Gwendolyn Shearman • April 11, 2016

Relief for drivers and pedestrians alike is coming to the intersection of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Those who cross the intersection daily, both in their vehicle and on foot, know all about the congestion, headaches and danger that it can cause, but there may be a possible solution in sight.

The Georgetown Business Improvement District has teamed up the District Department of Transportation to test the use of traffic control officers at the intersection to respond to recurring concerns regarding pedestrian safety as well as commuter and bus delays.

Also named Joseph Pozell Square, the intersection is the most famous one in Georgetown and one of the busiest in Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Reserve Officer Joseph Pozell was struck by a sport-utility vehicle, while working May 14, 2005, at the corner. Pozell was well known in Georgetown for his civic work and as superintendent of the historic Oak Hill Cemetery on R Street, NW. The volunteer traffic officer died from his injuries three days later on May 17.

“We are hoping that intersection management will improve conditions for everyone, including bus riders on the two D.C. Circulator Routes and five Metrobus routes that traverse this spot,” said BID transportation director Jonathan Kass.

Five traffic control officers tested out the idea on April 5 and quickly eased and increased the flow of traffic and eliminated pedestrian congestion at M Street and Wisconsin Avenue.

DDOT officers will be controlling traffic during the evening rush hour for the week of April 8-12, and also during the busy afternoon hours of April 13.

Upon completion of the trial run, the BID will collaborate with DDOT to determine whether permanent deployment of traffic management officers should be put into place at the intersection.

Residents, business owners and visitors to the area are encouraged to comment on the impact traffic officers have on conditions to info@georgetowndc.com.

Gwendolyn Shearman •

Washington, D.C., has seen its share of ups and downs, but after a lull in construction, the cranes are out in the city, indicating that the nation’s capital is on the cusp of even more growth. Along with Walmart coming to the District, there are numerous development projects in the works. Highlighted are a few projects that are planned or underway and are sure to change the face of their D.C. neighborhoods.

Walmarts under Construction

Georgia & Missouri Ave. NW – traditional one level project, scheduled to open by the end of the year.
99 H St. NW – part of mixed-use building with 300+ apartments

Other Planned Walmarts
New York Avenue & Bladensburg Road NE
Good Hope Rd. and Alabama Ave. SE
East Capitol Street & 58th St.
Riggs Road NE & South Dakota Ave. NE

CityCenter Boundaries: New York Avenue NW, 9th Street NW, H Street NW, and 11th Street NW

• The 10-acre mixed development, currently in Phase I, plans to use the 4.5 blocks between New York Avenue, 9th Street, and H & 11th Streets NW to include a seven building spread.

• The structures will house a total 270,000 square feet of retail space, 520,000 square feet of office space, 458 rental apartment units, 216 condominiums, a 370 room luxury hotel, a public park, and pedestrian-oriented streets and alleyways.

• The tenants for the office spaces have started filling up in anticipation of the completion of the project, including CoStar, American Hospital Association, which recently announced they will lease 42,000 square feet of office space.

• CityCenter announced March 5 that there is more than 51 percent occupancy at the 925 H Street location, which is still under construction. The price of homes in CityCenter range from $500,000 to $3.5 million.

• William B. Alsup, III, senior managing director at Hines, the developer of CityCenter DC, said in a statement, “The achievement is a testament to the superior quality and attention to detail of not only the residences, but also the design and delivery of the entire CityCenterDC development, which will serve as the signature destination for business, culture, and community.”

• The retail spaces in CityCenter will house 60 stores and restaurants. No leases have been announced.

H Street NE
Capitol Place, 701 2nd Street NE
Station Place, F Street & 2nd Street NE

• Capitol Place will hold 375 residential units, including studios to two bedrooms, 309 parking spaces in an underground garage, and upwards of 20,000 square feet of retail space, according to Fisher Brothers Real Estate, the space’s developers. Amenities will include a rooftop pool and courtyard.

• Across the street and attached to Union Station, Station Place, is planned to be a multi-building workspace with 1.5 million square feet on a 5.5-acre site. Property group, Louis Dreyfus, has leased two building with 1,070,000 square feet to the Securities and Exchange Commission Building. A third building has a total of 505,000 square feet of office space available.

• Louis Dreyfus Property Group has leased building 1 and 2 with a rentable areas of 1,070,000 square feet to the Securities and Exchange Commission Building

• The Department of Small and Local Business Development estimates that the H Street Great Street and Streetcar Project will invest $65 million into the area’s streetlights, curbs, sidewalks, as well as trees and landscaping over the next few years.

• Also coming to H Street, the first segment of the new D.C. Streetcar system, which is in its last 20 percent of roadway construction. The 2.4-mile streetcar line will run from Union Station to Benning Road/Oklahoma Ave. The District Department of Transportation Service plans to extend the line to include a 37-mile system that will span all eight wards.

St. Elizabeth’s East
1100 Alabama Ave. SE

• One of the last large-scale redevelopment locations left in D.C., St. Elizabeth’s East was originally part of the mental health hospital complex established by Congress in the 1850s and was in use until 1987.

• Now, led by executive director Catherine Buell, the 183-acre campus will bring together community, commerce, universities and federal partners and will cohabit to bring innovation and invigorate the growing local economy in the transit-oriented location.

• Beginning in 2012, 16 of the historic buildings began to undergo restoration in order to prepare them for their new life as part of the revitalized St. Elizabeth’s East.

• Among the new tenants, the Department of Homeland Security will be consolidating their headquarters currently spread across the D.C. area, to the East campus.

• According to the Executive Office of the Mayor, a partnership of international firms, KADCON, Davis Brody Bond, and Robert Silman Associates, have been contracted for the first stage of renovation on the Gateway Pavilion, which is slated to open by the end of 2013.

• Looking into the future, a decision on the construction of Phase 1 of the development will be selected in April.

The Wharf
690 Water Street SW

• Utilizing three-quarters of a mile of continuous waterfront and marina space, the project looks to bring affordable housing, hotels, amenities, and retail in combination with local business and open public space to the Southwest Waterfront.

• The water-focused development, lead by developer Hoffman-Madison Marquette, received approval to begin construction in January of this year. Monty Hoffman, managing member of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront said this January, “After more than six years of planning and substantial investment, we are preparing to launch one of the highest profile redevelopments in the country. We are ready to put shovels in the ground for this $2 billion redevelopment of the Southwest.”

• The redevelopment looks to bring sustainable design, including being the first LEED-Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) mixed use project in the District.

• Modeled after other famous wharves in Baltimore and San Francisco, the project plans to house 560 residential units, a 600-room hotel, 840,000 square feet of office space, 335,000 square feet of retail space, 2,500 underground parking spaces, as well as a possible musical hall or museum focused on maritime education.
[gallery ids="101237,145526,145499,145521,145515,145505,145510" nav="thumbs"]

Gwendolyn Shearman •

The Glover Park property near Whole Foods Market will get a new look in 2013. The space, located at 2251 Wisconsin Avenue NW, was sold to real estate developers Jan. 15. The property, which now houses Glover Park Hardware and Washington Sports Club, overlooks the Naval Observatory and the vice president’s residence.

“The area has superior age/income demographics and the property generated a great deal of interest from developers,” said Gordon Nielsen, who represented the seller.

Brokered by Gordon Nielsen and Guy d’Amecourt of Summit Commercial Real Estate, LLC, the $20.1 million deal sold the property to a joint venture of Altus Realty Partners, Chesapeake Realty Partners and Ellisdale Construction.

The joint undertaking plans to resurface the exterior of the building to install a glass façade and to renovate the 30,000-square-foot retail space. In addition, plan call for a 65,000-square-foot, 81-unit residential rental property behind the existing building with two levels of underground parking that will hold approximately 97 spaces.

According to a press release from Summit, “The apartments will average 635 square feet with a mix of studios, one-bedroom, and two bedroom units looking to target young professionals.”

Brown Craig Turner architectural firm is providing the design concepts for the renovations and new construction, emphasizing that the project is “Targeting the Gen Y population.”

The joint venture is targeting a LEED Silver classification as well as improving the energy efficiency of the building by improving the current HVAC system in the existing building.

Glover Park Hardware and Washington Sports Club will remain open during the renovation, which is set to start in April of this year. The project will take about a year to complete, with residential spaces to be completed by July 2014.

Gwendolyn Shearman • August 15, 2013

The walls of Anna Banana’s colorful studio are lined with the artwork of famous and influential artists alongside mini replicas crafted by the small hands of her students.

Georgetown’s newest arts and craft studio opened Jan. 7 and provides hands-on art lessons for children ages 2-8 taught by owner Anne Freeman.?“I was an art dealer for 20 years, but I really wanted to find something that would marry my love of art with my desire to teach,” said Freeman.

Before opening Anna Banana’s Arts and Crafts on S Street, the enthusiastic Freeman taught art privately for two years and was also the instructor at the Art Resource Program at Chevy Chase Bethesda Community Children’s Center and at the Art Resource Unit at Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church Nursery School.

Each class begins with a short lesson about a different artist and the importance of their work. Then, Freeman allows her students to recreate the artist’s work using their own imagination.

For example, students learn about Josef Albers, the German artist known for his color experiments, or Alexander Calder, the American sculptor famous for his mobiles, and get to recreate those experiments using colors and shapes of their choice.

“I try to keep it simple. I don’t overwhelm them with information. I give them an idea, I show them examples, and I have them go at it. It’s supposed to be fun, but educational at the same time,” said Freeman.

The small classes of up to ten students are also introduced to the basics of art, like color combinations, the color wheel, and dimensions, through the use of different materials and tech- niques, such as clay, watercolors, and paper pulp. Students also create seasonal crafts, such as Valentines for their parents.

When Freeman decided to expand her private business, she was excited to find the Georgetown location, “I’ve worked and lived in this area for a long time and when I saw the space, I had to have it” said Freeman of her S Street location. “It’s just a great place. Parents can go get coffee or go for a walk during class. So, it can give them a little break.”

The arts center also hosts birthday parties for small groups including a craft project and games, as well as drop in hours on the first and third Saturday of every month, with register required 24 hours in advance.

Anna Banana Arts and Crafts is gearing up for its spring session, beginning March 18, well as a day camp during the summer months. Sessions are offered in 10-week increments.

The summer day camp, running in June and July, will provide children with a morning lesson and an afternoon at the nearby park.

For more information, or to register, visit (www.annabananaartsandcrafts.com)[http://www.annabananaartsandcrafts.com]
[gallery ids="101180,142803,142799" nav="thumbs"]

Gwendolyn Shearman • April 11, 2013

The power of a good book and the kindness of others come together with Grace Church’s first ever Little Free Library.

The first Little Free Library in Washington D.C., located outside of Grace Church and Georgetown Ministry Center, was created in an effort to promote literacy, give people easy access to new reading material, and build a stronger sense of community.

Opened on April 3, the effort was coordinated by Georgetown Ministry Center, Grace Church, and the AARP of District Columbia State Office.

The book exchange allows guests of Georgetown Ministry Center, people attending church services or the school, as well as guests and community members that visit the church grounds, to drop off books they want to donate and pick up new books that others have donated.

You can drop by the Little Free Library outdoor kiosk at Grace Church at 1041 Wisconsin Avenue NW. For more information on Georgetown Ministry Center at http://georgetownministrycenter.org or Grace Church of Georgetown at www.gracedc.org. If you have a good idea of another location for a Little Free Library, contact the AARP Foundation at (202) 434-3203 or email pdeloach@aarp.org.

Gwendolyn Shearman • April 10, 2013

Now that spring is upon the capital city and parents are looking for activities to entertain the little ones, consider a visit to the National Children’s Museum.

The new museum picks up where the Capital Children’s Museum left off when it closed its doors in 2004 after Congress designated and renamed it as the only nationally recognized cultural and educational museum devoted to children.
Relocated to National Harbor, Md., the new, interactive 18,000 square foot museum is designed with children ages eight-years-old and under in mind.

“One of the things we do is promote child directed, open-ended play,” said NCM president, Willard Whitson. “All of our exhibits allow kids to create their own narrative.”

The museum includes two exhibits designed with specific age groups in mind.

The 3 & Under gallery aims to help little ones develop and discover their fine motor skills and stimulate their senses.
Babies ages one year and younger can experience the gallery’s Infant and Crawler Zone, while toddlers can engage in “pretend play” and navigate climbing structures surrounded the classic Sesame Street characters.

“We have a significant partnership with Sesame workshop, evident in the 3 & under,” said Whitson “They helped develop other areas in the museum. It’s the home for Sesame Street in the D.C. area.”

The Our World gallery invites older children (ages 3 to 8) to explore community and the world around them with interactive exhibits. Visitors can actively engage in their own hypothetical community through the My Town exhibits that features a pizza parlor and a campaign center. The other exhibits, Map Zone and World Cultures, uses touchscreens and collaborative maps to show kids the similarities and differences between global societies.

Whitson says the exhibits aim to inspire children to use their imagination and learn to play cooperatively. “We provide the props and sets for them to interact in a different way every time they visit,” said Whitson. “The purpose of that is to show we have common needs but there is a diverse ways we meet those needs.”

In addition to the galleries, NCM houses a 130-seat theatre that presents original productions by the in-house theater company, as well as guest performances.

The NCMs Center for Learning and Innovation, winner of the Judith P. Hoyer Award for Outstanding Service to Children, presents educational programs that reflect the core initiatives of the museum, including literacy, culture and art, health and wellness, and global citizenship.

The museum also offers a Free Family Night sponsored by GEICO the third week of each month that includes free admission to the museum and themed hands-on activities.

Since opening its doors on December 14, 2012, NCM has welcomed approximately 65,000 visitors and anticipates 200,000 visitors annually.

Open seven days a week, admission to the museum is $10 and parking is available in the National Harbor’s parking garage.
For information on hours or to plan your trip, visit (note website url) www.ncm.museum. [gallery ids="119381,119388" nav="thumbs"]

Gwendolyn Shearman • March 28, 2013

The days are getting longer. The weather will get warmer, and school will be out soon enough. It’s the time of year when parents are deciding how their child will spend their summer vacation. Instead of lounging around the house, take a look at some of the summer camps offered in the area. No matter what a child’s interest may be, from technology to theater, there is a camp for them. Be sure to sign up soon because sessions are filling up, some even offer discounts for early registration. Whether it’s a half-day or full day program, most camps are offering before and after care for an additional cost, check with specific camps for details.

Levine School Music and Art Day Camp
www.levineschool.org, (202) 686-8000
Where: Campuses in D.C. (2801 Upton St. NW), Strathmore in Bethesda, Md., and Arlington, Va.
When: Sessions from June 24-July 12 and July 15-August 2 with both half-day and full-day programs.
Rates: $1,170 full day tuition, $810 half-day tuition
This year’s theme for the popular summer program at Levine school of music is Water, Water Everywhere. Students, ages 3 1/2 to 12, will use the theme to actively learn music, dance, stories, games, and arts from various cultures, as well as get hands on exposure to classical instruments taught by Levine school faculty.

Georgetown University Summer Day Camp at Yates Field House
www.yates.georgetown.edu, (202) 687-2400
Where: Centered at Georgetown University at Yates Field House.
When: Six week long sessions, the first beginning June 24 and the last starting July 20
Rates: $280 for Yates members and $380 for nonmembers before May 1. Prices increase to $300 for members and $400 for nonmembers after May 1.
The comprehensive day-long camp, centered at Yates Field House and Kehoe Field, offers campers ages 6-10 activities including swimming at McCarthy Pool, team-based games, arts and crafts, talent shows and much more.

Sidwell Friends School Summer Camps
classic.sidwell.edu/summer, (202) 537-8133
Where: D.C. Campus (3825 Wisconsin Ave. NW) and Bethesda Campus.
When: Week and two week long sessions are offered in full-day and half day increments. Beginning June 10, with the last session beginning August 5.
Rates: Prices vary depending on camp.
Sidwell Friends School offers an array of camps for children ages 3 1/2 years old to 12th grade. Camps vary from academic enrichment, specific sports, cultural exploration, adventure camp, and workshop-based programs. Specialty camps include Lego engineering, handwork, and machine sewing camps. No matter a child’s interest, Sidwell Friends School has a program to meet every child’s needs.

Tudor Place Summer History Camp
www.tudorplace.org/camp.html, (202) 965-0400
Where: Tudor Place (1644 31st Street NW) and Dumbarton House (2715 Q Street NW)
When: Week-long sessions begin July 22, with the last session starting August 12.
Rates: $175 per session for members, $190 for non-members.
For the young ones, ages 4-10, Tudor Place offers a half day camp (9 a.m. – noon) that throws campers head on into the history of Tudor Place and Dumbarton House. Campers walk in the footsteps of past Georgetowners by going on scavenger hunts through the historic houses, explore crafts of the past, dress in period costumes, and conduct archaeological digs.

Camp Shakespeare
www.shakespearetheatre.org, (202) 547-5688
Where: STC Rehearsal Studio, 516 & 507 8th Street SE, camps also offered in Silver Spring, Md. and McLean, Va.
When: Two-week intensives June 17-August 10 and three week advanced camp July 1-July 20.
Rates: $725 for two-week intensive, $1,100 for three-week advanced camp.
A full day (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.) camp separated into three age groups, campers age 9-18 develop talents, build confidence, and deepen their understanding of the work of William Shakespeare. Students study classic acting techniques, stage combat, voice and movement techniques, and improvisation. Campers put on productions and performances on Saturday mornings.

Anna Banana Arts & Crafts
www.annabananaartsandcrafts.com,
(202) 248-0661
Where: Anna Banana Arts & Crafts studio, 3270 S Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20007
When: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Rates: $300 per week
Campers will explore the bounty of art and nature in the studio and on our daily excursion to lovely and close-by Montrose Park for a snack, en plein air painting and play time. In the studio, children age 4-8 will explore materials such as clay, paint, pastel and others. Medium include photography, sculpture, painting and print making. We will use the nature around us to inspire art and craft projects. Campers will enjoy the light-filled and relaxed studio atmosphere where we listen to music while creating masterpieces. Campers bring their own bag lunch and a snack.

Beauvoir Summer
summer.beauvoirschool.org,
Where: 3500 Woodley Road, NW Washinton, DC 20016 , 202-537-6485
When: 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. weekdays
Rates: Rates vary depending on age.
Beauvoir understands the role that play—specifically outdoor play—has in early childhood education, and just how important that role is. This year, the camp introduces, Beauvoir Outdoors, a unique outdoor play space with lots of educational value. While all of our camps will take advantage of the Beauvoir Outdoors as the wonderful play space it is, two camps were designed specifically to expose campers to the many challenges and opportunities that await them outside that door. These camps are Nature Navigators (for 4–6 year olds) and Outdoor Adventures (for 7–10 year olds). ? [gallery ids="101212,144974,144970" nav="thumbs"]

Gwendolyn Shearman • March 13, 2013

Georgetown’s well-known seafood spots, Nick’s Riverside Grill and Tony and Joe’s, are teaming up to present their first ever photo contest, “Sunsets by the Water.”

The only guideline for entry is that the photo must be of a sunset scene on Washington Harbour.

The K Street restaurants hope to highlight their waterfront location and encourage D.C. residents and tourists alike to enter their snapshots of the popular spot, which hosts one of the best views of the sunset in the city.

The competition will begin accepting submissions this Friday, March 1, through April 20. Winners will be determined by the public through Tony and Joe’s and Nick’s Riverside Grill Facebook pages from April 22 to May 1, with winners being announced May 2.

All applicants will receive a $10 gift card accepted at Nick’s Riverside Grill or Tony and Joe’s. Contest winners will receive two airline tickets to the place of their choosing in the continental U.S. Second and third place cash prizes will be awarded, as well as brunch for four to two honorable mention winners.

For complete contest rules and photo specifications, visit nicksriversidegrill.com or [tonyandjoes.com]http://tonyandjoes.com/)

Gwendolyn Shearman • February 28, 2013

Indochino, a leading online custom clothing retailer, is bringing its unique experience to D.C. with a pop-up shop at LivingSocial’s F Street space, March 2 through March 10.

The menswear start-up company, based in Vancouver, B.C., allows men to upload their measurements and order their perfectly tailored suits online with just a few clicks. By cutting out the middleman, Indochino says it can offers high-quality suits, coats and accessories at a fraction of the cost of major department stores.

The Traveling Tailor event will bring that online experience to men on the go. Indochino’s fit specialists promise to measure men for their custom suits in 10 minutes and create an online profile for them, free of charge.

Customers can browse the quality fabrics and see the personalized details put into every suit created by Indochino and order at the event or use the online profile to shop at their own convenience. Orders are filled within 42 days and are guaranteed to arrive at your door wrinkle-free and ready to wear.

According to the company, D.C. composes their third largest market in the United States. The pop up shop will be the seventh destination for Indochino in the past year and a half. Most recently, Indochino held a Traveling Tailor show at Grand Central Terminal in New York.

For more information or to make an appointment for the Traveling Tailor event, visit www.indochino.com

Gwendolyn Shearman • February 11, 2013

The current plan is vague and far in the future, but residents could see a Metro Rail station in Georgetown by 2040.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority released its latest strategic plan, “Momentum,” which describes a $740-million-per-year investment for the projected growth, including possible plans to separate and extend Metro lines. In addition, the report states that $1 billion per year is “necessary to continue to maintain safety and reliability of the system” as well as $500 million more to “maximize the capacity of the system’s core and prepare it for the transit projects that are coming on line in the region.”

The priority is to focus on the immediate needs of the transit system, but Metro is also looking into the future to prepare for the anticipated 30-percent increase in the area’s population in the coming years. Metro Rail is the second-busiest rapit transit system in the U.S. after New York City, according to the American Public Transportation Association.

The proposed plan is to separate the Orange and Blue lines, allowing more commuters into the city and alleviating strain on the Metro in Rosslyn. Doing so would connect Rosslyn to Georgetown by way of a tunnel underneath the Potomac River.

Once work on the Silver line — Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, connecting Loudoun, Dulles Airport and Tysons Corner to downtown Washington — is completed, the expected increase in traffic to Rosslyn is the reason for the suggested M Street stop. While the plan specifically mentions the tunnel, it doesn’t necessarily include a station in Georgetown.

Bob Starrels, an advisory neighborhood commissioner for the south of Georgetown where a subway station might be located, cautioned about expecting a Metro stop in the District’s oldest neighborhood. “If there were a possibility of a station it’d be orientated more towards Virginia Avenue or U Street most likely,” Starrels said. “Never say never, but the chances are slim.”

The idea of a Metro stop in Georgetown has long grabbed the attention of the public. In fact, it is the lack of such a stop that has created an urban myth: At the very inception of Metro Rail, Georgetowners actively campaigned in the 1960s against a Metro station because it would bring in more of the city’s black population into the historic village. This is untrue. While there were a few residents who did voice opposition at that time to any additional visitors, especially blacks, most Georgetown businesses simply did not actively lobby the Metro board — which determined where subway stations would be built. Not filled with office workers like downtown D.C., Georgetown did not have the daytime business traffic to warrant a stop.

To read Metro’s “Momentum” plan, click here.