This isn't in a historic district:

http://dcist.com/2013/03/v_street_pop-up_is_a_big_middle_fin.php

Is there one like this that is?

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so much effort on HPRB. Where I went to college, being a double-major meant you satisfied the credits for both majors. I am not sure where 18:57 gets that it is only 1/2?

18:57 also brought up the Secretary of Interior Standards. Clearly these folks have the qualifications necessary to serve the city. Maybe they should ask the Historic Preservation Office for the justifications if these folks aren't qualified.

You keep responding with untruths. The current HPRB does NOT meet Dept of Interior standards. In fact, they have had their funding cut as a result because their membership is lacking the following required professional representations on the board to review histori cpreservation cases:
1) a Masters prepared historian, who is published and regarded as an expert in related history ( for teh District that woyld be 1700-earlt 20th century
2) an Historical presrervation Engineer, with a Masters i Engineering
3) An anthropologist ( masters prepared)
4) A Landscape Historian

Yes, the HPRB needs to have at least 1 architect, but not 6/9 of the seats and , no, the Dept of Interior guidelines definitely do NOT say that an Urban planner can serve as the sole " historian". And no partial credits as an undergrad do not qualify one to call themselves a "historian" . You need a PhD for that and you need to be published

The current HPRB aren't magnanimously volunteering of their time. They still work full time for all the big architecture fims building in town in their day jobs and , yes, they follow their orders on what to approve ( they approve EVERYTHING these days, but if you live in a historic district they dont give a damn what hideous pop up gets built or if someone builds a "bay window" on all 3 stories of new construction sticking out into the public space and then fiils hat "bay" with a bedroom in the public space or even a bathroom, nearly on the sidewalk. Or a pop up sticking up like a middle finger right in the center of a block. No, all they care about is that building permits be issued cha ching

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Michelle Rhee- that's why Fenty lost.

What you meant to write was:

The teachers union - who detested Rhee and her effort to give our children an adequate education - cost Fenty the election.

The teachers union serves the interests of teachers but NOT the interests of our children. The union protects the worst teachers at the cost of our kids' education.

It is interesting how Rhee supporters and the WTU have a mutual interest in perpetuating this myth. At last night's mayoral debate -- sponsored by the WTU -- Gray was lambasted as bad as Fenty ever was. According to your logic, Gray must be toast. The WTU will just pull its strings and tens of thousands of voters will do its bidding.

Anonymous wrote:Michelle Rhee- that's why Fenty lost.

What you meant to write was:

The teachers union - who detested Rhee and her effort to give our children an adequate education - cost Fenty the election.

The teachers union serves the interests of teachers but NOT the interests of our children. The union protects the worst teachers at the cost of our kids' education.

Wow, so much effort on HPRB. Where I went to college, being a double-major meant you satisfied the credits for both majors. I am not sure where 18:57 gets that it is only 1/2?

18:57 also brought up the Secretary of Interior Standards. Clearly these folks have the qualifications necessary to serve the city. Maybe they should ask the Historic Preservation Office for the justifications if these folks aren't qualified.

April 1, 2011
The Honorable Vincent Gray
Mayor of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004

Re: Historic Preservation Review Board Determinations

Dear Mayor Gray:


The D.C. Building Industry Association (DCBIA) is an organization comprised of over
400 member companies representing a broad spectrum of real estate and building industry
disciplines in the District of Columbia. Many of our members have development projects that
come before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB). The HPRB is an important D.C.
Government entity in the local development process, and it is to everyone's benefit that the
HPRB membership is comprised of individuals who possess both the credentials and the
practical experience necessary to make informed decisions on historic preservation development
projects of every size and level of complexity.

We understand that the terms of HPRB members Elinor Bacon, Maria Casarella, James
Kane and Tersh Boasberg have expired. DCBIA recommends that both Elinor Bacon and Maria
Casarella be appointed to new three-year terms. We believe that these individuals have served
with distinction, and that their qualifications and experience have allowed them to provide
valuable input to applicants who have come before the HPRB.

#10126047_v1
DCBIA also supports the nomination of Graham Davidson of Hartman Cox Architects to
fill the position being vacated by Mr. Boasberg. While Mr. Boasberg served as a public citizen
member of the HPRB, Mr. Davidson is a resident of the District and can serve in that position as
well. Mr. Davidson is also an architect who has extensive professional experience in the historic
preservation arena. Mr. Davidson is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and has
handled a number of large projects both in the District of Columbia and elsewhere. We believe
that it is important to have strong architectural representation on the HPRB in the coming years,
particularly as the number of larger and more complex historic preservation development
projects come before the HPRB.

We also support the nomination of Gretchen Pfaehler to fill the Historian position being
vacated by Mr. Kane. Ms. Pfaehler has impeccable credentials which satisfy the criteria as a
Historian, as well as several other professional disciplines. She has many years of practical
experience as a preservation architect, and will bring to the HPRB a keen understanding of the
level of technical detail necessary for a complete review and understanding of even the most
complex projects that come before the HPRB. Ms. Pfaehler has served on the historic
preservation boards of several other jurisdictions, and therefore has an understanding of the
review process and will be ready to serve as soon as her appointment takes effect.
We thank you for your consideration, and your favorable action on these
recommendations.

Anonymous wrote:Pfaehler and Aurbach both qualify as historians, a quick Google search shows Aurbach was appointed by Fenty and reappointed by Grey.

Davison, Caseralla, Taylor, Pfaehler and Ally are all architects.

Sonderman is an archeologist.

Metzger and Wilson are both longtime citizen activists in preservation.

This actually seems like one of the better boards in the short history of the city. Also, there was a chair between Boasberg and Pfaehler, Catherine Buell, who was tabbed by the Grey administration to run St. Elizabeth's.

I think we should all be happy there are people willing to volunteer their time for this sort of thing.

LOL, you are ascribing the term "historian" to Aurbach. Did you even READ his profile ?? He doesn't even have a bachelors degree in history lets' see 30 credits as an undergrad, that means lets see American History 101 / 5 credits, " ummm 25 more and I get to say I'm a historian". Come on ! He was a journalism major and his masters is in Urban planning. He isn't qualified to be on the HPRB. Go to a hearing , he doesn't ask a single question, just sits there and smirks…. Phaeler doesn't have a Masters in History, she is an architect and is lead consul for Baker International which has building contracts all over DC, so its a conflict of interest for her to even be on the HPRB, but its chair, now that is an obvious red flag.

Is someoen with 30 undergrad credits in history the best the Nations Capital can do for "historian" ? Geez, teh Smithsonian has enough furloughed PhDs to staff the HPRB for decades if they wanted real preservation professionals.

Yes, the otehrs are all architects, and that voiolates the Dept of INterior charter for the HPRB, which list one architect, NOT 6/9 of the seats.

But Gray and the cronies at OP want development money, so they have fixed the HPRB

Metzger is the only member with any history of defending historic preservation, but as the DC Builders Assoc can oppose her renomination, she can be cowed.

Ultimately, this HPRB takes its orders from the development community, just look at the garbage they are approving all over the city. Its a Builders review board, not a historic review board.

Pfaehler and Aurbach both qualify as historians, a quick Google search shows Aurbach was appointed by Fenty and reappointed by Grey.

Davison, Caseralla, Taylor, Pfaehler and Ally are all architects.

Sonderman is an archeologist.

Metzger and Wilson are both longtime citizen activists in preservation.

This actually seems like one of the better boards in the short history of the city. Also, there was a chair between Boasberg and Pfaehler, Catherine Buell, who was tabbed by the Grey administration to run St. Elizabeth's.

I think we should all be happy there are people willing to volunteer their time for this sort of thing.

Anonymous wrote:

This kind of corruption is why Congress will never grant DC statehood.

Yes, of course you're right. If only we eliminated corruption in ther local historical preservation board, Republicans across the country would happily give two Senate seats and one house seat to DC, with its 80%+ Democratic majority.

How fucking clueless and myopic can you be?

Oh, they aren't myopic, they see all too clearly. If Jesus Christ ran the District of Columbia, they would deny it statehood due to separation of Church and State.

This kind of corruption is why Congress will never grant DC statehood.

Yes, of course you're right. If only we eliminated corruption in ther local historical preservation board, Republicans across the country would happily give two Senate seats and one house seat to DC, with its 80%+ Democratic majority.

How fucking clueless and myopic can you be?