Georgetowners Stay in Touch with GroupMe
• February 26, 2015

Georgetown residents, police and retailers have come to rely on the Business Improvement District’s GroupMe messaging account to get up-to-date information on thefts, fires and other safety concerns in the neighborhood. The BID and the Metropolitan Police Department launched the “Georgetown Business Public Safety” GroupMe account last March as a way for the community to stay in touch with law enforcement. The BID is in charge of adding new members to the messaging group.

When the group started, most messages came from police officers alerting community members and retailers about things to watch out for. But as the group has evolved, more and more messages come from people working at local shops reporting “suspicious activity,” theft and general disorder in the area. Sometimes these messages are accompanied by photos of those suspected to be causing trouble.

To such messages, police officers on the message chain usually reply ‘omw’ (on my way) or tell the retailers to call 911 for immediate assistance. (As with most messaging media these days, spelling and grammatical errors abound and abbreviations – like ‘bolo’ for be on the lookout – are plentiful.)

Rachel Cothran from the BID says the message board has “been enormously helpful to the merchants. They’re better connected to one another, and they get immediate responses from officers.”

It is unclear what happens when the police arrive at these scenes, but it’s likely that their presence wards off thefts and in some cases arrests have been made. Sales associates at local stores frequently ask for police walk-throughs to deter “suspicious” characters from committing theft or other crimes. Cothran says an exact number of thefts precluded or arrests is “hard to quantify.”

GroupMe was launched in 2010 and acquired by Skype in 2011. Having purchased Skype, Microsoft now owns the app.

Mayor Bowser’s Office Answers Marijuana Questions
•

Initiative 71 goes into effect on Feb. 26, legalizing marijuana possession and cultivation in the District.

If only it were that simple.

The law goes into affect in light of Congressional inaction to block it during a 30-legislative-day window in which they have to privilege to do so. The law legalizes the possession of up to two ounces of marijuana and six marijuana plants (two of which can be mature). It also allows for the gifting of up to one ounce but includes no provision for sales. However, Congress in its latest spending bill has forbidden the Council from using funds to “enact” any legislation easing marijuana prohibition or establishing a legal market in the District.

Mayor Bowser’s office released the guidance below to help District residents and police navigate the complexities of D.C.’s new marijuana laws. The following is an abbreviated transcript of the District government’s “Initiative 71 and D.C.’s Marijuana Laws: Questions and Answers” document:

Q: When will Initiative 71 become law?
A: 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2015.

Q: What is legal under Initiative 71and D.C.’s Marijuana laws?
A: It is legal for adults 21 years of age or older to: Possess two ounces or less of marijuana; Grow within their primary residence up to six marijuana plants, no more than three of which are mature; Transfer one ounce or less of marijuana to another person as long as: (1) no money, goods, or services are exchanged; and (2) the recipient is 21 years of age or older; and Consume marijuana on private property.

Q: What will the law still prohibit?
A: Even with the enactment of Initiative 71, it will remain a crime for anyone to: Possess more than two ounces of marijuana; Smoke or consume marijuana on public space or anywhere to which the public is invited; Sell any amount of marijuana to another person; or Operate a vehicle or boat under the influence of marijuana.

Q: What is the impact of Initiative 71 on persons under 21?
A: Anyone under 21 years of age is still prohibited from possessing any amount of marijuana. If marijuana is found in the possession of a youth under 21, police will seize the marijuana. If the person has more than two ounces, the person can also be arrested.

Q: How will Initiative 71 apply to federal property in the District?
A: It doesn’t. It will continue to be illegal to use marijuana in public anywhere in the District of Columbia. Under federal law, federal law enforcement officers may arrest anyone in the District for possession of any amount of marijuana.

Q: Where can marijuana be bought for personal consumption?
A: Marijuana can be grown at home or shared; it can’t be sold. Home grow; home use. Home cultivation is permitted of up to 3 mature plants or 6 mature plants in a household with multiple adults who are 21 and over. Up to one ounce of marijuana can be shared so long as there is no exchange of money, good or services.

Q: I thought the District was going to tax and regulate marijuana?
A: Congressional interference means the District can’t enact any regulatory framework for the sale or taxation of marijuana. So, for now, marijuana cannot be sold, or taxed.

Construction Coming to Fillmore School, Domino’s Pizza Sites
•

Keep an eye out for construction crews at 3255-59 Prospect St. NW, a Domino’s Pizza location, and 1801 35th St. NW, formerly the Corcoran’s Georgetown campus in the historic Fillmore School building. According to the agenda for the March 2 meeting of the Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission, the Domino’s site will undergo new construction for a future mixed use.

At the old Fillmore School property (although purchase offers to TTR Sotheby’s International Realty still have a deadline of March 31 and are not final), there will be alterations to the school and new townhouse construction. Both projects are in the concept stage and will also be presented to the Old Georgetown Board.

The Fillmore School property was up for sale five years ago and looked ready to go to condo developer EastBanc, which re-did the Georgetown Post Office, among other buildings. The Fillmore parking lot – it is large and extends to 34th Street– will likely follow the example of the Phillips School on the east side and the Wormley School on the west side: townhouses will likely occupy those spaces. Stay tuned.

Panel Created to Celebrate Rock Creek Park’s 125th
• February 19, 2015

“Find Yourself in Rock Creek Park” is the new theme of Washington’s urban park, founded in September 1890. To help celebrate Rock Creek Park’s 125th birthday, a green-ribbon, 22-member panel of advisors has been formed, coordinated by Rock Creek Conservancy. On the panel are representatives of environmental organizations, such as Audubon Naturalist Society, Casey Trees and the Dumbarton Oaks Parks Conservancy; Tommy Wells of the D.C. Department of the Environment; and local politicians Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett.

Rock Creek Park is one of the largest urban forested areas in the world, twice the size of New York’s Central Park and the third oldest national park. Rock Creek itself runs 33 miles from Laytonville, Md., to Georgetown, D.C., and the Potomac River. Information on upcoming events will be available at RockCreekPark125.org, soon to go live. There is a mobile app, too.

Dorm Rooms Coming to Georgetown University Hotel
• February 11, 2015

Georgetown University will begin converting the second and third floors of the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center, 3800 Reservoir Rd. NW, into student dorms in May. Almost half the rooms in the hotel will be converted. The renovation will provide housing for 140 students.

At the same time, the reconstruction of the former Jesuit Residence on the university’s historic Quadrangle will accommodate 148 students.

Student Kristen Sullivan told the student newspaper, the Hoya, that the rooms, although useful for providing space, may create a fractured campus. “Not only would the hotel be an isolated living space, but more people would filter through the hotel area and the food court, and I’m not entirely sure how that would impact the hospital crowd,” she said.

According to Vice President for Planning and Facilities Management Robin Morey, the renovation will have minimal impact on the layout and architecture of the hotel. For student safety, they want to minimize the amount of interaction between the hotel guests and their students, he told the Hoya.

Under Armour Reconditioning Old Nathans Space
•

At the Feb. 2 Advisory Neighborhood Commission meeting, Anthony Barnes of Barnes Vance Architects showed plans for a rebirth of the building at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street – 3150 M St. NW and 1083 Wisconsin Ave. NW – most famous for housing Nathans Restaurant.

The building dates to 1860. Plans call for it to be renovated to its 1920s heyday with its box windows, Juliet balconies, re-done corner entry and other historic details. “This was when the building was at its most handsome,” Barnes said.

The Heon family owned the place, where family members lived and worked, for 100 years. It was sold to Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank a year ago for just over $12 million.

The design, which includes center stairs for three levels of retail and a top-floor condo with a roof deck, won approval from the commission. As for Under Armour definitely occupying the space, Barnes said it had not yet been decided.

The Georgetown to Embark on Major Renovation
•

The Georgetown, a 92-unit assisted-living facility at 2512 Q St. NW, will undergo a multi-million-dollar building renovation, expected to begin in May and take about a year to complete.

According to the facility’s owners, Twenty-Five Twelve Q Street Associates, LP, to protect the safety of its residents and to expedite the renovation, The Georgetown will temporarily close and will assist residents and their families in relocation.

Originally an apartment building built in the 1920s, The Georgetown opened as a retirement home in 1978. It was one of the city’s first facilities to address the growing needs of its elderly population, offering both housing and an array of social services.

The renovation will completely transform the interior of the building. Improvements to the common areas include enlarged first-floor amenity spaces, a new fitness center, theater and salon and all new furnishings and fixtures. In addition, individual apartments will be renovated to include enlarged bathrooms with showers instead of tubs, new kitchenettes and new flooring, lighting and electrical upgrades. Major building systems will also be overhauled, with new heating and ventilation systems and replacement of the boiler and chiller, as well as an elevator modernization.

The Georgetown’s owners have engaged Hord Coplan Macht, a Baltimore-based architectural firm that specializes in housing for seniors.

Crime Report
•

There was a spate of vehicle break-ins on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1, in Georgetown, according to the Second District of the Metropolitan Police Department. Most notably, there were at least 15 smash-and-grabs on the east side of Georgetown. Lt. John Knutsen of MPD presented the crime report at the Feb. 2 ANC meeting (the officer said that even his car had been broken into recently). Commissioner Ed Solomon said of the thieves: “They are there, constantly roaming.”

? 3600 block, S Street NW: sexual assault, Jan. 21.
? 3000 block, Dent Place NW: theft, Jan. 20.
? 2900 block, Dumbarton Street NW: theft from vehicle, Jan. 26.
? 3000 block, M Street NW: theft, Jan. 22, Jan. 27.
? 3100 block, M Street NW: theft, Jan. 21.
? 3200 block, M Street NW: theft, Jan. 22, Jan. ? 23, Jan. 24, Jan. 25, Jan. 26, Jan. 27.
? 2900 block, N Street NW: theft, Jan. 21.
? 3100 block, N Street NW: theft, Jan. 26.
? 3600 block, O Street: theft, Jan. 21, Jan. 23.
? 3207 O St. NW (sidewalk): assault with dangerous weapon, 10:30 p.m., Jan. 22. Suspect arrested; complainant refused medical treatment.
? 1738 to 1899 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW (grocery, supermarket): shoplifting, 9 a.m., Jan. 23.
? 1000 to 1003 block of Thomas Jefferson Street NW (customer area): theft 2nd degree, overnight, Jan. 23.
? 3200 to 3277 block of M Street NW (customer area): theft 2nd degree, 7:29 p.m., Jan. 23.
Potomac and Prospect Streets NW: robbery, Jan. 24.

Taxicab Commissioner Steps Down
• January 29, 2015

D.C. Taxicab Commissioner Ron Linton resigned from his post after three years of work on updating outdated regulations. Under his post, taxis were mandated to install credit card readers and, in March, the city will test its own app for hailing cabs. Mayor Muriel Bowser has appointed former administrator for the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Eric Rogers to fill the position.

Ellington School Construction Over Budget
•

The $139-million Duke Ellington School for the Arts Modernization Project is running over budget, according to the Department of General Services, and may also miss its deadline: the start of the historic high school’s 2016-17 academic year.

Ellington students have moved to Eugene Meyer Elementary School on 11th Street NW.

The construction will expand the 1898 school building at 3500 R St. NW – originally known as Western High School – to 294,900 square feet. The plans include a new atrium, an 850-seat theater and a classroom and limited-use space on the roof.

The school’s main portico will be preserved. Plans for exterior changes to the school still face scrutiny by the Historic Preservation Review Board.

The formal groundbreaking for the modernization project, by then mayor Vincent Gray, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, other local politicians and school officials, took place Dec. 19. [gallery ids="101967,135687" nav="thumbs"]