THE GEORGETOWN CURRENT Wednesday, June 22, 2016 Serving Burleith, Foxhall, Georgetown, Georgetown Reservoir & Glover Park Vol. XXV, No. 47 D.C. activists HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, KID Historic district vision sound off on faces debate in Burleith constitution ciation with assistance from Kim ■ Preservation: Residents Williams of the D.C. Historic By CUNEYT DIL Preservation Office. The goal of Current Correspondent divided at recent meeting the presentation, citizens associa- By MARK LIEBERMAN tion members said, was to gather Hundreds of Washingtonians Current Staff Writer community sentiments and turned out for two constitutional address questions about the impli- convention events over the week- Burleith took a tentative step cations of an application. Many at end to give their say on how the toward historic district designa- the meeting appeared open to the District should function as a state, tion at a community meeting benefits of historic designation, completing the final round of pub- Thursday — but not everyone was while some grumbled that the pre- lic comment in the re-energized immediately won over by the sentation focused too narrowly on push for statehood. prospect. positive ramifications and not The conventions, intended to More than 40 residents of the enough on potential negative ones. hear out practical tweaks to a draft residential neighborhood, which Neighborhood feedback is cru- constitution released last month, lies north and west of George- cial to the process of becoming a brought passionate speeches, and town, turned out for a presentation historic district, Williams said dur- even songs, for the cause. The from the Burleith Citizens Asso- See Burleith/Page 2 events at Wilson High School in Tenleytown featured guest speak- ers and politicians calling on the city to seize recent momentum for Shelter site neighbors seek statehood. Many residents agreed the 51st state should have a larger legislature, and others suggested greater study, public input diluting certain proposed powers of the executive, such as the line- item veto. Brian Kapur/The Current ■ Homelessness: Cheh On the other hand, a sizable The all-volunteer Picnic Theatre Company presented a defends selection process portion of residents took issue performance of “Casablanca,” based on the 1942 silver with the convention process, screen classic, at Georgetown’s Dumbarton House last By BRADY HOLT which instead of using elected, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Current Staff Writer voting delegates gave any attend- See Statehood/Page 5 Residents near the proposed Ward 3 homeless shelter location are increasing their criticisms of the D.C. Council’s site selection process. A new citizens group and ANC backs Rite Aid liquor compromise the area’s advisory neighborhood By BRADY HOLT 16 meeting that her “first instinct” commission are both calling for Current Staff Writer was to file a protest against Rite further study of the plan for 3320 Brian Kapur/The Current Aid’s application, but when the Idaho Ave. NW. The shelter would replace the Glover Park’s Rite Aid phar- pharmacy approached her to dis- The council approved the Idaho parking lot behind the station. macy staved off a fight with the cuss the settlement agreement, she site — now a parking lot behind community’s advisory neighbor- concluded it was best to compro- the Metropolitan Police Depart- facilities around the city. But in hood commission last Thursday mise. The commission unani- ment’s 2nd District Headquarters several neighborhoods, the spe- by signing an agreement that lim- mously approved the settlement — after rejecting Mayor Muriel cific sites selected have come its its hours of planned alcohol agreement without public debate. Bowser’s original plans to lease under fire for various reasons. sales and establishes other opera- Under the agreement, which land at Wisconsin Avenue and Ward 3 Council member Mary tional requirements. will still need approval from the Edmunds Street NW. Council Cheh said the deciding factor for The compromise position was Brian Kapur/Current file photo alcohol board later this year, Rite members concluded that it was Bowser’s Ward 3 site proposal an abrupt end to strong neighbor- The settlement agreement will Aid can sell alcohol from 9 a.m. to fiscally imprudent to enter into was its price tag, not community hood opposition against Rite Aid go before the Alcoholic Beverage 11 p.m. daily, rather than the max- costly leases with private develop- fears about the shelter’s impacts. selling beer, wine and spirits at its Control Board later this year. imum legal hours of 7 a.m. to ers and instead chose to use the “When you want to put in a new 2255 Wisconsin Ave. NW midnight it had originally sought. government-owned police site. facility for homeless families, location. ANC 3B had asked the board declined to do so, clearing Outside those hours, the checkout The effort is part of the broader wherever you’re going to put it, it Alcoholic Beverage Control Board the way for Rite Aid to apply for a counters would be programmed to push, widely supported in princi- seems it’s inevitable there will be earlier this year to renew a mora- license. not allow alcohol sales, and wine ple, to close the D.C. General fam- some who object,” Cheh said in an torium on new liquor store licens- ANC 3B chair Jackie Blumen- and spirits would be blocked off ily shelter and distribute short- interview. “The key factor was es in the neighborhood, but the thal said at her commission’s June See Agreement/Page 14 term homeless services to smaller See Shelter/Page 5 NEWS PASSAGES SPORTS INDEX Calendar/16 Police Report/6 Classifieds/22 Real Estate/13 Hotel reopens East meets West Pitching ace District Digest/4 School Dispatches/10 Glover Park Hotel boasts fresh Exhibit at Hillwood showcases St. John’s senior strikes Gatorade Exhibits/17 Service Directory/20 In Your Neighborhood/12 Sports/11 renovations, Southern Italian artwork from Japan’s little-known gold, winning D.C. player of the Opinion/8 Week Ahead/3 restaurant / Page 3 art deco era / Page 7 year after stellar season / Page 11 Tips? Contact us at [email protected] 2 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2016 G THE CURRENT BURLEITH: Residents split over historic district concept From Page 1 even increase, once a neighbor- hood transforms into an historic ing her presentation. The Historic district. Preservation Office can’t initiate Numerous residents expressed an application on a neighbor- support for the application process hood’s behalf, and broad commu- during the meeting, noting that nity consensus is among the big- they want to preserve the aesthetic gest factors in the final vote on the characteristics that made them application. Applications in Chevy eager to move there in the first Chase, Barney Circle, Eckington place. and Brookland faltered in recent But the presentation didn’t years because the communities assuage every concern. Walter couldn’t reach agreement, she Hillabrant, a 38th Street NW resi- said. dent who has lived in the commu- Photos by Alex Frederick The Burleith Citizens Associa- nity for more than 40 years, told Some Burleith residents want to protect the community’s tion has renewed its research on The Current before the meeting 1920s row houses from major expansions or alterations. historic districts after a previous that, even with input from the attempt in 2005 stalled because community, he doesn’t necessarily essary burden on the community. for a cloistered order of nuns, a said at the meeting. “I don’t see the cost appeared prohibitive. want the government deciding “I’m not necessarily opposed to home for incorrigible girls and a developers not wanting to develop Development in the neighborhood what he can do to his home. historic districts,” Hegy said. “I’m home for former slaves. When here. They’re looking for as many has spiked in recent years as “It’s not like it’s chaotic out just not sure if it’s right for Bur- developer Shannon & Luchs built opportunities as possible.” Georgetown University students there. There are regulations in leith.” most of today’s Burleith in the Should the neighborhood have moved on campus and inves- existence,” Hillabrant said. “Some Richard Parker, who moved 1920s, it laid out the blocks sym- choose to move forward, it will tors have come in seeking to snap people have complained they’re into Burleith last year, expressed metrically with distinctive house have support from Ward 2 D.C. up and expand former rental not enforced. They perhaps should concern that restricting develop- designs at the center and corners Council member Jack Evans, who homes. be enforced. But that doesn’t nec- ment on the front-facing portions of each row. told The Current that he thinks Thursday’s meeting was the essarily mean they should be sup- of nearby houses would push more Preserving that history won’t Burleith is well-positioned for second of three information-gath- planted.” expansion projects to the rear. mean keeping the neighborhood designation. ering presentations for the com- Hillabrant’s neighbor Sheila That trend is a possibility, Wil- stagnant, said Lenore Rubino, the “It’s really up to the neighbor- munity, with the third one sched- Hegy also expressed trepidation liams conceded. other co-chair of the Historic Des- hood to decide whether they want uled for September. about the long-term effects of dis- Burleith’s oldest house dates ignation Committee. She pointed to pursue it or not,” Evans said. Williams said benefits of the couraging development and back to 1803, Carol Baume, co- out that the high demand for real “We have a lot of historic districts process include preserving historic growth. She said she’s happy to chair of the citizens association’s estate across the city means that, in Ward 2, and they all work very buildings, recycling old buildings see young families moving into Historic Designation Committee even with designation, develop- well.” for new uses and involving the the neighborhood and doesn’t said at Thursday’s meeting.