Forest Hills Connection

First Congregational United Church of Christ

Golden Triangle Business Improvement District
Connecticut Avenue Plan

Southwest Ecodistrict Plan

The Yards Park

Barbara Zartman Award for Planning and Zoning
Alma Hardy Gates

Please join The Committee of 100 in honoring the 2013 Vision Award winners as we celebrate our 90th year!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

The House of the Temple of the Scottish Rite of Free Masonry
1733 16th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20009

Tickets may be purchased online for $100 each: Click Here to purchase tickets.

Sponsors
Alma H. & Harry F. Gates
Laura & Robert Richards
John W. & Eileen Yago

Patrons
Carol F. & Lawrence E. Aten
Sanders H. Berk, MD  & Sally Berk
Bill Crews & Steve Kehoe
George R. & Mary Clark
Nancy J. MacWood & Robert M. Brandon
Charles Robertson
Beverley Wheeler

Host Committee
Monte Edwards
Con Hitchcock
Meg Maguire & Dale Ostrander
Frank Vespe

Free, off-street parking will be available in the lot behind the Temple.

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The Committee of 100 on the Federal City honors planning and land use that promotes its mission to advocate “responsible planning and land use in Washington, D.C….guided by the values inherited from the L’Enfant Plan and McMillan Commission, which give Washington its historic distinction and natural beauty, while responding to the special challenges of 21st century development.” In support of its mission, the Committee advocates for Planning, Zoning, Parks & Open Space, Transportation, and Historic Preservation.

Since 2001, the Committee of 100 has annually presented Vision Awards to recognize projects, programs, plans, and individual lifetime achievements that are visionary and innovative and provide notable benefit to the District of Columbia.

Types of Awards:

• Vision Award: Awarded for a project, program, or formal plan that has been developed to benefit the District of Columbia as a whole or to serve as an exemplary neighborhood achievement to be copied and duplicated in other areas of the District of Columbia, performed by a public, private, or non-profit organization or individual located or residing in the District of Columbia; or
• Vision Award for Lifetime Achievement: Awarded to an individual who has devoted significant professional or voluntary time and effort to planning and land use in the District of Columbia. The focus of the individual may be on citywide planning and land use or he/she may have demonstrated a more local neighborhood focus or a project by project focus.

Eligibility:

• Nominations may include completed projects, published plans, and programs undertaken by individuals, groups, and/or organizations (profit or non-profit/ governmental or private).
• A public, private, or non-profit organization located in the District of Columbia may be nominated for a body of work not restricted to one project, plan, or program.
• Nominations may include educational and stewardship programs that promote innovative and visionary land use or planning and/or historic preservation efforts that reflect the principles of the L’Enfant and McMillan plans.
• Nominations should demonstrate sensitivity to neighborhoods, historic elements, public space, and/or natural features, and they may have a citywide or smaller area focus.
• Nominations may include plans that were not fully implemented but remain inspirational and demonstrate design excellence and sensitivity to neighborhoods, historic elements, public space, and/or natural features.
• Nominations should also demonstrate sound planning that would benefit the city or a smaller area.
• Lifetime Achievement nominations for individuals must be for work that has benefited the District of Columbia as a whole or in part within one or more of the advocacies in which the committee engages. (I.e., Planning, Zoning, Parks & Open Space, Transportation, and Historic Preservation.) The intent is not only to recognize a lifetime achievement but also the work done to date by an individual that rises to the level of visionary and has benefited the District of Columbia.

Nomination Process: Anyone currently residing in the District of Columbia or a member of the Committee of 100 may make a nomination. Completed forms along with supporting documentation should be received by email or mail to the Committee of 100 no later than Friday, March 15, 2013, 5:00 pm.

If you have any questions, please contact Byron Adams, C100 Administrator, via email at Badamsc100@verizon.net or phone at 202-681-0225.

Award Presentation: Awards will be presented at a gala in early June (exact date and location to be determined). If selected for an award, nominee will receive two complimentary tickets to the gala.

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The Civil War Defenses of Washington (CWDW) Trail will connect the network of Civil War  earthwork forts and adjacent parkland, linking communities in and around DC to recreational opportunities and local historic sites.  It is an innovative and collaborative initiative between the National Park Service and Arlington County, City of Alexandria, Fairfax County and Washington Area Bicyclist Association.  It is directly tied to the 1901 McMillan Commission’s vision for a city unified by civic and park spaces, a plan that was supported in the 1920s by the Committee of 100 on the Federal City but only partially implemented.   The focus for today’s plans for the CWDW Trail is an urban greenway for biking and hiking. This concept was recently reinforced by the Capital Space Plan, adopted by the National Capital Planning Commission in 2010, which called for linking the Fort Circle Parks physically and programmatically.   It also creatively fulfills many concepts recommended by the Committee of 100 in our report “A Call to Action,” submitted in response to the National Park Service’s draft management plan in 2003.  And it is especially timely now, as the nation commemorates the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War.

DEANWOOD COMMUNITY CENTER & LIBRARY

When a new library was being planned for the Deanwood neighborhood it was an opportunity to fulfill many of the residents’ needs.  In the summer of 2010 the collaborative efforts of several DC agencies, DCPL, and the community resulted in the opening of a $32 million, 63,000sf multi-purpose building adjacent to a new football field and playground.  The new library shares space with the District’s largest recreation center that includes a swimming pool with the District’s only slide, a recording studio, full service kitchen, and fitness center, and features recreational, education, and athletic programs for all ages.  Advanced sustainable design was incorporated into the facilities so that energy use is projected to be reduced by 40%.  The site also features a bio-retention garden and sand filtration tank to clean storm water that flows into the river.  Mature trees were protected during construction and incorporated as part of the site design.   This project demonstrates how multiple agencies can work together to stretch the boundaries of their vision to meet multiple community needs by creating a true community center.

ALL HALLOWS GUILD OF WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

All Hallows Guild was founded in 1916 by Florence Bratenahl, the wife of the Dean of the Cathedral.  Its original purpose was to raise funds to pay for planting the Bishop’s Garden, which like most of the grounds of the Cathedral Close was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.  Today the Guild has come full circle as current efforts are focused on restoring the very popular Bishop’s Garden after several severe winters have damaged the mature plantings. The 59 acre Cathedral Close is one of the most important landmark properties in Washington, DC and its gardens and open spaces are popular tourist destinations.  The Guild’s efforts to preserve the beauty and function of the grounds has evolved over the years as they have come to the rescue of many prominent features  on the Close when these areas suffer decline due to overuse, extreme weather, erosion, and time.   Through the efforts of its members, the Guild enlists experts to address problems, develop restoration plans that are faithful to the Olmstead vision while utilizing the most advanced environmental techniques, and implement them with funds raised by the Guild. Recent restoration projects include the Olmsted Woods and the Amphitheater.

Lifetime Achievement Awards

JUDY SCOTT FELDMAN

Judy Scott Feldman, Ph.D   During the past decade, Judy Scott, longtime Committee of 100 member and Founder /Chairman of the National Coalition to Save Our Mall, has had a profound influence on the care, maintenance and development of  the nation’s major national park.  Under of her leadership, the Coalition has developed critical plans for the continued implementation of the expert urban planning for the nation’s capital provided by the eminent Pierre L’Enfant and the extension of the National Mall as directed by the 1902 McMillan Congressional legislation .  Dr. Feldman has brought to the attention of the U.S. Congress, the D.C. Office of Planning, the D.C. Parks and Recreation Commission, National Capital Planning Commission, the Fine Arts Commission and the public in general, the fact that Washington, D.C. is not just the National Capital, but a thriving metropolis, whose citizens have the same economic and recreational needs as do other cities.   A key element of the Coalition’s strategy is to encourage the city to take ownership of its role as host to the National Mall and to join the Coalition’s mission to persuade the Congress to provide a conservation entity which will accomplish its greater potential.  That potential is for thoughtful expansion  in the interest of revenue generation and to provide a more welcome recreational asset for visitors from our city and those from around the nation.  For these reasons and many more Dr. Feldman richly deserves the Committee of 100′s Vision Award for Lifetime Achievement.

ELIZABETH “LIBBY” ULMAN ROWE

Libby Rowe exerted enormous influence on urban planning in Washington DC for three decades. She was appointed by President John Kennedy in 1961 as the first woman to chair the National Capital Planning Commission, which she headed until 1968. Her most far reaching legacy concerned the extent of the interstate highway system in the National Capital.  As chair of NCPC, she opposed original plans for the highways and supported Metro Rail station locations and construction.  The highway battle came to a head through numerous citizen demonstrations and a directive by President Johnson to NCPC to adopt a new comprehensive plan (“The Red Book”) accommodating transportation needs without an enlarged interstate system.   A strong advocate for maintaining the height limits of buildings in DC, Mrs. Rowe also established the District’s first official historic preservation efforts, via formation of the Joint Committee on Landmarks in 1964 by the NCPC, Commission of Fine Arts and DC Government.  Later, her leadership and tireless efforts as Chair of the Committee of 100 (1970 to 1986) strengthened the organization and greatly influenced citizens to participate in urban planning and other civic affairs.  Mrs. Rowe died in 1991, but the Nation’s Capital continues to benefit from her forethought, determination and urban planning policy influence.  And she is still loved and greatly missed by those who knew her.

Barbara Zartman Award for Planning and Zoning Advocacy

A Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed yearly at the Trustees’ discretion

MEG MAGUIRE

 Meg Maguires Remarks – Barbara Zartman Award for Planning and Zoning Advocacy (80.26 kB)

Meg Maguire personifies intellectual talent, indefatigable energy, creative ideas, common sense, and deep values about public policy promoting the common good.  As the third president of Scenic America Ms. Maguire spearheaded a Scenic Conservation Action Agenda that saved more than 1,000 miles of scenic roads, including in the District of Columbia, from the blight of billboards and protected many of the aesthetic resources found in our nation’s communities and countryside.  On the local level, using her sharp organizational skills and her commitment to smart growth and environmental sustainability, Ms. Maguire helped the First Congregational Church transform a dream of a church sharing space with other urban uses into reality.  As project manager, Mr. Maguire guided a 6 year, church/office building design and construction process at 10th and G Streets, NW.   More recently, as a member of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, Ms. Maguire saw a need for expanding the committee’s involvement with District land use policy into the area of transportation policy. With Ms. Maguire as chair, the fledgling Transportation Committee pressed the city leadership for a more analytical, comprehensive, and forward thinking approach to developing a streetcar system.  Sensing where the information gaps were and that timing was critical, Ms. Maguire and other committee members produced a blueprint report on what was needed to ensure a well conceived streetcar system that would enhance the District’s transportation resources.  The Board of Trustees is proud to present Meg Maguire the second Barbara Zartman Award for her advocacy of urban policies that preserve the legacy of the District of Columbia and stimulate progress befitting the nation’s capital.

Selection Committee:  Sally Berk, Charles Cassell, Nancy MacWood, Loretta Neumann, and Lance Salonia, Chair

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The Savoy Elementary School and Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School Public Education Campus in Anacostia successfully demonstrate planning, public-private partnerships, and multi-use of buildings for community activities on a scale not seen elsewhere in the District of Columbia’s educational systems. The project is an innovative combined campus serving a private charter high school, a District of Columbia Public School middle school, and Anacostia’s larger community of children, youths and adults. Shared amenities of the campus include a new Multipurpose/Gymnasium building containing classrooms, a kitchen, children’s library, and seating for 400 as well as underground parking and shared recreational areas on the grounds. The campus complex additionally incorporates two prominent street-front window cases along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to be used for various school and community cultural and educational displays. This is the first District of Columbia Public Schools project to have included LEED certification as an integral part of its planning and design. Overall, the project sets a new and higher standard for school modernization and planning for new schools.

Roberts B. Owen‘s successful advocacy before the Federal courts played a crucial role in preventing the construction of a massive freeway system through the District of Columbia, including a new bridge across the Potomac River. The proposed freeways and the Three Sisters Bridge involved local and national issues with enormous implications for the future physical character of the District and the nation’s freeway policy. Owen’s and his legal team spent more than 4,000 pro bono hours over a 5-year period in representing a large coalition of individuals and citizens’ groups, including The Committee of 100, in countering a persistent congressional effort to build a web of new high speed roads through large swaths of Northwest and Northeast Washington that threatened to displace businesses, residents, and buildings estimated in the thousands. His judicial wins prevented extensive destruction of historic neighborhoods and parks and created precedents favoring a limited freeway system and the development of a mass transit system for Washington, DC and the region. Read Roberts Owen’s 2010 acceptance speech…

For the last decade, Arthur Cotton Moore has undertaken a project to restore the long-forgotten Maryland Avenue, SW – one of the primary components of L’Enfant’s geometry. Early in his work Moore realized that key to restoring and developing Maryland Avenue, SW would be the cooperation of the mainline railroad that was re-routed along the Maryland Avenue right-of-way as a part of the early-20th century McMillan Commission Plan for the Mall. Moore’s initial role in this project was as a volunteer, which evolved to his becoming the key designer of a comprehensive urban plan. Not unlike Daniel Burnham, Moore’s work is the culmination of a long cooperative effort that he forged with a variety of players. Notably the plan calls for creating the missing avenue with broad sidewalks and a landscaped median for memorials and a memorial square, a vibrant new community for 2,000 residents on underutilized land, and the creation of 9,000 new jobs. It envisions improved access and traffic levels for this and adjacent parts of the city with a proposed intermodal station and far greater rail commuter passenger capacity and operations. If realized the plan could be a catalyst for revitalization of the surrounding area.

Barbara Zartman Award for Planning and Zoning Advocacy is presented posthumously to Barbara Zartman. The Committee of 100 on the Federal City has created a new award to honor individuals who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the values of the Committee of the 100 through work advocating responsible planning and zoning decisions and laws. This award will be given on a periodic basis to recognize the great contribution that an individual can make in shaping our city. It is an honor for the Committee of 100 to present the inaugural award to Barbara Zartman.

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The recently proposed Southwest Ecodistrict Plan is a bold vision that can help bring that semi-forgotten quadrant of the city back to the future. It can reinvigorate L’Enfant’s brilliant street pattern in a place where it’s been neglected and bring cutting-edge environmentalism and urban planning to a neighborhood sorely in need of them.

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