No, we're not talking about the Warner Brothers sudser from 1941, which played the other evening on cable's Turner Classic Movies.
The Growler's talking about the Braddock Road Metro Neighborhood Plan.
On Tuesday evening the Planning Commission greenlighted the new North Potomac Yard plan, which goes to Council on May 15. The staff report for Potomac Yard makes interesting reading for those who felt they were walking over hot coals during the endless Braddock Road Metro charrettes a few years ago.
On page 10 of the Potomac Yard Plan, staff outlined 2009 weekday passenger boarding numbers at selected Metro stops and as well as estimated levels at those stations in 2030, some two decades from now.
Staff's numbers show that significantly more passengers will be using Alexandria's Eisenhower and King Street Metro stations twenty years hence. The growth rate is projected to be more than double at Eisenhower (from 2,359 to 6,000) and King Street will increase by nearly 50% (from 8,976 to 13,000). Undoubtedly these numbers were calculated because the City anticipates a lot of intense development near both locations.
Potential board numbers for the proposed Metro stop at Potomac Yard are also anticipated to be robust. In 2030, daily boardings are projected to be 12,600 if the station is located at site Alternative A or 15,900 if located at one of the B alternatives.
What does the City anticipate for Braddock Road Metro? In the Potomac Yard staff report, it is stated that in 2009 there were an average of 4,481 daily boardings at our nearest station. But at Braddock Road the City is only projecting a daily boarding increase of just a little under 900 passengers, a measly growth rate of 18%.
What does this mean?
It means the City isn't expecting a huge number of new riders, and that translates into little or no significant redevelopment.
It also means the Braddock Metro plan was a complete fakery. It was a smokescreen. The air clears only when the City has no incentive to lie about this neighborhood, as in the case of the Potomac Yard plan.
For those readers who participated in the charrettes, think back and remember the consultant-led hoopla about the need to make better use of Alexandria Metro stations, and particularly Braddock Metro which was (falsely) claimed to be the least used site in town?
It was all bushwa.
The talk about office buildings on the Metro lot with thousands of daytime workers flooding the area?
Nonsense.
A hotel opposite the station?
Guess again.
Redevelopment of Andrew Adkins?
Not on anyone's agenda by 2030 ... which again underscores the Growler's contention that the Braddock East plan was also a hoax.
Note also that the current Eisenhower numbers are half as large as those at Braddock. However, ridership there is expect to blast past Braddock in the next 20 years. What is the difference between the two sites?
So who's responsible for this chicanery? There were lots of players, including both the City and ARHA, but the Growler thinks a special spot in this dubious hall of fame needs to be reserved for the City's grossly-overpaid consultants, Goody Clancy.
However, in the last analysis the Braddock Road charade needs to be laid at the feet of the City's elected leaders, who are now proving they can easily ignore the Economic Sustainability Task Force recommendations as well.
And that's a bitchfest that rivals celluloid immortals Bette Davis and Mary Astor every day of the week.
66 comments:
Sounds like a nice place to live, especially since the plan pays lip service to the idea of public housing being located in North Potomac Yard, like that will actually happen. How about a plan to take 1/2 the units currently at Adkins and put them North Potomac Yard (or even Potomac Green)?
Wow ridership at braddock rd will only grow by 900 over the next 20 YEARS? But what about all the people pouring into the redeveloped Bland and all the people like Barbara Crowder who we are so courageously helping and current live in public housing and have lived there for years but miraculously find jobs and start riding the metro to K St?
900 commuters would make sense in light of the abysmal economic growth around Braddock Metro and the total cluelessness on how to generate economic development that comes from City staff, especially P&Z.
They are probably just projecting based on what they see. Other than the Bland redevelopment and perhaps Erkeletian, what other possibility exists for redevelopment or economic growth?
There is no hope for any of the other three housing projects, the Madison is in a perpetual state of death, the Jaguar was just a pipe dream, and there really isnt any hope on the horizon for Monarch retail or for redeveloping any of the other industrial uses around here.
Cant blame the City for just admitting the obvious. Now we as residents just have to react, either with our money, our voices, or our feet. I might just choose feet and get out of Dodge.
What a waste of a Metro station and neighborhood. Truly tragic.
I think the "Lie" was always expected and never much in doubt. Mayor Euille, other City Council members, and City staff never have and never will give a damn about this neighborhoods future, its growth, or the effects of their policies on it.
Heres a funny observation:
With the issuance of $275 million in bonds,
the City would be increasing its projected debt ratios by about 50% and move the City
from a low debt locality to a much higher debt locality.
Since our economic development policies are anemic and there is no real driver of growth on the horizon to change that, where would the debt service money come from?
They seem to think that it will all be fine once everything is built but as Carlyle shows, "build it and they will come" is not working. Companies are not choosing Alexandria as a destination.
I feel like this is a slow motion "train wreck" - no pun intended.
Braddock Road has more current commuters than Clarendon? And its in the current state that it is?
Simply amazing, and yet another reason to move to Arlington.
"Braddock Road has more current commuters than Clarendon?"
I was stunned by that myself. Comparing and contrasting the two areas is a no brainer, and a telling sign of how much better Arlington is doing generating economic growth.
"Wow ridership at braddock rd will only grow by 900 over the next 20 YEARS"
I cant believe that figure. That essentially means they expect nothing around here for the next 20 years other than whats already been started.
When it comes to comparison, readers need to understand that economic growth and vitality in Arlington is not letting itself be held hostage to a small but shrill group of individuals (average age between 65 and 80) who have stalled redevelopment at Braddock for decades by claiming there's a "community" in place that can't be broken up.
A community in which they don't even live themselves any more ...
Bizarre. Just bizarre.
"In the Potomac Yard staff report, it is stated that in 2009 there were an average of 4,481 daily boardings at our nearest station. But at Braddock Road the City is only projecting a daily boarding increase of just a little under 900 passengers, a measly growth rate of 18%."
WHAT? 18% over 10 years is less than 2 % growth a year.
How does that make any sense? I count 4 things that would generate immediate growth over the next 5 years
Landbay L
The new development on Washington
Bland redevelopment
Payne St apartments
Are they simply stating once those are built, thats it?
Math doesnt seem to add up. It doesnt even seem to factor in riders who dont live close enough to walk to the station and would be coming there anyways by car for drop offs/pick ups, and expected bus increases.
Hopefully this is just a math error. If not, then they are either just completely stupid in believing some of these projections or they have written off Braddock Road Metro entirely, in which case why dont they just shut it down already?
Growler, based on these numbers, Metro at some point might move to start shutting down the station at night, on weekends, etc...I already see the rumblings that service cuts are coming soon due to the constant Metro budget problems.
And good luck selling Bland "market rate units" if the Metro service starts to become less and less of a selling point.
Maybe I am just not visualizing this well or my map reading skills are off- is the metro site new or the one that is reserved at the north end of Potomac Greens?
Disappointing but not surprising. Count me in as one less commuter at Braddock by 2030 - I do not plan to live here that long. I long for a place to live where all residents are taken into consideration as opposed to ours, where it seems our city council only caters to those living in public housing and is opposed to economic growth.
I am not surprised by much anymore, including the new recycling program that will cost everyone and extra $9.00 a year to install tracking chips in the bins. Do the residents of Bland have to pay that too? But that is off topic.
Interesting how the city is abandoning the idea of redevelopment around braddock metro now that they realize the public housing won't help the neighborhood nor will it go away. young, tax paying executives need a safe, fun, place to live with plenty of restaurants, groceries, coffee shops, and no ghettos. Alexandria clearly is not interested in providing that. what would be wrong with selling the housing near the metro and building new public housing in manassass, near VRE? Then let the Parker Gray area develop into the safe, vibrant, neighborhood you all want.
"When it comes to comparison, readers need to understand that economic growth and vitality in Arlington is not letting itself be held hostage to a small but shrill group of individuals (average age between 65 and 80) who have stalled redevelopment at Braddock for decades by claiming there's a "community" in place that can't be broken up."
This is ABSOLUTELY the key. The concentration of brick and mortar public housing here impedes development in the immediate area (b/c as the developers will whisper to us, the ARHA projects are huge impediments to retail and residential development, lowering the value of the property dramatically). And I haven't talked to any office developers, but it's clear Adkins impedes the Braddock Place property.
But the brick and mortar public housing also impacts development City wide b/c it contributes to a dismal public school system. As long as we have dismal schools, families won't be drawn here and businesses (Lockeed Martin or Volkswagon anyone??) won't want to locate here because they want happy employees.
Truly, they can blame it on a small land mass or some other nonsense, but it's all public housing.
"might move to start shutting down the station at night"
Well on the plus side that might cut down on crime around here.
"And good luck selling Bland "market rate units" if the Metro service starts to become less and less of a selling point."
You mean Madden Uptown wasnt already a selling point?
Seriously, what the the heck does EYA think is going to happen when they try to sell some of those market rate units?
They dont think some of those prospective owners might read this blog and figure out what goes on around Parker Gray?
I wish them luck.
I guess the City doesnt expect any Delray commuters to use the Metro anymore. I mean seriously, what happened to the "eco-city" and being "environmentally sensitive", Councilman Krupicka?
Is that all down the drain now?
"However, in the last analysis the Braddock Road charade needs to be laid at the feet of the City's elected leaders, who are now proving they can easily ignore the Economic Sustainability Task Force recommendations as well."
Its not so much ignoring it as a recognition that the goals of that task force conflict with the screamers and yellers that everyone saw so clearly in Braddock Metro and Braddock East processes.
So rather than push forward with needed revitalization and reforms around Braddock they would rather pretend that building a new Metro station at Potomac Yard fits with the recommendations of the task force and voila, everything will be peachy.
As long as Adkins sits right in front of residents direct path to the Metro, no developments are going to be built around the Metro.
Payne apartments sound nice but no action seems forthcoming and its really the only hope.
Everything else, forget it. I dont plan on seeing anything else crop up in my lifetime. From the way VOICE is screaming, lawsuit against ARHA seems imminent, hoping to just shut down Bland redevelopment.
DIXON!
God I remember that character. And then Lovain writes a letter to the Gazette claiming that moving to cut the 7.5 million in consulting fees paid annually by the City is a short sighted mistake.
Explain Goody Clancy Tim Lovain...We paid millions so they could help create the Faroll Hamer Memorial Paperweight for Parker Gray residents.
All the Braddock Metro plan seems to be is good kindling for the next winter storm wave.
"Wow ridership at braddock rd will only grow by 900 over the next 20 YEARS?"
They forgot to include complainers like Jackie Surratt who need to use the Metro stop to get here for their monthly complaints against the cops and ARHA.
Are you sure these numbers are for real Growler, and not just a typo or error like the Wall Street machine glitch today?
Maybe one of Farolls staff fat fingered 800 in. If not what was the point of the Legos?
Growler, you are getting quote a following in this City. My wife sent me this headline (she reads you in a blog reader). No skin in the game (I live in Delray) but i cannot help but notice your commenters are neglecting a larger question:
What was the point of spending all that money on Braddock Metro and Braddock East planning if all you were going to get out of it was an increase of about 40 commuters a year for the next 20 years?
Maybe we can divide the cost of the planning processes that were used with the number of commuters added to get a "dollar spent per new Metro rider" number.
As a City taxpayer that really pisses me off. Or as our Vice President would say "THIS IS A BIG F&%^$&% DEAL"
What's so sad is that we all pegged David Dixon and his Goody Clancy clowns from the get go.
It was SO transparent that the P&Z/Council folks had chosen him for the express purpose of justifying their ridiculous public housing policies. I mean, David Dixon's raison d'etre is public housing. It's how he makes his living.
For once, I'd like to see them hire an OBJECTIVE consultant.
"What was the point of spending all that money on Braddock Metro and Braddock East planning if all you were going to get out of it was an increase of about 40 commuters a year for the next 20 years?"
Maybe we could use a formula that divides number of legos used by P&Z versus total commuter numbers per year.
After all, I am sure the blocks we got to play with at the charades were cheap.
Hmmm, let the Growler do the math for you.
It was reported that the Braddock Road planning effort cost about $1 million.
That means the City spent $1,111 for every additional rider it hopes to pick up at Braddock Metro in the next 20 years.
I just read the articles in the local papers about the City's Council recent vote on the 2010 budget. The budget raised our taxes yet again and and increased spending yet again, forcing Frank Fannon and Alicia Hughes to vote against it. The vote was along party lines, with all Democratic Council members voting for it.
Yet the Mayor called it a "nonpartisan budget." Not sure if the man's an idiot or a liar. At least he's consistently stupid and/or dishonest, though!!
"It was reported that the Braddock Road planning effort cost about $1 million."
Did I read in the Alexandria Times that the City spent more than $50 million dollars on consultants last year? Surely, that can't be accurate.
"Did I read in the Alexandria Times that the City spent more than $50 million dollars on consultants last year? Surely, that can't be accurate."
They spent 7.5 million. Hughes and Fannon asked to cut that and Lovain threw a fit and said it was short-sighted.
Yep, paying 1,000,000 dollars r so David Dixon and Faroll Hamer could lie to our neighborhood was well worth the cost.
Concentrating both jobs and housing (and retail uses) near the Metrorail station reduces auto travel, especially with respect to the
adjacent planned office. Based on the planned density and land uses, the estimated ridership was projected and is shown in Table III.
Maybe someone needs to explain this sentence to the City Council at their next meeting. Its right from their own report yet they cant seem to follow this when it comes to the Braddock Road Metro.
When its Potomac Yard they will, but when its Braddock Road they let the yellers come out.
"Truly, they can blame it on a small land mass or some other nonsense, but it's all public housing."
it is all public housing.
This is just sickening. 900 users over the next 30 years for all that work. What was the point?
I dont expect any accountability in this town though.
So much for smart growth
"It also means the Braddock Metro plan was a complete fakery. It was a. smokescreen. "
Why would they lie though? Its just hurting the public housing residents and the City. they continue to live in squalor and the City continues to shell out for public safety and social service funds to support the current system and the City gets no tax benefit out of an area rich in possibilities.
Its makes little to no sense.
"Seriously, what the the heck does EYA think is going to happen when they try to sell some of those market rate units?"
For those of you who were obviously born yesterday, "market rate" units will be sold to City of Alexandria at low, low "market rate" prices for repurposing as "affordable housing" to retain police, teachers, trash collectors, code enforcement, etc etc ---- your tax dollars at work.
In Parker-Gray, if you can imagine an outcome that fleeces the taxpayer and benefits the unemployed or anyone holding an elected office, that is most likely what's in your future.
"Its makes little to no sense."
Sure it does, just follow the money, from your pocket to .....
btw, "smart growth" means take your hard-earned dollars and your six-figure income and your house-hunting to Arlington.
"Payne apartments sound nice but no action seems forthcoming and its really the only hope."
Attorneys Hart, Calley and Gibbs made the same claim about the Monarch and even the melt-down spa didn't make it. And the lawyers are now working hard to make PG even more attractive to people on the dole, your tax dollars again at work.
"Its makes little to no sense."
Unless you view it with the lens of appeasement and containment. By keeping public housing contained in Parker Gray the city council appeases the screamers, the public housing residents and people who live in other parts of Alexandria. Keep the status quo and they increase their chances of being re-elected next year. Look at all the articles (and pending lawsuits) about how inconvenienced the residents of Bland are and the need to preserve Parker Gray exactly as it is by keeping the American Legion Building. Now imagine if real change was happening and public housing were going to be disbursed and actual progress was allowed. The Braddock Metro Plan was just a way to pretend things were going to change, its not like its the council's own money they are wasting.
""market rate" units will be sold to City of Alexandria at low, low "market rate" prices for repurposing as "affordable housing" to retain police, teachers, trash collectors, code enforcement, etc etc ---- your tax dollars at work."
The question is whether cops and teachers are going to want to live there.
Its one thing to build something and call it affordable housing, its another thing to actually get people to live there.
"btw, "smart growth" means take your hard-earned dollars and your six-figure income and your house-hunting to Arlington."
I am already planning my escape. Since I saw the number on Clarendon doubling its base of commuters I figured I would start house hunting this weekend. If I am going to pay higher and higher taxes I should at least get something for it.
BTW, did anyone see the poll in the Alexandria Times about public safety and social services?
The poll asks which of the two would residents rather see have cuts occur in...
85% said social services should be cut
15% said public safety (include Lenny Harris there)
Says a lot about what Alexandrians think of our constant harping on "compassion"
Perhaps they too see the madness.
EYA has published floor plans, etc. for Bland 2.0:
http://www.eya.com/Old_Town_Commons
Dig the neighborhood description:
"Modern convenience combines with colonial history in Old Town to create a one-of-a-kind lifestyle. You can drop by the Farmer’s Market, a local gathering spot since 1753, or stroll along King Street where fashionable boutiques, cafes, and art galleries occupy Federalist storefronts. For dinner, choose one of Old Town's new critically acclaimed restaurants, or Gadsby’s Tavern, the area’s finest public house for over 200 years. It’s all here in Washington’s most coveted waterfront community."
I guess that's one way to put it.
No mention of our failing schools, limo liberal policies, Mayor Bling or open air drug market, though.
Interesting that all of the attractions EYA is pushing are not in the immediate neighborhood but are some distance away in the heart of Old Town.
"For those of you who were obviously born yesterday, "market rate" units will be sold to City of Alexandria at low, low "market rate" prices for repurposing as "affordable housing" to retain police, teachers, trash collectors, code enforcement, etc etc ---- your tax dollars at work."
Would that that were true!! I'd love to have Alexandria cops living at the new Bland. Unfortunately, "workforce housing" is just a euphemism for Section 8. The City's already set aside money to buy those units, no? That whole place will be the same crap hole as Tancil Ct. soon.
"Modern convenience combines with colonial history in Old Town to create a one-of-a-kind lifestyle"
I can hear the so-called activist brigade now:
"WE ARE NOT OLD TOWN!"
Maybe they will file a lawsuit claiming EYA inflicts emotional damage and aesthetic loss on them.
"It’s all here in Washington’s most coveted waterfront community."
I have never though of the area around the Braddock Metro as "Washingtons most coveted waterfront community".
Maybe EYA can add a smiling picture to their website of Hamer in front of Esmeraldas as drug buys occur behind her.
"EYA has published floor plans, etc. for Bland 2.0:"
WTF? Esmeraldas is not listed as local cuisine on the map?
"And the lawyers are now working hard to make PG even more attractive to people on the dole, your tax dollars again at work."
And this means what...exactly?
675k to 775k for these units?
I sincerely wish them and the City of Alexandria luck.
How on earth can the city afford to buy these for cops and teachers? Unless what they are saying is they will buy the affordable rental units?
And how on earth does EYA plan to try and get 775k for these? From what I understand, the Lofts sell for around 750-800k right now.
"They seem to think that it will all be fine once everything is built but as Carlyle shows, "build it and they will come" is not working. Companies are not choosing Alexandria as a destination."
I understand why this poster used Carlyle as an example. All that empty office space has been sitting there since it was built. The city now decides to allow it to be turned into housing.
I like to bring up the Eisenhower Avenue Victory building on the West end of the city. I read somewhere that it makes up for more than half of the cities unoccupied office space.
We lived on N. West St. for 7 years and knew exactly where we were buying at time. Alexandria is my home town and I grew up here. I sold in October 2009 and moved out to the City of Fairfax.
I hate to say that I quit fighting the fight, but I just couldn't take knowing all I knew about the way city staff runs this city. The more I learned about the cities wasteful spending, the more upset I became.
My house was on the market for 4 days when I learned about the missed opportunity involving the King Street Walgreens / Apple Store.
That was the icing on the cake for me. I took the very first offer. I still work in Old Town, but I have to say I have no regrets on leaving. I do not feel horrible giving my tax money now.
"Why would they lie though? Its just hurting the public housing residents and the City. they continue to live in squalor and the City continues to shell out for public safety and social service funds to support the current system and the City gets no tax benefit out of an area rich in possibilities.
Its makes little to no sense."
Sure it does. It's a voting block for the local democrat party machine. And this is what we'll have to continue to put up with until enough people get fed up with the continually expanding budgets and rising property taxes and cast their votes based on logic rather than party affiliation.
"That whole place will be the same crap hole as Tancil Ct. soon."
City has to put 'em somewhere. May as well be here. Hopkins House among others is expanding to offer more services to those in need.
Your tax dollars at work.
"City has to put 'em somewhere."
No, they don't. That's exactly the point. The City of Alexandria maintains a huge underclass relative to its population. And when we run out of our own, we recruit them from PG County and DC. Seriously. I was talking to a couple of residents of Tancil Ct. the other day. Both of them used to live in the DC projects and they moved here to live in our subsidized projects. And now their kids go to our schools. And then they attend aftercare at the new rec center. All free of charge to them (funded by YOU). And, no, these women didn't work while their kids were at school. One of them used to, but she quit to open up her own business. WHich had not happened yet.
"The City of Alexandria maintains a huge underclass relative to its population. And when we run out of our own, we recruit them from PG County and DC. Seriously. I was talking to a couple of residents of Tancil Ct. the other day. Both of them used to live in the DC projects and they moved here to live in our subsidized projects. And now their kids go to our schools. And then they attend aftercare at the new rec center. All free of charge to them (funded by YOU). And, no, these women didn't work while their kids were at school."
But that's unfair to DC and PG residents and homeless people who choose not to obey rules of housing (a la Safe Haven)! Philistine.
EYA's "Just Steps Away" map certainly needs some updates. (See the "Neighborhood" tab at http://www.eya.com/Old_Town_Commons). How could they have forgotten highlights like Esmerelda's, Spa Court, or Adkins?
"Maybe EYA can add a smiling picture to their website of Hamer in front of Esmeraldas as drug buys occur behind her."
I am stunned P&Z doesnt do a greatest hots page on their website where all the City's planning achievements and economic development marvels are shown off for all to see.
"what would be wrong with selling the housing near the metro and building new public housing in manassass, near VRE?"
What would be wrong with it would be that it has some logic, and as soon as logic enters the debate, the "save the community" brigade pulls out the race card and its lights out.
I could already hear the chants from them claiming that moving folks to better housing would be like the Bataan Death March.
"The Braddock Metro Plan was just a way to pretend things were going to change"
I still dont understand why they needed to waste a million dollars to pretend.
They could have just kept the old plan and claimed that would be enough.
Although I have to say judging from the EYA site map that Bland has possibilities if they actually follow through on it and dont let the constant stalling and moaning get to them.
"How could they have forgotten highlights like Esmerelda's, Spa Court, or Adkins?"
Simple, they just forget them like they do now. By pretending either they arent problems or that its all overblown.
Slowly but surely the neighborhood is turning. One can see it clearly, even the reactions of the City to the chronic victimization by the screamers isn't the same anymore.
Hang in there
"even the reactions of the City to the chronic victimization by the screamers isn't the same anymore."
Interestingly, there was an article in the Post over the weekend about the topic of black gentrification. Ridiculously, a group of do-gooders in DC are accusing several African Americans who are opposing the do-gooder's request to put yet another group home in their neighborhood of being nimby racists!! Really pathetic.
From the Post Article about Congress Heights, this sounds very familiar right down to a lawsuit, I guess a lot people use the same playbook.
---------------
Sivells, who works with victims of domestic violence, found herself labeled as selfish and uncaring.
"They bit our heads off. Called us rich. Said we don't care about the youth, we don't care about black people," said Sivells, 35, who grew up in inner-city Baltimore. "That is not true."
Sivells and her neighbors have been working with Sandra Seegars, an Advisory Neighborhood Commission member who is now being sued for libel by the Peaceoholics, to talk about their concerns with the Peaceoholics since February, before renovation on the building began.
Here's a link to the story the last commenter was referring to in the Post:
http://tinyurl.com/33o7fuu
There was a brief story on WTOP this morning about the Waterfront planning process. Many City residents are opposed. Farrol Hamer was interviewed.
I was thinking about this and I believe it's time for Farrol to go. I don't have a dog in the Waterfront fight, but I was immediately skeptical of P&Z's plan anyway, even though I don't really know a thing about it.
As I thought why I felt this way, since I would actually like it if there was more to do at the waterfront, I realized that I was so disillusioned over P&Z's horrible handling of the Braddock and Potomac Yard plans, never mind the terrible experiences my neighborhors and I have had with our own projects, that I realized that they've lost all credibility.
Tragic too in that it's such a disincentive for citizen participation. The City keeps showing that it's willing to waste citizen time in innumerable late night mtgs, then turn around and throw all that out the window.
Plus it's so galling to see them throwing our money at overhyped / underperforming consultants from outside the area (GC, CR, etc) whose plans are either devoid of independent thought or are the product of marginal talent. So frustrating!
I don't have as much of a problem with the theory of hiring consultants. Generally, they can be good at providing expertise and recommendations based on objective research. But what makes me so angry is that the City hires people they KNOW will give them the result they want. They don't really want to find best practices. They just want to perpetuate their own ridiculous ideas. Can anyone say David Dixon????
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