ArtPlace has named the intersection of Adams Morgan, U Street, and DuPont Circle as one of the top 12 “ArtPlaces” of 2013.
ArtPlace describes itself as a collaborative effort on the part of 13 foundations, eight federal agencies, and six banks to invest in community art. ArtPlace believes patronizing the arts in this way “can drive vibrancy and diversity so powerful that it transforms communities.”
The top 12 ArtPlaces of 2013 are 12 “neighborhoods in the largest 44 metropolitan areas in the country where the arts are central to creating places where people—residents and visitors—want to be.”
According to a press release, the list was compiled using 6 criteria.
Four indicators measure the ingredients of vibrancy: the number of retail and service businesses; the percentage of independent businesses; the neighborhood’s Walk Score; and the percentage of workers in creative occupations living in the neighborhood. Two arts-related indicators were also used: the number of arts-related non-profits and the number of arts-related businesses. Finally, neighborhood scores were normalized for family income so that neighborhoods with the highest concentration of income did not skew the results.
Adams Morgan scored well in all of these categories, particularly in the percentage of independent businesses and the number of arts-related, non-profit ones. The detailed list of the 12 ArtPlaces reports that 88 percent of all businesses in Adams Morgan are independent, and 43 of them are non-profit or related to the arts.
D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray was confident in his belief that the neighborhood’s place on the list is well-earned, and indicates the broader trend of improvement within the entire district. “This recognition affirms the investments we have been making in the District’s livability and sustainability as well as the investments we’ve made in our creative economy by supporting artists, small businesses, cultural non-profits, retail and restaurants. These individuals and institutions, in turn, improve the District’s quality of life by creating safe, convenient, unique and thriving neighborhoods,” he said in a press release.
In the past few weeks, many Advisory Neighborhood Commissions in D.C. voted in favor of placing medical marijuana dispensaries in the city. So far, ANC 2B voted 7-0 in favor of a medical marijuana start-up Herbal Alternatives in West End. ANC 6B approved the Metropolitan Wellness Center’s application for a dispensary in Barracks Row, voting 9-0. ANC 4B voted this past Tuesday 6-2 to approve a dispensary located at 6925 Blair Road NW in Takoma.
However, on the same day that ANC 4B approved a dispensary, ANC 5C voted against an application from Center CityCare to operate one at 1334 N. Capitol Street NW. Six ANCs in 5C voted against the dispensary. The discussion centered on the possibility of increased crime, and the potentially negative effects the dispensary would have on neighboring businesses.
What does this mean for us? Based on the proposal approved by ward 2, a medical dispensary Herbal Alternatives might appear in DuPont. According to the DCist, “if granted licenses, the dispensaries will be able to sell up to two ounces of medical marijuana a month to qualifying patients or their caregivers.” The owner of Herbal Alternatives, Jennifer Brunenkant, submitted a letter of intent which was approved by the DOH last September. The location of the shop will reportedly be between L and M streets on 20th Street, just blocks away from GW and Foggy Bottom.
By the end of this week, the ANCs will submit recommendations to the Department of Health on the four medical dispensaries seeking licenses. The final approval from the DOH will be sent out June 25.
Starting tomorrow, the south entrance of the Dupont Circle Metro station will be closed while the three escalators leading into and out of the station are completely replaced. The entrance has to be closed for safety reasons because each escalator must be removed via crane. The project is expected to last 8 and a half months.
Because the current escalators are not standard, and their manufacturer no longer makes escalators, it is virtually impossible for WMATA to find replacement parts. The entrance shutdown will allow the city to install standard, industrial-grade escalators that have a longer lifespan and are easier to maintain.
During construction, safety concerns during peak times may provoke WMATA to shut the north entrance of the station or to direct Red Line trains to bypass the station. In case of an emergency in the station, one of the south escalators will always be kept available as an evacuation route.
The project is part of a system-wide effort to modernize Metro stations. Over the next seven years, WMATA plans to completely replace 94 escalators.
While the south entrance is closed, Metro customers are advised to use the station’s north entrance at Q Street and Connecticut Avenue NW or the Farragut North station’s L Street NW entrance 1/2 mile down Connecticut Ave. Minor construction work has been halted at both of these entrances for the duration of the escalator replacement.
Shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, three people were stabbed and another three were shot, one fatally, outside the Heritage India restaurant on Connecticut Avenue NW, just south of Dupont Circle. The business now faces a police investigation and an inquiry by D.C.’s alcoholic beverage regulation board.
A fight broke out inside the nightclub at approximately 2:30 a.m., which eventually spilled onto the street in front of the establishment. Three people were stabbed on the east side of Connecticut, while the three shooting victims were hit while on the west side of the street. Five victims were transported to the hospital by emergency vehicles, while one of the stabbing victims drove himself, according to WUSA.
Jhonte Coleman, 34, of Suitland, Maryland, died of his wounds at a D.C.-area hospital shortly thereafter. Coleman’s friend Kevin Bost, who was also shot Sunday morning, said in an interview with the Washington Post that the two were innocent bystanders. “We had nothing to do with the altercation,” Bost told the Post. “I don’t even know why this guy started shooting at me.”
In his interview with the Post, Bost also noted the club’s strict security measures. “Males and females were patted down,” Bost said.
Later that morning, D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier closed Heritage India, citing public safety concerns. The club will remain closed until Thursday morning at minimum. Police are reviewing available surveillance footage to determine the cause of the fight and the identities of those involved.
The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration has also launched an inquiry into the club proprietor’s actions during the fight, according to WTOP. Depending on the results of the investigation, Heritage India’s alcohol license could be suspended or revoked. The results of the inquiry will be given to ABRA during a private hearing on Wednesday.
You’ve heard a little bit about D.C. as a whole. Now it’s time to explore her neighborhoods past M and Wisconsin. We don’t pretend this a comprehensive guide, but rather a little taste of what the city has to offer. Hold tight for Friday when we take on the top nightlife venues!
Dupont Circle (Metro: Dupont Circle)
With a combination of embassies, restaurants, shopping, and bars, Dupont Circle has it all, and it’s only a free GUTS bus ride away from Georgetown. Dupont Circle is also the closest Red Line Metro Station to Georgetown.
The main shopping street in this area is Connecticut Avenue northwest of the circle. Here you can pop into one of the largest independent bookstores in the region, Kramerbooks & Afterwords, which also has a café famous for its delicious pie!
Just off the circle on Massachusetts Avenue is Embassy Row, where the SFS Academic Council organizes trick-or-treating every Halloween.
Also check out the Phillips Collection. It’s not free, but there’s an excellent rotating collection of modernist and contemporary art.
Just a 20-minute walk down M street, Foggy Bottom is home to George Washington University, the Kennedy Center, and the White House.
Adams Morgan (Metro: Woodley Park, 42 bus to 14th St./Columbia Rd.)
It’s hard to talk about Adams Morgan without talking about nightlife. But this area has a slew of great ethnic restaurants, from Ethiopian to Arab fare.
Sober or drunk, the tiny Amsterdam Falafel shop is your best bet for cheap, delicious falafel. This self-service shop let’s you stuff your falafel full of delicious toppings, and best of all it’s open late for the hungry bar hopper. And if you’re still thirsty afterwards, Tryst is a great place to listen to somber jams while sipping a sophisticated beverage.
A few blocks from the Woodley Park-Adams Morgan Metro Station, the National Zoo is free and makes a great daytrip in the fall or spring. The Zoo is one of only a handful of U.S. zoos that have giant pandas.
It’s finally happening, folks. On September 1, D.C. Circulator will replace the Dupont-Rosslyn Metro Connection “blue buses.”
But don’t despair, ye olde nostalgics, because the buses are practically the only thing changing, according to the Washington Business Journal.
Circulator buses will follow the same Georgetown-to-Dupont route, while running every ten minutes. Fare will be $1, although, riders transferring onto the connector buses will only pay 50 cents.
After the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) takes over the program from Georgetown BID, electronic fare boxes will be incorporated into the system as well.
Let’s chalk one up for streamlined efficiency, Georgetowners!
No really, is it? Who needs to watch games when 47 Facebook updates double as play-by-plays? If you’re one of the few Americans who has not succumbed to the belief that soccer is an interesting sport, or if you’re just sick of the World Cup, here are a few free events in the District to give you a breather from the Most Beautiful Game.
A Modern Delicacy
This Thursday, an exhibition entitled “Delicacies,” featuring 18 local artists, will be having a reception that begins at 6:30 p.m. What makes this art reception different from most others? It will be held at Biagio Fine Chocolate‘s tasting room. Does this mean there will be free chocolate? The event description doesn’t specify, but given its proximity to Dupont Circle (1904 18th Street NW), it’s worth stopping by to see.
Civilian Conservation Corps(e)
Opening tomorrow at the Civilian Art Projects Gallery (1019 7th Street NW) is “Exquisite Corpse,” a unique collaborative photo project wherein artists contribute their own piece to a sequence according to a pre-set rule or by viewing only the end of the previous artists’ contribution. To see what the artists have created, head to the opening reception which begins at 8 p.m. Pabst Blue Ribbon will be sponsoring this event, so there’ll be booze.
Or, given that this is DC, it’s a Friday night…and you don’t have any money because you’re working an unpaid internship that may help you get a job sometime in the distant future. Well, fear not because someone, somewhere in DC is willing to entertain you for free.
That’s where First Fridays come in, for those of you who want to start the month off with a bang.
Nearly the only area that is both accessible from Georgetown (via the GUTS bus or the G2) and known for nightlife, Dupont Circle is home to an array of art galleries, many of whom open their doors, hearts, and wine cabinets to guests on the first Friday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m.
“Some people think of art galleries as intimidating, but we try to be inviting and it really is lively and fun,” Adah Rose Bitterbaum, director of Studio Gallery, said.
If you’re in the mood for ethereal, sea creature themed artwork, then it’s time to hit up Studio Gallery at 2108 R St. N.W. Many of the artists attend First Fridays, so it’s a chance for the public to talk to the persons behind the paintings, photographs, sculptures, or whatever medium.
(A tip: Check out the artwork at Studio Gallery’s website before visiting, and you’ll have plenty to talk about with the artists.)
The last time University officials discussed the transportation aspect of the 2010 Campus Plan back in May, they said they were tentatively planning to send the Dupont GUTS bus through the Canal Road entrance, meaning the shuttle route would be extended to the experimental 4.7 mile test route permanently. At last night’s meeting presenting the University’s first draft of its transportation plans, University officials made it clear that the rerouting isn’t just tentative—it’s now part of the University’s preferred draft plan.
Vice President for Facilities and Student Housing Karen Frank, who presented the University’s transportation plans to neighbors last night, explained that Georgetown would like to build a loop road on the west side of campus (as illustrated above) which would allow more buses to use the Canal Road entrance.
When the University requested the rights to build the Canal Road entrance in its last ten year plan it promised neighbors that the new entrance would be used for GUTS buses. Georgetown students, faculty and staff have been spared from the extended route thus far thanks to the fact that the current set-up of the parking lot near McDonough makes it nearly impossible for buses to turn around on campus.
The other problem is that between 6:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. on weekdays—prime rush hour time—drivers are not permitted to make left turns off of the Canal Road entrance. If the University could get the left-turn prohibition lifted and build the loop road, all buses besides the Wisconsin Avenue route would be able to enter and exit through Canal Road.
The potential roadblock for the plan is the Park Service, which owns the land west of campus that abuts the proposed loop road. While the road would be on GU property, the University has an agreement with the Park Service to only use that part of campus for service vehicles. Frank said she is pushing for the definition of “service vehicles” to be any vehicle “dedicated to the University,” which would include GUTS buses. However, Frank said, the Park Service is “not real easy to work with.”
For the second installation of Vox Talks, we asked people on campus their feelings about MTV’s reality stalwart, the Real World, coming to Dupont Circle for its 23rd season.
Vox Populi is the staff blog of the Georgetown Voice, Georgetown University's weekly newsmagazine. Opinions expressed in posts are those of their author alone unless otherwise stated.
Shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, three people were stabbed and another three were shot, one fatally, outside the Heritage India restaurant on Connecticut Avenue NW, just south of Dupont Circle. The business now faces a police investigation and an inquiry by D.C.’s alcoholic beverage regulation board.
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