The Georgetown Metropolitan

3200 block of Grace St.

Last November, GM wondered what’s wrong with the upper Georgetown commercial corridor. One reader suggested that the lack of new residential units in the Safeway development was one contributing factor. GM agrees. But why wasn’t a residential component considered?

The Safeway itself has obviously done well. Most people who used the old Social Safeway probably continue to use the new one. There are more grocery options across the city than there were 10 years ago, but for western Ward 2/lower Ward 3, the Georgetown Safeway is still a solid option.

But as GM documented, the retail market around the Safeway has struggled. Noodles closed after only a couple years. The Roosters barbershop tucked away in the poor location off Wisconsin Ave. barely lasted a year. The northernmost street level space under the Safeway briefly had a Verizon store before it sat vacant for years (it now promises perfect eyebrows to come). Other spaces in the older buildings between the Safeway and R St. have also been vacant for years.

More residents in the immediate proximity would be a boon to businesses along this stretch of Wisconsin Ave., including those in the Safeway properties (that’s the grocery store building itself, plus all the buildings down to the Jos. A Banks.)  Continue reading →

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• After contracting with Boston Outdoor Recreation to manage the old Jack’s Boathouse, NPS is now going with the spotty vendor many feared they wanted to use in the first place: Guest Services.
• Is a donut/muffin hybrid called a duffin or a muffnut?

1600 block of Wisconsin Ave.

The upper part of Georgetown along Wisconsin Ave. has struggled over the recent years. Vacancies persist, and multiple stores have failed (e.g. Roosters, Noodles), but how can perfect fail?

That’s right, “Perfect” eyebrows are now being promised underneath the Safeway. The perfect eyebrows are not here yet, but they’re coming soon. At least according to the sign. Continue reading →

Photo by Bex Walton.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• One of the rare 18th century Georgetown homes is for sale.
• Proton Beam Accelerator is a pretty awesome phrase on its own, but timelapsed Proton Beam Accelerator is particularly awesome.

3400 block of M St.

Did you hear the news? The long troubled DC Streetcar is finally going to start taking passengers on February 27. That comes after an endless series of delays, driven by incompetence in the project management and not a little obstinance on the part of the DCFEMs to apparently stop the project from ever starting. But all that is water under the bridge, the service can finally start. And it should be pointed out that the city’s plan to extend the streetcar all the way to Georgetown is still in the plans.

Those skeptical of the entire project will continue to be skeptical of any extension. But many of those who question the utility of the project point to its short length. By extending the line through downtown and on to Georgetown, it will connect a whole slew of neighborhoods with a single line.

And the primary complaint about the existing line is that it does not have its own lane. This was probably a mistake in planning, but similar European system have long segments of streetcar lines in shared lanes (e.g. Amsterdam and Munich). Nonetheless, the expansion through downtown in DC will have transit-only lanes (i.e. lanes that only the streetcar or buses will be allowed to use). This will significantly improve the utility of the line. Continue reading →

Photo by Joe Flood.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Another nice profile of Dog Tag Bakery.
• Over $3 mil gets you a hot tub with a view and a sauna to boot.

1400 block of Wisconsin Ave.