Groundbreaking for Deauville/Monsenor Romero Apts is Today

Monsenor Romero Apartments - 3145 Mt Pleasant Street NW

Will this be the beginning of the end? After numerous fits and starts, it looks like the sad real-life saga for dozens of residents at 3145 Mt Pleasant Street NW may be about to come to a close. The building formerly known as the Winston or the Deauville was destroyed in an overnight fire on March 13, 2008. The last five+ years has seen inaction, rumors, plans and delays, but virtually no physical changes to the half torn down shell  of a building. The new name for the building is Monsenor Romero Apartments. 

I'd always hoped that the original residents would get a chance to move back in with similar rents, as opposed to totally new construction of condos or apartments with no regard to those displaced by the fire. If your home burned in a fire, wouldn't you want the option to move back into the same space? I would. Even 5 years later, yes.

Very strange that this news came over the national PR news wires. But, that it did yesterday. This article in the Wall Street Journal relays the basics: 

"The National Housing Trust-Enterprise Preservation Corporation (NHT/Enterprise), elected officials, local dignitaries, community leaders and Capital One Bank will celebrate the groundbreaking of the Monsenor Romero apartments on July 2, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.

The $19 million Monsenor Romero Apartment project located at 3145 Mount Pleasant Street, N.W. will replace the previous Deauville apartment building that was destroyed by fire in 2008, the most destructive fire in 30 years in Washington, D.C. The building is named in honor of the assassinated El Salvadorian Catholic Church Bishop who was a champion of the poor and spoke out against poverty and social injustice. The new construction of 63 affordable homes will fulfill promises made to residents by city officials that one day they would return to their homes..."

Reportedly, 47 of 63 total units in the new building will be made available to former residents at "lower rental rates." At the time of the fire the Deauville was home to 93 units and had over 200 residents. So, there's a bit of a discrepancy there - 20 fewer units. However the new construction will include some 3 BR units as well as laundry facilities, community space and a computer lab on the basement level. Here's one rendering of the rebuilt structure. And below, floor plans via DCRA and Wiencek + Associates.

2nd floor plans via DCRA.

East and west elevations via DCRA.

Housing for 18th Street Jubilee Property

The empty property at 2448 18th Street NW has been successfully permitted for historic preservation review, an elevator, and changes for electrical, fire, mechanical, plumbing and zoning. Jubilee Housing Inc. is the current owner and is making structural changes in order to convert the building into "6-ROOM BOARDING HOUSE ON 2ND - 4TH FLOORS & OFFICE ON 1ST FLOOR"; essentially affordable housing for low wage earners or fixed income residents.

Jubilee does great, great work and has several properties in the neighborhood already. At 6 units, the housing at 2448 is small compared to the others. Their smallest current property is 12 units and the largest is 60. The total property size of 2448 18th St NW is 3,800 square feet.

Teach-In for Affordable Housing This Sunday

This is great. A topic that is in need of much discussion and action --especially in the District-- is affordable housing. Some of our Mount Pleasant neighbors are hosting a teach-in about just that. You won't have to go far; it's in Lamont Park this Sunday June 24, from 12PM until 9PM. Have a great weekend!

From the organizers:

"TENT CITY TEACH-IN for Affordable Housing

SUNDAY, JUNE 24TH 12-9PM

AT LAMONT PARK (Corner of Mt Pleasant St &Lamont St NW) RAIN OR SHINE

Teach-in's!   *   Tent Exhibits!   *     Music!   *    Food!    *   Fun!        

Please join us at Lamont Park for this unique event. Bring a picnic and come learn about affordable housing in the park! Get inspired by the powerful stories! Explore the interactive tentexhibits! Have your face painted! Enjoy meeting neighbors and other DC residents who need affordable housing!

SCHEDULE OF TEACH-IN'S:12:00-1pm Welcome and Music

AFFORDABLE HOUSING 101: THE BASICS
1:00-2:00pm What You Need To Know About Affordable Housing

AFFORDABLE HOUSING 201: DIGGING INTO THE ISSUES
2:30-3:00pm Affordable for Whom?: The Affordable Dwelling Unit Program
3:00-3:30pm Making Affordable Housing in DC Inclusive--Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning
3:30-4:00pm A Vanishing Act: The Erosion and Disappearance of Rent Control

CONNECTING THE DOTS TO THE HOUSING CRISIS
3:00-3:30pm From Statehood to the War on Terror: DC's Housing Crisis Revealed
3:30-4:00pm The Housing Crisis Hits Home: Affordable Housing Issues in Mt Pleasant and Columbia Heights

ORGANIZING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
5:00-6:00pm: Let's Stir It Up! Tales of Organizing from Below!

LET'S CELEBRATE!
6:00-9:00pm: Fandango Concert with Son Jarocho Music, Dancing and More!

FEATURED ARTISTS:
Luci Murphy!  DJ Wanako!  Frankojazz!  Son Cosita Seria!  Puppet Underground!  Radio CPR DJ's!  More!

Event sponsored by: the Housing Rights Working Group, the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Assembly, Occupy Our Homes, the Washington Peace Center and the Latino Economic Development Center"

New Life for 3145 and its Residents

More than two years have passed since a devastating fire disrupted the lives of hundreds of residents of Mount P and left a scar on the main commercial strip.  The fire displaced about 200 people and completely destroyed 3145 Mount Pleasant Street NW, then known as the Deauville Apartments.

A deal has finally been reached which will result in at least some of the residents returning to a newly constructed building on that site.  So sad it has taken this long, but it looks like the end is near for that ugly burned out shell which just happens to exist in the heart of our neighborhood at a time when lots of other properties are also empty because of commercial vacancies.

The city is essentially loaning a group of former tenant-residents money to purchase the property now and secure 40 units in the new building.  The city is also facilitating the financing for construction of the entire building.  In total it will have 67 affordable housing units, the previously mentioned 40 inclusive.  The amount of the initial loan is $4.1 million.  Technically, the loan will be from the Department of Housing and Community Development to an entity of residents known as 3145 Mt. Pleasant Street Tenants Association.

For all you affordable housing haters out there, this is not a "handout," it's a loan.  And there is a need for affordable housing, housing assistance, whatever you want to call it.  Whether that means the market adjusts to real salaries and wages (not happening around here) or that municipalities and non profits step in with a little tenant organizing on the side (what is happening in this situation), it has to be done.  DC can be a livable place for workers of all kinds.  And although the Deauville is but a small fish in the big city, it's so great to see that this story still has legs and looks to be running towards a positive conclusion.

And by the way, we won't have to call it the Deauville anymore.  With a  new building comes a new name, the Monsignor Oscar Romero Apartments.  Romero was Archbishop of San Salvador and known as Bishop of the Poor.  

3125 Mt Pleasant Street Activity

After what seemed to be a few years of delay there is finally some construction (currently DEstruction) happening at 3125 Mt. Pleasant Street. Its the building that houses the Raven Grill and Mount Pleasant Cleaners on the ground floor. Both businesses appear to be operating at full capacity during the work.

Manna, a DC non profit real estate developer, is working to convert 3125 into 12-13 condominium units. At least some of the DCRA permit work goes back to late 2006. It appears there were some delays due to lead paint and other issues. The condo units will be available as affordable housing, District documents show that residents should be within 50-80% AMI (area median income).

Let's hope Manna pulls through with the affordable housing aspect and keeps a few units in our great neighborhood withing range for the average home/condo buyer. Also remember to support Raven and Mount Pleasant Cleaners, although the last few times I've been by the storefronts, they don't seem to be hurting for business because of the activity upstairs.