I write this in shock and grief for our beloved Eastern Market.
Early this morning, setting out on my usual run, there was a strong smell of smoke permeating the clear air of a gorgeous Washington spring morning. As I turned the corner, there were what seemed like dozens of police cars and fire engines. Heading from North Carolina Avenue on to 7th Street SE, I could not believe my eyes. Eastern Market, the keystone of our Capitol Hill neighborhood and one of my favorite spots since since childhood, was burned and destroyed. Flames tore through the roof of the recently restored building, and from peering inside, I could see that there was very little left.
Words do not come easily this morning, as I try to take in the tremendous loss to our city and to our neighborhood. Without Eastern Market, the centerpiece of Capitol Hill, our local community is without its anchor. Witnessing such complete devastation and destruction feels like having my childhood home burn to the ground.
Mayor Fenty was on the scene, making me feel very proud to have him as our mayor. In the few minutes he and I spoke, I felt the deepness of his sincerity for the loss of one of Washington, DC's, most important historic landmarks. He assured me that the city will rebuild and that the community will be involved.
If it were up to me, I would choose to have Eastern Market put back together just the way it was. The small businesses, the old ceiling fans, the bluebucks, and even the dirt and grit. Some things just shouldn't change.
If anyone feels clear headed enough to suggest what we should do now to make Eastern Market come back to life, feel free to post here, and I will share with Councilmember Wells, who I know is as deeply saddened by this, as well, and was on-scene at 2AM to offer support to the fire fighters.
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5 comments:
I'm just stunned. I had no idea. I walked right by with it off in the distance this morning and didn't realize what had even happened. I'm with you. I don't even know what to say. It's just such a fundamental part of the area. I can't imagine it not being there...
D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty (D) toured the market with Rubin for about an hour starting at 7 a.m. and emerged vowing to rebuild it.
"This building has such great history and importance to the city," Fenty said. "We'll bring it back 100 percent. How could we not? It's going to take some resources and some good planning but . . . that's too much history to let get burned away."
I hope "planning" isn't DC government speak for SLOW
This morning on WAMU, the traffic report mentioned a snag in traffic because of a fire at Eastern Market. I had no idea the whole damn place was destroyed. I'm a new resident, and only here for another year. I'm kicking myself for not visiting it more than the couple of times I did.
My wife, Alison Feighan, said it was though a really dear friend has been badly hurt. It might actually be worse. The lolliops Mr. Paik handed out to kids with the banana, the ice melting in the fish cases on hot days, the smells - aromoatic and ripe - that wafted from every vendor, the stones in each doorway worn down from 130 years of marketers, racing to get a rotierrie chicken from Canellas on the way from home work, the tab hand-written on the paper bag at Calomoris's, the din of neighbors making after-soccer play dates or figuring out what to serve guests that night, making sure not to lean on the cheese counter while awaiting your slice, and so many other images that make up the backdrop of life in our unbeatable urban village will never be again. Rebuilding is an option and a new market will the place of new images that will become part of daily of life. But memories are all that remains of the old market, along with the ashes of something precious.
And without time to recover I here Georgetown to has suffered a fire. What is happened with emergency response and these delayed times to actually save lives and property?
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