A regular summary of irregular news and notes from neighborhood blogs and email lists around the District.
To Market, To Market: The Liberty North Community Market, a new open-air market held weekly on Saturdays and Sundays at 5th and I streets NW, made its debut last weekend and got a favorable reception from the The Triangle, which notes that “the critical mass of vendors surpassed my expectation.” Readers of the blog seemed to enjoy the market, too: “I stopped by Saturday and Sunday. It’s a good start. I saw some really nice local artisans and chatted with them. There more products for women. Bought some food at the various vendors. Tasty wild blueberry bars. Waiting to see it grow,” writes one.
Cranky Locals: Penn Quarter Living, presumably in honor of this nice weather we’ve been having, discusses “the corner of 10th and Frustration” (better known as 10th Street NW between E and F streets NW): “Traffic, construction, tour buses, and tourists. On their own each of these may be a nuisance (although not the tourists dollars, we love those); but when combined with a one-way street, partially closed sidewalk, souvenir row, Hard Rock, and Ford’s Theatre you have entered the most miserable block in Penn Quarter.” Harsh words! However, some commenters disagree, saying they actually enjoy the busy block. Writes one, “i can’t really explain why, and sometimes the tourists are too much for me, but for some reason, i really like it. i enjoy it even more after dark on my way home, when i think it feels like a piece of history”—and another agrees, saying “I love walking down this street despite the groups. It’s also usually pretty easy to get across the crosswalks on a red light, since car traffic is pretty low.”
Reading is Power: An update on the Mount Pleasant Library construction appeared on the Columbia Heights email list, and stated that the Board of Zoning Administrators was stuck on a particularly troubling decision: “BZA deliberations began in earnest back on February 1 and a final order was to be given on March 1. Now a decision has to wait until June, as the BZA is deadlocked on the question — was a Zoning Administrator allowed to let DC Public Library officials eliminate what has been the rear yard of the library since 1925. The answer is important as the proposed library expansion threatens emergency access to an historic district resting adjacent to and behind the MtPl Library.” One list member took umbrage with the issue: “What would be your take on why the library system is insistent on building an exterior wall of this nature. I don’t know what’s right or what’s wrong here, but I do know that what really matters at a library is what’s inside the library, not outdoor space. Outdoor space to go with a nice indoor library space is an add on luxury…I’m disappointed to learn that these ongoing unresolved issues could result in major delays in opening the newly renovated library…”
Furlough Fun (Or Not): The Hill is Home is all up on what you should do if you find yourself with really unfair, unpaid time off (and no BlackBerry). If that’s not enough for you, H Street Great Street reports that fare at The Pug will be 10 percent off for furloughed employees with ID this weekend.