Ward One Library Coalition Continues to Build

Here's a growing list of Ward One organizations and notable residents concerned about the proposed Mount Pleasant Library "transformation" plans & signing onto a letter and/or petition opposing the current library plans, offering constructive remedy to the situation, and asking help from elected City leadership.

Three huge problems with proposed library expansion plans:

  1. The proposed expansion and new accessibility ramp blocks fire safety access from Lamont Street to about one-thousand residents living in the apartments and working the businesses behind and adjacent to the library. There have been three serious fires over the past thirty-six months within buildings sitting less than 200 feet from the library. Two buildings have burned down or were condemned, hundreds of people have been displaced, two people killed, one family burned badly, and millions of dollars in property destroyed [more]..

  2. The accessibility ramp will reduce access to many of Ward One's elderly, frail and disabled by increasing the length and height of the ramp three fold. Plus, there will be more security issues because the proposed new accessibility ramp will take patrons behind the front sight-lines of the library building [more].

  3. There was no comprehensive planning done to see if it would make more sense to build a Ward One satellite library in an undeserved part of the Ward -- as the Mount Pleasant Library is the only library serving all of Ward One, about 70,000 people.

Local Service Organizations, Advocacy Groups & Residents Councils

Ward One Individuals
* listing for identity purposes only


Ward One Senior Groups

  • Harvard Towers Apartments [letter]

  • Sarah's Circle [letter]

  • Samuel Kelsey Residents Council

  • Garfield Terrace Residents Council

  • Campbell Heights Residents Council

  • Gray Panthers of Metropolitan Washington

  • We are Family Seniors Network


Mount Pleasant Resident Associations

  • 3150 16th Street Residents Association, Inc.

  • The Adelante Coopertive in Mount Pleasant

  • 3145 Mount Pleasant Street Tenants Association


Ward One Civic Groups

  • Mount Pleasant Library Coalition of Concerned Residents

  • Kalorama Citizens Association [letter]

  • Reed-Cooke Neighborhood Association

  • All-Ways Mount Pleasant Civic Association


Ward One Latino Groups

  • Mount Pleasant Latino Association

  • The Haydee's Family

  • The Don Juan's Family

  • Salvadorenos En El Mundo (SEEM)


Equal Rights / Disability / Community Advocacy Groups


Experts in Design / Historic Preservation

  • Historic Mount Pleasant [letter]

  • Universal Designers & Consultants

  • Nichols Design Associates

  • DilLuigi Designs

... expert plausible design alternatives here

 
  • Ronald Grey * Samuel Kelsey Senior Apts.
  • Mark Anderson * We Are Family Seniors Network
  • Pastor Angelia Scott * Harvard Towers
  • Beatice Stewart * Park Marconi Apts.
  • Dr. Sandra Truesdale * Campbell Heights Apts.
  • Jackie Arguelles * DC Commission on Aging
  • Mary Jane Owen * Disability Concepts in Action
  • Rosa Rivas * Adelante Cooperative
  • Michele Molotsky * DC Dept. of Parks and Recreation
  • Denis James * Kalorama Citizens Assoc.
  • Mary Belcher * Historic Walter Pierce Park
  • Edward & Margaret Jackson * Reed-Cooke neighbors
  • Annie Mitchell * Garfield Terrace Apts.
  • Gregg Edwards * MtPl ANC Commissioner
  • Arturo Griffiths * Latino Union Organizer
  • Fay Armstrong * Historic Mount Pleasant
  • Ann Wilcox * Columbia Heights / Gray Panthers
  • Gabriella Mossi * MtPl Main Street
  • Amy Melrose * Free in DC Blogger
  • Alberto Furrufino * Don Juan's in MtPl
  • Andy Shallal * Bus Boys & Poets
  • Chris Otten * Adams Morgan ANC Commissioner
  • Medea Benjamin * Global Exchange
  • Brad Ulreich * Adams Morgan Artist
  • Meredith Begin * DC WABA
  • Hendrik Voss * School of the Americas Watch
  • Adam Eidinger * Capital Hemp
  • Emilie Joly * MtPl City Garden Coop
  • Emily Citkowski * National Green Party USA
  • Parisa Norouzi * Empower DC
  • Oralia Puente * Academy for Educational Development
  • Ruth Castel-Branco * DC Jobs with Justice
  • Terry Lynch * Downtown Cluster of Congregations
  • William Jordan * Columbia Heights Commissioner
  • Bobby Coward * Capital Area ADAPT
  • Yasmin Romero, * Deauville Apts Tenants Asn.
  • Herbert Price * Sgt at Arms, Kelsey Apts
  • Ann Hargrove *Adams Morgan Historic
  • Haydee Vanega * MtPl Restaurateur
  • Netfa Freeman * Local Radio Host
  • Patrick Sheary * DAR Museum
  • Dave Bosserman * MtPl ANC Commissioner
  • Graciela Lopez * Mount Pleasant Artist

AND MANY MORE... see the petition here

 

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONS (ANC's)

Three of four Ward One ANC's have passed resolutions either in opposition of the proposed library plans or expressing serious doubt about the efficacy of the plans. These ANC's represent about 50,000 Ward One residents, but DCPL did not want to hear from them.

ANC-1D has submitted several resolutions to DCPL and to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. They have largely been ignored. The key resolution was a built in collaboration with Councilmember Jim Graham and community groups at an ANC meeting attended by DCPL. This resolution was ignored by DCPL. More here.

ANC-1C has also written resolutions inquiring about the plans and then expending ANC funds for an expert to review the plans. The independent study showed serious flaws in the plans. ANC-1C never got a rationale or response as to why the flaws could not be corrected. Expert Report.

ANC-1A passed a resolution asking that District agencies and the City Council listen to ANC-1D and ANC-1C's findings and concerns.

Ward One City Councilmember Jim Graham

Our CM attempted to forge a compromise plan, called "Scheme G" which would allow for emergency access to the residential corridor behind the library as well as keep the shorter more accessible ramp at the front of the library. See CM Graham's compromise plan here.

DCPL would not accept any compromise and moved forward without wanting to stray from their plans.


[ Ward One Sign-on Letter ]
[ Library Petition ]

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