Category Archives: Uncategorized

Gawker published a provocative article yesterday (which is to say it was a Wednesday) arguing in favor of banning chain stores in New York. The article was inspired by a less aggressive, yet still risky proposal by Jersey City, NJ to put a square footage cap on chain stores opening in its commercial buildings. Would something like this be a good idea for Georgetown? Probably not, but it’s worth considering.

The Jersey City proposal is to limit chain stores to 30% of commercial square footage. The idea has spurred both support and opposition, and it’s unclear what its chances are for adoption. Proponents see it as a way to avoid homogenization of the commercial district and to protect independent “mom and pop” stores. Opponents think it’s an infringement on property rights and that it’s too risky for the city to turn away possible tenants.

No plan exactly like this has been proposed for Georgetown, or DC generally. But it’s not so different from rules that have been proposed and adopted here.

As GM wrote about a long (long) time ago, Cleveland Park has an unusual zoning overlay. It limits the amount of restaurants and bars to only 25% of the street frontage of the commercial buildings. It’s obviously addressing a different “threat”, namely restaurants not chain stores, but it’s methods are similar: capping an unwanted category of commercial use by fiat. Cleveland Park residents claim this keeps the commercial district diverse (i.e. restaurants and retail) but some argue that it leads to excessive vacancies. Continue reading →

Photo by Paul Goddin.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Sidewalks will be wider, parking cheap, and the Circulator free this weekend!
• Bistrot Lepic is one year away from being legal to drink.

3200 block of O St.

While GM was away, the DC Public Schools released the results from the annual school lottery. As you may recall, next year will be the first year that Hyde offers a three year old program (“PK3”). And to attend, even neighborhood kids need to win a spot in the lottery (this is true for the four year old program too, but not Kindergarten and above).

And with a three year old, for the first time GM has a personal stake in this year’s lottery. He was not lucky though, getting a mid teens waitlist number. But it wasn’t clear until yesterday how many other local families entered the lottery.

With the release of the complete results by DCPS yesterday, GM has his answer: a lot (at least for Georgetown).

According to the data, 37 Georgetown families entered the lottery for PK3.

When it was first announced, GM frankly had no idea how many Georgetown families would be interested in a three year old program. Even parents that plan on sending their children to Hyde for Elementary school typically send their children to a nursery school that goes up to 5 years old. Continue reading →

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Why Metro might come to Georgetown someday.
• Georgetown Cat Cafe raises a bunch of money.

Evermay

The Washington Business Journal reported yesterday that the new tenant of the recently vacated Rhino Bar space would be a familiar name to Georgetown: Club Monaco.

Club Monaco, for those not familiar, is a sub-brand of Ralph Lauren. It is, however, more Euro-oriented than Ralph Lauren (which simply acquired it, and did not originate it). And the fact it sells blandly European clothes may explain why you sort of remember it from its first go around in Georgetown, but not really. Continue reading →

Photo by roma g.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Despite mixed signals, Mayor Bowser commits to completing the Georgetown to H St. streetcar.
• Wanna volunteer at the new Georgetown visitors center?
• Second floor of the Georgetown library is now open again.

One of the things about having a child in nursery school is that you start having spring breaks again. And thus GM is off to the Low Country for the week. Catch you after Easter.

3200 block of Prospect