Outlook 2024: Looking Up
By • January 10, 2024 0 561
Community Groups Comment
Compiled by The Georgetowner editors
The Georgetowner asked top community groups to assess the year ahead. We’ll be asking these and other groups to report in throughout 2024. Here are comments received by our deadline. Thanks to all — and more groups will have their reports on this page soon. Happy New Year!
ANC 2E: Georgetown Is ‘The Destination’
ANC 2E Commissioner Gwen Lohse.
Georgetown’s sense of community, architectural charm, unique commercial offerings, walkability and abundant green spaces make us THE DESTINATION. From an advisory neighborhood commission perspective, I predict collaboration on:
Public Safety and Enforcement: Addressing Public Safety challenges
with visible, traceable solutions for protecting both personal safety and
property.
Transportation: This spring, our community will receive city-sponsored
recommendations for change; residential feedback will be CRITICAL. Be ready to
engage in trade-offs for prioritizing needs (walking, parking,
loading/unloading, buses, micro-mobility, etc.) along with other potential uses
of our streets. On a larger scale, the re-envisioning of how to have a modern,
safe, Metro seems inevitable, including a Georgetown connection. Funding is the
question here, and everywhere.
Construction, Preservation and Design: Beyond our undeniable residential renovation boom (yes,impact is a challenge), projects to watch include:
- The kick-off of the Jelleff Community Center multi-year upgrade
- Completion of several multi-unit buildings
- Progress on the new Four Seasons (West Heating Plant) residences
- Work on the C&O Canal
- The opening of new restaurants
With all this construction and the success of Georgetown-based
designers and artists, our reputation as a place for preservation and
cutting-edge design will grow. (The role of the proliferation of cannabis shops
is TBD.)
Accountability and Public Space: The Georgetown BID’s pandemic-era wider sidewalk pilot (aka Jersey barriers) remains unchanged; 2024 will test if the pilot adapts post-pandemic.
Gathering Spots: These are “on-trend” – especially during a national election
cycle:
- Our range of religious and non-profit institutions
- Local farmers markets
- Corner markets like Scheele’s, Dent, Stachowski’s
- Our schools
- Innovative programming at Tudor Place, CAG and our beautiful library
- Music at Dumbarton Concerts and Blues Alley
- Our cafes and classics like Martin’s Tavern and Thomas Sweet
ANC 2E represents you. We meet monthly. Email me at 2e06@anc.dc.gov with ideas.
— Gwendolyn Lohse, Chair, Georgetown-Burleith-Hillandale Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC 2E)
Citizens Association of Georgetown: ‘Safety Top Concern’
Since our founding roots in 1876 to the present, the Citizens Association of Georgetown (CAG) has been at the forefront of preserving, protecting and sustaining our community. Over the years, Georgetown has remained timeless. This is one of the reasons people from all backgrounds and generations choose to make this community their home. While embracing change and addressing current challenges, CAG is committed to our mission and financial sustainability to preserve this legacy for generations to come.
As 2024 unfolds, CAG’s most pressing priorities continue to be public safety, historic preservation and zoning, urban landscaping and sustainability, and public health.
Tara Sakraida Parker, President, the Citizens Association of Georgetown (R), and Brittany Sawyer, Executive Director, the Citizens Association of Georgetown (L)
This entails testifying before public bodies, commenting on governmental policies and studies, providing community education, and caring for Georgetown’s environment and aesthetics. Also, it is important to foster community through concerts, gatherings and activities that celebrate Georgetown’s unique history. What is not as visible, but extremely important, is CAG’s work on alcohol and beverage control, and our collaboration with other local community stakeholders.
Safety is a matter of particular concern. It is a visible example of how CAG has been working closely with the Georgetown community. Today, the District is challenged to meet the safety needs of the entire city. As part of those important efforts, CAG will continue to focus on: 1) connectivity through our Block Captain Network, MPD, neighbors, and community stakeholders; 2) enhancing security measures with increased cameras, lighting, and signage; and 3) amplifying this neighborhood’s voice by testifying and advocating on public safety legislation, such as the ACTIVE Amendment Act and Safer Stronger Amendment Act.
Neighborhood participation is essential to keeping our community connected and safe. CAG wants to hear from you; we ask all our neighbors to join us in this important work and mission.
To learn more, visit www.cagtown.org.
— Tara Sakraida Parker, President, the Citizens Association of Georgetown, and Brittany Sawyer, Executive Director, the Citizens Association of Georgetown
Georgetown University: ‘A Great 2024’
Cory Peterson. Courtesy photo.
We are looking forward to a great 2024. The new year will be a key time for “Called to Be: The Campaign for Georgetown,” a campaign in which we invite our exceptional community of alumni, family and friends to help Georgetown University answer its calling with action and impact.
In the coming year, the university will continue investing in developing its physical infrastructure across all its campuses, including downtown. We continue to develop our Capitol Campus, which will provide new facilities and expanded opportunities for the McCourt School of Public Policy, Law Center, School of Continuing Studies, CALL (Capitol Applied Learning Lab) program, Earth Commons Institute and School of Health. We are also hard at work modernizing our Hilltop campus through the construction of the new residential village on the site of the former Henle Village residential complex.
We will continue working with the neighborhood and Washington, D.C., community to enhance safety, respond to concerns and create opportunities for university and neighborhood engagement. I’m excited to return to Georgetown this January and continue working with our neighbors and the broader D.C. community.
— Cory Peterson, Vice President of Community Engagement and Local Government Affairs
Georgetown BID: ‘Remarkably Positive’
Georgetown’s 2024 outlook is remarkably positive. We expect more than 35 new openings including Outerknown, Gold’s Gym, Rails, Club Pilates, Brompton Bikes, New Balance, Osteria Mozza, Le Bonne Vache, Tatte, Alara, Residents Café, Greco, Afghania, Barnes & Noble and Skims. (Prediction: a Kim Kardashian sighting in Georgetown.)
Georgetown’s retail and restaurant vacancy rates are at pre-pandemic levels, with true vacancies at 6 percent — half of what it was two years ago.
A great challenge in 2024 will be office occupancy. Ongoing work-from-home combined with some offices deciding to move into downtown Trophy or Class A spaces (which barely exist in Georgetown) is taking a toll on our submarket. Look for more office conversions to hotel and residential in coming years.
Joe Sternlieb. Courtesy of the Georgetown BID.
The BID received a two-year permit extension for Georgetown’s streateries and sidewalk extensions until December 2025. We now have sufficient time to work with DDOT and the community to design, engineer, and pilot more attractive sidewalk extensions that are more appropriate for the historic district - while still supporting the thriving outdoor dining scene that has transformed Georgetown for the better. We have heard how much Georgetown residents and visitors from across the city love how outdoor dining and seating have made our sidewalks feel safer, more vibrant, and more welcoming. We’ve also heard from everyone how ugly the jersey barriers and composite decking look. We have already started working with DDOT to fix the look and save the vibe. It will take coordination and cooperation from over 20 different D.C. offices and agencies to pull this off. We are asking for patience and help from our entire community to help us achieve this goal.
The BID is working to expand our arts and culture programming in 2024 with both old and new events. And as the National Park Service begins its multi-year project to fix locks and walls along the C&O Canal, our partner, Georgetown Heritage, will fill the void of the C&O Canal boat with new walking tours that explore various themes along the Canal.
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that you can never predict what’s next. (Except more construction on K Street. That’s a pretty safe bet.) Nonetheless, we are optimistic as we start the new year and look forward to working with all our partners as Georgetown continues to evolve and prosper.
— Joe Sternlieb, CEO & President, Georgetown Business Improvement District
Georgetown Main Street: ‘Our Best Year Yet’
Georgetown Main Street’s Rachel Shank. Courtesy of Georgetown Main Street.
We’ll see a continued national business interest in Wisconsin Avenue NW, which will add to the ever-increasing pressure to support our independent shops. We must all make intentional decisions on where we spend our dollars.
Georgetown will remain a primary retail and tourism destination in the region with exciting new and existing restaurants, one-of-a-kind retailers and charming side streets.
Georgetown Main Street will have our best year yet for community events, business support and community engagement.
— Rachel Shank, Executive Director, Georgetown Main Street
Friends of Rose Park: ‘More Interactive Experiences’
Engagement at multiple levels. We feel it’s important to bring more interactive experiences to Rose Park so that Georgetowners can fully immerse themselves in the environment and the Wednesday market. We hope to bring interactive experiences to the weekly market, including cooking demonstrations and lessons in seasonings combined with tips and information on selecting produce and fish and other market goodies. Caviar tasting anyone? Let us know. And, of course, tennis tournaments and potentially pickleball at some point.
A picture is worth more than a thousand words but who’s counting unless you have a word limit. We are blessed: Andy Cline is an excellent photographer and is so giving to the community. Friends of Rose Park believe that documenting events in the park through photography is important to our community. So, expect to see more of Andy as he seeks to capture special moments so that parents and children can savor the moments, and future generations can look back and reflect on what life was like in Georgetown in 2024.
Friends of Rose Park’s Gail Daubert (left). Georgetowner photo.
Influencers are essential for the effective promotion of events and activities. Don’t be surprised if a FORP Board member stops you on the street and asks you to “post” your photos from the park on Instagram. We plan to tap into neighbors, students and vendors to broaden awareness and support inclusiveness for all events in Rose Park.
In 2024, we encourage neighbors to join a mailing list, follow us on social media, and volunteer.
— Gail Daubert, President, Friends of Rose Park
Friends of Volta Park: ‘Repair Work, New Plantings’
On any given day, you can find a Georgetown neighbor at Volta Park, walking their dog, playing tennis, pickle-ball, basketball, softball or soccer, enjoying their lunch under the shade of osage and oak trees, taking an early morning fitness class or with their family at the playground. The vibrancy of this urban oasis is celebrated and shared by so many. This past year’s events were attended by countless familiar and new faces; from the Fall Festival, Breakfast with Santa and the revival of afternoon concerts hosted by our
Members of the Friends of Volta Park Board. Courtesy of Friends of Volta Park.
friends at the Citizens Association of Georgetown. For 2024, we have much of the same to look forward to, with spring additions including a celebration close to Easter, welcoming warmer weather and a community tennis tournament.
While there is repair work planned for 2024, including the city’s project that will focus on the west side baseball field, we hope some of the field will be accessible, with certainly the east portion recreation areas open for use. In partnership with the city’s urban forester, local landscape advisors and the Garden Club, the trees, shrubs and native plants will receive love and attention this coming year. New plantings opposite the basketball court will beautify the walkways.
The Friends of Volta Park will again host its annual cocktail party at the George Town Club on June 1, 2024. We look forward to seeing the community at this and our many other fun-filled events. We would also like to thank our Council member Brooke Pinto and our ANC Representative, Topher Mathews for their unwavering support.
— Saraya Arnold, President, Friends of Volta Park
