Category Archives: Uncategorized

GM’s going to knock-off for the long weekend. Enjoy it!

1600 block of 32nd St.

This week for Now and a Long Time Ago, GM is back again with a photo from the Wymer’s map. This one is of M St. facing west from Thomas Jefferson St.

For the most part the buildings haven’t really changed much. There is one big exception though. The second black and white building from the right (the one just to the west of the Old Stone House) is no more. It was (apparently) torn down to access the large surface parking lot that now sits at the end of the alley. Continue reading →

Photo by Bill Starrels.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• A little more on how the DC budget is keeping the gondola dream alive.
• The maze of tunnels under Georgetown University.

1600 block of 32nd St.

GM has heard that the horrendous proposal for the Marvelous Market property has been pulled from review. It was going to get its first vetting by the ANC this week, and the Old Georgetown Board next week.

Perhaps sensing that it was walking into a meat grinder, the developer pulled the project and has not notified the CFA staff when it will resubmit altered plans. From what GM understands, it is a case where a prospective buyer is seeking approval of the plans prior to closing the deal. So ultimately this might just be a question of money, i.e. the smaller the approved plans, the lower the purchase price. Continue reading →

Photo by Mitch Wander.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• The Sovereign now offering happy hour specials.
• GM always laughs when he hears pearl-clutching reports of dirt-bike riders “clogging up Georgetown” streets, as if all the cars aren’t also doing that.

Montrose Park

This Thursday, the ANC will be holding its July session. This is an unusual time for the meeting, since, it’s normally on a Monday night, but given the sort-of-a-holiday-weekend, the meeting will be held a little early.

One item that will be on the agenda is a topic that GM is particularly interested in. It’s the proposal to bring some sanity and organization to K and Water Streets below the Whitehurst. The plan, commissioned by the BID and made in consultation with residents and business, would reconfigure the street. The main difference would be the construction of a new separated bike lane. This would have the goal of bringing some predictability to the bike traffic through this corridor, which is an important corridor since it links the Capital Crescent Trail with the Rock Creek trails, as well as downtown DC.

The ANC has already given some support to the plan, and it will likely continue to support it, although some ANC commissioners (notably ones that don’t represent the affected area) have expressed some concern over the impact the change will have on parking. The reality is, however, that there is too much free parking on this corridor, which has led to more traffic than it can handle. Reducing this magnet for out-of-state drivers looking to avoid meter or garage fees is a worthy goal in and of itself. That it will be part of a larger re-imagining of the street is just gravy. Continue reading →

Photo by Mr. Gray.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Would you pay $17 million for a home that’s not even built yet?
• Wawa makes it official that it’s coming to Georgetown (and nobody give credit to GM for breaking the news first…)