West End - ��Ӱ��

The West End: Lots of convenience, but little connection

Yi Ya (Becky) Tseng — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 16:50:49 +0000

Moira Albert knows what she likes about D.C. West End: “Nights are calm, yet everything’s handy.”��

Albert has rented in the neighborhood for eight years, living near Trader Joe’s and the West End branch of the D.C. Public Library.��

She said she knows a few neighbors on her floor and occasionally chats at the dog park, usually about pets or the weather.��

“People are nice,” she added, “just busy.”��

The West End is known for clean sidewalks, safe streets and easy access to stores, schools and transit. But many residents describe it as a neighborhood where comfort has replaced connection — a place that functions smoothly but feels impersonal. ��

Or, as Kelly Lawson, another eight-year renter, said: “It’s easy to live here. But it’s hard to really know people.” ��

The West End library.  (Yi Ya (Becky) Tseng)

That pattern is common. Residents interviewed for this story consistently praised the neighborhood’s safety and convenience while describing limited interactions with neighbors and an area that grows unusually quiet after dark. ��

“Yes, walkable, well-kept, stable,” said a 20-year homeowner who asked not to be named, when asked why he likes the neighborhood. ��

“Everything works here — you don’t have to think about safety, ” he added.  ��

But when describing his social ties, he mentions only brief “elevator chats” with neighbors in his building. ��

Residents pointed to the concentration of large apartment buildings and frequent turnover as reasons it can feel transient. Many of the units are rented rather than owned, and neighbors often move out before lasting ties form.  ��

While daily life often unfolds behind closed doors, one public space still brings West End residents together: the West End library. ��

“We welcome people across all income levels and beliefs,” said Rob Schneider, branch manager at DCPL’s West End branch. He said the library’s size and location make it one of the few public places where neighbors actually might meet.��

The branch offers study areas, meeting rooms and a variety of community programs, such as book clubs, workshops and children’s story times.  ��

A quiet stretch of 23rd Street NW in the West End neighborhood. (Yi Ya (Becky) Tseng)

Schneider said that some visitors from outside the neighborhood also stop by to use the library’s computers or attend events. The library’s recurring programs appear to offer small opportunities for neighbors to interact. ��

Beyond the library, neighborhood organizations also play a role in keeping residents connected. ��

The West End Citizens Association (WECA), which represents both the West End and Foggy Bottom, said in an email that the two areas remain closely linked.��

“The neighborhood feels cohesive and distinct from Georgetown to the west, Dupont Circle to the north and downtown to the east,” Mary Kahlow, WECA’s secretary treasurer, wrote. �į�į��

The tranquility even draws non-residents.  ��

A George Washington University graduate student, Justin Kent, who occasionally visits the West End on weekends, said he chooses to get off the bus here specifically for the calm.  ��

“Sometimes I choose to drop here for a walk. It is quiet on weekends,” he said. He said he notices a different energy compared with nearby Foggy Bottom.  ��

A dog and its owner playing at the N Street tennis courts in the West End on a fall afternoon. (Yi Ya (Becky) Tseng)

“It feels calm, almost too calm,” he said. ��

Even satisfied residents said the neighborhood could do more to bring people together. They said they would welcome more structured opportunities to meet neighbors. ��

“Regular events — monthly market, book club, outdoor movie nights — to spark neighbor interaction,” Lawson said. She added that she rarely meets new people because she didn’t know if there were any events.  ��

“We just need small excuses to talk to each other,” she said. “Otherwise, everyone goes their own way.” ��

Neither the West End DC Community Association nor Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2A returned requests for comment. �į��

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West End, Foggy Bottom prepare for 50th Marine Corps Marathon

Yi Ya (Becky) Tseng — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 15:04:56 +0000

The Marine Corps Marathon returns Oct. 26 for its 50th year, and once again West End and Foggy Bottom residents say unclear communication and road closures are testing their patience.

“I honestly didn’t know there was a marathon this weekend,” said Mary Lopez, a West End resident. “No one told us anything, so I’m not even sure what to say about it.”

The race, one of Washington’s largest annual events, is organized by the U.S. Marine Corps and expected to draw tens of thousands of runners. It begins near the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., winds past major landmarks and finishes at the Marine Corps War Memorial. Runners will pass through Georgetown, the West End and downtown D.C. streets.

While many D.C. residents celebrate it as a patriotic tradition, neighborhoods along the route face adjustments as streets such as Virginia Avenue NW and Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway close from early morning until midafternoon on the day of the race. For many residents and businesses in the affected areas, news of the closures—and even the event itself—has come as a surprise.

Traffic on Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NW in West End ahead of the Marine Corps Marathon this weekend. (Yi Ya (Becky) Tseng)

“I didn’t even know the parkway would be closed,” said Daniel Reyes, who drives on it daily to get to work. “You’re actually the first person to tell me that.”

The communication gap extends to local businesses as well. A Shell gas station near P and 22nd streets NW sits just off one of the small streets near an entrance to Rock Creek Parkway. Several station employees, who asked not to be identified, said they were unaware of the marathon.

“We didn’t know anything about it until you mentioned it,” one employee said. “If the streets close, I don’t even know how people will get here.”

Confusion extended to other businesses along the route as well. An employee at The Baron Hotel on 22nd Street, who declined to give his name, said he had not heard about the marathon. Management at the hotel did not respond to a request for comment.

The advisory neighborhood commissions for the area, ANC 2A02 and 2A09, and the Marine Corps Marathon Organization did not respond to requests for comment.

Adding to the uncertainty is the ongoing federal government shutdown. Although the D.C. government remains open, some residents worried about how the event’s federal partners would operate.

On Oct. 16, the Marine Corps Marathon’s official Facebook page posted a video and statement confirming the race will proceed as scheduled. The post also drew supportive comments from runners and spectators thanking organizers and expressing excitement for the 50th anniversary race.

On the r/Marathon_Training subreddit, registered runners expressed relief and excitement about the confirmation, with one participant praising the race’s “best finish I’ve ever experienced” at the Marine Corps War Memorial. The contrast highlights what some residents describe as a communication divide between race organizers and the neighborhoods affected.

Even residents participating in the race had to seek out information themselves.

Edwin Todd, a Foggy Bottom resident running in the marathon, said he learned about road closures from the Marine Corps Marathon website, not from D.C. officials.

“I had to go looking for it myself,” he said. “I never got any notification from local officials.”

Despite the communication gap and inconvenience, some residents say they still plan to watch or cheer from the sidewalks.

“It’s noisy, inconvenient, but kind of beautiful,” said Elvis Barrett, a Foggy Bottom resident. “You see thousands of people running past monuments—it reminds you why people love this city.”

For the full course map and more details, visit .

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“We’re just at the minimum to function”: Foggy Bottom/West End’s strained ANC

Yi Ya (Becky) Tseng — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:26:12 +0000

The Foggy Bottom and West End Advisory Neighborhood Commission has been running with nearly half of its seats empty for months, a shortage that tests the limits of local representation and stretches its few remaining commissioners thin.

The ANC — one of D.C.’s smallest units of government — plays an outsized role in neighborhood decisions, from approving liquor licenses to reviewing zoning and construction plans. But with only six of nine seats currently filled, ANC 2A is barely meeting quorum, leaving little room for absence or turnover.

“When seats remain unfilled, the workload inevitably increases for the remaining commissioners,” said Kent Boese, executive director of the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions. Boese’s office provides technical support to D.C. ‘s 40 ANCs but has no power to supervise them.

“Even with vacancies, ANCs can still function,” Boese said. “But outreach — especially to younger residents and students — remains insufficient.”

That shortage has real consequences in Foggy Bottom and the West End, where the remaining commissioners are covering vacant districts. Sean Youngstone, who represents ANC 2A09 and serves as the ANC 2A’s treasurer, said commissioners now handle requests and reports for neighborhoods beyond their own.

“With only five out of nine seats filled earlier this year, we were just at the minimum to function,” said Youngstone. “If we lose one more person, we can’t hold official meetings.”

He added that the ANC 2A once fell below quorum and could only hold informal gatherings, unable to pass resolutions or take formal action.

The commissioner said vacancies not only increase workloads but also shrink the range of perspectives in neighborhood debates. “The more seats are filled, the more voices are heard — and that’s what makes local government work,” Youngstone said.��

In a neighborhood where George Washington University occupies a large portion of ANC 2A’s area, he said the absence of student or faculty representatives leaves a major gap in understanding campus-related concerns.

“Having a student or faculty member on the commission would help us better understand how the university and the neighborhood interact,” Youngstone said.

Some residents, however, said the vacancies feel distant compared to other neighborhood problems.

“When things like homelessness or drug issues reach the point of an investigation or a crime scene, those vacancies stop mattering,” said Christian Ravenwind, a resident of ANC 2A. “At that point, both sides — the community and the city — are just trying to manage the consequences.”

Ravenwind said that while he is aware of the ANC 2A, the body’s influence often feels limited when broader social issues dominate public concern.

That awareness gap is even wider among students. One George Washington University student, Justin Chen, said he had never heard of the ANC before.

“I honestly didn’t know we even had one,” Chen said. “I never heard anyone talk about it.”

Ethan Lynne, president of the George Washington University Student Government Association, said that for most students, the ANC barely registers on their radar.

“Most students don’t really know what the ANC does,” he said. “That means we lose one more opportunity to have our voices heard in local decisions.”

He said student representation could improve outcomes on issues like housing, safety, and nightlife.

Lynne said the university and the ANC could promote collaboration by mentioning ANC opportunities in campus newsletters and reviving joint town halls, which ANC held in the past but have faded in recent years.

The university’s Office of Communications and Marketing declined to comment on the matter.

George Washington University, a major part of ANC 2A’s jurisdiction, has few students aware of the commission’s role despite its influence on neighborhood issues. (Yi Ya (Becky) Tseng)

Boese agreed that awareness is part of the solution. He said some ANCs, like ANC 8D, had faced similar vacancy problems but later resolved them through consistent community engagement.

His office can help provide technical guidance and promote ANC visibility but cannot intervene directly in local appointments or elections, he added.

Other commissioners from ANC 2A didn’t ��to respond to requests for comment before deadline.

The vacancies in the Foggy Bottom and West End’s ANC reveal more than an administrative gap — they expose a fragile system of local governance that relies on volunteers and limited outreach.

For now, the commission remains functional, but its stability feels precarious.

“If we lose even one more commissioner, the lights go out — at least officially” Youngstone said.

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D.C. police report decline in anti-gay hate crimes

Hannah Campbell — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:14:41 +0000

Local police report a decrease in bias-related crimes for sexual orientation despite recent investigations in Northwest D.C.

Recent attacks in the Northwest D.C. area were perceived by many as an uptick in bias-related crimes. The Metro Police Department reported that’s simply not the case.��

Local police report a decrease in bias-related crimes pertaining to sexual orientation, despite recent investigations.��

in October, showing bias-related crimes related to sexual orientation have actually decreased since 2022. There have been 22 crimes through October 31, 2024.��

“[The department] is seeing a decrease in all crime,” Tom Lynch, supervisory public affairs specialist for MPD, said. “We’ve seen crime come down in nearly every category.”��

One case that MPD is still investigating as “potentially being motivated by hate or bias” occurred earlier in October, according to MPD. Sebastian Thomas Robles Lascarro stopped at a McDonald’s located on the corner of 14th Street and U Street and was confronted by a woman in line behind him for not saying “excuse me.”��

When Lascarro tried to leave the restaurant, multiple people blocked the door and insisted he apologize to the woman. According to a police report, multiple people then started assaulting Lascarro and screaming homophobic slurs at him. One suspect reportedly said, “I’m going to teach you how to say sorry, f- – – – -.”

On October 27, Sebastian Thomas Robles Lascarro stopped at a McDonald’s located on the corner of 14th Street and U Street and was assaulted by multiple people. (Photo by Hannah Campbell).

On November 5, and charged with assault with significant bodily injury. Multiple suspects were caught by nearby surveillance cameras and are still being searched for by MPD.��

The case is still being investigated as a potential hate crime. However, Lynch said the designation can “be changed at any point as an investigation proceeds and more information is gathered.”

“A designation as a hate crime by MPD does not mean prosecutors will prosecute it as a hate crime,” Lynch said.��

In August, local police investigated an attack outside of a Shake Shack in Dupont Circle. According to police reports obtained by ��Ӱ��, Christian Dingus was attacked by multiple people and received EMS care for injuries to his jaw and face.��

the incident started after one of the restaurant employees aggressively responded to him asking where his food was. His partner, an unidentified male, pulled himself aside and gave Dingus a kiss to diffuse the situation.��

Both Dingus and his partner were escorted out of the restaurant by employees. Employees wearing Shake Shack uniforms were also seen hitting Dingus outside, as previously reported by NBC Washington.��

While the incident was intially suspected as an “anti-gay” hate crime, according to a previous police report, it is no longer being investigated as a bias-related crime. Lynch said findings of the investigation did not find the offense was motivated by bias.��

There have not been any arrests made in the case.��

As previously reported by ��Ӱ��, the number of hate crimes in the District reached a new high in 2018. Based on mid-year data, 2019 was on track to meet or exceed those numbers.��

Aside from law enforcement, several other government agencies are attempting to prevent hate crimes across the District. The DC Office of Human Rights, as also previously reported by ��Ӱ��, has been working to respond to hate crimes since 2017.��

James Yu, associate director of communications and equity for the office, said the Office of Human Rights cannot disclose details regarding individual complaints.��

“We continually work with the Mayor’s Office Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Affairs, local LGBTQIA+ organizations and partners to provide OHR’s training on the 23 Protected Traits in the District,” Yu said.��

A number of LGBTQIA+ organizations and advocacy groups contacted by ��Ӱ�� declined to comment regarding D.C. hate crime numbers.

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Young voters turnout near George Washington University, West End

Hannah Campbell — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 19:57:37 +0000

Of the roughly 160 million people who will vote in the 2024 presidential election, about 8 million will be first-time voters.��

Dozens of voters wrapped around the West End Neighborhood Library earlier this afternoon, many of whom were young voters casting their ballots for the first time ever in the 2024 presidential election.��

“It’s a little nerve-wracking,” Nicholas Fabian, an undergraduate student at George Washington University, said. “There’s no pressure to vote, but it’s a meaningful experience.”

According to the , roughly 160 million people will vote in the 2024 presidential election. ��Ӱ�� 8 million of those voters will be first-time voters.��

The West End Neighborhood Library was the closest polling location for George Washington University students who opted to vote in person. (Hannah Campbell / ��Ӱ��)

Originally from Connecticut, Fabian voted for the first time at the neighborhood library. He said he registered to vote in D.C. because it is a “simpler” process than voting by absentee ballot.��

“Something about being in-person to vote, instead of mailing in your ballot…there’s something very patriotic about it,” Fabian said.��

Sophia Pan, another undergraduate student at G.W., also voted in her first election. She said the voting process is a little worrisome because she is fully “immersed” now.��

“It gets more real,” she said. “It’s a lot more important when you’re actually voting, instead of just watching it happen around you.”

Both students cast their vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, stating they agree with her policies more than former President Donald Trump.

Fabian described Trump as a “complete threat to our democracy,” and Harris would be better for the position after the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.��

“I just think Kamala Harris’s policies will benefit the middle class much better and more effectively than Donald Trump’s policies,” he said.��

As for Pan, she said Harris’s positions on significant issues such as abortion and environmental issues make her more qualified for the position.��

Many of the students from George Washington University and nearby areas were first-time voters in the 2024 election. (Hannah Campbell / ��Ӱ��)

Olivia Morris, a graduate student at G.W., said she came out to vote because she is passionate about politics. Identifying as a “pretty dedicated conservative,” she felt it was her “civic duty and honor” to be able to vote.

“I love my country, and I love thinking about these deeper questions,” she said. “There’s a lot of moral weight to a lot of things surrounding this election.”

She said she voted for Trump because of his international policies, such as imposing tariffs on other countries “to support growth with the United States.” This is her third time voting for the former president, and she “supports everything he stands for.”��

While many individuals have clear stances on who they support, some potential voters have previously voiced their concerns for both candidates.they will not vote for Harris unless the Democratic nominee commits to stop sending weapons to Israel.��

Avery Archer, a West End resident, felt conflicted on the issue because of his pro-Palestinian beliefs toward the Israel-Hamas war. Nevertheless, he decided to vote for Harris because she seemed more “persuasive” in taking a stance on the conflict.��

“Even though she isn’t where I want to be on [the war,] I think she’s more receptive to pressure,” Archer said.��

Fabian said it is important for other undecided voters to still vote in this “historic election.”

“Even if neither of the candidates really represent your beliefs, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do it,” he said.

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West End housing project still faces facility issues, pending litigation ahead of hypothermia season

Hannah Campbell — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 17:52:19 +0000

The West End housing project to convert the Aston into a housing shelter has been further delayed due to repair needs and pending litigation from West End residents.

The beginning of November officially marks hypothermia season, meaning more people will look for city resources to stay out of the cold. With more homeless people across the DMV than the previous year, city officials were gearing to the Aston shelter in West End earlier this month – until problems struck.��

With failed inspections and residents complaints getting in the way, it is still unknown as to when the shelter will be ready to open its doors.��

The West End housing project to convert the Aston into a housing shelter has been further delayed due to repair needs and pending litigation from West End residents.��

A recent facility condition assessment performed by the D.C. The Department of General Services revealed the building failed its final housing code inspection. Officials concluded the building still lacks sufficient fire exits and other repairs throughout the building.��

As ��a 2023 building condition assessment performed by the same agency revealed substantial is needed for the building to remain up to code. The building is also estimated to cost the city about $8 million in repairs over the coming years.

As plans for the remodel of the former George Washington University dorm are continuously met with backlash, residents grow concerned for safety concerns regarding building conditions and surrounding issues.��

Following the news of the assessment, the West End DC Community Association (WEDCCA) filed another lawsuit against the city’s Board of Zoning office. The group calls for the Aston permit to be revoked and that it was issued on “incomplete, stale, and inaccurate information,” regarding the building’s safety standards.��

As previously reported by ��Ӱ��, the building is estimated to cost the city about $8 million in repairs over the coming years (Photo by Hannah Campbell).

“You’re putting lives at risk when you can’t pass a fire code inspection,” attorney Scott Morrison, on behalf of WEDCCA, said. “You’re talking about whether the building itself meets the very minimal building code standards for life safety.”��

This is the third lawsuit the group has filed to halt construction of the project, as the filing claims the temporary shelter with medical support services would violate the area’s zoning regulations. The group claims the area only permits residential buildings, and the Aston’s special exception permit was “fundamentally defective.”��

“The district’s conduct has been deplorable,” Morrison said. “They’re trying to downplay everything.”��

The community group previously filed lawsuits last year regarding the approval process the city used, but voluntarily withdrew their first lawsuits, as .��

A spokesperson for the Department of Building did not respond to requests for comment. The office of Mayor Muriel Bowser has declined to comment on pending litigation and maintenance issues surrounding the Aston.��

While the building was slated to open in early October, the Aston is expected “to begin serving clients in the upcoming hypothermia season.” The season begins on November 1.��

Jim Malec, the ANC 2A Chairperson, said he expected the needed repairs on the building are expected to take “weeks, not months.”

“I wish we would have been able to address this sooner, but this is a process,” Malec said. “…We conducted ourselves in accordance with the timeline set forth by the law.”��

Malec also expressed frustration that the members of WEDCCA have continued to remain anonymous under the litigation proceedings. He said the group that opposes the construction should “take a long look in the mirror and think about their priorities.”

In a declaration to the court, the association’s members include residents from the 22 West Condo association, as well as other neighborhood residents and “multiple businesses that own or occupy properties in the immediate vicinity of, including properties on the same block as, the Aston.”

The shelter, located at 1133 New Hampshire Avenue NW, is near businesses such as Casta’s Rum Bar, Rasika West End and a Call Your Mother deli location.��

The next Board of Zoning meeting is set for Wednesday, November 6, where it will be determined as to whether the Aston deserved a special permit for opening (Photo by Hannah Campbell).

��Ӱ�� reached out to the Department of Human Services to get the latest update on the delays. Kevin Carpenter, director of communications for the department, said in an emailed statement the city “has continually engaged with neighbors, nearby businesses, and community representatives throughout the development process.”

The next Board of Zoning meeting is set for Wednesday, November 6, where it will be determined as to whether the Aston deserved a special permit for opening.��

As the fight to open its door to tenants continues, Morrison said WEDCCA will continue to fight against the city’s lack of transparency to residents on the “dangers” of the Aston.��

“The district has manipulated the system to its advantage to try to get the Aston open for a homeless shelter, and [the district is] doing everything they can to keep this quiet,” Morrison said.

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Francis Stevens parents lack confidence that DCPS can deliver promised modernized school

Katherine Hapgood — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:38:15 +0000

Parents and teachers said they lack confidence in D.C Public School’s ability to deliver a successful modernization for the School Without Walls at Francis Stevens due to little communication from D.C. Public Schools and unacceptable conditions in the temporary schooling facility.

Francis Stevens, which houses elementary and middle school students, is in its final year of a three-year modernization process. The $57 million project is slated to be completed for the start of the 2024-2025 school year.��

“I’m confident that D.C. Public Schools will tell us that our building is ready for next year, I do not know if the building will actually be ready or ready to a degree of quality,” said Zach Carroll, a middle school social studies teacher at Francis Stevens, as well as the Washington Teachers Union representative for the school.

Another DCPS school is expected to relocate to the temporary facility that Francis Stevens is currently using in the next school year, he said, so Francis Stevens staff and students will likely have to move back into the school’s 2425 N St. NW location whether the modernizations are satisfactory or even completed.

Parents also expressed a lack of faith in the quality of the modernization and in the city actually listening to feedback.��

Leah Shoval, the parent of three children at the school, said, “They’re still not necessarily listening to the needs of the community, per se, in terms of things we care the most about. There are obvious budgetary constraints.”

Parents and teachers also expressed concerns that the school community has received about the modernization is heavily filtered and infrequent, leading to a lack of confidence in the project.

“I think we get fed information from the architecture firm a lot and from the [Department of General Service] project managers that is self-serving to some extent, and so it’s hard to know what’s actually getting communicated to the community,” Shoval said.

The DCPS facility planning and design point person on the project, Matthew Dela Cuesta, said he has no concerns and the modernization is on track to be completed on time and ready for the upcoming school year.

“By all accounts, we will be opening up in time to open the school and welcome students for school year 2024-2025,” Dela Cuesta said.

Francis Stevens is undergoing its second year of modernization construction and is slated to open in time for the beginning of next school year. (Katherine Hapgood/��Ӱ��)

He also said the brunt of the requested feedback from the community was during the design phase of the project, back in 2021. However, economics have changed since the budget for the project was last decided, and the allocated funding has not.

“It doesn’t feel like our voices are being heard and/or that budgets are being changed with inflation, with material costs, anything like that,” Shoval said.

After two years in a temporary facility–the old Benjamin Banneker school two miles away–people are ready for a new building but hesitant that they will have the quality, modernized building promised by the city.��

Already, some students have transferred due to the modernization, whether families don’t want to deal with children being bussed across town or for other reasons.

“A lot of people kind of jumped ship because they didn’t want to go across the city and get bussed across the city during the modernization, so the student body has sort of changed as well,” Shoval said.

Laura Frazier moved her elementary-aged son to another nearby public school at the start of the 2022-2023 school year before students were moved to the temporary site at Banneker.

“We chose to send him to the new school because of number one, communication not being great, the length of time they were going to be displaced, and then the convenience,” Frazier said. “We had another option available in our neighborhood that was an equally good school.”

Another family moved their daughters to the same school that Frazier moved her son to, she said.

“They did the same thing we did,” Frazier said. “They came to the same conclusion and switched both of their daughters to the other school.”

Communication was a key factor in the decision for Frazier to move her son.

“They didn’t really tell us any information, which motivated us to change schools, because they weren’t really keeping everyone up to date and clear on the modernization project. Plus the school that we sent him too was already renovated so we knew that there would be no chance of him having to re-locate or re-shuffle to a different place.”

According to data from DCPS and the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment at the school has dropped from the 2019-2020 school year, which was before the modernization construction began, from 540 to 479 students last year.

Francis Stevens students have been learning in the temporary facilities at 800 Euclid St. since August 2022. (Katherine Hapgood/��Ӱ��)

Additionally, Carroll said the temporary facility that Francis Stevens currently inhabits, this past week has had temperatures of over 90 degrees in a few elementary classrooms, Shoval and Carroll both said they have seen flooding as well as rats and mice in the building.

Shoval said her children have told her about heat issues at Banneker and continue to wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts to school, even in the winter, to deal with the high temperatures in the building.

“They’ve said things like, ‘it’s so hot don’t make me go to school with pants on, don’t make me go to school with long-sleeve shirts on, I never have enough water during the day,’ ” she said. “So all of those things to me create a learning environment that’s not exactly conducive to optimal learning spaces.”

Carroll also said he’s noticed disengaged students and attributed some of the lack of interest to the heat.

“It’s really difficult to lead effective instruction for young people and for young people to feel motivated coming to school when the school building is that hot and they don’t see anything being done to fix the issues,” he said.��

Students feel undervalued and are more cognizant of the city’s lack of upkeep of their school building than many people realize, he said. They also appear tired and sleepy, and the heat in the building is likely a contributing factor.

“They have the feeling that they’re uncared for,” Carroll said. “They don’t see care for their personal well-being and basic needs.”

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Contentious West End housing project faces litigation and high maintenance fees, likely delaying its opening

Katherine Hapgood — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 18:36:01 +0000

Lawsuits and financial concerns continue to plague D.C.’s proposed West End bridge housing project, the Aston, as construction reports reveal that the facility is estimated to cost the city about $8 million in repairs within the next nine years.

The District initially bought the building for $27.5 million from George Washington University over the summer. The Aston, which had been slated to open this fall, would be a one-of-a-kind project in the city, operating as bridge housing with a medical facility for those experiencing homelessness.��

A building condition assessment performed by the D.C. Department of General Services over the summer and published in July revealed that substantial work is needed for the building to remain up to code within the next few years. The assessment was released as part of a filed Oct. 27 by the .

This is the second lawsuit pursued by the group, and it focuses on zoning and permit violation concerns, as well as concerns regarding the building condition assessment. The association includes residents and businesses in the West End, according to Scott Morrison, the attorney representing the group in this lawsuit.��

Caption: The Aston is slated to open this fall but the city has remained silent regarding its plans for the project. (Katherine Hapgood/��Ӱ��)

The group previously filed a lawsuit this past summer regarding the process the city used to approve the facility, but the association voluntarily withdrew that lawsuit.��

Morrison, a partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, said the Aston is not on track to open this year if the District follows its own laws.

“If the District carries out its intent to provide long-term medical care to the residents in the shelter, then it’s a clear violation of zoning regulations,” he said.

Morrison also said the association believes the facility will lead to an increase in crime in the area and that tourists will take their business elsewhere if it opens.��

Additionally, Morrison said he believes that Georgetown or somewhere else in the District would be much better suited for the facility the Aston is intended to be.

��“You’re not only going to have all those residents but you’re also going to have all the homeless people that congregate around homeless shelters,” Morrison said. “It’s a very affluent area.”��

Commissioners for Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2A, which covers Foggy Bottom and the West End, were caught off-guard and unaware of the second lawsuit. Trupti Patel, a Foggy Bottom commissioner, said she had been wondering if a pending lawsuit was the reason the city had not responded to questions or inquiries regarding the Aston over the past few months.

With no sign of when the building will open and no answers from the city’s executive branch, Patel said the impending winter is worrying.

“My concern is that we should have bridge housing that is fully operational and functional so that our unhoused neighbors are in shelter and are able to with dignity be able to survive this winter,” Patel said. “I think it would be incredibly negligent and irresponsible for the city to not come up with a contingency plan.”

Jim Malec, the ANC 2A chairperson, said the facility is an opportunity the community should embrace and has the potential to do a large amount of good.

“I view this proposal as a matter of equity, not just efficacy,” Malec said during the ANC special meeting last week. “We have an opportunity to demonstrate that any community, no matter its demographic or socioeconomic profile, can play a role in ending homelessness.”

The city has remained quiet on its newest real estate acquisition. The Department of General Services declined to comment due to the pending lawsuit, and the Office of the Attorney General did not respond to requests for comment.��

Patel said the lack of transparency and answers from the city is leading to increased frustrations.

“The fact that no one seems to be wanting to address the questions or respond to inquiries is fostering a sense of frustration. It’s starting to breed hostility now with stakeholders,” she said.

Additionally, Patel said her constituents were not only frustrated with the evasiveness from the executive branch of the city government but also with Councilmember Brooke Pinto, who represents the area.��

“I feel many members of the public are quite shocked and feel quite surprised that Councilwoman Pinto has not seemed to want to answer questions and inquiries around the Aston,” she said.

ANC 2A last week selected two members for the mandated Community Advisory Team, which will work with the community and members of the ANC to oversee the Aston. However, it still remains unclear what the city’s timeline is.

Courtney Cooperman, one of the elected CAT members, said she wants the Aston to be well-integrated into the community and not stigmatized.��

“I’m eager to see its doors open,” she said during a Nov. 6 special ANC meeting.

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