by Marlene Berlin It took a few years of planning and several months of work to return a long-buried stream to the surface. On an April 7th tour of the daylighted portion of Broad Branch Stream, we learned more about the restoration project and the work in the almost five years since then to support […]
Higher ed news briefs: Mayor Bowser backs UDC’s 4250 Connecticut purchase; Howard Law celebrates 150 years
by Marlene Berlin and Forest Hills Connection Mayor’s budget would make 4250’s renter 4250’s owner: UDC is now leasing 4250 Connecticut Avenue. It would like to buy the building. If Mayor Bowser gets her way, DC will find the money to do that. During her March 18th “State of the District” address at the UDC […]
Schools in Brief: Whittle School at Intelsat runs into construction snag; Renaming Wilson High
by Marlene Berlin Permits question halts Whittle School construction: The DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) issued a stop-work order on February 27th because Whittle School did not have a local building permit. Founder Chris Whittle tells the Washington Post that the project doesn’t need one. The school is scheduled to open this […]
Neighbors and 3113 Albemarle developers reach settlement for two-home development by historic residence
by Marlene Berlin Work has resumed at the site of what will be a new single-family home at 32nd and Albemarle Streets, thanks to a settlement between Soapstone Valley Ventures (the site’s owner-developer) and a group of neighbors. Construction on 3113 Albemarle was halted at the end of November by the neighbors’ appeal. The case […]
An “oasis in the city” needs our help
Rock Creek Park is an oasis of nature in the middle of our city, but nature in a city needs a lot of human help to thrive. Rock Creek Conservancy has identified five “mini-oases” where it is focusing its restoration efforts over the next two years. By 2020, it aims to show “what a fully […]
Proposals to remove or repair century-old Soapstone sewers still under review
by Marlene Berlin It’s been almost a year since our last update on the century-old sewers running through Soapstone Valley, and almost six years since DC Water and the National Park Service revealed plans to do something about them. So first, a recap: Both the National Park Service and DC Water worry the aging sewer […]
Elvis was here. So was Marilyn Monroe.
by Ann Kessler Forest Hills has seen its share of celebrities, but two of the biggest icons of all time – Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe – passed this way in the 1950s and left lasting impressions. The TV interview that got Elvis Presley all shook up Elvis Presley visited WMAL-TV on Friday, March 23, […]
Opinion: We’re “tired of the aggressive and fast drivers” at Albemarle and 30th Streets
by Stefanie Harrington and Joan Schaefer Most people in Forest Hills likely know the traffic issues that neighbors on Albemarle and 30th Streets face, especially during morning and evening rush hour. The intersection of these streets is an especially dangerous spot, because the area is heavily foot trafficked, drivers have poor visibility, and it’s at […]
It hasn’t snowed. So why are some streets and sidewalks so icy? The answer: Natural springs.
by Marlene Berlin Some icing of streets and sidewalks is to be expected in the freeze-thaw cycle after a snowstorm. But that’s not the only reason for icy conditions. Rain-swollen underground springs are releasing water onto our streets and sidewalks. And when the temperatures dip below freezing, those surfaces are icing up, making travel through […]
Northwest Neighbors Village celebrates a decade of helping seniors age in place
“[Northwest Neighbors Village] ‘opened its doors’ on March 2, 2009,” co-founder and board member Janean Mann wrote in the organization’s January/February newsletter. “But there were no doors to open, as we had no office! We did have a Blackberry that four of our founders/board members passed around to connect our 22 members seeking a limited […]