I understand the signs are confusing. However if it helps the new ParkMobile
spots allow you to park for 18 hours (you can leave your car there for that
long for $5). That’s more in line with other Metro stations like Ft Totten.
I am not sure the emptiness is due to confusion (possibly) or more so fewer
people traveling into DC and being able to work from home.
John Seelke
Richmond Ave
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 29, 2022, at 4:23 PM, Melissa McNulty <mel.mcnulty@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
The hours that patrons are allowed to park at the current lot are so
confusing that I avoid it altogether, as do many others, judging from how
empty it usually is. It's certainly not possible for a person working 9-5 to
park there. I commute every day and walk a mile each way to and from Metro
because parking is not possible and bus service is limited and unreliable.
Melissa (on Ray)
On Fri, Apr 29, 2022 at 2:36 PM Dvidutis <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
1. That parking lot could have been beautiful, with rows of blooming trees
planted between rows of cars (I saw that done breathtakingly at Indiana
University) but metro did not.
2. That parking lot could have been user-friendly but it never was (except
for being free on weekends). Don’t blame the space for the confusion.
3. Call me crazy, but I walk home from the metro in the middle of the night
all the time. I think it is more of a function of where you are walking to.
Living on Piney branch, my route is well lit and well traveled. Don’t blame
the parking lot if your neighborhood is quiet and secluded. I have
absolutely never had a problem on Metro property.
4. Unless an apartment unit is actually purchased by a resident, it is not
building the wealth of anybody but a slumlord. Many creeps grow wealthy on
renting out section 8 housing.
5. Two acres of grass located against a 7 story building is not green space
but a spot for your dog to pee.
6. If this project is so great, why aren’t they building it in White Flint,
which has a metro stop and many many many acres of free land.
Diana Vidutis
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
On Friday, April 29, 2022, 12:19 PM, John Seelke <jseelke@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi all,
To rework the famous line from Joni Mitchell, I don't believe that anyone
wants to continue to have paradise paved over by a parking lot. Ilana, thank
you for sharing much of what you shared.
What I hope that you (or anyone else who has some influence on the details),
can focus on are all of the small details that can lead to a wonderful
project or an idea become quite frustrating. I am going to focus on the
parking aspect here. As some of our neighbors have noted, they feel much
safer being able to drive to their homes (even if they are a short distance)
than walking, particularly late at night. Others, like my wife, may drive
into work. IF (and this is the key, in my opinion) the parking spaces are
configured and arranged so that there is flexibility for someone who works
9-5 downtown to use a spot, as well as for those that are using retail OR
someone who may be going into the city in the evening for a Nationals game,
etc. What I would hate to see is a situation where there is two hour
parking, and that tickets are being written for people if their cars are
there past a certain time.
I hope that these comments make some sense. I (and I think many others) are
NOT against adding affordable housing (it was good to hear there will be
some 3-bedrooms that are affordable - one question I have is HOW do we get
those that live locally to access to these affordable homes). And I hope
that such details like I described above can be taken into consideration. So
often well intentions plans go array because there isn't consideration of
the little details.
Thanks all
john seelke
richmond ave
On Fri, Apr 29, 2022 at 10:26 AM Ilana Preuss <ilanap1@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi neighbors -
To bring a different perspective to this conversation, I support the
development at the metro and I think the new design and plan is really
strong.
I had a chance to see a presentation on it and I think it is really
thoughtful. I believe that we need more housing options for more people near
metro stations, and I believe that one of the only ways we start to right
the wrongs of the racism baked into how our neighborhoods were developed (I
know, before us, but still a problem) is by inviting more people to be a
part of the who are at different price points than our houses are at this
point. I also think more people in the neighborhood is great for our local
businesses. Our TP main street businesses are thriving significantly because
of the new apartments that went up around our downtown.
A few pieces about the plan that I like specifically:
The development will have double the amount of affordable apartments
required by DC and some of the 3 bedroom apartments will be set aside for
low-income households.
There will be short-term parking onsite for people to use - it will be
available for people going to the stores, but can also be used by people
going downtown for part of the day, similar to what we have now. They are
also keeping all of the bus bays and existing bus service.
I love that the design has stores facing Carroll - it will really knit
together our main street from Takoma DC to Takoma Park and help unite our
neighborhoods - which I think is really important.
The developer is also proposing a 2 acre park along the side facing Eastern
and coming around to Carroll that they will build and maintain and offer for
community events.
There's a lot more, but I encourage folks to learn more about the new design
instead of basing the discussion off of guesses or the old plans.
I am glad we can have an open and respectful conversation about the proposed
development at the metro station on our listserv, share our difference of
opinions about it, and each learn more about it too.
ILANA
On Thu, Apr 28, 2022 at 10:00 PM Stephanie Smilay <ssmilay@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
If there is no parking at the Metro, then it is absolutely required to have
bus service as long as the Metro is running. I’m too old to walk even 3/4
of a mile at midnight.
It may be the intent of the developers to get us all into our cars and drive
downtown, which is probably what I will end up doing. Maybe they have an
interest in the parking garages downtown? It’s certainly something to
look into.
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 27, 2022, at 10:37 PM, Richard P. Cember
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Here's my two cents' worth on this. (OK, more like twenty cents' worth.)
1. Construction waste accounts for something like 20% of municipal solid
waste nationwide. It is not a trivial environmental impact. Neither is the
manufacture and transportation of the construction materials.
2. Even parking lots are a kind of open space. I know it is heresy to say
that. That is not to say that all parking lots serve that function, nor
that they should proliferate. And usually a park would be better. But small
surface lots in particular do loosen up the urban fabric just a little here
and there in a way that provides a kind of relief. The current T.P. metro
is kind of a cross between a park and a parking lot. It's not unpleasant.
3. In regard to density, Metro is already not able to handle the ridership
that it has. It's also a rotten experience. It's also on limited service
half the time. I avoid it when I can. I know that's heresy, too. But let's
be honest about it.
4. Unless you are a civil servant or you own your own stable business, you
can't rely on living near your work for more than a few years, until your
next job change. I have twice worked in Silver Spring as a contractor for
NOAA, and walked to work there in both cases, in all seasons. That accounts
for a total of about five of the twenty-one years that I have lived here.
If you have kids in day care, in most cases you need your car. That last
one is a very strong reality.
5. No parking at the Takoma Metro means no use of the Takoma Metro station
by people who live more than a short walk away. I guess people could park
in the Bonifant-Dixon garage in Silver Spring and get on the train there.
In fact, that is what I do whenever I do need to use the Metro. So I
suppose losing that station parking is no big deal.
6. Living where I do, for most of the twenty-one years that I have been in
T.P., I used Silver Spring for most commercial needs. Now it is much less
so for me. It is no longer possible to move around there by car. It's
overbuilt and too congested. Every trip is interrupted by construction, or
just plain traffic. You could say I should go on foot, but I am not going
to do that for, say, grocery shopping, because I don't want to be doing
that every two days, or carrying milk for a half hour in 90-degree weather.
Or when I am busy and I need something from the hardware store. For an
hour's walk on a nice day, sure. For practical purposes, no.
Does this add up to a policy argument against the development? No, because
I have not carefully studied the issues. Plus, even with careful study of
the issues, how you come out depends on what you think is important among
valid competing concerns.
Does it mean that, honestly, that I would greatly prefer it if the project
just goes away? Honestly, yes.
Richard Cember
Boston Ave.
