CITIZENS GV OLUMEeorgetownXXIV / ISSUE 9/NOVEMBER 2010 WWW. CAGTOWN. ORG Honing in on Zoning: How Georgetown Could Be Affected he November 22 CAG meet- CAG has invited two experts, Travis nars, Letelier Theater (3251 Prospect ing will focus on proposed Parker and Nancy MacWood, to pres- Street NW) is an intriguing venue for TDC zoning changes that may ent the pros and cons on the issues. the CAG meeting. You can enter from significantly affect our neighborhood. Parker is the DC Office of Planning’s Prospect Street and use the staircase As proposed, the regulations encour- “Zoning Rewrite point person” and to the upper level, or enter on N age increased development and densi- MacWood is both an ANC commis- street (beside Neyla’s) directly onto ty. This increase could lead to more sioner in Cleveland Park and the zon- the upper level. (For more informa- institutional and commercial uses as ing specialist from the prestigious tion check out leteliertheater.com) well as loss of green space on indi- Committee of 100 on the Federal City. vidual lots, substantially impacting CAG’s Legal Counsel, Richard Hinds, CAG Historic Preservation and our business and residential streets. will moderate the exchange. Zoning committee Chair, Pamla Moore, promises a lively discussion. CAG’s Historic Preservation and The program will take place at the So do come and hear this critical Zoning Committee has been following Letelier Theater, a “hidden gem in the exchange of ideas and views and the proposed “Zoning Rewrite” by upper courtyard of Georgetown pose your own questions or con- the DC Office of Planning and wants Court”—an intimate theater with cerns. The reception begins at to alert and inform residents about excellent acoustics and state of the art 7 o’clock with the program from the critical issues. The Rewrite will be media presentation facilities. Usually 7:30 until 8:30. issued as proposed regulations over offering programs such as French and the course of the next several months. Italian films and specialty food semi- Georgetown Gets Down at the Gala at the Russian Embassy (see story and more photos on page 6) Awardees Anna Fuhrman and Barbara Downs are Tonya and Lincoln Blunt Outerbridge and introduced by Jennifer Altemus of MRP Realty,Washing- Georgina Horsey ton Harbour with Nancy Taylor-Bubes 1 G EORGETOWN C ITIZENS /NOVEMBER 2010 President’s letter LOVE Halloween in Georgetown. People go all out. The houses look like they have been decorated by IAlfred Hitchcock or Martha Stewart. The kids’ cos- tumes have been in preparations for weeks and when they finally debut, they all look adorable. And the scene on M Street is super fun. Thanks to all those who make this holiday so wonderful, including the police who keep the streets safe. There is nothing new to report on the Georgetown University Campus Plan. After three serious work ses- sions between GU and community representatives (ANC2E, CAG, and the Burleith Citizens Association) on core issues of concern regarding GU’s draft 10-year campus plan for 2010-2020, discussions have been sus- pended. At some point in the future, the parties may resume meeting. GU is required to file their plan by the end of the year and we look forward to presenting our views to the Zoning Commission. Our newsletter next month will focus exclusively on Campus Plan issues. It is important for the neighbors to know the issues and be involved in the process. We plan to join Burleith in put- into a function like this. It was certainly a group effort ting out lawn signs to help raise awareness. And we will and these ladies deserve a huge round of applause. The host another public forum once GU has filed its plan. Gala is CAG’s primary fundraiser and its profits allow us to further CAG’s mission. The 2010 Georgetown Gala was a tremendous success. The Russian Ambassador, His Excellency Sergey Kisylak, Our association’s Beautification Committee new hosted us for a glamorous evening complete with Russian chairs, Patrick Clawson and David Dunning, hosted the vodka, caviar, and the Right On Band. I felt like all of CAG/GU Fall Clean Up day to spruce up both the East Georgetown turned out to honor Barbara Downs and and West Villages. Together with Ray Danieli, students Anna Fuhrman. The silent auction rocked! So many local from the university, and dozens of neighbors, they raked, businesses donated fabulous items and the bidding was shoveled, and bagged truckloads of trash. Red “Save the extremely enthusiastic. The night was truly spectacular. I World” wagons were provided for kids to collect bottles thank everyone who attended and all of the sponsors and and cans. The weather was spectacular as everyone gath- donors who contributed. And I am particularly grateful ered for coffee and muffins and to collect their gear. The to Gala chairs Nancy Taylor Bubes and Lesley Lee and morning ended with lunch provided by the GU Grilling their planning committee who made everything happen. Society. It was a great way to spend a Saturday morn- Annie Lou Bayly Berman and Erika Donohue coordinat- ing– meeting neighbors, cleaning our streets, and eating ed the very labor intensive but extremely profitable auc- good grub! Thanks to everyone who turned out to make tion. I know they couldn’t have done it without all the our village a little bit prettier. help they received, particularly from Patti Cumming, Kathleen Long, Shaun Murphy, Beth Solomon and Jenny Slowly but surely, the work on the O & P Streets trol- Zador. Brooke Carnot persuaded the society “it” band, ley tracks is moving forward. Construction is expected Right On, to perform. Constance Chatfield Taylor, to start by the end of the year and will take about two Colleen Girourd and Amy Tercek took on the decorations years to complete. We will keep you posted on the making the embassy even that much more stunning. process through our website. Robin Jones put the gorgeous invitation together. Cookie See you at the “Zoning” meeting on November 22. Cruse checked everyone in—no small task! And our exec- utive director, Betsy Cooley, together with Elizabeth —Jennifer Altemus Maloy managed to finalize the millions of details that go 2 N OVEMBER 2010 / GEORGETOWN C ITIZENS Aspects of Georgetown Georgetown is the Theme of the Washington Winter Show t seems that we have a reputation ago. We have layers and layers of his- armchair. We might have sugar chests for style. We are pleased, of tory here. Some of the houses have and linen presses with neither sugar Icourse, and such an accolade played major roles in our past and nor linens in them. And architectural makes us feel good, but let’s examine they have the stories to go with them. garden ornaments! The Washington whether it’s deserved. Winter Show may well have these We are good on the details. Our things too and we can look at them, There used to be an event called frequently handsome front doors have sometimes covet them and enjoy our- the Washington Antiques Show; it sidelights (narrow windows on either selves enormously while doing it. was held at the Omni Shoreham and side of a door to let light in). We have it was a big deal. It endured for 55 fanlights or demilunes above the door It’s about design and décor—one years and it was fun, enjoyable. Now for the same reason and also because thinks “this will look good with this that event has morphed into the they are often so decorative. And they but not with that.” Play with it; it’s Washington Winter Show, held at the even have that chic French name. We all about pleasing the eye. Indulge it. Katzen Arts Center at American Uni- have some remaining gaslights here Those glorious glowing oriental rugs, versity in January. With many of the and there and mounting blocks, his- this beautiful and unusual objet for same exhibitors, easy parking and toric accessories from a bygone era. the center of the table, the fabulous great space it definitely continues to pair of Chinese vases for the mantel- be enjoyable and fun. This year the In Georgetown houses you might piece, these things have more than theme of the show is Georgetown. find nine-spindle Windsor chairs and passed the test of time. furniture with claw and ball feet and Continuity is something George- girandole mirrors, butler’s tables even In so far as we have self-confi- town has going for it too: our history, though we don’t have butlers. And dence about this, it comes from our our longevity. Isn’t that what antiques lolling chairs and gate leg tables and continuity, our links to taste and shows are all about, style that tavern tables even though we don’t live style from the past. So to answer the endures, style from the past? We have in taverns. Lolling chairs sound so question asked in the first sentence, the patina of age, like good antiques. wonderfully decadent and disreputable yes, we deserve it. Our streetscape was built a long time even though they are just a kind of —Edith Schafer Why Does It Take So Long To Replace a Bridge? he project to replace the three The new bridges no longer rely on bridges over the C&O Canal is the stone walls to support the bridge Tnear its midway point. The 30th deck. Rather, to provide this support, Street bridge is completed, and the con- a set of subsurface pilings anchored to tractor is making good progress on the bedrock, with a concrete abutment Thomas Jefferson Street bridge, which cap, are being built.