The Buckingham Herald Tribblog

As crews rip out trees and prepare to knock down buildings along Henderson Road, the time is right for a recap of the plans for Buckingham Village 1. (Plus, inquiries have made it to me, and I realized I do not have a post that ties it all up in the way I hope this one will. –ST)

First, a layout of the land is in order. Take a look at this map:

Village 1 is the home of current tree removal across from Barrett Elementary School. It’s the largest of the three villages, and when completed will have over 500 rental units in two large buildings, about 70 townhouses along N. George Mason Drive, and a small county park.

Village 2 is the only divided village. The road down the middle of the village along with the red rectangle showing the approximate placement of the George Mason Apartment complex (which is not part of the original Village 2), separate the other two thirds of the block. The blue dot shows where the townhouses have been built and are under construction. The green dot locates the fenced-in field along Thomas Street. Dozens more townhouses are planned for both sides of Village 2. This village is developed “by right” meaning that Paradigm Construction need not seek county approval for changes, so long they stay within current zoning rules.

Bought by Telesis Corporation just months ago, Village 3 will change little on the outside, preserving the two-storey buildings and the garden-style setting. Some additions will be added to the backs of buildings, and a building of some sort will cover the entrance to an underground community center. This village is protected as a county historic area and falls under the oversight of the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board, which will regulate any external changes to the property. All of the units (about 140) will be affordable to people of various levels of income. Some of the units along N. Pershing Drive will be part of a condominium.

Village 1 will undergo the most changes, and for more details on that, peruse the illustration:

Although future plans can change, Paradigm is locked into the current arrangement of buildings in Village 1, given contracts signed with the county. Here are a few details:

Representatives of Harris Teeter, Goodyear, and the American Service Center have been meeting with each other over months to discuss possible redevelopment options in the 500 and 600 block of N. Glebe Road. The potential changes—a long-shot at best—would completely change the look of the block, especially the section north from the Harris Teeter grocery store to the Goodyear Tire company at the corner of N. Carlin Springs Road. The ideas floating would move or expand the businesses, creating underground or garage parking, retail space and apartments.

This is according to Terry Serie, an Arlington County Planning Commission member who spoke at the Buckingham Community Civic Association last night. (He actually was invited as a member of the Bluemont Civic Association, and was not speaking officially for the Planning Commission last night.)

The companies have been speaking on their own, and the Planning Commission hopes to get all of them in the room together this summer to see what, if anything, would be worth pursuing, Mr. Serie said.

“I’m expecting that nothing will happen,” he said, given the complexity and scope of a project like this.

He said that last year’s proposed redevelopment of the Goodyear and the small house on N. Carlin Springs next to the tire company is currently off-line, but that has nothing to do with the discussions with the other companies, he said.

The Planning Commission is a citizen advisory board that helps the elected county board with "orderly development of the locality" the county's web site says.

The topic that Mr. Serie actually came to speak about, however, was the newly approved outdoor seating at the Union Jack’s pub, located on the ground floor of the Ballston Commons Mall with a store-front on N. Glebe Road. The outdoor space allows for 54 seats, but many more people than that for standing room. Couple that with Rock Bottom Brewery’s Wednesday night outdoor kegger next door, and the noise, especially in the evening is a bit much for people living in the townhouses across the street from the mall, said Mr. Serie, who lives in one of the townhouses, part of the Bluemont Civic Association.

That civic association only learned last week about the proposed expansion of the outdoor seating, too late to mount an effective campaign. Plus, the company scaled back its plan so that it did not need the complicated Site Plan review or an Arlington County Board vote. County staff could OK the project on their own, consulting only the Ashton Heights Civic Association where the mall is located.

Bluemont Civic Association voted to write a letter to County Manager Ron Carlee, asking that Bluemont receive notices of decisions being made in the 600 block of N. Glebe Road that face the Bluemont, even though the mall and garage property are inside the Ashton Heights neighborhood.

The BCCA voted to write a similar letter.

Also speaking at the BCCA meeting was Tom Hutchings, an Arlington County planner who ran through the $2.4 million renovations of three N. Glebe Road intersections at Fairfax Drive, Wilson Blvd., and Carlin Springs Road, called the North Glebe Road Pedestrian Improvements Project. This has been years in the making, and much of the construction has already been completed.

Wider sidewalks and skirts on the Exxon gas station and Goodyear corners has been completed, as has been shrub removal —allowing greater driver/pedestrian visibility—on the median just south of the intersection.

The most heated of the discussions among the people was how best to calm traffic entering and exiting the Ballston Mall parking garage.

Mr. Hutchings explained that planners tried to place raised crosswalks across the entrance to the garage, but the Virginia Department of Transportation would not allow it.

“We were hoping the bump-up would slow the cars down,” he said. VDOT also would not allow 10.5 foot traffic lanes, insisting instead on 11 feet.

People talked about getting better signs alerting drivers to watch for pedestrians. Mr. Hutchings said he would ask, at the request of the BCCA, that the entire corner, and especially the exit from the mall, be made “no right turn on red.” No promises in that, though.

This project started in 1999 and was projected for completion at least six months ago. Last report put the project at $1.9 million.

Finally, BCCA President Pat Hope made official what was clear to many: he will not seek another term as BCCA president. Mr. Hope is running as a Democrat in the 47th District of the Virginia House of Delegates. As a Democrat, he is widely expected to win the race and will not have time for both positions. He can serve until November, he said at the meeting. The BCCA will pick up the search for a replacement at the September meeting.

Proposed Mixed-use Building for Goodyear Site

A Decade for New Lights and Curb Cuts

I am still on summer hiatus, but the news was just too big to ignore at last night's meeting, so I thought I'd give a quick post. More on this in the fall, no doubt. --ST

Labels: asc, ashton heights, bluemont civic association, goodyear, harris teeter, pedestrian, redevelopment, traffic

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 6:01 AM 0 comments

Right now, the rules say no.

Mr. Bonilla is a “rod-man” for the Miller-Long construction company, helping place the steel reinforcement bar in the huge columns that keep high-rises vertical. In that job, he makes about $25 per hour, up near $50,000 a year. And that’s just not enough according to the current rules that county staff, Telesis Corporation, and that company’s management partners are considering for home ownership in the condominium.

The current rules say that the total income of residents in the unit must be 60 to 80 percent of the Area Median Income. The AMI is set by the federal department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Bonilla would need to make about $61,000 a year to qualify.

Still, there is some hope.

The county board OKed an affordable housing program for Buckingham Village 3 at its meeting Tuesday night. It opens the process of creating a 48-unit condominium in five buildings along N. Pershing Drive between N. George Mason Drive and N. Thomas Street. However, the board left open many of the details of what the condominium finances would look like and who would be able to buy.

“I think I can qualify,” Mr. Bonilla said from a chair in his living room one recent afternoon. He said he has a high credit rating and savings. Plus, the rules dictate the total household income, not one person’s. Perhaps a relative of his would be interested in sharing the mortgage and sleeping in one of the rooms.

His daughters are growing older. Joana is 10 months (and already walking), and Eugenia will turn five in October and will go to the pre-school program at K.W. Barrett Elementary School this fall. It might take a couple years before the units are ready for sale.

“We don’t know when this is coming, so my wife could work too,” in time to qualify, he said. His wife, Maria Sanchez, has been staying home with their children.

Lois Athey and others at the county board meeting urged the board to consider lowering the standard for owner-qualifications. She is a long-time representative of BU-GATA, a tenants’ association in the neighborhood.

“Some of these people will qualify with good credit scores and savings…you’d be surprised,” she told the board.

The question of what income level to serve was discussed at length in the Buckingham Village 3 Working Group, a group set up at the direction of Ron Carlee, the county manager. It is a group of all the stakeholders involved including Telesis Corporation (the new owners of the Village 3 complex), tenants, county staff and others.

“We didn’t come to a complete consensus” on that issue, said Reshma Holla, an assistant project manager with Telesis. Her company will develop and manage the property with the National Housing Trust and other partners.

County staff, she said, got nervous at the level of subsidy when the income level dropped. Currently, the county subsidy is expected to be about $140,000 per unit. If the subsidy has to increase in order to help people at the lower income level, the price rises to about $200,000, she said.

“Ultimately that means we’d be asking for more county subsidy,” she said, adding that county staff just wasn’t comfortable with that number.

It is not just the subsidy but the idea that this level of help has not been done in the county for homeownership before.

“The 60 to 80 percent [of AMI] is consistent with what we’ve done elsewhere,” said David Cristeal, a lead county planner on the project. It is a “nuanced answer” but the county has to be careful to avoid a precedent it cannot keep.

But there still is the possibility that the 50 percent AMI level can be reached, Ms. Holla said.

“The goal is we’d still like to reach that lower income level,” she said. They will be looking to other sources, maybe private sources, for the money.

At the board meeting Tuesday night, Jose Castellon, an 18-year Village 3 resident, told the board to put the emphasis on “a variety of income ranges.”

After the meeting he said, “I’m happy” that the board passed the affordable housing plan. But he still hopes to be able to buy.

“I got good credit,” he said, adding later, “I don’t want to go away.”

He has two children who will be in high school next year. “I don’t want to pull my kids out of school.”

In Mr. Bonilla’s living room, he said he likes the access to Metro, the Glebe Market, the good schools.

“I like the neighborhood. It’s a very good neighborhood,” he said. If he can’t buy, he said he would not move away, but would most likely rent a two-bedroom unit. His daughters can share a room.

“They’re two girls, they can live in one bedroom,” he said.

But would he resent not being able to buy, despite his work on the Buckingham Village 3 working group?

“I wouldn’t be disillusioned because someone from my community would be getting the benefits,” he said.

Editor’s Note: Lois Athey, a long-time activist with BU-GATA, the tenants’ association in the neighborhood, translated the interview with Mr. Bonilla in his living room. --ST

Labels: buckingham villages, BV3, redevelopment, telesis

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 9:44 AM 0 comments

The meeting of the five grew mildly tense at times, when county board member Chris Zimmerman attempted to understand if the rental units and the condo units could be readied for occupancy at the same time, and board Vice Chair Jay Fissette quizzed county staff about the lack of detail concerning geothermal heat pumps as a possible green alternative heat source for the redevelopment.

In the end, the board unanimously approved the affordable housing plan—something never really in question—but will hear more about the geothermal plan during their July meeting.

This allows Telesis Corp. and National Housing Trust, the new owners (with others) of the Village 3 complex, to get their financial ducks in a row for the August 5 opening of the Virginia tax credits competition.

The affordability of these units works best if certain federal and state tax credits are received. There is a finite amount of money in the Virginia tax credit hopper, which is doled out starting August 5, so it helps to be the first in line.

On the rental side, the county has paid about $14.9 million for the purchase of the land and will receive about $10 million back during the long-term lease with Telesis. That leaves about $4 million of county financing in the project, or about $110,000 per rental unit, reported David Cristeal, a lead county planner in the project. He said that the cost to the county for the condominium would be nearly $7 million or about $143,000 per unit. The county may receive some of this money back as the units are sold.

He said last night’s decision required the board to vote so that the company would “sufficient time to meet the time frame of early August.”

Only one of the 10, or so, civilian speakers last night was negative. Long-time county activist Jim Hurysz wondered if the price tag of $110,000 per unit was too expensive.

“Are there better options [to purchase affordable housing] like buying old duplexes” or small apartment buildings at $50,000 per unit, he wondered aloud. He did not give an example of where or how many of those might exist in the county.

In the past, county board and staff have said they liked the idea of saving so much affordable housing all at once, in Buckingham, and of saving the community itself, allowing as many people as possible to remain in the neighborhood while renovation and redevelopment takes place.

If all goes as planned, renovation of the units—all 140 in Village 3 will be renovated—begins next spring.

Mr. Zimmerman focused on making sure the rental units and condo sales happen together since that would mean the least disruption for people who want to buy but are currently renting in Village 3. He said that developing the home ownership segment while maintaining the community is a large point of this project. If the county and Telesis get the home ownership segment moving, but the people in the neighborhood who might have bought have already left, then what is the point, he wondered.

Many of the exact details of how the home ownership would work are still to be worked out.

Mr. Cristeal said that there were site plan concerns with the condo and parking concerns along with setting up the purchasing assistance program for the potential buyers. As well, the county has to sell the section of the property that the condo will own.

“We ought to be able to expedite those,” especially the site plan and housing assistance processes, given that they are under county control, Mr. Zimmerman said.

But then there’s the problem of phased redevelopment—how does Telesis keep people in some units on the property while renovating others?

Perhaps they don’t, Mr. Zimmerman said, offering that they could move people to apartments elsewhere in Buckingham. That has happened during the renovation of The Gates of Ballston and Historic Ballston Park. Now, Buckingham Village 1 has the new Madison at Ballston Station with units that rent at affordable rates.

“One of the obstacles to getting the timing of the ownership units on line with the rental units…was the difficulty of trying to maintain people on site,” Mr. Zimmerman said.

Aimee McHale of the National Housing Trust, explained, “There’s an astronomical cost with relocating people off-site. We should have said that up front.” They plan to renovate one or two buildings at a time and shuffle people around on the property as they do so.

Mr. Zimmerman wondered if perhaps some fraction could move off-site if that meant the condo renovation would keep pace with the rentals.

“We will look at that. Clearly we have a lot to do with respect to phasing. We’ve been focused on the housing program so that we can be ready for the 9 percent tax-credit application that’s due on August fifth,” said Scott Kline, vice president of the National Housing Trust. “We do have a lot more work to refine our renovation plan.”

When board Vice Chair Jay Fissette had his opportunity he wondered why the plans for the use of geothermal heat pumps were conflicting and inspecific.

“[W]hen I read this, I get really mixed messages from the memo,” he said. The use of the pumps which use naturally-occurring heat deep in the earth to heat the apartments would require Historical Affairs and Landmarks Review Board approval, and might interfere with old-growth trees which might have to be removed, and the initial installation is expensive.

But the use of the heat-pumps might still be worth it if it meant that the people who lived in the units would have much lower utilities bills long into the future, Mr. Fissette said.

“We can’t always being thinking about affordable housing without thinking about the context of affordable living,” Mr. Fissette said. He couched his argument for the geothermal heat pump in the idea that people should only be encouraged to buy and rent units if they can also afford to live there long-term. Lowering utilities bills would help that, he said.

In the end, he was willing to draft the motion to approve the affordable housing program while asking for more information about the geothermal program at next month’s meeting.

Click the lines for more information. View larger map

Labels: affordable housing, buckingham villages, BV3, redevelopment

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 4:45 AM 1 comments

A group of neighbors in Arlington Forest want the Arlington Forest Shopping Center to feel like a destination, a place neighbors could go to sit, talk and meet. None of the stores or restaurants has that drop-in and hang around feel that a coffee shop, an ice cream shop, or even a small, upscale market might have.

Now might just be the time to make the destination happen, since the space that was Mrs. McGregor’s Garden Shop has been vacant for months, and the Country Curtain is moving to Fairfax in August.

“Right now, we’re wanting to know if the landlord is even interested,” said Michele Cato, an organizer of a group of Foresters looking into the business idea.

The answer is: probably not.

The problems are quite a few, and the neighbors know this, Ms. Cato said.

Van Woodley, the leasing agent for the space, said he has been contacted by people in Arlington Forest.

“We’re not encouraging a coffee thing for that location, without ventilation, limited air conditioning,” he said. He works for A.J. Dwoskin and Associates, of Fairfax. He said they haven’t had a lot of luck with coffee shops, but one might work if it could be on the main level near the Brick’s Pizza and Chrystal Thai, but of course, there is no space open there.

Yet there’s trouble beyond the ventilation. The rent for the small space in the basement of the shopping center, on the side of the shopping center that faces houses, will be about $4,000 a month plus utilities, and they want a five-year lease. Mr. Woodley said someone has to guarantee the roughly quarter-million dollars over five years that the lease will require. Without a financial backer, any idea would be tough to pull off.

“Being tucked under like that has some drawbacks,” he said. The fact that it faces homes, and therefore is restricted in what it can be, is a big issue for the leasing agent. His company is looking toward a small, professional service such as a tax accountant.

Drainage issues and a wet basement are drawbacks that Ms. Cato said she sees. Parking is a concern for both sides.

Ms. Cato thinks her group might come up with an idea that would use both the Country Curtain and McGregor's spaces together. That's an idea that Mr. Woodley said his firm has been pursuing with other companies interested in the property. They have a "wide range" of different retail companies interested in the space, he said, but he would not elaborate.

The Arlington Forest group is looking at creating a co-operative of some sort, possibly, or of finding a financial backer. Ms. Cato said her group knows that anything is a long shot, but they are thinking of an upscale market that would serve coffee, ice cream and pastries, but would also sell food and baked goods.

She said there is some historical precedence for this, too, as the original plans for the center called for some sort of market.

“We want something community based,” she said. “There’s an amazing amount of interest in the community.”

She knows that parking would be an issue for anything, and she believes the community would not support a regular grocery store or convenience store. Her group, which met last week for the first time, divvied-up the jobs, doling out roles to match the people’s strengths. One is calling the landlord, another is looking into the co-op option. The group is strong in the time they can dedicate and in skills, she said.

She admitted that it would be OK if they’re group did not put together a winning proposal, so long the space got something that the community could use to congregate. If the Brick’s Pizza just had nice seating, that would work, she said, adding later that she wanted it to feel more like the Westover Shopping Center on Washington Blvd., with its ice cream and coffee shops, a hardware store, nice restaurants and other places for the community to gather.

“We’ll work with all the neighborhood groups,” Mr. Woodley said.

Labels: arlington forest, redevelopment

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 9:58 AM 1 comments

Project Manager Micheline Castan-Smith reports via email that the next step in the Buckingham Village 1 redevelopment is to prepare what will be the county’s property on the site. Now that the Madison at Ballston Station apartment complex is completed and is being leased, Paradigm Development Company will focus on space for the extension of N. 3rd Street and the county park just north of the Madison (see the image).

The third street extension will replace what had been a cut-through alley and parking lot between the Culpepper Garden and Buckingham Villages apartments. The change will make the new road an official county street and will be close to, but not exactly where, the alley is.

At the recessed board meeting next Tuesday the county is expected to OK an extension of the Tenant Assistance Fund. Set-up in 2007, this fund was designed to help low-income residents of various Buckingham Village apartments to stay in the neighborhood, according to the county manager’s report.

As buildings were torn down and replaced, this fund has helped 11 families who were already in the neighborhood, stay in the neighborhood, the report states. The fund, with $125,000 taken from the Affordable Housing Investment Fund two years ago, is still in the black and does not require additional money. Nine families are still receiving the help, the report states.

Finally, the board will discuss and vote on major elements of the Buckingham Village 3 redevelopment.

In preparation for this meeting, last month the board met with Telesis Corp. the owners and managers of the property to determine the best mix of home rental and ownership and what type of ownership should be involved. The final decision came down to 92 rentals and a condominium of 48 units. All of the units will be rented or purchased at below market rates.

The question that will remain even after Tuesday’s meeting is how the condominium units will be resold when a purchaser decides to sell. All the units are to remain affordable, almost in perpetuity, so the owner who bought at affordable rates and wishes to sell, cannot do so at market rates. The conventional wisdom says that the owner should be able to reap some reward on his or her investment, but should sell at an affordable price as well. The details of this have yet to be worked out. (More on this story after the meeting next week.)

County and Telesis Prep for June Meeting (May 2009).

County Board OKs Leasing and Financing of BV3 (March 2009).

Arlington to Enter Deal with Telesis (February 2009).

Labels: buckingham villages, BV1, BV3, redevelopment

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 10:35 AM 0 comments

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

The race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, if you haven’t been following, is coming down to the wire, with Creigh Deeds gaining momentum, if the Washington Post and other pollsters are to be believed. (In an odd turn, I was called by some pollster asking if I would be voting for Terry McAuliffe, Creigh Deeds, or Jim Moran. I am guessing that is not a good sign for Jim's brother Brian Moran who is actually running for governor.)

I don’t know of any independent poll in the Democratic primary race in the 47th House of Delegates seat. I was called by the campaigns themselves to give my opinion on those running.

Alan Howze’s, Adam Parkhomenko’s and Miles Grant’s campaigns have conducted “ID calls” or surveys rather than polls.

Polls are much more scientific and ask about age, ethnicity, income and other factors that allow the results to be filtered, their campaigns said. Both Andres Tobar and Pat Hope said they did not conduct polls.

Those that conducted the calls are not giving up the numbers.

Joe Lestingi, Alan Howze’s campaign manager, said that they conducted an ID call, which only asks if voters have decided but does not focus on who has been chosen. It allows the campaign to target undecided voters, he said. Adam Parkhomenko’s campaign said they had conducted an ID call, as well.

Miles Grant emailed back yesterday that a survey he conducted over the Memorial Day weekend did not really generate a whole lot of information, given that it was a holiday weekend. Again, it was not a poll since it did not rise to the level of scientific accuracy.

The survey included only four questions covering a couple topics such as people’s attitudes toward coal-powered electricity, gay marriage and, finally, which of the five candidates the person planned to vote for.

“We got so few responses, I honestly don't even know what the final numbers ended up being -- the only broad takeaways I remember were…that the few responders we got were very supportive of a ban on new coal-fired power plants and full marriage rights for all,” Mr. Grant wrote in an email.

The Alan Howze campaign was not going to tell what they found in their ID call. “I’m not telling you that. It’s like giving away the game plan,” Mr. Lestingi said, adding, “We’re confident.”

Informal discussions with people in- and outside of the campaigns don’t point to a clear winner either, from what I can tell.

“I can tell you this,” Mr. Tobar wrote in an email, “most people are still undecided.”

The primary is held this Tuesday June 9. Voting takes place in your normal voting location:

He’s an honest broker. The stuff on his web site and in his materials that he said he has done in Buckingham, he has done. I’ve seen it.

It might sound like a small step to create the Buckingham Community Civic Association; it might sound as though all he had to do was to get a hundred signatures and he was done. But that’s wrong.

In 2002, about a year before the BCCA was formed, Emanuel Vouvakis tried to start the civic association, and he failed. That September, Mr. Vouvakis held a special meeting to debate the merits of a civic association, and no one showed up. No organizers from the different vested groups attended. When he saw the conflict brewing, Mr. Vouvakis decided the best plan was to draft the by-laws and then rally people to them.

It was Pat Hope, as part of that group, who said at the time exactly what the problem was: the group wanting the association--homeowners mostly--had not gotten buy-in from the renter organizations in the neighborhood first. He told me, when I edited the Buckingham Independent News, that his group needed to work with tenant groups and assure them that their needs would not be “swept under the rug.” There were deep divisions that Pat had to work through, so the process took about a year.

Under Pat’s leadership, the civic association conducted a huge survey of the neighborhood, including going door-to-door with Spanish speakers, a Spanish language version of the survey in hand, to make sure all voices were heard.

That survey became the focus for the neighborhood to move forward, to get county monies for repairs, to build a strategic plan.

I have been in the room with Pat as he mediated a disagreement between two groups at the Buckingham Community Outreach Center, where it was clear those present respected and trusted his leadership. I know it has often been money from his wallet that has paid for gifts that the needy children of Buckingham have received at Christmas time.

During the current campaign, I have liked his focus on the neediest of Virginians. To me, that’s what being a progressive liberal, in the best sense of the word, is. A government should run so as to keep those on the edge from falling over.

That is why I get so angry at the name-calling by the political bloggers supporting Miles Grant. It is not that they support Miles. Miles has run a solid campaign and is standing on a good platform of issues. And it’s not that they are against Pat. I know, as do most people in Arlington, that we can have honest disagreements on issues or on the best ways to handle them.

I have disagreed openly plenty of times on this blog with people and politicians. At times, I have even gotten snarky. Political rhetoric sometimes is biting.

But is name calling really necessary?

That is my problem with Lowell Feld and Ben Tribbett. They don’t seem to understand the difference between a good person with ideas they don’t like and a bad person. Name-calling says the person is bad. Arguing over the issues says the ideas are bad. Frankly, name-calling is childish. Especially when it comes from people who sit on the sidelines and watch while other people do.

If endorsements are important to you, I would suggest checking out the web sites of the five candidates running for the House of Delegates' 47th seat. This list has grown over the last week. Perhaps the most surprising (actually it seemed almost out-of-the-blue for me) is the endorsement of Adam Parkhomenko by Gen. Wesley Clark.

Below, Patrick Hope was endorsed by Willians Silva, a housing and tenant-issue leader in Buckingham (scroll down for the link).

Web sites for the five candidates:

If you did not see them earlier this week, here are the HeraldTrib interviews with the candidates.

Walking by the new construction at the corner of N. Henderson Road and N. Thomas Street, I couldn’t help but notice the shape of the sidewalks. I think the corner will look really nice when the sidewalks are done and the grass has grown in.

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of the grass will survive. People being what they are, will--I'm afraid--cut over the grass rather than swerve with the pavement. Alas.

Bethel United Church of Christ is hosting its annual strawberry festival tomorrow, Saturday June 6, 3 to 7p.m. For more information, click here.

Central Library is hosting a high school study night just before finals
The library is located at 1015 N. Quincy Street. Parking is available.

Arlington Oaks Condominium is holding its annual yard sale Saturday June 27:
8:00a.m. to 1:00p.m.

Today's Headlines:

Headlines from Earlier in the Week:

Labels: 47th, campaign, election, house of delegates, polls, psa, redevelopment

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 11:55 AM 2 comments

Concerning your article on the work being done on the corner of N. Henderson Road and North Thomas St. [See Roadwork Begins on Henderson and Thomas, May 11, 2009. --ST.]

It is of course long over-due, particularly when you are going northwest on Thomas crossing Henderson from the southeast corner. I have long felt that between the signage and the poles Henderson Road traffic was dangerously blocked from seeing pedestrians.

However in the initial stages of the construction the affirmation "The work will make a dangerous intersection a little more pedestrian friendly” was perhaps misplaced.

I am visually impaired and was rushing for a county birding trip leaving Lubber Run at 7.00a.m. on May 12, not having known about the project. When I rushed across Henderson on the west side of Thomas, I found a ditch, almost falling in to it. I was close to the corner, but there were no construction barriers, (ribbons or plastic barrels) warning me of the situation. I went down the North side of Henderson a little way, and decided to go to the other side, jumping over the ditch that had been dug along Henderson and crossing to the other side before going on my way.

It was nice to see, when I next visited the general area this past Tuesday, that they had placed barriers on the southwest corner where they had dug a new ditch.
Hopefully the later case represents the normal practice.

Louis Quay
Buckingham

Labels: intersection, redevelopment

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 7:06 AM 0 comments

The Arlington County Board met with senior staff and members of Telesis Corporation yesterday primarily to discuss whether to make Buckingham Village 3 all-rental or rental with some ownership. If there is ownership, the consensus, with some balking, was that it should be a condominium, not a co-operative. This is the last meeting of these groups before the board votes on the issue at their June meeting.

Telesis, with an impressive packet of information, recommended condominium ownership of 48 of the 140 units in 16 buildings, with the other 92 units renting at different levels of affordability.

The cost to the county for this is $14.5 million—or almost $17 million if buyers use the county’s Moderate Income Purchase Assistance Program. That’s about $103,000 to $120,000 per unit, according to the documents.

Under this plan, all the units would be fully renovated.

The county board, however, was not sure that the mix of 92/48 was the best and questioned Telesis about that ratio. Perhaps the best ratio would be rental on all 140 units.

Bert Mason, a principal at Telesis, ran through the numbers, explaining that full rental would mean the project would lose some tax incentives.

And the question of co-op versus condo was the point of largest contention, though “contention” might be too strong.

Board member Chris Zimmerman is a proponent of co-ops because the lower purchase costs generally associated with co-ops would make the units more affordable. Plus, the Latino community most likely to take advantage of the purchases are more familiar with the more communal co-op structure rather than the condo.

“I do think it’s a tool we should have in the box,” he said after the meeting, but he admitted that the financial structure in this country gives the advantage to condos.

“A co-op would be more helpful to us in achieving the goals we set in the first place,” Mr. Zimmerman said during the meeting. Those goals include keeping the entire Village 3 affordable, and allowing as many people who already live in Buckingham to stay in Buckingham.

County board Chair Barbara Favola said, however, that a condo, which would appreciate more than a co-op, would potentially allow more families to move up the economic ladder.

Mr. Mason estimated an additional $3 million would be needed from the county if the project went co-op. As well, the financing for a co-op is a couple percentage points higher than that of a condo, he said.

Board member Walter Tejada reiterated the need to keep the community together and wondered how likely it was that people would buy.

Mr. Mason said a “substantial number” in Buckingham wanted to buy. “I don’t think we’ll have any trouble selling these units,” he said.

In the end, the board seemed satisfied with the rental/ownership ratio and that the condo was the best option, but they asked that Telesis provide a more clear comparison of the differences for their June meeting.

Ultimately, Mr. Tejada expressed what seemed to be the feeling at the table. “Let us not get that point lost,” he said, that a large number of affordable housing units are being saved by this measure.

That the board was helping to save a housing complex built in the depression during the worst economic downturn since that time was significant, said Mr. Zimmerman after the meeting. “On so many levels, this is exciting.”

Village 3, a six acre site, sits on N. Pershing Drive between N. Thomas St. and N. George Mason Drive. This is part of project that started in 2006 when the county entered a memorandum of understanding with Paradigm Development Corp and its partners, the former owners of the property. In that agreement, Village 3 fell under the protection of the county’s Historical Affairs and Landmarks Review Board; its redevelopment and that of Village 1, across N. George Mason from Village 3, has fallen under a great deal of county scrutiny.

Labels: affordable housing, BV3, redevelopment

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 11:20 AM 0 comments

Construction crews began work renovating the N. Henderson Road at N. Thomas Street intersection, Friday.

The work will make a dangerous intersection a little more pedestrian friendly. The changes will “bump” the sidewalks a little into the travel lanes, slowing drivers as they turn, while shortening the distance pedestrians will have to travel to cross the streets. "Zebra stiping" of the crosswalks for greater visibility over N. Henderson is part of the plan.

The project will also improve drainage and lighting at the intersection. As well, the sidewalk in front of the Hyde Park Condominium’s pool, just east of the intersection, will get curb cuts for better wheelchair, scooter and bicycle accessibility.

According to Patrick Hope, Buckingham Community Civic Association president, the work should be completed in about two weeks. This was the first project in Buckingham to be completed under the Neighborhood Conservation Project process.

Hyde Park Condominium residents were largely cordial to the representatives of American Service Center at a meeting of the two groups last night. Hyde Park invited ASC to present its plan to redevelop its Mercedes dealership at the N. Glebe Road at N. Randolph Street corner which ASC shares with Hyde Park.

Hyde Park board secretary Ronald Bashian opened the meeting saying it was “noteworthy and commendable” that ASC was redeveloping in this down economy, but that the 30 residents attending had questions.

“We don’t want to put American Service Center at a disadvantage,” against other companies in the area, he said near the end of the meeting.

The car dealership plans to redevelop all of its property where the current building and a surface-level parking lot now stand. As well, the company must remain open during the renovation of the building. This requires phased reconstruction that will take at least six years, officials said.

The first section to go will be the parking lot at the corner of N. Glebe and N. Randolph. A six-storey addition will rise in its place. Given that the company must remain open, each new section will house a portion of the operation that will be dislocated in subsequent phases.

Phase I, for instance, will include a new employee break room and parts department because those two departments in the old building will be razed during Phase II. Only one section of the current building, along N. 5th Road, will remain when the reconstruction is complete.

The point of the renovation, officials said at last night’s meeting and during a tour of the facility last month, is to move the entire new car service and sales inside the building, and to allow all employees to park on site. Currently, some operations take place in various buildings in the Ballston area, and about 100 of the 250 employees park at the Ballston Commons mall parking lot, a block away. The blue car racks on N. Randolph Street, near the Super Pollo restaurant, will no longer be needed.

Hyde Park residents were concerned with the look of roof-top parking across N. Glebe from their east wall, with nighttime lighting, with the height and scale of the large building, with the noise of reconstruction, and with the impact on traffic.

One resident wondered about turning the roof of the building “green,” with shrubbery or trees.

“If you have a new building, you should change that because it’s ugly,” she said of the parking lot on top of the roof.

But Dave Clear, an architect with Lessard Commercial, said at last month’s tour that they cannot build the roof strong enough to support the heavier, green roof, especially if they are to have space enough for cars.

ASC officials shot down an underground parking garage because of the difficulty and expense. Above ground parking was hard enough, Mr. Clear said, calling the triangular shape of the site the “least efficient” shape for parking.

Hyde Park residents seemed happy to have ASC employees continue to park at the mall, if that meant ASC would take a storey or two off their building.

Another resident wondered about the noise of construction, especially given that the last reconstruction effort by the dealership a few years ago included nighttime demolition. General Manager Ralph Mastantuono said that was a unique situation because the building’s garage needed to be reinforced when fewer cars were present, that is, at night. That should not be the case with this reconstruction.

The residents gave mixed, generally unfavorable, reviews of the building’s facades, especially the one facing Hyde Park. It includes stainless steel mesh between the levels of the parking garage to keep birds away from the new cars, and to make the building look less like a garage, Mr. Clear said.

The façade at the corner of N. Glebe and N. Randolph, includes wavy aluminum, reminiscent of architect Frank Gehry’s work. Although many at the meeting complained of the look as too large, resident Alan Flora, an architect himself, said the structure “shows a progressiveness” that is not too often seen in Arlington. At the same time, he called the phasing “disjointed.” He was not overly impressed with the design.

Mr. Clear said one of the difficulties designing this project was that “most buildings have a back. Our building has no back.” Each side of the building must blend into the next side and must be able to be constructed in phases.

Patrick Brady, another resident and architect, said, “I was disappointed that they’re not going for more LEED points.” LEED is an independent certification process that determines how environmentally friendly a building is. According to a county report, the design has 24 LEED points, two shy of the lowest LEED certification.

Mr. Clear said they will be looking more closely at the certification in the future. When to apply in a phased project like this is a consideration.

The project has come before the county's Site Plan Review Committee twice, once for design and once for other issues. The SPRC is a sub-committee of the Planning Commission and is made up of county staff and citizens, including some from the Ashton Heights neighborhood, where the building is located.

“We’re focused on how the building looks and operates,” said Rich Dooley, the county’s lead planner on this project. “Does it meet what the people want?” he asked, “It remains to be seen.”

Labels: asc, hyde park, redevelopment

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 2:07 PM 0 comments

Earlier tonight Arlington’s Site Plan Review Committee considered plans for a redevelopment of the American Service Center Mercedes dealership at the corner of N. Glebe Road at N. Quincy Street. The dealership is proposing a six-storey building that will combine many of the of the dealership’s operations under one roof.

The dealership’s managers gave the SPRC and other stakeholders in the community a tour of the facility on Saturday in order to show what a large operation it is and what would be compiled under one roof. The dealership employees about 275 people, sold about 1,000 cars last year, and had total sales of about $170 million, said General Manager Ralph Mastantuono.

“We take a lot of pride in this place,” Mr. Mastantuono said.

At its tallest, the new building would reach about 79 feet, said officials of the project. Although portions of the property would allow this development, others require zoning changes. By comparison the Ballston Commons Mall parking lot is about 55 feet. The Hyde Park Condominium which would sit across N. Glebe from the building is about 120 feet.

Tom Lauria, Hyde Park’s vice president, wrote in an email that they have been late in coming to the discussion about this project, but that they will ask to lower the building to four storeys.

“Voice Box,” hosted by Arlington activist and politico Christian Dorsey, made its debut last Thursday night on Arlington Independent Media.

A call-in show of local issues with a global perspective, “Voice Box” aired live to homes and was live in front of a small, studio audience.

I was on the panel of guests with three really smart people, all of us discussing new media and democracy.

Other guests included Julie Germany, executive director of the Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet; Adam Lynn, policy coordinator at Freepress; and Margaret Tseng, assistant professor of History and Politics at Marymount University.

I’ve got to say that Mr. Dorsey is a natural host. It was his first night with this show, and he handled it with aplomb. Bummer that no one called in, but the studio audience was great, a nice mix of people, and some nice questions.

“Voice Box” will air a new show monthly. If you missed the first, don’t sweat as rebroadcasts of the inaugural episode will run until March 19 (Comcast channel 69 and Verizon channel 38 in Arlington):

Tuesdays from 7:30-8:30p.m.
Thursdays from 6:30-7:30p.m.
Saturdays from 10:00-11:00p.m.

The neighborhood has been hopping this week. The Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board fielded two big questions last Wednesday regarding redevelopment of the area.

One request pretty much killed the redevelopment of the Buckingham Shopping Center, and to the Village3 project, they gave a bit of the “go-ahead.” The county board votes on a portion of that redevelopment tonight (I’ll be watching that on TV starting at 6:45); see the story by clicking here or scrolling down.

A strong handful of people weighed in with comments on the story of the HALRB’s decision not to support the Buckingham Shopping Center redevelopment. Read the story and comments here before you read my take:

I can see both sides, and I write that not meaning to be politic or mealy-mouthed. I’ve watched this process since it began mid-2007; I’ve covered numerous meetings, and I have to agree with board member Gerald Laporte who said the vote shouldn’t surprise anyone. As early as their December 2007 meeting, the HALRB had trouble with the massing—the height, width and length of the buildings.

The HALRB never made any overtures to liking the scope of this project. It was always just “too big.” I think they could be convinced that something smaller could happen at that corner, but I don’t think that they would have ever liked what the developer, Georgetown Strategic Capital, was offering. I agree with them somewhat, too. I understand why they feel the buildings just were not right for that corner. Four-storeys of red brick and smallish rectangular windows look very institutional (read: prison-like), but that was what Georgetown Strategic felt was left to them.

That’s where I see Georgetown Strategic’s point. Although the board never showed any love for the plans, I never heard the board members say flat-out that they would not support four storeys on the buildings (recall that the plan was to raze the CVS, Glebe Market and El Paso buildings and replace them with two large buildings housing ground floor retail and three floors of apartments above).

It was as if the HALRB kept waiting for Georgetown Strategic to draw-up plans for significantly smaller buildings (something the developer says was economically unfeasible), while Georgetown Strategic kept hoping that the HALRB would learn to love a four-storey building if they could just find the right combination of design and materials. Neither was ever going to happen.

I think the HALRB was right that the buildings never really looked like "Buckingham" buildings--and I was not in love with the plans myself, but I see Georgetown Strategic's consternation.

The HALRB could have put the kaibosh on the fourth floor months ago when they first realized that the plans were not changing significantly and they weren't liking it.

Now the question is whether anyone (even Georgetown Strategic) will take another crack at it.

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:

Arlington to Enter Lease with Telesis for BV3

Police Warn Arlingtonians of Scams

Letter: Ashton Heights' Bilich Endorses Pat Hope for 47th House of Delegates Race

Buckingham Shopping Center Redevelopment Dies in HALRB Hands

">Ethiopia Highlighted at Barrett Library Night

Labels: aim, BV3, halrb, redevelopment, tv

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 1:30 PM 0 comments

County staff and park designers from Oculus-DC are taking a final round of public comment this week and next before presenting their final master plan ideas on Feb. 19. (See times and places below.)

“This is the master planning,” said Don Hoover of Oculus, describing the current drawings as the skeleton of the future park. “In the future will be a more detailed design process.”

The park runs north and south between N. Quincy and N. Pollard streets, and will separate mixed-use development on the N. Quincy side from the established residential Ashton Heights neighborhood on the N. Pollard side. The Shooshan Companies, the developers of the Quincy Street mixed use project called Founders Square, are paying $4.5 million for park development in exchange for higher density in their project. That five-building project of residences, businesses and restaurants sits between N. Quincy and N. Randolph Streets, east of the Ballston Commons Mall.

“This park is really the seam between urban and residential,” Mr. Hoover said.

For that reason the Quincy Street side has more walking and sitting elements. The sidewalk along the street is separated from the park by a grass berm, but just inside that berm will be places to walk, sit, or have lunch for people on their midday breaks. On the east, N. Pollard, side of the park the focus is more on family fun with a playground area, and an open play space. This side is largely covered in synthetic play surfaces, rather than grass.

Planners made the argument that the surface will hold up better and longer than grass, but Ashton Heights resident Marty Spitzer called the park, “over-engineered and over-designed.” It is more than the community needs, he said. “It’s the only place within a mile” he said of the park as it currently stands, “to kick a ball.”

“You can do virtually anything that you can do on grass” on the synthetic surfaces, said county planner Scott McPartlin, “It’ll still stay nice.”

Mr. Spitzer argued that the space have more grass, and less of the synthetic materials. “This doesn’t meet with the needs of the community,” he said, adding after the meeting that he just wants a place he can bring his children to play Frisbee.

Ashton Heights Civic Association President Ted Billich was a voting member of the Mosaic Park Planning Team. “It isn’t just the neighborhood to the east,” indicating that northern section of Ashton Heights, he said, “There are a lot of constituencies here.”

The planning team was a group of citizens, county planners and business groups, including three people from Ashton Heights and one each from the other surrounding neighborhoods and groups. The park is part of the Ashton Heights neighborhood.

The plans include two water elements. The first starts as a fountain on the upper west side and flows down a channel to a reclamation pond that would have mosaic tiles as its bottom. The other is a rain garden, a place to collect run-off rain water from the hard surfaces of the park and grow succulents.

Both elements would be interactive, Mr. Hoover said.

“Will kids get wet? Absolutely they will. It’s sort of the nature of this,” Mr. Hoover said.

Larry Finch, Arlington’s Urban Forestry Commission chair, asked that the designers find a way to allow canopy trees, such as oaks, to grow. That requires more permeable surfaces and earth underneath the sidewalks if the roots will have room to spread and will have the ability to get water.

“You might think of two or three places where you could have really big trees,” with mulch out to the drip line (the circumference of the branches), Mr. Finch said.

The current park is mainly open space with a small rock climbing wall and a dome climbing structure in one corner. In 1995 the county redesigned the park; at that time, the focus was on a field for “fulbito,” (or “little soccer”) for area children, especially from the Buckingham Village Apartments, to play. The plan still makes room for fulbito on the synthetic surface.

Planners believe that all power needs for the park’s water pumps and lights can be gotten through solar and wind producers. Examples at the presentation showed solar panels and small propellers that looked very much like sculpture. That would correspond with the sculptural nature of the planned climbing structures. Even the ground around the play area will be “sculpted” with undulating hills and valleys, all covered in the spongy synthetic surface.

This first phase of the park is shaped a bit like a lower case “h.” Phase2 requires the county to buy the upper right corner of the “h,” a space currently housing the Gold’s Gym at N. Pollard and Wilson Blvd. Should Phase2 ever come to pass, it would have open grass and a half-court basketball court.

Although it’s generally frowned upon by the Society of Professional Journalists to have a reporter offer comment in these meetings, I just couldn’t help myself. I told those gathered that a park in New York City has a water feature similar to the one conceived here. The channel that the water follows in NYC, however, is a scale rendering of the Hudson River from its headwaters in the Adirondack Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. I said, and people were quick to see where my thoughts took me, that this one could look like the Potomac River, ending on the Chesapeake Bay. --ST

Upcoming Meetings: County staff and planners will present the plans again at a meeting Tuesday Feb. 10, 7p.m., NRECA building, Room CC2, 4301 Wilson Blvd.

The final master plan will be presented on on Feb. 19, 7p.m., DHS building, 3033 Wilson Blvd., Rooms 7E and 7F.

---

Related stories…

Founders Square and Mosaic Park (Oct. 16, 2008)

Labels: founders square, mosaic park, planning, redevelopment

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 7:39 AM 1 comments