Ilana,
Thank you so much for this update. I’m really supportive of your thoughts
below and would be very interested in learning more about this as an
opportunity for others to enjoy our wonderful community and provide further
support for our great restaurants and shops.
From: north-takoma-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <north-takoma-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On
Behalf Of Ilana Preuss
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2022 10:26 AM
To: north-takoma@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [north-takoma] Re: EYA at the Metro Station
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<mailto: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<mailto: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.
