Rhode Island Ave Draft Plan
29 06 2009The DC Office of Planning and Economic Development recently released for public comment an economic development plan (PDF) for the Rhode Island Avenue NE Great Streets Corridor. The document which is being called “Rhode Island Avenue: Diamond of the District” outlines recommendations which are expected to guide an estimated $1.2 billion in private and public investment through the year 2025.
Is “Diamond of the District” a new nickname that we missed? Anyways, pictured above is one of the main areas the document covers which is 3rd Street NE to 12th Street NE. The public meeting on the plan isn’t until September, so there is still plenty of time to get your comments in.
Quite honestly, the RIA corridor has a ton of potential. Some cool old buildings and great bungalow housing stock up from the Rhode Island metro out to Hyattsville. With time and investment (maybe a light rail line to College Park?), I think Rhode Island Avenue will be a fine area.
Is there any talk of replacing the Rhode Island Place shopping center with some development more befitting property in such close proximity to a metro station?
Diamond of the District…does that mean the area is coal now?
You could fit a 20,000 seat soccer stadium in there I bet.
I live here and I can tell you it has a lot of potential. That is one of the reasons I chose the location. I wish I had the balls to purchase one of the buildings and turn it into something great.
I would say it’s the rough diamond of the district right now.
I recently left a email with Councilman Harry Thomas and Mayor Fenty with no response as yet and problably won’t be one in regards to the spanish drunks that congregate in the back of the Home Depot lot. I recently put a contract on the property 2404 10th St NE and that’s where they sleep, eliminate themselves, leave debris and even broke into the house I am buying through the basement window. I am a female taking care of a elderly parent and a young child. What is going to be done with this situation?
wonder if this plan deals with all the people who pay to park at that lot and rip holes in the fence or tear down the chain link fence and walk across the tracks to get to the metro. and if they tear down those cool blue concrete silos i will kick their asses.
@Chuck LOL
@Debra Yeah those day laborers need to be dealt with. I don’t understand why something can’t be done about it. We need someone in the council or mayors office with enough backbone to say enough is enough.
@Debra - I live just down the street from the house you’re buying. I have been getting more aggressive about reporting incidents like the ones you’ve described. It’s certainly been frustrating, but I believe we’ll reach a tipping point at some point in the near future where this issue will be taken more seriously. The location is too good to let it go the way the city has.
@Chuck
Maybe someone should build a path where that fence is; the majority of the people who are taking the walkway over Rhode Island Ave want to go to the shopping center and not have to go down the ave and then up one of those steep ass hills a path should be there and should have been built when the shopping center was.
That station could have been built so many other ways so that people wouldn’t need to make that hole there but it is the easiest way around there. To bad the station couldn’t have been built like New Carrolton, Vienna or many others that get around the problems that are present there (Train Tracks, Highways etc).
Maybe that can build a better way to get to the station from the west side of the tracks the only option is Rhode Island Ave; perhaps with that new street they could build a pedestrian bridge so that you don’t have to walk all the way around.
Hi, haven’t posted for a while with the home inprovements on 2404. I contacted Target sometime back and suggested to them that a store would be nice in the empty NWL old building. They explained the currect retail situation and the closing of some stores elsewhere. But, if anyone else is interested in seeing a Target in this area email them and let them know. Thanks
Hi again, left a message not only for Harry Thomas to see and read but the whole City Councilmembers and here is what was said and the response from our district councilman.
Future Voter but very displeased with results in Ward 5
First email sent on Monday, June 29, 2009, 4:07 PM
Hi, have not received a response to the email sent in regards to the Home Depot lot and the spanish drunks that congregate near the house I am about to purchase.
Second response from Greene, Lamar (MPD) Sent: Mon Jun 29 16:07:57 2009
Subject: RE: A comment form was submitted
Please give me the exact address and I will have officers patrol that location regularly
Third corresponse from me to Comm.Lamar Greene on Monday, June 29, 2009 9:03 PM
The address is 2404 10th St NE, behind Bank of America and the Home Depot lot. Is it possible to know the owner(s) of that lot to have them erect a dividing wall or fence to keep them separate from the residential side? Thanks
Fourth and final message sent after someone busted in the door to the property between July 10th & July 12th
Hello.
On Friday, July 10th went to closing on the house at 2404 10th st NE. This is my first investment for me and my family. I’m sure you have the same. As a child of the most high GOD I have received many blessings from HIM and shown myself in HIS eyes to be a good stewart over what my hands has and have received thus far. So HE must think and know I will do the same for this property. Therefore, I expect you and whomever to be a good servant of the community and show yourself faithful and worthy to receive the respect from the community to do your job.
My property before the locks were changed on Saturday July 11th, was still being vandalized by those drunken and homeless spanish people again. I can show you evidence of them being in the property because I have not touched anything.
I will be there Tuesday 14th @ 11:00 if you would like to meet me there.
Since that time no more house invasions has occurred, but the defecation which Councilman Thomas knows about from previous discussions from neighbors before me is still going on. The trash and liquor bottles in that area is an ongoing nusiance.
Now my question is why can’t they be located somewhere in a vacate building to be more organized and away from the residential community?
One less vote may not matter to you, but we as a community are watching in the 2400 block of 10th St NE
Hopefully something can be done. Thank you
*Response from Harry Thomas:
Ms. Foster many steps have been taken to resolve the day labors issue at home Depot and I have worked hard to resolve these concerns in a manner that is legal and human with out racial profiling. I am working with MPD the owners at the shopping center as well as with neighbors and the ANC to have a long term solution that will ensure peace tranquility and public safety.
*Reply back to him:
Your response is appreciated, but this has nothing to do with racial profiling. It’s an issue with legal vs. illegal status in the United States. If they are allowed to come here stuck up the social services, why can’t they go through the process to become legal in order to obtain work like everyone else. Now my disagreement isn’t with those that are trying but those that are constantly drunk or defecating on the property in this neighborhood. If they were black, they would have been locked up. The FEAR with bureaucracy is unwieldy administrative system deficient in initiative and flexibility.
No more emails from Councilman Thomas was sent to me