Who represents a neighborhood’s interests in the DC government? The advisory neighborhood commissions. The volunteers who serve on each neighborhood’s ANC are elected every two years, so you’ll be seeing their names on the DC ballot on November 4th (and during early voting, starting on October 20th).
We’ve invited the candidates of ANC 3F to submit statements about what they’ve done for the neighborhood and how they’d like to serve in the future. Today: Sally Gresham of 3F04. She is running unopposed.
Hello Forest Hills and ANC 3F citizens. As your Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for 3F04 for the past 22 months, I have been proud to serve my single member district constituents and the Forest Hills community.
I have established good working relationships with DC agencies on our area’s many ongoing infrastructure and community improvements projects. I have also worked directly with the developers, owners, architects and construction teams at 3 large construction projects in my single member district: the Park Van Ness building, AU/WAMU building and the Forest Hills Park/Playground.
I would like to continue to represent the 3F04 community again. I ask for your support and votes at the November 4th, 2014 election.
A graduate of Hollins University and Virginia Commonwealth University, I am an interior designer by profession. I have my own consulting company, Gresham & Associates in my home at 3222 Davenport St., NW. Steve, my husband of 40 years is an architect. Our son, C’pher, is a proud graduate of Murch Elementary School, the George Washington University and Thunderbird School of Global Management. Many of my neighbors will recognize our house because of the 4 sculptural white reindeer in our front yard at the holiday season!
I have lived and worked in Forest Hills for 23 years. Nineteen years ago, I was the Commissioner for ANC 3F04 from 1995 to 1997. In 2011, I decided to serve the Forest Hills community again in order to address the same priorities for our neighborhood – promoting business and community development, preserving our City’s tree canopy, upgrading the municipal infrastructure, working with commercial developers/owners and governmental agencies on project construction sites, improving our educational programs and buildings and providing safe transportation and living conditions.During my 2012 to 2014 tenure representing 3F04 and the entire ANC 3F, I have:
• Forged a working relationship with representatives of Saul Centers on the rebuilding of the Van Ness Square site into the new Park Van Ness apartment and retail project;
• Held community meetings with Saul Centers, Clark Construction and DDOT agencies addressing the Park Van Ness construction, public space and traffic control planning;
• Promoted and gained approval for changes to the DDOT public space planting standards to allow a more generous street tree canopy at Park Van Ness;
• Worked with American University representatives to improve their public space at the new WAMU headquarters and the adjacent mini park at the Soapstone Valley trailhead;
• Helped form the Forest Hills Playground Renovation Task Force to allow public input from the wonderful representatives of the Friends of Forest Hills Playground in the design and construction of the new playground and park.
• Worked with numerous DC agencies such as DDOT, DDOE, DPW, and UFA on high priority and essential infrastructure improvements throughout the neighborhood, including roadway, curb & gutter, sidewalk, street lawns, dead street tree removal and new street tree planting, traffic signage & signals, parking, stormwater management and overgrown vegetation on public space improvements at 5 major intersections;
• Been an active member of the Van Ness Vision Committee, headed by my colleague and friend Commissioner Mary Beth Ray (3F03). This very important Ad Hoc committee champions the much needed improvements to the commercial area development at the Van Ness area hub;
• Brought the Great Streets Grant program to the attention of commercial and educational business owners along the Connecticut Avenue corridor and
• Have worked behind the scenes on addressing the proper DC government agencies regarding numerous constituents’ concerns and issues on the safety and care of our community.
While a lot has been accomplished, there is still much more to do! To keep our Forest Hills community naturally beautiful and neighborhood friendly, my ANC goals are to have:
• An award winning public space environment at the Van Ness commercial area;
• Numerous retail stores and restaurants for people to frequent and enjoy;
• A vibrant commercial and residential Forest Hills town center;
• A generous street tree canopy;
• Improved walking, biking, and driving conditions throughout our neighborhoods;
• Beautiful and functional mini parks at the trailheads into Rock Creek Park and Soapstone Valley Park at Albemarle Street and Windom Place;
• Improved and efficient working relationships with DC agencies promoting high priority improvements to our essential infrastructure and traffic conditions and
• A continued ‘sense of place’ within a great urban group of ANC3F neighborhoods.
My experience as a previous and current ANC Commissioner, past Murch HSA Co-President, a committed & active member of the Van Ness Vision Committee as well as an active member of other neighborhood committees over the past 23 years has given me the experience necessary to continue to represent my constituents on the ANC. Having worked with many DC agencies over the years, I know how to get things done!
If you are a registered voter in single member district 3F04, please VOTE for Sally Gresham on November 4th. I will continue to work for you!
PLEASE NOTE:
Our community now has an awesome, recently reopened park and playground. Come and celebrate our fantastic new park at the ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Gray on Sunday, October 26th, then stay for the annual Halloween Party from 10 to 12 noon.