Murch renovation

[Anonymous]

For those who were able to attend : How was the community meeting this week? Do they have a plan for swing space?

[Anonymous]

Well it started with the guy from GSA referring to Murch as Lafayette.

There are a lot of unanswered questions about design, swing space, use of NPS land, etc.

The city still has to do a lot of work. They ended with saying there would be another meeting "soon."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well it started with the guy from GSA referring to Murch as Lafayette.

There are a lot of unanswered questions about design, swing space, use of NPS land, etc.

The city still has to do a lot of work. They ended with saying there would be another meeting "soon."

That doesn't sound promising! what is the timeline again?

[Anonymous]

The timeline is that they start the remodeling the day after school ends next year, so June 2016 and it will take 18 - 24 months from that point. Any changes to the proposed design that would require approval from the Historical Preservation Review Board would add another 9 - 12 months to secure and would bring the schedule to a halt (likely losing all the funding in the process.)

The GSA guy was so good at the last meeting and he was certainly off at this one.

This meeting was an opportunity for people to comment on the plans that they sent around. Comments focused on playground space and why they didn't dig down or up. The architects are supposed to take all these comments and go back to the plans and try and incorporate them to be presented at the next meeting.

What they will hopefully also bring back are responses with costs attached so people can make informed decisions..."oh, so it will cost $15 million dollars to add a third floor, in that case lets have/not have a third floor"

The part that amazed me were the people from the neighborhood who want to delay the remodel for years because they don't feel that the neighbors have been informed or made aware of the renovations. They were SHOCKED to find out that a renovation was being planned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The timeline is that they start the remodeling the day after school ends next year, so June 2016 and it will take 18 - 24 months from that point. Any changes to the proposed design that would require approval from the Historical Preservation Review Board would add another 9 - 12 months to secure and would bring the schedule to a halt (likely losing all the funding in the process.)

The GSA guy was so good at the last meeting and he was certainly off at this one.

This meeting was an opportunity for people to comment on the plans that they sent around. Comments focused on playground space and why they didn't dig down or up. The architects are supposed to take all these comments and go back to the plans and try and incorporate them to be presented at the next meeting.

What they will hopefully also bring back are responses with costs attached so people can make informed decisions..."oh, so it will cost $15 million dollars to add a third floor, in that case lets have/not have a third floor"

The part that amazed me were the people from the neighborhood who want to delay the remodel for years because they don't feel that the neighbors have been informed or made aware of the renovations. They were SHOCKED to find out that a renovation was being planned.

And this will impact them how??? The neighbors that is. Insanity!!! I really hope they keep the plan to start renovating in June. This has gone on long enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The timeline is that they start the remodeling the day after school ends next year, so June 2016 and it will take 18 - 24 months from that point. Any changes to the proposed design that would require approval from the Historical Preservation Review Board would add another 9 - 12 months to secure and would bring the schedule to a halt (likely losing all the funding in the process.)

The GSA guy was so good at the last meeting and he was certainly off at this one.

This meeting was an opportunity for people to comment on the plans that they sent around. Comments focused on playground space and why they didn't dig down or up. The architects are supposed to take all these comments and go back to the plans and try and incorporate them to be presented at the next meeting.

What they will hopefully also bring back are responses with costs attached so people can make informed decisions..."oh, so it will cost $15 million dollars to add a third floor, in that case lets have/not have a third floor"

The part that amazed me were the people from the neighborhood who want to delay the remodel for years because they don't feel that the neighbors have been informed or made aware of the renovations. They were SHOCKED to find out that a renovation was being planned.

I wish that shocked me. In my neighborhood, neighbors ALWAYS say this even when they've known about renovations for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The timeline is that they start the remodeling the day after school ends next year, so June 2016 and it will take 18 - 24 months from that point. Any changes to the proposed design that would require approval from the Historical Preservation Review Board would add another 9 - 12 months to secure and would bring the schedule to a halt (likely losing all the funding in the process.)

The GSA guy was so good at the last meeting and he was certainly off at this one.

This meeting was an opportunity for people to comment on the plans that they sent around. Comments focused on playground space and why they didn't dig down or up. The architects are supposed to take all these comments and go back to the plans and try and incorporate them to be presented at the next meeting.

What they will hopefully also bring back are responses with costs attached so people can make informed decisions..."oh, so it will cost $15 million dollars to add a third floor, in that case lets have/not have a third floor"

The part that amazed me were the people from the neighborhood who want to delay the remodel for years because they don't feel that the neighbors have been informed or made aware of the renovations. They were SHOCKED to find out that a renovation was being planned.

Random question: did you mean DGS (District government landholder and construction manager) guy and not GSA (federal government landholder and construction manager)? Or is there some federal component to the renovation? Serious question because the Feds have control over a lot of DC land that really isn't of a Federal scope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The timeline is that they start the remodeling the day after school ends next year, so June 2016 and it will take 18 - 24 months from that point. Any changes to the proposed design that would require approval from the Historical Preservation Review Board would add another 9 - 12 months to secure and would bring the schedule to a halt (likely losing all the funding in the process.)

The GSA guy was so good at the last meeting and he was certainly off at this one.

This meeting was an opportunity for people to comment on the plans that they sent around. Comments focused on playground space and why they didn't dig down or up. The architects are supposed to take all these comments and go back to the plans and try and incorporate them to be presented at the next meeting.

What they will hopefully also bring back are responses with costs attached so people can make informed decisions..."oh, so it will cost $15 million dollars to add a third floor, in that case lets have/not have a third floor"

The part that amazed me were the people from the neighborhood who want to delay the remodel for years because they don't feel that the neighbors have been informed or made aware of the renovations. They were SHOCKED to find out that a renovation was being planned.

Random question: did you mean DGS (District government landholder and construction manager) guy and not GSA (federal government landholder and construction manager)? Or is there some federal component to the renovation? Serious question because the Feds have control over a lot of DC land that really isn't of a Federal scope.

NP here. DGS, not GSA. And, to clarify, it was a different DGS guy from last time. And, yes, he wasn't as good at leading/managing the converrsation as the last guy was.

[Anonymous]

Also, there is a federal component, since part of Murch grounds are NPS land. But there was no fed representation at this meeting. DGS negotiates with NPS over land use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The timeline is that they start the remodeling the day after school ends next year, so June 2016 and it will take 18 - 24 months from that point. Any changes to the proposed design that would require approval from the Historical Preservation Review Board would add another 9 - 12 months to secure and would bring the schedule to a halt (likely losing all the funding in the process.)

The GSA guy was so good at the last meeting and he was certainly off at this one.

This meeting was an opportunity for people to comment on the plans that they sent around. Comments focused on playground space and why they didn't dig down or up. The architects are supposed to take all these comments and go back to the plans and try and incorporate them to be presented at the next meeting.

What they will hopefully also bring back are responses with costs attached so people can make informed decisions..."oh, so it will cost $15 million dollars to add a third floor, in that case lets have/not have a third floor"

The part that amazed me were the people from the neighborhood who want to delay the remodel for years because they don't feel that the neighbors have been informed or made aware of the renovations. They were SHOCKED to find out that a renovation was being planned.

Random question: did you mean DGS (District government landholder and construction manager) guy and not GSA (federal government landholder and construction manager)? Or is there some federal component to the renovation? Serious question because the Feds have control over a lot of DC land that really isn't of a Federal scope.

NP here. DGS, not GSA. And, to clarify, it was a different DGS guy from last time. And, yes, he wasn't as good at leading/managing the converrsation as the last guy was.

NP here. Was it Kenneth Diggs? I thought he was awesome when they presented at Lafayette.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, there is a federal component, since part of Murch grounds are NPS land. But there was no fed representation at this meeting. DGS negotiates with NPS over land use.

Thanks for the clarification. Things get complicated fast in DC with all the different agencies that can be involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The timeline is that they start the remodeling the day after school ends next year, so June 2016 and it will take 18 - 24 months from that point. Any changes to the proposed design that would require approval from the Historical Preservation Review Board would add another 9 - 12 months to secure and would bring the schedule to a halt (likely losing all the funding in the process.)

The GSA guy was so good at the last meeting and he was certainly off at this one.

This meeting was an opportunity for people to comment on the plans that they sent around. Comments focused on playground space and why they didn't dig down or up. The architects are supposed to take all these comments and go back to the plans and try and incorporate them to be presented at the next meeting.

What they will hopefully also bring back are responses with costs attached so people can make informed decisions..."oh, so it will cost $15 million dollars to add a third floor, in that case lets have/not have a third floor"

The part that amazed me were the people from the neighborhood who want to delay the remodel for years because they don't feel that the neighbors have been informed or made aware of the renovations. They were SHOCKED to find out that a renovation was being planned.

Random question: did you mean DGS (District government landholder and construction manager) guy and not GSA (federal government landholder and construction manager)? Or is there some federal component to the renovation? Serious question because the Feds have control over a lot of DC land that really isn't of a Federal scope.

NP here. DGS, not GSA. And, to clarify, it was a different DGS guy from last time. And, yes, he wasn't as good at leading/managing the converrsation as the last guy was.

NP here. Was it Kenneth Diggs? I thought he was awesome when they presented at Lafayette.

No, Diggs was not present.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The timeline is that they start the remodeling the day after school ends next year, so June 2016 and it will take 18 - 24 months from that point. Any changes to the proposed design that would require approval from the Historical Preservation Review Board would add another 9 - 12 months to secure and would bring the schedule to a halt (likely losing all the funding in the process.)

The GSA guy was so good at the last meeting and he was certainly off at this one.

This meeting was an opportunity for people to comment on the plans that they sent around. Comments focused on playground space and why they didn't dig down or up. The architects are supposed to take all these comments and go back to the plans and try and incorporate them to be presented at the next meeting.

What they will hopefully also bring back are responses with costs attached so people can make informed decisions..."oh, so it will cost $15 million dollars to add a third floor, in that case lets have/not have a third floor"

The part that amazed me were the people from the neighborhood who want to delay the remodel for years because they don't feel that the neighbors have been informed or made aware of the renovations. They were SHOCKED to find out that a renovation was being planned.

And this will impact them how??? The neighbors that is. Insanity!!! I really hope they keep the plan to start renovating in June. This has gone on long enough.

You're joking right?

[Anonymous]

Neighbors in every school renovation, probably every construction project, always make a big stink. All depends on how organized they are whether they can slow things down or push for major changes.

[Anonymous]

Murch has many hurdles with the park issues and the neighbors both likely to slow the progress. At least dcps seems on board!