New Park Uncovered At Spring for Alexandria

Before and After

When the City of Alexandria purchased 3550 Commonwealth Ave from Dominion Power, they had Open Space funding available and a goal of expanding park space, but they didn't really have a plan for it. That wasn't a bad thing -- just removing the blighted, out-of-use electrical substation on the property and planting grass in its place was an aesthetic improvement -- but it left a blighted, vacant lot.

While various options for the park remain open (in previous posts we discussed a fenced in dog park), in the interim, a team of volunteers decided last year to start the process of turning the property around by installing a large garden on one corner. For just $200, using garden cast-off plants donated by neighbors and mulch from cut-down, unhealthy, storm-battered trees formerly used to screen the old substation, it started to resemble a park.

A hot summer wiped out a few of the transplanted shrubs and flowers, but thanks to an on-site water supply and diligent work by volunteers, most of the garden made it through the first year.  And fortunately, a team of a dozen or so Alexandria parole officers and one air quality specialist volunteered their time during Spring for Alexandria to recover the garden out from under a truckload of weeds. The team even managed to plant a small donated maple tree, which will hopefully be the first of numerous trees taking root.  View a slide show of the volunteer clean-up day below (NOTE: if you're reading this as email, you may need to click the link to the article to see the slide show):

Throughout the clean-up visitors and onlookers made several commitments to the park. Parks staff, seeing the derelict state of the remaining evergreen trees, said the City would remove the rest...and mow the site more regularly since the garden is being hidden behind an 18" wall of grass and weeds. The outgoing City Manager and his interim replacement said they would find a little money in the budget to come up with a landscaping plan. I guarantee that would not have happened if neighbors hadn't devoted time and energy trying to make something of the site. The City sees and appreciates the effort and wants to leverage the volunteer support with a little funding.

View of former electrical sub-station that became the park.

It shouldn't be forgotten that without these volunteer efforts, the stalled park improvement might have continued the decline into blight. We know that cleaning up the site has already improved safety:  Last year, when volunteers were removing some of the trees on the site and thinning out the bottom branches of others, a woman expressed her gratitude for making the area feel more secure. She relayed the story of having her purse stolen by an assailant who had hidden among the trees and attacked her when she was waiting for the bus.

So thank you, Spring for Alexandria team. With your help, we'll make a park of this otherwise unplanned site, yet!

Help Kickoff Old Duron Building Renovation Tomorrow

A local contractor, Whiting Turner, pulled together a volunteer team from their staff to do the first round of the volunteer work on the soon-to-be community building at 4109 Mt Vernon Ave. They are working on it tomorrow morning, Saturday, April 9 at 9:00am. While this conflicts with the stream clean-up in the area, it would be great to get a few volunteers out from surrounding neighborhoods.  It would be both to get more work done faster and to validate the volunteers from the contracting company that are taking an interest in our neighborhood.  Plus there's free pizza if you stay until the end.

The work includes pulling up tiles (they have power tools for this), cleaning the interior walls, and patching the effice on the exterior where the Duron signs used to be.  This prep work will allow the building to be painted at the Spring for Alexandria event on May 6.

Several members of city staff will be there to oversee and help.  Fans of the park and the farmers market, this would be a great way to get a sense of "I helped this happen" as the park improvements and community building renovation kicks off.  Dedicate as little or as much time as you want, just come out ready to apply some sweat equity to your community.

Here is the information from Alexandria Open Space Coordinator Laura Durham:

Meeting Time: 9:00 am
Location: 4109 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria
What to Bring: Must Bring -- Yourself and your enthusiasm
Optional -- Any gardening tools that would be helpful for the outside work.
Optional -- Any cleanup tools -- brooms, dustpans, etc. -- for inside cleanup
What will be provided: I will have a cooler of bottled water and soda
Steve Walker is arranging with Sunbelt a motorized scraper for the VCT removal
Tim Garland is bringing the trash bags
I have weed killer & spray bottle
WT is providing the Dumpster
Steve and I will bring ladders 

I believe that we should be wrapping up between 12 and 1:00; there will be pizza for the volunteers at the end.

Clean Up 4MR, Clean up the Potomac: April 9th (Correction)

SAVE THE DATE:

23rd Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup
Four Mile Run Park, Saturday, April 9, 9:00 am – 12 pm

The City of Alexandria is seeking volunteers to participate in the 23rd Annual Potomac Watershed Cleanup and join others across the region to clean up local streams and the Potomac River Watershed.

The cleanup will take place on Saturday, April 9th from 9:00am to 12 noon, with the City hosting three locations along Four Mile Run:

1. 3700 Commonwealth Avenue in Four Mile Run Park
2. Four Mile Run at Mt. Vernon Ave
3. Eaton Square Clubhouse at 801 Four Mile Rd.

Trash and litter have many negative impacts on our quality of life. Trash is harmful to wildlife and the environment, and it is an eyesore that impairs the beauty of neighborhoods and decreases property value. Cleaning up and removal of litter also costs local governments funds that could be better used elsewhere.

To volunteer at one of the City’s sites, please contact Jesse Maines at jesse.maines@alexandriava.gov.

The Arlandrian News Round-up: "Random Acts of Greeness" Edition

Stream Cleanups. By the time the kids from Earthforce got done their clean-up of Four Mile Run Park last summer as part of their community service project, the results were astounding. In little over an hour, there lay in one big pile, a clump of 30 gallon trash bags, all mostly full. The thing was: it didn't look that bad when they started. Other groups had been through the park all summer and it had never looked better....well, at least not in the last decade. And yet, just a few weeks later, another clean-up organized by Clark Mercer turned up piles of more trash. It's a constant struggle.

I asked the Earthforce kids what they thought was needed to keep some folks from having to continuously clean up after other folks. I suggested more trash cans. They suggested more police patrols and security cameras. All I know is that the winter hasn't been kind to the Four Mile Run. Without nice weather to bring volunteers out, the trash and debris is depressingly back. In the long-run, the restoration of the stream will help make the stream clean-up easier, but until then...without some intervening force to keep the litter out of the stream...only Earthforce and their army of helpers can keep the stream alive.

Dirty Roads? Meanwhile, the Alexandria Gazette Packet reports (Trashy Citizens) that Councilwoman Del Pepper "has a few words for the Virginia Department of Transportation: Clean up your mess." Ms. Pepper is upset that VDOT, the party responsible for the I-395 is being lax at keeping it clean.

 "Cigarette butts are everywhere. Empty soda bottles dot the side of the road. Fast food wrappers can be seen here and there....The councilwoman said she heard from one constituent who went out there to do VDOT’s dirty work by picking up trash — 'every dead animal,' said Pepper, praising workers who have begun addressing trash on property they are not responsible for maintaining."

Just a question: who's responsible for the parks and streets and streams? There's quite a bit of litter there. Let's find out and get them to help us keep our neighborhood clean, too. Someone should ask.

Report a Problem. The City has been quietly rolling out a new issue reporting system on their website: alexandriava.gov. If you go to their main page and click "Report a Problem" on the upper right, you'll find a nifty new GIS-based system that not only allows you to help locate the problem on a map, it also offers you the ability to upload supporting documents or pictures and retains the request for you under you account so you can check back later to see the results.  I tried it out last week when I reported some broken street lights and I captured what the screen looks like when you're done.


State Your Priorities. The Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria is collaborating wtih ACT for Alexandria and Virginia Tech to develop a better way to inform key decisions in Alexandria – through “quality of life indicators.” Quality of life indicators are the answers to the question, “What matters most to the people who live in Alexandria?”

To vote for the indicators in this category, you must register on ACTion Alexandria and then you'll have a total of 10 votes to assign in each indicator category, while assigning those votes to as many or as few indicators in each category as you like. Your votes will be collected and combined with feedback from two Speak Up! Take ACTion! townhall meetings and summarized on ACTion Alexandria by the sponsoring organizations on April 18th. For more information on how the Quality of Life Indicators project, visit Community Health Assessment of MAPP.

Go Green Alexandria. Check out the website for the new non-proift: Go Green Alexandria. Their mission is to educate residents about their impact on the environment, to advocate for the conservation of Alexandria's environmental resources and a clean and sustainable community and to encourage green living practices wherever possible.

Climate Change.  The City of Alexandria's Environmental Policy Commissionand Office of Environmental Quality invite members of the public to attend two upcoming meetings about climate change. Take part in the City's Eco-City Alexandria initiative, learn more about the science of climate change and its impacts on the City, and give feedback on the City’s draft Energy and Climate Change Action Plan.

• Tuesday, March 15th, 7:30 pm-9:30 pm – Alexandria City Hall, Room 2000, Climate Change Science: The Basics, and Latest Research Findings
• Saturday, March 26h, 9:30 am-12:30 pm – Polk Elementary School, Multi-purpose Room, 5000 Polk Avenue, Alexandria, VA, Open House: Alexandria’s Draft Energy and Climate Change Action Plan

For more information on Eco-City Alexandria, visit http://www.alexandriava.gov/eco-city

Alexandria Spring Clean-up. Spring Clean Up is available to City curbside solid waste and refuse customers. All businesses and residential customers who receive private refuse collection will not receive Spring Clean Up services. Place materials at the curb (no alley pick up) before 7am on your assigned collection day (March 26th for east of Mt Vernon Avenue, April 2nd for west of Mt Vernon Ave. Separate items into four piles: Reusable items, Metal items, Electronics, and Refuse. Unacceptable items include concrete, hazardous waste, unbundled brush, loose yard waste, and building materials. For additional information and updates regarding Spring Clean Up, donation, or reuse opportunities, visit: alexandriava.gov/SolidWaste or call 703.746.4410. And consider donating or reusing items before setting them out on the curb.  A local reuse directory is available at alexandriava.gov/Recycling

GreenMail.  The local Post Office is trying out electric vehicles over the next year. Two different models have been spotted on our neighborhood streets. Carriers say that they mostly work well, but there are some ups and downs. Some of the hills are hard and one of the trucks can only go 25MPH. 

Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway Public Meeting. Arlington County is planning transit improvements in the Crystal City Potomac Yard (CCPY) Corridor, including a bus-only transitway, station stops, frequent bus service, and passenger amenities. The goal of the project is to provide high-capacity and high-quality transit service to residents, businesses, and visitors in this fast developing corridor. A public meeting will be held Wednesday, March 16, to provide an update on the Crystal City Potomac Yard bus transitway project. We are particularly seeking community input on the prototypical design of transitway stations in Crystal City. Feel free to stop by the session at any time. Wednesday, March 16, 4:30-8:00 p.m., Aurora Hills Community Center, 735 18th Street South, Arlington, VA 22202

PY Metro Update. The Del Ray Patch has an update on the progress of the Environmental Impact Study on Potomac Yard Metro Station (Metro Station Concerns Center on the Environment - Del Ray, VA Patch)
For those interested in learning more about the project, see www.potomacyardmetro.com. The site will be updated as the project moves along. People can e-mail comments on the project to:  comments@potomacyardmetro.com. The deadline to submit comments is Mar. 15. 


Arlandria in Song. Alexandrian Dave Grohl and his band Foo Fighters have gone from mentioning Arlandria in a song ("Headwires") to writing a song entitled "Arlandria" on their forthcoming album in April (here in this YouTube video is an early performance).  While not entirely sure what Dave is singing about, he seems pretty mad about that litter in Four Mile Run, too. 

How Alexandria City Bureaucracy Didn’t Steal Christmas.

Yes, Arlandria, there is a Christmas Tree.

Sometimes it seems the only folks with skills finely-honed enough to tap into City administered programs reside in Old Town. But that’s okay, we weren’t looking for a program or a handout… just some guidance.

All we really needed was for the lights to light.

The existing landscaping at Le Bosquet at Sunnyside Park is comprised of rocks, shrubs and two park benches. I’d always thought a Christmas tree here might lift the spirits of neighboring residents in this predominantly poor community. Census reports and nap-worthy waits behind school busses in the morning both support my assertion that the largest density of Alexandria’s children live in Arlandria – so how hard could setting up a little tree lighting for the local kids be?

I’d been inspired by past efforts of neighbors like Jack and Lois Stevens, who maintained this park for years under the adopt-a-park program. And by my friend Tom Fitzgerald, who’d spent the better part of a year chasing down the right people to get unattended neighborhood street lights turned back on.

So, my tale began this past summer when a neighbor donated a holly bush that looked like a tree (but couldn't be called a tree because of tree regulations) . We planted it near a lamppost with the help of Santos Flores, a local landscaper who donated his time, equipment, staff and sons Alex, 15 and Darwin, 2. When, sadly, it succumbed to the heat, Santos and I waited until September and headed to the garden center to give it another shot. The result was a scrappy little bush with more ‘sparse’ than actual leaves – but we love it, and it’s been a big hit with the neighborhood dogs.

Community Lodgings, a local non-profit, offered to have the neighborhood kids who attend their after school program make decorations, and folks from the city were standing by to attend the big lighting ceremony. But in the spirit of grinchiness, we discovered there was no way to light the tree without a host of further permissions.

To everyone’s credit, there were valiant attempts. Our friends in Del Ray, who invented DIY, shared how they coordinate with local business owners to do their lightings, but ours is a residential neighborhood. Arlandrian poster Kevin Beekman tested solar lights, which he had strung up at another sadly overlooked park on Reed Avenue, but admitted they really didn’t put off much light. Living across the street from Le Bosquet Park made running an extension cord ill-advised.

There were e-mail exchanges about a lighting fund we were too late for, and a junction box costing an exorbitant amount I may never know (referred to only as “$$$”). And a former council member (who has my vote if he would PLEASE run again) tried unsuccessfully to contact Dominion Power. We even hoped the adopt-a-park funds the Stevens had raised could be used to install an outlet on the lamppost, but the funds too were long forgotten.

Adding to my growing despair, Community Lodgings called to say the kids had made decorations they wanted to hang on the tree, “when would be a good time to have the tree lighting?”

I admitted it wasn’t looking good.

With Christmas a week away, our hopes were whittled down to the flavor of the month: eel-powered Christmas lights.

In the end, I’m sorry to say I gave up.

Which is why, three days before Christmas, I was surprised to see the little tree… bush… at Le Bosquet Park, festively adorned in ornaments - not a sparse spot to be found.

And the decorations were really nice. Pine cones and glittery popsicle-stick stars stars - not the usual construction paper decorations you love because it was your kid who made them. These were different… special.

So, in the real end, I realized it wasn’t my tree to give up on. It had become what it was meant to be – a community tree. Alex, who was there for the planting, led the decorating project at Community Lodgings. Afterwards, the kids went outside to hang them.

No fanfare, just Christmas spirit.

Turns out we didn’t need lights after all.

(But maybe next year.)

The Arlandria Shindig: Hello and Goodbye

Join neighbors from around the Four Mile Run neighborhoods Thursday night at 7pm at the No. 9 Lounge at Evening Star, 2000 Mt Vernon Avenue.

This inaugural get-together, what we hope will be a semi-regular occurrence in the future, will also mark a bittersweet occasion.  It will be a chance to see off neighborhood hero and all around good guy, Nick Partee, as he embarks on a hiatus from Arlandria for the next few years.

Nick has been the driving force behind so much of what we've done in the last few years that we hope to give him a good send off.  We hope to see you there.

MAdA Teaches Local Hispanic Mothers Entrepreneurial Skills

Mujeres Artesanas de Alexandria (MAdA) is a sub-organization of local non-profit Bienvenidos.  They teach Latina women of Arlandria business, crafting, and English language skills.  The majority of the women in the program are mothers of children in local schools and need to generate extra income to help support their families. 

One of the volunteers and founders of MAdA, Beth Ladd, dropped by last Sunday's Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market to give me an overview of MAdA's purpose and what they hope to achieve in Arlandria for their member "Mujeres".  She also provided a few samples of their handicrafts (see pictures--above right and following video).  Check out the quick 1 minute video below and see what Beth has to say about the organization.



The 4 Mile Run Farmer's and Artisans Market has always included providing a place for local vendors to cheaply sell their wares as part of its mission statement. With the addition of MAdA, the Market's 15th vendor, it appears to be meeting at least one key portion of its mission. Come out and support the artisans and craftswomen of MAdA starting at the July 25th market (8am - 1pm).

4MR Market Continues this Sunday

The grand opening of the Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisan’s Market was like every other Farmer’s and Artisans market in that fresh produce ruled the day, and specialty foods created instant fans. But for so many, it was the culmination of months of collaboration and reason for celebration.

“I’m really impressed with the turnout,” said Councilman Rob Krupicka, on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony, and was the driving force behind the recent legislation to make healthy food more accessible in Alexandria. "This is a great example of what happens when the community comes together and works on a joint project. This market is the result of vision and volunteers. Nothing else. Its a sure sign of a strong community when it can pull together to create something like this. The new market will make the community stronger and will give all of us greater access to local food and some great arts and crafts."

Vendors were still signing up as the ribbon was being cut. Eyvy Alvarado, market manager from nearby Marcella’s Bakery, filled out the forms, set up her stand, and within two hours, sold out of her first batch of baked goods. As did her neighbor Elise Scott of Pearl Fine Teas, who had the good fortune of being the only vendor with iced cold tea on a day when temperatures quickly soared above 90 degrees.

Cory Schultz would stop at nothing for fresh radishes. The Army Reserve officer rode her bike from Arlington after reading about the market online. “It’s really easy to get to on the trails,” Schultz said, sampling one of the coveted radishes. “I will definitely incorporate a stop here into my Sunday morning rides.”

Nearby neighbors from Arlandria, Crystal City, Shirlington, Del Ray and Beverley Hills walked, jogged and drove to check out the market, often lingering to enjoy (or, in the case of the area tots, dance to) the music by Curtis Blues.

"Mt. Vernon Avenue’s proximity to everywhere, at the entrance to Four Mile Run Park makes this a perfect location for a farmers market,” said Del Ray Resident and former Councilman Justin Wilson as his son and daughter danced and played backup maracas to Curtis Blues.

Architects Anonymous, the designers of the proposed green rehab and re-purposing of the former paint store at the park expansion, were highlighted at the community table where they displayed their design plans for the site and solicited feedback from passersby for the proposed colors of the future community building.

Across the way, Zelda Wallace of Zelda’s Nova Soul celebrated her own success. Just last year, the former broadcaster with Cox network lost her job of 20 years. With encouragement from her mom, friends and family, she decided to first test out her love of cooking at the Del Ray Market on Saturday, and at the Four Mile Run Market on Sunday. “I always wanted to open a restaurant, but that’s a pretty risky initiative,” Wallace said. “Still, I've always been told people would pay for my salads.” Three hours after the market opened, Zelda’s shrimp salad sold out. Twenty minutes later, so did her cucumber salad. She spent the remaining time taking orders. Many of the vendors did not anticipate such a terrific turnout.

The list of vendors joining up in the next couple of weeks include Vera's Bakery, Krishon Chocolates, St Elmo's Coffee Pub, the Dairy Godmother, and Bread and Chocolate.  The Dairy Godmother will embrace the Latino culture of the neighborhood with plans to sell paletas (Latin American frozen fruit treats) in coming weeks. With the hot weather here to stay, they are sure to be a huge hit.

The Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market is open Sundays from 8am until 1pm and runs from April through October at Four Mile Run Park, 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue.

Volunteer With Us: Prepping for the 4 Mile Run Farmers Market

Last night, Management from the new 4 Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market met with a group of potential vendors at the site (adjacent to 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue). Thanks to the first clean up (see action shot on the right) on May 29, things were looking pretty good... and some of them even signed up on the spot!

Market Status

The Market has received several applications to date with more coming in. The Market will be open starting Sunday, June 20th from 8am to 1pm. It will be open every Sunday through October, rain or shine. Right now it looks like there will be between 6-8 vendors on day 1, but that number could quickly grow. We'll have a full write-up on Market opening in the next few days.

Help Tidy Up a Bit More on Saturday

This Saturday, June 12, from 9-11, we will continue to weed and generally improve the site.  Meet at 4109 Mt Vernon Ave (map).  Please come out and bring gloves and any weeding tools you might have. This will be our last big chance to get the Market site looking great for its first day! Please come out and show your support. Our team of Market managers have been working non-stop to make this Market a reality and help realize the vision of the 4MR Park expansion. Getting a bunch of volunteers out on Saturday will make the site look great and will help get it done quickly!

Hume Springs Clean-Up and Community Police Team-Up

First off, many thanks to everyone that came out and helped during the Hume Springs clean-up last Saturday.  That list includes Fire Marshall Javelle and our local Community Oriented Police Officers (Officers Nick Ruggiero and Matt Kramarik).  Last but not least, a big thank you to our local Sheriff's Department.  On Friday, the Sheriff's Department brought out an inmate work-crew to give residents a huge jump start to the clean-up by sweeping through the alleys with trash bags and week whackers in tow.  Getting the alleys out of the way enabled everyone to get even more done during the Saturday clean-up.

Down at the end of Hume Springs Stream (let's see if that sticks), in an unrelated event, several teams were cleaning up Four Mile Run.  Meanwhile, as part of the Hume Springs clean-up, volunteers did a healthy one-over on neighborhood streets, parks, and the wetlands area that backs up to Cora Kelly Elementary School.

It was during a trash sweep of the wetlands area that the volunteers identified a major drinking and drug-use hideout back in the woods.  The following pictures show the state of things after numerous trash bags full of bottles had already been hauled away:

The area is one of few dry spots of land back in the wetlands--a small clearing with plenty of logs to sit on.  Volunteers found general trash, alcohol bottles, a prisoner id, and what appeared to be some drug use paraphernalia.

Problem Hang Out is located near the center of these trees: View Larger Map

This new drinking hangout appeared to be a case of "displacement", as Officer Ruggiero pointed out.  Last fall, a Hume Springs clean-up uncovered a less hidden drinking spot that became a target for daily police sweeps, resulting in numerous arrests and getting people in need of social services in touch with those agencies (that story here).  Sadly, it appears people looking for a place to drink in our neighborhood found another, more hidden place to break the law.

Not for long, if current progress is an indicator or future results.  On Monday, officers swept this new location and made 4 arrests in the middle of the day for drinking in public.  From now on, this whole area will become a regular "beat check" for local officers, with the help of our Community Oriented Police.  Furthermore, the Community Officers intend to work with the Parks Department to get the logs cut up and removed, and intend to post No Trespassing signs around the wetlands area so they can enforce the trespassing rules, as well.  This is another testament to the importance of community policing.  Area assaults and robberies often start with public drinking, and nipping these problems in the bud make Arlandria a safer place for everyone.

Team hoists a sleeper sofa pulled out of the stream

On the day, neighbors were able to remove downed limbs, 20+ bags of trash, a sleeper sofa, a mattress, and large amounts of other loose debris from Four Mile Run Park and Hume Spings before lunchtime.  The Hume Springs Citizens Association also provided numerous flats of annuals and gave them away to any neighbors looking to spruce up their yard.  New neighbors and long-time residents teamed up to make the day a big success.  The hangout discovered on Saturday will hopefully lead to continued success cleaning up more than just a trash problem in the days and weeks to follow.

"Architects Anonymous" Donates Time, Vision To Four Mile Run Park

Area architects may be struggling to find enough work to fill the day in the last year or two, but this informal group checked the wish lists when the want ads went dry.  The highlight of last Wednesday's inaugural Arlandria Action Plan Advisory Group meeting, planning for Four Mile Run Park (4MR) expansion, received a pro bono shot in the arm that can only be described as transformative.

The architects presented the group an exciting presentation and took questions (and accolades).  Parks and Recreation Commission Chair and Architects Anonymous member Judy Noritake was quick to point out that this is only a vision, and a formal planning process will follow.  However, the group went out of its way to identify some of the most cost effective and quickly implementable solutions possible for this blighted stretch of Mt. Vernon Ave.  They laid out the framework for a phased approach that could have a usable public amenity available to the community as soon as this summer.  I have a feeling the planning process will likely be more like project management, figuring out schedule, funding, and process to implement their suggestions.

First, a quick bit of history.  The city purchased the lots for park expansion 2+ years ago and completed a lengthy environmental remediation. They tore down 3 of the buildings and were hoping to re-purpose the Duron building for park use.  See two of our prior posts on the topic here and here.  The problem was there's barely any money to fix it up.  On came the wrecking ball... or so we thought.  The architects adopted this pet project to provide the public with a valuable amenity that the City would not be able to otherwise afford (it will still be tough going money-wise).

The vision all starts with a re-purposed Duron building--see following image.  The architects propose punching a hole in the North wall and building a stage that faces the three vacant lots.  The opening will be covered by a 'barn-style' door.  The mural that is currently mounted on the South wall would be moved inside and enhanced by surrounding it with more art, perhaps the product of local artists.  The space would be lighted with light tubes (~$400 each) that would harness the sunlight to light the space during daylight hours with zero operating costs.  The architects suggested painting the exterior in bright, creative patterns that reference the cultural elements of the neighborhood and the artistic uses of the re-purposed building.

The building could host community meetings, indoor/outdoor markets, performances, temporary art displays, act as a base for school field trips to study the stream, and much more.  Existing restrooms would be refurbished for daytime public use.  One resident suggested the space could house periodic immunization clinics to relieve some of the pressure on overburdened local health clinics.

The three vacant, paved lots could be handled in several different ways.  The asphalt is in decent shape, so for the short term, it can be left as-is.  Hard-scape restrictions for areas near 4MR mean that, if we ever plan to use hard-scape in the area, we must keep the impermeable space intact for now.  Each asphalt ring surrounds a gravel space where buildings used to stand.  This space could be planted over with grass, gardens, or any permeable use.  The lots could be used for outdoor markets, seating space for performances, or just a community gathering space.

The park expansion could interface with the existing park much better than it does today.  The architects suggested tearing down the various fences that break up the space and separate it from the rest of the park.  They also suggested connecting existing trails to the space with walking paths.  Lastly, tree and garden plantings would tie the formal "outdoor rooms" to the athletic fields while creating distinctive places within the park.

The architects introduced a number of creative, affordable, and sustainable ways to improve the space over time.  They suggested using recycled concrete to beautify the vacant lots (my favorite... see following image).  The entire area would be bordered with a rain garden on the eastern edge to mitigate some of the runoff, and permeable paving options may be possible, as well.  They suggested cisterns to catch the roof runoff for landscape maintenance.  Over time, simple banners could give way to public art that announces the plaza to the public.

Often, municipal planning processes are bureaucratic, snail paced ventures.  There is generally a group opposed to any kind of change, a group that wants to maximize change, and the planners that want to make sure that whatever happens is in line with a long-term vision (sometimes an outdated one, but their intentions are mostly good).  Arlandria is both blessed and cursed with overlapping plans and zoning overlays that can make project implementation even more difficult.

Not this time.  The architects were careful to adhere to the vision laid out in the 4MR Restoration Master Plan.  The community was in attendance, and almost everyone spoke out in favor of the presented vision.  Arlandria has been starving for some attention for too long not to move forward with this potentially iconic project.


The formal park planning process will begin sometime in March.  It looks like a Special Use Permit (SUP) will be required to re-purpose the Duron building, but Open Space Coordinator Laura Durham and Judy Noritake hope that they can rush through the SUP process so the community does not miss out on an amenity for this season.  We may request some community support for this in the near future to grease the wheels.  Also, please start shopping around for interest from farm markets, arts and crafts fairs looking for space, and performers looking for a venue.  Showing that we're ready for our day in the sun may "prime the pump" for this new amenity.

We'll probably have to rely on sweat equity, donations, and limited Open Space funding to convert the existing site to into the vision over a series of years.  In year one, we hope that the community will rally behind this and lend their hands to help where possible (plantings, generating interest, painting... who knows).  We will announce any volunteer days that occur and hope this will be a rallying project for the community.  The architects have done their jobs, now it's up to us and the City.  What do you think?  Discuss in the comments!

The Arlandrian Weekly News Round-Up

Sorry for the delayed version. I've been overrun with holiday preparations...

NSP organizers, new homeowners, and Mayor Euille at key hand-over ceremony

Neighborhood Stabalization Program Delivers First Fixed Up Home in Hume Springs
We got some new neighbors in Arlandria when the Neighborhood Stabilization Program delivered its first fixed up home on Edison St. The project originally aimed to curb the vacant property rate due to major foreclosure rates in Hume Springs, but since many of the homes have been snatched up by homeowners that identified a bargain in this up and coming area, the program is meeting its secondary goal of providing affordable home ownership opportunities to local home seekers. (AlexandriaNews Article)

A Tangled Web... er Streetcar Network Being Woven?
Greater Greater Washington consolidates the DC streetcar network now under construction on a map with the fledgling plans in Northern Virginia. This includes 3 transit corridors in Alexandria that were identified in the Alexandria Transportation Master Plan: Route 1 , Beauregard, and Duke St. See what the network might look like in years to come. (GGW)

Moran Gets Some Money for Four Mile Run (4MR)
The House Omnibus bill passed last week, then was approved by the Senate this week. All that remains is Obama's John Hancock and the various allocations for Four Mile Run should be approved. AlexandriaNews.org said $250K were appropriated "to complete a pedestrian bridge across Four Mile Run." I've heard the actual cost of a bridge to be in the millions, so I beleive they meant 'to complete design work for a pedestrian bridge." (AlexandriaNews Article) Here are the three 4MR appropriations Congressman Moran was attempeting to get in the bill... which of these made it in, I have no idea:

• 4MR Pedestrian Bridge Design
• 4MR Master Plan Completion
  
• 4MR Flood Channel Flow Study

Spirit of Giving News Round-Up

Credit Where Credit is Due: Community Lodgings
Arlandria's Community Lodgings is being honored by being selected as one of 12 non-profits in the entire metropolitan area to participate in Channel 4's 12 Days of Giving. Tune in this Monday, December 14th at Noon and 4 pm and participate in the opportunity to call in a PLEDGE!! (NBC 4)

Get Your Tree While Helping Area Youth
The Annual Christmas Tree Sale to benefit the Alexandria Police Youth Camp is held by the Amtrak Station, 110 Callahan Dr. The sale will be ongoing, weeknights from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and every weekend from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., until they are sold out! Through Thursday, December 24

Alexandria Fire Department Toys for Tots
The Alexandria Fire Department (AFD), is collecting toys for needy families and underprivileged children during the 2009 holiday season. For many years, AFD has partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps to support its Toys for Tots Campaign. Residents can drop off new, unwrapped toys at any Alexandria fire station through December 24. Donated toys may not be used as weapons or considered to be weapons (i.e., toy guns or knives of any kind). The toys are intended to go to children ages 0-17 years of age. (Click for more info)

Community Partners for Children Holiday Toy Drive
Each holiday season, Community Partners for Children collects toys for deserving kids in the Alexandria area, and asks the community for help. Make a cash contribution by sending your check to Community Partners for Children, P.O. Box 2738, Alexandria, VA 22301. Leave a doll, toy truck, game, or any other new toy for a deserving child or a Grocery Gift Card at any CPC donation box. To find the nearest donation box, contact Pat Miller by e-mail or at 703.683.2570. For more information on the various upcoming volunteer opportunities, contact Kendra Chambers by e-mail or at 703.717.0373. The drive ends Friday, December 18.

Still Time to Donate to Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Holiday Sharing Program

The program is mostly wrapped up (pun intended), but there is still an opportunity to donate toys through the 16th. They continually accept Grocery Story gift cards, Coats, hats, and gloves, etc. (See more info here or call 703-746-5663)

Still Have More to Give? Other Volunteer Opportunities:

Alexandria's official site has a list of volunteer opportunities in the city. (City List)

Right here in our backyard (at Cora Kelly), you can help provide food to others the last Saturday of each month through ALIVE! (ALIVE! opportunties)