Ward 2’s Boundaries Change with Redistricting
• June 12, 2013

With the release of the 2010 census, the District government has had to change the wards’ boundary lines. Each Ward’s population must be within 5% of the average.

The ward redistricting committee has released a map and a report that makes a number of changes to ward boundaries, including moving Shaw east of 9th St. from Ward 2 into Ward 6, excluding the Convention Center, and putting Penn Quarter back in Ward 2.

According to Washington Post blogger Mike DeBonis, a public hearing on the plan is set for 6 p.m. on June 1 at the John A. Wilson Building.

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.

Merriment in Georgetown Begins Friday, Dec. 9; Party on Dec. 10
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Get ready for 12 days of festive holiday shopping events and promotions at more than 50 stores and $2 parking, Dec. 9 through 20, along with dining specials, yuletide movie screenings and more festive fun in D.C.’s best shopping neighborhood. These holiday festivities are presented by the Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID).

• From Dec. 9  through 20, enjoy $2 flat-rate parking at select garages and lots throughout Georgetown when you present a Georgetown receipt of $50 or more — after 5 p.m. weekdays; all day, Saturday and Sunday.

• Merriment in Georgetown Kick-Off Party, Saturday, Dec. 10, 1 to 4 p.m., in the PNC Bank lot at Wisconsin Avenue and M Street.

• Enjoy complimentary pedicab rides from Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom-GWU metro stations to Georgetown, noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10.

• Performance by the Georgetown University’s a cappella group — The Georgetown Phantoms.

• Kick-off the holiday season with holiday-style “Don’t Forget the Lyrics” and gluttonous Fruitcake Eating contests. Email events@georgetowndc.com to become a contestant. Chance to win fabulous Georgetown prizes!

• Enjoy Gourmet Cocoa Tastings from some of Georgetown’s premier restaurants and sweetest shops, sing holiday karaoke, and meet pets from Lucky Dog hoping to be adopted into a new home.

• Wear your most hideous, outdated or downright silly holiday sweater for a chance to win fabulous prizes. Capture that sweater in our photo booth.

• In the spirit of giving, Goodwill will be on site accepting donations to help those in need this holiday season. Make a donation and receive an “I Shop Georgetown” tote bag (while supplies last).
Check the website, GeorgetownDC.com, for details.

Mayor Asks for Town-Gown Peace
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Georgetown University held its annual “Holiday Open House” Dec. 7 in Healy Hall’s Riggs Library, where neighbors, business and community leader and university officials gathered for conversation, refreshments and music. Among them was Mayor Vincent Gray, who had visions of streetcars, a GU-GWU basketball game and town-gown peace in his head.

University president John DeGioia introduced Mayor Gray to the crowd in the grand, multi-storied room which one guest described as something out of “Harry Potter.” Gray commended associate vice president Linda Greenan and Brenda Atkinson-Willoughby of Georgetown’s external relations office and mentioned Georgetown’s hot town-gown issue, the 10-year campus plan under consideration by the District’s zoning commission. “Can you imagine working on one every year?” asked Gray. As for working on disagreements about it, he added: “I would not say it’s delightful. You will get to a conclusion.”

Gray envisions the District becoming a leader in high technology, he said, as well as using the collective minds of the universities in D.C. As if needing to clarify, he said: “I have no intention in taxing universities.”After touting new rail routes in the city, Gray said, “We ought to bring streetcars back to Georgetown. We already have the tracks.” One more item on Gray’s wish list: a basketball game between Georgetown University and his alma mater George Washington University (the college teams do not play each other).

ANC Update: GSA Explains Sale Process; Safeway Traffic; ‘It’s Not About Macaroons’
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The Georgetown/Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC2E) met Jan. 4 at Georgetown Visitation Prep.

Tim Sheckler of the General Services Administration explained the process of the impending sale of the West Heating Plant on 29th Street, just south of the C&O Canal. Future bidders, such as those from the Levy Group and EastBanc, and a Fox5 News camera were also in the room. Designated Federal property, the plant and its land will be sold to the highest bidder, “as is, where it is,” in an online auction.

The future buyer must contend with any cleanup and the land is unzoned. GSA will simply sell the property without regard to its future use. There is no federal transfer to consider, Sheckler said, and there is no “financial angel” to pass the land to D.C. and its community for greater future control. Developers already have plans for the site, which include condos in the plant building and parkland to the south at K Street and Rock Creek. (The Levy Group, with partners that include the Fours Seasons Hotel Corporation, has a comprehensive plan for such redevelopment.

A Jan. 26 public scoping meeting is planned for the community. The property will be marketed in the spring with an approved sale expected by August.

Safeway’s Craig Muckle talked to the group about traffic concerns at its south entry on Wisconsin Avenue. The traffic light for cars leaving the store gets a left-turn green and then a right-turn green. The sequence leaves some cars waiting a little longer for their desired turns. (There is a north entry from the garage as well.) Some wondered whether an additional lane could be made for separate left and right turns onto Wisconsin Avenue; others said that would have pedestrians crossing three lanes at the sidewalk. Safeway and the District’s transportation department will discuss the three-lane exit option, at which point the ANC will comment on that decision.

Macaron Bee, coming to 1669 Wisconsin Avenue, got approval for its tri-fold window from the Old Georgetown Board with redesign requests. Shopkeepers plan to sell pricey macaroons (that’s the English spelling) to sidewalk sweets-lovers. The design is fine, but its intent is under scrutiny. That window could be used to sell almost anything and cause a noisy crowd along the sidewalk. Maurine Littleton, whose gallery is next to the new macaron shop, said she did not like the arrangement, adding, “It’s not about macaroons.”
Littleton and others said they preferred that customers go into the store to buy their cookies and coffee. But the commissioners appeared sympathetic with Macaron Bee and wants “to give the business a chance.” Without mentioning the sidewalk service window, the ANC resolution supported Macaron Bee’s re-designs.

ANC2E will meet on Jan. 30, 6:30 p.m., at Georgetown Visitation Prep on 35th St., NW. For more information visit ANC2E.com or call 202 724 7098.

Key Bridge Dec. 16 Deaths: U.S. Park Police Officer; Jumper Still Not Identified
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A man discovered on the towpath beneath the Key Bridge after 5 p.m. and a United States Park Police officer responding to the emergency both died Dec. 16.

U.S. Park Police Sgt. Michael Boehm suffered a heart attack at 5:30 p.m. on the scene while first responding to the man on the towpath and working with D.C. Fire & EMS personnel. He was pronounced dead at Georgetown University Hospital. The 45-year-old Boehm had been with the Park Police for 19 years and was an Army veteran.

Two joggers running on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal’s towpath halted when coming upon the so-called jumper. Prospect Street resident Andy Kline and his female running companion were stunned at the sight, he said. The woman, who requested anonymity, said she called 911 immediately.

With the Key Bridge at least 35 feet above, the man on the towpath was attended by D.C. Fire & EMS personnel and later pronounced dead at Georgetown University Hospital. He has not been identified by police who have also not confirmed whether he jumped or fell from the bridge.

U.S. Park Police were on the scene at 34th St. and the C&O Canal, next to Francis Scott Key Park. Along with the D.C. Fire Department, the Metropolitan Police Department were also on the scene. With the call, “Officer Down,” there were many Park Police cruisers on the streets; traffic was blocked for a time.

Boehm is the only line-of-duty death this year for the U.S. Park Police, one of the nation’s oldest law enforcement agencies. He is survived by his wife Corrina and son Christopher. A memorial service was held Dec. 28.