The Georgetown Metropolitan

With the listing for sale of the old Fillmore School, it occurred to GM that we are in the midst of a rather dramatic, and long lasting, trend that GM is calling the decommissioning of Georgetown. What he means by that is the conversion of major properties that are used for institutional or commercial purposes into residential uses.

Of course, it’s not certain that the Fillmore School will be converted to condos, but given the fact that just five years ago Eastbanc was under contract to do just that, it seems likely that that will be the ultimate use for the building.

But even setting aside the Fillmore School, consider these projects that have been completed or announced in the last several years:

Hurt Home:

This major property across from Montrose Park was once a home for the blind. The city purchased the property from the institute in 1987 and used the building for housing of emotionally disturbed foster children. It was used for this purpose until about 2005. In 2010 the city sold it to a developer who restored the main part of the building and sold it as 15 condos. The building is now called The Montrose.

Alexander Memorial Baptist Church:

This historic church, built by Georgetown’s mostly departed African American population, was sold last year. The purchaser received approval to convert the church into a multi-unit condo. Construction has not begun yet.

West Heating Plant:

This monumental building on 29th St. was used by the federal government as (you guessed it) a heating plant for decades after it was built in 1933. Following years of disuse, the federal government sold the building to the Levy Group in 2013. The developer proposed demolishing most of the building and constructing 80 extremely expensive condos in a new building essentially the same size and shape. The approval process for the razing is still under review with various engineers weighing in on whether the existing building can be saved.

Cameroon Embassy:

The Cameroon Embassy, which once occupied the office building on the northwest corner of R St. and Wisconsin Ave. was kicked out in 2011. The new owner of the building, Harvard University, then converted the building into housing for fellows of Dumarton Oaks, which it also owns. Continue reading →

Photo by David Fulmer.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Oscar winner once lived in Georgetown (besides Elizabeth Taylor).
• Carol Joynt lands the mayor for her next Q&A Cafe.

1800 block of Wisconsin Ave.

As GM has detailed here several times before, Hyde-Addison elementary school is planning a significant expansion. It will add a gym (which the school lacks), a more significant library, a cafeteria that can fit more students, and several more class rooms. The expansion is crucial to the school’s future, which has grown in leaps and bounds over the last couple years. It will be a beautiful addition once it’s complete.

But due to budget confusion, just when it gets done is up in the air. It is absolutely critical that construction start right after the school year ends this June. Unfortunately, the expansion is only clearly funded starting next fiscal year (i.e. October). A delay of five months, might not seem like much but it puts many things into limbo. For instance, it’s not clear that with a delayed construction that the school will be able to fully function next year.

And if you’re like GM and have a three year old, it’s particularly troubling if the project isn’t approved to start in June. That’s because with the addition of the Pre-K3 program next fall, many spaces in the following year’s Pre-K4 program will be taken up by this year’s lottery. If, however, the construction timeline is clear, then the school can give parents like GM comfort that it can use the completed expansion for an additional Pre-K4 classroom in the fall of 2016.

Moreover, there’s always a chance that if the project slips further back that it may get delayed indefinitely. If you like the success that Hyde has achieved recently, you will appreciate the need for a modern campus to reflect the quality teaching the school is providing. Continue reading →

Photo by Mel Peffs.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Having filled up on bargain retail, the mall now wants more restaurants. (GM’s Glover Park readers won’t agree, but GM hopes the ejected Glover Park Hardware considers setting up shop in one of the remaining open spaces).
• More details on that cannonball.

3000 block of R St.

There are some place, mostly in the deep South, where the Civil War never ended. Well you can add Georgetown to that list! (Not really)

A homeowner on Cambridge St. hired a chimney sweep to clean their flu. What did they ash-covered cheerful chimbley sweep find? A freakin’ Civil War cannon. From an public safety alert:

The fire department has confirmed that a potentially explosive Civil War Cannon Ball discovered in a fireplace on Cambridge Place.

The Military has been called to remove the ordinance.

30^th St between R & O is closed. Please avoid this area.

You can’t make this up…

NBC reported that the homeowner actually found the cannonball months ago and only yesterday alerted the authorities to the possibility that it could still be explosive.

A couple questions come to mind, like, how the hell did a cannonball end up in a chimney in Georgetown? And how the hell has it not been found for over 150 years? Why hasn’t this house burned down due to an egregious failure to adequately clean the chimney? Continue reading →

Photo by Mel Peffs.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• GM is hearing that the old Nathan’s building (which was bought by Under Armour owner and Georgetown resident Kevin Planck) is under review for a interior gut job with an eye towards retail conversion. So, yeah, probably going to be an Under Armour. Really depressing.
• Another profile of Dog Tag Bakery.

3200 block of O St.

Photo by Luca Pascotto.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Rave review for Meridian Health spa.
• GU prof obsessed with DC flag.