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The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that a couple recently purchased the street of an exclusive enclave in a tax auction. Yes, you read that right. They bought the street. It’s a private road in the center of a gated home owner’s association with multi-million dollar homes right next to the Presidio. It’s not clear what the couple hopes to achieve with the purchase, but a similar situation in Georgetown could hint that they’ll end up disappointed.

As you may remember, two years ago Kebreab Zere, having acquired ownership of the lots that made up the alleyway between Potomac and 33rd, south of O St., moved to block residents’ access to the garages on the alleyway. He had acquired the lots through tax auctions over the course of several years. Having obtained all of them, he requested permission to put up a fence at the end of the alley. It was an obvious shakedown. Continue reading →

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Fascinating painting of 1970 Georgetown riot makes its way to the Peabody Room.
• New farmers market every Saturday at Grace and Wisconsin.

1300 block of 33rd St.

Above is a common sight at the intersection of Wisconsin and O. It’s a supply truck unloading various high fructose corn syrup/nicotine delivery vessels for the 7-11. It’s about 5:30 pm on a weekday and that lane is not a parking lane at that hour. This is not legal, but it happens all the time, causing back-ups for blocks.

Convenience stores need a lot of deliveries to keep the shelves stocked. That’s why it’s important to plan for that need. The 7-11’s plans clearly involve not giving a damn about the law or the impact on congestion. It would make more sense to park along O St., but that’s somewhat inconvenient because due to truck restrictions, the only way for a truck to get to that block is to drive via 35th st. Much better, it seems, to simply set up shop on Wisconsin whenever. Continue reading →

Photo by John Weiss.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Like all things these days, the canal now too has an app.
• Now the speculation is that Capital One will turn the Nathans building into a “Capital One Cafe” which, frankly, is even worse than if they just opened a damn bank instead.

3200 block of M St.

The Washington Business Journal reported yesterday that Capital One Bank has purchased the old Nathans building from Sagamore Development. And they paid a lot for it. A ridiculously lot for it. Namely $50 million.

WBJ is estimating that this puts the price at more than $5,700 per square foot, which could make it the most expensive square footage sold in DC ever. Sagamore bought the property from the Heon family in 2014 for a price reported to be around $14 million. Significant money must have been put into the project, but it still seems likely that Sagamore made a tidy profit on the deal.

This, of course, comes as a bit of a surprise. It was long expected that Under Armour would move in since Kevin Plank, the founder and CEO of Under Armour (and a Georgetown resident), owns Sagamore Development. But news reports emerged last spring that suggested that they were looking for a different tenant. Now this. Continue reading →

Photo by John Weiss.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Watermelon slushies at the Graham.
• Short profile on Cady’s Alley.

1000 block of 31st st.

There will be a brief ANC meeting next week. It will be at a different time than normal. It will be at 5 pm on Wednesday (still at Visitation).

Typically the ANC skips August, and it appears the primary reason that a meeting is being called is to weigh in on some liquor licenses before the protest period ends. Specifically they’re addressing a new wine shop on Grace St., Church (a, you got it, church-themed restaurant coming to the mall by Geoff Dawson), and the Georgetown Cafe, a restaurant proposed for N St. just east of Wisconsin.

They are also discussion the safety issue of Water St., which is of particular concern following the homicide there last month. Continue reading →