Ribbon cutting for Battle Street today at 4:00. Finance tonight at 5:30 and…
There will a drawing (out of a hat no less!) for the order in which the candidates for the City Council appointment will go. That will be tonight right before finance in the Council Chambers.
May 27, 2009 at 12:42 pm
One might imagine Old Town Manassas as a jigsaw puzzle –
the improvements on Battle St., connect with the Candy Factory
that connects with the Railroad Walk and restored train station
that connects with the Harris Pavilion and the Manassas Museum
and back to the VRE/Manassas Parking Deck.
The question now is what is next in “Manassas Next” for Old Town?
Thoughts?
(FYI – the convience store across from New Method Cleaners
is open for business – on Battle Street)
May 28, 2009 at 10:22 am
Andy & Steve, what should be “Manassas Next?”
I would personally like to see the two projects out of the CIP moved up – especially the West Street Pedestrian Enhancements. Improving the lights and crosswalks is essential especially for those who are older and/or have disabilities.
I had a conversation last week with Debbie Haight of HMI. In my capacity as the City’s appointee to the Prince William Commission on Aging, she asked how can we attract Seniors to shop in Old Town…and one of the complaints I hear is the difficulty in crossing certain streets. West Street improvements would be an excellent step in the right direction.
Also, let’s move on to Grant Street! Adding those refuge islands will also be a benefit for our older and/or disabled residents.
So there’s my two cents…plus, if I read my map right, they fit into Steve’s jigsaw puzzle! Kudos by the way for the efficient way Battle Street was done – approved one day, start digging the next, and done ahead of schedule.
May 29, 2009 at 7:23 am
Ray,
Thank you for your observations. We have been “on the case”,
especially related to the West St. pedestrian crossings for awhile.
As with many projects, it is a question of funding plus Center
and Church are part of a state highway and that makes it more
“interesting”. The Highway Department’s default position is
to move vehicle traffic and a good case has to be made for
changes that slow it. Hopefully, we can come forward with
a finalized plan in the very near future.
A way to help pedestrians cross Grant is also big on the
radar screen. We applaud PWC’s “mall concept” for the
Courthouse area and want to tie it into Old Town.
The jigsaw puzzle isn’t done yet, but we have more
important pieces in hand and are preparing to place them.
May 29, 2009 at 9:05 am
Would add that our puzzle is impacted by larger puzzles
mainly controlled by other people.
To understand traffic volume on Church, Center and Centreville Rd.
you need to Google “Tri County Parkway”. It was to be
for Rt.#28 what the Rt#234 Bypass is for that road – a blessing
for Manassas and “through” drivers. The primary plan was for it to
follow Godwin Drive across Sudley, bypassing Manassas, MP
Yorkshire and Centreville and then connecting to I-66 (with some
versions having it extended to Dulles).
A WaPo story on 9-15-2005 headlined “Tri-County Parkway Doomed”
tells the sad tale – the Feds and Fairfax County pulled the
plug due to ” possible negative impact on wetlands and park space
in Fairfax County”. Feelings in Manassas and PWC were best
expressed by then Board Chair Sean Connaughton who
said “This damn thing has been in our comp plan for fourty
years and now they say it cann’t be done!” (And four million
dollars of taxpayer money being spent on planning).
Four years later and PWC, Fairfax, VDOT and the Feds have
yet to come up with a viable Plan “B”.
May 30, 2009 at 6:30 am
Steve,
Never underestimate the powers of the NIMBY crowds…
May 30, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Off subject, but some news from nearly a 100 years ago in Manassas,
when reporters knew how to report a story.
“John C. Furr was tried before Justice Hodge Wednesday on a charge
of stealing chickens from Mr. J.C. Kincheloe. A fine of $25 was imposed
and Furr was sent to jail for four months. The fowls, being present
in court gave vociferous testimony of his quilt. There was a
noticeable agitatation of feathers as well as Furr.”
Manassas Journal (June 18, 1909)
May 31, 2009 at 6:44 am
Hi Steve – thanks so much for speaking at the Neighborhood Action Forum at George Mason yesterday.
News of Manassas Neighborhood Services’ three national awards for Week of Hope (one shared with Weems Neighborhood Watch) is on page 2 of the Washington Post’s Prince William Extra this morning. One for Local Government Innovation and two are second place, but our competition was the Watts Gang Task Force in LA and Graffiti Busters in Phoenix – pretty good. We have 101 members of Weems Neighborhood Watch now.
Also, the Coordinator for Georgetown South’s newly revived Neighborhood Watch has offered to help the City Police set up a Twitter page as yet another tool to reach out and communicate with citizens. Andy and Steve, do you think the City would support that?
The News & Messenger reports this morning (page A5) that the PWC Police are using Twitter now. http://www.twitter.com/PWCPoliceDept
May 31, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Neighborhood Services is due a big KUDO for those awards…and of course, the Washington Post would make it a small piece. Shame of it is, our “hometown newspaper” should make it front page – top section level, but know they won’t.
Still, it was nice to read this morning.
June 1, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Cindy,
Thank you for the opportunity to participate
in the Neighborhood Action Forum. It is always a
pleasure to join with citizens working together
to improve our community. You all are doing great
things.
(Will have to get back to you about Twitter
and the MCPD, after exploring the issue with staff).
June 7, 2009 at 11:56 am
Andy, I’m curious as to who now owns the expanded sidewalk on Battle Street. Since taxpayers footed the bill to expand business at Okra’s and Carmello’s, can we assume that this is public land? Can my family picnic on those sidewalk areas on a Saturday evening, or will we be shooed away by restaurant workers? Just curious.
June 7, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Whoever owned the land before owns it still. Those parts of the sidewalk that the businesses are using they have a license for and there are ABC implications so I don’t imagine you could picnic inside of their perimeter. I guess you could picnic next to it though.
June 16, 2009 at 9:57 pm
So why not expand the sidewalk for Philadelphia Tavern? City Tavern? What was unique about these two businesses that they deserved this sort of taxpayer funding to expand their businesses? Just curious.