{capitol streets}
Eastern Market Report
U
pcoming elections were the first thing on the agenda at the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) on July 27. EMCAC’s elections will be held in September. The independent community member seat held currently by Tom Kuchenberg, is up for election. Anyone interested in running for this seat should submit a resume to Chuck Burger (CBurger@cbmove.com) who is Chair of the Nominations Committee. EMCAC is the legislatively created advisory body which provides the benefit of advice and comments on Market matters to Market management—the DC Department of General Services
Five Year Plan Chair Donna Scheeder reported that EMCAC’s response to a proposed Five Year Business Plan had been sent to the Director of the Department of General Services along with a cover letter. A number of issues have been carefully addressed in EMCAC’s report but among the salient ones are: all entities in EMCAC be included in the RFP process; any external contractor chosen to develop a Five Year Plan be completely familiar with the Eastern Market Act and that any recommendations for the Market be consistent with the Act; and finally, that any Five Year Plan include a requirement to produce an extensive analysis of the buying and demographic characteristics of existing customers. This report is in response to DGS’s Forest Hayes late spring proposal for an FRP to create a Five Year Plan which in turn is a response to EMCAC’s repeated efforts to secure funding for capital improvements. There is no funding mechanism for capital improvements at the Eastern Market. Regrettably both Hayes and Director Chris Weaver of DGS are no longer with the agency. Months of meetings and community work now sit in abeyance as Acting Director Greer Johnson Gillis settles into her new position. In the meantime other long standing issues continue unabated with the focus on the Five
100 H Hillrag.com
by Peter J. Waldron Year Plan. South Hall merchants remain without their long-promised leases. The Enterprise Fund adopted by law as the Market repository of revenues has a zero balance. Market revenues captured by DGS are swept annually into the District’s general revenue fund. EMCAC awaits the long-delayed final report of FY 2015 profit and loss statement even as FY2016 is one month from closing.
Main Streets The Market Row Merchants Association, comprised of Eastern Market bricks and mortar businesses, has launched an effort to reorganize itself as the Eastern Market Main Streets. Main Streets are a special 35-year-old program under the guidance of the National Trust for Historic Preservation set up to fund development of business communities in need of revitalization and are administered by the District’s Dept. of Small and Local Business Development. The boundaries of this effort remain unclear with suggestions that it will include businesses all the way from the Eastern Market to 2nd St. SE along Pennsylvania Ave. and bordering the Capitol grounds. Both 8th St. SE, otherwise known as Barrack’s Row, and the resurgence of H St. NE have used this model to resuscitate and strengthen new business life. Eastern Market Main Streets was voted funding in May by the City Council and must complete its application for this project by September 8. Community input is one of the conditions for the funding which can be as much as $250,000 annually for development. There were a number of issues under discussion including the very brief time frame to work through these issues. According to Diane Hoskins, the ANC representative who sits on EMCAC, ANC6B had been briefed earlier in July by the new Main Street organization. With a looming deadline Hoskins said that she had encouraged the new entity’s leadership to engage with the community, adding that ANC6B has issued a
letter of support and that the “concept is great,” but that ANC6B “wants to hear more.” One issue under discussion was that this new organization is calling itself Eastern Market Main Streets and using an identical logo used by the Eastern Market itself. Angie Brunson of Blue Iris Flowers who had attended a briefing objected to this preemptive adoption of the Market’s logo , expressing concerns about the Eastern Market brand and how to preserve it. There was a wide ranging discussion of the impact these newly organized Main Street brick and mortar businesses will have on the Market vendors. It was suggested repeatedly by non food vendor representative Erika Rubel that this new Main Streets organization hold a public meeting with the vendors so that information can be shared, meeting a requirement of the Main Street funding and application process. Yet another point raised by EMCAC members as to how this expanded entity would fit into the Eastern Market community are the requirements that bind EMCAC by law and that must be adhered to. Scheeder pointed out that “there are many unanswered questions” and “we need to have everyone aligned so that everyone can be successful. “ Scheeder proposed a meeting of the officers of this newly proposed Main Streets entity with members of the EMCAC. A motion was made and passed unanimously.
Market Manager’s Report Market Manager Barry Margeson reported that June revenues were $62,870.17. North Hall revenues were significantly down at $8,400.00. Outdoor vending is $30,895. Leases were discussed as they are often at monthly meetings and Margeson responded: “I spoke with Jonathan (Kayne, Interim Director of DGS) yesterday and the day before and we will be talking with the Director tomorrow and once we talk with the Director…………….I think that we will have some news for you.” u