Neighbors,

Join us for our upcoming Workday in the Ward at Bread & Chocolate in Chevy Chase on October 25th, running from 8 am to 5 pm. Come and learn about my latest Council initiatives, meet with our agency partners, and support small businesses in Chevy Chase. My team and I will be there to meet with you, assist with your constituent service needs, and link you to valuable community resources.

We’ll be joined by representatives from the Metropolitan Police Department, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy and Environment, Department of Buildings, Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Department of Public Works, and Chevy Chase Main Street. I will be present at points throughout the day, including for Coffee with the Councilmember from 8 to 10 am.

This edition of my newsletter includes information about my proposal to purchase the former Intelsat headquarters. It also shares updates about my work to support more efficient transportation in Cleveland Park and strengthen public safety. My newsletter is biweekly, so follow me @CMFrumin on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more frequent updates.

Best,

Matt Frumin

Councilmember for Ward 3

I announced on Tuesday my proposal to purchase the former Intelsat headquarters, located at 4000 Connecticut Avenue NW. My proposal is an indisputably ambitious idea; however, the site, located a block from a Metro stop, presents a unique opportunity for the city to acquire a massive property with a variety of potential civic uses. Purposes could include an early childhood education center, senior wellness programs, urban agriculture, a central food processing facility, and space for UDC or another university. To achieve this goal, the proposal suggests the possibility of relocating the high school on MacArthur Boulevard to the Intelsat site, offering a more accessible location proximate to public transportation. Read my full commentary published in the DC Line, where I outlined my vision for the property and its myriad public uses.

This is a rare opportunity for the District to acquire a massive property that can serve all Washingtonians. More than 375 neighbors have already joined me in urging District leaders to seize the moment and capitalize on an extraordinary opportunity to purchase the Intelsat building, most recently home to the international independent Whittle School. Can I count on you to call on District leaders to consider pursuing this unique opportunity? Sign my petition.

Improving multimodal transportation options and parking efficiency are important priorities as the District Department of Transportation undertakes a safety-focused redesign of Connecticut Avenue NW. In August, DDOT issued NOI# 23-170-TOA, which proposes conversion of existing 2-hour metered parking zones on the 3300-3400 blocks of Connecticut Avenue and small portions of nearby side streets to 30-minute metered parking zones. It also proposes extending the commercial loading zones on the 3400 block of Connecticut Avenue and shortening the duration from 2 hours to 30 minutes.

In September, I met with the owners of eight Cleveland Park businesses to discuss the proposal; most of the businesses expressed deep concern about a transition to all 30-minute parking and hoped either for preservation of the status quo or exploration of more nuanced solutions to improve safety on Connecticut Avenue while maintaining accessibility to their storefronts. After these helpful conversations and robust analysis of existing conditions, I concluded that implementation of the proposal as drafted will not harmonize parking management with the needs of the nearby small businesses. Its core goal of improving parking management in Cleveland Park, however, is worthy.

In a letter I sent today in response to NOI# 23-170-TOA, I urged DDOT to institute a diverse mix of on-street parking options in Cleveland Park that includes accessible metered parking, 2-hour metered zones, and 30-minute metered zones. I also urged DDOT to prioritize pick-up/drop-off access along the commercial corridor to support local businesses. This measured compromise has consensus community support; ANC 3C and several local business owners have made similar requests.

Fundamentally, as we work to transition Connecticut Avenue from a six-lane highway to a multimodal corridor, we must accommodate the needs of small businesses and neighbors who require parking availability. One way to expand parking supply on Connecticut Avenue immediately is to remove rush-hour parking restrictions, which I again called on DDOT to pursue in my letter. I will continue collaborating with business owners and residents to improve parking management in Cleveland Park and across the District. Read my full letter here.

On October 5, I joined At-large Councilmember Robert White and eight other colleagues in co-introducing the Whole Government Response to Crime Act of 2023. The legislation echoes my calls for a comprehensive and evidence-driven whole-of-government response to the District’s public safety challenges. The bill addresses gaps in the District’s public safety approach to make our neighborhoods safer by:

• Improving 911 operations and response by establishing a taskforce to provide system and leadership recommendations within 90 days;
• Expanding staffing and talent at the Department of Forensic Sciences’ Crime Scene Division, which has struggled with staffing constraints and high turnover;
• Tracking where firearms in DC originate; and
• Creating a full time Victim Services Coordinator that connects residents with vital resources like legal aid, mental health support, and funeral cost assistance.

I’m grateful for Councilmember Robert White’s leadership on this issue, and I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues to strengthen the District’s public safety efforts. On Thursday, Chairwoman of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee Brooke Pinto and I will host a public safety walk on Connecticut Avenue NW in Van Ness, where we will discuss recent crime trends in the area and needed improvements to our public safety strategy. Residents are invited to join us tomorrow, October 13, at 10 am at 3726 Connecticut Avenue NW. RSVP here.

Later this fall, I plan to host Acting MPD Chief Pamela Smith for a community conversation in Ward 3. Residents will have an opportunity to meet the Chief and ask questions about her updated strategic plan and vision for safe communities across the District of Columbia.

For more than a year, I have engaged the Stoddert school community, DC Public Schools, and the Department of General Services to ensure the planned building addition serves the needs of all Stoddert students. To that end, I worked with Chairman Phil Mendelson and my colleagues to increase the budget for the Stoddert addition by $6 million in the FY24 budget. These funds will guarantee sufficient classroom space and an appropriate site and scale for the new cafeteria.

DCPS presented its revised plans for the addition at Stoddert Elementary School at the Back-to-School SIT meeting on October 11. I’m heartened by the visionary proposal, which addressed crucial classroom expansion needs and optimized the location of the new cafeteria. The new plan demonstrates that DCPS integrated community input and developed a proposal that is both responsive and creative. Parents and educators shared my enthusiasm for the plan, emphasizing that the proposal will help Stoddert continue to thrive in a building with added capacity. I look forward to the design and construction phases of a new Stoddert addition and cafeteria, with planned completion in School Year 2025-26.

View the proposal presentation and meeting recording.

Supporting Brain Health

DC Health’s Brain Health Initiative aims to promote residents’ cognitive care and improve the quality of life for residents living with dementia and their caregivers. To achieve these goals, the Brain Health Initiative helps with identifying and addressing early signs of memory loss, understanding risk factors and preventative care, and providing resources to caregivers. To learn more about the initiative and receive its newsletter, click here.

Relatedly, the 2023 Walk to End Alzheimer’s in DC will be held on October 14 on the National Mall between 12th and 14th streets. Registration begins at 9 am, the ceremony begins at 9:30 am, and the walk starts at 10 am. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is an opportunity for families to come together in support of someday stopping Alzheimer’s. Learn more and register here.

Chevy Chase Our RFP Process

The Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development is launching its “Our RFP” initiative for the Chevy Chase Civic Core to incorporate community engagement early in the RFP process. The first Our RFP meeting will take place on Saturday, October 14, at noon at the Chevy Chase Community Center. The second meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 19, at 6 pm. A virtual option is also available. Residents can RSVP here.

DC Smart Street Lighting Project

The District Department of Transportation will host a public meeting on its Smart Street Lighting Project on Thursday, October 26, at the Cleveland Park Library from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. DDOT will discuss the project overview, the schedule, and answer questions from the community about installed lighting and upcoming installations in Ward 3. Residents can also attend virtually using WebEx. Click here for more information.

E-Waste

On Saturday, October 28, from 10 am to 2 pm, Reverse Logistics Group will host a free e-waste collection event in Ward 3. Residents can safely recycle unwanted electronics, including computers, tablets, cell phones, printers, and more. The collection vehicle will be located on Calvert St NW between 40th Pl NW and 39th Pl NW, just south of Stoddert Recreation Center. Click here for more information.

I joined Acting Chief Pamela Smith, 2nd District Commander John Branch, and MPD officers for their Coffee with a Cop event on October 4. This was an opportunity for residents to greet MPD officers and form community policing relationships integral to effective crime prevention.

I joined Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn today as we celebrated the opening of the first public charter school in Ward 3. AppleTree Spring Valley prioritizes free, high-quality pre-kindergarten education and will expand pre-k 3 and 4 seats in Ward 3.

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

(202) 724-8062