October 24, 2014

Neighborhood News

DDOT hosts Ward 1 Projects meeting on October 27

DDOT will PAY your staff to come in early to accept deliveries!

Changes coming to commercial loading zones

Save the Date - November 17th - have wine with your business neighbors

Holiday event listings with the Washington Post

GoDCGo hosts a Transit Benefit Seminar for Employers - November 6th

Neighborhood News

1) Small Business Saturday - November 29th


Small Business Saturday (SBS) made an impact in Adams Morgan a few years back when Adams Morgan Main Street won a competition for an American Express sponsored ad campaign which featured some of our businesses.

This year SBS falls on Novem ber 29th, between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

It’s a well organized, well publicized marketing opportunity that fits well with who we are as a business community. And the resources it offers local businesses are impressive - many of which can be customized to your particular business.

The AMPBID has signed on as a Neighborhood Champion and have already received boxes of promotional materials aimed at connecting local businesses to this national effort to Shop Small. Tote bags, welcome mats, signage, etc. are available to participating businesses, for example, but the website has ways to brand your online presence too. The most important of these is adding your business to an online map that shows shoppers who want to support local businesses that your business is part of the campaign . There is also a way to access and integrate SBS branding into your digital presence.

This link can get you started:

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/smallbiz-benefits?linknav=us-amex-loy-open-shopsmall-sbo-landing-getstartedhero

The success of SBS relies on a group of businesses in a community coordinating their activities so that the neighborhood becomes a destination for shoppers on Small Business Saturday.

A National Federation of Independent Businesses poll of SBS participants showed that 75% said “the day would be more effective if communities participated together by hosting events.”

So please join us in brainstorming events, specials, or in store activities can make Adams Morgan the place to be on Small Business Saturday and spend some time on the SBS website to take advantage of the promotional materials that can be accessed there.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested in participating in Small Business Saturday so we can begin to plan for it.

Nathan Ackerman will be our SBS point person and he can be reached at 202-669-2323 or by email at nathan@18thStreetMedia.com

Your business does not need to accept American Express to be part of this.

An interesting article about SBS that has some more info from past participants can be found here:

http://technews.tmcnet.com/news/2013/11/07/7526124.htm

2) Happy Hour for Sitar Center at the Diner, 2453 18th Street, NW, Monday October 27th


Come join The Diner for their monthly Neighborhood Happy Hour!

They are having a Happy Hour Event for the children of The Sitar Arts Center on Monday, October 27th from 5 PM to 8 PM to continue their art supply drive.  Bring any of the listed art supplies and you will receive a free drink ticket that is good for one of our happy hour drinks.  We will also have free food and prizes during the event.

NEEDED ART SUPPLIES

Drawing Pencils- all sizes

Erasers

Paper- Sketch/drawing/watercolor

Elmers Glue

Glue sticks

Crayons

Markers

Pencil sharpeners

Construction paper

Masking tape

Jewelry making supplies (Beads, string, wire, elastic, wire tools)

Smocks

3) Healthy Adams Morgan Day - October 25th

Mary’s Center and Medstar Health will be holding an Open House at both locations on Saturday, October 25th from 11 am to 3 pm.

This is part of their new partnership to help meet the medical needs in the neighborhood.

Both locations will have free health and dental screenings and children’s activities including face painting, popcorn machine, snow cones, balloons, and raffles. Complimentary shuttle will be provided between the two locations.

Mary’s Center: 2333 Ontario Road, NW

Medstar PromptCare: 1805 Columbia Road, NW.

For more information visit: maryscenter.org or medstarpromptcare.org

4) Town Tavern's Halloween Happenings

Only 4 More Days to RSVP to
THE TOWN TAVERN’S
VIP Comic-Con Halloween Open Bar Party!



~Pick Your Poison OPEN BAR 9-11pm~
only $10 when you RSVP before October 25th
RSVP RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW

**$15 at the door

So what are you waiting for?!
Come get the biggest BANG for your buck this Halloween!
Email: towntavernevents@gmail.com to book your Halloween Bash today!

The Town Tavern

2323 18th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20009-1814
202.387.TOWN

5) The Festival Center's 25th Anniversay celebration - October 25th

The Festival Center, Servant Leadership School and the Discipleship Year Intern Program

Will CELEBRATE

their 25th ANNIVERSARY

on Saturday October 25th

Please join them for their

Anniversary Fundraising Dinner

Guest Speaker

Reverend James A. Forbes

Senior Minister Emeritus of the Riverside Church

New York , New York

Date: October 25th, 2014

Time: 6:30p.m

Place: 1640 Columbia Road, NW Washington, DC 20009

RSVP: 202-328-0072 to Rene Petaway or Joseph Deck

DDOT hosts Ward 1 Projects meeting on October 27th

None of these projects are in Adams Morgan, however there could be impact on travel to and from Adams Morgan as a result of these DDOT projects.

What:

DDOT Projects Update Meeting for the Ward 1 Community

When:

Monday, October 27th, 2014

6:00 PM | Open House

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | Project Updates

Where:

Columbia Heights Community Center, 1480 Girard Street, NW

(Located within walking distance from the Columbia Heights Metro Station &

Metro Bus Routes S1, S2, S4 on 16th Street, NW or 52, 53, 54 on 14th Street, NW)

Project engineers will be in attendance to update the Ward 1 community on the following projects:

·        Dedicated Bus Lanes on Georgia Avenue, NW

·        Safety Improvements on 15th Street, NW

·        Resurfacing of 7th Street, NW

·        Reconstruction of U Street, NW Phase II

·        Reconstruction of Florida Avenue, NW

·        DC Streetcar

·        Traffic Improvements

·        Asset Management

·        Tree Projects

·        Low Impact Development Projects

There will also be a question and answer session.

For more information about the meeting, please contact Brandon Cooper at 202-741-8528 or brandon.cooper@dc.gov .

DDOT will PAY your staff to come in early to accept deliveries

Yes that's right.

In early 2015, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will be

launching an Off-Hours Delivery (OHD) Pilot project. The intent of the OHD

Pilot project is to increase off-hour deliveries with the goal of reducing

congestion, improving quality of life, and increasing the efficiency of urban

deliveries.

By switching to off-hours deliveries your business will:
*    Have more time available to spend with customers, instead of waiting

for a delivery to arrive;
*    Receive on-time deliveries all the time. Your supplies will be there

waiting when you open your business in the morning; and
*    Increase the reliability of your deliveries. It is much harder to be

delayed due to traffic or lack of parking when you're not traveling

during rush hour!

The grants intend to fund a variety of things that will facilitate off-hours

deliveries. That could include: unassisted delivery system technologies (key

boxes, cages, camera security systems, etc.), building modifications (an

extra cooler to facilitate deliveries, a double door entry way, etc.),

security upgrades (cameras, key codes, lock boxes, etc.), trainings,

staffing subsidies for shift differentials, or supply chain management

planning.

If there is something businesses would like to do and it is not on this list feel

free to call or email Laura Richards about it. The list is not set, the goal is

to facilitate off-hour deliveries.

Thanks,

Laura

Laura Richards

State and Regional Planning Branch

District Department of Transportation

P: 202.671.2226

laura.richards2@dc.gov .

Changes coming to commercial loading zones

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has developed a commercial loading zone management program as supported by DCMR Rule 18-2402 , enacted December 2013.

Starting January 1, 2015, commercial vehicles will be required to pay for the use of loading zones. In order to park in a loading zone, a commercial vehicle operator will need to either display a permit on their vehicle or pay-by-cell immediately after parking. Permits (day or annual) can be obtained from the Transportation Online Permitting System beginning November 3, 2014.

Ways to Pay:

1. Annual Permit ($323) or Daily Permit ($25)*

Allows parking at commercial vehicle loading zones during designated hours for up to two hours, and parking in a metered space between off-peak hours of 10 a.m.—2 p.m. or when meter enforcement is not in effect. Daily permit is valid for 24 hours, annual permit is valid for a calendar year. *Annual passes will take up to a week to process, day passes can be printed out immediately.

2. Pay-by-Cell ($2/Hour)

To Pay-by-Cell, once parked, the operator must immediately pay for the space by utilizing the ParkMobile service and indicating the zone number found on the loading zone sign.

Commercial Loading Zones Program Process

  • Visit the Truck and Bus Map to see where loading zones are located
  • Check loading zone signage for day/hour/time restrictions
  • Place your day or annual permit on the lower, rear exterior portion of the cab’s passenger side
  • Don’t park for longer than the sign indicates or for more than two hours if no time limit is indicated
  • Spaces are for active loading or unloading
  • Immediately pay for time needed to load/unload if you do not have a day or annual permit

Operators Will Be Ticketed If:

  • Permit is expired or not properly displayed ($50 ticket)
  • No permit is displayed and payment-by-cell was not made ($100)
  • Vehicle stays longer than time limit designated or two hours if no time limit is designated ($50)

Carriers: click here for a printable informational flyer ! and visit the Truck and Bus Map to see all District loading zones and truck routes and restrictions.

In addition, the ticket price for an unauthorized vehicle parked in a loading zone has increased from $50 to $100.

For general information on changes that affect non-commercial vehicles, download DDOT's informational postcard .

Save the Date: The Grapevine: Wine with your business neighbors - November 17th

Adams Morgan business owners:

Our business owner friends on U Street have invited us to join them for a business owner networking happy hour on November 17th.

Join us on Monday, November 17 from 7-9pm for a local business owner networking happy hour. Get to know your neighbors, meet new people, sip wine, and relax before the holiday rush.

Wine will be provided courtesy of Jackson Family Wines and Monument Fine Wines. Any local business who would like to provide light appetizers will be featured as a co-sponsor. Hint! Hint!

Please contact Erin Price Schabert, erin@smithcenter.org , (202) 483-8600 if interested in donating some food or drink.

The Grapevine will be held at Smith Center for Healing and the Art’s Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery located at 1632 U Street, NW.


Erin Price-Schabert

Development Manager

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts

1632 U Street, NW | Washington, DC | 20009

p 202.483.8600 | f 202.483.8601 | smithcenter.org

Perhaps the next business owner happy hour we can host on 18th Street or Columbia Road???? Please let Kristen know if you are interested in hosting the next one: kbarden@adamsmorganonline.org or 202-997-0783.

Holiday event listings with the Washington Post

It might not even be Halloween yet, but the listings elves at the Washington Post are gearing up for flurry of holiday-themed events that occur over the next two months.

They need your help. They want to get ahead and are asking that everyone submit their holiday-themed events by Nov. 14 at 5 p.m., using the password-protected site (events.washpost.com) or the form at www.washingtonpost.com/gog/talk-to-us.html .

Be sure to put “holiday happenings” in the description field. If you already have submitted a holiday event, you do not need to resubmit it.

They have done some shuffling around and the following people will now be your contact person for entertainment listings:

Pop music, film: Macy Freeman

Museums, galleries: Rachel Lubitz

Theater, dance: Winyan Soo Hoo

Classical music: Lauren McEwen

Families: Megan McDonough

Food: Christian Hettinger

(Everyone can be reached at first.lastname@washpost.com)

You may still reach out to Amy Orndorff Amy.Orndorff@washpost.com if you have questions, but please try one of the folks above first.

GoDCGo hosts a Transit Benefit Seminar for Employers - November 6th

Employer Transit Ordinance Workshop: Benefits for Your Organization

Opening remarks will be given by Sam Zimbabwe , Associate Director of Policy, Planning & Sustainability Administration (PPSA), District Department of Transportation (DDOT)

Featured panelists include:

  • Larry Filler , President, LF Consulting, transportation consulting practice
  • Lorraine Taylor , Manager, Corporate Sales Programs, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
  • Michelle Landrum , Account Manager, Enterprise Rideshare

When: 8am–10am, Thursday, November 6

Where: Busboys and Poets, 5th and K Streets NW

This complimentary seminar will share how employers and employees can both benefit from the commuter transit ordinance and give access to experts who can assist in implementation.

Space is limited so REGISTER today.