Macklin Development

[Anonymous]

Well, I supported closing the service lane and I still think the design is horrible. It even has an exit ramp. The design is inferior because the ANC convinced DDOT to change course AFTER it had been rebuilt as a shared space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, I supported closing the service lane and I still think the design is horrible. It even has an exit ramp. The design is inferior because the ANC convinced DDOT to change course AFTER it had been rebuilt as a shared space.

What exactly do you mean? How would the “shared space” have been better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The recent heat wave shows how poorly this was designed and implemented. I drove by yesterday at noon, and here were two people on the Promenade.

“The Promenade” is such a comically pretentious name for what looks like a concrete fire lane. Where are the trees? Where are the benches? Where is the good urban design? How appropriate that the ANC brats posed giving their middle finger to the businesses there.

You're blaming the ANC for something that a bunch of car brained idiots were actually the fault of. You can't argue that the service lane remain a service lane, writing opeds in the Post about how all hell will come to bear if the service lane is taken away, and then act surprised when the result is an inferior solution.

You idiot nimbys. Blocking every freaking project and making them all so much more difficult to get done. And then complaining at the end about how the project wasn't great.

+1000. The amount of time and money fighting NIMBYs palpably drains resources that could have been used to improve the project. If not for the NIMBYs, maybe the DDOT design process could have included consideration of a new pocket park. In any event, now that the main battle has been won (completely closing it to cars) future improvements can be made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I supported closing the service lane and I still think the design is horrible. It even has an exit ramp. The design is inferior because the ANC convinced DDOT to change course AFTER it had been rebuilt as a shared space.

What exactly do you mean? How would the “shared space” have been better?

I'm just saying it was designed as shared space, and DDOT changed course immediately after the service lane was rebuilt.

[Anonymous]

A few restaurants have gotten permits for cafes, but there is still no planning for truly public space (i.e. tables and benches that do not require a restaurant purchase).

[Anonymous]

Nobody is using it now. I wonder if the businesses have noticed the slowdown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I supported closing the service lane and I still think the design is horrible. It even has an exit ramp. The design is inferior because the ANC convinced DDOT to change course AFTER it had been rebuilt as a shared space.

What exactly do you mean? How would the “shared space” have been better?

I'm just saying it was designed as shared space, and DDOT changed course immediately after the service lane was rebuilt.

"shared space" - you mean "shared" with cars? lol. please explain how that's better than what is there now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody is using it now. I wonder if the businesses have noticed the slowdown.

It's literally 97 degrees out this week. I doubt anyone is using much public space. That said, I'm sure a spray park could be a consideration if there's space. You should go talk to your ANC about it. Eastern Market Plaza got a nice little spray park a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The recent heat wave shows how poorly this was designed and implemented. I drove by yesterday at noon, and here were two people on the Promenade.

“The Promenade” is such a comically pretentious name for what looks like a concrete fire lane. Where are the trees? Where are the benches? Where is the good urban design? How appropriate that the ANC brats posed giving their middle finger to the businesses there.

You're blaming the ANC for something that a bunch of car brained idiots were actually the fault of. You can't argue that the service lane remain a service lane, writing opeds in the Post about how all hell will come to bear if the service lane is taken away, and then act surprised when the result is an inferior solution.

You idiot nimbys. Blocking every freaking project and making them all so much more difficult to get done. And then complaining at the end about how the project wasn't great.

+1000. The amount of time and money fighting NIMBYs palpably drains resources that could have been used to improve the project. If not for the NIMBYs, maybe the DDOT design process could have included consideration of a new pocket park. In any event, now that the main battle has been won (completely closing it to cars) future improvements can be made.

So, how about it Councilmember Frumin: Where is the special appropriation to add more trees, replace the concrete with real pavers, add benches and a pocket park? You found the money to rip out the shared space design. Now finish the job!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody is using it now. I wonder if the businesses have noticed the slowdown.

It's literally 97 degrees out this week. I doubt anyone is using much public space. That said, I'm sure a spray park could be a consideration if there's space. You should go talk to your ANC about it. Eastern Market Plaza got a nice little spray park a few years ago.

No one is going to let their kids in a spray park with a bunch of addicts and street derelicts hanging about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The amount of time Cleveland Park has been under construction is mind boggling.

When NIMBYs delay projects, that is what happens. so much of everything could have been completed years ago.

The Macklin developer stiffs his contractors on construction payments and the D.C. government on taxes. And that’s the NiMBYs’ fault?!? That sounds so Trumpy in so many ways.

So when's the Macklin tax sale? Any chance that a real and reputable developer will assume the liabilities and complete the project?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody is using it now. I wonder if the businesses have noticed the slowdown.

It's literally 97 degrees out this week. I doubt anyone is using much public space. That said, I'm sure a spray park could be a consideration if there's space. You should go talk to your ANC about it. Eastern Market Plaza got a nice little spray park a few years ago.

No one is going to let their kids in a spray park with a bunch of addicts and street derelicts hanging about.

That’s right, zero kids go to playgrounds and sprayparks 🤡

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The amount of time Cleveland Park has been under construction is mind boggling.

When NIMBYs delay projects, that is what happens. so much of everything could have been completed years ago.

“The Promenade” is a total joke, a heat island that cost millions of dollars of taxpayer money with barely any trees, plants or seating. The ANC rep that the hope is that bars and businesses will provide seats and water flowers.

Yeah.. all that white concrete creates so much more heat than the black asphalt there used to... oh wait..

Somehow it does seem to. It is hotter than it was. Probably because it's nothing but an open expanse of concrete. FFS at least put some lampposts or planters on it. It's useless wasted space at the moment. What is it supposed to accomplish? It has no raison d'etre.

It was an open expanse of concrete before as well.

I get that you hate parking and are trying to hype this thing but gimme a break. It's pointless at the moment and a net negative. Maybe things will change after the vacuum cleaner and frame store get pushed out.

The ANC is working on it. Didn’t several ANC commissioners pose for a photo while giving the finger to these local businesses?

They won’t stop until it’s all chain stores. That’s their “vibrant“ goal.

The Smart-Aleck Growth group has grown tiresome and ridiculous.

The old CP civic community group people that had a pause button smashed on CP from 1975 to like 3 years ago is way freaking worse.

The quality of life in CP went over a cliff about three years ago.

2017 was when the Smart Growthers sounded the alarm that the neighborhood was struggling to keep businesses. Remember that roundtable Cheh hosted? The CP Business Association asked for a FLUM amendment to allow for taller buildings because the lack of people on the east side of Connecticut (due to the Park) and the low density of the west side beyond Connecticut proper (not just due to aging empty nesters) hurt. It is hard to compete commercially with more dense corridors and we all know there aren't enough commuters stopping by to sustain any businesses.

The ANC before this one passed a number of commonsense ideas to help local businesses maybe a week or two before those immature commissioners flicked off the sign. To my knowledge, there has been no follow through on those ideas.

My big complaint about this ANC is the lack of follow through on anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The amount of time Cleveland Park has been under construction is mind boggling.

When NIMBYs delay projects, that is what happens. so much of everything could have been completed years ago.

“The Promenade” is a total joke, a heat island that cost millions of dollars of taxpayer money with barely any trees, plants or seating. The ANC rep that the hope is that bars and businesses will provide seats and water flowers.

Yeah.. all that white concrete creates so much more heat than the black asphalt there used to... oh wait..

Somehow it does seem to. It is hotter than it was. Probably because it's nothing but an open expanse of concrete. FFS at least put some lampposts or planters on it. It's useless wasted space at the moment. What is it supposed to accomplish? It has no raison d'etre.

It was an open expanse of concrete before as well.

I get that you hate parking and are trying to hype this thing but gimme a break. It's pointless at the moment and a net negative. Maybe things will change after the vacuum cleaner and frame store get pushed out.

The ANC is working on it. Didn’t several ANC commissioners pose for a photo while giving the finger to these local businesses?

They won’t stop until it’s all chain stores. That’s their “vibrant“ goal.

The Smart-Aleck Growth group has grown tiresome and ridiculous.

The old CP civic community group people that had a pause button smashed on CP from 1975 to like 3 years ago is way freaking worse.

The quality of life in CP went over a cliff about three years ago.

2017 was when the Smart Growthers sounded the alarm that the neighborhood was struggling to keep businesses. Remember that roundtable Cheh hosted? The CP Business Association asked for a FLUM amendment to allow for taller buildings because the lack of people on the east side of Connecticut (due to the Park) and the low density of the west side beyond Connecticut proper (not just due to aging empty nesters) hurt. It is hard to compete commercially with more dense corridors and we all know there aren't enough commuters stopping by to sustain any businesses.

The ANC before this one passed a number of commonsense ideas to help local businesses maybe a week or two before those immature commissioners flicked off the sign. To my knowledge, there has been no follow through on those ideas.

My big complaint about this ANC is the lack of follow through on anything.

Such as?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The amount of time Cleveland Park has been under construction is mind boggling.

When NIMBYs delay projects, that is what happens. so much of everything could have been completed years ago.

“The Promenade” is a total joke, a heat island that cost millions of dollars of taxpayer money with barely any trees, plants or seating. The ANC rep that the hope is that bars and businesses will provide seats and water flowers.

Yeah.. all that white concrete creates so much more heat than the black asphalt there used to... oh wait..

Somehow it does seem to. It is hotter than it was. Probably because it's nothing but an open expanse of concrete. FFS at least put some lampposts or planters on it. It's useless wasted space at the moment. What is it supposed to accomplish? It has no raison d'etre.

It was an open expanse of concrete before as well.

I get that you hate parking and are trying to hype this thing but gimme a break. It's pointless at the moment and a net negative. Maybe things will change after the vacuum cleaner and frame store get pushed out.

The ANC is working on it. Didn’t several ANC commissioners pose for a photo while giving the finger to these local businesses?

They won’t stop until it’s all chain stores. That’s their “vibrant“ goal.

The Smart-Aleck Growth group has grown tiresome and ridiculous.

The old CP civic community group people that had a pause button smashed on CP from 1975 to like 3 years ago is way freaking worse.

The quality of life in CP went over a cliff about three years ago.

2017 was when the Smart Growthers sounded the alarm that the neighborhood was struggling to keep businesses. Remember that roundtable Cheh hosted? The CP Business Association asked for a FLUM amendment to allow for taller buildings because the lack of people on the east side of Connecticut (due to the Park) and the low density of the west side beyond Connecticut proper (not just due to aging empty nesters) hurt. It is hard to compete commercially with more dense corridors and we all know there aren't enough commuters stopping by to sustain any businesses.

The ANC before this one passed a number of commonsense ideas to help local businesses maybe a week or two before those immature commissioners flicked off the sign. To my knowledge, there has been no follow through on those ideas.

My big complaint about this ANC is the lack of follow through on anything.

Such as?

Such as the effort to reopen the Uptown. The ANC commissioner for the area is mute on plans, over a year after a tenant was supposed to take the theater over. The Uptown is the centrepiece of Connecticut Ave.