The Georgetown Metropolitan

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Jack Evans now has a declared candidate opposing him for next years council race.
• Another detailed look at the canal plans GM discussed yesterday.

Photo by M.V. Jantzen.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Dean and Deluca’s liquor license suspended for selling to minors.
• Great profile on student ANC commissioner who advocates for disabled people.

Last week, the National Park Service, in conjunction with the non-profit Georgetown Heritage, presented updated proposals for a restoration and revamp of the C&O Canal through Georgetown.

Original proposals were floated by in the fall of 2017. And the newer proposals do not stray far from the earlier ones, except to the extent they tend toward the more conservative of the original options.

Like the first proposals, the plan breaks up this stretch into thematic sections. Starting at the eastern end is Mile Marker Zero. This is were both Rock Creek and the canal flow into the Potomac.

Originally the plan floated the possibility of connecting the western bank of the mouth to the east, like this:

But the none of the new plans wold connect the banks like this. Rather they leave the west bank of the mouth as a destination, not a pass-through point. Although the design would call for the moving of boat storage behind Thompsons and the creation of a new bridge across Rock Creek back to the main Rock Creek path.

The next section to the west has been dubbed the Confluence, since it is where the end of the canal meets Rock Creek.

In the first set of proposals, they included several new bridges and an elevated boardwalk beneath K St.:

The more recent proposal appears to add just one bridge (the one labeled 6 above, and rejects the boardwalk (#3 above):

Next up are is the Locks Section:

There’s not a whole lot different here than before. There will be a visitors center, a mule yard and a few more structures:

The only significant change between the new A and the B proposals appears to be where the visitors center will be located: along the canal where is currently is, or up along 30th St.

The next section is dubbed the “Markets” after the historic Georgetown Market (now a Dean and Deluca) and Fish Market Square, the brick plaza just across the canal from the Georgetown Market.

Many of the changes here would be simply for accessibility. A new elevator would be installed at the southwest corner of the Georgetown Park building. And there would be more ramps.

But the more fun aspect of this proposal are the inclusion of some sort of a water feature built off the old water intakes. You can see these intakes today, they are where this is the odd cut away along the canal wall. At one point, the mills to the south took water from the canal at this point to help drive their mills. Bringing these back in a symbolic way would be a great addition. Continue reading →

3100 block of Dumbarton St.

Photo by Beyond DC.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Wacky new digital art gallery open.
• Free drinks at the new Compass Coffee on Saturday.

Potomac Boat Club

Not content to destroy the usefulness of just two prime locations in Georgetown, Chase Bank is going to bring a third goddamn location to Georgetown.

Specifically, they will be opening an ATM-only location at 3405 M St. They applied for a big neon sign for this location as well, although it is unlikely to be approved. Their intentions could not be more clear: to plaster the neighborhood with as much advertising as possible. There is absolutely no need for three different Chase locations in a neighborhood already drowning in superfluous bank branches. There is no way they will ever justify the opening of these three branches based upon ATM fees or whatever. It’s 100% about getting its name and logo in front of as many people as possible. Continue reading →

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Compass Coffee now open in the old Georgetown theater.
• Longshot effort to recall Jack Evans halted, at least temporarily.

3000 block of P St.

Photo from NYTimes.

The seemingly impossible appears to be imminent in New York City: Congestion pricing is coming to Manhattan. Inspired by working systems in cities like London and Singapore, Gotham will designate a large portion of lower Manhattan for the program. During rush hour, it will cost some (as of yet undetermined) fee to drive a car into the zone. The proceeds of the program will be directed to transit improvements.

Congestion pricing has worked well before, and hopefully it will work well in New York. This would set a good precedent for future programs in the U.S. Because ultimately it is the only genuinely effective tool to cut congestion. And someday we will have to import some form of it to DC. Continue reading →