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Monthly Archives: May 2011
Several Transportation Ideas Proposed Affecting Georgetown
Photo by CascadeFoto.
Recently several DC pols have issued some proposals that could significantly impact Georgetown’s transportation mix. Some of the ideas are good, others bad.
Let’s start with the good.
Up until Chris Ziemann left DDOT last year, Ward 2 had a dedicated DDOT planner. This position can coordinate transportation projects across the ward. Further it can lobby DDOT on the ward’s behalf and bring a unified vision across multiple projects and neighborhoods. Unfortunately since Chris left, the position has remained empty and Mayor Gray recommended it simply be cut completely. Councilmember Tommy Wells, however, proposed that this position–as well as the vacant ward planner positions for Wards 3 and 5–be filled again. This is a good proposal.
Additionally, Wells proposed creating a position titled Parking Czar. This individual would spend all his or her time addressing the parking issue. In particular, this person would bring life back to the stalled effort to bring performance parking to DC. This is something that GM has lobbied to bring to Georgetown for a while. In short: right now we price street parking too low and as a result visitors troll the neighborhood looking for free parking rather than simply driving to the pay garages. This increases traffic, encourages people to leave their car parked for as long as possible and makes it more difficult for residents to find a parking spot near their homes. By raising the price of parking enough that there is always at least 10-15% of the street spaces open, we can encourage more turnover. Plus, the additional parking fees will get plowed back into the neighborhood in the form of streetscape improvements, and the like.
Having a parking czar will make it much more likely that such a policy can come to Georgetown. Continue reading
Filed under Transportation
The Morning Metropolitan
Georgetown Library by M.V. Jantzen.
Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:
- Georgetowner Dominique Srauss-Kahn is in some serious trouble.
- Some confusion over the re-routing of the G2. It seems that it turns back at Wisconsin Ave. only when construction is actually going on, otherwise it goes all the way to the school.
Filed under The Morning Metropolitan
Office of Planning Testifies
Last night the Zoning Commission held its second hearing on GU’s proposed campus plan. You can watch it here (sorry GM can’t embed it for some reason, and you’ll have to install Microsoft Silverlight to watch it, but it’s worth it).
The main attraction of the night was the testimony of the Office of Planning. As discussed here, that office issued a report devastating to GU’s position. So it was very interesting to here what they had to say about their report.
The main speaker for OP was Jennifer Steingasser, who was apparently the main drafter of the report. Her testimony begins around the 1’12” mark of the video.
In her speech she emphasized several aspects of OP’s report. She explaining that she welcomed GU’s move from using an average to an absolute in calculating the student cap. But she argued that rather than use either of the methods suggested by GU or the ANC, such as the full-time equivalent calculation, they should simply count the number of students absolutely.
She explained that OP rejected the GU hospital element of the plan because it was clearly just a placeholder and none of the specifics had been fleshed out. She stated that any major development there should be handled by an amendment. Continue reading
Filed under Zoning
The Morning Metropolitan
Photo by Chris DiGiamo.
Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:
- Popular former Georgetown librarian moves out to Virginia.
- WaPo gives a thumbs up to the National Pinball Museum.
Filed under The Morning Metropolitan
Carol Joynt’s Book is Out
This week, friend of GM and fellow Georgetown blogger, Carol Joynt, published her first book. It’s a memoir of her life, particularly her life after her husband, Howard Joynt, died and left her in serious trouble with the IRS.
At the center of the book is the story of Nathans. And GM’s going to take this chance to look back on his coverage of the demise of that neighborhood institution. After getting some of your memories stoked, go out and pick up a copy of Carol’s book.
GM wasn’t around Georgetown for Nathan’s glory days, but a couple years ago he dug up an odd little snippet of those days:
Canadian Club hid a case of its liquor somewhere in the District. Where was it?
Start at a place that was named for America’s most important city. See where a bark takes you. From there, go to what you can’t miss. When you have arrived, face in the direction of a past scandal that was uncovered and made public. Turn in the opposite direction and make tracks for a nearby Metro station. Ride three stops.
Come up and then find the way to a famous ending. Continue in the most obvious direction, when you know the time is right. Before it’s too late, head for the nearest bridge that can take you over water. If it becomes impossible to continue in a straight line, go toward a body of water and find a spot with three banks. From the highest bank, go in the direction of a bridge. When you’ve reach it, walk back 100 paces and you’ll be right over the hidden treasure: a whole case of Canadian Club.
It’s all yours if you’re first to find the person in charge and say, “C.C. please” with feeling.
So where was that case of Canadian Club?
Nathans.
Filed under History
The Morning Metropolitan
Canal dandelion by Marichica88
Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:
- Georgetown’s Peacock Cafe learns the hard way about bad timing.
- WJLA looks in the the Exxon condo issue and spells Lanier’s name phonetically.
- Progressive dinners are a blast. They’re even better when they’re for a good cause, like your local elementary school.
Filed under The Morning Metropolitan
The Georgetown Metropolitan 
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