Nwe 06 29 2016

Page 1

The NorThwesT CurreNT

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Vol. XLIX, No. 28

Serving Chevy Chase, Colonial Village, Shepherd Park, Brightwood, Crestwood, Petworth & 16th Street Heights

Neighbors blast Palisades Rec plan

MUSIC MEN

■ Recreation: Residents call

for more modest renovation

By CUNEYT DIL

Current Correspondent

Dozens of residents who oppose project plans for a significantly larger Palisades Recreation Center turned out for a public meeting last week — and by the end of the event, they took home a

victory. Department of Parks and Recreation director Keith Anderson concluded the meeting by saying the District’s proposed designs, ridiculed by many in attendance as overscale, “will not work for this neighborhood.” His words were met with applause after a meeting that showcased divides between residents. Most residents who spoke said they want any future reno-

vated recreation center to remain quaint, while others, particularly young families, said they welcome more program space. Nearly all agreed the footprint of any proposed center should not be greater than it is now. The center’s property at 5200 Sherier Place NW, recently deemed a historic landmark, currently includes a 1930s brick field house, a playground and sports fields. A See Park/Page 12

ANC backs Cathedral Commons eatery By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer

Brian Kapur/The Current

The Friends of Forest Hills Playground group opened its second annual “Picnic in the Park” series Friday evening with a jazz performance by Spread Love. The next picnic and concert will take place July 29 at 5:30 p.m.

The bid to add one more new restaurant on the Wisconsin Avenue NW portion of the Cathedral Commons inched one step closer to completion last week, as neighborhood leaders reached a tentative agreement with the developer on issues to which they previously objected. Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3C (Cleveland Park, Woodley Park, Massachusetts Avenue Heights) voted 6-0 with one abstention June 20 to support the developer Bozzuto’s application for modifications to its earlier Zoning Commission approval, but only on the condition that the developer provide several amenities in return. The change will allow a new restaurant — Silver, part of the Silver Diner Group — in the 3400 block of Wisconsin between SunTrust Bank and Allure Spa. See Commons/Page 5

Brian Kapur/The Current

Cathedral Commons’ owners hope to see Silver bring family-friendly dining and daily breakfasts to the vacant Wisconsin Avenue NW storefront.

Palisades Fourth of July parade to mark its 50th

JBG details redevelopment proposal for Wardman site

By MARK LIEBERMAN

■ Woodley Park: Residential The first phase of the proposed

and privately owned green space.

Current Staff Writer

Anne Ourand has been working on the Palisades Parade since the turn of the century. In her decade and a half in the neighborhood, the event has never gotten rained out. Last year, a torrential downpour ended five minutes before the march was set to begin. “It will rain buckets beforehand, and it will rain buckets after. It’s like a miracle,” Ourand said. “It never rains right on the parade.” With that kind of lucky streak, the annual Palisades Parade is always an occasion for celebration, as it falls on Independence Day and encourages wideSee Parade/Page 7

buildings would replace hotel

By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

Mayor Muriel Bowser was among last year’s parade marchers. The 2016 event starts at 11 a.m. Monday.

The Wardman complex in Woodley Park could see major changes and additions over the next few years, according to plans revealed by the developer JBG in two separate zoning applications last week. The 16-acre property includes the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel; the historic Wardman Tower; an apartment building, the Woodley;

project, tentatively scheduled to begin in 2018, would add an eightstory apartment building with 120 units geared toward families on open space near the corner of 27th Street and Woodley Road NW. The remaining green space in front of the new building would be converted to a public park through an easement. Further out, JBG hopes to tear down the Marriott Wardman Park hotel at 2660 Woodley Road NW and, in its place, build four more residential buildings totaling See Wardman/Page 7

NEWS

SPORTS

GETTING AROUND

INDEX

Neighborhood stories

Speedy Tiger

Disability parking

Calendar/14 Classifieds/21 District Digest/4 Exhibits/15 Getting Around/18 In Your Neighborhood/10

PBS documentary to highlight lesser-known histories of Dupont, Georgetown / Page 3

Wilson High runner Drew Glick named D.C.’s boys track and field player of the year / Page 11

D.C. Department of Transportation renews effort to implement ‘red top meter’ program / Page 18

Opinion/8 Police Report/6 Real Estate/13 Service Directory/19 Sports/11 Week Ahead/3

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