Seven Georgetowns: The DMZ

GM is still in rerun mode today, so please enjoy his second installment in his Seven Georgetowns series:

Two weeks ago, GM introduced a new series: Seven Georgetowns. The basic idea is that Georgetown is made up of seven individual sections that if they were to be judged as neighborhoods on their own, they’d still have a ton to offer their residents. And today, GM will discuss the section he affectionately refers to as the DMZ.

Yes, it’s DMZ like “de-militarized zone”. The idea is that it is a narrow strip of contested land between two large powers that is operating under an indefinite armistice. The powers in this case are Georgetown University and “the residents”. (Much like genuine DMZ’s, there’s a sensitivity over terminology. Full-time non-student residents like to call themselves “residents”, but students are residents too, so the term is a bit loaded.)

And while the section was under open conflict just a few years ago, the adoption of a series of two campus plans has brought a tentative peace.  And since the last campus plan is set to last 20 years, the status quo should be enduring.

So what does this corner of Georgetown have to offer? Well if this were a “free-standing” neighborhood imagine what it would have:

• A world class university, which offers a great deal to the public even for those not affiliated with the school. (For instance, GM’s daughter takes swim lessons there).
• A coffee shop, barber, yoga studio, hardware store, flower shop, basically everything people say they want in a small town. (ed to note that the flower shop is now a world class bagel joint, after much controversy, which is fitting given the history of the area.)
• A casual (and somewhat famous) pub and a high end restaurant
• Soon, a world class museum
• Depending on whether you count the shops on M St., you can also add a couple bike shops, a pie shop, a liquor store, another couple restaurants, and Georgetown Cupcake
• A highly regarded Catholic elementary school and a similarly well regarded Catholic high school (between this and GU’s Jesuit affiliation, you could also call this district Little Rome if you wanted)
• The Exorcist Steps!

The DMZ doesn’t have much in the way in parks or open space, unless you count GU’s or Visitation’s campuses. But it does have fantastic views from Prospect St.

All in all, a solid little part of town. May peace reign on…