Then and Now

Then: The Park View Christian Church, ca. 1921. Along with the Park View Elementary School, one of the oldest structures identified with Park View.

Now: New Commandment Baptist Church. The building has taken its licks over the years, but is still largely intact. While the church still has its original stained glass windows, there is a pain or two that is broken. On the side of the structure is a row of fan lights. Originally, these had green slag glass panes, which are mostly gone now, but they could easily enough be replaced/repaired.
Considering the importance of this building in the community’s history, I’d love to see it restored. I doubt that will happen, though, until the subsidized housing across the street from it changes to something else.

DC’s Right to Vote

Full DC representation in the House seems to be all but a done deal. When this issue was first taken up by the Senate, I was all for it. As I’ve heard more, I’ve become less supportive, but still think overall I’m in favor of it rather than not.

I certainly don’t think the District should be a state. And while I think any legal challenges will ultimately be met, I am concerned that District representation may ultimately end in the House. Without full representation in the Senate, it seems to me to be a half measure, and I wonder if it will work against the District in the interim.

I did enjoy reading Marc Fisher’s editorial in the Post this morning, and if you missed it, you can find it here>>

Old Naval Hospital

One building that few people seem to know about is the Old Naval Hospital located on the southeast corner of Pennsylvania and 9th Street, SE. The bill providing for the building was approved by Congress on March 2, 1865. The earliest known photograph of the completed building dates to ca. 1870.

The Hospital, being antiquated and insufficient to modern hospital requirements, became a Hospital Corp training school between 1907 and 1911.

After that time, various uses were put to the building, though the building was empty for long spans during this period until it the Navy declared it surplus in 1960.

There is a generally good history of the property here for those wanting more detail.

Some Afternoon Levity

Here’s a gem from the Library of Congress collection. It is labeled: Rep. T.S. McMillan of Charleston, S.C. with flappers, Miss Ruth Bennett and Miss Sylvia Clavins, who are doing the Charleston on railing, with U.S. Capitol in background.

The Dragon

This long gone restaurant was located at 1329 G Street, NW. From what I’ve seen of the 1300 block of G in its current condition, it could use some help, but there are still some older buildings that could be brought back if that was the goal.

So That’s Where My WASA Money’s Been Going

I read this in the Post this morning, and I have to ask, is there any DC agency or service that isn’t ripe for the picking?

According the the Post’s report, a 28-year-old Fort Washington woman has been charged with stealing more than $200,000 from the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority during a three-year period.

Sonia R. Coleman, a former payroll specialist at WASA, was charged Friday in federal court with transportation of stolen money. Prosecutors accused her of manipulating WASA’s payroll system to steal $236,256 from late 2004 through early last year. The stolen funds were deposited into one of Coleman’s bank accounts and another one belonging to an unidentified person, according to charging documents.

I wonder if some of this money ended up at Neiman Marcus?

Funky Ghost Buildings … Well, Sort Of.

A reader asked me what was up with the buildings that appear to be boarded up on the 400 block of 8th Street, NW, between the Navy Memorial and the Smithsonian Art Museums. Rather than answer him directly, I thought I’d share with anyone that may not know.

The buildings are actually a Pepco Substation. Behind the false fronts, the substation receives power from power plants just outside the city. The substation’s transformers then weave the power through a series of circuit breakers and switches to reduce the 69,000 volts down to 13,000 volts before sending the power out to the neighborhood.

Waffle Shop on 10th

Here’s a general question that I’m hoping someone has an answer to. I see the Waffle Shop on 10th Street (across from Ford’s Theater) has moved a few doors south. What’s going to become of the original structure? I personally think it is a rare remnant of eateries of the past and should be restored, considering so much of it is still intact. Anyone have any thoughts?

This Date in History

February 25, 1922: The Allan E. Walker Investment Company announced the purchase of a large tract of land in the exclusive residential section of Kalorama Heights.