Town Topics

Robert Devaney •

Francis Scott Key, a Georgetown resident in the early 1800s, would be so proud, as are we. The United States Mint is now accepting orders for the 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coins. The bureau is authorized by Public Law 111-232, the “Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Act,” to strike and issue up to 100,000 gold $5 coins and 500,000 silver $1 coins to commemorate the bicentennial of the writing of our national anthem.

Collectors can obtain both the gold and silver coins in “proof” and “uncirculated” condition. A “proof” silver dollar is $54.95, with an introductory price of $49.95 available through April 5. The “uncirculated” silver dollar is $49.95, or $44.95 through April 5. Costs of the “proof” and “uncirculated” gold coins, and the two-coin (gold and silver) set, are based on the mint’s pricing structure for numismatic commemorative products containing gold and will be priced weekly. Opening day prices for the gold coins will be $529.30 for “proof,” $519.30 for “uncirculated” and $579.30 for the two-coin proof set.

Visit www.USMint.gov for more information and to order.

Nico Dodd •

Those were, in fact, snow flurries this morning, but the National Cherry Blossom Festival coming March 20 to celebrate spring, cherry blossoms and the culture of Japan from March 20 through April 14 at festivities throughout the city. The list of events is very large, so the Georgetowner has selected some of its favorites.

Overtures: S&R Foundation Artist Concert Series
Experience award-winning artists at Overtures: S&R Foundation Artist Concert Series. Overtures is a unique series that features world-class performing artists at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Evermay. The performances will showcase each artist’s perspective of the National Cherry Blossom Festival – be it springtime, friendship or love of country – through their instrument and music.

March 21: Ori Kam, Viola, at Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center ($30)

March 31: Andy Akiho, Steel Drum, at Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center (Free)

April 1: Yu Kosuge, Piano, at Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center ($30)

April 4 : Keiko Matsui, Jazz/Trio, at Evermay ($50)

April 7: Urban Tango Trio at Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center (Free)

May 17 & 24: Soichi and Kaori Muraji, Guitar Duo, at Evermay ($50)

May 29: The Overtures Chamber Music Project, at Evermay

May 30: The Overtures Chamber Music Project, Kennedy Center Family Theater

May 31: Ryo Yanagitani, Piano, at Family Theater, Kennedy Center (Free)

March 23

National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony

Kick-off the 2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival with local and national entertainment. Guests will experience the story of how Japan’s gift of cherry trees has developed into a great springtime celebration, as told through a series of traditional and contemporary performances.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony with be held on March 23 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 PM at the Warner Theatre, 513 13th St., NW, Washington, D.C., 20004.

March 30

Blossom Kite Festival

The annual Blossom Kite Festival presented by the National Cherry Blossom Festival showcases the creativity of kite makers and skill of kite fliers from across the U.S. and other countries through a variety of competitions and demonstrations including the popular Hot Tricks Showdown and the Rokkaku Battle. Bring your own kites or children can make a kite at an activity station (while supplies last) to fly on the Public Field.

The Blossom Kite Festival includes five areas to enjoy: the Competition & Demonstration Field, Family Field, Kite Club Display Area, Activity Tents and Public Field. To view a map of the areas, click here.

April 7

Official Japanese Stone Lantern Lighting Ceremony
Jointly sponsored since 1954 by National Conference of State Societies and the National Park Service’s National Capital Region, this venerable observance opens the NCSS Cherry Blossom Princess festivities. The ceremony features traditional Japanese music, the presentation of the 2013 United States and Japan Cherry Blossom Queens, along with the 2012 Cherry Blossom Princesses, and remarks by a number of dignitaries, including the Ambassador of Japan to the United States.

The Japanese Stone Lantern was carved nearly four centuries ago to honor the Third Shogun of the Tokugawa period. It stands 8.5 feet tall and weighs 4,000 pounds. In 1954, the lantern was moved from Japan and presented to Washington, D.C., as a gift commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first treaty between the two countries. Since then, the Stone Lantern has been lit once each year by the Cherry Blossom Princess representing the Embassy of Japan—and only during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Parking at the Tidal Basin is limited. The nearest Metro stop to the Lantern site is the Smithsonian station, just across the Kuntz Bridge. Seating for more than 500 will be available.

The National Conference of State Societies established the Cherry Blossom Princess Educational and Cultural Exchange Program for the first post-World War II National Cherry Blossom Festival in 1948. NCSS is the only civic organization that has sponsored National Cherry Blossom Festival events every year since then.

April 13

National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade

The 2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, rain or shine. One of D.C.’s largest spectator events, the parade runs along Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th streets, NW, and is televised live.
Vibrant costumes and blossom-inspired décor create the look of nation’s premier springtime parade. The parade includes colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country and other performers.

For more information, visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. You can also follow the festival on Facebook and Twitter

Robert Devaney •

Watch Your Step: IRS Goes After Easement Deduction Abuse
Those brass medallions seen on the front of some homes around the town add a nice little design feature, but they are also known to the buyers of that house, contractors and real estate agents as a way to get a nice big tax deduction. It is part of the tax code and perfectly legal. When giving a donation to a non-profit whose mission is to maintain the historical nature of the neighborhood, the homeowner is assisted by the non-profit with the tax accounting paperwork. It then holds an easement on that home’s facade which can no longer be significantly changed by the new or any owner. A win-win situation, right? Not so fast, says the Internal Revenue Service.

A conflict of different interests involve the fact that places, such as Georgetown, already have significant constraints on a home’s or building’s facade through the likes of the Old Georgetown Board and the contention by the IRS that deductions taken by homeowners are excessive – especially when the new owner says by agreeing not to change, the facade the value of the property may decrease. The IRS is especially annoyed by groups which it insists exist only to promote those tax deductions. Such a case was decided last week.

The Department of Justice, on behalf of the IRS, related the following on July 18: “A District of Columbia federal court has entered a permanent injunction order against Steven McClain and the Trust for Architectural Easements, Inc. (formerly known as the National Architectural Trust). The civil court order bars the defendants from promoting a scheme that, according to the government complaint, encouraged taxpayers in Boston, New York City, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., to claim unwarranted charitable tax deductions for donations of façade conservation easements on historic buildings. The defendants consented to the injunction without admitting the allegations against them. The injunction order does not preclude the Internal Revenue Service from assessing monetary penalties against the defendants for past actions and also does not preclude the defendants from challenging any such penalties.”

According to the government complaint, the defendants falsely told prospective customers that, in exchange for donating easements on their historic properties preventing façade alteration, the customers could claim charitable deductions equal to 10 to 15 percent of the property value, and that this range reflected official IRS policy. In fact, the complaint alleges, the IRS never had any such policy, and the actual value of façade easements, if any, must be determined on a case-by-case basis. The complaint also alleges that the defendants manipulated the easement appraisal process by steering donors to appraisers who the defendants knew would employ the 10-to-15-percent valuation method, leading to improper appraisals that yielded large tax deductions regardless of the easements’ actual effect on property value.

Weeks before that decision, a different tone was struck on June 21 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia: it affirmed the Tax Court’s 2009 ruling in Simmons v. Commissioner and concurred with the Tax Court that the donor of two preservation easements in the Logan Circle historic district qualified for a deduction despite IRS objections.

Here is what the Foundation for the Preservation of Historic Georgetown, which supported the Logan Circle property owner in her case, advises:

“Potential donors should be aware that despite Internal Revenue Service court losses to taxpayers in the United States Tax Court in its challenges to conservation easement deductions (e.g., Simmons v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, T.C. Memo. 2009-208 (September 15, 2009)), the IRS continues to audit returns, disallow 100 percent of deductions and assert significant valuation penalties where taxpayers have donated conservation easements. This current IRS ‘zero deduction’ audit program has numerous cases pending in Washington, D.C., and other test cities, and the outcome of such cases will likely be decided between 2011 and 2012.

“On Feb. 4, the first federal court of appeals to consider the IRS ‘zero deduction’ audit program held an oral argument in the Simmons case. The two main issues before the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia were whether the easements granted were exclusively for conservation purposes and the donated easement caused a diminution of value in the properties. The foundation joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation and L’Enfant Trust in filing an amici curia brief in support of the taxpayer, Dorothy Simmons.

“While the foundation strongly believes in its preservation mission and in the viability of a properly prepared and documented conservation easement donation, potential donors should consult with their own tax advisors about the advisability and timing of taking conservation easement deductions.”

Scientist Couple Ryuji Ueno and Sachiko Kuno Are New Owners of Evermay
Ryuji Ueno and his wife, Sachiko Kuno, founders of Bethesda-based Sucampo Pharmaceuticals and S&R Technology Holdings, have purchased Evermay, for $22 million, 55 percent off its 2008 asking price of $49 million. The purchase price of the historic 3.5-acre estate on 28th Street, which borders Oak Hill Cemetery at R Street, is a record sale for D.C.

The names of the new Evermay owners were first reported in the Wall Street Journal on July 22 in its “Private Properties” section. The buyers’ representative Mark McFadden of Washington Fine Properties spoke with the Georgetowner and confirmed that, indeed, Ueno and Kuno are the new owners of the 12,000-square-foot house and grounds, adding that they will continue the preservation of the estate, founded by Samuel Davidson in 1792 and sold by the Belin family two weeks ago, through a limited-liability company, Evermay LLC. The listing agent was Jeanne Livingston of Long and Foster, a Christie’s International Real Estate affiliate, whose other big sale was Katharine Graham’s estate on R Street. Livingston said the new owners would be “good stewards” of Evermay, a property which was once rumored to have caught the interest of Oprah Winfrey.

While the Japanese-born drug researchers Ueno and Kuno – who own a house on P Street – are not well known to most Washingtonians, they are known in philanthropic circles, such as the Washington Opera and the Smithsonian. The couple founded the S&R Foundation in 2000, a non-profit whose mission is to encourage and stimulate scientific research and artistic endeavors among young individuals – and “to recognize talented young scientists and artists for their distinguished work in fields of science and fine arts, especially those who contribute to U.S.-Japanese understanding.” Their foundation awards the S&R Washington Award and the S&R Ueno Award.

Ueno and Kuno’s Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, focuses on the development and commercialization of medicines based on prostones. Ueno, who is also a medical doctor, discovered “the therapeutic potential of prostones, which are bio-lipids that occur naturally in the human body.” The company markets the drug Amitiza for gastrointestinal disorders. One of the couple’s first successes was Rescula eye drops, the first bioactive lipid used to treat glaucoma.

Together, the accomplished couple holds several degrees from universities in Japan and the U.S. and have other interests as well. A Class A race car driver, Ueno is a member of the Leica Historical Society of America, Ferrari Club of America and Miles River Yacht Club. Involved in fundraising for the Washington Opera, Kuno was also cited by the Washington Business Journal two years ago in its list, “Women Who Mean Business.” She even studied in the neighborhood at Georgetown University’s International Business Management Certificate Program. Add to their resumes: “Keepers of Evermay.”

ANC Redistricting Underway
After redrawing the District’s wards, local politicians are now at work redrawing the boundaries of its advisory neighborhood commissions. For Ward 2, one of Georgetown’s ANC 2E commissioner Tom Birch heads up the work – with its individual ANCs getting their own subcommittee. For Georgetown’s and Burleith’s ANC 2E, commissioner Ron Lewis chairs the group along with Jennifer Altemus of the Citizen’s Association of

Georgetown and Lenore Rubino of the Burleith Citizen’s Association. As mentioned in the latest ANC meeting, anyone interested in working with them can contact the redistricting team, which is assisted by the Board of Elections and Ethics and the Office of Planning. ANC single-member districts serve approximately 2,000 citizens. The task force must report its progress on Aug. 1 and Sept. 1; its work must be completed before mid-October.

Requests for information on the process of redistricting should be directed to the Subcommittee on Redistricting. Call Drew Hubbard at the subcommittee – 202-724-8198. Direct requests for data in hard copy or electronic media can be made to the Office of Planning, which will provide at cost to the public 2010 Census maps and population data in hard copy or machine-readable form. The Office of Planning is located at 1100 4th Street SW, Suite E650, Washington, D.C. 20024 – 202-442-7600.

Under new redistricting, Ward 2 gains more of the Penn Quarter and Judiciary Square. It loses the Shaw neighborhood to Ward 6 but keeps the Washington Convention Center within its boundaries. Have any questions? Want to help with the ANC redistricting? Visit JackEvans.org.

Safeway Ready to Redevelop Retail, South of Store
Gone is the bagel shop, and pawn shop in the building on Wisconsin Avenue, just south of the Georgetown Safeway. The Safeway-owned property will be reconstructed with additional new space on the empty lot next to the grocery store’s driveway as well. So, get ready for construction activity between S Street and the store. It should begin in August or September and be completed in a year.

Retail spaces between 1,362 and 8,956 square feet will be available at the “neighborhood center” – 1815-1825 Wisconsin Ave., NW – broker Steve Combs of KLNB Retail told the Washington Business Journal. No leases have been signed, but plenty of retailers have expressed interest in the space, he said. It makes for a total 13,838-square-foot retail space, according to Safeway.

Georgetown Ministry at Grace Church Gets $100K Rehab
After more than a month of construction, the Georgetown Ministry Center, which has served the homeless of Washington since 1987, reopened July 14 – with expanded space, new computers (iMac desktops), spruced-up showers and a laundry room. GMC executive director Gunther Stern said he was pleased at the results of the $100,000 makeover and thankful for the donors to the non-profit housed along the alleyway of 1041 Wisconsin Ave., part of the Grace Church property. Stern is enthusiastic about the center’s “club house model.” Here, the homeless – who are also called clients – become members and must contribute with routine work for the center, such as helping the dishwasher or making coffee, and may attend staff meetings. Membership is open to all on an individual need basis, seven days a week.

Stern is also enthusiastic about how the digital world can help the homeless: “I use my MacBook as a computer and a phone. When I have internet available I just plug in my headphones and use Google Voice to receive phone calls. This comes from the focus of our work with homeless clients whom we are trying to train on the Google suite of tools. Perfect for a person without a home or phone. And it is free. Our database is simple and flexible and online. And the subscription is free, donated to us by Salesforce.com. Our payroll system is online. Everything is online.”

Robert Devaney •

GBA Gets New Digs at Georgetown Park; Will Meet Aug. 17 at House of Sweden
The Georgetown Business Association is moving its office to 1080 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. near the main entrance of the condos in Georgetown Park. The GBA leaves its Thomas Jefferson Street space, which it shared with the offices of the Georgetown Business Improvement District.

Meanwhile, the GBA will host “Networking with a View . . . And a Salute to Furin’s” on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the House of Sweden, 2900 K St., N.W., on the waterfront. The event is free for GBA members and $20 for non-members; hors d’oeuvres by Ridgewells Caterers; desserts by Chris Furin; beverages compliments of the Georgetown Business Improvement District.

The Georgetown BID has also recently made an office move to 1000 Potomac St., N.W., Suite 122 and can be reached at 202-298-9222.

1789 Loses Chef to ‘World’s Best Restaurant,’ Noma
Well, if your executive chef wants to go, it is nice to know he is leaving for the best – Noma in Copenhagen, considered the best restaurant in the world. Daniel Giusti, executive chef of 1789 Restaurant, visited by President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in June, says that his last day will be Aug. 28.

“It was clearly a shock,” Maureen Hirsch, director of marketing for Clyde’s Restaurant Group, which owns 1789, told the Washington Post. “But he just really wants to learn.”

Giusti began working at Clyde’s of Georgetown at the age of 15. He worked in New York and Las Vegas before returning to D.C., eventually to become 1789’s top chef for a little more than three years. He was nominated by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington for a 2009 and 2010 RAMMY Award and received a regional nomination for “People’s Best New Chef’’ from Food & Wine Magazine. As for his new life in Denmark, Giusti does not really have a real job yet at Noma, where he briefly helped around the kitchen last month. He must get a work permit first but has rented an apartment in Copenhagen. Noma owner Rene Redzepi is apparently waiting as Giusti, who wishes to expand his culinary skills, prepares to arrive in September.

After Giusti departs, Clyde’s chef Brian Stickel will cook at 1789 where he has worked before, while the restaurant at 36th and Prospect Streets searches for a new executive chef.

First-Ever U.S. Internet Gambling Set by D.C. Lottery for Oct. 1
Ready for some iGaming from the D.C. Lottery on your iPhone, iPod or other online devices like your computer? For the first time ever, Internet gambling is coming to America, and its first bets will be in Washington, D.C., Oct. 1.

Starting with demonstration games such as Blackjack, Texas Hold ‘Em, Victory at Sea and bingo, D.C. Lottery will soon to go live with legal online betting. During the demos, players can test the games but cannot bet money or win prizes. The Lottery Modernization Act of 2012, part of the District’s 2011 budget, permits D.C. to make money by regulating and supporting Internet gambling through the D.C. Lottery.

The D.C. Lottery has delayed the start of demonstration for the online games, which had been set for July and August, until local meetings of a “comment period” are held in each of D.C. wards. There has been some opposition to online gambling. The Ward 2 meeting with Council member Jack Evans is at the Shaw Library, 1630 Seventh St., N.W., Aug. 22 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Here are some rules from the D.C.’s Lottery iGaming site: Players must physically be inside the District of Columbia and players must be 19 years of age or older. Technology will be employed to ensure that players are within the boundaries and that age requirements are met. No anonymous play will be permitted. Players do not need to be D.C. residents, but they must be within the District of Columbia boundaries in order to play. Gaming on the site will be shut down between 4 and 10 a.m.; no more than $250 deposited by a debit card in each account per week will be allowed.

For its first three years, the District government predicts more than $13 million in profits from Internet gambling. What could further delay or derail the debut of the U.S.’s first-ever online gaming? The Federal government, which has oversight for such things here. Otherwise, visit iGamingDC.com on Oct. 1.

Bikeshare Adds 32 New D.C. Spots; M & Penn. Makes the Cut
Capital Bikeshare, the increasingly popular bicycle-sharing partnership between D.C. and Arlington, added 32 new D.C. bike locations, most to be installed by autumn, according to the D.C. Department of Transportation. Georgetown’s one new spot will be at M Street and Pennsylvania Avenue., N.W., on the traffic island across from the Four Seasons Hotel and the Lukoil gas station. This addition brings the village’s total to five – along with 37th & O at Georgetown University’s entrance, 2001 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. (near Safeway), K Street at the waterfront and Wisconsin Avenue at the C&O Canal, which will have its bike stand expanded.

“We are grateful for the enormous support Capital Bikeshare has received throughout the past 10 months and are very pleased to release the final list of new station locations for the District of Columbia,” said Terry Bellamy, DDOT director. “With this expansion we will not only increase the overall reach of the system, but we will expand the program’s capacity by 22 percent in the downtown area, by 80 percent in our East of the River operations and by an average of 38 percent throughout each of the additional Wards.”

Arlington County is also planning an expansion with approximately 30 new Capital Bikeshare stations destined for the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor starting this fall and continuing through the spring.
The bike program is so well used that it is hard to find bikes near certain Metro stops after the morning rush, the Washington Times recently reported. Conversely, those returning bikes to a high-traffic spot might find all the stands occupied by bikes.

Capital Bikeshare is a bike-sharing program developed through a partnership between DDOT and Arlington County and operated by Alta Bicycle Share, Inc. Capital Bikeshare offers four different membership options: Annual ($75), Monthly ($25), 5-Day ($15) and 24-hour ($5) for access to a fleet of 1,100 bicycles located at over 110 stations across the District and Arlington. Visit CapitalBikeShare.com to sign up or for more information.

Mayor and Kids Cut Ribbon on Renewed Guy Mason Center
Mayor Vincent Gray, Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh, the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation Director Jesus Aguirre and other officials and community leaders officially opened the newly renovated Guy Mason Community Center at 3600 Calvert St., N.W., in Glover Park on Aug. 3. The renovation project added many new features to the facility. The community center is now fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and includes an elevator, ADA accessible restrooms, and a new HVAC system. Along with familiar programs, residents will be able to enjoy a new pottery workshop in the center’s basement which includes a kiln room, glazing kitchen and spray booth. For more information, contact the Guy Mason Community Center at 202-727-7527. Additional information on the Guy Mason Renovation Project is available on the DPR website, DPR.dc.gov.

Charles Luck Stone Center Coming to 34th & Canal
Richmond-based specialty stone center, Charles Luck has announced that this fall it will be opening its first D.C. location at Cady’s Alley. Built in the late 1800s as a stable, the two-story building – overlooking the C&O Canal – has just more than 700 square feet of showroom space downstairs.

“We are incredibly happy that the lease for 1111 34th St. has been fully executed by both Luck and the property owner,” said Anderson McNeill, president of Charles Luck Stone Centers. “We have a prime location for the Charles Luck Brand’s first storefront [in D.C.]”

Selling stone architectural elements, such as countertops, interior and exterior walls, pathways, furniture and accessories, Charles Luck will place amid Georgetown’s growing design centers. “We’re also excited to join the ranks with other style-minded neighbors, including Ann Sacks, Baker Furniture, Boffi, Bulthaup, Illuminations, Janus et Cie, Design within Reach, Poggenpohl and Waterworks, to name a few,” Anderson said.

“The construction team is actively pursuing LEED certification to align Charles Luck’s sustainability commitment to that of great design and commerce,” he said. “Many of the signature brand attributes found in our existing studios will be retained, including the beacon, datum wall and striking visual appeal of our spaces. The new location will feature a 108-product display wall, along with an application patio and an office space upstairs.”
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Georgetowner •

Washington Harbour Proposes Ice Rink; Arthur Cotton Moore Protests New Designs
An ice skating rink has been talked about at Washington Harbour almost since its creation in 1987. Sounds like a great idea, even to Washington Harbour’s original architect, Arthur Cotton Moore, who also created Canal Square on M Street and 31st Street and renovated the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, the Old Post Office building and the Phillips Collection, among others.
At the Aug. 29 Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC 2e) meeting, the current owners of Washington Harbour, MRP Realty, displayed plans for the lower plaza, which includes the water fountain, pool and tower – and an outdoor ice skating rink. Plans for the office-condo complex with its prime spot on the Potomac, seek to “reduce seasonality,” said Charles McGrath of MRP Realty, and make it “more family-friendly” along with minor design changes in the structure itself. Adding white noise to the retail parabola, the fountain would be re-done with programs for water shows as well as become – between November and March – a skating rink (with the Zamboni machine stored in the re-designed base of the tower). Designers of the 11,000-square-foot rink look to ideas from those at the Sculpture Garden, Reston Town Center and Rockefeller Center; it would be the largest ice sheet in D.C. Dockside restaurants will get new cantilever awnings for outdoor bars. Increased foot traffic was a concern, to which McGrath quipped: “Beers are going to have to be more expensive to offset the costs.” 

However, while favoring an ice rink at Washington Harbour, architect Moore brought his own artwork and argued, “Everything can be done without demolition.” In some re-designs, he cited “terrible proportions” and the “uglification of the tower.” Some architectural features of the complex would be removed.

Generally, condo owners and businesses at the complex welcomed the ice rink and other plans — happy that an owner would be willing to revive and reinvest in the landmark destination. The over-all renovation is estimated at $30 million. Restaurateur Greg Casten was supportive, while condo owner Marty Sullivan disagreed, saying it is “out of scale and out of character” for the place.

Crosses Removed from Iconic Healy Tower
After the Aug. 23 earthquake, a crane was sent next to the clock tower of Healy Hall, Georgetown University’s main and landmark building. The crane removed crosses set above the clock face because of worries about stability. The tower and other spires of the building are an icon for all of Georgetown and Washington and can be seen for miles.

“Following post-earthquake structural inspections, three of the crosses on Healy Hall were removed in advance of the projected hurricane,” said Rachel Pugh, director of media relations for the university. “The crosses will be re-installed with new anchors as soon as practical. The removal process involved delicate overhead work and required two cranes. We thank everyone for their cooperation and support as we protect the legacy of Georgetown University.”

Named after university president, Rev. Patrick Healy, S.J., who began its construction in 1877, Healy Hall was designed by the architectural firm of Smithmeyer & Pelz, which also designed the Library of Congress’s Jefferson Building.

Student Journalists Arrested Eluding Campus Police, Face Charges 
Three Georgetown University undergraduates – Sam Buckley, John Flanagan and Eric Pilch – have been charged with two misdemeanors of destruction of property under $1,000 and unlawful entry. They are suspects in the Aug. 28 damage of Leavey Center offices, as they ran away from officers of the Department of Public Safety. Attempting to see Hurricane Irene damage of the new campus science building, the student journalists were on the top esplanade of the student center. The campus police told them to leave the area due to safety concerns about loose roof material falling off the building which is still under construction. The students ran into the office of the Georgetown Voice, a student campus newsmagazine, and climbed through ceiling panels to escape officers, who called the Metropolitan Police Department. The three damaged that and other student activity offices. Buckley and Pilch surrendered, but Flanagan went through a fourth-story window and fell two stories, breaking his leg, and was sent to the nearby hospital.

Buckley and Flanagan are co-editors of the Voice’s blog, Vox Populi; Pilch has written for the Voice as well. Flanagan is also known outside the college campus for his work as a member of the redistricting working group on the neighborhood’s Advisory Neighborhood Commission. His proposal – which was voted down – advocated three ANC student districts.

Pleading not guilty, Buckley, Flanagan and Pilch have a  Sept. 21 court hearing. Before going through the offices of the Hoya, the other student newspaper, and the Debate Team, the three so severely damaged the Voice office that it could not publish an edition last week, according to the Voice.

Ex-Pelosi Staffer Takes Helm at Georgetown University Public Relations 
Former senior aide to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Stacy Kerr was named Georgetown University’s assistant vice president for communications. Kerr will head up the communications office and serve as the university top spokesperson to the media. She has a decade of experience on Capitol Hill, having worked for Pelosi, before serving as press secretary for Rep. Marty Meehan (D-Mass.) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

“I am honored to be joining the exciting community of world-class educators and staff at Georgetown University and to use my background to further its mission of preparing the next generation of global citizens to lead and make a difference in the world,” Kerr said in a press release. Kerr succeeds Julie Bataille, who left to become communications director at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the Department of Health and Human Services.

ANC Approves K Street Restaurant; Criticizes O Street Homeowner
The ANC approved the voluntary agreement and a new application for a liquor license for Malmaison, a restaurant – soon to open at the corner of 34th and K Streets – from the owners of Cafe Bonaparte. The new dessert cafe’s name is a reference to Napoleon’s Château de Malmaison; it can translate into “naughty house” or “ill-fated domain.” The Alcohol Beverage Control protest meeting is scheduled for Sept. 14.

In other design requests, commissioner Jeff Jones showed annoyance at the owner of 3254 O Street. The design for a second story above a back garage was denied, as Jones said that this scheme has bounced around for 10 years. Neighbors of the residence in question left the meeting smiling. Five Guys restaurant was asked to redesign its new awning with fewer “Five Guys” logos (not five) on the umbrella fabric. Designs for a planned four-story condo at Grace Street and Cecil Place was opposed as being out of size and out of whack with the secluded neighborhood.
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Georgetowner •

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, no longer the active managing director of the Washington-based International Monetary Fund, is sitting in New York City’s Riker’s Island prison, denied bail after being arraigned for the attempted rape and other alleged sexual offenses of a 32-year-old maid on May 15 at a midtown Manhattan hotel near Times Square. Few Americans knew who Strauss-Kahn is, and fewer Georgetowners knew that he and his wife Anne Sinclair live nearby on Dumbarton Street across from the First Baptist Church near Rock Creek Park. Busy with international work, they have been in D.C. for only three-and-a-half years. A profile of Strauss-Kahn in the latest Washingtonian Magazine reveals how he and his wife rarely interact with social Washington and would be quite anonymous dining at Cafe Milano.

The break in the leadership of the IMF, a key player in worldwide financial bailouts, causes uncertainty in the global economy. Strauss-Kahn was also seen as a leading contender to become the next president of France, although he was already known for his womanizing as “le grand seducteur”—the great seducer. Observers in France view the arrest as a “thunderbolt” and “political earthquake.” Accused of a lavish lifestyle by his political opponents, Strauss-Kahn will remain in custody at least until a May 20 hearing and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of attempted rape, criminal sexual act and unlawful imprisonment.