The Georgetown Metropolitan

1600 block of 31st St.

This week for Georgetown Time Machine, GM is visiting again the DC Historical Society’s archive. This is a photo of the streetcar car barn on M St. just west of Key Bridge.

The photo is from 1949 and it appears to be a J.G. Brill-style streetcar emerging from the car barn. This was the style of streetcars DC used primarily until the introduction of the PCC style streetcars in the 1930s. Here’s how they compare: Continue reading →

Photo by Victoria Pickering.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Jack Evans’ tough week got even tougher with his iconic Chrysler Seebring getting pretty banged up.
• Police raid several shops selling marijuana.

3300 block of P St.

Come on out this Sunday to Volta Park for the annual Breakfast with Santa! Proceeds go towards improving Volta Park. As always there will be coffee, donuts, and crafts. Photos (printed on site) will be available for purchase! See you then!

Photo by Ian Stedman.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Fascinatingly bizarre art exhibit on Cady’s Alley.
• The recall effort to oust Jack Evans was thrown out for lack of obtaining enough valid signatures. The effort will be largely moot if the Council move forward with expulsion. However Jack Evans seems to think the failure to obtain enough signatures is a sign he should stay in the seat. (It’s not).

3200 block of Q St.

The Board of Zoning Adjustment met and considered again the variance application for Call Your Mother. This was a follow up hearing from an initial hearing in October. After some legalistic discussion, the BZA strongly encouraged the applicant to explore a slightly different approach and is scheduled to consider that alternative next Wednesday.

The application as it stood yesterday was for a use variance. As GM explained in the link above, they need to do this because the building is zoned residential (notwithstanding the fact it literally has never been used exclusively for residential purposes).  Variances are tough to obtain since the burden is on the applicant to show, essentially, how they are uniquely burdened by the application of the relevant zone. This is compared with special exceptions, which can be granted simply so long as it wouldn’t unduly burden the neighbors. Continue reading →

Photo by Marc Andre.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Washington Harbour explores new flood walls.
• The Board of Zoning Adjustment deferred its decision on Call Your Mother to next week (more of this later).

2900 block of R St.