The final touches are being applied to the brand new artificial turf field at Jelleff. It appears that it will be open in time for the fall sports season.
From the photo above, you can see several features of the new field. First of all, it’s got lines for at least four different field arrangements: baseball (in red), lacrosse (yellow), soccer (white), and another smaller soccer field (blue). It makes for a confusing jumble of lines, but representatives from Stoddert Soccer assure GM that that’s no big deal.
Another significant feature is the giant fence. It is huge. But in all honesty, it is inconspicuous and not nearly as ugly as GM feared.
Finally, there’s the lights. GM has to admit that he was wrong to predict that the lights would face a stiff opposition. They glided through the approval process without any significant hitches. It helps a lot that there are a bunch of tall pines of the north side of S St. blocking the light from pouring into the houses on that street. With the lights in place, the deal (which GM had plenty of substantive and procedural problems with) is a lot better for the city.
All in all, the field looks great (of course, in exchange for ten years priority use, anything less would have been shameful). GM looks forward to seeing groups like Stoddert make good use out of it right away.
The Georgetown Metropolitan 
Looks like a terrific sports complex. Whatever happened to baseball?
Dave, there are lines on the field for baseball. Those red shapes on the right of the photo are the bases.
The field is not exactly that well suited for baseball, given the very short right field and the incredibly long left field. But it is my understanding that one of Maret’s primary goals with this project is to use it for baseball.
There were (Maret, I presume) kids playing on the field this morning!
Sure, the field is built and it is better than the old wornout grass field. And it’s good anytime that children are out playing and exercising, particularly under the quality programming that was provided at Jelleff for many years.
But let’s not forget that the arrangement that led to this construction was done by the Fenty administration and Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans behind closed doors with no public input, and that half of the programming opportunities (the field) were thus removed from the public realm before the City issued its RFP to provide services at Jelleff.
And let’s not forget that the DC Department of Parks & Recreation and Maret School began construction on the pool project without a permit.
And let’s not forget that approximately 20 mature trees on the Jelleff grounds were cut down with no apparent respect to DC law with regard to tree removal.
And let’s not forget that the Georgetown ANC declined to have any meaningful discussion with the community about the design of the pool, field, lighting and fencing, a prerequisite (as Jelleff is within the Georgetown Historic District) that is often taken to painful extremes over such monumental features as the window treatment on one residence. But not on DC government owned land with a private school getting a sweetheart deal.
And let’s not forget that there were other potential bidders (even within the private school community) that were interested in bidding on improvements at Jelleff.
And finally, let’s not forget that when you drive or walk by Jelleff during those most-prized hours directly after the school day ends, and you see children playing on the new field, those are children whose families can afford to pay $30,600 annual tuition to Maret School, which affords them that privilege. Previously at Jelleff, any child could participate in one of our programs for an annual membership fee of $20.00, and in cases of hardship, that was sometimes waived. Additionally, if a child were playing Stoddert Soccer during that time, one would have to add in their modest fee.
Is this a great city or what?
I agree 100% with the post from Denis. This was a ridiculous deal, obviously sweetened by the presence of little Evans’s at the Maret School.
Don’t be surprised after Fenty loses to see his kids there too.
Hooray for Jelleff field, an asset to Georgetown and worth the effort (though I’ll admit I’m not clued in to the details). I’ve spent many hours on the edges watching countless children’s’ games. It needed the makeover.
Denis- Aren’t you the Queen NIMBY from Kalorama (nowhere near this) who opposes every liquor license in the city and supports every VA, regardless of where it is?
To “SG”:
I am the President of Kalorama Citizens Association whose boundaries are totally within Adams Morgan in Ward One.
Your post is way off topic, but briefly, the 70 on-premise ABC licenses in A-M lead to much mayhem and disturbance for the local community. The KCA uses VAs to try to temper these problems.
But to the point, I have served on the Board of Directors of Jelleff Boys & Girls Club for 25 years, the last 4 as president. There really isn’t a local board there now as the City owns the property and is running it through DPR and a contractor to be selected through a City RFP. I became involved there in the late 70’s when my two daughters needed a safe place to play. So that’s my involvement in Georgetown.
What’s yours? Do you even have the courage to sign your name?
@Denis
That’s a lot to forget. Personally, I’m just happy to see the facility renovated, regardless of how or why it happened. Worry about Kalorama, and we’ll worry about Georgetown, yeah?
@SG
Sounds like Denis is making a bid at Queen NIYBY (Not In Your Back Yard), too.
Maret parents are paying $30,000 for a good quality college prep education, which is difficult to find in most DC public schools. Not to mention that 20% of the students recieve financial aid. So please do not be biased against private schools and the parents that decide send their children to one. Be happy that the new Jelleff and its pool has been transformed. Like said before, this is a major asset to Georgetown
So why did Jelleff sell the property to DC? Is it still operating as an entity in DC?