January 7, 2009 · 11:30 am

About Those Later Hours

As we all know, the DC Council voted in emergency legislation last month to allow bars to stay open till 5:00 AM. Following some Congressional heat, they moved the hours back to 4:00 AM. Well then someone asked, “What about all those voluntary agreements?”  Newly minted DC Attorney General Peter Nickles responded with an opinion that said that the terms of the voluntary agreements superseded the Council’s action.

So what’s that mean? Well if you own a bar that’s not subject to a voluntary agreement, drink up! If you are subject to a voluntary agreement, you need to get all parties to the agreement to agree to an amendment (by today, by the way). This issue lead to some fireworks at last night’s ANC meeting. Read more after the jump

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January 6, 2009 · 11:29 pm

ANC Round Up

GM gets bored so you don’t have to!

Some fireworks tonight at the ANC. Some of which will result in full posts; but for now here are the high points:

  • Key Bridge will be closed for the inauguration (not to pedestrians though); the DC Chamber of Commerce will hold a meeting this Thursday at the Four Points Hotel at 8:00 pm to discuss all the inauguration issues like these
  • Crime is up 3% in PSA 206, but apparently that’s better than citywide
  • Georgetown gets to renovate 60-120 street lights, should we do them all in one area or the worst first? Tell the ANC what you think
  • The ANC supported Social Safeway’s proposal to keep two driveways for the new building despite DDOT’s inclination to insist on only one
  • ANC voted not to amend the voluntary agreements with the few bars that showed up hoping to get the go-ahead to stay open later for the inauguration (definitely more on this to come)
  • Apple decided not to show up despite the fact that they were on the agenda to present a new concept (GM’s hoping to get a copy of the most recently rejected design soon)
  • ANC rejected Ice Berry’s request for new awnings; but that didn’t matter cause there’s a historical protection easement that banned it anyway. There’s some good news for Ice Berry though, apparently half the Commissioners wanted to leave right there and buy a few scoops
  • The neighbors around Philly Pizza & Grill on Potomac St. are piiiii-isssssed, as would you if your piano teacher neighbor’s house got turned into a late night drunk student hang-out where the pizza delivers block your driveway and the restaurant fumes flood your house. Oh and if they pretty much ignored every zoning rule in the book on the way there.

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January 6, 2009 · 2:00 am

Evermay Update

Everymay

No, GM doesn’t haven’t any info about a certain possible new owner, but another piece of information may have slipped by unnoticed. Owner Harry Belin apparently withdrew his appeal to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA). It’s not clear whether this move is a predicate to a sale, but it seems clear now that regardless of who owns it, Evermay isn’t going to be hosting any weddings for a long time.

More after the jump:

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January 5, 2009 · 7:39 am

ANC Meeting

ANC2E

There will be a meeting of the ANC 2E tomorrow night at 6:30 at the normal location at Georgetown Visitation. According to the Georgetown Current the items on the agenda will include (among other things):

  • Election of ANC officers and committees
  • Discussion of construction time table and transportation issues for the new Social Safeway
  • Discussion of Old Georgetown Board matters including the Apple Store and Iceberry

GM will attend and report back. Hopefully we’ll get our hands on some mock-ups of the rejected Apple design.

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January 4, 2009 · 6:55 pm

MPD No Longer Providing Daily Crime Summaries

MPD Logo

Members of the MPD2d listserv may have noticed that they haven’t received a daily summary of crimes for the last two weeks. For those not receiving this listserv, the daily update of crimes provides a listing and description of each crime that occurred in the Second District separated into each PSA (Georgetown’s is 206). For instance, on December 14th, PSA 206 reported the following crimes:

Assault occurred in the 1300 b/o Wisconsin Ave. NW on 12/13/2008
3am. 2 citizens reported they were approached from the rear by 4
suspects, knocked to the ground and beaten and kicked. One suspect
described as a white male, no further description.

Theft occurred in the 3100 b/o M St. NW on 12/13/2008 2- 250pm.
Citizen reports a wallet, laptop, cash and papers were stolen when
left unattended in a store.

Theft occurred in the 1800 b/o Wisconsin Ave. NW on 12/13/2008 5pm.
Citizen reports the suspect, a black male, 42yoa, 5’11, 240 lbs.
stole property from the display shelf. CASE ClOSED with the arrest
of the suspect.

Theft occurred in the 3100 b/o M St. NW on 12/12/2008 315- 715pm.
Citizen reports the suspect, a black male, 6′, dark complexion stole
watches from the store and fled.

Theft occurred in the 3100 b/o M St. NW on 12/13/2008 235- 305pm.
Citizen reports the suspect, a black female, 5’9, 125lbs., stole
clothing from the store by removing security sensors.

These are valuable pieces of information that keep citizens informed. They are also apparently no more. Find out more after the jump:

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January 4, 2009 · 1:17 am

What’s In Store for Social Safeway?

Social Safeway Mark II

Sometime this year, the Social Safeway at 1855 Wisconsin Ave. will shut its doors and be torn down. The mid-century suburban style grocery store will eventually be replaced by a brand new “lifestyle center” grocery store.

What does that mean? See after the jump:

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January 3, 2009 · 1:17 am

Is it Dumbarton St. or Avenue?

Which is it? Ave or St?

Running between N and O St. is a road that is mostly called Dumbarton St. However, in more than a few places it is called Dumbarton Ave. For instance, Dumbarton United Methodist Church uses the address “3133 Dumbarton Avenue”. Also, several homes are labeled with “Dumbarton Ave.” Hell, as shown above, Google Maps can’t make up its mind and just calls it both.

So what’s the deal? Why the split personality? For the answers, follow GM back through the 18th and 19th centuries after the jump:

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January 2, 2009 · 7:00 am

Smithsonian Head to Speak to CAG

On January 13th, Smithsonian National Museum of American History director (and neighbor of GM) Brent Glass will give a speech for the Citizens Association of Georgetown at the Coldwell Banker auditorium in Washington Harbor.

Mr. Glass has overseen the Museum of American History during a time of great change. It only recently reopened after a multi-year renovation project that modernized the dated interior and features a new centerpiece for the Star Spangled Banner.

But perhaps what this Georgetown resident has received the most attention for recently was for graciously humoring Stephen Colbert in his quest to get his portrait in the Smithsonian:

Vodpod videos no longer available.

RSVP to CAG at 202-337-7313 to reserve space at the meeting.

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January 1, 2009 · 12:48 pm

Happy New Year

 

Montrose Park

Spring is only a few short months away. To help you get through the gray days of winter check out these warm Georgetown photos after the jump:

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December 31, 2008 · 6:27 pm

Greater Georgetown

It is an old real estate trick to use a “desirable” neighborhood name beyond the boundaries of that neighborhood. For instance, every block west of 14th and south of U used to be called “Dupont” until Logan Circle developed its own cache. Now “Dupont” has shrunk as “Logan” advances. Perhaps no neighborhood is subject to more deceptivecreative expansion than Georgetown. Whether through laziness, misunderstanding, or outright subterfuge, the neighborhoods of Burleith, Glover Park, Foxhall Village, Foggy Bottom, and the West End frequently get the name “Georgetown” erroneously attached to them.

Generally this is a completely harmless event and Georgetowners shouldn’t get snobby about it. Nonetheless, the more egregious examples of this creativity need to be called out. And so GM introduces the feature “Greater Georgetown” wherein particularly lazy or deceptive uses of the name “Georgetown” are discussed.

After the jump, the inaugural class:

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