1/28/02:

MW reports that another dance record shop will be
replacing P St's 12" Dance Records (above Subway).

The Blade looks at the evolution of Dupont. See "Is
Dupont neighborhood losing its gay-mecca status?
Residents, activists, business owners weigh in on
changing demographic,"
http://www.washblade.com/local/a.htm

The Blade reported on the Cherry Fund's efforts to
start a gay community center. See "‘Time is ripe’ for 
community center in D.C.: Survey results show support
for project," 
http://www.washblade.com/local/020118c.htm

The WP lauds the "goddess of the stars" adorning the 
statue in Dupont's heart. See "From the Collection," 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38847-2002Jan25.html

Peppers is planning on expanding to the second floor,
as well as adding a roof deck.

The team behind the Topaz and Rouge will shut down the
HoJo (on RI Ave near 14th St) and the Clarion 
Hampshire (on NH Ave near N St) in mid-March to 
transform them into hip boutique hotels. The 82-room 
Hampshire will reopen in September, followed by the 
184-room HoJo in October, which they say will have its
"most fashion-forward design." See "Two hotels close 
for hip redos in overall $60M package,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2002/01/28/story6.html

Bar Rouge is planning on adding an outdoor cafe along
16th St this spring.
   See WP review of bar Rouge,
http://eg.washingtonpost.com/profile/1068243/

Metro supermarket, across from Fresh Fields, has 
closed, and is set to make way for a new development.

WP reports that parking lot at 14th and N, adjacent to
National City Christian Church, has been leased for a
$38-million 12-story 171-unit apartment building. See
second half of "Building on Top of Hecht's,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47127-2002Jan27.html

Caribou Coffee is planning on expanding beyond 
location at 14th and RI Ave, and other nearby spot at
17th & L. See "Caribou Coffee brews ideas for 20 new 
D.C. locations,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2002/01/21/newscolumn8.html

LCCA has interview with owner of The Garden District, 
opening in March. See "Fourteenth Street Development,"
http://www.logancircle.org/news/news2.html

WP gave a good review to U St's Kuna. See "On Top of
Spaghetti,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51412-2002Jan15.html

A shooting incident this Friday on Ontario Rd resulted
in two insightful postings. See [1] and [2] below.

City has again delayed decision on convention center
hotel, to be either a 1,500-room Marriott at 9th &
Mass or a 1,400-room Hilton at 7th & NY Ave. See "D.C.
Takes Its Time to Decide On Convention Center Hotel,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47126-2002Jan27.html

WP reports on 6-story office building to be built 
downtown. See "Building on Top of Hecht's,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47127-2002Jan27.html

TCD reports on 4 historic facades on 900 block of F St
which have been awaiting construction since 2000. See 
"Expired F Street permit puts prime site in limbo," 
http://www.thecommondenominator.com/012802_news1.html

WP reports small parcel fronting 6th St has been added
to Gallery Place project. See "Gallery Place
Developers Plan Offices Next Door,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40903-2002Jan25.html

See "Rhode Island Metro project gets WMATA board 
approval," 
http://www.thecommondenominator.com/012802_news6.html

WP reports Kmart is still planning on coming to 
shopping center off RI Ave NE in Brentwood, along with
Giant and Home Depot. See "Kmart Still Plans To Build 
in D.C.: Work Continues At Site for Northeast Store,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21846-2002Jan22.html

VOTH reports that former Hechinger's in NE will become
a store selling brand-name closeout goods and "every-
day products." See "Life at Hechinger Mall At Long 
Last: National Wholesale Liquidators Coming to Town,"
http://voiceofthehill.com/latest.htm#NWL

WP reports on mayor's "ReStore DC" program, designed
to provide assistance for streetscape improvements and
to rehabilitate deteriorated commercial properties.
See "Mayor Announces Revitalization Program: National
Initiative Targets D.C. Business Districts,
Neighborhood Retail Strips,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40833-2002Jan25.html
   See also "Mayor Announces Citywide Commercial 
Revitalization Program," 
http://dc.gov/mayor/news/release.asp?id=295

See "Streetcars Revisited in D.C.: Revival Considered
As Traffic Takes Turn for the Worse,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11986-2002Jan20.html
   Dupont once had street cars along Conn Ave, the 
west end of P St, and also along 14th St and U St. 
Those tree-filled medians on Conn Ave north and south
of the circle are where the trollies used to descend 
below the circle. See http://www.dctrolley.org/

Be sure to visit the new exhibit at the National
Building Museum, "On Track: Transit and the American
City," which includes much info about our city.

New Web site has details on first auto racing event,
this July at RFK. See http://www.nationalgrandprix.com
   I propose that we freeze over the Dupont fountain 
and invite Brian Boitano and Tonya Harding to race 
around it.

See "Mayor, Police Vow to Crack Down on Illegal 
Posters," (yea!)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25745-2002Jan23.html
   See also http://cleancity.washingtondc.gov/

Tomorrow, January 29: I'll be emailing a copy of my
annual "State of the Circle" speech, and will be 
reading it live by the fountain at 8:30pm. 

Saturday, February 2: Rainbow History Project presents
a talk with gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny, 1 to 3pm.
See http://www.rainbowhistory.org/

Monday, February 4: National Building Museum holds 
lecture "Downtown: Its Rise, Fall, and Rejuvenation," 
6:30 - 8:00. See [3] below. 
   See also http://www.nbm.org/Calendar/Lectures.html

Wednesday, February 6: Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian
Symposium, highlighting the new Maryland Statewide 
Bicycle and Pedestrian 20-year Plan. See 
http://www.ohbike.org/symposium/
   I mention this because I wish DC had a bicycle and 
pedestrian 20-year plan. (The city expects to release
a bike plan later this year.) See what Maryland's
doing at http://www.fhiplan.com/md_bike_ped_plan/

Sunday, April 21: Adams Morgan will have its first
House Tour in more than 20 years, with a brunch at 
Perry's. See http://www.AdamsMorganTour.com/

Best regards,
Michael
------------------------------------------------------
[1]                [from ColumbiaBuzz@yahoogroups.com]
Ontario Road Gun Shots Rile Reed-Cooke Neighborhood

According to witnesses, a shooter believed to be 
associated with a drug gang operating in the vicinity
of Champlain and Kalorama fired 6 shots at an alleged
member of a rival drug gang that operates in the 
vicinity of Euclid and 17th Streets NW. The gun fire 
erupted this past Friday evening at 6pm from the 
sidewalk in front of 2441 Ontario Rd. NW.  
   A resident and construction worker on the roof of a
residence immediately across the street witnessed the 
day light shooting. Several other residents of the 
2400 block of Ontario Road were bystanders to the 
burst of gunfire.  None was injured, although a Volvo
belonging to Sandra Dominey had the rear window shot 
out and with several bullet holes puncturing the roof.
The spray of gunfire on the residential street has 
also left bullet holes on the construction paneling at
a nearby housing renovation project. 
   With at least one small child, construction workers
and residents on the street at the time, concern has 
spread through the neighborhood over the shooting.   
   Police are believed to have apprehended the shooter
in a related shooting incident on 18th St. NW.
   The intermittent Champlain and Kalorama road drug 
dealing market may have seen its days numbered. The 
Reed-Cooke neighborhood fought hard to have the almost
complete mixed use residential, parking garage and 
retail establishment approved.  With its coming 
residential occupancy, there will be scores of new 
home owners to witness and report drug dealing 
activity that could be taking place outside their 
living room windows.  The potential for that kind of 
responsible residential involvement was one of the key
elements moving the neighborhood to kill the liquor 
businesses proposal for a structure designed for night
club parking. 
   The more serious and on-going drug market at 17th &
Euclid Streets will require considerably more civic 
effort than has been mustered to date. 
------------------------------------------------------
[2]  
   Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 
   From: 
Subject: Re: Crime

Tonight, January 25th around 6:30 pm a terrible 
incident happend on the 2400 block of Ontario Road: 
two guys walking down the street started arguing, one
of them took out a gun and started shooting in plain 
view until he emptied his gun. Luckily, he had taken 
cover next to my car which took 4 of the six bullets 
fired. I, a friend of mine and several other neighbors
witnessed the shooting. By the time we got through to 
911, both individuals had fled, one south- the other 
northbound on Ontario Road. My car has three huge 
bullet holes in the hood and a busted window. Another
bullet penetrated a plywood wall across the street. 
Luckily no one got hurt, I guess my car saved 
someone's life. Now, this is one of the most terrible 
things that have happened lately. And I do agree with 
a previous message posted: crummy, useless stores and
fast food joints will only attract this kind of 
clientele. Why don't we try to attract more useful and
economically sounder businesses to our 
neighborhood???? Adams Morgan seems to be on its way 
out, due mainly a lot of people's indifference, low 
standards, resistance to change, stubborness and a 
lack of desire for progress.
   Too bad and very sad. Mothers with toddlers were 
walking home from day cares, kids were walking down 
our sidewalks, everybody on the block is in total 
shock and my car is ruined. Will this community every 
wake up to reality????

Sandra Dominey
------------------------------------------------------
[3]  
Downtowns were once the crowning jewels of American
cities. During their heyday, subways, trolleys, and
trains brought people and goods to bustling city
centers. After World War II, the construction of
elevated highways encouraged people to leave them
behind. Robert M. Fogelson, professor of urban studies
and history at MIT, will consider how downtown - and
the way Americans perceive it -has changed over time
yet continues to pervade American culture. After his
presentation, he will sign copies of his book
Downtown: Its Rise and Fall 1880 - 1950 (Yale
University Press). Presented in conjunction with the
exhibition On Track: Transit and the American City.
$10 Museum members; $14 nonmembers. Registration
required. 
[Call 202 272-2448 ext. 3555 or see
http://www.nbm.org/Calendar/Reservation.html]
[Book info at
http://www.yale.edu/yup/books/090625.htm]