Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D met on April 21 via Zoom. Commissioners Marquell Washington (6DO1), Gottlieb Simon (6D02, chair), Gail Fast (6D03), Andrea Pawley (6D04), Fredrica (Rikki) Kramer (6D07, treasurer) and Rhonda Hamilton (6D08, secretary) were in attendance. Chearie Phelps-El (6D05) and Bruce Levine (6D06) were absent.
Metropolitan Police Dept. (MPD) Captain Adam Crist briefed the commission on overall crime and particularly on an incident on April 18, when a crowd of approximately 300 juveniles created mayhem on The Wharf. There was a robbery and an incident of gunshots. Officers made six arrests, Crist stated.
Led by DC Police Chief Pamela A. Smith with the aid of Wharf security, officers drove the crowd down Maine Avenue and M Street SW into the Navy Yard. There, the crowd finally dispersed at around 10 p.m.
Was the crowd organized through social media? asked Commissioner Fast. We think so, stated Crist.
The pedestrian fatality on April 16th at Sixth and M Street SW is being investigated by the Major Crash Unit, said Crist. He could provide no additional information.
Crime is down YTD 21 percent, stated Crist with 35 percent drop in violent crime. There has been a 12 percent reduction in property crime. No burglaries have occurred this year. Police are confronting thefts of unsupervised idling vehicles, he said. However, there also has been a major drop in carjacking. Crist recommends residents use steering wheel locks.
14th St. Approach Bridges Repair
The DC Dept. of Transportation (DDOT) Deputy Project Manager Ashenafi Worku briefed the commission on the agency’s plans for structural repairs to the six approaches to 14th Street Bridge. These include reconstruction of their concrete ts and decks.
The project will have an enormous impact on traffic, Worku said. The agency plans lane shifts on I-695 and on the 14th Street Bridge, whose lanes will be reduced from six to four. There are over 20 overnight closures of roughly half an hour duration planned. Construction anticipated to begin in the spring of 2027 and continue into the following winter.
Treasurer Kramer requested a schedule of specific closures. The agency cannot provide that until the contract is awarded, said Worku.
ABC Matters
ABC Committee Vice Chair Laura DiAngelo briefed the commission on the committee’s recommendations regarding alcohol licenses. The commission should take no action on 17 license renewals, the committee advised. These establishments included: Arena Stage, Art Tech House, Boomerang Boats, Canopy, Capitol Yacht Club, Del Mar, Hanks Oyster Bar, Hell’s Kitchen, the Hilton Hotel National Mall, Hyatt House, La Vie, Audi Field Food Service, Little Chicken, Momo, The Nightingale, Station 4, Surfside Tacos and The Anthem.
At the suggestion of Commissioner Pawley, the commission voted to protest the renewal of Station 4’s license in order to maintain standing while a revised Community Agreement (CA) is reached with the establishment on the grounds of peace, order and quiet.
Commissioner Washington objected to ing a renewal of The Anthem’s license, citing security concerns and double parking on Maine Avenue SW. However, this motion to protest the license failed.
On the committee’s recommendation, the commission voted to protest the license renewals of several restaurants lacking CAs on the grounds of peace, order and quiet. The establishments included: Gordon Ramsey Fish & Chips, Naraya, the Pendry Hotel, The Point and ilili.
The committee recommended opposing Philipe Chow / Merchant Marina’s request for an entertainment endorsement allowing dancing and cover charges. The commission agreed, voting to protest on the grounds of peace, order and quiet.
The commission also voted to Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls’ stipulated license. However, to preserve standing, it also voted to protest their permanent application on the grounds of peace, order and quiet while a CA is negotiated by the committee.
Zoning
DC Central Kitchen Chief Executive Director Mike Curtain briefed the commission on the organization’s request to the Zoning Commission to add a produce market to the B Street SW side of their building. They want to enclose an existing exterior vestibule to add 380 square feet to the first floor for the market and a 5,000 square foot mezzanine for office use above. This square footage increase in space requires a modification approved by the Zoning Commission, he stated. The commission unanimously to the project.
Holland & Knight Attorney Kyrus Lamont Freeman requested the commission to a two year extension on the existing Planned Unit Development (PUD) for 807 Maine Ave. Approved in 2023, the PUD calls for the construction of an 895-unit apartment building on the northwest corner of Maine Avenue and Seventh Street SW. The current zoning requires construction to commence in 2026. Due to market conditions, his client is unable to meet this deadline, stated Freeman. The project has lost its development partner, as well. The extension would provide time for his client to either sell the property with the zoning intact or find another partner. The extension would require the commencement of construction in 2028. The commission took no action on the matter.
Other Matters
The commission approved the treasurer’s second quarter financial report. It also approved renting St. Augustine Church for its May 19 in person meeting.
ANC 6D meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of every month. The next meeting is May 19 and will be held in person at St. Augustine’s Church at 555 Water St. SW. For more information visit www.anc6d.org.
