George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation on Christie’s Auction Block
• November 18, 2013

You may have already viewed President George Washington’s proclamation that created the first federal Thanksgiving Day in 1789. This piece of American history was on a national tour by Christie’s and stopped at the Jefferson Hotel Nov. 4. It is now on the auction block at Christie’s New York at Rockefeller Plaza. If you are in midtown Manhattan, you still have time to see it and make a bid.

Here are some details from Christie’s: “On Nov. 14, in a special single-lot evening sale, Christie’s New York is honored to offer a proclamation signed by George Washington on October 3, 1789, establishing the first federal Thanksgiving Day, called for the last Thursday of November (estimate: $8 to12 million). This sale, which follows a national tour, offers a unique opportunity to acquire a foundational document in the history of our great national tradition of Thanksgiving.”

Here are excerpts from President Washington’s proclamation:

“• By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation…

• …both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer…

• Now therefore do I recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being…That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks–for… the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed–for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted–for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge…”

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Dent Place’s Derelict House Razed
• November 15, 2013

This morning, the long, slow death of the ruined house at 3324 Dent Place, NW, was brought to an end.

A bulldozer moved onto the property, owned by Deyi Awadallah of Falls Church, Va., to finish off the 19th-century wooden frame house.

In Georgetown, where such a move is extremely rare, the neighbors on Dent Place are no doubt pleased, as the structure was seen as a site for vermin and an eyesore. Even, the Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission approved a raze permit in October 2012.

Last year, the ANC chair Ron Lewis said that such an approval to raze a structure was no something to be taken lightly. Today, when Lewis learned of the razing, he said, the owner and others had tried to save it but “we could not even save the material.”

A spokesperson for the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs – which has oversight of such a demolition – told the Georgetowner Nov. 12 that due process had been followed and that the razing had been on the schedule.

After being declared vacant, the dilapidated house was struck by a falling tree in August 2011 during Hurricane Irene, crushing its second floor. According to many, including the ANC’s Lewis, that was its “deathblow.”

One of the property’s highlights is that it was owned by Yarrow Mamout, a freed slave in Georgetown. Mamout died in 1823 before the current house was built. A beloved portrait of Mamout hangs in the Peabody Room of the Georgetown Public Library, not far from Dent Place.
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Rialto Celebrates Debut With VIP Party
• November 7, 2013

The newest Italian restaurant in Georgetown — located in the former Guard’s space at 2915 M St., NW. — threw a VIP party Oct. 17 with an eight-course meal. Neighbors and VIPs were more than impressed with the amount of food and flavors, provided by executive chef Ryan Fichter. Rialto owners Ben Kirane along with Moe and Joe and Idrissi also own Thunder Burger and Bodega on the other side of M Street.

ANC Swats at Concepts for Heating Plant, Hyde-Addison and Georgetown Theater; Applauds New G.U. Dorms
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In one of the most intense, agenda-packed meetings in recent memory, the Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E voiced concerns, if not flat-out disapproval, about design concepts for the West Heating Plant – Four Seasons Residences, an underground addition for Hyde-Addison Elementary School and the former Georgetown Theater space with a rear addition.

During the Nov. 4 meeting’s police report, Lt. Hedgecock said Halloween was mostly incident-free except for some broken car windows. He indicated police were looking into drag racing along M Street between stop lights late in the night.

In an ironic twist, one of most easily approved items was Georgetown University’s new Northeast Triangle Residence Hall across Reiss Science Building near the wall of Visitation Prep — as well as the re-purposed Ryan-Mulledy-Gervase Halls within the university’s historic Dahlgren Quadrangle. The old Jesuit residences will be renovated for student use. The Northwest Triangle Hall will house 225 students; Ryan-Mulledy, 160. The total of 385 additional beds meets the Campus Plan’s call for additional on-campus spaces by fall 2015. This solution satisfied students, administrators and Georgetown residents. It is seen as an early result of the university-neighborhood peace accords of last year, already perceived as a model for town-gown conflict nationwide.
As the for the Hyde-Addison School (3219 O St., NW) addition with elevated playground and underground meeting rooms and a gymnasium, the design calls for a “landscape solution” that “lifts the lawn,” so to speak, to level the grade from P Street to O Street with a glass wall entrance facing O Street. The $12-million project for the D.C. Public Schools by the Department of General Services was news to many. Some neighbors with adjacent property to the schools expressed frustration at the quickness of such a major project as well as its proximity and noise. Commissioner Jeff Jones asked DGS “to engage neighbors more closely — and notify neighbors of reports, schedules and plans.”

The huge West Heating Plant (1051 29th St., NW) project, set to become the Four Seasons Residences, was met from some approval from neighbors and groups but disapproval from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the D.C. Preservation League. The ANC itself disapproved, calling for a re-thinking of concept in a five-page response. ANC chair Ron Lewis asked the primary question: “Can this building be saved?” There was concern about increased fenestration and brighter lighting during the night. A proposed bridge over the C&O Canal, connecting the Four Seasons Hotel to the condominiums, appeared to be dead on arrival.

With supporters like former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams and Bob Peck, formerly of the General Services Administration, in the audience, the Levy Group and the Georgetown Group gave an overview of the future look of the reconstructed building with new parkland along Rock Creek and K Street for the neighborhood. The engineering assessment by new owner, Georgetown29K, LLC, found the present structure unfit for habitation as well as rehabilitation. It sees the old heating plant as so systemic with cracks — and rust — that a waiver should be invoked that allows most of the building to be demolished with the west facade on 29th Street being the anchor from which the new rebuilding flows; the group must show “good cause” for such a waiver of the covenant. Commissioner Bill Starrels took the lead in recommendations that call for the building not to be replace and an independent engineering review.

The former Georgetown Theater (1351 Wisconsin Ave., NW) property, purchased only weeks ago by architect Robert Bell, ran into trouble with neighbors in the backyards near its proposed rear additions. Bell’s designs for the theater are seen by many as a salvation to this tattered section of Wisconsin Avenue. Bell said at the meeting the front facade and its iconic “Georgetown” neon sign would be fixed by July 4. Neighbors on Dumbarton Street and on O Street disagreed with Bell and said the scale of his design for the property would about the property lines too severely and restrict the space for homes facing the center of the block. Others said they had just heard about the project. While liking the design in the general, the ANC expressed concern about scale, mass and height of the project. It also asked that the residents and the developer begin simply to talk.

Architect Robert Bell Buys Georgetown Theater Property
•

Georgetown architect Robert Bell will buy the Georgetown Theater property with its iconic neon “Georgetown” sign on Wisconsin Avenue.

“I never thought I would see this day come,” Bell said. “It’s a miracle.” The major sale represents an architectural and retail renaissance that likely will come for the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and O Street. A contract was signed a week ago. Bell is the single purchaser, he said.

Bell, whose office at 3218 O St., NW, is steps from the closed theater, which he will purchase from the Heon family. The theater is located at 1351 Wisconsin Ave., NW. While Bell would not disclose the final, negotiated price, the property — not a theater for decades — was put on the market three years ago for about $4.5 million.

Bell said the rejuvenated property will include “retail, office and luxury residences.” With the ability to enhance or add windows, the space will have lots of light. The architect said the property will have “twice the amount of useable space,” while it will need only one-third of the energy previously used. The idea of a book store and coffee shop for the main floor remains, but Bell did not say which business that might be. The Georgetown Business Improvement District is also involved in improving the block around the theater.

One real estate posting had described the property as consisting of “6,086 square feet — 3,300 square feet on the main level and 2,700 square feet on the mezzanine level. The lot is 6,569 square feet with parking and a carriage house in the rear. … It is currently the largest lot in Georgetown for sale. This unique property hasn’t been available to purchase in 65 years. Great opportunity to own this important piece of historic Georgetown. … The property sits at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and O Streets in the heart of Georgetown. The zoning is C-2-A allowing significant added value.”

For Bell, the sale also represents years of negotiation with the Heon family and years of design work and dreaming of what the property could become.

“The Georgetown Theater is the missing link to restoring Wisconsin Avenue from Book Hill to M Street as one of America’s best streets,” Bell said. “Restoring the façade and vitality of this property will be a major improvement on the quality of Wisconsin Avenue and Georgetown.”

Bell said he is “committed to keeping the historic and contextual character of Georgetown as well as generating luxury retail, office and residential spaces.” He added: “The design will be presented to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission and the Old Georgetown Board for approval at their November meetings and emphasizes five design principles.”

The following are some of the details planned for the property by the firm of Robert Bell Architects:

1. Historic preservation and restoration

2. Mixed use development

3. Sustainable “Passive house” design

4. Transforming the alley into a “street for people”

5. Widening the sidewalk for café seating as a demonstration of the benefits to community and retail.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION: The design preserves and restores the theater façade to its 1940s character. This would include duplicating and replacing the exiting neon sign by Jack Stone Signs who built the original neon sign. It will reproduce the existing sign with the same templates used on the original. The design will stripping away the 1950s “Dura Stone” layer and restoring the stucco below, the kiosk and replacing the windows.

“GENERATIVE” MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT: The development will increase the existing retail space, provide “boutique” office space, luxury residences with two story spaces and roof gardens, and a private alley dwelling with an artist studio by extending to the existing rear garage. The commercial space is designed for a major commercial tenant such as a restaurant or book store back to Georgetown — or both.

SUSTAINABLE PASSIVE HOUSE DESIGN, APPLIED TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION: The design is based on approaching a new zero energy consumption through the use of Passive house design principles with details developed by Robert Bell Architects. geothermal energy, photovoltaic (not visible), and a unique foundation system using 8” Helios piles inserted between roots of existing tree to preserve the root structure undamaged. This structural design allows the house to float above the tree root structure to preserve the tree.

ALLEY TRANSFORMATION INTO A “GARDEN STREET” FOR PEOPLE: Robert Bell Architects is coordinating neighbors with the intent to partner with the D.C. government to transform the present derelict alley into a mixed use Muse, “the Georgetown Muse,” similar to the quality of Cadys Alley.

SIDEWALK: The firm will propose widening the sidewalk in front of the theater block to accommodate sidewalk cafes as a destination for the “Georgetown Theater” — to transform the location to a destination “park on the sidewalk,” where people can sit and enjoy the unique historic character of this site, cobblestone street, historic buildings, and the theater icon from the past.
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Antique Store Hit by Car, Saved by Stone Lion
•

During the overnight hours of Oct. 17, an automobile jumped the sidewalk at Wisconsin Avenue and P Street, NW, striking the facade of the corner store, L’Enfant Gallery, known for its furniture and sculptures as well as artwork and maps. The gallery is packed with items for home decor — and, apparently, for a new, unexpected use: traffic barrier. While the store’s glass was shattered by the impact of the wandering car, the large stone lion in front of the store stopped the car from going through the window front and seriously damaging the store.
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Halloween in Georgetown: Traffic Restrictions in Effect
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Georgetown is famous for its Halloween scene, going back to the 1970s, as visitors flood into town to walk around and show off their costumes and attitudes. These days, things are a little more under control (although there was a shooting two years ago) with pedestrian barricades to be set up around the go-to intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. For safety, expect those barricades to extend at least to 31st Street and Potomac Street and then toward the C&O Canal and Prospect Street. Earlier in the evening, children will walk around the residential streets with their parents or guardians to knock on doors to get candy and treats before the adults come out to play.

Another big issue for Halloween is the flow of vehicular traffic. Streets are open with restrictions.

See the “2013 Georgetown Halloween Detail Community Briefing,” immediately below.

From the Metropolitan Police Department:

Purpose

On the night of Thursday, October 31, 2013, the annual Georgetown Halloween celebration will take place. It is anticipated that thousands of celebrants from the entire Metropolitan Area will converge upon Georgetown.

This plan will provide the residents and businesses of the Georgetown community with an update on the operational plan that will be utilized by the members of the Metropolitan Police Department, when responding to any incidents that may occur during the Halloween festivities.

The goal of this plan is the same as the mission of the Metropolitan Police Department: to safeguard the District of Columbia and protect its residents and visitors by providing the highest quality of police service with integrity, compassion, and a commitment to innovation that integrates people, technology and progressive business systems.

Situation

The enhanced detail of police personnel will provide additional police presence in the Georgetown community and surrounding Patrol Service Areas (PSAs) to address the expected increases in vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Additionally, the detail will assist in the abatement of order maintenance issues.

A large contingency of officers will be deployed on Thursday, October 31, 2013, to supplement patrols in Georgetown (PSA 206) and the immediate surrounding Patrol Service Areas.

The Metropolitan Police Department will be the primary agency responsible for maintaining order, preserving the peace and the protection of property. The key to the successful and professional culmination of this event is dependent on the police department and community working in a collaborative effort to ensure that the mission of this detail is accomplished. Disciplined response and de-escalation will be the key to quell any problems or potential disruption.

Detail Perimeters

The main area of the police detail covers 28th Street, NW (eastern boundary) to Key Bridge, NW (western boundary), K Street, NW (southern boundary), to P Street, NW (northern boundary).

Emergency No-Parking Restrictions

Emergency No-Parking restrictions will be posted at least 72-hours in advance and will be in effect for the following dates/times, and along the following routes.

Parking Restrictions

On Halloween, Thursday, October 31, 2013, beginning at 4 p.m., until 6 a.m., Friday, November 1, 2013, parking will be restricted on the following roadways.

Routes [with no parking allowed]

K St, NW, from 30th Street to Wisconsin Avenue, NW;

Water Street, NW, from 33rd Street to the mouth of the Capital Crescent Trail;

1000 to 1300 blocks of Wisconsin Ave., NW;

M Street, NW, from 25th Street to Key Bridge;

1100 block of 26th Street, NW;

Thomas Jefferson Street – 1000 block (From the canal north to M Street)

The following streets will be closed to through traffic. Only residents, visitors and employees of businesses within these areas will be granted access. Additional streets may be closed and/or opened at the direction of the Second District Commander or his designee. Citizens must present proof of work or residence to gain access to these streets. The restrictions will be in effect on Thursday, October 31, 2013, at 6:30 p.m., until Friday, November 1, 2013 at 4 a.m.

? 1000 block of Grace Street NW

? 1000 block of Thomas Jefferson Street NW

? 1000-1500 blocks of 29th Street NW

? 1000 -1500 blocks of 30th Street NW

? 1200-1300 blocks of Potomac Street NW

? 1200-1500 blocks of 27th Street NW

? 1200-1500 blocks of 28th Street NW

? 1200-1600 blocks of 33rd Street NW

? 1200-1700 blocks of 34th Street NW

? 1500 32nd Street NW

? 1600-1700 blocks of 35th Street NW

? 2600-3100 blocks of Dumbarton Street NW

? 2600-3100 blocks of P Street NW

? 2600-3600 blocks of O Street NW

? 2700-3600 blocks of N Street NW

? 2700 block of Poplar Lane NW

? 2700-2900 blocks of Olive Street NW

? 3100 Block of Blues Alley

? 3100 Block of Oak Alley NW

? 3100 Block of South Street NW

? 3200-3400 Q Street NW

? 3200 Block of Cecil Place NW

? 3200-3600 blocks of Prospect Street NW

? 3300-3400 blocks of Dent Place NW

? 3300 blocks of Cady’s Alley NW

? 900 Block 30th Street NW

Relocated/Impounded Vehicles

DPW Tow cranes will remove all illegally parked vehicles in the detail area. Particular attention will be given to the streets that have been posted with temporary “NO PARKING SIGNS.” All vehicles will be towed to the 3200 to 3600 blocks of Water Street, NW, where they can be retrieved by owners and operators. No Impoundment fees will be imposed on any vehicle towed.

TRAFFIC CONTROL

Traffic conditions associated with the upcoming Halloween Celebration on Thursday, October 31, 2013, will require an intensive enforcement effort on the part of the Metropolitan Police Department and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT).

Traffic posts will be established on October 31, 2013, primarily to support traffic flow in and around the established MPD Halloween Detail Perimeters. Members will perform traffic control functions with a goal of preventing intersections from becoming grid locked, and most importantly, the protection of pedestrians. Additionally, DDOT Traffic Control Officers (TCOs) will assist with the main pedestrian crossings and traffic congestion points.

You have been warned.

Halloween Hot Tickets: ‘Exorcist’ Author to Speak at Georgetown AMC Loews
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Below are but a few of the events happening around town on Halloween.

— 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Oct. 31, Trick-or-Treat With Students, Healy Lawn: the Georgetown University Student Association invites neighborhood families to a family-friendly night of trick-or-treating on the front lawn. There will be candy, giveaways, performances, cookie decorating, a pumpkin patch and more. All are welcome.

— 7:30 p.m., Oct. 31, “The Exorcist,” Georgetown AMC Loews, 3111 K Street, NW. After viewing the movie, audience members may ask author William Peter Blatty questions about the epic 1973 horror film, set in Georgetown and at Georgetown University.

— 4 p.m. until close, Oct. 31, Chipotle Mexican Grill is pleased to bring back the Boorito fundraiser this Halloween. Kids (and adults) of all ages are encouraged to take a break from the candy and stop by any Chipotle restaurant nationwide on Halloween, dressed in costume to receive any burrito, bowl, salad, or order of tacos for only $3. All proceeds will benefit the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to creating a more sustainable food supply.

— 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., Oct. 31, the Georgetown Graham — 1075 Thomas Jefferson St., NW — turns its rooftop Observatory bar into “The Laboratory for Halloween,” the scene of its Halloween party with specialty cocktails and costume prizes. Open bar will be available from 8 to 10 p.m., featuring syringe shots, bourbon cider and a hot pumpkin coffee cocktail. Costumes are required, and the guest with the most creative costume will win a prize from hotel. Tickets for the “Laboratory” are $30; contact erika@epgPR.com.

— 9 p.m., Oct. 31, join Nick’s Riverside Grill — 3050 K St., NW, at Washington Harbour — for a Halloween Night Celebration, including “D.C. Throwback” at 10 p.m. and a costume contest to follow. You can win brunch for two at Tony and Joe’s, a bar tab at Nick’s Riverside, merchandise and more. You must be 21 or older to attend; no cover charge included.

— 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Oct. 31, “Howl-O-Ween”: Trick Or Treating For Dogs, Courtyard Garden of the Fairmont in the West End, 2401 M St., NW. Prizes for “Best Dog Costume” and “Most Adorable Dog in Costume”; house-made doggie snacks for all dogs. Adults will enjoy a special “Witches’ Brew Cocktail” at $5.

— 8 p.m., Oct. 31, P.O.V. Lounge at the W Hotel — 515 15th St. NW — hosts its third annual Halloween social with proceeds benefiting the Washington Humane Society. The social will feature live performances by DJ Ghost and DJ Phillipz, craft cocktails and a costume contest, with the winner to be awarded a W Washington, D.C. sleepover package which includes an overnight stay in one of the W WOW Suites and breakfast in bed.

— 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Oct. 31: For a frightening experience in a very D.C. setting, check out the National Museum of Crime & Punishment’s version of a haunted house. “Fright at the Museum: Dead Men Walking” centers on an electric chair from Tennessee and is intended only for those who truly enjoy scary experiences. Visit crimemuseum.org for information and tickets ($20). 575 7th St. NW, 202-393-1099.

— 6:30 p.m. (doors open), 7:30 p.m., Oct. 31, Blue Öyster Cult, the Hamilton, 600 14th St., NW. Visit www.TheHamiltonDC.com.

Biz Group Enjoys the Ease of Eton Court
• October 31, 2013

The Georgetown Business Association met at the offices of the Braude Law Group in Eton Court for its monthly reception Oct. 16. You know where it is: close to everything, the complex is behind the storefronts at M and Potomac Streets. Food and beverages were abundant, and networking goals met as advice and business cards were exchanged freely. The next GBA reception is at El Centro, 6:30 p.m., Nov. 20. [gallery ids="101504,151391,151398,151395,151385" nav="thumbs"]

Malmaison Celebrates a Real Grand Opening
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A nice blend of grand opening party-goers were treated to the tastes, sounds and look of the Popals’ latest restaurant creation, Malmaison, at 34th and K, Oct. 15.

Down at the Georgetown waterfront, the restaurant has been open and active for a few months already. As Zubair Popal mentioned in a message, “I know, I know,” there have been several parties already, but this was the real deal for the new hot spot.

Other restaurants by the Popal family include Cafe Bonaparte on Wisconsin Avenue and Napoleon Bistro on Columbia Road. The multi-tasking Malmaison serves breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as being available for special events and meetings. It is named after French Empress Josephine’s estate outside Paris, and its original name means something like “bad” or “ill-fated house.” Well, in a different time and space, the new incarnation seems happily situated. After all, there is nothing mal about this Malmaison.

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