DC Auditor Report on Duke Ellington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love it. It's racist to criticize a $200 MILLION dollar project that is over-budget by well over 100%. Whooooookay!

No - but it is racist to confuse your apparent anger and disgust with the students (which is utterly irrational, and to this (white) guy, appears to be most easily explained by your anger that black and brown students would have the temerity to attend school in Georgetown) with your entirely rational anger and disgust at DCPS/DGS/Mayor/Council/contractors and others who are actually responsible for this $200 million boondoggle.

No one is criticizing the students (although it is a legitimate question why the taxpayers of DC so overwhelmingly subsidize a school with so many non-DC residents). No one is saying anything about students' color (except for noting that Ellington is remarkably non-diverse as compared to the DC population). It is perfectly legitimate to question why $200 million is being spent on a site in Georgetown that is not Metro-accessible, not very central to various parts of the District and not nearby to any professional arts venues. It is eminently legitimate to ask why the Ellington board is unaccountable to those who pay over 80% of the school's operating budget and 100% of its capital budget and how the board and DC government officials let costs balloon as they have.

You are making my point. The bolded questions are not the least bit relevant to the $100+ million budget overrun. The italicized questions are relevant. Try not to confuse your distaste for these students attending school in Georgetown with your valid disgust with the cost overruns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love it. It's racist to criticize a $200 MILLION dollar project that is over-budget by well over 100%. Whooooookay!

No - but it is racist to confuse your apparent anger and disgust with the students (which is utterly irrational, and to this (white) guy, appears to be most easily explained by your anger that black and brown students would have the temerity to attend school in Georgetown) with your entirely rational anger and disgust at DCPS/DGS/Mayor/Council/contractors and others who are actually responsible for this $200 million boondoggle.

No one is criticizing the students (although it is a legitimate question why the taxpayers of DC so overwhelmingly subsidize a school with so many non-DC residents). No one is saying anything about students' color (except for noting that Ellington is remarkably non-diverse as compared to the DC population). It is perfectly legitimate to question why $200 million is being spent on a site in Georgetown that is not Metro-accessible, not very central to various parts of the District and not nearby to any professional arts venues. It is eminently legitimate to ask why the Ellington board is unaccountable to those who pay over 80% of the school's operating budget and 100% of its capital budget and how the board and DC government officials let costs balloon as they have.

You are making my point. The bolded questions are not the least bit relevant to the $100+ million budget overrun. The italicized questions are relevant. Try not to confuse your distaste for these students attending school in Georgetown with your valid disgust with the cost overruns.

You are the one characterizing as "disgust for these students attending school in Georgetown" with the very important question of why DC is doubling down on cost overruns to build a facility that is not very central, not near the Metro and not co-located or very close to other arts facilities that could be leveraged for the students' benefit. It's wild overspending at a site that doesn't make long term sense on any logical level for an arts magnet school that serves a city-wide population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love it. It's racist to criticize a $200 MILLION dollar project that is over-budget by well over 100%. Whooooookay!

No - but it is racist to confuse your apparent anger and disgust with the students (which is utterly irrational, and to this (white) guy, appears to be most easily explained by your anger that black and brown students would have the temerity to attend school in Georgetown) with your entirely rational anger and disgust at DCPS/DGS/Mayor/Council/contractors and others who are actually responsible for this $200 million boondoggle.

No one is criticizing the students (although it is a legitimate question why the taxpayers of DC so overwhelmingly subsidize a school with so many non-DC residents). No one is saying anything about students' color (except for noting that Ellington is remarkably non-diverse as compared to the DC population). It is perfectly legitimate to question why $200 million is being spent on a site in Georgetown that is not Metro-accessible, not very central to various parts of the District and not nearby to any professional arts venues. It is eminently legitimate to ask why the Ellington board is unaccountable to those who pay over 80% of the school's operating budget and 100% of its capital budget and how the board and DC government officials let costs balloon as they have.

You are making my point. The bolded questions are not the least bit relevant to the $100+ million budget overrun. The italicized questions are relevant. Try not to confuse your distaste for these students attending school in Georgetown with your valid disgust with the cost overruns.

Huh? The fact that the school is in a high-cost location is very much relevant to the cost overruns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love it. It's racist to criticize a $200 MILLION dollar project that is over-budget by well over 100%. Whooooookay!

No - but it is racist to confuse your apparent anger and disgust with the students (which is utterly irrational, and to this (white) guy, appears to be most easily explained by your anger that black and brown students would have the temerity to attend school in Georgetown) with your entirely rational anger and disgust at DCPS/DGS/Mayor/Council/contractors and others who are actually responsible for this $200 million boondoggle.

No one is criticizing the students (although it is a legitimate question why the taxpayers of DC so overwhelmingly subsidize a school with so many non-DC residents). No one is saying anything about students' color (except for noting that Ellington is remarkably non-diverse as compared to the DC population). It is perfectly legitimate to question why $200 million is being spent on a site in Georgetown that is not Metro-accessible, not very central to various parts of the District and not nearby to any professional arts venues. It is eminently legitimate to ask why the Ellington board is unaccountable to those who pay over 80% of the school's operating budget and 100% of its capital budget and how the board and DC government officials let costs balloon as they have.

You are making my point. The bolded questions are not the least bit relevant to the $100+ million budget overrun. The italicized questions are relevant. Try not to confuse your distaste for these students attending school in Georgetown with your valid disgust with the cost overruns.

Huh? The fact that the school is in a high-cost location is very much relevant to the cost overruns.

It is 0% relevant. The city already owned the land. The land acquisition costs for this project were $0. The cost overruns were for the construction, not the land.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love it. It's racist to criticize a $200 MILLION dollar project that is over-budget by well over 100%. Whooooookay!

No - but it is racist to confuse your apparent anger and disgust with the students (which is utterly irrational, and to this (white) guy, appears to be most easily explained by your anger that black and brown students would have the temerity to attend school in Georgetown) with your entirely rational anger and disgust at DCPS/DGS/Mayor/Council/contractors and others who are actually responsible for this $200 million boondoggle.

No one is criticizing the students (although it is a legitimate question why the taxpayers of DC so overwhelmingly subsidize a school with so many non-DC residents). No one is saying anything about students' color (except for noting that Ellington is remarkably non-diverse as compared to the DC population). It is perfectly legitimate to question why $200 million is being spent on a site in Georgetown that is not Metro-accessible, not very central to various parts of the District and not nearby to any professional arts venues. It is eminently legitimate to ask why the Ellington board is unaccountable to those who pay over 80% of the school's operating budget and 100% of its capital budget and how the board and DC government officials let costs balloon as they have.

You are making my point. The bolded questions are not the least bit relevant to the $100+ million budget overrun. The italicized questions are relevant. Try not to confuse your distaste for these students attending school in Georgetown with your valid disgust with the cost overruns.

Huh? The fact that the school is in a high-cost location is very much relevant to the cost overruns.

You are displaying an admirable amount of patience...but it doesn't look like the DE booster has the willingness or capability for a rational diacussion. I'd just ignore him/her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love it. It's racist to criticize a $200 MILLION dollar project that is over-budget by well over 100%. Whooooookay!

No - but it is racist to confuse your apparent anger and disgust with the students (which is utterly irrational, and to this (white) guy, appears to be most easily explained by your anger that black and brown students would have the temerity to attend school in Georgetown) with your entirely rational anger and disgust at DCPS/DGS/Mayor/Council/contractors and others who are actually responsible for this $200 million boondoggle.

No one is criticizing the students (although it is a legitimate question why the taxpayers of DC so overwhelmingly subsidize a school with so many non-DC residents). No one is saying anything about students' color (except for noting that Ellington is remarkably non-diverse as compared to the DC population). It is perfectly legitimate to question why $200 million is being spent on a site in Georgetown that is not Metro-accessible, not very central to various parts of the District and not nearby to any professional arts venues. It is eminently legitimate to ask why the Ellington board is unaccountable to those who pay over 80% of the school's operating budget and 100% of its capital budget and how the board and DC government officials let costs balloon as they have.

You are making my point. The bolded questions are not the least bit relevant to the $100+ million budget overrun. The italicized questions are relevant. Try not to confuse your distaste for these students attending school in Georgetown with your valid disgust with the cost overruns.

Huh? The fact that the school is in a high-cost location is very much relevant to the cost overruns.

It is 0% relevant. The city already owned the land. The land acquisition costs for this project were $0. The cost overruns were for the construction, not the land.

My first grader would notice the error in this "reasoning"

Just in case you are not there yet: who cares about the land? You know people can buy, sell, develop land in multiple ways, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love it. It's racist to criticize a $200 MILLION dollar project that is over-budget by well over 100%. Whooooookay!

No - but it is racist to confuse your apparent anger and disgust with the students (which is utterly irrational, and to this (white) guy, appears to be most easily explained by your anger that black and brown students would have the temerity to attend school in Georgetown) with your entirely rational anger and disgust at DCPS/DGS/Mayor/Council/contractors and others who are actually responsible for this $200 million boondoggle.

No one is criticizing the students (although it is a legitimate question why the taxpayers of DC so overwhelmingly subsidize a school with so many non-DC residents). No one is saying anything about students' color (except for noting that Ellington is remarkably non-diverse as compared to the DC population). It is perfectly legitimate to question why $200 million is being spent on a site in Georgetown that is not Metro-accessible, not very central to various parts of the District and not nearby to any professional arts venues. It is eminently legitimate to ask why the Ellington board is unaccountable to those who pay over 80% of the school's operating budget and 100% of its capital budget and how the board and DC government officials let costs balloon as they have.

You are making my point. The bolded questions are not the least bit relevant to the $100+ million budget overrun. The italicized questions are relevant. Try not to confuse your distaste for these students attending school in Georgetown with your valid disgust with the cost overruns.

Huh? The fact that the school is in a high-cost location is very much relevant to the cost overruns.

It is 0% relevant. The city already owned the land. The land acquisition costs for this project were $0. The cost overruns were for the construction, not the land.

My first grader would notice the error in this "reasoning"

Just in case you are not there yet: who cares about the land? You know people can buy, sell, develop land in multiple ways, right?

PP, your first grader probably has better reading comprehension than you.

There are two concepts here. One is cost - absolute cost. And yes, buildng in Georgetown as compared to building in a less expensive part of the city like Anacostia is going to be more expensive. But nobody ever was talking about moving Duke to Anacostia - they were talking about moving it downtown. And land downtown is more expensive than land in Georgetown. So there is no cost argument for moving Duke,

The second concept is cost overrun - the actual cost of the project minus the expected cost. In this case, that overrun is >$100 million. That is an outrage. But the fact that it is in Georgetown has nothing to do with that. It is because of overpriced and gold-plated construction. Those same cost overruns would happen whether Duke was being rebuilt in Georgetown on Anacostia or downtown. The project is not costing >$100 million more than expected because the land in Georgetown cost more than expected.

Got it? There are lots of reasons for this cost overrun - none excusable. The failure to move Duke across town is a red herring that has nothing to do with those cost overruns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The second concept is cost overrun - the actual cost of the project minus the expected cost. In this case, that overrun is >$100 million. That is an outrage. But the fact that it is in Georgetown has nothing to do with that. It is because of overpriced and gold-plated construction. Those same cost overruns would happen whether Duke was being rebuilt in Georgetown on Anacostia or downtown. The project is not costing >$100 million more than expected because the land in Georgetown cost more than expected.

Got it? There are lots of reasons for this cost overrun - none excusable. The failure to move Duke across town is a red herring that has nothing to do with those cost overruns.

When I said "high-cost," I wasn't talking at all about land values. I was talking about an expensive place to do construction. Different parts of the city vary tremendously in how much it costs to build things, Georgetown happens to be one of the most expensive parts of the city to build. Add on historic preservation, and the fact that there wasn't room on the surface for required parking, and you get a high-cost location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The second concept is cost overrun - the actual cost of the project minus the expected cost. In this case, that overrun is >$100 million. That is an outrage. But the fact that it is in Georgetown has nothing to do with that. It is because of overpriced and gold-plated construction. Those same cost overruns would happen whether Duke was being rebuilt in Georgetown on Anacostia or downtown. The project is not costing >$100 million more than expected because the land in Georgetown cost more than expected.

Got it? There are lots of reasons for this cost overrun - none excusable. The failure to move Duke across town is a red herring that has nothing to do with those cost overruns.

When I said "high-cost," I wasn't talking at all about land values. I was talking about an expensive place to do construction. Different parts of the city vary tremendously in how much it costs to build things, Georgetown happens to be one of the most expensive parts of the city to build. Add on historic preservation, and the fact that there wasn't room on the surface for required parking, and you get a high-cost location.

NP: Your latter two points add to the cost; your first one doesn't because this is the government contracting, not a private resident of Georgetown. But even with your latter two points -- it doesn't add up to the $100 million overrun. That is pure padding. What they end up with could have been built for much, much less, even in Georgetown.

[Anonymous]

Who is the head of DGS and why hasn't that person been fired?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The second concept is cost overrun - the actual cost of the project minus the expected cost. In this case, that overrun is >$100 million. That is an outrage. But the fact that it is in Georgetown has nothing to do with that. It is because of overpriced and gold-plated construction. Those same cost overruns would happen whether Duke was being rebuilt in Georgetown on Anacostia or downtown. The project is not costing >$100 million more than expected because the land in Georgetown cost more than expected.

Got it? There are lots of reasons for this cost overrun - none excusable. The failure to move Duke across town is a red herring that has nothing to do with those cost overruns.

When I said "high-cost," I wasn't talking at all about land values. I was talking about an expensive place to do construction. Different parts of the city vary tremendously in how much it costs to build things, Georgetown happens to be one of the most expensive parts of the city to build. Add on historic preservation, and the fact that there wasn't room on the surface for required parking, and you get a high-cost location.

The rational thing would have been to move to a more central location (not meaning the downtown business district, but more central in DC and on the Metro). DE decided to stay in Georgetown because they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a "prestigious" location. Gimme a break.

[Anonymous]

One doesn't expect well-heeled supporters of the fine arts in DC to have to travel to U Street or someplace in Wards 7 or 8. It's just not done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The second concept is cost overrun - the actual cost of the project minus the expected cost. In this case, that overrun is >$100 million. That is an outrage. But the fact that it is in Georgetown has nothing to do with that. It is because of overpriced and gold-plated construction. Those same cost overruns would happen whether Duke was being rebuilt in Georgetown on Anacostia or downtown. The project is not costing >$100 million more than expected because the land in Georgetown cost more than expected.

Got it? There are lots of reasons for this cost overrun - none excusable. The failure to move Duke across town is a red herring that has nothing to do with those cost overruns.

When I said "high-cost," I wasn't talking at all about land values. I was talking about an expensive place to do construction. Different parts of the city vary tremendously in how much it costs to build things, Georgetown happens to be one of the most expensive parts of the city to build. Add on historic preservation, and the fact that there wasn't room on the surface for required parking, and you get a high-cost location.

The rational thing would have been to move to a more central location (not meaning the downtown business district, but more central in DC and on the Metro). DE decided to stay in Georgetown because they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a "prestigious" location. Gimme a break.

PP - Any central location close to Metro would be expensive. Or is there some magic, inexpensive, centrally-located, close-to-metro neighborhood in DC that you are aware of that the entire world is not?

Also, your contempt for the students and families at DE - and your outrage that they would want to stay in he location where the school has been located for 40 years -- is not dripping through, it is pouring through. Read your words: "they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a prestigious location. Gimme a break." PP, are you Donald Trump?

And to those who are looking for more evidence of why I think race plays a role here: Ellington is not the first school renovation project to go over budget.. But I don't remember hearing this kind of contempt for the students and families that attend say, Stoddert, or Janney.

Let's try this again people: be outraged at the Council, the contractors, DCPS, and DGS. Don't be outraged at the DE students and families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The second concept is cost overrun - the actual cost of the project minus the expected cost. In this case, that overrun is >$100 million. That is an outrage. But the fact that it is in Georgetown has nothing to do with that. It is because of overpriced and gold-plated construction. Those same cost overruns would happen whether Duke was being rebuilt in Georgetown on Anacostia or downtown. The project is not costing >$100 million more than expected because the land in Georgetown cost more than expected.

Got it? There are lots of reasons for this cost overrun - none excusable. The failure to move Duke across town is a red herring that has nothing to do with those cost overruns.

When I said "high-cost," I wasn't talking at all about land values. I was talking about an expensive place to do construction. Different parts of the city vary tremendously in how much it costs to build things, Georgetown happens to be one of the most expensive parts of the city to build. Add on historic preservation, and the fact that there wasn't room on the surface for required parking, and you get a high-cost location.

The rational thing would have been to move to a more central location (not meaning the downtown business district, but more central in DC and on the Metro). DE decided to stay in Georgetown because they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a "prestigious" location. Gimme a break.

PP - Any central location close to Metro would be expensive. Or is there some magic, inexpensive, centrally-located, close-to-metro neighborhood in DC that you are aware of that the entire world is not?

Also, your contempt for the students and families at DE - and your outrage that they would want to stay in he location where the school has been located for 40 years -- is not dripping through, it is pouring through. Read your words: "they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a prestigious location. Gimme a break." PP, are you Donald Trump?

And to those who are looking for more evidence of why I think race plays a role here: Ellington is not the first school renovation project to go over budget.. But I don't remember hearing this kind of contempt for the students and families that attend say, Stoddert, or Janney.

Let's try this again people: be outraged at the Council, the contractors, DCPS, and DGS. Don't be outraged at the DE students and families.

PP is probably the same person calling the Ward 3 homeless shelter a "Chavez land grab" over in that thread.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, de parent, for sharing actual information about the school. I want to send my child there and it is good to hear some.positive experience.