ASFS/Key Swap Off . . .

[Anonymous]

Didn’t the school board already decide that renovating Madison wasn’t cost effective because of code issues (e.g asbestos), and the relatively small campus?

If that determination is going to be revisited, I am all for putting an option school there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the dire enrollment forecast, it's time to invade the rec centers (Dawson Terrace and Madison I'm looking at you) and convert to schools. Surely the old people can be accommodated somewhere else that doesn't have the requirements/restraints that a school does.

Immersion to a renovated Madison...maybe. Another neighborhood school for out of touch rich people in the northern white land? No.

Immersion is having trouble attracting native Spanish speakers to the location on Key. There's no way it would work at Madison. Honestly, there's no need for a neighborhood school up there either. That's not where the extra kids are.

It’s a huge plot of land the county owns, which could accommodate a school. There aren’t many lots for that. And an option school makes sense b/c there would be more seats than students. Maybe not immersion, true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t the school board already decide that renovating Madison wasn’t cost effective because of code issues (e.g asbestos), and the relatively small campus?

If that determination is going to be revisited, I am all for putting an option school there.

Can they build a basic cinder block school like every exurb and just get the seats online quick?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t the school board already decide that renovating Madison wasn’t cost effective because of code issues (e.g asbestos), and the relatively small campus?

If that determination is going to be revisited, I am all for putting an option school there.

Can they build a basic cinder block school like every exurb and just get the seats online quick?

That isn't how APS does things. It needs to cost 2x as much as it should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the dire enrollment forecast, it's time to invade the rec centers (Dawson Terrace and Madison I'm looking at you) and convert to schools. Surely the old people can be accommodated somewhere else that doesn't have the requirements/restraints that a school does.

Immersion to a renovated Madison...maybe. Another neighborhood school for out of touch rich people in the northern white land? No.

Immersion is having trouble attracting native Spanish speakers to the location on Key. There's no way it would work at Madison. Honestly, there's no need for a neighborhood school up there either. That's not where the extra kids are.

It’s a huge plot of land the county owns, which could accommodate a school. There aren’t many lots for that. And an option school makes sense b/c there would be more seats than students. Maybe not immersion, true.

APS needs to think more creatively. It doesn't have to be only either a neighborhood elementary or an option elementary. They can make smaller facilities preschool centers; or preK-K; or preK-2. Or 6th grade centers.

An option program remotely located like at Madison merely becomes an elite choice school for those living at least somewhat nearby. There should be greater equity in accessing option programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t the school board already decide that renovating Madison wasn’t cost effective because of code issues (e.g asbestos), and the relatively small campus?

If that determination is going to be revisited, I am all for putting an option school there.

Can they build a basic cinder block school like every exurb and just get the seats online quick?

That isn't how APS does things. It needs to cost 2x as much as it should.

And be discussed for 10 years with mediocre results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the dire enrollment forecast, it's time to invade the rec centers (Dawson Terrace and Madison I'm looking at you) and convert to schools. Surely the old people can be accommodated somewhere else that doesn't have the requirements/restraints that a school does.

Immersion to a renovated Madison...maybe. Another neighborhood school for out of touch rich people in the northern white land? No.

Immersion is having trouble attracting native Spanish speakers to the location on Key. There's no way it would work at Madison. Honestly, there's no need for a neighborhood school up there either. That's not where the extra kids are.

Why not put ATS up there at Madison Center? That would be a great way to help open up more seats where they are needed.

Then what do you do with ATS?

The PP said put ATS up at Madison. But I'd vote to just eliminate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t the school board already decide that renovating Madison wasn’t cost effective because of code issues (e.g asbestos), and the relatively small campus?

If that determination is going to be revisited, I am all for putting an option school there.

Can they build a basic cinder block school like every exurb and just get the seats online quick?

They could; but that isn't good enough for Arlington. It would be an utter disgrace and the MC families won't send their kids to Cinder Block Elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don't believe I ever suggested you have to agree with every suggestion. And I don't believe it would actually be a "massive increase in bussing" - unless, possibly, if you go with the Cambridge model or you are making every school 30% FRL. Our current busing is not particularly efficient. And if you push the housing tool, over (a long time) you create more balanced economic diversity in various parts of the County which will require less busing for the basis of diversity.

The "note the plurality there, toolSSS" seemed to imply an all-of-the-above approach... another poster explicitly reinforced that with the 'this isn't a salad bar' comment. Apologies if I misunderstood. Agree that the housing tool is really the most important one long-term and carries a multitude of positives (not just schools) without the corresponding downsides of other approaches. For example, as the Lee Highway corridor develops I'd love to see affordable housing be well integrated into the planning.

To other poster, yes, I think optional busing via Cambridge model or what not is one thing, whereas forced busing is another and I would not support it.

Sorry for inadvertently participating in a hijacking this thread topic, I didn't realize, and will shut up now.

We're never going to an Arlington mill, berkeley, or Gilliam place on lee highway. The economics don't work, because the land is too expensive and the surrounding community would be in an uproar. That is why you can't focus on one solution. There is no silver bullet.

Right - so silver bullet that makes everybody happy. So forget about making everyone happy. The hell with the uproaring surrounding community. Arlington needs a new Arlington Way: the way that WORKS.

[Anonymous]

I disagree that we can’t have a Gilliam place or Berkeley on Lee Highway. It won’t be only 49-60%ami, it will have a strong mix of 80%ami making it more middle class, but developers need to be strongly encourageded to buy the land and do it. Amazon is going to be kicking in lots of money, right??? Find a church or some other partner like they did with American legion building. Do it right so there is sufficient parking and make the neighbors who protest look like racists as they do here in south Arlington. I think there is a lot more pressure now to geographically diversify cafs than there was just 5 years ago. And I mean cafs, not just some affordable units in an otherwise market rate building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree that we can’t have a Gilliam place or Berkeley on Lee Highway. It won’t be only 49-60%ami, it will have a strong mix of 80%ami making it more middle class, but developers need to be strongly encourageded to buy the land and do it. Amazon is going to be kicking in lots of money, right??? Find a church or some other partner like they did with American legion building. Do it right so there is sufficient parking and make the neighbors who protest look like racists as they do here in south Arlington. I think there is a lot more pressure now to geographically diversify cafs than there was just 5 years ago. And I mean cafs, not just some affordable units in an otherwise market rate building.

Cool idea, now find a suitable site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree that we can’t have a Gilliam place or Berkeley on Lee Highway. It won’t be only 49-60%ami, it will have a strong mix of 80%ami making it more middle class, but developers need to be strongly encourageded to buy the land and do it. Amazon is going to be kicking in lots of money, right??? Find a church or some other partner like they did with American legion building. Do it right so there is sufficient parking and make the neighbors who protest look like racists as they do here in south Arlington. I think there is a lot more pressure now to geographically diversify cafs than there was just 5 years ago. And I mean cafs, not just some affordable units in an otherwise market rate building.

If it isn't only 49-60% AMI, then it's not a Gilliam Place or Berkeley, or Shell, or any other CAF development in south Arlington.
A strong mix of 80%+ is what these developments along the Pike need. Lee Hwy can afford a few entirely 49% AMI, 170-unit multi-family housing buildings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree that we can’t have a Gilliam place or Berkeley on Lee Highway. It won’t be only 49-60%ami, it will have a strong mix of 80%ami making it more middle class, but developers need to be strongly encourageded to buy the land and do it. Amazon is going to be kicking in lots of money, right??? Find a church or some other partner like they did with American legion building. Do it right so there is sufficient parking and make the neighbors who protest look like racists as they do here in south Arlington. I think there is a lot more pressure now to geographically diversify cafs than there was just 5 years ago. And I mean cafs, not just some affordable units in an otherwise market rate building.

Cool idea, now find a suitable site.

While noone in that area will find any site "suitable," just about any site along the corridor is as "suitable" as all the sites they've found along the Pike. The community center could use redevelopment and expansion - make it residential above and community center below. If we can have schools attached to community centers, we can have housing attached to community centers. There were a few parcels being considered in the land swap with VHC - use those. Tear down some of the ugly strip mall buildings and redevelop into multi-level CAF buildings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree that we can’t have a Gilliam place or Berkeley on Lee Highway. It won’t be only 49-60%ami, it will have a strong mix of 80%ami making it more middle class, but developers need to be strongly encourageded to buy the land and do it. Amazon is going to be kicking in lots of money, right??? Find a church or some other partner like they did with American legion building. Do it right so there is sufficient parking and make the neighbors who protest look like racists as they do here in south Arlington. I think there is a lot more pressure now to geographically diversify cafs than there was just 5 years ago. And I mean cafs, not just some affordable units in an otherwise market rate building.

Cool idea, now find a suitable site.

While noone in that area will find any site "suitable," just about any site along the corridor is as "suitable" as all the sites they've found along the Pike. The community center could use redevelopment and expansion - make it residential above and community center below. If we can have schools attached to community centers, we can have housing attached to community centers. There were a few parcels being considered in the land swap with VHC - use those. Tear down some of the ugly strip mall buildings and redevelop into multi-level CAF buildings.

Sure, just buy a strip mall along Lee Highway and tear it down. Totally easy to get ownership of a full strip mall there, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree that we can’t have a Gilliam place or Berkeley on Lee Highway. It won’t be only 49-60%ami, it will have a strong mix of 80%ami making it more middle class, but developers need to be strongly encourageded to buy the land and do it. Amazon is going to be kicking in lots of money, right??? Find a church or some other partner like they did with American legion building. Do it right so there is sufficient parking and make the neighbors who protest look like racists as they do here in south Arlington. I think there is a lot more pressure now to geographically diversify cafs than there was just 5 years ago. And I mean cafs, not just some affordable units in an otherwise market rate building.

Cool idea, now find a suitable site.

While noone in that area will find any site "suitable," just about any site along the corridor is as "suitable" as all the sites they've found along the Pike. The community center could use redevelopment and expansion - make it residential above and community center below. If we can have schools attached to community centers, we can have housing attached to community centers. There were a few parcels being considered in the land swap with VHC - use those. Tear down some of the ugly strip mall buildings and redevelop into multi-level CAF buildings.

Sure, just buy a strip mall along Lee Highway and tear it down. Totally easy to get ownership of a full strip mall there, right?

Or just use Lee Center, Langston-Brown, Chestnut Hills Park, a Fire Station, EFC Parking lot, Gateway Park, McCoy Park, Safeway Parking Lot, Tuckahoe Park, Stewart Park...But really it just makes sense to keep putting more on Columbia Pike, because NIMBY Limousine Liberals don't want the poors nearby (or going to schools like Tuckahoe or Discovery).