The Georgetown Metropolitan

Montrose Park

Today at Now and a Long Time Ago, GM is switching it up to be Now and Thankfully Never. That’s because he overlaying on today an image that never came to be and hopefully never will: Three Sisters Bridge

This proposed (and partially built) bridge was to connect Spout Run in Arlington with a new freeway running along Canal Rd. that would merge into the Whitehurst. It was part of an ambitious and misguided effort to cut through DC with a whole network of highways. Thanks to heroic efforts of civic activists from across the city, the project was halted before it could come to complete fruition. (We still ended up with I-295 through southwest DC and the stub center leg freeway, both of with destroyed several neighborhoods). Continue reading →

Photo by Victoria Pickering.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• The architecture behind the new Aesop fragrance shop.
• When GU went co-ed.

1300 block of 31st St.

GM noted the other day that the house seen above (3024 Q St.) was one of his favorite homes in Georgetown. That got GM wondering, what are his ten favorite homes in Georgetown?

This wouldn’t necessarily be a list of the ten “best” homes in Georgetown. There are plenty of beautiful homes that GM would kill to have, but this is more a list of the homes that are not necessarily the biggest, most expensive homes in Georgetown, but rather homes that simply catch GM’s fancy.

Here they are in no particular order:

1237 30th St.

GM was originally drawn to this house because it always had little candlelights in every window and was shaded by a beautiful tree out front. Neither of those feature remain. Nonetheless, this house will always appeal to GM for its lovely proportions.

1552 33rd St.

This unusual house has a fascinating history. It was originally a Presbyterian Church. And it was converted to a house in the 1930s by Karl Ernst, brother of the famous painter Max Ernst.

It was Ernst who added the Tudor style features (the church had a simply clapboard siding). In 2011 when the family that owned the house planned a dramatic renovation they asked the Old Georgetown Board if they could restore the original clapboard appearance, but were turned down. The Tudor style had become historic.

GM is lucky because he lives across the street from this house and gets to admire it every day. Continue reading →

Photo by Sikeri.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Some parents, frustrated over Hyde-Addison swinging across town, are organizing a new elementary school in Georgetown.
• Tons of woman-owned business in Georgetown you can patronize to show support if you’re striking today.

3300 block of Volta Place

Georgetown’s ANC unveiled a new website this week. It’s a nice upgrade from the previous version, which was quite dated (although had much of the same information contained in the new website). As always, you can get copies of agendas for upcoming meetings, as well as the agendas and minutes of past meetings. You can also get information on how to contact your individual commissioner (and a nifty map to help you figure out which one it is).

On top of that, the ANC is supposedly entering the dismal world of social media. Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate! They’ll be on Facebook at Twitter. Follow them! Or Friend them! Or Snap Stalk them(?) Swipe..up is it?

Photo by Mark Andre.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Tater tot nachos exist (probably in defiance of several treaties) and you can get them at the Tombs.
• GM has always loved this house. Surely some reader can buy it for him?

1600 block of Wisconsin Ave.