Eastern Market Report: March 25
On Dec. 3, 2025 DC City Administrator Kevin Donahue ordered the formation of a vehicular terrorism task force to include the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) as well as the District Departments of Transportation (DDOT), Department of Public Works (DPW), the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services (DC FEMS). The purpose is to make recommendations to protect DC residents as well as visitors from the increasing likelihood of violence from vehicular terrorism.
The task force is charged with making public safety recommendations, particularly as regards protection from vehicles as weapons, among which are likely to be the long-delayed installation of bollards at the Eastern Market. The task force will at minimum bring forward its recommendations for wider District discussion.
The Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) heard about the committee when met virtually on Wednesday, March 25th with a full agenda shaped in part by Chairperson Chuck Burger’s newly-imposed limit of fifteen minutes for reports from the chairs of six major committees. EMCAC also conducted necessary house keeping chores that are a part of these monthly discussions.
Among efforts to improve the safety at the Market are the requirement that all vendors are to view a video about the Emergency Response Plan (ERP). This plan was drafted by the membership of EMCAC.
According to Department of General Services (DGS) market manager Barry Margeson 173 vendors have so far viewed it.
Market Manager’s Report
Eastern Market revenue growth remains steady with expectations of revenue topping one million for FY 26. Current revenue stands at $394,979. The budget for the year is $834,693.
Market Manager Margeson cited North Hall growth as the linchpin of Market success. He reported North Hall revenue at $244,000 which would easily propel the overall Market revenue to $1 million and change but his written report appears to contradict his verbal report, which cites revenue in the same time period at $138,825. No explanation of this discrepancy between the two figures was offered.
Margeson also reported that he met with the task force focusing on the bollards city wide on March 14. He said that they will have drafted a report by the end of the month. Guidelines will be drafted after the report has been reviewed and accepted and or rejected, he added.
Public Art Installed
Finally, artist Jay F. Coleman’s 5’ by 7’ sculpture, Loveful Hands, a bronze public art piece which features hands arranged so that the fingers and thumbs form a heart, now sits near the entrance to the Eastern Market Metro station. It was officially unveiled April 2.
The sculpture is a finishing piece to what has been a significant upgrade to the Eastern Market plaza, begun in 2020.
Interactive public artist Jay F. Coleman is a long-time DC artist and Ward 7 resident whose works include colorful murals.
Peter J. Waldron is a long time resident of Capitol Hill and a former Chair of ANC6B and has been reporting on the Eastern Market for more than fifteen years. Waldron can be reached at peter218@prodigy.net.
