Ward 7 - Page 5

DC Council Approves $450K in Funds for Penn Ave East Initiatives

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Viveca Miller, PAECC Member, [email protected]
Washington, DC, July 23, 2020

Pennsylvania Avenue East Community Coalition (PAECC) Press Release

DC COUNCIL APPROVES $200,000 FOR A PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE EAST MAIN STREET PROGRAM AND $250,000 TO UPDATE THE SMALL AREA PLAN FOR PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE EAST CORRIDOR (Penn Ave East)

On July 23, 2020, the DC Council held the Second Vote of the Fiscal Year 2021 Local Budget Act of 2020 (Bill 23-761). The Bill passed 13-0. Included in that Bill are two initiatives sponsored by Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray: $200,000 for a Pennsylvania Avenue East Main Street Program and $250,000 to update the Small Area Plan for Penn Ave East.

The approval of funding is a significant accomplishment of the Pennsylvania Avenue East Community Coalition (PAECC), a group of Community Civic Association Presidents and residents from nearby communities such as Dupont Park, Fairlawn, Fairfax Village, Fort Davis, Hillcrest, Penn Branch, and Randle Highlands, who are working together to bring long-overdue development to the area. The PAECC successfully solicited the support of Vincent Gray, Ward 7 Councilmembers; John Falcicchio, Interim Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development; and Kenyan McDuffie, Ward 5 Councilmember and Chair, Committee of Business and Economic Development, to support the funding efforts.

Pennsylvania Avenue is designed as one of America’s “Great Streets.” Yet, Pennsylvania Avenue East of the River has not kept pace with the economic development happening in the rest of the city. Numerous reports, studies, and recommendations for revitalization and improvements have been conducted, including the  January 2008 Pennsylvania Avenue SE Corridor Small Area Plan, the current DC Comprehensive Plan, and the Pennsylvania Avenue East of the River Task Force Report dated 12/8/01.

These plans and report reflect the same recommendations; unfortunately, nineteen years (19) later, there has been little or no implementation to date. The PAECC followed the advice of the late John Lewis, “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” 

Jacquelyn Cannon, Chair PAECC, states, “Our efforts started from a Change.org Petition created by Ayanna Smith requesting support for a Pennsylvania Avenue East Main Street Program. As a result of the petition and this funding, Penn Ave East will begin revitalization equal or similar to other communities in the District of Columbia. This is a major WIN for the community. The PAECC slogan is, “As DC Fights for Representation, We Fight for Revitalization.”

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Pope Branch Restoration Project Update

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We’re pleased to say that the restoration of Pope Branch Stream is expected to be completed in November 2016.  The Pope Branch tributary stream starts near Fort Davis Drive, runs through Penn Branch (Texas Avenue) and flows to the Anacostia and drains to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.  The stream had become an eyesore, polluted by stormwater runoff, leaking sewer pipes, trash, and stagnate  water and mosquitos.  But thanks to the restoration project,  we will soon be proud of our community stream.

The restoration project completed by DC Water and Sewer will provide residents with scenic views, and more importantly, will reduce the sediment load carried to the Anacostia river, and provide a in-stream habit for resident fish and other wildlife.  The entire project will restore the ecological value of Pope Branch stream and floodplain area.

The multiple construction entrances and 3200 linear feet of access road have been completed at Texas Ave, 35th St. and M.  Eighty percent of construction for restoration design features are complete; specifically, shallow places in the stream where the water runs fast and is agitated by rocks, pools, boulder walls, gravel bottoms and small hills of sand constructed with an estimated 1600 tons of natural stream bed material, such as clean sand, gravel, cobble, and boulders.

We will soon have a beautiful community stream, and we thank DC Water and Sewer for keeping us updated and responding to our inquires during the project.

 

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Penn Branch Shopping Center Sold!

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Penn Branch Shopping Center Sold at Auction

A bid was accepted by CW Properties on August 10th.  The buyer has not been disclosed and may not for another 30 days.  At this point, we don’t know how the sale will impact the parking lot repairs in process or the merchants and seniors who have raised concerns about the duration of the repairs.

Penn Branch members along with several others community leaders and members have been working for several months to advocate for changes to Penn Branch Shopping Center and along Pennsylvania Avenue East.  For more information, please email us at: [email protected]

We look forward to collaborating with the new owners and neighbors from all areas to move east of the river forward!

Sold at Auction - Penn Branch Shopping Center
Sold at Auction – Penn Branch Shopping Center

April 12 Guest Speaker: Raymond Bell, H.O.P.E. Project

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We’re pleased to also have as our guest at the April 12 Penn Branch Citizens Civic Association meeting, Raymond Bell, founder of Project H.O.P.E. which located on the second floor of the Penn Branch Shopping Center.

Raymond Bell 

Raymond E. Bell is the founder of R. Emmanuel Bell Consulting, a training and facilitation company. Mr. Bell is a social entrepreneur, keynote speaker and facilitator. He is devoted to teaching and coaching young adults how to become I.T. professionals. Through his workshops, courses and coaching programs Mr. Bell shows young adults how to get out of the unemployment line and on a career path.

Raymond’s passion is to empower young people to take ownership and control of their own destiny. In 2009 Bell founded The H.O.P.E. Project, also known as the “Harvard of the Hood”, an I.T. career training program. The H.O.P.E. Project has been called one of the best I.T. career training programs in the country by the President of the Help Desk Institute (HDI). Graduates earn an average annual salary of $43,000, working on major government contracts, such as Lockheed Martin, World Bank and CACI.

Mr. Bell is considered one of the leading experts on I.T. career training and workforce development in the United States. Mr. Bell has received numerous awards for his work including the 2014 R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center Innovator of the Year, 2014 BDPA Washington DC Chapter Member of the Year, 2012 National Black Caucus of State Legislators, Nation Builder Award Recipient, for his outstanding work developing world class I.T. professionals.

Raymond Bell has been seen on and/or featured in Ebony, ABC, CBS, WHUR, NewOne Now, Bloomberg News, Washington Post, National Public Radio, National Journal, BET and many other media outlets.
RaymondBell.com, GetAJobIn30Days.com, HopeProjectDC.org

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