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Sculpture Garden Ice-Skating Rink Remains Closed
Eastern Market is officially set to reopen to the public on June 26, a little over two years after it was gutted by a devastating fire. Lucky dog Flickr contributor erin_m, aka local photog Erin McCann, who has been documenting the market's progress since the fire, managed to get a look inside the building on Monday night as crews work to put the finishing touches in before next Friday. She's posted her entire photo set here. Erin writes:
A very, very nice security guard gave me a tour of the rebuilt Eastern Market tonight.He took me from the basement to the second-floor market manager office, which was left untouched by both the fire and the construction workers, and he shared lots of amazing tidbits. (He's convinced the place is haunted.)
The doors are open most evenings as construction crews finish up. They're perfectly willing to let you peek inside, and if you catch him or someone else in a slow moment, you might luck out and get a tour.
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Holy cow, thanks, Sommer!
I think OPM has done a phenomenal job with this, i have to say.
For $22 million, it better be friggin haunted.
For $50,000, I will issue the city a report on whether it is haunted or not.
With the caveat that more study is needed.
Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters!
First off, I think its great that a security guard is giving unauthorized visitors tours of a public building that was likely gutted by arson. Good to see DC is protecting its $22 million investment with a crack security force.
Second, can anyone explain to me again, why a select group of vendors (no more than 20) essentially get to operate out of a facility built and owned by the city that charges below-market rent?
And don't talk to me about the "public good." If the "public" felt these vendors were "good," they would patronize them to the point where they could operate in private facilities like every other business in this city.
Hmmmm, I'm trying to decide if that's an actual Cavuto mark in your second paragraph...I think it is, but you could have done better. Like, "A select group of vendors gets preferential treatment from the District...is it fair?"
Also, I'm pretty sure no one is going to burn down a building while they're walking around it with a security guard...hell, the last guy didn't even need to go inside to start the fire. Besides, he's sleeping with the fishes now. Hillvada's comments on security guards: were they alarmist nonsense?
Yes, they were. Carry on.
Unauthorized tours of a public building.. think about that phrase for, I dunno, 5 seconds.
To clarify: They're not actually unauthorized. He said the OPM originally wanted to keep the building off-limits until the opening, but his security company urged them to reconsider. It's a subject of huge interest to the neighborhood, and we'd all be stopping to peek inside anyway. This way, everyone's happy, and the crews working get to hear people ooh and ahh over all their hard work.
There is also talk of official, scheduled tours as well.
Well, in no way am I defending hillvada for his/her drivel, but the U.S. Capitol is a public building. I suppose you could have an unauthorized tour of the Capitol...right?
Just pointing out that it is not as ridiculous a premise as you are making it out to be. That said, in the case of Eastern Market...it is ridiculous.
It's a city owned construction site. At the least, OSHA best practices should be followed to protect from potential lawsuits.
I suppose you could have an unauthorized tour of the Capitol...right?
You sure as hell can, just so long as you know a member of the Capitol Hill Police. I've arranged many private tours of the Capitol via my cousin who is CHPD.
The South Hall merchants were grandfathered by the legislation to preserve Eastern Market and the same legislation requires that they pay free market rents.
Actually, the market is OPEN NOW -- across 7th street from the building pictured above. You don't have to wait until June 26th to get groceries.
pretty sure that the temporary building (east hall) closed for good on Sunday. most things were being sold at half price. got a sweet deal on some marlin.
I plan on going over tonight and getting one of these special tours from a security guard. Then I will trip over a piece of construction equipment and sue the city. Just think, this vanity project for Capitol Hill liberals can cost the DC taxpyaers even more money!
Legit point.
A controlled tour for the press would be better/more fair to everyone.
OPM should get some credit where credit is due, but it took a lot of community involvement for Eastern Market to turn out as well as it did (in the form of the Eastern Market Citizens Advisory Committee and too many other groups and individuals to name in one breath). OPM should get credit for listening where it did, but bear in mind it took a lot of hard pushing, and a lot of corrections to their mistakes, to keep the DC gov. on the straight and narrow on this project.
I'm sorry, but one of the reasons Eastern Market burned down in the first place was because the community of well-intentioned fatasses dragged its ass for years getting the wiring upgraded. They just didn't want to risk damaging the historic interior in order to, y'know, bring it up-to-date in the fire code department. So it burned.
That is, if you don't believe the whole thing was arson.
Hillvada! Don't look now! I think someone's having fun! Complain and threaten!