The Buckingham Herald Tribblog

It would not be the first time back.

In October 2007, the county posted a request for interest in a mini-golf course at the site, and in the spring and summer of 2008, the Buckingham Community Civic Association pushed back, saying that the idea was being forced on the community without enough community input. County planners have maintained that part of their jobs is to narrow choices to those likely to succeed in the space, and that there will be opportunities for input.

In 2008, the county, deciding internally to look closer at the matter, put together an interdepartmental team from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources; Arlington Economic Development; and Community Planning to reinvestigate the use of the space.

Buckingham Community Civic Association President Pat Hope, a leader in the push back a year ago, said that he still wants the county to ask the basic question: “What does the community want?” before they push forward with any idea. A charette regarding the best use of the space, he said, should include the Bluemont, Buckingham, Ballston and Ashton Heights neighborhoods as well as commissions and committees that would have a stake in the project.

Mr. Hope said he takes issue with the idea that the park must be “activated.”

“I haven’t gotten past the original discussion of ‘what do you want here?’” he said. The question to the community would ask whether they want an active or passive park or something else.

“I’m happy that [the offerings are] more than mini-golf, but I still want a discussion,” he said.

He warned the planners that the “worst thing that could happen” is 15 people show up at the county board meeting saying that they don’t like any idea put forward.

“We ought to be the ones to drive this discussion,” he said.

[Other civic leaders could not be reached before this posting. –ST]

The current plan is that B&D will finish their analysis by the end of the summer, and public discussions over the different ideas would occur in the fall, Mr. McPartlin said.

The town center might be a space to hold performances, civic meetings, shows or ceremonies, Mr. McPartlin said. In April, he said the idea that the county had decided only on performance space was a “rumor.” Today, he said that the county is keeping any possible uses of a town center open, even ice skating, though the Kettler Capitals Iceplex sits atop the parking garage adjacent to the park space.

“That’s why we hired B&D, to look at the feasibility,” Mr. McPartlin said. “We’re looking at these ideas as examples. We’re not excluding any one [idea].”

The adventure park might include rock climbing and huge climbing structures such as that found at the City Museum of St. Louis or Port Discovery in Baltimore. This might also include a skate boarding park or a wave pool where people could surf or kayak, Mr. McPartlin said.

He cited the historic and educational possibilities of mini-golf as a reason to recommend the idea. The “Earthscapes” 9-hole mini-golf course at the Science Museum of Minnesota allows players to see the role of water in shaping the surface of the earth.

“This 30,000 square-foot course gives the words ‘water hazard’ a whole new meaning!” their web site says. In Philadelphia, players putt through the liberty bell and into Independence Hall.

A partnership with a private company most likely will be required in such a way that the company can make a profit while servicing the needs of Arlingtonians. Part of the decision-making will come down to how the financing is structured with a partner, Mr. McPartlin said.

Mini-golf Plans Progressing, September 2007

Mini-golf It Is, June 2008

Earthscapes mini-golf

City Museum of St. Louis

Labels: ballston, mini-golf, park, redevelopment

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 12:03 PM 1 comments

Stupid Google. I love them because they give me tons of free software that I use daily (blopspot is owned by Google; the maps I use for the police reports are owned by Google; my gmail account is owned by Google; when my son comes of age, he…kidding), and all I have to do for it is ignore the advertisements that appear just about everywhere on their products.

But about a week ago, I got a message that said my blog was flagged as possible spam because of the incredible number of links to other pages on my site (apparently robot computers set up blogs that all link to the same address and that’s what the HeraldTrib looked like to them; I did not know there was such a thing as a spam blog).

They threatened to delete the blog if I did not respond within three weeks (that leaves about two weeks from now, if you’re not keeping up).

I clicked all the links that tell their robot computer that I actually am a human running a rather popular blog and would they please not shut me down. Their computer admitted that if I was clicking, most likely I was human, so not to worry.

Yet, that got me thinking: if software can be written to create spam-blogs willy-nilly, couldn’t a programmer make software that would know to click the links as a human would?

That leaves me wondering if I have done enough to save the blog. I’ll guess we’ll know in a fortnight. If it does get obliterated, I’ll pop up again elsewhere, and at that point will work to reinstate (or at least recover the links to stories) the HeraldTrib.

Until then, thanks for reading.

I wrote my take on the debate hosted by the Arlington County Democratic Committee in the primary run for the House of Delegates’ 47th District. The five Democrats running for their party’s nomination to replace the retiring Al Eisenberg, covered a number of topics rather civilly (so much for my “Fighting 47th” moniker). I wrote that no one really won the debate, but I thought Adam Parkhomenko (still my First Amendment hero), lost.

That, of course, got people reading, and drew some to comment. Make sure you check it out.

The Green Party has already selected their nominee: Josh Ruebner. The Republicans have not yet fielded a candidate, and my (admittedly limited) contacts say it’s unlikely that they will. Whenever I write something like that, however, I remind myself that reporters do a much better job when they tell people what happened rather that what will happen.

A story in the neighborhood that the greenspace outside the Ballston Commons Mall parking garage would become a performance or presentation space of some kind for use by the mall or the Capitals is just a rumor according to Scott McPartlin, a county planner working on that space.

Arlington County is still working on potential ideas for the site which was most recently set to be a mini-golf course. Ideas that “activate” that space and that are “revenue neutral” are forthcoming, Mr. McPartlin told me yesterday.

As always, you can scroll down to see all the recent stories, or simply click the links below (if the link doesn't work, scroll down to find the story, and email to tell me what's busted: heraldtrib@gmail.com --Steve Thurston).

Headlines from Earlier in the Week:

Sneak Peek at the Madison of Ballston Station (This is the big, new, four-storey building on N. Pershing Drive; formerly Buckingham Village 1).

Bethel Church to "Change the World" (starting with Buckingham).

Democrat House of Delegates Debate (This is the ACDC debate; you'll want to read this).

Police Notes April 10 to 23 (Graffiti, Theft and Police Impersonation).

Arlington Annex with Vic Socotra: Step Back in Time to the Ball-Sellers House. (Vic is back with his second installment. Up next: pools and Nazis! Let me know what you think.)

Hope Holds Rally at the Gates Center (About 50 Latinos came to support Buckinghamster Patrick Hope in his bid for the House of Delegates. Other candidates: please let me know if you're holding a public event in or near Buckingham. I'll do my best to get there. --ST

Labels: 47th, blogging, campaign, debate, google, house of delegates, mini-golf

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 8:36 AM 0 comments

Police notes will return after the holiday.

I am such a bone-head sometimes. I mentioned in my coverage of Santa at Lubber Run two weeks ago that he would come again for more kids (two weeks ago he visited with Arlington Forest young-uns). Well, he came alright on Friday; I had it on my schedule; my family knew I had that plan. Somewhere between leaving work and heading off for that, I forgot.

Pat “Santa” Hope, the Buckingham Community Civic Association president, said it was a huge turnout, maybe more than ever, and I missed it. My apologies to the people involved. I wanted to be there, and I should have been.

Unfortunately, too, there are no pictures to share, at least not yet.

“The event did have a big turnout and we were so busy with all our delighted guests that we actually forgot to take pictures!” Yvana Cordova, an event organizer, wrote in an email yesterday. She wrote that she hopes some families might share a few. If so, I’ll let everyone know.

I met with Scott McPartlin of the parks department over a cup of coffee last week. We discussed the county’s research on the potential mini-golf site adjacent to the Ballston Common Mall parking garage.

Two weeks ago I wrote piece that said planners weren’t talking about what they were researching. They still aren’t discussing details, but Mr. McPartlin said they have a few ideas that staff is pursuing and that mini-golf is still on the table.

They plan on preparing their ideas for release during the first half of 2009, and they will allow for full public input on these ideas once they are completed.

A priority for the planners is to find ideas that will bring life to the park and that will be economically sustainable. Any decision will reflect the current economic reality, he said.

As always, you can scroll down to see all the recent stories, or simply click the links below (if the link doesn't work, scroll down to find the story, and email to tell me what's busted: heraldtrib@gmail.com --Steve Thurston).

Today's Headlines:

For more on mini-golf, click here, and scroll down. Also, Dan Redmond's letter about the mini-golf site has a couple comments worth reading, I think.

HALRB Still Questions Center's Redevelopment

Headlines from Earlier in the Week:

Baseball Slugger Is a Hit with the Kids

Grant Takes the Fight Out-of-Turn

Labels: lubber run center, mini-golf, Santa

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 10:00 AM 0 comments

Just when it looked like things in the Buckingham Shopping Center plans were coalescing, they are not.

Recall these are the plans in which the Glebe Market, and El Paso/Popeye’s buildings would be razed and a four-storey mixed use building of ground floor retail and apartments would rise in its place.

Call it a difference in philosophy, but elected county officials did not want a drop-off prescription window near the busy, urban intersection of N. Glebe Road at N. Pershing Drive, and the CVS pharmacy, which was to fill much of the ground floor of the new building at that corner, sees the store as suburban, and CVS’s suburban stores have drop-off windows.

So the philosophy of urban development versus suburban killed plans for the CVS.

“That space…will now be a multiple of stores,” said Bob Moore, a principal of the potential developer Georgetown Strategic Capital. They have been pursuing this project for well over a year.

Although the HALRB will consider Georgetown Strategic’s certificate of appropriateness for that corner at the Wednesday Dec. 17 meeting, neither side is expecting much success.

“Staff isn’t recommending approval of it at this point,” said Rebecca Ballo. “The ground level is really different than what we’ve been dealing with for the past year.”

For his part, Mr. Moore said, “We’re not going in for a vote.” This is just continuing what has been a “collegial” discussion he said, adding, “What we’re trying to do is to update them on all these possibilities.”

But his company, which has been drawing plans and adjusting them to try and fit the wishes of the HALRB, is near the point of pulling out altogether.

“If [the HALRB] just really can’t adapt to this change, then we’re not going to want to pursue it any further,” Mr. Moore said. “I think they don’t know what they want.”

Some of the changes include a police substation, slightly lower heights, and fewer apartments. Mr. Moore said he has been talking to Sam Chon owner of the Glebe Market, and it looks like he will return to the new building with a smaller store.

One positive note: the poor economy has been driving down construction costs, especially for the underground parking.

“It’s making it a bit more affordable,” Mr. Moore said.

The current plan would rebuild the northwest corner of the intersection first and then wait for the CVS to run-out its lease before razing that building and redeveloping it.

The county is zipping their lips on alternative uses for the patch of green space outside the Ballston Commons Mall parking garage. Staff has been pursuing the idea that the triangle at the corner of N. Glebe Road and N. Randolph Street will house a “world-class” mini-golf course. The main reason staff has said is that it fits with the pedestrian nature of the area and is an activity that can be pursued much of the year and by people of all ages.

For months however, county staff from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources; Arlington Economic Development; and Community Planning have been meeting to consider alternate uses for the 20,000 square foot site, especially after some citizens in the area voiced concerns about the lack of input from people early in the planning process.

"We're still working internally to develop these [ideas],” said Scott McPartlin, the lead planner on this project. The committee that is researching will let the public know, “Hopefully really soon."

Rich Dooley, a senior land use planner, said the different ideas are still going through internal vetting, but that the research and discussion is not necessarily tricky.

“There’s nothing unique about this” process, he said.

For a just-posted letter on this subject, click here--ST

Ashton Heights readers may be interested to know that item #14 among the “consent items" on tomorrow’s county board meeting asks the board to accept two deeds that will allow sidewalk and storm water drainage work along N. 4th Street at its intersection with N. Irving Street. The board generally votes on consent items en masse, unless the item is removed from the consent list to be discussed at the recessed meeting next week.

As always, you can scroll down to see all the recent stories, or simply click the links below (if the link doesn't work, scroll down to find the story, and email to tell me what's busted: heraldtrib@gmail.com --Steve Thurston).

Today's Headlines:

Letter: Choose Gardens Over Mini-Golf (For a history of the Glebe/Randolph plans, click here, and scroll to see many stories.)

Police Notes

Headlines from Earlier in the Week:

Santa Visits Lubber Run!

Last Week's Police Notes

Summer Flashback: About Arlington with Deb Byrwa

Labels: Buckingham, buckingham center, mini-golf

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 12:34 PM 0 comments

Having just learned about the proposal for a mini-golf course near my home in Ballston beside the Ballston Common Mall, I would like to make an alternative suggestion for use of the space.

Knowing that such a visible and valuable plot of land probably has many options for development in the future, my proposal can make use of the space immediately, with future development an inexpensive enterprise.

Instead of minuture golf, use the land for agriculture.

My proposal for the lot includes community vegetable garden plots in raised beds surrounded by pine bark mulch.

Community garden plots on public land have been gaining a great deal of attention in urban environments around the United States. The safety of our food supply chains has made headline news recently; our desire to eat local, sustainable and healthy food has become a movement gaining force throughout the country.

Each vegetable bed can be sponsored by a church, community group (Girl Scouts, as an example), or schools. Demonstration beds and classes can teach Arlington residents how to grow their own food in their own yard.

Surrounding the vegetable garden could be rose gardens and wildflower beds, similar in beauty to the Rose Garden in Bon Air Park. The view from outside the garden would be of beautiful flowers, maintained by the award-winning Arlington Master Gardeners program.

The flowers would attract pollinators, such as bees and butterflies to the vegetable beds.

Community gardening attracts young, old, wealthy and people of modest means; which describes the diversity of citizens in that community very well. While working in community gardens, diverse groups of people talk, share and learn from one another.

The entire garden can be surrounded by the black, wrought-iron fencing that surrounds Westover Playground; high enough for children to be safe, but not so high to appear "gated".

With reduced amounts of fresh produce being donated to AFAC from Giant grocery stores, a portion of the produce could be grown especially for them.

As the garden beds would be raised, there would be little concern of contamination from existing soil.

In a few years, when public will or private money is raised for mini-golf, the site can be developed without a large initial investment in the gardening project.

Best regards,
Dan Redmond
Bluemont
Advocate for Regional Food systems and Renewable Energy

Dan's letter, which he emailed to me for posting and to a few others in Arlington, has generated a little buzz. What follows are portions of the responses. Click "comments," below, to add your own two cents. --ST

Hi, Dan.

I really like your proposal. The garden you are envisioning will
be a great community resource and contribute to Arlington's green movement.

Rosa Briceno

---

I strongly support your proposal for a sustainable, teachable, useful, community garden in Ballston with multiple sponsorship and opportunities for the community and individuals to come together to “grow a row” together.

We find at Tuckahoe the more you improve your grounds, woods and gardens the better is your neighborhood kept clean and the greater is your sense pride in your place, the more it feels like a neighborhood to call home.

Sincerely,

Mary McLean
Outdoor Learning Coordinator
Tuckahoe Elementary School
Arlington Public Schools

---

Labels: ballston, garden, mini-golf

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 9:18 AM 2 comments

I would like to bring to your attention some inaccurate information contained in a Buckingham Herald Tribblog article dated Nov. 17, 2008 relative to Glebe and Randolph Park.

The article, titled “Hokies to Tackle Mini-golf Site?” incorrectly states that “the County had turned the parcel [the triangular shaped green space next to the Ballston Common Mall parking garage] over to the Virginia Tech Architecture and Design School to serve a blank slate for ideas in a student design competition. Outdoor public dancing was cited as one of the potential functions.”

First, given the constraints of the site and limited funding, the County is currently exploring a variety of viable and affordable options for the use of the site, and an urban mini-golf course remains one of the options.

Second, the parcel was never “turned…over to the Virginia Tech Architecture and Design School” as the article suggests. Rather, professors selected this site for a theoretical exercise in site design and building functionality based on its challenging constraints and colorful history.

The County has had no further involvement in the student project. Any Virginia Tech student ideas for the site will remain between the professors of the course and the students as their projects are finalized and will not be informing the County’s purview of the site.

Please contact me if you would like to discuss this project further.

Thank you,

Scott McPartlin
Urban Planner
Arlington County Park Development Division

The incorrect story has been pulled from the post. My apologies for the error. --ST

Labels: ballston, Glebe, mini-golf

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 6:38 AM 0 comments

Buckingham’s own Miles Grant is running for the House of Delegates' 47th District in Arlington. Incumbent Democratic Al Eisenberg told David Schultz at the Arlington Connection that he is unsure if he will seek another term. Read Mr. Schultz’s story here.

I think there’s more to this, so I’ll keep you posted if I find something.

In the story, Mr. Grant calls himself a resident of Ashton Heights, which technically he is since he lives in Historic Ballston Park, but he lives maybe two blocks from the Buckingham Shopping Center (behind the Eastern Carryout) and he has paid attention to what goes on in Bham, so I’ll claim him for our own.

A number of people have asked me how it is being back to work after a year-long sabbatical. I took the 2007-2008 school year off at half pay to run this blog and study hyperlocal and electronic journalism. Now I’m back to a full schedule teaching at Montgomery College in Rockville, and let me tell you: half pay without working totally beats full pay if you have to work for it.

The posts have been skimpy and the coverage spotty this fall because so much of my time is taken up elsewhere. I did run this blog, however, for the school year prior to my sabbatical. I just revisited November and December 2006 to find that I kept up postings—not great, but they were there.

Adjustments will be made. Don’t give up on me yet (a mantra I have repeated to my readers many times in the past). Thanks for sticking with me.

As always, you can scroll down to see all the recent stories, or simply click the links below (if the link doesn't work, scroll down to find the story, and email to tell me what's busted: heraldtrib@gmail.com --Steve Thurston).

Today's Headlines:

Proposed Mixed-Use Replacement for Goodyear Building

Headlines from Earlier in the Week:

"H and H Report" (the HeraldTrib's companion, for-kids-by-kids entertainment review) checked out "Madagascar2: Escape to Africa"

Police Notes for Buckingham

Labels: ballston, campaign, mini-golf

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 10:09 AM 3 comments

Some people in Buckingham felt the county had chosen the use of the property without the proper input from all affected parties, such as Buckingham residents. Therefore, meetings were held between the Buckingham Community Civic Association and county staff earlier this year, but no changes were made.

“We are still proceeding with our initial plans to construct a miniature golf course. We’re still on that path,” said Scott McPartlin of the county’s Department of Recreation and Cultural Resources. In the interview early last month, he noted as he has many times, that he and his staff spoke with other civic associations and affected groups and received very positive feedback.

“We listened to their [the Buckingham residents’] opinion, but it did not change the direction of the project,” Mr. McPartlin said. He is the county's lead planner on this project.

The county is preparing a very detailed Request For Qualifications which will seek out developers who want to partner with the county to make the 0.45 acre space a “world-class” minigolf course, Mr. McPartlin said. The RFQ should be ready this summer. Development of the space is still some time away.

The green outline shows the location of the greenspace planned for minigolf.

Letter: Writer Decides FOR Minigolf (Sept. 21, 2007)

Minigolf Plans Progressing

The county's initial "request for interest" regarding the project (Sept. 2007)

Labels: ballston, mini-golf, recreation

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 9:36 AM 1 comments

You might recall that I was against making a quick objection to the idea of the miniature golf course. I was not prepared to vote, and I wanted time to consider the idea.

[To read the original story and the comments on it, click here. --ST]

After speaking to many of my neighbors at the Carlin, (and their family members), I have now made my decision.

I went to two other golf parks and found that the parks were used primarily by families with small children. Both of the parks were peaceful, and I was told that there were no crime problems near, or inside the parks. It appears that these parks attract the best of our fellow county residents.

I now believe that the golf park would make me, and my neighbors safer than we are now. The more good citizens walking around the neighborhood, the safer I feel.

Some of my neighbors mentioned that it would be nice to be able to walk to the park with their grand children. I must agree that having something fun to do in the neighborhood is a plus.

Most of the visitors would park inside the county garage. The coming and going of these cars would make our mall safer.

I am now more than 98 percent in favor of the golf park. If it is built, I could enjoy standing outside of the fence and watching the little children learning to play golf. On occasion, I would also enjoy a game of golf.

I now believe the addition of a golf park to the new ice rink, would actually raise our property values. If you and I wanted to talk about something that was happening in our neighborhood, we could enjoy conversing while playing a round of miniature golf. I think you, as a reporter, might find that people open up more when they are playing golf.

The golf park would not attract a huge crowd, but it would bring added revenue to the mall. If the stores in our mall do not make a profit, we might actually see the mall go away, or worse, it might become one of those malls that have more vacancies than nice stores. More customers, particularly customers who come into the mall with their families, equals a nicer, more upscale mall for all of us.

Mick Pulliam

Mr. Pulliam is an active member in the Buckingham Community Civic Association.

Labels: ballston, mall, mini-golf

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 6:24 PM 2 comments

"I am happy to state that we do, we finally got [the easement],” Mr. McPartlin said, "I don't know that it's been recorded yet, but it's been signed, which is the big deal." He said it was signed by the mall’s owners (Forest City Enterprises) at the end of August.

Rather than simply sending out a request for proposals for a developer to make a basic golf course, the county might go the route of a request for qualifications, in an attempt to find a company who could become a partner in the development. That partner would take on some of the financial burden while building a course that matches the urban setting around it.

"For the type of first-class course that we want, we just don't have the funding for that,” Mr. McPartlin said. He added that the county has the money from the original site plan to put in a regular mini-golf course, but he said county staff thought that would not fit the setting.

County staff came to the civic association meetings over the past year with the idea for the golf course and asked if the associations liked it; staff did not ask what the associations wanted, but if they liked what was offered. This has bothered some people in Buckingham, among them, Pat Hope, the president of the Buckingham Community Civic Association. That sentiment, and questions about the choice of mini-golf, was echoed by others at the BCCA meeting on Monday, Sept. 17. Mr. McPartlin does not deny it.

"That is exactly what we did. That is the truth,” Mr. McPartlin said. “This was a unique process, different than some of our parks, to take advantage of this opportunity.”

His office went to civic associations (that's a large pdf file) with the idea of the golf course, and asked if the associations liked it. One reason for this process was the pressure his office felt from higher in the county, he said. "We did receive clear direction [from the county board] to do something to activate this corner."

He said that a “passive” corner, one filled primarily with trees, plants and benches would not work on that corner, with two large streets and the wall of the parking garage making up the three sides of the triangle. Professional landscape architects told him people would not make the trip to that corner to sit, he said, adding that non-use could spell a haven for rodents and loose garbage.

He has said that county staff considered other uses—an outdoor ice rink, a climbing wall—but that the mini-golf had the longest season and was a multi-generational activity.

He added that the Ashton Heights Civic Association (the property is part of the Ashton Heights neighborhood) loved the idea and sent a letter to the county board stating this.

Mr. McPartlin and Pat Hope have both said that meetings are being planned for residents of the neighborhood to voice their opinions. Mr. Hope said he hopes to involve the Bluemont Civic Association as well.

"I respect Patrick's opinion. Patrick an I have been in communication....I will be attending a BCCA meeting in the near future, most likely this fall, to learn more about the public space needs of the Buckingham community. All I can really say is I respect his opinion." Mr. McPartlin paused for a few moments. "Any concern they have is valid to me." He said again that nothing is etched in stone.
Related story information: Request for Information.

Labels: ballston, mini-golf, park

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 4:04 PM 4 comments

At the sports commission meeting, as part of making the public aware of the project, Mr. McPartlin ran through the planning for the site that has already been completed: the decision to use the space as a mini-golf course including a section on the history of mini-golf in general and in Ballston; the nearness of parking, shopping, dining and metro; and how the space will “accentuate” the downtown experience, Mr. McPartlin said.

He said this plan is unique, a mini-golf course in an urban setting. “This really would be the first of its kind,” he said today.

Mr. McPartlin said the decision to pursue a mini-golf course was made before he came into the position a couple years ago. The county board asked staff to consider an “active” park. Some of the other choices were a rock climbing wall, outside ice, and an amphitheatre, but the mini-golf was chosen because it could be “enjoyed by all generations at the same time,” Mr. McPartlin said. It is also would enjoy nearly year-round use.

Since then, the county has asked for letters of interest from contracting companies, and the response was strong, he said. Over the past year, or so, Mr. McPartlin has taken the idea to many meetings, including nearby civic associations.

Labels: ballston, Buckingham, mini-golf

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 3:50 PM 0 comments