New River Campus?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Between GDS and Sidwell expanded campuses, there is more traffic in the area. Are these schools enforcing their commuting agreements? DC can make a boat load by putting police to give out tickets as people cut through the AU Park neighborhood in the mornings - and enforce the no turn onto 42nd!

Pssst...Sidwell hasn't expanded its campus yet and today was the first day even a decent percentage of the new GDS campus has been remotely utilized. IOW, any uptick in traffic you might be seeing has nothing to do with either of those schools.

There has been an "uptick" in traffic and you are right, it clearly is not Sidwell, yet. GDS has caused the traffic to increase. I know the parents there do not want to believe it, but it is true. If that beautiful new light would actually get turned ON that could possibly help? Please do not fool yourself and they neighborhood by pretending not to see the parents PARK their cars in the neighborhood and then "walk to school".

Yes, like the way they block both lanes of traffic on 42nd street in front of the school like it’s a private driveway and not a public road.

Which is especially ridiculous since the school petitioned DC to close the road and let them turn it into a private driveway, and the request was rejected.

The takeaway here should be that the DC schools and their parents rarely adhere to the traffic management plans they submit and agree to. And there's very little enforcement after the fact when it's violated.

GDS parents are on 42nd St since they are not allowed to use Chesapeake. Remember COVID, friends? Children are not vaccinated. GDS buses are running at less than half capacity, carpools with other families are not an option (no way to distance) and most people are not comfortable with their unvaccinated children taking public transport. So, yes, there are more cars than there would otherwise be since so families must now drive their kids.

42nd St southbound is 2 lanes to allow traffic to flow while cars wait in whatever pick up /car pool line there is. So it’s just entitled families who can’t figure out how to keep their car in one lane that is the problem.

42nd between Van Ness and Chesapeake is NOT two lanes going in each direction. One lane going in each direction with parked cars on either side which makes the road into one and a half lanes. No one is entitled here. We already have 12 schools and day care centers and a lot of people in giant SUVs who zoom around acting entitled when they drive their rich kids into a neighborhood they don't live in and don't care if it is unsafe for our kids but g-dforbid we drive like that in their posh neighborhoods

No! I am talking about 42nd st right from Wisconsin Ave in front of GDS.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Between GDS and Sidwell expanded campuses, there is more traffic in the area. Are these schools enforcing their commuting agreements? DC can make a boat load by putting police to give out tickets as people cut through the AU Park neighborhood in the mornings - and enforce the no turn onto 42nd!

Pssst...Sidwell hasn't expanded its campus yet and today was the first day even a decent percentage of the new GDS campus has been remotely utilized. IOW, any uptick in traffic you might be seeing has nothing to do with either of those schools.

There has been an "uptick" in traffic and you are right, it clearly is not Sidwell, yet. GDS has caused the traffic to increase. I know the parents there do not want to believe it, but it is true. If that beautiful new light would actually get turned ON that could possibly help? Please do not fool yourself and they neighborhood by pretending not to see the parents PARK their cars in the neighborhood and then "walk to school".

Yes, like the way they block both lanes of traffic on 42nd street in front of the school like it’s a private driveway and not a public road.

Which is especially ridiculous since the school petitioned DC to close the road and let them turn it into a private driveway, and the request was rejected.

The takeaway here should be that the DC schools and their parents rarely adhere to the traffic management plans they submit and agree to. And there's very little enforcement after the fact when it's violated.

GDS parents are on 42nd St since they are not allowed to use Chesapeake. Remember COVID, friends? Children are not vaccinated. GDS buses are running at less than half capacity, carpools with other families are not an option (no way to distance) and most people are not comfortable with their unvaccinated children taking public transport. So, yes, there are more cars than there would otherwise be since so families must now drive their kids.

42nd St southbound is 2 lanes to allow traffic to flow while cars wait in whatever pick up /car pool line there is. So it’s just entitled families who can’t figure out how to keep their car in one lane that is the problem.

42nd between Van Ness and Chesapeake is NOT two lanes going in each direction. One lane going in each direction with parked cars on either side which makes the road into one and a half lanes. No one is entitled here. We already have 12 schools and day care centers and a lot of people in giant SUVs who zoom around acting entitled when they drive their rich kids into a neighborhood they don't live in and don't care if it is unsafe for our kids but g-dforbid we drive like that in their posh neighborhoods

No! I am talking about 42nd st right from Wisconsin Ave in front of GDS.

42d is now northbound only from Wisconsin to Davenport where it switches to one lane north and one lane south which continues to Nebraska. Right by the potential new location of the River School as a matter of fact. That should be fun.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, one southbound lane only from Wisc to Davenport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very unfortunate that River School is playing these games. Looks like they are determined to jam themselves into the neighborhood regardless of any adverse impacts on the community.

Can anyone post of copy of the meeting presentation here? I heard it was recorded. I'd love to hear what was presented. Wasn't able to step away mid afternoon at 4pm to join this call - had to deal with work and kids!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Very unfortunate that River School is playing these games. Looks like they are determined to jam themselves into the neighborhood regardless of any adverse impacts on the community.

Can anyone post of copy of the meeting presentation here? I heard it was recorded. I'd love to hear what was presented. Wasn't able to step away mid afternoon at 4pm to join this call - had to deal with work and kids!

I want to see that. I could not join either. Who do we call at the River School to get it? I thought that was a park on that corner. or one of those strange city-owned utility places. I did not even know it was a house. Why would a school with little kids want to move to such a busy traffic corner? Was anyone from Sidwell, NPS or Janney at the meeting? I won't let my kids walk to Sidwell from our house because of them having to cross Nebraska. It is so dangerous every day when they go to and from school. I feel lame driving them but it is not safe in that area anymore. There is so much traffic there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it would be great if the neighborhood bought it and made a pocket park. How much are we talking here?

$10 million. Maybe even a community pool (there is already a pool and pool house) and recreation center could be made in the historic house that could be rented out for events?

[Anonymous]

^ With all the traffic slowness it will be safe to cross Nebraska!

(And there is a light/crosswalk at Van Ness.)

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:What building do they plan to use?

If it's an existing non-residential space, I don't see how the neighbor can complain. If you live in a city, you're going to interact with other people.

I wonder what will move into their current space.

The existing space is residential. The school is trying to get it flipped to commercial. Amazing school and mission! Think about it...if one school or business can come in and flip a lot from residential to commercial, what does that say about future residential lots???

and some of the bigger homes and embassy residences that are nearby. would set a terrible precedent.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:For anyone who is interested in River's actual plans rather than the fearmongering, here they are: https://anc3e.org/wp-content/uploads/River-School-Presentation-to-ANC3E-0210.pdf

Traffic is all off Nebraska with a large U-shaped drop-off entirely self-contained on their property, just like NPS across the street. The "health clinic" is the same as the one on their current campus and is a very small pediatric hearing clinic -- not exactly a heavy driver of traffic!

I mean, you said it yourself.

The health clinic at their current location is 1,200 square feet. the new one will be open to the public and nbc 9,300 square feet AND there is no parking proposed for the clinic on the property. Also, they will be adding a 20,000 square foot day care center there as well. that is not what they have in their current location. Read the documents submitted by the school. They are expanding into a residential area with a commercial clinic and a massive day care center as well as a huge new school with more kids than NPS.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The want to expand the school to 350 kids (expanding to add through sixth grade), day care center and health clinic open to the public. The issue in the neighborhood is not the mission of the school it is that there are already 12+ schools, the department of homeland security and the new buildings at the old Fannie Mae site that are already causing huge amounts of traffic in an area that already has dangerous traffic. They are under contract to purchase TTR old Buchanan estate which is on the corner of Nebraska, 42nd and Van Ness. With 350 kids, 90 faculty, many more staff, patients to the clinic, families of the infants and staff at the health clinic that will add more than 500 cars to the residential part of tenleytown.

Thanks for the NIMBY fear-mongering.

It would be a great addition to the neighborhood, more families would have more walkable and bikable options for their kids.

Yeah, rich people. Why not send your kids to the walkable awesome public schools already in the area or help find new locations for public schools in the district to reduce overcrowding so people who can't afford private schools have the same opportunities and that we all pay massive amounts of taxes to support?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:A neighbor who backs up to the property that River is looking into wants to stop it and has blanketed the neighborhood with the signs.

I am all for River getting a different location if it enables them to better serve their mission.

Said by someone next directly affected. I have no dog in the fight and love the school mission but also understand that schools keep popping up right in the middle of residential housing and it is not ideal.

This is on the edge of residential housing and more associated with the AU Law School and the Wisconsin Ave Corridor.

Paraphrase the zoning as much as you would like with your edge of residential housing and more associated with the AU Law School and the Wisconsin Ave Corridor. It is a residential lot that the River School is trying to get special exemption for and change into commercial use. There are houses ALL around the site because it is a RESIDENTIAL AREA. Wisconsin Avenue Corridor.....that is laughable.

Public schools are usually in residential areas. Not sure why a private also shouldn’t be in a residential area.

No one is saying private schools should not be in a residential area. What people are saying is that there are ALEADY more than 12 schools including some great private schools, day care centers and nursery schools in the area River School wants to move to.

[Anonymous]

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Class plays. Musical performances. Parent volunteers. Parent-teacher conferences. Lots of things happen during the schoolday that will bring even more cars into the area/on campus and looking for places to park.

And these happen every day? No. PTCs are occasional, and easily staggered. Class plays are one class - they don't have every child in a play at the same time - it's, what, 30 kids max?

Having some parents visit campus during the day, and parking on Nebraska (where much of the parking is unused) is not 300 parents all at once. And 300 parents all at once happens for two brief periods - in the morning and the afternoon.

You clearly do not live in the neighborhood and see Nebraska during the day. There isn't a space to be had because they are taken by MD and VA cars already.

I drive on Nebraska regularly during the day, and have for years, and rarely are any spots taken except for a few close to Wisconsin Ave.

With all due respect, that is not accurate. Drive by right now- I got out and counter. There are 33 cars all from Virginia and Maryland, except one from DC, that are parked around the triangle park on Nebraska in front of the 4220 property. And it is like this every day. Every. Single. Day. and when homeland security people go back to work all of the spaces are also filled with DHS peoples cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think River School is feeling pressured as other schools like Sidwell and GDS have recently acquired property and expanded. River School’s crappy building is holding it back.

probably. but their jealousy or feelings of inadequacy does not mean that they need to move closer to become neighbors to Sidwell and GDS. Being closer to better schools will not make River a more prestigious school. They should find a neighborhood where they can stand out and help the community instead of jamming up somewhere just to be a wanna be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Between GDS and Sidwell expanded campuses, there is more traffic in the area. Are these schools enforcing their commuting agreements? DC can make a boat load by putting police to give out tickets as people cut through the AU Park neighborhood in the mornings - and enforce the no turn onto 42nd!

Pssst...Sidwell hasn't expanded its campus yet and today was the first day even a decent percentage of the new GDS campus has been remotely utilized. IOW, any uptick in traffic you might be seeing has nothing to do with either of those schools.

There has been an "uptick" in traffic and you are right, it clearly is not Sidwell, yet. GDS has caused the traffic to increase. I know the parents there do not want to believe it, but it is true. If that beautiful new light would actually get turned ON that could possibly help? Please do not fool yourself and they neighborhood by pretending not to see the parents PARK their cars in the neighborhood and then "walk to school".

Yes, like the way they block both lanes of traffic on 42nd street in front of the school like it’s a private driveway and not a public road.

Which is especially ridiculous since the school petitioned DC to close the road and let them turn it into a private driveway, and the request was rejected.

The takeaway here should be that the DC schools and their parents rarely adhere to the traffic management plans they submit and agree to. And there's very little enforcement after the fact when it's violated.

GDS parents are on 42nd St since they are not allowed to use Chesapeake. Remember COVID, friends? Children are not vaccinated. GDS buses are running at less than half capacity, carpools with other families are not an option (no way to distance) and most people are not comfortable with their unvaccinated children taking public transport. So, yes, there are more cars than there would otherwise be since so families must now drive their kids.

Hey, buddy. Thought the uptick in traffic was not due to GDS, but now it is? Thanks for the passive aggressive reminder on COVID. Just because WE ARE ALL DEALING THIS PANDEMIC doesn't mean WE ALL don't have to follow the rules. Your parents are not suppose to be parking and dropping off in the neighborhood and walking, but they do. Your parents are not following the TMP. Your parents are not following the agreement between the ANC 3E and the school. None of this has to do with COVID. Yes, we all want our children to be safe because they are not vaccinated yet (please, I hope this changes soon!). More cars because of this can make sense during this horrible time for all, but you still need to follow the rules are park and drive where you AGREED to be.

Please ask your school or whoever at DC government to turn on the traffic light.

Also, if parents from your school are going to park all over the neighborhood and then say that they are not.......maybe they should take the GDS magnets and stickers off of their cars.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I think River School is feeling pressured as other schools like Sidwell and GDS have recently acquired property and expanded. River School’s crappy building is holding it back.

Suppose to feel bad because the really wonderful private school is having a hard time keeping up with the Joneses??? It wants to push its way it to a residential neighborhood (its first attempt since its other three attempts at commercial sites didn't work out), so lets just totally disrupt people's way of living and AGING IN PLACE so they can keep up and release the "pressure". Just kill me now why don't you.

geez, that’s a bit hysterical. you don’t own the streets - nobody does. anti-school nimbyism based on parking is just another level. as the mom of a SN kid who couldn’t consider River due to its location, I think it’s great it is trying to find a more centrally accessible location to expand to.

What is hysterical is you throwing around NIMBYism and acting like parking and local safety are not a concern. They are a MAJOR concern for those of us that have lived here for over 25+ years and have raised our own kids and now grandkids on these streets. Not having adequate parking for the hundreds of cars that will be coming into the area and adding to the congestion due to the River School's lack of planning and communication is a problem. How you handle your families needs is on you. Are you suddenly going to take the metro or bus with your kid now that the school is considering this centrally accessible location and it wants to expand? This is a residential lot they are trying to get special exception for; this is a private school that is coming from Ward 3 moving to Ward 3. Do not fool yourself.
Where did you end up sending your kid that was better located and did you use public transportation?

DP...you are hysterical. None of these nightmare scenarios ever come to fruition. They said the same thing when GDS opened its high school, when NCRC expanded, when Sidwell did its renovation, etc. We live in a city, the streets do not belong only to you.

Wanting safer streets for all those in the neighborhood and for those that walk, bike and travel on them daily means I am claiming ownership over them? Wanting safer streets is NEVER wrong. Maybe you should want them too, if not for yourself or your own family then for others. Maybe you should try and explain why safer streets are not needed to the poor young man's family who just got tragically struck and killed on Mass Ave. while riding his bike TO DINNER. Safer intersections and roadways are a must. There is no plan for the cars and congestion associated with this school moving here.

So in your world, this is a mess because there will be more traffic, but more traffic means slower streets, which is actually safer. So which is it?

And if the streets aren't safe, that is a design issue, and I fully agree, DDOT should make them safer.

that is laughable. you think DDOT will come in and make things safer? the slow streets initiative has been a disaster and made those streets like a massive Frogger game for pedestrians trying to avoid speeding weaving cars during back and forth to avoid the gates. Or the ridiculous mini circles they put around town that cars drive the wrong way around because of how annoying they are which then endangers pedestrians and bikers who assume drivers will be smart. Yeah, those are really helpful. Yeah, lets ask DDOT for help on this????? Not.