The Georgetown Metropolitan

Photo by Michael Cisneros.

Whew, GM really needed that break. But now he’s back and getting used to life no longer on vacation.

In the meantime, here are just a few of the Georgetown-related news items that passed by in GM’s absence:

• Workers find bones (probably old ones) at Hyde-Addison during renovations.
• Who was Francis Scott Key anyway?
• A Quiznos may replace the Darrell Dean. BOOOOOOOO!!!!
• Buy a piece of Citronelle.
• New chef at 1789.
• Nice list of non-touristy restaurants in Georgetown.

GM’s too bummed about the US Men’s loss yesterday to write anything. And besides, he’s got to get packing for his road trip. He’ll be out the rest of this week and all next week. He’ll be back the following week (somewhat but not really) tanned, rested and ready.

Happy Fourth of July!

1700 block of Wisconsin Ave.

Last night the ANC met for its July meeting (the last till September) and while GM had to duck out again before it was finished, he caught several noteworthy items.

Gasman Goeth?

Last week when the news hit that Eastbanc had a contract to purchase the gas station at M and Pennsylvania, GM speculated that it was just a matter of time before they looked into acquiring one or both of the remaining gas stations at Q and Wisconsin. Well it may be even sooner than he thought.

At the ANC meeting, Commissioner Ed Solomon announced that the Exxon station at Q and Wisconsin was for sale. He brought it up to solicit public feedback and to determine how much of a grassroots feeling would there be to try to preserve the station.

GM lives practically around the corner from both these stations. In all honesty, he’d like to see at least one of them close. It’s a visual blight that really breaks up the pedestrian flow from lower to upper Georgetown.

But as long as there are still gasoline-powered cars, there will need to be some gas stations. And GM will admit that it is awfully convenient to drop off a car for service and walk home. But query whether we really need two immediately next to one another for that purpose? (And price competition doesn’t seemed to be served either, since the Exxon routinely has much more expensive prices than the Shell).

Ultimately, it’s not really a matter of what GM or anyone else wants. If the property is worth a lot more to a residential or commercial developer then it’ll be bought and developed. Needless to say, GM will keep a close eye on this.

Continue reading →

Photo by Tera Brown.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• President Obama is speaking at the Waterfront Park today.
• Yay, GM’s favorite realtor, Nancy Taylor-Bubes, is named one of the top in the nation.

3500 block of M St.

This week in Old Georgetown in Color, GM returns to one of his favorite photo series: Carl Mydan’s photos of Georgetown children in the 30s.

The above photo is particularly amusing in that the caption reads:

Poor white hallway, Georgetown, D.C. Seldom do these people have even the desire to clear up rubbish, and the broom shown here seems to be out of place

This particular house is 3607 O St. It’s now owned by Georgetown University.

GM always wondered what became of these ragamuffins.

Photo by Byron P.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Jack the Bulldog turns one.
• Way before Jack, there were these awesome GU track suits.

Potomac River

GM was searching for an old black and white photo of Georgetown last night in order to colorize it for his “Old Georgetown in Color” series. He came across the photo above, one of the Georgetown waterfront (as viewed from Virginia [or possibly from what was then called Mason’s Island, now Roosevelt Island]). GM didn’t even begin to try to colorize this shot. It’s just too massively complicated. But he wanted to share it because it is such an amazing shot. Continue reading →