12/31/01: Kulturas closed its location at 1608 20th St (near Zorba's). Space will become a second branch of Miss Pixie's Furnishings and Whatnot, the fabulous store in Adams Morgan. Kulturas remains in former Outlook location one block up on Conn Ave. Penang Malaysian Cuisine now open at 19th & M, completing the redevelopment of that little corner (with Le Jardin, Starbucks and Chipotle). Next to the new Starbucks at NH Ave & U St, the leftover Julio's space will be turned into a sushi restaurant, with pool tables below, by the same people who run Dragonfly (1215 Conn Ave). WP profiled Dupont's subterranean escalator exit. See "Climbing a Mountain to Get to the Surface," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26720-2001Dec26.html New garden store coming to 14th & S, on empty corner lot (and little red & white house facing S St). Local landscape architect will open "The Garden District" this spring, selling annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, and outdoor lighting. WBJ profiled the Josephine Butler Parks Center, on east side of Meridian Hill Park. See "Butler center occupies a high place in history of D.C.," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/17/focus7.html See also http://www.washingtonparks.net/generic.jhtml?pid=9 Adams Morgan parking garage between 18th St and Champlain St is now open. 59 lofts to open fall 2002. Parking lot at 11th & M expected to be developed into a 110-unit luxury apartment building. Developer is looking to also purchase lot at 10th & L, and is currently working on a 700-unit residential complex at 4th & G SW. See "Monument stakes residential ground," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/17/story3.html National Capitol Revitalization Corp, which exists to "spur economic growth," awarded the old wax museum site at 5th & K to Horning Bros, the same developer who has sat on the Tivoli Theatre property in Columbia Height since 1999. Horning leads a $3.9 million proposal for 535 apartments, a grocery, art galleries, restaurants, and a theatre for Washington Stage Guild. See "Deal to Remold Former D.C. Site Of Wax Museum: Theater, Apartments, Shops Envisioned," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3975-2001Dec19.html Horning's $3.9 million bid was surprisingly low, considering that one of the initial bidders offered $40 million, and the highest of the four finalist's offers was $8 million. The city's demands for low- income housing had already reduced the worth of this 5-acre vacant lot in prime real estate, which would normally be worth $17 million. WBJ looks at how the District's requirements for "affordable housing" wipes out millions from the market value of the old Wax Museum site. See 2nd half of "District Beat," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/17/newscolumn4.html See also "Affordable housing rule dead after D.C. action," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/24/story4.html It may be appropriate for the city to guide the future use of property it is selling, but this should be accomplished primarily through zoning regulations. I should like to see the elimination of the term "affordable housing," as I find it hard to imagine that any developer, homebuyer, or government would want unaffordable housing. Any attempt to legislate lower prices for houses seems folly, as lower prices would simply increase demand. The forces that create high housing prices are the same which make for better neighborhoods: low crime, good schools, good design, quality materials, and good neighbors. Developers can offer lower prices by building tiny units using crappy materials and cheap designs. Politicians who call for "affordable housing" are most likely calling for campaign contributions from developers, and are using public monies to buy votes from people expecting to get subsidized housing. 800-seat theatre being studied for F St across from MCI Center. See "Shakespeare Theatre Considers Expansion: D.C. Tax Aid Proposed For Downtown Site," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32450-2001Dec27.html Benjamin Forgey reviews cool new lighting displays at city hall and Market Square. See "Pennsylvania Avenue's Dazzling Power Play: High-Wattage Light Show Turns Stone Facade Into Canvas of Color," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3942-2001Dec19.html The just-opened remodeled Benetton at Wisconsin and M St is the largest branch in the US. See "Yes, in your back yard: Controversial Boys Town shelter moves forward despite vehement opposition from neighbors," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/17/story5.html WBJ looks at progress of Anacostia Riverfront Initiative, saying several new bridges and renovations are being considered: * The Frederick Douglass Bridge could be moved south to complete South Cap St * Improvements to 11th Street Bridge interchange * New pedestrian bridge to extend Maryland Ave * New pedestrian bridge to connect Hains Point to the Southwest Waterfront * New bridge to bring Mass Ave across the river City is also looking at reconfiguring Maine Ave and bringing light rail to M St SE. See "Anacostia's bridges to the future: Plans to bring new life to the riverfront may hinge on better roads and bridges," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/17/focus1.html WP reports on the new $450 neon yellow "Yield to Pedestrians" pylons. I'd rather see them placed only temporarily in hot spots, and in conjunction with actual police enforcement. See "Crosswalk Signs Inaugurate Pedestrian-Safety Campaign," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26718-2001Dec26.html 18th & Columbia and 16th & Irving are two of the city's most dangerous intersections for pedestrians. See "Perilous Intersections," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26724-2001Dec26.html See also http://www.walkdc.org/ Dr. Gridlock ponders the merits of true "pedestrian communities." See "Quest for Driving Options Meanders to Europe," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52574-2001Dec16.html WBJ looks at Pentagon Row (which includes 504 apartments) and Clarendon's The Market Common (with 387 apartments). See "Two `urban villages' bring downtown style to suburb," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/17/focus5.html See also "Newfangled and Old-Fashioned: A Curious Hybrid Of Town and Mall," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46334-2001Dec14.html The Market Common has two stores not yet in DC: the drool-worthy Apple store, and the cheesey-but-useful Container Store, not to mention some robot snowmen in the courtyard. WBJ takes a broader look at "lifestyle centers," which it calls developments "characterized by an open-air environment with walkable streets, nicely landscaped grounds, trendy national retailers and favorite local ones." Pentagon Row, Bethesda Row, and The Market Common are modeled after what Georgetown has offered for years. See "New lifestyle centers bring hot trends out in the open," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/17/focus6.html Georgetown needs to realize that it has what every one else is copying, and strengthen its drawing power. Step 1 is to widen the sidewalks to make M St more of a destination and less of a road. What's going on in Clarendon that's sorely lacking in Dupont Circle? Planning. The Clarendon Alliance has a luculent vision statement that focuses on the streetscape. In DC, it seems every community workshop and every neighborhood summit purporting to make our neighborhoods better sinks into a hodgepodge of city services. It is rare to see attention paid to the physical fabric of our neighborhood: the sidewalks, the little parks, the street furniture, and the unlit fountain in our neighborhood's heart. A key paragraph of their vision follows: "WE BELIEVE that COMMUNITY IDENTITY is created and maintained by (1) celebrating arrival points, (2) reinforcing distinguishing, unique and historical characteristics, (3) promoting a pedestrian environment, and (4) incorporating new, peripheral areas and (5) enhancing the quality of life in the neighborhood." Read it in its entirety at http://www.clarendon.org/urban/vision.htm Dupont's main arrival point is the P St Bridge. Wouldn't it be nice to highlight that section of P St to celebrate people's arrival? Friday, January 4: First Friday - open house for Dupont's art galleries. See http://www.washingtonprintmakers.com/friday.html Saturday, January 12: Opening reception at Fusebox for "Chromophilia," 6-8pm. See [1] below. Best regards, Michael ------------------------------------------------------ [1] Fusebox, located at 1412 Fourteenth Street, NW in Washington, DC, is pleased to announce its upcoming exhibition, CHROMOPHILIA, opening January 12 and running through February 24, 2002. A reception for the artists-Jason Gubbiotti, Sylvan Lionni, Gary Petersen, W.C. Richardson, Vincent Szarek, and Patrick Wilson- will be held Saturday, January 12, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. CHROMOPHILIA is a response to an argument put forth by British art historian David Batchelor in his book, Chromophobia (Reaktion Books: London, 2000). In it, Batchelor defines chromophobia as "the fear of corruption or contamination through color." Throughout the history of western art, he argues, chromophobia has manifest itself by attempts to marginalize and eradicate color. Color has been characterized as foreign-vulgar, primitive, irrational-and therefore dangerous; or as superficial-cosmetic and inessential- and therefore trivial. Evidence of chromophobia can be found as far back as the Renaissance, when artists and scholars reconstructed the classical world as an ideal, rational environment by leeching it of color. Nineteenth Century Neoclassicists asserted the essential primacy of linear form over superficial color; their champion, Ingres, railed against the "barbarism" of the new school of Romantic colorists. In the 1960s, Judd and other Minimalists were generally suspect of applied color, often favoring the intrinsic color of industrial materials. Even today the bias persists in the refinement and cold rationality we associate with immaculate, colorless spaces; modern museums and white-box galleries are often the very milieus that sanction contemporary visual art. In the face of this historic marginalization of color, CHROMOPHILIA presents six contemporary artists-Jason Gubbiotti, Sylvan Lionni, Gary Petersen, W.C. Richardson, Vincent Szarek, and Patrick Wilson, based in Washington, New York and Los Angeles-who use color as an essential intellectual element in their work. Their approach to and use of color varies, but all embrace color and integrate it with rationality, control, directness, and wit. Far from the unrestrained or cosmetic, these artists present a cerebral, objective approach to color and an argument for its relevance and integral presence in work that addresses contemporary culture. For further information, please contact Sarah Finlay at (202) 299-9220. Gallery hours: Wednesday-Saturday 12:00-8:00 pm and Sunday 12:00-6:00 pm. Fusebox 1412 Fourteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 t 202.299.9220 f 202.299.9221 www.fuseboxdc.com |