The Wrong Paint Closes Francis Pool Until June 22
• June 17, 2013

Paint, not manufactured for underwater use, has closed the public pool at Francis School at 2435 N St., NW, two blocks east of Georgetown. Seems it was getting on the swimmers, including infants in the pool. It took complaints by the public to get this safety issue addressed.

The Michiels-Markowski family from 30th Street visited Francis Pool June 2 and found a host of problems with the pool and its facility and contacted Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans and the Georgetowner newspaper.

As of June 7, the family received confirmation from Councilmember Evans that Jesus Aguirre, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, was aware of the problem. The department reportedly used the wrong paint yet kept the pool open. The pool closed June 9 and is scheduled to re-open June 22. “We are so glad that this will be remedied,” Megan Markowski said.

Here’s what Markowski first told the Georgetowner:

“Our visit on Sunday [June 2] was just shocking. It was our first visit this summer season. The exterior of the park entrance had trash strewn about. The insides of the facility were filthy. The ladies bathroom was disgusting — clogged toilets and no toilet paper in any stall.

“The pool and pool deck were horrendous. The zero-entry shallow end of the kiddie pool was marked off with caution tape because the blue paint in the pool bleeds onto your skin. Are you kidding me? How could this pool even be open? As the parent to a 20-month-old child, this is beyond unacceptable, it is unsafe. How could they have a pool open with its paint rubbing onto children’s and other users’ skin? There are bright blue foot prints in the pool. Unbelievable.

“In addition, there was only one lifeguard for the entire three pools. So, he was calling “all break” for all three pools. Only about half of the pool deck chairs were out. So, half of the users had to put towels down.

“As a D.C. resident family and taxpaying household, we are outraged. We contacted D.C. Parks & Recreation. We want other Georgetowners to know about the conditions at Francis Pool and that D.C. allowed this place to be open to the public as is.”

Thanks to attention by Evans, D.C. parks boss Aguirre wrote back to the councilman: “DGS [Department of General Services] has assessed the issue, and it turns out there are problems with the paint used in prepping for the season. The only way to repair is to drain the pool and that will result in a substantial shutdown. (For example, it takes at least two to three days to drain the pool and another two to three days to fill gain due to the volume of water.) Of course, DGS would also address the other concerns in the looker rooms and site during the shutdown.”

For her part, Markowski has one more thing to say the District government: “We need answers why this paint was used in the first place and why the pool was open for three weeks.”

The Georgetowner called the office of Jesus Aguirre for comment but did not receive a response in time for the posting of this article.
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Georgetown BID Meeting with Mayor; ‘2028’ Meeting Tonight
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The Georgetown Improvement District held its annual meeting June 11 at the Powerhouse building on Grace Street. Georgetown BID board president Crystal Sullivan welcomed the group and touted the BID’s “new era” under CEO Joe Sternlieb. Also recognized were new employees Jonathon Kass as the BID’s first ever transportation director and Joshua Hermias as its first ever economic development director.

The BID’s Clean Team under Bill Baker was applauded as well as “employee of the year” Andrew Gill. For its part in revitalizing Washington Harbour and establishing the popular ice skating rink, MRP Realty received the first ever Community Leadership Award, accepted by MRP’s Bob Murphy. The rink, which opened to the public in November, was “transformative,” Sternlieb said. MRP’s work made a big impact on Georgetown and has attracted new visitors.

The highlight of the meeting was an address by Mayor Vincent Gray, who likes to say that he loves to come to Georgetown and likes its Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E best. Gray complimented the BID for its 2028 plan and tacked about the District’s own five-year plan, which includes 100,000 new jobs and $1 billion in new tax revenue. Gray cited the ending of “retail leakage,” bringing businesses like Costco to the city, as well as regulation streamlining to make D.C. more business-friendly and adding new high-tech jobs — perhaps even Microsoft in Anacostia, he mused — thus allowing D.C. to be less dependent on the federal government for jobs. Gray also cited the medical industry and tourism as big employers, while he said D.C. was going after foreign investors, too.

Tonight, the Georgetown BID welcomes all to contribute to its 15-year plan, Georgetown 2028.
The Georgetown BID wrote: “The goal in doing such a plan is to help Georgetown maintain its status as a world-class commercial district, and ultimately continue to make it a thriving community for all. The process and final plan, which is set to be completed before Thanksgiving, focuses on transportation, economic development and public space issues. We value your opinion and invite you to take part in Georgetown 2028 by attending the first of two community engagement meetings.”

Again, the first meeting is tonight 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, June 13, at the Foundry Office Building, 1055 Thomas Jefferson St., NW, 5th floor. RSVP to: georgetown2028@georgetowndc.com

Prince Charles at G.U., May 4
• June 12, 2013

Didn’t get enough of the royal treatment last week? Prince Charles of Britain is speaking at Georgetown University’s Gaston Hall on May 4 at a conference on sustainable agriculture, part of his work with organic farming and the natural world. Charles is on an official visit to the U.S., May 3 through 5. The Washington Post is hosting the confab, “The Future of Food.”

Serendipity 3 Opens Its Doors to Customers
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You can stop asking when. On Memorial Day, Serendipity 3 officially opened its doors at the busy intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, May 30, to customers who quickly discovered they had to wait (some up to an hour or two at one point during the 95-degree Monday) to get a table in the packed restaurant, once home to the famed Nathans.

After months of prepping, co-owners Britt Swan and Rodrigo Garcia welcomed Georgetowners and other Washingtonians, along with the tourists in town, who dove into the frozen hot chocolates and shakes and snapped up burgers and hot dogs. There is a $1,000 sundae (no buyer yet as of press time) as well as a $69 hot dog. For this latest Serendipity 3, the extensive menu includes crab cakes, a D.C. exclusive.

Founded in 1954 by Stephen Bruce in New York City, Serendipity 3 has become a sweet tooth favorite, eclectic in its decor, and a favorite meeting spot. It has touted its celebrity connections, whether Andy Warhol, Jacqueline Kennedy, Bill Clinton or Sarah Palin, and provides the title and scenes for a romantic comedy film many guys cannot stand. Like the other New York and Las Vegas locations, the restaurant sells Serendipity 3 merchandise.

A few family members of the co-owners are involved in the eatery: hostess Katrina Rubin, whose mother Janine Schoonover, married to Swan, has been working on the debut for months, and Garcia’s brother Alexander Miguens, an investor.

On Monday, Twitter, Facebook and other websites held comments and photos on the opening. NBC4’s TV reporter Pat Collins stopped by and interviewed customers, and NBC4 news anchor Eun Yang brought her family.

“More than 500 covers went out opening day,” Garcia told us at the end of the first day. “Fro ho [Frrrozen Hot Chocolate] was the most popular order.”

Meanwhile, it looks like this restaurant can live up to its definition: “ser•en•dip•i•ty (n) the art of making happy discoveries, or finding the unexpectedly pleasant by chance or sagacity.”
Serendipity 3 will be open 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m., Friday and Saturday. Later, it will also have a carryout counter.

Citizens Honor Community Achievers at Annual Meeting
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The Citizens Association of Georgetown met May 17 at Dumbarton House on Q Street to elect its officers, hand out its community awards and hear from Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans, who discussed the Mayor’s proposed budget and his own opposition to tax increases. Nevertheless, citing the rebuilt public library and continuing work on the streets and utility connections, Evans told the citizens that Georgetown is doing great with all of the improvements and investments coming to fruition in the neighborhood, home to many active residents worthy of awards. CAG honored a few of them specifically at the annual meeting.

Brenda Moorman received the Bill Cochran Award for her work in conservation and neighborhood beautification. Toni Cherry of the D.C. State Historic Preservation Office received the Charles Atherton Award for her work in creating a preservation compliance programs among other city efforts.

The Hays family—John, Sharon and daughter Samantha—was awarded the Martin-Davidson Award for its longest surviving retail store, The Phoenix on Wisconsin Avenue, which opened in 1955.

A Special Award was given to Officer Mark Lee of the Metropolitan Police Department for his years of service in the town. The historic George Town Club, with general manager Brian Armstrong accepting, grabbed the Ratatouille Award for rat abatement. The Peter Belin Award will be presented during a September meeting to Richard Hinds, CAG’s legal advisor.

Another Pizzeria Coming to 34th & M?
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Another pizza joint might be coming to the corner of 34th and M Streets, in the old Philly Cheesesteak spot, once home to the legendary Cellar Door. It will be called Fuhggetaboutit New York Pizza. At its website, Faipizza.com, the company promises true New York pizza, made with the correct ph level of N.Y.C. water. Its design concept—which involves a rooftop deck—was up for review by the Advisory Neighborhood Commission, May 31.

While the correct spelling and meaning of the Brooklynese phrase is in question—official New York City road signs for those exiting Brooklyn read “Fuhgeddaboudit”—the business’s frontman, Tony, has a blog that displays his search and love for authentic N.Y. pizza, not found easily in the Washington region.

Also, could you spell “Washington, D.C.,” properly on your website? I’m just sayin’.

36th Street Burglar Was ‘Looking for a Party’
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There was another intruder alert for students living near Georgetown University’s main campus. (Who are these guys?) There were two burglaries Dec. 2 in the 1400 Block of 36th Street and 3600 Block of O Street. 

The following is the report from the university’s Department of Public Safety:
“On Friday, December 2, at approximately 9:56 p.m., a student reported that while she was sitting in her living room, an unknown male emerged from an adjacent closet. The student saw the suspect and asked what he was doing there. The suspect said that he was looking for a party. The suspect then ran out the back door in an unknown direction of travel. The Metropolitan Police Department was notified and arrived to the scene. DPS and MPD canvassed the area with negative results. On Friday, December 2, at approximately 10:30 p.m., another student reported that she had arrived to her residence and had gone into the living room. The student heard a noise coming from upstairs and went to check it out. The student went inside the bedroom and saw an unknown person inside the bedroom. The student screamed, and the unknown person ran down the stairs toward the back door and fled in an unknown direction of travel. MPD was notified and arrived to the scene. DPS and MPD canvassed the area with negative results. Both incidents will be investigated at the direction of MPD.”
No physical injuries were reported in this incident. Witness description of suspect(s): Black male, approximately early twenties, 6’0”, medium build, wearing a black North Face hooded jacket with black sunglasses. The suspect in the second burglary is described as an unknown person 6’0” medium build wearing a dark hooded jacket, and white gloves with a mask covering the face.
The Department of Public Safety is requesting that anyone who has information regarding this or any other incident(s), or who noticed any suspects before or after the incident(s), to contact them immediately at 202-687-4343.

ANC Update: 3254 O St. Deja Vu; Reservations on EastBanc’s Back 
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A few more items were on Georgetown’s and Burleith’s advisory neighborhood commission (ANC2E) Nov. 28 meeting agenda:

The owner of 3254 O Street again submitted designs for a back alley garage to be renovated with a second floor. Variations of this design have been presented to the ANC before and were rejected – just as this one was – for the past 10 years. At a September ANC meeting, commissioner Jeff Jones expressed annoyance at the owner for bringing up the garage re-design concept so many times. At this latest meeting, architect Outerbridge Horsey came to oppose the design for the Citizens Association of Georgetown.

EastBanc wants to raise the roof and allow rear entry for its commercial property at 3259 M St., N.W., which is the Coach shop. Commissioners voted unanimously to express their reservations about the project, which is seen by neighbors on Prospect Street as the start of EastBanc’s push to make the alley between M Street and Prospect into a kind of Cady’s Alley. The dead-end alley opens onto Potomac Street. [See Letters to the Editor for a neighbor’s perspective on this proposal.]
ANC2E will next meet on Jan. 2 at Visitation Prep.

Cause of Building’s Partial Collapse Not Yet Determined
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The Thanksgiving Day partial collapse of the back wall and interior of 1424 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., remains unexplained as experts from the  Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs investigated the scene. The adjacent stores at 1422 and 1426 were also effected by the collapse. No one was in the closed stores at the time.

At first, onlookers believed the Nov. 24 afternoon incident was an explosion because of the blown-out windows and a gas odor from leaking pipes. After D.C. Fire and EMS waited for Washington Gas to turn off the gas, firefighters searched and secured the buildings. There had been neither an explosion nor a fire.

Major, the sneaker and clothes shop at 1426 Wisconsin Ave., remains closed “until further notice.”  The old Commander Salamander at 1420 was already vacant. As for the property in question – at 1424 Wisconsin Ave. – it had been talked about as the future site for a new Z Burger outlet. Recent renovation work at the property – now condemned – hints at a possible cause of the collapse, but the large debris needs to be removed for closer inspection.

Biz Confab Seeks to Revitalize Wisconsin Avenue, Fix Theater Sign
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Residents and business persons met Nov. 29 at the old Georgetown Theater, now emptied of its jewelry stands, to discuss the commercial potential of Wisconsin Avenue in the center of the village. The brainstorming session, sponsored by the Citizens Association of Georgetown, was headlined by Councilman Jack Evans, real estate developer Herb Miller and retail broker John Asadoorian, a board member of the Georgetown Business Improvement District, with CAG secretary Topher Mathews of the Georgetown Metropolitan as moderator.

All that is left of the theater is its rusty, street sign, which hangs as a reminder of the loss of unique retail businesses near Wisconsin Avenue and O Street. Among the vanished: Georgetown Pharmacy, Little Caledonia, Au Pied du Cochon and Neam’s Market, frequented by residents for decades.
“I would love to see that sign re-lit,” said Angie Heon Nys, one of the Heon family owners of the Georgetown Theater property at 1351 Wisconsin Ave., which has been for sale for more than two years. Others thought the idea of re-lighting the sign – not a new idea – could be a catalyst for this commercial stretch of the avenue. “I remember when Wisconsin Avenue was more important than M Street,” said George Heon. 

While chains get the attention, Mathews offered a break-down of Georgetown retail businesses, showing that more than 70 percent are independents. Of all retail, roughly 25 percent are restaurants and 25 percent are clothing stores. Asadoorian said the market was the main driver of which businesses would choose to set up shop and added that Georgetown might be getting the reputation as “a hard place to do business.” Evans recalled all the work done to improve the town’s infrastructure. Miller said that there needs to be a vision for Wisconsin Avenue “from Safeway to the waterfront” — and that government money might left over from downtown programs to help.
One possible sign of the future was the provider of refreshments for the group: the newly opened Paul Bakery, located near the intersection of Wisconsin and M. Paul is an international chain eatery of French breads, pastries, crepes and sandwiches that fits in nicely with Georgetown’s present and past.