the Growler. According to another neighbor who made some inquiries, major improvements are planned for the walks, porches, and brick work on the Adkins homes.

"I thought ARHA had no money for this kind of stuff," writes puzzled reader.

Here's what the Office of Housing says about maintenance in its FY 2007 Action Plan:

ARHA completed a Physical Needs Assessment in 2005 from which it has prepared a prioritized list of proposed improvements for public housing units. Those specific projects targeted for FY 2007 include: Re-roofing various Scattered Site properties and installing exterior lighting, rerouting or recovering gas leaks that pass through patio area of the Ramsey Homes, installing carbon monoxide detectors in all public housing units, and providing moderate rehabilitation of vacant public housing units. (2007 Action Plan, pp. 40-41.)

Funny that we don't see Adkins listed; perhaps it is in next year's plan and the surveying is part of the preparation.

It's true that ARHA doesn't have the millions on hand to permanently solve the mold problem at Glebe Park. Remediation attempts would cost more than razing and rebuilding most of the project. That's why we had the abortive attempt to privately redevelop the site.

Nevertheless, there are funds still trickling in to ARHA for property maintenance. And it's the source of these funds that is interesting, given City Manager Jim Hartmann's comments at last week's ICCA meeting about the relationship of the City to ARHA.

According to the City's five-year consolidated housing plan for FY 2006-10:

[T]he City has awarded CDBG [Community Development Block Grant] and HOME funds to ARHA in the form of loans and grants for the purpose of purchasing housing units, repairing existing public housing and the providing [sic] security patrols at public housing properties. (Five Year Plan, pp. 98-99).

CDBG and HOME are HUD programs that originate as block grants to states and localities.

This section of the five year plan merits reading since it lays out the relationship between ARHA and the City in some detail.

A few of these links have been discussed on this blog before, including the City's right to appoint members of ARHA's board and the fact that Resolution 830 mandates the number of public housing units ARHA must maintain.

But in addition to CDBG and HOME fund grants, there's yet another financial flow-through that many residents may be unaware of, although the money for once moves in a reverse direction. While real estate taxes are not levied on ARHA properties, the housing authority does make a "Payment in Lieu of Taxes" or "PILOT" to the City of Alexandria.

So what we can see is that although ARHA is not under direct control of the City, the relationship is symbiotic.

Rain Check

The Mayor's neighborhood walk scheduled for tonight (May 16) was called off yesterday due to the possibility of rain.

What is the sound of one shoulder shrugging?

Walk This Way

After the ICCA meeting on Wednesday, the Growler is starting to better understand the focus of next week's Mayoral walk in Parker-Gray.

As noted earlier, it was puzzling that this year's walk should start so early in the evening, before many homeowners have returned from work — and on a week night to boot.

But now it appears the emphasis won't be on crime or public housing, at least not unless residents most affected turn out and bend the ears of the politicians who will be participating in the stroll.

While soliciting opinion about a proposed route at Wednesday's meeting, ICCA President Patricia Schubert noted the path the group would take would start from Durant Center and lead up West Street to the Braddock Road Metro. She then alluded briefly to "what could be built" at the Metro, and then quickly segued to the drainage issue at the intersection of Wythe and Braddock Road.

Aha!

WMATA's thirst to develop the Metro parking lot and the soggy sewers at West and Wythe are Braddock Road plan issues. Looks to the Growler like the walk may be another attempt to sell us on the plan, while skirting other critical issues like crime.

And that's why Ms. Schubert also talked about the fact that although the walk may take two to three hours, it would be important to see some things in daylight, although we all know that's when the festivities tend to begin.

Once again, the Growler senses that the crime issues are being downplayed. At the same ICCA meeting there were disclosures by Police Captain Bill Johnson that drug deals and hand-to-hand transactions are being observed again in the nearby Pendleton Street pocket park between West and N. Payne Streets. The Growler also heard through the grapevine earlier this week that cops busted a pair of thieves based at Adkins who specialized in stealing and reselling bikes secured across the street at Metro. Is this a prelude to a long, hot summer?

Nevertheless, the walk is not entirely scripted and can be what residents choose to make of it. It's an opportunity to talk to politicians one-on-one and point out problems or issues that may not be officially on the agenda.

So readers, dust off your walking shoes and put a fresh battery in the flashlight and we'll see you at the Durant Center next Wednesday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m.

If you can't make it until later, just watch for the crowd. We'll be out there.

Braddock Road Breather?

At last night's Inner City Civic Association meeting, the City's new Planning & Zoning Director Farrol Hamer was formally introduced to the neighborhood by City Manager Jim Hartmann.

After some initial pleasantries and discussion of the hiring process, Ms. Hamer proceeded to announce to the audience of about 15 residents that the stalled Braddock Road Metro small area plan would not proceed to Planning Commission or City Council until fall.

She added that there might be a public meeting or two on the plan before the end of June, but that these have not yet been scheduled. Mr. Hartmann stated there was no intention to schedule public meetings during July and August, when many residents are away on vacation.

The evening provided us with a glimpse into how Ms. Hamer plans to restart the stalled Braddock Road Metro small area plan.

First, although Ms. Hamer (who's only been on board a few weeks) confessed that she is not familiar with all the details of the current plan, "the plan will be changing." She added that there will be a final draft of the plan after the last of the public meetings.

She talked about the value of citizen input and observed "I never saw a plan that was not improved" by such feedback.

"It's important to create consensus," said Ms. Hamer, adding that her view of consensus was that people "might not agree on every detail" but that she wanted everyone "to feel good about the plan and about the process."

Nevertheless, Ms. Hamer also stressed that it is important to complete the Braddock Road plan because other scheduled projects like the Eisenhower West are piling up at City Hall.

Ms. Hamer seemed to be speaking from the heart about the "need to do a lot more listening. We need to make sure all voices are heard." She also noted that the revised plan would not run contrary to explicit public policy, such as Resolution 830 mandating the City retain 1,150 units of public housing. Ms. hamer affirmed, though, that public housing dispersion was still on the table.

There were questions about BRT and its relationship to the plan. It remains unclear how the Braddock Road Plan will be coordinated with the findings of the Ad Hoc Transportation Task Force. It sounds like both documents will move on parallel paths, probably going to Planning Commission and City Council about the same time this fall.

Ms. Hamer asked two things from residents. First, she asked for a vision of what we want our neighborhood to be and how can we make it unique and distinct from other neighborhoods like Del Ray.

The second assignment is to develop a list of priorities, those things are the most important to us as a community.

The Growler was amused that Ms. Hamer and Mr. Hartmann acknowledged that Planning had failed to educate the community about what developers could build under current zoning, about the differences between public and affordable housing, about ARHA's independence from the City (let's remember that at the next bailout) and about the consequences of by-right development.

But for now the Growler will remain cautiously optimistic that we will be seeing a new approach to the plan that may help build and cement a compromise that most of us can live with.

Farewell to a Maverick

Breaking news:

Alexandria Vice Mayor Andrew H. Macdonald announced today (May 8) his resignation from the Alexandria City Council, effective immediately. In a letter to City Council and the community, he cited personal reasons for his resignation.

Vice Mayor Macdonald, a native of Alexandria and an environmentalist, was first elected to the City Council in May 2003 and re-elected in 2006. He has served as Vice Mayor since July 5, 2006. Prior to being elected to City Council, Vice Mayor Macdonald was involved in numerous Alexandria community and civic organizations and City Council-appointed task forces.

“We regret that Andrew is leaving the City Council, but we recognize that life requires that we make tough decisions,” said Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille. “He has served this City with distinction and his commitment to the environment and historic preservation has made this community a better place to live, work, and visit. We wish him well and look forward to his continued involvement in City activities.”

Vice Mayor Macdonald served on the Council of Government’s Ad Hoc Task Force on Regional Water Supply Issues, the Chesapeake Bay Policy Committee, and the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee. Other committees include the Alexandria Economic Opportunities Commission, the Alexandria Library Board, Potomac Watershed Roundtable, Alexandria Waterfront Committee, and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Neighborhood Task Force. Before he was elected to City Council, he served on the City’s Environmental Policy Commission and the Cameron Station Task Force.

Planningspeak

The Growler has been carefully combing through the draft Braddock Road Metro small area plan this week. More on the fruits of the Curmudgeon's review later ...

But after repeatedly noting the same cliches turning up in page after page of the report, the Cranky One has concluded that we are in need of a glossary that helps us understand the real meaning embedded in planningspeak.

So here goes:

1. "Livable community"

Shorthand for more condos.

2. "Vibrant urban village"

Shorthand for more revenue from more condos.

3. "Transit-oriented development"

Code word for more condo residents being able to see the Metro platform while driving to work.

4. "Enhancing the pedestrian experience"

Indirect reference to congestion so bad people abandon their cars and travel on foot.

5. "Street grid"

Another metaphor for congestion, as in "with all the condo traffic, we'll have to open up the street grid."

6. "Self-contained" (as in "self-contained African-American community")

PC term for Jim Crow and segregation.

7. "A glowing mosaic"

Euphemism for patchwork development and lack of vision.

8. "Housing choices"

Means residents can choose a $1 million house or a Section 8 rental, but can't opt to move public housing elsewhere.

9. "Enhancing the Queen Street corridor"

Translates to "We can't or won't deal with the Spa Court."

10. "Consolidated open space"

Term for sleight of hand by which City approves hulking buildings on open space, leaves a strip of grass behind, then claims open space has been "created."

Walk the Walk

Walk the Walk

We are now learning that Mayor William D. Euille's second annual neighborhood walk has been scheduled for Wednesday, May 16 at 6:30 PM.

Two observations ...

First, the walk will take place in the middle of the week instead of the weekend. Is the Mayor looking for better turnout than last year or fewer participants?

Second, the start time hardly suggests the Mayor is delivering on the promise of a night walk, since the sun doesn't set now until after 8 p.m. The ramble will probably be over before things get wild down at Adkins or Bland. Not that Police Chief David Baker won't sweep the neighborhood clean and tidy in preparation for the stroll.

If you have suggestions about the route, topics for this walk or any of the other arrangements, pass them along to Rose Boyd in the Office of Citizen Assistance at (703) 838-4800 or by E-mail at rose.boyd@alexandriava.gov.


It's That Time of the Month ...

Yes, it's time for the monthly ICCA meeting. On the official schedule: Farrol Hamer, the City's new Planning & Zoning czarina, who along with Kathleen Beeton is slated to discuss the Braddock Road plan.

Also on the agenda will be a discussion of Recreation & Parks' recommendations for the refurbishment of Hunter-Miller Park.

If either issue resonates with you, dear readers, make sure you ankle down to the Durant Center at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9. You don't have to be a member to attend.


But to Oscar the Grouch, It's Affordable Housing

One simple question we can ask the Mayor on the walk is why hasn't the City supplied Parker-Gray with decorative black metal trash cans after last year's walk?

The City Manger's March memo to Councilman Rob Krupicka said there was no money in the budget for Parker-Gray cans. But yesterday while was strolling down Mt. Vernon the Growler counted no fewer than four of the $1,000 trash cans on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. There was one for each corner of the street between Luray and Alexandria Avenues, and the cans all looked shiny and new.

How did Del Ray manage to snag such a windfall?


Twin Delights

The Growler is pleased to report that the neighbors whose vintage Schwinn Twinn tandem bike was stolen last week have now recovered it, much to their delight and relief.

They posted a sign offering a reward for its return (no questions asked) and were contacted by a neighbor who found the bike abandoned on Columbus Street.

The Weekend Report

BRT on Route 1: Still Alive and Kicking

In recent weeks word has been circulating that the Ad Hoc Transportation Task Force might focus more on the Duke and Van Dorn Street corridors for bus rapid transit (BRT) and less on Route 1, particularly Patrick and Henry Streets in our neighborhood. Also heard: a rumor that Transportation & Environmental Services Director Rich Baier was paying lip service to the BRT concept in the hopes that it would be shot down by citizens.

The Growler isn't sure if this was part of a disinformation campaign or reflects a genuine split of opinion among task force members. At the least, this is a sign that things are getting a little Byzantine.

Well, the Growler heard it from the Task Force members' own lips on Thursday: Route 1 is still definitely going to be proposed as one of the three major transit corridors.

While members reiterated that no decisions have been made on "sequencing," the schedule for tackling each corridor, readers should recall that at the last meeting Eric Wagner was vigorously pumping DOT's new Small Starts grant program for less gargantuan urban transit projects, and proposed bundling Route 1 and Duke Street together for a first stage grant application. He was back pushing Small Starts again on Wednesday night.

One little sop: if Federal funds are sought for BRT, there will be a required "alternatives" study that might look at some other nearby North-South routes such as Powhatan to Washington Street.

But right now, Patrick and Henry Street residents in Parker-Gray should remain vigilant because BRT is alive and kicking. Just because references to it may be removed from the draft Braddock Road Metro small area plan, that doesn't mean the concept is dead and buried.

And the Growler is predicting that the special tax district language will remain in the Braddock Road plan, just as it is included in the Eisenhower East and Potomac Yard plans.

Low-Income Housing at 728 N. Patrick Street?

A concerned reader E-mailed the Growler after hearing rumors of new low-income housing at 728 N. Patrick Street. The address is the site of the old Canal 8 Club, a major dive that was shut down years ago by neighborhood activists.

The Growler has traced this rumor to a March budget memo that appears to have been requested by Council Member Rob Krupicka as a follow-up to Mayor William D. Eiulle's Inner City walk last April. The memo includes discussion about the possibility of site reuse for housing, which seems to have been raised by someone on the walk.

While it appears from the memo that the City is not anxious to buy the property, since it would have to pay to relocate other businesses currently operating on the site, this is nevertheless something to keep an eye on.

Mayor's Walk

Speaking of the Mayor's 2006 walk, what ever happened to the proposal for another Mayor's Walk this year? If readers recall, we were told it would be scheduled in April but this time would be held in the evening.

If this walk ever materializes, will the Mayor have the fortitude to walk around Adkins at 11 PM on a Friday or Saturday night?

Soft-Room Idea for Charles Houston

Moms of toddlers have complained before on this site about the lack of park features and recreational facilities suitable for wee ones.

One of our neighbors has now floated the idea of dedicating space at Charles Houston Recreation Center for more a "soft playroom." She writes:

I realize most of you don't have children and probably don't even know what this is. It is a padded room with soft padded climbing equipment in it that is designed for young children ages 1 thru 4. I myself have rented one for a birthday party at a Fairfax County rec center.

Apparently soft playrooms are all the rage now, and in fact a proposal to convert a racquetball room at the Chinquapin Recreation Center has ignited a small war currently being conducted in the pages of the Alexandria Times.

If you are interested in seeing a soft playroom constructed at Charles Houston, drop an E-mail to Leslie Clark of the Recreation & Parks Department at leslie.clark@alexandriava.gov.

Missing in Action

The Growler was sad to hear that neighbors' vintage Schwinn Twinn tandem bicycle was stolen from their backyard last weekend as the family ate dinner.

This was clearly a targeted burglary and a thief with a discriminating eye because the bike was normally kept hidden under a tarp. To add insult to injury, someone stole their grandson's bike the following day. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

It's a fact of life in an urban neighborhood: garden accessories, barbecue equipment and bikes may disappear from backyards at this time of the year. The Growler and others have even lost potted plants off porches and stoops.

(A former Growler colleague who lives in Columbia Heights in D.C. recounts an amusing story about catching the thief in the act and chasing him for several city blocks until he dropped the pot with a resounding crack. At least the posies were preserved, if not the container.)

In the meantime, if anyone catches sight of an orange tandem bicycle that screams 1970s, the Growler will pass it on to the owner and her heart-broken hubby, who are prepared to offer a reward for the bike's return with no questions asked.

BRT Watch

For those concerned about the City's anticipated proposal for bus rapid transit (BRT) on Patrick and Henry, don't miss tonight's (Wednesday, May 2) meeting of the Ad Hoc Transportation Task Force. The session will start at 7 p.m. in Room 2000, City Hall, 301 King Street.

Rebuilding Jeff-Houston

Here's a bulletin from Alexandria City Public Schools outlining solutions to the problems identified recently with Jefferson-Houston's facilities:

Jefferson-Houston School for Arts and Academics

In February, the School Board's Facilities Committee heard public input on the current Jefferson-Houston physical plant. The consensus was that a school should remain on the current site, but several issues and suggestions for improvement were discussed. The ACPS staff was asked to respond with a series of options, including renovation of the existing building, construction of a new school and demolition of the existing building, and the possible incorporation of central office functions on the current site.

View the options at http://www.acps.k12.va.us/news2007/nr20070427a_jh.pdf (334K PDF).

The Growler isn't so sure there really was an overwhelming consensus to keep the school in place, but let's not quibble. We know ACPS and the School Board need a Jefferson-Houston where it's at.

So with these options on the table, what do readers think?