Dupont Circle Village Organizational Meeting

Tue., Feb. 14 (6:30pm): The new, non-profit Dupont Circle Village will be holding an organizational MEETING at the Sumner School Museum & Archives (17th & M Sts.) to introduce prospective new members about its goals and opportunities for residents. The program will start with complimentary refreshments in the first floor gallery at 6:30pm and between 7 & 8:15pm with a general introduction and overview of how this neighborhood organization will be connecting older residents to services and activities that will enable them to “age in place” with greater ease and enjoyment. There will also be information provided about community programs already in place and ones being planned for the future. Following the introductory portion of the program, between 7:30 & 8:15pm, everyone will break into small discussion groups and the evening will conclude group reports and a wrap-up.

This program follows a similar one that got underway in Kalorama last year and shares the same purpose as the earlier program. (For a report describing that program, see “Kalorama Village Inaugural Event Set for May 20th,” InTowner, May 2008, page 1; available in the Current & Back Issues Archive at www.intowner.com.) To rsvp (requested so as to ensure adequate refreshments), call (202) 436-5252 or send email to rbusch1520@aol.com.

17th Street Reconstruction Schedule to be Announced

Tue., Feb. 17 (6-8pm): DDOT project engineers will be at a PUBLIC MEETING in the Great Hall of the Sumner School Museum & Archives (17th & M Sts.) to brief Dupont East residents and business on the specific timetables for proceeding with both the much discussed 17th Street Streetscape plan as well as the 18th Street improvement work. Expect to hear about specific construction timetables, traffic management plans, and how DDOT will be coordinating with Pepco, Washington Gas, WASA, and the telecommunications companies.

The planned improvements on 17th Street include resurfacing the roadway between Massachusetts and New Hampshire Avenues, replacing the sidewalks, curbs and gutters, adding new trees, traffic signals and streetlights. DDOT will also install bike lanes and new bike racks.

On 18th Street, a new water main will be installed and DDOT will completely reconstruct the roadway between Massachusetts and Florida Avenues. In addition, crews will replace the sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and install new street lights, traffic signals, tree fences, and trash cans. For more info, call DDOT’s project manager, Olusegun Olaore, at 671-4562 or send email to olusegun.olaore@dc.gov.

Historic Recorder of Deeds Building Will Feature Tours

Thu., Feb. 19 (6-8pm) & Sat., Feb. 21 (12noon-2pm): The DC Office of Tax and Revenue and the Recorder of Deeds will be hosting their 9th annual OPEN HOUSE & TOUR events of the historic Recorder of Deeds Building at 515 D Street, NW. The tours, which will start on the hour on each day are free and no reservations needed. For more info, call (202) 727-0419.

The building, completed in 1942, features seven recently restored WPA-era Black history murals (depicting African-American heroes including Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass, Crispus Attucks, Matthew Henson, and the Massachusetts 54th Regiment) and other artwork, in a building designed to house the only District agency led and staffed almost exclusively by African-Americans for 125 years. Tour participants learn about the history of past recorders of deeds, including Frederick Douglass (the first Black recorder of deeds, appointed by President James A. Garfield in 1881) and Blanche K. Bruce, the work of such prominent African-American artists as William E. Scott and Selma Burke, and see the building’s intact 1940s décor, which was almost lost to demolition in 2001.

Concert Set for National City Christian Church

Sat., Feb. 28 (7:30pm): The Washington Sinfonietta continues its current at Thomas Circle’s historic, John Russel Pope-designed National City Christian Church. Principal Conductor Joel Lazar will lead the Sinfonietta in a program of music of Austro-German masters from the late Classical period to the Romantic era, spanning almost a century, from the 1780s to the 1870s. Featured will be the Overture from Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischütz, Franz Joseph Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D Major, and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. Tickets are $15 ($10 for students and seniors;age 18 and under admitted free) and may be purchased online (www.washingtonsinfonietta.com) or at the door.

ANC’S 17th Street Liquor Moratorium Draft Report to be Discussed

Tue., Mar. 3 (6:30-8pm): The Dupont Circle ANC’s special committee on the Dupont East Moratorium will be holding a second COMMUNITY MEETING on the issue at Foundry United Methodist Church (16th & P St.).

At this community meeting, the ANC anticipates releasing a preliminary draft report on the moratorium and to solicit public input and comment. Following this meeting, the special committee may choose to amend its report based on community feedback, or may keep it as originally drafted.  The committee will present a final report to the full ANC at its March 11th meeting, at which time the full ANC will take official action on the moratorium.

The draft report will include information reflecting the substantial community input received at the February 2nd “listening” session held by the special committee (see, “Dupont East’s Liquor License Moratorium Set to Expire in March; Opinion Divided on What Next” in this issue) along with additional information submitted by emails and letters following that session up through February 11th.

Preservation and Modernism Topic of Public Symposium

Sun., Mar. 15 (12noon-4:30pm; refreshments served bet. noon & 12:30pm): “Contemporary & Compatible,” a SYMPOSIUM on Contextual Modern Design in Historic Districts, sponsored by the Historic Districts Coalition and supported by the Dupont Circle Conservancy, will be held in the auditorium of Historical Society of Washington (old Carnegie Library across from the Convention Center; enter from L Street, between 7th and 9th).The program will include discussions on the issue of contemporary building projects in established neighborhoods and will examine the architectural and preservation concepts involved when considering new projects proposed for historic districts.

Featured will be architect Amy Weinstein, FAIA, who will start the program with a look at Washington’s “historic contemporary architecture” (the styles we know today as Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Richardsonian Romanesque, etc.) and the important architectural concepts of scale, massing, materials, and rhythm that define a neighborhood’s context. Robert Sponseller, AIA, of Shalom Baranes Architects, will be presenting the “Language of Modernism” (the hallmarks of modern architecture) and how that is expressed in contemporary buildings. Martin Moeller, senior vice president and curator of the National Building Museum, will follow with a presentation highlighting examples of the city’s contemporary buildings and his evaluation of them.

The second part of the symposium will investigate three case studies of projects so that participants can understand the architect and developer approached the site and how neighbors and the city’s preservation agency responded, and how the review process shaped the final project. The session will conclude with a presentation of pointers for residents who give testimony before boards and commissions — tips from people who have heard a lot of community testimony. Advance reservations required. Send name, address, phone number and email, along with a check for $10 (payable to the Dupont Circle Conservancy) to: Rick Busch, 1520 Caroline St., NW 20009. For more info, send email to CapHRS@aol.com or call (202) 543-0425.

Illustrated History Program on Shaw Neighborhood Set for February 24 at Carnegie Library on Mt. Vernon Sq.

“Shaw: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” sponsored by the Historical Society of Washington in conjunction with Shaw Main Streets and open to the public at no charge, the program will start at 7 p.m. at the Society’s headquarters in the former Carnegie Library across from the Convention Center (enter from L Street, between 7th and 9th).

Local historian Alexander M. Padro will discuss the changing streetscape of one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods in a presentation illustrated with historic images, many of them from the Historical Society’s Kiplinger Library, contemporary photographs, and renderings of neighborhood development projects in the planning stage.

Many of the buildings are associated with prominent African-American historical figures. Revealed will be the churches, businesses, and other homes that once stood where the Walter E. Washington Convention Center is located today; what replaced many of the theaters in the neighborhood after urban renewal; and how little some things changed over the course of the 20th century.

Padro is executive director of Shaw Main Streets, the historic preservation and commercial revitalization nonprofit organization serving central Shaw’s 7th and 9th Streets commercial corridors. Padro is also a Shaw Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and vice chair of the Board of Trustees of the Historical Society of Washington, DC.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 202-383-1850.\

SELECTED STREET CRIMES

Reported for January, 2009

Note: Where incident times are not shown in any of the following crime report summaries it is because that information was not provided by MPD.

Brown, 3400 blk.: person robbed at knifepoint by 2 others of wallet containing $48 & cell phone [Thu., 1/1]

Calvert, 1800 blk.: woman’s purse snatched by man who came from behind [12:15am, Sat., 1/24]

Champlain, 2300 blk.: 5 persons approached by 2 from behind & one from the front who demanded, “Give me your stuff,” whereupon a physical altercation ensued & then the 2 who had approached from behind fled the scene [Tue., 1/20]

Chapin, 1400blk.: man walking with companion robbed at gunpoint by 2 others [Sat., 1/10]

Church, 1500 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by 2 others who first jumped him from behind bushes, punched him in the face & knocked him to the ground [Sat., 1/10]

Church, 1500 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by 2 others [Sat., 1/17]

Clifton, 1100 blk.: man accosted from behind another who placed a gun to his head & demanded his money, then struck him on his head with the gun & robbed him [Fri., 1/2]

Columbia, 1300 blk.: man accosted by another who brandished a gun & was walked down the block to where 3 others were waiting, ordered to turn around, face a wall & was robbed [Sun., 1/18]

Corcoran, 1300 blk.: man walking home robbed by 4 others who first demanded, “What’s going on with you, homie,” following which they pushed him to the ground & proceeded to kick him about his head & jaw [12mid, Tue., 1/6]

Corcoran, 1500 blk.: woman entering her house accosted by man who attempted to enter behind her, snatched her purse & ran off but was chased by her until she lost him on 15th St. [11pm, Sun., 1/4]

Elm, 200 blk.: man robbed of backpack & iPod by another who came from behind & warned not to turn around, count to 10 & keep walking [Sun., 1/18]

Euclid & Ontario: person accosted by 3 others, beaten & robbed of driver’s permit & credit cards [Sun., 1/4]

Fairmont, 700 blk.: man accosted by another who pulled a ski mask over his face, reached for his waistband as if he had a gun & demanded money, whereupon the man yelled for someone to call 911 & began to run away [9am, Thu., 1/22]

Florida, 1700 blk.: woman who had just cashed her check at a nearby check cashing store was approached by 2 men who asked, “Are you cool?,” & when she relied, “I’m not interested” and started to walk away, one of them smacked her in the face & the other one was wrestling with her to get her cash [Sun., 1/18]

Girard, 700 blk.: man about to enter house accosted from behind by 2 others brandishing a shotgun which one of them held to his neck while the other went through his pockets & robbed him [Sun., 1/18]

Georgia, 2000 blk.: woman about to get into her car accosted by 2 men & robbed at gunpoint [Fri., 1/16]

Georgia, 3500 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by another who initially was briefly walking alongside him & then suddenly pulled a gun from under his coat [Sun., 1/18]

Hertford, 3500 blk.: man who had just parked his car accosted by 2 others who demanded money & when he refused was struck on his head by one of them with a brick [Sat., 1/17]

Lamont, 1200 blk.: man beaten, kicked & robbed by 3 others [3:45pm, Sat., 1/24]

Lamont, 1700 blk.: person robbed of cell phone & sweater during a brief struggle with another who had approached & demanded money [Thu., 1/1]

M, 400 blk.: man who had just entered through the gate into the front yard of his house robbed by another at gunpoint of his laptop & cash [7:30pm, Sun., 1/25]

Mass., 110 blk.: man approached by another requesting $5 and when informed that he had no money “at this time,” man started going though his pants pockets, whereupon the man being searched pushed the other away, whereupon that man punched him about his face & knocked him down to the ground [Mon., 1/5]

Morton, 600 blk.: woman about to enter her apartment building accosted from behind by person who snatched her purse containing cash & pay check [Sat., 1/3]

Mozart, 2500 blk.: woman starting to get into her car accosted by man who placed a hard object to her head & demanded her pocketbook, whereupon she dropped it & he took it away [Mon., 1/19]

Mt. Pleasant, 3300 blk.: man accosted by 2 others who beat, punched & robbed him [12:15am, Fr i., 1/23]

N, unit blk.: man accosted from behind by 2 others, one of whom put his arm around his neck & dragged him into adjacent alley whereupon they robbed him [Fri., 1/9]

New Hamp. & O: man approached by another at Dupont Circle who asked for money, told he had none but was followed one block south & then pushed down to the ground & punched repeatedly in his face [1am, Thu., 1/1]

New Jersey, 1700 blk.: man getting out of his car at gas station accosted by man brandishing gun, demanding money & robbed him of the $2 which he had in his hand to use for purchasing gas [1pm, Thu., 1/22]

Newton, 1700 blk.: woman walking home followed by 3 men, one of whom then snatched her purse & all 3 fled [7:15pm, Tue., 1/27]

Oak, 1400 blk.: intoxicated man struck in the face & robbed of cell phone by unknown assailants [Sat., 1/17]

Oak, 1600 blk.: man walking from his car accosted by 2 others from behind, struck on the side of his face causing him to be knocked to the ground & robbed of wallet containing driver’s permit and Social Security & bank cards [5:15am, Fri., 1/23]

Oak, 1600 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by 2 others who first warned him not to move or he would get shot [9:45am, Sun., 1/25]

Ogden, 1500 blk.: man accosted by several others who beat & kicked him & robbed him of $150, a backpack & construction helmet [11pm, Fri., 1/23]

Ontario, 2300 blk.: man approaching woman grabbed her purse in an attempt to snatch it from her & in the ensuing struggle she was pushed to the ground & dragged along [Mon., 1/12]

Park, 1400 blk. (alley): man accosted by another from behind who grabbed him in a bear hug & robbed him while an accomplice acted as a lookout [12noon, Thu., 1/15]

R, 1600 blk.: man’s wallet taken from him by another who came from behind & reach around into his coat pocket [Wed., 1/14]

Rock Creek Church, 700 blk.: person robbed at knifepoint by another [7am, Fri., 1/16]

Sherman, 2800 blk.: woman robbed by man who came from behind who demanded, “Give me your s**t, bitch” & then punched her in the face several times [6pm, Wed., 1/21]

U, unit blk. (alley): man walking home stopped by 4 others in a car that pulled up alongside him, whereupon one of them got out & pointed what he believed was a gun at him & robbed him [8pm, Mon., 1/26]

U, 1300 blk.: restaurant robbed by 3 men who entered through rear door brandishing long barrel revolvers, one of whom announced, “This is for real” and ordered everyone “to get down” [11:15pm, Sat., 1/24]

V, unit blk.: pedestrian robbed by 2 others who jumped out of car that pulled up alongside the person [3pm, Mon., 1/26]

Wallach, 1300 blk.: man robbed by 3 others who came from behind, began punching him in the face & chest & knocked him unconscious [Mon., 1/19]

Warner, 400 blk.: man accosted by 2 others from behind, one of whom who announced, “I’m gonna need your wallet,” & when he turned around the other one grabbed him by his neck & began to choke him before robbing him [8am, Wed., 1/21]

3rd & R: woman waiting at bus stop accosted from behind by man who grabbed her hair, demanded all of her money & that she had three minutes to comply & when she did not act fast enough he struck her in the face [Mon,. 1/12]3rd, 1500 blk.: pizza delivery man robbed at gunpoint by 5 teenage boys upon having gotten out of car to make delivery [Fri., 1/9]

5th & M: woman accosted by 3 men demanding her money & when she screamed for help one of the men grabbed & slapped her face while another man snatched her purse [Tue., 1/13]

5th, 1500 blk.: man getting out of his car accosted by another with a gun who rode alongside on a bicycle, demanded his wallet, then opened the passenger side door & went through the glove compartment [Tue., 1/13]

7th, 1700 blk.: person assaulted & robbed by another [Mon., 1/19]

10th, 1300 blk. (alley): woman who first felt something hitting her head then was attacked by man who struck her repeatedly with an unknown object about her head, face & hands during a struggle to steal her purse [Fri., 1/16]

11th, 1900 blk. (alley): 3 persons approached by man who asked for the time then started to walk away but turned around brandishing a gun & robbed them of cash & cell phone [Sat., 1/10]

12th, 1600 blk. (alley): man robbed at gunpoint by another by another who had approached from behind first demanding, “Gimme your wallet”

[Mon., 1/19]13th, 1800 blk.: man accosted by 2 others from behind demanding that that he “empty [his] wallet” & upon turning it over to them ordered, “Don’t turn around or I’ll shoot you” [Tue., 1/13]

13th, 2200 blk.: woman’s property snatched from her hand by man [Thu., 1/9]

13th, 2300 blk.: woman purse snatched by man she was passing by [Mon., 1/12]

13th, 3500 blk.: man robbed by 2 others following having first been struck by one of them on the mouth & knocked to the ground [Sat., 1/7]

14th & Perry: woman accosted by 2 men who pushed her to the ground & robbed her of her purse [3am, Mon., 1/19]

14th & Q: man robbed of bag that he had momentarily placed on the sidewalk between his feet while lighting a cigarette by another who cam past him & grabbed it from under him [Tue., 1/13]

14th, 2200 blk.: man accosted by 5 others who proceeded to punch him about his head & body & then robbed him [1:30am, Sat., 1/24]

14th, 3400 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by 3 others who came from behind & first pushed him down onto the ground [Sat., 1/17]

14th, 3600 blk.: man waiting at bus stop accosted by another from behind, grabbed, grabbed by the shoulder, turned him around & robbed at knifepoint [Sat., 1/10]

16th & Park: man approached by another who asked for a dollar & when he pulled out his wallet, the man pulled a switchblade & robbed him [Sun., 1/18]

16th, 1500 blk.: man robbed by 2 others, one of whom revealed a gun tucked into his waistband, who demanded, “Give us everything” [Mon., 1/5]

16th, 3600 blk.: person robbed by 2 others at gunpoint of wallet containing $200 & hacker’s license [Thu., 1/1]

17th & Kalorama: man accosted by 5 others, one of whom placed him in a chokehold whereupon a struggle ensued at which point another of the men brandished a shotgun & they then robbed him [2am, Tue., 1/20]

17th & Newton: man & woman robbed at gunpoint by 4 others who had ordered them to the ground [Sat., 1/17]

17th & Q: man who was in the process of using ATM accosted from behind by another who demanded that he give him $1,000 but when told it was not possible to withdraw that amount, man grabbed his wallet from his pocket [6pm, Tue., 1/27]

18th, 2200 blk.: woman accosted by 3 men, one of whom struck her in the face, grabbed her purse but she recovered it & they fled [Thu., 1/1]

18th, 3300 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by 2 others of wallet containing credit cards & $110 [5:30am, Fri., 1/23]

19th, 1300 blk.: woman’s property snatch from her by man who came from behind but was recovered when she & a witness gave chase & caught the robber around the corner on New Hampshire Ave. [Sat., 1/10]

19th, 1600 blk.: man accosted by 3 others, one of whom ordered, “Get in the alley and give me your stuff,” & when he hesitated they began to hit him about his face & then robbed him [8pm, Sat., 1/24]

22nd & P: man accosted by another demanding his money & complied out of fear [12:30am, Fri., 1/2]