President’s Column – Karl Ensign, President

Hello Lincolnia neighbors!

As I write this in late February the last of the snow is melting and Spring is (hopefully!) on the way.  This Winter was one for the record books for sure!  My name is Karl Ensign, and I’m honored to serve as the President of the Lincolnia Park Civic Association (LPCA).  My wife and I were immediately taken with the neighborhood and moved here in 2020.  Upon meeting neighbors, we soon learned that our house contributed to local history as “the Mayer House,” the former residence of Virginia Delegate Alan Mayer.  Not too long ago, the neighborhood was featured again in the Washington Post’s “Where We Live” feature for its community feel, large lots, tree-lined streets, diversity, and unique architecture.  We’d love to hear your history of our unique neighborhood!

Lincolnia Park was one of the first suburbs of the Washington D.C. area, with most of its houses built circa 1955 to 1960, though there are houses as old as the 1930s. In 1956, the LPCA formed the Lincolnia Park Recreational Club.  They negotiated purchase of the LPRC  site with John Lynch, who owned both the LPRC land and the Holmes Middle School property. The purchase price was $15,000 (approximately $180,000 in today's dollars), well below the estimated value of $30,000.

I’m excited that this year we are bringing back the printed version of the LPCA newsletter and are working to update our website.  In this newsletter you will find the issues we’ve been tracking and working on including traffic calming, planning and zoning projects that could impact our neighborhood, and undergrounding electrical lines.  Additionally, we invite you to the Spring Clean-up scheduled for Saturday morning May 2^nd beginning at 10:00 am in the LPRC parking lot!

Although LPCA meetings and newsletter are in English, this community has long welcomed immigrants and other new residents from around the world, including Korea, Vietnam, and Latin America. The LPCA is a voluntary association that has worked for decades to ensure that our community remains a good place to live and raise our families.  Our success depends on all of us working together. Please join us at our monthly meetings to see what we are doing, provide input, get to know your neighbors, and help us maintain the vibrancy of this community. We meet the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm in the Braddock Baptist Church.  Please enter through entrance #3 “Office Entry.”  See you there!

 

Spring Clean-up Event

Come meet your neighbors and pick up litter on your street!  Our annual Spring Clean-Up is scheduled for Saturday, May 2^nd.  We’ll meet in the Lincolnia Park Recreation Club parking lot at 10:00 am for coffee and street assignments and then reassemble after we’re done at noon for lunch and drinks.  Trash bags and gloves provided (rain date May 3^rd). 

Planning and Zoning Issues – Greg Mariano, Treasurer & Planning & Zoning Board Chair

Development continues in and around our Lincolnia Park.  Here are just some of the projects and issues we’re tracking.  Please feel free to contact Greg for more information!