The Georgetown Metropolitan

This week for Georgetown Time Machine, GM is returning to the fabulous aerial photos from the National Archives. Today’s is a lot like some of the others from recent weeks, but the angle allows for a few more interesting discoveries.

This one is slightly earlier than the other ones, having been taken in 1927. One immediately obvious difference is that the aqueduct bridge was still somewhat passable, even though the Key Bridge was already built:

Of course, this photo also gives a great snapshot of what the waterfront looked like at the time: Continue reading →

Photo by David.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Dent Place Market is celebrating its one year anniversary with a socially-distanced happy hour this Thursday night.
• More on Georgetown’s streateries.

3200 block of O St.

GM noticed an unusual sight at the Potomac last week: It looked like one of the electric scooters had learned to swim.

Actually that’s not what it is. It appears to be an electric powered personal hydrofoil, which is even more ridiculous. It can be yours for a mere $12,000. Continue reading →

Photo by Matt Kiefer.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• GU to welcome back as many as 2,000 students this fall.
• John Rosselli antiques closed sadly. It was one of the more attractive storefronts in town.

Georgetown Waterfront Park

DC’s response to the need to provide safer walking and biking space in light of the COVID crisis has been absolutely anemic. When other cities from Paris to Oakland have taken dramatic action to restrict automobile traffic on streets to let humans not in cars more safely use them, DC has done little. It made the weekend Beech Dr. closures permanent (for now), lowered the speed limit (with no policies that will actually increase observation of it), and rolled out a weak “slow streets” initiative.

Other than the speed limit change on most roads (it’s now 20 mph not 25 mph) none of these have even touched Georgetown. But there’s a chance the last one will. It’s better than nothing, but it’s still not great. Continue reading →

Photo by Matt Kieffer.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Harper Macaw is another shop that appears to have closed (to add to GM’s list from last week)
• Apparent water main break at GU requires the arrival of a massive mobile a/c unit.

3200 block of N St.

As GM mentioned in the morning links yesterday, America Eats Tavern is closing permanently. This adds yet another prominent name to a sadly increasing list of big shops and restaurants that simply aren’t coming back. But if you’ve lost track of which shops that is, Jamie Scott from the BID gave a useful presentation to the ANC Monday night summarizing them.

So far the shops and restaurants that are totally done include (at least):

• America Eats Tavern
• Brooks Brothers (part of a national downsizing)
• Camper (lease expired)
• Cherub Antiques
• Don Lobo’s
• Johnny Rockets (lease expired)
• Le Pain Quotidian (corporate bankruptcy, with this location on the list of those not to be reopened)
• Lucky Brand
• Margaux (lease expired)
• Paul Bakery (national downsizing)
• Pete’s Coffee (national downsizing)
• Roots (bankruptcy)
• Starbucks (national downsizing)
• Uprising Yoga Center
• Washington Sports Club (regional downsizing)

Continue reading →