The Georgetown Metropolitan

DC Urban Turf is reporting that a new tenant has been found for the historic Cellar Door building at 34th and M St.: Starbucks.

This will return Georgetown’s Starbucks total back up to four, which is where it stood until 2008. That year the Starbucks that once stood at 33rd and M St. was closed after a flood. After remaining closed for months the store was officially shut down as part of widespread store closures by the company.

That former space became the second location for Georgetown Cupcake. Ironically, GM has long believed that the cupcakery should have moved into the Cellar Door building instead. It’s a much less ugly building than the 1960s building they currently occupy. Plus it has much more interior space so more of the tourists would actually be able to get a seat. Continue reading →

Photo by Jeff Cirrillo.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• For $14 million you can be John Kerry’s neighbor (you also get a pretty sweet house).
• What was the “Georgetown art gallery that distributed pot“?

Dumbarton Oaks

Last Thursday, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) approved the concept for the redevelopment of the West Heating Plant. While this is not the final hurdle for the project (far from it), it is a major hurdle to clear and the likelihood of the project going forward has increased significantly.

The concept approved by the CFA was actually the one most recently rejected by the Old Georgetown Board (OGB). While it is often considered to have the final word, the OGB is merely a sub-organ of the CFA and can only make recommendations to the senior body. Most of the time those recommendations are rubber stamped (hence the perception), but sometimes they’re not. That’s what happened here. Continue reading →

Photo by Bill Starrels.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Cafe Milano installs frosted glass to hide its VIPs.
• Despite the cooler weather, there were still big crowds for last night’s concert in the park. Make sure to come out for the June 18th concert in Volta Park!

House of Sweden

This week for Now and a Long Time Ago, GM was pointed to the artwork of Joey Manlapaz. He paints a variety of subject, but one of his specialties is storefronts. And several pieces in his collection include old Georgetown storefronts. The one chosen above depicts 3065 and 3067 M St.

The era that is depicted would be between the late 80s and the mid 90s. The two establishments shown are Potomac Wine and Spirits and the Georgetown Seafood Grill.

The Georgetown Seafood Grill was opened in 1987 in the space that previously housed Chez Odette. It remained open for about ten years before the property was purchased by Eastbanc and redeveloped. Continue reading →

Photo by Trevor Huxham.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• New plans submitted for redevelopment of Key Bridge Exxon condo.
• Redevelopment planned for Prospect St. parking lot is having trouble finding tenants.

1300 block of 31st St.

Photo by Trevor Huxam.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• While the plans for the old Nathans building seem up in the air, Kevin Plank’s other real estate are enlivening Baltimore. Could we get a distillery here too?
• Georgetown’s locally made macaron’s hold up better than others against Laduree’s macarons (although the French baker comes out way on top, apparently).
• Multi-family yard sale on 27th St. this Saturday (10am to 2 pm) to help fight Lupus.