Hine-Sight

On top of all the fanfare at the opening of Eastern Market yesterday, the developers whose plans are finalists for the reconstruction of the Hine Jr. High site at the corner of 7th and Pennsylvania Ave. SE were there with glossy floorplans and colorful handouts.  I was all set to write a long post about each of the plans and my thoughts on all of them, but then I picked up a copy of the Hill Rag and found that David Garber, the author of And Now, Anacostia, had done a pretty good job already.  (If you have a hard time reading that, then here’s a link to a PDF).

I was most impressed with the Stanton/Eastbanc plan. (All of them can be found here.)  Garber is right to note that they came to the table with the most experience developing this part of town, and to me it just shows.  The centerpiece of the plan is a relocation and centralization of the Shakespeare Theater rehearsal space and offices which are now on Barracks Row.  The person I talked to yesterday was quick to mention that C Street SE would be opened back up, a part of all of the plans, but she also highlighted the fountained piazza, the most attractive part of any plan, to me.  The fountains, she said, could be turned off, C street could be closed for the flea market, and the piazza would become a theater in the round.

Imagine this: a Sunday browsing the flea market goods at Eastern Market and afterwards a free, outdoor performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Or a theater or band performance from a local school.  Or a place for a poetry reading, or a place where a councilmember could address the community.  Sounds good to me.

Next Tuesday there’s an ANC meeting to hear what people have to say, so the ANC can recommend a plan by July 1.