The Morning Metropolitan

Photo by Shishi Adventures.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

  • Georgetowner gets the scoop that local architect Robert Bell has bought the old Georgetown Theater. GM will follow up on this next week.
  • The Georgetowner also got the scoop that a pair of well regarded Virginia chefs are opening a new restaurant on Potomac next to Dean and Deluca.

2 Comments

Filed under The Georgetown Metropolis

The Georgetown Metropolis

Dumbarton Oaks

 

Dumbarton Oaks

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

West Heating Plant Renderings Released

Image courtesy of WCP.

Renderings of the proposed West Heating Plant condo project were released yesterday (these come via Aaron Weiner at the City Paper). The images come the day after the group behind the project held a public meeting to unveil their plans for the building. GM unfortunately couldn’t make it to the meeting, but between the City Paper, Carol Joynt, and the Current (see your front steps for the link), it seems to have been sufficiently covered.

So by all means read those articles. But one theme they missed is how much this public relations effort has a bit of gamesmanship to it. Here’s why:

The Four Seasons group wants to tear the building down. Period. It wants to do so because that is the only way they can make back a good return on the $19.5 million they paid for the property. Trying to repurpose the building without tearing it down would require either massive amounts of money, or a decision to use the space for something other than condos. Once that $19.5 million is out the door, those options largely disappear.

And that’s the rub. Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Development

The Morning Metropolitan

Photo by Maryland GovPics.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

Leave a comment

Filed under The Morning Metropolitan

The Georgetown Metropolis

Dumbarton Oaks

 

Dumbarton Oaks

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Georgetown as a Business Incubator

Georgetown Cupcakery's Line

 

Sometimes when you get too focused on the influx of large national chains into Georgetown, it’s easy to overlook how much Georgetown has served as a successful business incubator over the years.

The most obvious recent example is, of course, Georgetown Cupcake. Started in a small shop on Potomac St. in 2008, the company is now an indestructible national force. But it’s not the only business to make a splash after getting its first foothold in Georgetown.

Sweet Green was founded by some young Georgetown grads just a few months before and located in an old Little Tavern just two blocks west. Unlike the publicity-seeking Georgetown Cupcake, Sweet Green has quietly grown to 20 locations from here to Boston.

Dolcezza is another Georgetown-born success story. They still make quarts and quarts of the region’s best gelato in the basement of their Wisconsin Ave. location. (The production will soon shift to the ultra-hip Union Market, at which point, sadly, they possibly might close the Georgetown location.) Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under Restaurants, Retail

The Morning Metropolitan

Photo by Rob.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

The Georgetown Metropolis

Dumbarton Oaks

 

Dumbarton Oaks

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

The Multi-Outfitted Skeleton of Volta Place Returns Again

Every year at this time, GM’s neighbors, Marnie and Dennis Kenney, post a skeleton on their stoop (above is a photo from a few years ago). And every day he or she (the skeleton is of indeterminate sex) gets a new, often increasingly creepy, outfit. Last night it was wearing a bridal veil, which is about the creepiest look a skeleton can have.

Here’s some more photo’s of Mr. or Mrs. Skeleton from years past. GM hopes the borderline disturbing ballerina makes a reappearance this year!

Here he is exploring his French impressionist side:

Here she is baking up a fine souffle:

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Around Town

The Morning Metropolitan

Photo by Al Fernandez.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

Leave a comment

Filed under The Morning Metropolitan