?

Ellen,

I respect your right to endorse whomever you choose, and agree with your characterization of Steve as a decent man. ?My sense is that folks are weary of back-and-forth political e-mails, so rather than add too much to that, I'll direct people to?, where I have a detailed post on Hine, as well as the full text of our Memorandum of Agreement and Construction Management Agreement.

I do, however, need to correct a few mistakes in your e-mail, and add just a little context here:

??1. ?Building Changes?- We influenced changes to the building through out the past 18-months of reviews and negotiations, not just through our MOA. ?The record of this is available on-line in our various ANC submissions to the Historic Preservation Review Board and Zoning Commission.

?2. ?Childcare Benefit?- The childcare facility is set at a?floor?of 24 children. ?Our agreement is structured to incentivize a larger facility.

?3. ?Hine Opposition?- You use "250" as the number of people in the SMD opposed to Hine. ?I'm not sure where that number comes from, but suffice it say that I represent 2200 residents and 1800 registered voters in the Single Member District. ?Opinions on this project varied more than you have suggested here.

?4. ?Flea Markets?- The independent operators of the Hine markets removed their opposition to the development after signing a letter of intent with Stanton EastBanc. ?The "death of the flea market meme" is a red herring and a straw man argument. ?I am confident that working as a community, we will implement a solution that actually expands the overall capacity of the Market.

As always I am happy to discuss these and any other issues in person, over the phone, or by e-mail. ?I encourage all of you to vote on the 6th!

Regards,

Brian?

On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 10:22 AM, Eow <eowlaw@...> wrote:

?

Dear All:

???????????? I am writing to you all in response to Antonia Herzog’s recent posting on this list serve with regard to the current ANC race in our Single Member District. (6B05).?? I have lived at 223 10^th Street, SE for 32 years, where I raised my 3 children, and I have been actively engaged in community activities for most of that time.? I was one of the principal authors of the current Eastern Market legislation and served as the Mayor’s representative and Chair of the EMCAC for more than the first 8 years after its creation in 1999.? ?Further, with regard to the Hine Project, I attended most of the Hine Task Force meetings; served on the Transportation Working Group; was an active member of the Hine School North Neighbors; met with city officials; and attended all of the HPRB and Zoning Commission hearings.? I also care very deeply about our neighborhood and plan to remain here for many years.

??????????????? Therefore, I am supporting Steve Holtzman because I believe he has the combination of experience and personal qualities that would serve us well on the ANC. ?He has been active in our community and has an extensive professional background and commitment to community empowerment as a social scientist at the World Bank, a refugee worker, labor organizer and Peace Corps volunteer. ?He is soft-spoken, thoughtful and measured. The characterization of him last week on this listserv as “aggressive” is so out of keeping with the experience of anyone who knows him or even has spoken to him, that it is difficult to understand how this characterization was made. ?Unless “aggressive” means choosing to run against the incumbent in the ANC race.? .

??????????????? ?Steve is committed to working on every issue of importance to this community and for being an advocate for every household, block and street. ?He is retired and will approach ANC responsibilities as a full-time occupation. ?Many of his positions and priorities are on his website. ?Some have evolved through the last two months while walking down every street in this neighborhood, and by speaking with and listening to the people he meets.

??????????????? Steve puts an emphasis on the Hine plan for two reasons:? because of its size and the fact that it is located in a primarily low-rise residential and commercial neighborhood, and because it is the most significant development in our neighborhood. ?It is also one of the most important issues our ANC has ever weighed in on.

??????????????? There never was a stark choice between putting some type of development on the Hine property or in leaving an empty building.? ?The issues have never been just about the size and density of the project, but with regard to the type of project and its impact on the neighboring community.? In fact, Steve wrote a letter to the Mayor supporting the original Stanton/Eastbanc proposal which was nearly as big as the current plan.? However, it included the Shakespeare Theater and several ?public interest organizations as tenants; adequate space for most of the flea markets; and a Charter School with its own school yard. ??Further, no one knew that the re-opened C Street was to become privatized and controlled by the developer with potentially negative impacts on the neighboring residents and businesses.? Nor that most of the affordable housing would be segregated in the lower quality North Building.

??????????????? As for the accuracy of Steve’s statements, you be the judge.? Steve says the following:

I. ?That the ANC’s decision to support Stanton/Eastbanc’s project design at the Zoning Commission carried “great weight”? and if the ANC had opposed Stanton/Eastbanc’s plan and/ or insisted on specific improvements or remained neutral, the outcome might have been different and more positive for the neighborhood.? When the Zoning Commissioners announced the rationale for its preliminary approval of the project design in September, the dozens of witnesses who testified in opposition from our community and the nearly 200 letters it had received which opposed? the project were barely? mentioned.? ?However, the ANC’s position was referred to 14 times which confirms the importance of the ANC’s position to the Zoning Commission members in making its decision.

II. ?That the vote of our ANC Commissioner in support of the ANC memorandum was critical to the final outcome.? The ANC’s vote to approve the agreement was 6-4.? Tie votes result in a rejection. ?Our Commissioner voted yes, but If he had voted “no” the agreement would have failed and could have been improved to benefit the neighborhood.

III. That? more than 250? people in our single member district (SMD) who felt strongly enough to demonstrate their opposition to key elements of the project design through writing letters; by providing in-person testimony; by signing petitions; and putting up yard signs; represented a large enough voice to be given “great weight” as how our elected representative would cast his vote.? Steve would have surely listened to what his constituents had to say and would have represented their interests.

IV. ?Finally, that the agreement made by the ANC was not in the community’s best interest and that the benefits negotiated were insufficient compared to the scope and impact of the project.?

Additional details regarding the examples of community benefits and amenities which were cited last week are:

I.? Affordable housing: ?All of the housing in the project reserved for fixed income seniors and most of the affordable housing will be segregated in a separate, smaller and lesser quality building, which will be located across from C Street and separate from the main complex where all the market rate housing and will be built and where the project’s amenities will be located. ??Many residents opposed this segregation of nearly all of the affordable housing, which is contrary to our city’s current affordable housing policy

II.? Child Care Facility: ??The child care facility for ages 0-3years negotiated by the ANC has a capacity for only 24 children, which is too small since the spaces will probably be absorbed? by the Hine complex’s residential and commercial tenants, resulting in no net gain for the neighborhood.

III.? The Community Meeting Space:? will be available for community meetings only if the developer controls a ground floor conference room and the space will only be able to be reserved ?a maximum of 7 days in advance, which will virtually eliminate its availability to community groups.?

IV.? The changes in the facade of the Hine development: ??Most of the changes to the building’s design occurred before the ANC negotiated? its MOA with the developer. ?The only major change achieved by the MOA was taking away a very partial floor on 7^th Street, SE, which the developer had previously insisted was already invisible from most lines of sight. ?This resulted in a net reduction in density of only 4,000 sq. ft. out of the 460,000 sq. ft. of the proposed project or less than 1%.

V.? The Flea Markets at Hine: ?The flea markets have been a part of the fabric of our neighborhood since the 1980s. ?What Steve has said is:?

??????????????? ?(i) ?During the anticipated 2-3 years of construction, the city may temporarily close the 300 block of 7^th St, SE, during construction, but that has not yet been decided.? ?Even then, the closed street will only support about one- third (1/3) of the vendors now on Hine.

??????????????? (ii) ?After construction, the flea markets on the Hine site will have less than one third of their current space reducing the total number of vendor tents in half. ?The narrow space on C Street, SE , will make it difficult, if not impossible, for furniture and other vendors with large or heavy goods to participate.? No possible additional usable space has been identified and vetted with the community.? Also, when the project is completed, the flea market vendors and the other Eastern Market vendors will only have 50 available parking spaces in the new parking garage, creating enormous pressure on the available neighborhood parking on weekends.

??????????????? If, as expected, the project design is given final approval by the Zoning Commission in the next few months, Steve’s position is clear and practical. ??We no longer have much leverage but there is a need to work pragmatically and creatively in order to positively influence the project as the developer’s designs are refined and implemented so that the ANC will develop a win-win engagement with the developer for the benefit of our neighborhood.

??????????????? I encourage you to cast your vote for Steve Holtzman for ANC 6B05, on Tuesday, November 6^th ??(or before), and I suggest that you read his handouts for yourself.? Also, you can look at his website: ?.; or call him (202-489-6542); ?or send him an email at sbholtzman@.... ???Even better, invite him in when he knocks on your door so that you can have a conversation with him and make up your own mind.

Best regards,

Ellen Opper-Weiner

?

?

?

?

Dear All:

???????????? I am writing to you all in response to Antonia Herzog’s recent posting on this list serve with regard to the current ANC race in our Single Member District. (6B05).?? I have lived at 223 10^th Street, SE for 32 years, where I raised my 3 children, and I have been actively engaged in community activities for most of that time.? I was one of the principal authors of the current Eastern Market legislation and served as the Mayor’s representative and Chair of the EMCAC for more than the first 8 years after its creation in 1999.? ?Further, with regard to the Hine Project, I attended most of the Hine Task Force meetings; served on the Transportation Working Group; was an active member of the Hine School North Neighbors; met with city officials; and attended all of the HPRB and Zoning Commission hearings.? I also care very deeply about our neighborhood and plan to remain here for many years.

??????????????? Therefore, I am supporting Steve Holtzman because I believe he has the combination of experience and personal qualities that would serve us well on the ANC. ?He has been active in our community and has an extensive professional background and commitment to community empowerment as a social scientist at the World Bank, a refugee worker, labor organizer and Peace Corps volunteer. ?He is soft-spoken, thoughtful and measured. The characterization of him last week on this listserv as “aggressive” is so out of keeping with the experience of anyone who knows him or even has spoken to him, that it is difficult to understand how this characterization was made. ?Unless “aggressive” means choosing to run against the incumbent in the ANC race.? .

??????????????? ?Steve is committed to working on every issue of importance to this community and for being an advocate for every household, block and street. ?He is retired and will approach ANC responsibilities as a full-time occupation. ?Many of his positions and priorities are on his website. ?Some have evolved through the last two months while walking down every street in this neighborhood, and by speaking with and listening to the people he meets.

??????????????? Steve puts an emphasis on the Hine plan for two reasons:? because of its size and the fact that it is located in a primarily low-rise residential and commercial neighborhood, and because it is the most significant development in our neighborhood. ?It is also one of the most important issues our ANC has ever weighed in on.

??????????????? There never was a stark choice between putting some type of development on the Hine property or in leaving an empty building.? ?The issues have never been just about the size and density of the project, but with regard to the type of project and its impact on the neighboring community.? In fact, Steve wrote a letter to the Mayor supporting the original Stanton/Eastbanc proposal which was nearly as big as the current plan.? However, it included the Shakespeare Theater and several ?public interest organizations as tenants; adequate space for most of the flea markets; and a Charter School with its own school yard. ??Further, no one knew that the re-opened C Street was to become privatized and controlled by the developer with potentially negative impacts on the neighboring residents and businesses.? Nor that most of the affordable housing would be segregated in the lower quality North Building.

??????????????? As for the accuracy of Steve’s statements, you be the judge.? Steve says the following:

I. ?That the ANC’s decision to support Stanton/Eastbanc’s project design at the Zoning Commission carried “great weight”? and if the ANC had opposed Stanton/Eastbanc’s plan and/ or insisted on specific improvements or remained neutral, the outcome might have been different and more positive for the neighborhood.? When the Zoning Commissioners announced the rationale for its preliminary approval of the project design in September, the dozens of witnesses who testified in opposition from our community and the nearly 200 letters it had received which opposed? the project were barely? mentioned.? ?However, the ANC’s position was referred to 14 times which confirms the importance of the ANC’s position to the Zoning Commission members in making its decision.

II. ?That the vote of our ANC Commissioner in support of the ANC memorandum was critical to the final outcome.? The ANC’s vote to approve the agreement was 6-4.? Tie votes result in a rejection. ?Our Commissioner voted yes, but If he had voted “no” the agreement would have failed and could have been improved to benefit the neighborhood.

III. That? more than 250? people in our single member district (SMD) who felt strongly enough to demonstrate their opposition to key elements of the project design through writing letters; by providing in-person testimony; by signing petitions; and putting up yard signs; represented a large enough voice to be given “great weight” as how our elected representative would cast his vote.? Steve would have surely listened to what his constituents had to say and would have represented their interests.

IV. ?Finally, that the agreement made by the ANC was not in the community’s best interest and that the benefits negotiated were insufficient compared to the scope and impact of the project.?

Additional details regarding the examples of community benefits and amenities which were cited last week are:

I.? Affordable housing: ?All of the housing in the project reserved for fixed income seniors and most of the affordable housing will be segregated in a separate, smaller and lesser quality building, which will be located across from C Street and separate from the main complex where all the market rate housing and will be built and where the project’s amenities will be located. ??Many residents opposed this segregation of nearly all of the affordable housing, which is contrary to our city’s current affordable housing policy

II.? Child Care Facility: ??The child care facility for ages 0-3years negotiated by the ANC has a capacity for only 24 children, which is too small since the spaces will probably be absorbed? by the Hine complex’s residential and commercial tenants, resulting in no net gain for the neighborhood.

III.? The Community Meeting Space:? will be available for community meetings only if the developer controls a ground floor conference room and the space will only be able to be reserved ?a maximum of 7 days in advance, which will virtually eliminate its availability to community groups.?

IV.? The changes in the facade of the Hine development: ??Most of the changes to the building’s design occurred before the ANC negotiated? its MOA with the developer. ?The only major change achieved by the MOA was taking away a very partial floor on 7^th Street, SE, which the developer had previously insisted was already invisible from most lines of sight. ?This resulted in a net reduction in density of only 4,000 sq. ft. out of the 460,000 sq. ft. of the proposed project or less than 1%.

V.? The Flea Markets at Hine: ?The flea markets have been a part of the fabric of our neighborhood since the 1980s. ?What Steve has said is:?

??????????????? ?(i) ?During the anticipated 2-3 years of construction, the city may temporarily close the 300 block of 7^th St, SE, during construction, but that has not yet been decided.? ?Even then, the closed street will only support about one- third (1/3) of the vendors now on Hine.

??????????????? (ii) ?After construction, the flea markets on the Hine site will have less than one third of their current space reducing the total number of vendor tents in half. ?The narrow space on C Street, SE , will make it difficult, if not impossible, for furniture and other vendors with large or heavy goods to participate.? No possible additional usable space has been identified and vetted with the community.? Also, when the project is completed, the flea market vendors and the other Eastern Market vendors will only have 50 available parking spaces in the new parking garage, creating enormous pressure on the available neighborhood parking on weekends.

??????????????? If, as expected, the project design is given final approval by the Zoning Commission in the next few months, Steve’s position is clear and practical. ??We no longer have much leverage but there is a need to work pragmatically and creatively in order to positively influence the project as the developer’s designs are refined and implemented so that the ANC will develop a win-win engagement with the developer for the benefit of our neighborhood.

??????????????? I encourage you to cast your vote for Steve Holtzman for ANC 6B05, on Tuesday, November 6^th ??(or before), and I suggest that you read his handouts for yourself.? Also, you can look at his website: ?.; or call him (202-489-6542); ?or send him an email at sbholtzman@.... ???Even better, invite him in when he knocks on your door so that you can have a conversation with him and make up your own mind.

Best regards,

Ellen Opper-Weiner

?

?

?