July 28, 2008
Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Mayor Fenty:
When we spoke at the Tenleytown site on July 10, following your presentation concerning the award of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the construction of the new library, Janney school expansion, and a housing complex, you asked me to summarize my comments reflecting the serious community objections to this move by the city. I regret the delay in responding, partially due to sudden, urgent travel, but also to the considerable time I took to research and ensure your understanding of the issues, and how you have been grossly misled in arriving at your decision. Two photographs are included to assist in that understanding. Also, at the conclusion I have included a statement of my personal credentials in addressing the issues associated with this project.
THE TENLEYTOWN SITE
It has an unique and distinguished educational character which, with its library, has served the broad range of educational programs of seven separate educational institutions ranging from pre-kindergarten to graduate college programs. In addition, it has provided a valuable support to the Iona Senior Services facility just across the street from the Janney school.
These institutions and other facilities of interest are clearly identified in aerial photo #1, including the library before it was destroyed.
THE LIBRARY
Prior to its destruction, many children came by METRO from outside the local community to use the library since it had evening hours most nights of the week. There was no justification whatever for closing and demolishing that valuable community asset almost five years ahead of any definitive program for replacement, and years before the start of any active communication with the community. That unwarranted action deprived the entire community of a major cultural, intellectual and social resource The community as a whole has been seriously impacted by its loss. Any attempt to justify that action as an economy move, and jamming a small fraction of the library activities into a vacant, leased store front four blocks away would be insulting. That rash move by the city has the appearance of an attempt to reduce or eliminate community input by advancing a preconceived agreement with private interests.
INCREASING LOSS OF CONSTRUCTION FUNDS
Funds available for the replacement library are rapidly eroding through escalating construction costs. In the past 7 years, since "9/11" such costs in the DC area have increased 47%. For the first 4 years of that period, annual increases ranged from 5% to 6%, but with the current economic crises, the rate for sub-contractor services and materials alone is approaching 1% per month. Remembering that such costs are compounded over the years, it now appears that close to $3 million LESS is available for construction. Such losses through years of inaction are inexcusable!
HOUSING DOES NOT BELONG ON THIS SITE
The current proposal to incorporate a housing complex into the expansion needs of the Janney School and replacement library is not only ludicrous but flies against the primary interest of preserving the educational requirements and character of that entire site. The relatively small number of proposed housing units does not provide any significant inroad to the city's long-term housing objectives, but does significantly impact the current, urgent long-term educational needs of this community. Such a housing facility, along with tenant parking requirements and additional roadway access, adversely impacts the expanded functional requirements of both the Janney School, the library, and the need for increased open space. It must also be emphasized that in addition to the existing traffic density at that busy intersection, the associated vehicular tenant come-and-go traffic introduces a new set of serious safety issues to a site densely populated by our youth.
More appropriate mixed use, high density housing projects are currently in the discussion stages for two large nearby sites: One, just a block north contains the recently closed one-story Billiards Parlor with a square footage footprint virtually identical to the library site. However, vehicular access for tenants from that Brandywine side street presents a vastly superior safety situation than access from the busy Albermarle street.
The second site, just another block north, houses the large auto dealership, and presents even superior site benefits. Again, both of these sites are a short walk from the METRO entrance. It should be noted that future housing units at those two sites would contain a variety of necessary supporting retail facilities at the ground level which would not be available at the library site.
The proposed towering residence on top of the library just across from the entrance to St. Ann's Academy, is an architectural blunder in violating the principle of appropriate scale with adjacent structures. In addition, it reflects a monstrous disregard of the interests of that institution by essentially walling it in, virtually obscuring its existence, and destroying its visual contact with adjacent related activities.
JUST A WORD ABOUT ST. ANN'S ACADEMY:
Contrary to popular perceptions, it does not function as a parochial parish school. With a student population almost half that of Janney, less than 10 percent of its 220students are actually from the Parish of St. Ann, and less than 50 percent are from Catholic families. Instead, the vast majority are transported every day from the lowest socioeconomic areas from across the city. The total cost for providing this educational program is not covered by the modest tuition and extended care costs. Instead, the parish absorbs a considerable amount of the actual cost of operating this 140 year old respected institution, which in recognition of its contribution to the needs of our youth, was recently chosen by the White House to represent the Faith Based Schools in the Washington area. This honor took place in April at a symposium during which one of St. Ann's eighth grade students was honored to introduce the President of the United States. The Parish's dedication to this Academy is rooted in its outreach to underprivileged children, in the belief that it ensures that "some seeds fall on fertile ground," in preparing them for responsible adulthood.
PROXIMITY TO METRO
Apparently, this factor was a major contributor to the misdirection of incorporating housing into dense educational site requirements. As mentioned above, more appropriately, high-density, mixed use housing, including affordable units with supporting ground level retail services would be ideally suited for the two sites a short walk away.
OPEN SPACE NEEDS
Photograph #2 is a close-up view of the site, clearly showing the very limited open space currently available for the critical sports, recreational and social programs of the Janney school. That space is seriously threatened by the Janney expansion as proposed.
The "promise" to make sure that any Public Private Partnership concept does not result in a net reduction of Janney's open space is another glaring element of short sighted planning: With Janney's planned enrollment increase from the current 485 to 550 students, the focus must be to INCREASE the open space for the students.
CONCLUSION
The current PPP concept, being revenue directed and profit oriented is not appropriate for this project. This misdirection and apparent maneuvering to suppress effective community input has undermined the traditional and valid process for appropriate planning, budgeting, and construction administration. To repeat, since an acceptable library design is complete, the construction must proceed without delay, with sufficient supplemental funding as required to restore this much needed asset to the whole community.
As to the expressed concerns about the probable need to close Janney during construction, I urge caution in accepting this as unavoidable. It may well be unavoidable if the library and Janney expansion were to proceed under a joint development project. On the other hand, a completed library could possibly provide some swing space which, in addition to on site temporary facilities and phased construction, may obviate the need for relocating students. This potential cries out for serious study to avoid the enormous difficulties and family disruptions faced by hundreds of households, as well as the disenfranchising of the affected students from their immediate neighborhood school.
REQUESTED ACTIONS
Mr. Mayor, the PPP concept you currently support is ill-conceived. It gravely impacts the comprehensive plan for satisfying all necessary educational needs and community support activities, by side stepping critical open space needs, and by incorporating unnecessary, and damaging housing units. This fact grossly outweighs the proximity to Metro, and the relatively meager revenue around which this concept was advanced. The unwarranted destruction of our active library and the unnecessary intrusion of a housing concept in this overall plan gives rise to the perception of supporting private interests to the detriment of community necessities. We respectfully request that the current concept be abandoned, and the construction of the library be advanced immediately. The completion of the complex design for the Janney expansion will require more time, and thusshould proceed independently. For those who would dismiss this suggested restart on the basis of further delay, I hasten to point out the likelihood of a much longer delay should the Tenleytown community follow through with a court injunction for a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement, and pursue the abuse of procedures required for insuring proper involvement of the DC City Council and the community.
Mr. Mayor, your serious attention to correct the grave problems stated herein is urgently required.
Respectfully,
Albert A. Peter, Jr.
Click on the image to see a full-sized version.
