More on the empty schools
From the Truxton Discussion Forum:Please see this idea from Jim Berry :
Please consider . . . the idea of making JF Cook School a police substation, the site of office space for ANC 5C and, perhaps, other appropriate community uses, as well as the idea of encouraging an Arts emphasis for the future use of MM Washington, should it eventually close. I think it safe to assume that none of us wants the buildings that now house JF Cook School and MM Washington to go the way of the former John Mercer Langston Elementary School or the former Armstrong Adult Education Center buildings -- essentially, abandoned by the city and languishing in our community as an attractive nuisance for drug dealers and users, homeless persons, and the like.
As for MM Washington... one possibility might be to turn it into a place for artists -- an idea that was floated by the local government and one which we endorsed, I believe, in the late 1980's/early 1990's. At the time, O Street, N.W. and Hanover Place, N.W. were already budding hubs for this kind of activity. Perhaps we could revisit some of those ideas. Also, we could give artists special consideration to locate their businesses there and require them to hold classes for interested children and adults, in return for that consideration.
I love the idea of artists studios. There are artists studios already in the hood and the more the merrier. What I would love is something linking the artists areas in the TC so we have this spot over in southeast Truxton for art professionals and amateurs. Excellent idea Jim.
As far as the substation at Cook... Sure, as long as the building can share with offices.
Labels: government, schools
posted by Mari @ 20.3.08
4 Comments:
yay! I think the artists studios would be great, too.
I would like to see some subsidized doctors' and dentists' offices--low rent in exchange for treating a certain number of Medicaid patients.
coops like Westbeth with artist live-in studio's for would be nice. and an art store and cafe in the basement for poetry, art shows, music and other creative events.
rr446
Not familiar with Westbeth, but I'll look it up.
As much as I would like to have Drs and DDS offices in the hood, I'm thinking rents aren't dealbreakers like salaries for competent coders (the nice ladies in the office who figure out how what the doc did is or isn't covered by your insurance and bill accordingly) and medical malpractice insurance. We'd need a better idea of docs' needs to provide adequate incentives to get them.
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