jp newsletter feb06 - palisadesdc.org · tuesday, march 14 river-friendly living lecturesee article...

NewsT H E PA L I S A D E S

A Newsletter of the Palisades Citizens Association Representing the Greater Palisades Area Volume 17 • Number 4 • February 2006

Sibley Hospital Seeking Approval to Build aMedical Office Building and GarageWill Update PCA at February Meeting

Sibley Hospital seeks to build a new medicaloffice building and a new four-level, 600-space

parking garage on the 20-plus acres of land wherethe current hospital is located. The Hospital is inthe process of applying to the DC ZoningCommission for a “Planned Unit Development”that will allow for both structures, arguing that thebuilding and parking will attract physicians whocurrently serve patients at the existing hospital,keep DC medicine competitive with Maryland andVirginia, and “modernize and expand the medicalservices provided…to meet the continuing needs ofthe surrounding community and the District.”

Sibley Hospital has had a presence in the

Palisades since 1961. Aside from the Hospital itself,the complex also includes Grand Oaks, an assistedliving residence with approximately 135 units. Themedical center also houses Sibley Renaissance,which is a 44-bed skilled nursing home.

While the parking garage will have approximately600 spaces, Sibley plans to build it over the existingsurface parking lot. The hospital will also build a busturnaround, which means that there will be a net totalof approximately 233 spaces for additional parking.

Sibley Chief Operating Officer Jerry Price and ateam of Sibley staffers briefed the membership ofthe PCA in November. After Palisades neighbors

Continued on page 4

PCA GENERALMEMBERSHIP

MEETING

Tuesday, February 7, 20067:30 pm

Palisades RecreationCenter

February’s meeting topic will focuson community and regional emer-

gency preparedness planning.

• Ed Reiskin, Deputy Mayor for PublicSafety, and Millicent Williams,Citizen Corps Manager, will informus about what the city is doing toprepare for a disaster (e.g., evacua-tion routes/interoperable communi-cations) and provide us guidance asto what we as citizens can do toprepare ourselves and our familiesto respond to an emergency and tosupport our first responders andcommunity. You cannot afford tomiss this ever-so-important meeting.

• Jerry Price, Chief Operating Officerat Sibley Hospital, will also give anupdate on upcoming expansionplans for a medical office buildingand parking garage.

NOW THAT'S A STRANGE SLEIGH!

Santa Claus made his rounds early this year (December 23rd) thanks to the Palisades Fire Department. Fire Fighters NateHowell (l) and Brett Sutor (r) escorted Santa (Steve Kevan) to visit the neighborhood's good little boys and girls.

The Palisades Citizens Association • 1

Jp Newsletter Feb06.qxd 1/24/06 2:21 PM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1 ANC3D meeting 7:30 pm, Sibley Hospital’sErnst Auditorium, www.anc3d.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7PCA General Membership Meeting 7:30 pm,“Emergency Preparedness,” PalisadesRecreation Center.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8PCA Board Meeting 7:30 pm, Palisades Comm.Church, 5200 Cathedral Ave., open to all.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10Dinner & a Movie Dinner (Lasagna) 6:15 pm,movie (Roman Holiday) 7 pm, PalisadesComm. Church, 5200 Cathedral Ave., Tickets$10 adults, $5 children, open to all.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11Saturday Morning Classic Movies Enjoybagels and muffins beginning at 9:30, Dr.Doolittle at 10 am, Palisades Comm. Church,5200 Cathedral Ave., Tickets $5, open to all.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15Key Elementary Open House 10 am - 12 pm

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21The Palisades Stamp Club 7:30 pm, PalisadesLibrary.TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21

The Palisades Book Club 7 pm, PalisadesLibrary.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 232006 July 4th Parade Planning Meeting 7:30 pm, Starland Café, everyone welcome,363-7441.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28Palisades Georgetown Lion’s Club PancakeDinner & Bake Sale 6-8:30 pm, PalisadesComm. Church, 5200 Cathedral Ave., $8adults, $4 children 6-12, 966-4418.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14River-Friendly Living Lecture See articlebelow.

FRIDAY, MARCH 17Dinner & a Movie Dinner (Chicken Elegant)6:15 pm, movie (My Favorite Wife) 7 pm,Palisades Comm. Church, 5200 CathedralAve., Tickets $10 adults, $5 children.

SATURDAY, MARCH 18Saturday Morning Classic Movies Pancakesand sausage at 9:30, Peter Pan at 10 am,Palisades Comm. Church, 5200 CathedralAve., Tickets $5, open to all.

2 • Volume 17 • Number 4

O U T & A B O U T

2006 PALISADESRECREATION CENTERSPRING SCHEDULE General Hours of OperationMWF • 2:30-9:00 pmTuTh • 12:30-9:00 pmSat • 9:00 am-3:00 pm

• Palisades After School Program (ages 5 & up) M-F • 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm

• Palisades Tot Soccer ( ages 4-7) Tu/Th • 4:00-5:00 pm

• Kickball Fridays (ages 7 & up) Fri • 4:00-5:00 pm• Palisades Teen Time (ages 12 & up)

Fri • 6:00-8:00 pmThese programs begin at the end of March. Anyquestions or concerns, please contact the PalisadesStaff at 282-2186.

PALISADES LIBRARY Starting Tuesday, January 17th, the library will restoreTuesday and Thursday morning hours. Our schedulewill be as follows:MWF 9:30 – 5:30TuThSat 9:30 – 9:00

Our 1960s International style building is also gettinga facelift. New carpeting and new furniture are inplace, interior painting is being completed, and newwindow blinds and upgraded lighting will be next.Stop by and let us know what you think.

LIBRARY PROGRAMS• Palisades Book Club Jan 24 & Feb 21 • 7:00 pm• Palisades Stamp Club Jan 17 & Feb 21 • 7:30 pm

CHILDREN’S ROOM PROGRAMS • Preschool Stories (ages 2-4): Mon • 10:30 through

March 13 (No programs January 16 & February 20)• LapTime (ages 4-24 months): Wed • 10:30 through

March 8• Story Time (ages 4-8): Mon • 4:00 pm January 9,

23, 30, February 6, 13• Science Tuesdays (ages 9-12): Tues • 4:00 pm

January 10, 24, February 7 — Lucy Thrasher

River-Friendly Living

Join the Potomac Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy on Tuesday, March 14 at 7 pmat the Sibley Hospital Auditorium to learn simple and inexpensive practices you can adopt

to ensure a healthier and more natural Potomac River, including landscaping with nativeplants, creating wildlife habitat, and fertilizing your lawn in a river-friendly manner. A down-loadable PDF of the “Good Neighbor Handbook: Tips and Tools for River-Friendly Living inthe Middle Potomac Region” is available online at The Nature Conservancy’s(www.nature.org/goodneighbor) and Potomac Conservancy’s (www.potomac.org) websites.

The Palisades Citizens Association and ANC 3D are co-sponsoring this lecture with TheNature Conservancy and Potomac Conservancy. It is the first of the John Finney MemorialLecture Series. The presentation will be offered a total of four times in March at four loca-tions around the Potomac Gorge: 7 pm on March 8 at the Clara Barton Community Center(on MacArthur Boulevard); 7 pm on March 14 at the Sibley Hospital Auditorium (onLoughboro); 7 pm on March 21 at the Arlington Central Library (on Quincy Street); and 7pmon March 29 at Great Falls National Park (VA) Visitor Center Auditorium.

— Stephanie Flack,The Nature Conservancy


The Palisades is losingone of its all-star con-tributors, and we will

certainly miss her. Sally Fallonis moving out of the Palisades,but we will continue to bereminded of her whenever wewalk around the neighbor-hood.

Sally, a former President ofthe PCA, has made her mark:• Working with architect David Mitchell, she

built the neighborhood kiosk that is nextdoor to the MacArthur Safeway in 1995.

• She helped to found the PalisadesCommunity Fund, which is the grant-mak-ing arm of the Palisades CitizensAssociation. The PCF, under the leadershipof Nancy Hammond, continues to fundimprovements to the neighborhood.

• Sally conceived of and organized theMacArthur Beautification Group, whichtakes care of the median strips runningdown MacArthur Boulevard. She organizedmaintenance of the medians, raised themoney to pay for it all, recruited block cap-tains to adopt medians, and inventoriedplantings and conditions. She also made acontribution of sweat and strained muscles— she was frequently sighted carrying bagsof mulch and new plants to the medians.

Marcia Allen, past PCA president from

1993-1995, recruited then-new neighbor Sally Fallon,who was very enthusiasticabout neighborhood beautifi-cation. A few neighbors metone Sunday afternoon tobrainstorm beautificationideas, and it was then thatSally Fallon had the idea tofocus on MacArthur Blvd.The rest, they say, is history.

She basically “took it and ran.” Sally wasthen elected president from 1995-1996.

Sally has made a lasting mark on ourcommunity and has never been afraid to rollup her sleeves and do whatever it takes toaccomplish her goals. It is not so much themulch and plantings, it is the fact that shetook the time and effort to volunteer to helpher community. The Palisades CitizensAssociation is made up of dozens of volun-teers who also make their own contribution,and I want to encourage neighbors to makea stand and consider what contributions heor she can make. Sally is an example of thegood things that can come with some com-munity spirit and a little elbow grease.

Sally has made the Palisades a better placeto live, we will all miss her, and we wish herall the best. She is a tremendous example toall of us who care about the Palisades.

— Spence Spencer, PCA President


F RO M T H E P R E S I D E N T

THE PALISADES CITIZENS ASSOCIATION THANKS THESE2005 JULY 4TH SUPPORTERS

TENT SPONSORSAnn Hand, 333-2979Bedrock Management, Buffalo Billiards, 337-5550Blacksalt, 342-9101Café Ettore, 244-0054Chryssa Wolfe & Hanlon Design Build, 244-2942CVS, 965-6546Grand Lodge F.A.A.M. of DC, 686-1811Institute for Spiritual Development, 362-2456MacArthur Liquors, 338-1433Makin & Assoc. of Remax One, 678-2697Safeway, 337-5649Sibley Hospital, 537-4000Whole Foods, www.wholefoods.comPARADE PATRONSCapital Antiques, 966-4887DC Living Real Estate, 337-0501

Dennis O’Leary DDS, 966-8108Dorothy Holland Lessard, 362-8454HD Johnson, 244-6555Howard Eales Inc., 363-4088Listrani’s, 363-0620Mauck, Zantzinger & Associates, 363-8501Our Lady of Victory, 337-4835Parker’s Exxon, 337-3144St Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 342-2800St Patrick’s Episcopal Day School, 342-2804The UPS Store, 966-4434Barbara ZuckermanPARADE SPONSORSBambu, 364-3088French Seams, 966-1196MacMarket, 364-5904

NEIGHBORHOODNOTICES• Congrats To…Makoto. Zagat Survey rated the

Palisades’ Japanese restaurant (4822 MacArthur Blvd.,202-298-6866) as the best in the D.C. area for food.The restaurant guide calls Makoto’s cuisine “a work ofart, with subtle flavors, lots of textures and beautifulcomposition.” We’re happy to report that Makoto hasbeen a loyal member of the Palisades CitizensAssociation for years.

• An Easter Tradition…The Palisades CitizensAssociation is reviving the famous Palisades EasterEgg Hunt on a still-to-be-determined weekend inApril. It will be held at the Palisades Rec Center.Volunteers and planners should call the PCA office at363-7441 or email [email protected].

• So Long To…The Wild Bird Center in Glen Echo,which is closing for good in late Feb. It is offering 40percent discounts for anything in the store, exceptseed. The building is reportedly on the market foraround $2.5 million. It is the old Bonfield’s Texaco,designated as historical and therefore protected atleast in part.

• Congrats To… Sibley Memorial Hospital President andCEO Robert L. Sloan, who was honored with the2004 Delmarva Foundation Leadership Award for D.C.The award recognizes Sibley’s improvement in fourareas: acute myocardial infarction, chronic heart fail-ure, surgical infection prevention, and pneumonia.Delmarva Foundation presented the award to Sloanrecently.

• Summer Dreaming…Mohican Pool ( 7117 MacArthurBlvd) is accepting applications for the 2006 season. Ithas three pools (baby, middle, big), swim and diveteams, early bird swim, 50-Miler Program, lap lanes, raftnights, water-exercise classes, a snack bar, and picnicarea. For information, email [email protected] visit www.mohicanpool.com.

• Get Creative At…Glen Echo Park, which is starting itswinter class sessions over the next few weeks. Visitwww.glenechopark.org for a full list of classes andprograms. You may also want to visit www.thepuppet-co.org, www.discoverycreek.org, www.yellowbarnstu-dio.com, and www.adventuretheatre.org.

• Welcome to…our two new members who joined thePCA in December and thank you to the 26 memberswho renewed their memberships. Has your member-ship expired? Check your mailing label and if so, sendyour dues ($15 individual, $25 household, $50 sponsor,$100 patron, $300 life), made out to PCA, to PCA, P.O.Box 40603, Washington, DC 20016.



SIBLEY HOSPITAL Continued from page 1voiced a number of concerns about a moreaggressive development plan includingexpanding Sibley’s emergency room servicesand increasing the number of licensed beds,Sibley agreed to shelve the broader plan andfocus only on the medical office building andparking garage. Price plans to update thePalisades Citizens Association on currentplanning at the PCA’s next meeting onFebruary 7, and solicit further ideas and com-ments from Palisades residents.

The office building will be similar in manyrespects to the Foxhall Square building onNew Mexico Avenue. It will not only houseoffice facilities for doctors, but also the build-ing will hopefully house a pharmacy,

optometrist, and other services. The officebuilding will be approximately 90 feet highand integrated into the general Sibley design.Sibley plans to improve the existing entranceto the Hospital off Dalecarlia, enhance Little Falls Road, and generally improve land-scaping.

Sibley, as part of its application, commis-sioned Gorove/Slade Associates to develop apreliminary traffic impact analysis.Gorove/Slade reported back that with the newstructures, MacArthur, Dalecarlia, andLoughboro will “continue to operate accept-ably for both the AM and PM peak hours.”Sibley site-generated trips would add a totalof approximately 339 AM peak hour trips and419 PM peak hour trips, representing 6% and

9% of the total traffic on the surroundingroadways.

Sibley’s plans will have significant impactson our neighborhood, not least of allincreased traffic, and merits further scrutinyand dialogue. ANC Commissioner RachelThompson and other concerned neighborshave had positive meetings with Sibley on thenew construction, increased traffic, andSibley’s ongoing contribution to the Palisadescommunity, and discussions are ongoing.Make plans to attend the February meeting atthe Rec Center to get more information onthe new building, and engage in a lively dis-cussion about how this further developmentof the neighborhood should proceed.

— Spence Spencer, PCA President

To Cut Like Butter – Julie Russell Leaves the Editor’s Chair

Harold Ross, the legendary founding editor of The New Yorkermagazine, said he’d never seen a piece that couldn’t be “cut like

butter,” but it helped to be humorous about those cuts. Ross shouldhave met Julie Russell, who has edited The Palisades News for morethan seven years. He would hire her on the spot. Everyone who hasworked with Julie to fill this paper monthly will miss her energy andhumor as she leaves the editor’s chair.

Since 1995, when Julie and her husband Peter Scott first rented ahouse in the Palisades, which Peter knew from growing up in thisarea, they’ve become more deeply involved with our neighborhood. Afew years ago, they bought a house on Carolina Place. Julie says shefirst met most Palisaders of her wide acquaintance while dog-walking;she’s “a big walker” who also likes to swim and read for leisure (“ha!”)activity. Daughters Charlotte 7, Bridgett 4, and baby Audrey (7months) are future alumnae of Key School.

Peter and Julie met in Manhattan. Julie handled financial industryaccounts for an advertising agency; Peter worked in hedge funds. Julie“crossed over,” taking an MBA focused on agricultural economics, andnow works about 40 hours a month for a futures trader. Julie’s home-town is Lincoln, Nebraska, where her father is an agribusiness execu-tive; she graduated from the University of Nebraska (“Go, Huskers!”).

Julie brought to the editorship of The Palisades News the samemarketing skills, bright ideas, and enthusiasm she showed in PCAboard meetings and service on the Palisades Community Fund board.Her favorite aspects of our neighborhood include its “the sky’s thelimit” approach to what we can accomplish for the community. Juliealso values the quality of neighborhood institutions such as thelibrary, Key School, and Hardy and Palisades Parks and rec centers. “Itry not to cross Wisconsin if I don’t have to,” she says. “Compared toNew York, this feels like a small town, with easy access to useful serv-ices and friendly people.”

What does she think are the biggest issues ahead for Palisades?“Hands down, the need to defeat the big de-watering and disposal

plant the Washington Aqueduct wants to build near Sibley,” Julie says.By contrast, she finds the development of Sibley Hospital itself “a netwin” for the community. We need to keep a close watch on furtherschool enlargements and developments, she thinks. Julie would like tosee a detailed inventory of Palisades houses and trees, part of whichhas begun. The community might pursue a limited type of historicdistrict designation to curb overbuilding, “something looser thanGeorgetown’s prohibitions, but still meaningful.”

Julie worked with five different PCA presidents, from PennyPagano to Spence Spencer. Looking back over her seven-year editor-ship, Julie says she “wants to thank the folks I’ve worked with—I did-n’t do a lot of writing. The PCA committee chairs put in a remarkableamount of work. There’s always somebody to say, ‘I need to put outthe word, people need to be educated about this issue’: zoning, air-craft noise, tree preservation, traffic, community grants. I really appre-ciate those who gave me the content to fill the paper. It’s been a verysatisfying job.”

— Judith Dollenmayer


ANC UpdateHappy new year! ANC 3D began the year

by electing new officers. After two yearsof extraordinarily hard and good work, andper the ANC’s by-laws, ANC chair Alma Gatesis taking a breather and our new chair is JillStern of Spring Valley. Alma will continue toserve as vice-chair, and Rachel Thompson assecretary, and Ann Haas, of Foxhall Village,has agreed to serve another year as treasurer.Beverley Monroe is still our administrativeassistant and can be reached at 363-4130 [email protected].

Our website is www.anc3d.org, and all ofour contact numbers, along with meetingagendas and other documents, are available atthat site. Our meetings are the firstWednesday of each month in Sibley MemorialHospital’s Ernst Auditorium. Ordinarily theystart at 7:30 p.m., but for the last severalmonths we’ve had such a full agenda that wehave started them at 7:00 p.m. Agendas arepublished in the Northwest Current and tothe Palisades listserv, which we encourage youto join by writing to [email protected]. Any member ofthe community is welcome to attend thesemeetings and speak during the portion of themeeting set aside for Community Concerns.It is often through community efforts thatcases are brought to the attention of the com-mission.

Zoning and Building IssuesANC 3D started the new year off with a

bang, hearing a number of important zoningcases including Morton Bender’s applicationto build 13 luxury residences on the formerMurphy property on Chain Bridge Road(twice opposed by the ANC and now headedfor a hearing at the Board of ZoningAdjustment); the second of three presenta-tions by Friends of St. Patrick’s to construct anew upper school on the north portion of theformer Casey Mansion site with a new light atthe proposed entrance off of Foxhall Road(and 28 homes to the south accessible fromHoban Road); several cases involving largeunpermitted retaining walls; and a slew ofother zoning and building issues and commu-nity concerns.

In late December an editorial in theNorthwest Current endorsed the ANC 3D

zoning committee’s recommended changes tolaw to provide for more and faster informa-tion about applications and permits, whicheffort has been endorsed by the FoggyBottom ANC and is awaiting review by theOffice of Planning before a set-down hearingat the Zoning Commission.

Zoning and building tipsIf you are either building a house or a houseis under construction next to yours or nearby,here are a couple things to know. First, con-struction is permitted between the hours of 7a.m. and 7 p.m. No construction is permittedon Sundays.

Any building under construction must dis-play the proper permits in the front windowat all times, and they must be obtained priorto the start of construction. When a permitexpires, all construction must stop.

If you wish to report after hours or Sundayconstruction or what appears to be illegalconstruction, you may call 442-STOP or writeto [email protected]. You’re also encouraged tonotify your ANC commissioner so we canhelp you with any follow-up.

Stormwater and Street RepairsWe continue to work closely with PCA topush DDOT forward with plans to re-paveSherier Place and Potomac Avenue. We didhave one success: the repaving of 49th Streetat the very end of the year. As you know,street paving is closely entwined with stormdrainage issues, and we are working withDDOT to re-pave areas that do not requiremajor stormwater reconstruction as responsi-bility for the latter lies with WASA. DDOTalso has to coordinate with WASA on plansfor lead replacement. We still anticipateFoxhall Road will receive the promisedupgrades in the near future.

Needless to say, nothing is happening asquickly as we would like. DDOT has identi-fied a slew of blocks where it can make mod-est repairs, including to the surface stormdrains, and then proceed with re-paving.Other blocks require more serious under-ground rebuilding, or else the new pavementwill quickly erode. Here we have run into afunding problem, as much if not all ofWASA’s storm water management fundinghas been redirected to lead replacement.Remember, costs for both – the lead replace-

ment and storm sewer repairs – are borne byratepayers through our water bills and notthrough our property taxes. The lack of stormwater funding is particularly distressing giventhe great amount of new building in our areaand the resulting increase in runoff due tomore impermeable surfaces such as largerroofs, driveways, patios, and pools.

Some Excellent NewsThere is a great deal more to write about, andthe PCA has invited us to start again the prac-tice of including a monthly column in thenewsletter to talk about what we’re workingon. But I want to end with some very goodnews, and a huge kudos to one Palisades resi-dent who has shown especial intelligence andpersistence in addressing a problem thataffects many of us.

Caroline Quandt, who lives at the cornerof Macomb Street and Sherier Place, watchedin horror as her basement was flooded rightup to the ceiling in a massive storm in Augustof 2001. Her neighbors on Sherier Place weresimilarly flooded by three feet of water thatraced down Macomb Street that day, buryingcars in its wake.

After a subsequent disaster with a well-known home disaster recovery company,Caroline hired her own civil engineer, Jim

Continued on page 6


Caroline Quandt of Macomb St. worked for over twoyears to get WASA to fund a major overhaul ofunderground storm drains.



ANC UPDATE Continued from page 5

Heltman, P.C. Together they pulled topographical and stormwatermaps and discovered that the intersection of MacArthur Boulevardand Macomb lies at the base of a huge watershed that fans out fromMacomb and Manning Streets all the way up to Loughboro Road.Their analysis not only of the flooded homes but also of the entireMacomb Street watershed showed that the main trunk line fromMacArthur Boulevard is grossly undersized.

Over a two-year period Caroline worked with Jim and WASA, andlast year WASA endorsed both Jim’s analysis and recommendationsfor addressing the problem. Roger Gans, manager of planning anddesign for WASA’s Department of Engineering and Technical Services,incorporated this into an overall design for a major overhaul ofunderground storm drains, and $3.5 million was voted into WASA’scapital budget in a final vote of the WASA board last week.

This two-year project will entail a replacement and reengineeringof pipes that run from MacArthur Boulevard beneath Macomb Streetto Sherier, along Sherier to Manning Street, and from there down toPotomac Avenue to a point where stormwater is released into theriver. This year, designs and bidding will be complete, with construc-tion set to begin in early 2007.

As a consequence of a flooding that turned her household upsidedown and is still unresolved today, Caroline has made a major contri-bution to her neighborhood as a whole. Caroline, thank you!

I want to end by pointing out that we can all help with thedrainage problem by observing where the nearest storm drains are onour street and doing our part to keep them clear. That’s right, Adopt aStorm Drain. If it’s pouring and you pass a drain cluttered with leavesor other debris, take a minute to stop and clean it out so it runs freely.And finally, remember that whatever goes down the storm drainwinds up in the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.

— Rachel ThompsonANC 3D Commissioner Aircraft Noise Committee Update

Good News from Alaska AirOne of our top priorities, a reduction in aircraft noise, got an

unexpected boost last year thanks to Alaska Airlines, not us.FAA’s US Terminal Procedures Northeast (effective Dec. 22, 2005) hasa Reagan National arrival chart on page 374 with the title “RNAV(RNP) RWY 19.” In English, this refers to the all-weather GPS-seg-mented river route that we have been recommending.

Before we break out the leftover New Year’s champagne, there is acaveat: the chart features a large-print qualification: “SPECIAL AIR-CRAFT & AIRCREW AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.” So far, AlaskaAir is the only airline meeting this requirement, and it has only threearrivals per day. Other airlines are not rushing to qualify because ofthe added costs for equipment and training.

Still, this is a breakthrough for us. At the Feb. 7 general member-ship meeting, we will discuss this procedure and what we can do toexploit it. For more information and a map, please contact me at 363-4048 or [email protected].

— Mat ThorpChair, Aircraft Noise Committee

“Neighbors Through ART”Planning Summer Event

Visual artists (painters, photographers, others), oral history inter-viewers, Junior High students interested in music, and improvi-

sational dancers are all urged to contact us and to participate in our2006 event, which will present insights into the lives of some of thelong-term residents of the Palisades and Hillcrest neighborhoods. Weare still in the planning stages, so your ideas can really make a differ-ence and help shape this event! We will be applying to be part of theCapital Fringe Festival in which performing arts, interdisciplinary, and(as with other fringe festivals) probably some quite innovative andexperimental productions will be presented at various venues acrossthe city between July 20 - 30, 2006.

“Neighbors Through ART” is now in its 5th (that’s FIFTH!) yearand is an outgrowth of the Palisades-Hillcrest Partnership which wasfounded in 1997. Hillcrest is our sister neighborhood in Ward 7 inSoutheast Washington. The purpose of the partnership is to discoverand develop connections between residents in opposite corners of thecity and to build bridges which bring us together to pursue commoninterests. In its early years, the partnership sponsored several environ-ment-related events. Since founding “Neighbors Through ART,” wehave organized an art exhibition, a musical extravaganza, a museumvisit, and a multi-media event which presented artistic expressionscommemorating the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board ofEducation decision.

Everyone who has participated in partnership-sponsored eventshas found it to be both fun and personally very rewarding. For ques-tions or to explore how you might become involved this year, pleasecontact Alice Stewart at 364-1505 or Ginny Levy at 244-5110.

— Alice Stewart

Figs Are Big in the Palisades

Welcome to Figs, a new Middle Eastern café and carryout thatopened in November on MacArthur Boulevard across from

the Safeway. Owner and chef Reem Azoury, originally from Lebanon,specializes in dishes using — no surprise — figs. She carries fresh figs,homemade fig newtons, a fig-almond cake from Spain, and numerousfig spreads. Other dishes available include hummus, Persian eggplantdip, curried chicken salad, and a range of sandwiches and panini.

Azoury, who lives nearby in Foxhall Village, was doing catering inthe area when this restaurant space became available. She offers cus-tomers a Figs Special open-faced sandwich that combines brie, slicedpear, walnut halves, and fig jam on Afghan style bread. After 6 pm,Figs offers a plat du jour — it could be shepherd’s pie, turkey lasagna,or vegetable curry, for instance.Open M - F 11 am - 8:30 pm; Sat 11 am - 9 pm. 4828 MacArthurBoulevard, N.W.; 333-7773

— Linda Starke



Chain Bridge Road/ University TerraceCommittee Wins ContinuanceBender Proposing 13 McMansions on Three and a Half Acre Site

On January 10th, the Chain BridgeRoad/University Terrace Committee

won an important skirmish with D.C. devel-oper Morton Bender, persuading the Boardof Zoning Adjustment to grant a continu-ance until April 11, 2006, on Bender’s pro-posal for massive development on the formerMurphy estate on Chain Bridge Road.

Bender continues to press his proposal fora massive, 13-home subdivision on the for-mer Murphy estate, a 3.5-acre undevelopedparcel adjacent to Battery Kemble Park and ahistoric African-American schoolhouse.Bender would construct 13 mega-mansionson land where one modest home once stood.

Bender’s proposal was roundly rejected onApril 6, 2005, and again by unanimous voteon January 4, 2006, by ANC3D. Nevertheless,he continues to press ahead and has refusedto consider any changes proposed by thecommunity.

The Palisades Citizens Association contin-ues to oppose this application. In April of

2005, the Palisades Citizens Association’s gen-eral membership and board of directors, thelatter in a unanimous vote, went on record tooppose the granting of a special exception.Despite Mr. Bender’s promises to consultwith the community, there has been no con-tact with the Palisades Citizens Associationsince he appeared before the board in Spring2005.

Bob Sussman, the Chairman of the ChainBridge Road/University Terrace PreservationCommittee, and committee members havesought to meet with Mr. Bender in the pastyear and have put forward several proposalsfor a more reasonable, scaled approach to thisproject that would be compatible with theneighborhood, but have received no responsefrom Mr. Bender.

The new hearing date is April 11, 2006.Those with questions should call BobSussman at 686-1460, or PCA Treasurer BillBarnard at 966-2167.

Palisades ResidentVoted Miss DC’sOutstanding Teen

It’s been quite anexciting couple of

months for Palisadesteenager VirginiaRyan. The DukeEllington senior wasvoted Miss DC’sOutstanding Teen2005. And she wasselected to sing theNational Anthem to anational audience via Country MusicTelevision January 21, 2006, as part of theMiss America Pageant in Las Vegas. Ryan hasbeen as involved in our neighborhood as any-one. We’ve gotten to know her every July 4for the past four years, when she has sung theNational Anthem at the picnic. It was no sur-prise to us to see her reach these heights.More importantly, when she becomes aHollywood starlet, we can all say we remem-ber her from Sherier Place!

During thefollowing

months, ScooterFlaherty will beshowing a fewof his abstrac-tions. Those ofus lucky enoughto live beside the beautiful Potomac River will recognize the colorsand textures of the sky and landscape that surround us. Scooterwas born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and studied fine art atOhio University, graduating in 1981. He continued his studies atEmpire State College in The McClancy Studio Program. He nowlives in the Palisades. Of his work he writes, “My interest in paint-ing is less about content — and more about the search for beauty,and enjoying where I find it. Less about subject — and moreabout touch, suspended and captured in time. Less about makinga statement — and more about a feeling, that surrounds and pos-sesses.” His work can be seen on line at www.scooterabstracts.com.He can be reached at 361-5743.

— Sheila Rotner

A RT I N T H E PA L I S A D E S December ArtifactsRoadshow Attracted CrowdOn December 6th the PCA’s monthly meeting drew about a hun-

dred people from the neighborhood. The focus of the meetingwas on the history and prehistory of the Palisades. While AliceStewart introduced Harold Gray and spoke about her book and signedcopies, archaeologists Nancy Kassner and Stephen Potter examinedartifacts brought in by residents and identified them for the ownerswhile David Murphy photographed the objects. These experts were sooverwhelmed by the quantity and quality of the artifacts that theyspent the entire meeting time examining and documenting them.They look forward to returning in the springtime and presenting asummary and some of the highlights of what was brought in. Staytuned for detailed information about when and where “The Return ofthe Archaeologists” will occur.

In the meantime, if you have a collection of artifacts from thisneighborhood and were unable to come to the meeting and wouldlike to contribute to the current survey and documentation project,please contact Alice Stewart during the month of February at [email protected] and put Palisades artifacts in the subject line,and she will have information sent to you about how to get in touchwith the archaeologists.

— Alice Stewart



New Palisades History Book MailOrder Form

Don’t wait to get your copy of The Palisades of Washington, D.C., a history of our neighbor-hood initially written by Harold Gray and recently updated by Alice Stewart. Please completethis order form and mail it, together with your check for the amount listed below, to AliceStewart, 5031 Eskridge Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20016. Please make checks payable toAlice Stewart (the author).

Part of the proceeds benefits the PCA. DC Sales tax, postage, and handling are included inthe prices. Delivery is free within the Palisades on orders of 5 or more copies.

I would like ___ copy/copies of The Palisades of Washington, D.C. (Arcadia, 2005)

� 1 book $ 22.85

� 2 books $ 45.00

� 3 books $ 67.00

� 4 books $ 89.00

� 5 books $ 107.50*

� 6 books $ 129.00*

� 7 books. $ 150.50*

� 8 books.. $ 172.00*

* please add $3.00 to these prices for out-of-neighborhood mailing if appropriate

NewsT H E PA L I S A D E S

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

PHONE OR E-MAIL (IN CASE OF QUESTIONS)

The Palisades News is published nine times each year(October - June) by:

The Palisades Citizens AssociationP.O. Box 40603

Palisades StationWashington, DC 20016www.palisadesdc.org

MembershipIndividual $15; Household $25; Sponsor $50; Patron $100

To join or for additional information, contact PCA Administrator at 363-7441

PresidentSpence Spencer

363-3662

First Vice PresidentCarolyn Ortwein

338-2603

Second Vice PresidentLaura McGiffert Slover

363-7771

TreasurerBill Barnard

966-2167

SecretaryCaroline Ervin

362-9355

PCA AdministratorAnne Ourand

363-7441 phone/[email protected]

Interim EditorsJohn & Anne Ourand

Interim DesignerPolly Johnson

Contributing EditorsJudith Dollenmaye,

Janice KaplanPenny Pagano Sheila RotnerLinda Starke

Material must be submitted to the editor bythe 15th of the month for

inclusion in the next month’sedition.


jp newsletter feb06 - palisadesdc.org · tuesday, march 14 river-friendly living lecturesee article...

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