Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee

Minutes

Old Naval Hospital

 

Present: Chuck Burger, Barbara Eck, Monte Edwards, Larry Gallo, Bill Glasgow, Ken Jarboe, Donna Scheeder, Tom Kuchenberg, Angie Brunson, Richard Layman, Lisa Brooks (for Dan Tangherlini).

The meeting was convened at 7:06 PM.

1.      Agenda

Motion: Mr. Kuchenberg moved/ Mr. Burger seconded a motion to approve the agenda.  It passed unanimously.

 2.    Minutes

Motion:  Mr. Burger moved/Mr. Kuchenberg seconded a motion to table the February minutes until the April meeting

 3.    Executive Committee

Brainstorming meeting on Reopening of Market

Donna Scheeder presented the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Return to Eastern Market:

A group consisting of EMCAC members and representatives from the various business and community organizations and interested individuals met at the Old Naval Hospital on March 26^th, 2009 to brainstorm ideas relating the Market’s reopening in the renovated building and a series of events and activities that would follow over the ensuing months.  Barry Margeson anticipated that the Market would be ready to open in early July.  The merchants, including Market Row and Barracks Row, will have a series of promotional tie-ins to various Market events.  After discussion, the group consensus was that activities would begin with the already-planned music series in May and conclude in late October with a fall hoedown.

There were numerous suggestions, and so far what can be put on a timeline is the following:

May/June: Concert Series

July:

·         4^th of July Parade

·         Event providing sneak preview of the South Hall: dependent on clearance from OPM.

 

·         Ribbon cutting ceremony with a street festival atmosphere.  Seth Shapiro and Jennifer Eubank agreed to come up with a list of fun activities for parents and children, such as a clown, face painting, etc.

·         There could be a parade of merchants moving a last symbolic item across the street to officially open their businesses to the tune of When the Saints Go Marching In.

·         It was suggested that we ask Parker Jayne to compose and write a song and perhaps get a DC poet to compose a poem for the occasion.

·         There will be a North Hall exhibit of photos of the Market construction and a continuous showing of the documentary about the Market the fire, and a how the Market has risen from the ashes.  The video has been commissioned by the Community Foundation.

·         Tours of the Market continue throughout the summer and fall

·         Contractors Ball

 

August:

 

September:

·         Concert series resumes

·         Homecoming event and promotions to welcome back vacationers and others who have been out of town for the summer and to kick off the fall harvest season at the Market

·         On-line silent auction to benefit the Market.  Will include the art that hung on the windows.

·         Suggestions included selling bricks and slate from the roof as commemoratives and we still have plaques left.

 

·         There was agreement to also have a fundraising event in the North Hall that could also serve to showcase it as a venue for events as a rental space.  There was discussion that has continued about tickets, pricing and timing.  Depending on when this was held, proceeds could be used to underwrite some of the other activities that are planned.  Nancy Breuer and a former EMCAC board member have agreed to organize this.

 

·         People also want to have a street dance for the neighborhood on a Friday night.  The Halloween on the Hill event was very popular.

 

·         It has also been suggested that a brochure on the Market and its history be done.  Roberta Weiner ahs volunteered to work on this.

 

·         There was also discussion about the fate of Market Day.  There was a general consensus that a sprint event at the Market celebrating the return of the famers, a kind of May Day celebration, would be a good way to go.

 

The focus is to go beyond Eastern Market and include the surrounding businesses in the promotional efforts.  “You can spend all day at Eastern Market” campaign which would encompass Barracks Row as well as 7^th Street and the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

The website needs to be re-focused to advertise the upcoming events.

 

Vendors would be encouraged to create items with a tie-in to the Restoration of the Market, and the re-occupation of the finished space of the Market.

 

Finally, there was discussion of the need for come professional help to pull this all together and the where the resources would come from to support that.  It was also suggested that some activities could be sponsored by the contractors.

Signage

Mr. Burger has been appointed chair of the Signage committee.  He reported that it is a group formed to address the signage for pedestrians and car traffic.  He said the group was calling itself the Sign Tigers and has representatives from EMCAC, CHAMPS, Barracks Row, the BID and ANC 6B.  They have met with DDOT and are taking an inventory of the signs that exist.  There are three kinds of signs: wayfinder signs (the large blue signs with directional arrows); a mish mash of green signs (this way to Eastern Market, etc.); and the round disks that are the Historic District signs (the BID does those).  He said they are looking at different gateways—arriving by car, bus, etc. from Union Station, Eastern Market Metro, etc.

He said it is an excellent group, with a big job.  After the inventory, it will take a year or two to have the signs in place.  A lot of work has already been done, but it hasn’t been executed.  The previous surveys have to be resurrected and implemented.  The signage of the Southeast Expressway is the really big job.

Approval to Use the Natatorium during Construction

Ms. Scheeder reported that the Executive Committee voted to approve the use of the Natatorium Plaza for vendors during streetscape construction, and it has been implemented.

 4.    Office of Property Management

 Management Operations

Barry Margeson reported that, despite the work going on on 7^th Street, there were 102 vendors on the Saturday previous to the meeting.  He said the Natatorium Plaza is working out well, and was very active on both Saturday and Sunday.  He reported that it is a bit of a puzzle for vendors to get in under the shed because there is only entry on the north and south ends of the street.  He said, however, that he has a team of workers from the Department of Corrections, under the supervision of Sgt. Battle, who are very much on top of things.  These are men who usually have Saturdays and Sundays off, but they volunteer between 6:30 and 8:30 on those days.  They are residents of a local halfway house.

He said that he would be taking a clicker count of visitors to the Market and getting numbers every few hours.  MR. Burger mentioned that there could be a safety issue with people crossing at North Carolina Avenue, and he was assured that it has been made perfectly safe.  Mr. Gallo asked for the financials on the Enterprise Fund.  He also expressed concerns about the wayfinding signs for help in finding a way through the construction.  He asked whether postcards could be printed for the vendors to hand out with a map.  Both Mr. Edwards and Ms. Scheeder complimented Mr. Margeson on the operation of the Natatorium Plaza.  Mr. Layman suggested that signage, similar to that used for the recent Marathon be posted on 7^th Street.  Mr. Burger suggested that a map of 7^th Street be forwarded to CHAMPS and Market Row, and arrangements be made to hand it out at the Metro stop, coffee places and other locations.  Lynn Holland, a longtime vendor, said that her concern was getting information to people who aren’t regulars, and that it was important to inform new people.  Carol Wright pointed out that Mr. Margeson has organized a meeting with Mr. Gallo, Mike Berman, Rudy Coates and herself to discuss outdoor vending.

Karen Edge said there was a new employee at Edge Advertising who is from Philadelphia and has done a lot of work on branding historic neighborhood.  She said the project requires a lot of teamwork, but it’s starting to make sense.  Dale Lowry discussed the temporal aspects of signage, and said there should be signs that say what’s going to happen on the horizon, such as when the cobblestones will be laid, and perhaps have a timeline.  Peter Waldron said he had spoken with DDOT to ask about the Hine parking lot, and the person he spoke with didn’t know where the signs would be, etc.

Construction

Curtis Clay introduced Management Alternatives, and its principals Reed Stepan and Patti McDonald, who have been hired by OPM to facilitate the move to the North Hall.  They have 26 years experience in the District in assisting the move of tenants, ranging from the Census Bureau to the Pittsburgh airport to small non-profits. They moved NPR while they were on the air. They said the first task is to work with OPM on equipment, largely working with contractors, and then working with tenants to put together a plan to transition with the focus on individuals.  Their goal is operate around each business, not to have businesses fit in to a pre-determined plan, ending up with an hour-by-hour moving plan.  Ms. Scheeder expressed her happiness at hearing what they had to say, and that there had been several discussions about how it would work and it is satisfying to find out from the experts.  She asked about how the move would fit in with the inspections that are needed, and Mr. Clay said he is working with DCRA to make certain it’s all coordinated.  Mr. Gallo asked whether Management Alternatives would implement the plan they developed and was told that their job is to implement—even if they have to move for 40 hours straight.  Mr. Clay said that these people are leaders and people have to follow.

Mr. Clay said they are now getting into the “nitty gritty” such as working with Verizon to determine what merchants’ needs are and how the logistics with utilities will be implemented. He also stated they are looking at the security system and keys and locks and how this will all operate.  Mr. Clay said that the marathon cost the project a day because the concrete trucks could not get in, but PEPCO has begun work on the street, but Washington Gas had to change its design and is moving forward.  Concrete work in the basement was scheduled to begin the first week in April, and the concrete walls in the Market are curing.  He said that 14 plasterers would be working that Sunday.  Mr. Gallo said that previous minutes indicate that the opening would be in July, and Mr. Clay responded that in the middle of May he would be able to provide an opening date.  Mr. Burger said that he would like to see the move done in an intelligent, professional manner, without a drop dead date so that it’s done right.  Ms. Scheeder said it’s as though a veil has been lifted with the new moving plans.  Mr. Kuchenberg said he would like to see the main opening event occur in September when it’s not so hot.

 5.    Market Operation Committee

Mr. Kuchenberg said that because of the presence of Management Alternatives he had no report.  He said that Mr. Glasgow was trying to begin figuring out what has to be done and how to facilitate the move, and now there’s someone to do it.

Mr. Glasgow added that there had been a meeting, and some of his recommendations are that the security cameras should be on before the move, and that the move should take place when the job is complete.  He said he would end up with two of everything, and some of it can be used for dry storage.  He also said that the closing of the East Hall should be well advertised so that people can come and clean them out so there’s less to move.  He said that he would be moving as a self-contained unit and it’s not complicated now. 

He said that the community had two demands when the East Hall was proposed: that they didn’t want the compressors running all night outside and that the tent should come down after the move was complete.

6.   Capital Improvements

Bricks

Mr. Edwards reported on the recent history of the two different episodes of bricks at Eastern Market :

a.      In the course of excavating for utilities for the Market restoration, the bricks that were removed from the south end of the Market by Fourney Construction found their way into the custody of a local resident, and OPM ended up having to engage in a re-acquisition effort so  they could be re-used at the Market.

 

b.      In the course of the Streetscape work, DDOT determined that the bricks in the existing sidewalks did not meet current strength specification, and they were removed and replaced with new, period-appropriate molded brick. The removed bricks were stockpiled by Anchor Construction and EMCAC arranged for the Capital Hill Garden Club to determine an appropriate reuse of the bricks on Capitol Hill.  About 30 pallets (over 10,000 brick) are involved, and the Garden Club determined they should be provided for pathways ,a patio, and other projects at Congressional Cemetery

 

 Streetscape

 

Mr. Edwards reported that he still had no report from the Urban Forestry Administration on trees and tree boxes.  He reminded the body that the tree boxes in the center of the North Hall plaza will be used for light posts for the special event lighting. When a tree box is removed, it is required to be replaced, and the location of the trees boxes on the North Plaza must be determined so paving can proceed and the location of bike racks and other street furniture can be determined. He said that  except for the tree boxissue, the streetscape is moving forward on schedule, and said that the contractor is going to pour a 4’x4’ samples of the crosswalk material at 7^th Street and North Carolina Avenue.  Mr. Burger asked about the strength of street, which is supposed to withstand two tons of weight.  Mr. Edwards said he hasn’t heard anything about that.  Mr. Gallo added that it’s been reported that they’re on schedule.

 

 7.    Tenant’s Council

The Tenant’s Council did not have a report.

8.  Treasurer’s Report

Mr. Gallo reported that EMCAC’s bank balance on February 1, 2009 was $11,771.81, and there had been deposits of $350, making a balance on March 25, 2009 of $12,121.81.  He said that he had received dues in March from one member, and all other dues for 2009 are outstanding.

 9.    Community  Comment

Sondra Allen, who identifies herself as a non-food vendor, accused EMCAC of an overwhelming dismissal of non-food vendors, and she said she was demanding that EMCAC do a better job of thinking about this.  She said there were artists—she particularly mentioned artist Don Kessler whose paintings of the Market are well known—who would love to be involved in the re-opening of the Market.  The artists, she said, should be approached respectfully, and promoted.  She said there is no basic respect for the artists.  She mentioned that Bill Glasgow had said at the March meeting that outdoor vendors should not have a voice in choosing a new manager, and that, she said, is apartheid.

Ms. Scheeder said that the selection process had been established by law and representatives of the vendors were involved in the process.  She said that there were several public meetings and the framing of the RFP was very public.  She said that Ms. Allen has excellent ideas on how to involve more people, and she invited Ms. Allen to participate in the planning for the opening, saying that her ideas were valuable.  Ms. Brunson said that the city set the rules for the selection process, and EMCAC members had to sign confidentiality agreements.  She said that Bill Glasgow did not serve on the selection committee.  Mr. Glasgow added that the non-food vendors are part of the Eastern Market family, and we should not be trying to beat each other up.  Mr. Layman added that she was not the only person who was not listened to.

Ms. Allen said that the law is not being followed.  One of the things is that the interim manager is not talking to the old manager, so we’re being called liars.  She said that over 60% of the merchandise on Saturdays is from New York, but people who have been there for ten years are being displaced.  Ms. Scheeder responded that she shares Ms. Allen’s concern about the makeup of the vendors, but it’s very difficult to get an accurate fix on what’s going on.  These are complex issues, issues that EMCAC has to come to terms with.  We have to get a baseline settled through our Application Review Committee.  Ms. Allen responded that the longer it goes on, the worse it gets and that people don’t know how to get a space.  Ms. Scheeder said there is a moratorium on new vendors because of the space crunch caused by the construction.  Ms. Brunson said that most of these concerns can be dealt with by the Application Review Committee or can be brought to the Tenant’s Council.

 10.New Business

Ms. Scheeder said that the next meeting dates would be April 22, May 27, June 24, and July 29.

 10.Adjournment

Motion: Mr. Edwards moved/ Mr. Kuchenberg seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting.  It passed unanimously, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 at 8:59 pm and is filed under Meeting Minutes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.