The Georgetown Metropolitan

The long promised, and long delayed, extension of the Georgetown-Union Station Circulator bus route to the Cathedral is not likely to happen any time soon, if ever.

At the ANC meeting this week, the head of DDOT, Leif Dormsjo, spoke and accepted questions from the audience. GM asked him about the planned extension and whether he could give an estimate on when it would occur. His answer was not encouraging.

A bit of background: DDOT has never wanted this extension. It doesn’t like the fact that the Circulator goes up to Whitehaven in the first place. It has several times in the past tried to cut off the Wisconsin Ave. segment but backed off each time. (The original route did not include the leg up Wisconsin Ave. north of M. When it first was rolled out, the bus came up Wisconsin and took a right on M St. back downtown. When the BID got rid of its Foggy Bottom “Blue Bus”, the Circulator was extended up Wisconsin.)

The justification for cutting the route is that the ridership is too low on that leg. And as a consequence the per-rider subsidy (i.e. the amount the city has to pay per rider to keep the fleet going) is really high. Continue reading →

Photo by Ontheway Advice.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• GU campus police have recovered the clock arms from Healy Hall and have identified the culprits. Hope it was worth it!
• Why to keep coming back to Pizzeria Paradiso.

3200 block of Volta Place

This Saturday, May 6th, Grace Episcopal, on Wisconsin Ave., will be celebrating its 150th year with a party open to the public. It will be from 2 – 5 pm.

There will be music, food from Dog Tag Bakery, games for kids, and an appearance by the Mayor.

Grace Episcopal grew out of two of the other Episcopal churches in Georgetown, Christ Church and St. John’s. Specifically, according to the church’s history:

Two major Episcopal parishes, St. John’s Georgetown and Christ Church Georgetown predated Grace Parish. The custom of the day financed the church by the payment of “pew rents” which residents below the canal could not afford to pay. Yet both parishes felt an obligation to serve that community, and each contributed to a mission church, initially held in private homes, ultimately in a small wooden chapel which stood in the southwest corner of the present churchyard.

By the early 1850’s three vestrymen of Christ Church founded the chapel, with services held by lay members and volunteer students from Virginia Theological Seminary. Only after the end of the Civil War, through the generosity of Christ Church member H.D. Cooke was the present Grace Church built.

Continue reading →

Photo by Ehpien.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Those rascally Hoyas have stolen the clock hands of Healy Hall again.
• Ok, NOW Laduree is open.

1800 block of Wisconsin Ave.

As reported by NBC DC, Friday night, a man arrived at an area hospital suffering from a gunshot wound. The location of his injury was traced back to the 1400 block Wisconsin Ave. in Georgetown, which lead to a street closure during the investigation.

On Sunday, some more information came to light about this genius. According to MPD:

Regarding the shooting, the victim was somewhat uncooperative at the hospital while being interviewed.  The arrested subject, who confessed to discharging the gun, reported to MPD that it was accidental when he opened his gun case and the gun went off.  The suspect said he fled the scene on foot and left the gun in the car because he feared for his safety.  He said when he returned to the scene the car in which contained  the gun was gone.  There are discrepancies with his version of events also.  The detectives are still trying to sort through the matter.

But with the suspect’ s admission, he was charged with two offenses related to the shooting.  We are investigating further to locate the firearm. If any Georgetown residents witnessed or has information to this event, please call MPD on (202) 727-9099.

Continue reading →

Photo by Ehpien.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• The BID widened the sidewalk for seven blocks this weekend for the French Market.
• This Ritz Carlton condo is asking just under $10 million. (GM thinks you could could probably get something a lot nicer for that sort of cash).

1300 block of 33rd St.

The French Market returns this weekend to Book Hill. The festivities start Friday and they run all the way till Sunday. Friday and Saturday, it is from 10 am to 5 pm, and on Sunday it’s noon to 5:00.

This is always a great opportunity for huge crowds to descend on Book Hill, with stores from Q to Reservoir out showing their wares on the sidewalk. Like the past several years, this will also be a great example of temporary sidewalk widening, as the parking lane is shut down.
Continue reading →