Topher Mathews @georgetownmet

New House Proposed for Long Vacant O St. Lot In January I reported that a long vacant lot on O St. just east of Hyde-Addison school was for sale. Now the new or prospective owner is proposing the construction of a new home on the lot, according to a recent Old Georgetown Board filing. As I discussed in January, this lot is empty due to the previous owner controversially razing an existing home on this lot in 1997.

New House Proposed for Long Vacant O St. Lot

In January I reported that a long vacant lot on O St. just east of Hyde-Addison school was for sale. Now the new or prospective owner is proposing the construction of a new home on the lot, according to a recent Old Georgetown Board filing. As I…

23.02.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

The Weekly Metropolitan Photo by M.V. Jantzen. Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly news roundup: Georgetown's first cat cafe shuts down amidst claims of union busting. Where to find some women-owned restaurants around Georgetown. L.A. coffee shop coming to Wisconsin Ave.

The Weekly Metropolitan

Photo by M.V. Jantzen. Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly news roundup: Georgetown's first cat cafe shuts down amidst claims of union busting. Where to find some women-owned restaurants around Georgetown. L.A. coffee shop coming to Wisconsin Ave.

19.02.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Hyde-Addison Update Below is another periodic update on Hyde-Addison from Hyde parent Phil Mone: Hyde Addison Elementary School (3219 O St NW) is a public school with grades PK-3 to 5 with an average class size of 19 (not including Hyde’s PK-3 class which is capped at 16). The school’s in-boundary attendance zone includes the neighborhoods of Georgetown, Burleith, and Hillandale. I have lived in Georgetown and Burleith for 15 years and this is our fourth year at Hyde.

Hyde-Addison Update

Below is another periodic update on Hyde-Addison from Hyde parent Phil Mone: Hyde Addison Elementary School (3219 O St NW) is a public school with grades PK-3 to 5 with an average class size of 19 (not including Hyde’s PK-3 class which is capped at 16). The school’s in-boundary…

18.02.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

I completely agree! But based upon my discussions with DDOT, I can see that the city is not going to do that any time soon. I’m the first to admit that ROP is an imperfect solution. At best it’s a bandaid, but sometimes you need a bandaid while waiting for a better solution to finally come.

17.02.2026 15:43 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Yes, and pushing for more enforcement is also important, but it’s much easier and quicker to enforce the red signs than to catch someone violating the 2 hour rule. And the signs have a self-enforcing aspect in that people are less likely to violate them knowing they can be ticketed right away.

17.02.2026 15:34 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Yes. It’s up to DDOT to decide which blocks will actually get it. We’ll see how many (if any) they include. For the blocks they do include, they aim for 50% green spaces and 50% red, but there’s no hard written rule on that (other than a rule that it can’t be more than 50% red).

17.02.2026 15:14 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Editorial on Resident Only Parking My ANC colleagues, Daniel Chao and Paul Maysak, and I were asked to submit an editorial to the Georgetowner on the resident only parking proposal. In case you missed it, here it is below: The ANC is exploring a change to how parking is managed in Georgetown that we think it will make the lives of residents a little easier.

Editorial on Resident Only Parking

My ANC colleagues, Daniel Chao and Paul Maysak, and I were asked to submit an editorial to the Georgetowner on the resident only parking proposal. In case you missed it, here it is below: The ANC is exploring a change to how parking is managed in Georgetown that…

17.02.2026 14:42 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Stay Away From the Potomac Right Now Perhaps you've heard, but if not: there was a massive sewer main break up along the C&O Canal near the DC and Maryland border. Millions of gallons of raw sewage poured out and into the river. It was really bad. Well it's still really bad. All that incredibly harmful material is still working its way downstream. And as a consequence, the river has exceedingly high levels of dangerous materials like E.

Stay Away From the Potomac Right Now

Perhaps you've heard, but if not: there was a massive sewer main break up along the C&O Canal near the DC and Maryland border. Millions of gallons of raw sewage poured out and into the river. It was really bad. Well it's still really bad. All that incredibly…

12.02.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Reminder: This Cold Streak Won’t Kill Mosquitos Last year I reported on the sad news that despite what I previously thought, deep cold stretches in the winter do not reduce the amount of mosquitos in the following summer. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but here's what I wrote last yeat: One consolation I have long taken from intense cold snaps Iike the one we are experiencing now is that it would kill off more mosquitos and lead to a less buggy season next summer.

Reminder: This Cold Streak Won’t Kill Mosquitos

Last year I reported on the sad news that despite what I previously thought, deep cold stretches in the winter do not reduce the amount of mosquitos in the following summer. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but here's what I wrote last yeat: One…

11.02.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Historic District Signs Proposed for Georgetown Georgetown is more than simply another neighborhood in DC. It's even more than simply another old neighborhood in DC. It is a neighborhood that was uniquely a former independent municipality that is not only older than DC itself, but older than the United States. Founded in 1751 as a town in the colony of Maryland, Georgetown is celebrating its 275th year in 2026.

Historic District Signs Proposed for Georgetown

Georgetown is more than simply another neighborhood in DC. It's even more than simply another old neighborhood in DC. It is a neighborhood that was uniquely a former independent municipality that is not only older than DC itself, but older than the…

10.02.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Metrobus Refresher Over the weekend, someone suggested to me that it would be helpful to remind people of all the changes to the Metrobuses that happened last summer. Here is a reprint of my article outlining all those changes: Over the past year I have been trying to pass along the dramatic changes that WMATA is planning for the Metrobus network. Literally every bus line will be different in name and (mostly) route by the end of this year.

Metrobus Refresher

09.02.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

The Weekly Metropolitan Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly news round-up: First off, obviously the city has failed once again to pick up the trash they said they would. That's now three days this week when DPW said they were about to finally take away trash and they simply didn't show up. I have sent increasingly upset messages to DPW and the Mayor's office demanding that they come back as soon as possible.

The Weekly Metropolitan

Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly news round-up: First off, obviously the city has failed once again to pick up the trash they said they would. That's now three days this week when DPW said they were about to finally take away trash and they simply didn't show up.…

05.02.2026 13:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Trash Continues to Pile Up I am the first to cut the city a little slack in terms of dealing with this unprecedented snow-ice-freeze weather we've experienced over the last ten days. But the trash situation is getting absolutely out of control. Residents have been pleading for some, any pick up to take place, and we keep on being let down. The fist message of false hope came Saturday night when DPW stated that we would have our trash picked up on Sunday.

Trash Continues to Pile Up

I am the first to cut the city a little slack in terms of dealing with this unprecedented snow-ice-freeze weather we've experienced over the last ten days. But the trash situation is getting absolutely out of control. Residents have been pleading for some, any pick up to…

04.02.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Northwest Georgetown February ANC Update Welcome to your February update for northwest Georgetown! Snow and Ice The storm that hit us last week was genuinely a freak confluence of conditions. In the 26 plus years I’ve been in DC, I can’t remember a time when we had such a significant snow become so suddenly encased in such a thick crust of concrete-like ice. Honestly, I don’t remember a storm result like that from my New England youth or upstate New York college days.

Northwest Georgetown February ANC Update

Welcome to your February update for northwest Georgetown! Snow and Ice The storm that hit us last week was genuinely a freak confluence of conditions. In the 26 plus years I’ve been in DC, I can’t remember a time when we had such a significant snow become…

02.02.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Trash Will Be Picked Up Sunday Please see this update from DPW. Front side trash will be picked up on Sunday:

Trash Will Be Picked Up Sunday

31.01.2026 01:16 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

The Weekly Metropolitan Photo by M.V. Jantzen. Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly update: The city is obviously not doing a good job dealing with this snow. For particularly unpassable streets, please call in to 311. I was told informally not to expect any trash pick up until next week, but check DPW's notices for confirmation. Q&A Cafe with Jamie Peva next week. Looks like Allbirds will be closing its Georgetown location as part of a wide scale reshift. Foreclosure scheduled for former Georgetown Suites property.

The Weekly Metropolitan

Photo by M.V. Jantzen. Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly update: The city is obviously not doing a good job dealing with this snow. For particularly unpassable streets, please call in to 311. I was told informally not to expect any trash pick up until next week,…

29.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

ANC Meeting Next Week AGENDA ANC 2E- February 2 2026 as of 1.25.docxDownload The ANC will be meeting for our February session next Monday night. During this meeting Councilmember Brooke Pinto will be with us to give her annual update and answer questions from the Commission and public. So please come prepared with questions for her! See you there.

ANC Meeting Next Week

AGENDA ANC 2E- February 2 2026 as of 1.25.docxDownload The ANC will be meeting for our February session next Monday night. During this meeting Councilmember Brooke Pinto will be with us to give her annual update and answer questions from the Commission and public. So please…

28.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Bridal Shop Changes Hands Again The bridal shop at Volta and Wisconsin appears to be changing hands again. An application with the Old Georgetown Board indicates that Love Couture Bridal is aiming to take over the shop. Love Couture Bridal is a bridal shop located out in Potomac. This would appear to be their second location. The Georgetown shop was originally run as Hitched. I always thought that was a great name for a bridal shop and they always had a really nice appearance from the street.

Bridal Shop Changes Hands Again

The bridal shop at Volta and Wisconsin appears to be changing hands again. An application with the Old Georgetown Board indicates that Love Couture Bridal is aiming to take over the shop. Love Couture Bridal is a bridal shop located out in Potomac. This would appear…

27.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Canal Boat to Return in 2026 After an extended period, the C&O Canal will finally be re-flooded this year and the canal boat will return. This is according to an update from Georgetown Heritage, which was responsible for bringing a new boat back to the canal in 2022. After a year of plying the waters, the boat was put up in dry dock again to allow the canal to receive critical repairs.

Canal Boat to Return in 2026

After an extended period, the C&O Canal will finally be re-flooded this year and the canal boat will return. This is according to an update from Georgetown Heritage, which was responsible for bringing a new boat back to the canal in 2022. After a year of plying the…

22.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

Water Outage Scheduled Tonight for Parts of East Georgetown Parts of east Georgetown will have their water turned off for an extended period tonight as part of the lead pipe replacement project. Here are the details: This work is scheduled to take place tomorrow, Wednesday, January 21st, beginning at 8:00 pm, takes approximately 8 hours to complete, and there will be scheduled water service outage to customers at the following addresses during the tie-in:

Water Outage Scheduled Tonight for Parts of East Georgetown

21.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Georgetown Time Machine: Waterfront This week for Georgetown Time Machine, I'm exploring a fascinating photo that came to my attention from this interesting thread from a vintage photo group on Facebook. The photo itself is the Library of Congress collection. It's from roughly 1909 and shows the Georgetown waterfront viewed from the south. There are a lot of interesting elements to this photo. Moving left to right, this is what I notice:

Georgetown Time Machine: Waterfront

This week for Georgetown Time Machine, I'm exploring a fascinating photo that came to my attention from this interesting thread from a vintage photo group on Facebook. The photo itself is the Library of Congress collection. It's from roughly 1909 and shows the…

20.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Weekly Metropolitan Photo by M.V. Jantzen. Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly news roundup: Los Cuates appears to be closed. I spoke with NBC4 about the Volta Park situation. Halcyon House sells for $28 million.

Weekly Metropolitan

Photo by M.V. Jantzen. Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly news roundup: Los Cuates appears to be closed. I spoke with NBC4 about the Volta Park situation. Halcyon House sells for $28 million.

15.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Georgetown Time Machine: Flood This week on Georgetown Time Machine, I'm exploring yet another interesting shot from the DC Historical Society. According to the photo's record, it is showing the old Aqueduct Bridge during the great Potomac Flood of 1889. To orient you, the old aqueduct bridge ran south from just west of where the Key Bridge now stands. So the photographer is standing roughly in front of where the Car Barn now stands.

Georgetown Time Machine: Flood

This week on Georgetown Time Machine, I'm exploring yet another interesting shot from the DC Historical Society. According to the photo's record, it is showing the old Aqueduct Bridge during the great Potomac Flood of 1889. To orient you, the old aqueduct bridge ran…

14.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Volta Park Update Last week, the DC blog Popville passed on a message it received from some residents near Volta Park who discovered what appeared to be fragments of bone at the field renovation construction site. Like many, I was alarmed to read that and I reached out to DPR for an explanation. I was able to speak with a staff member who gave me a full accounting of the situation, which I will share with you now.

Volta Park Update

Last week, the DC blog Popville passed on a message it received from some residents near Volta Park who discovered what appeared to be fragments of bone at the field renovation construction site. Like many, I was alarmed to read that and I reached out to DPR for an explanation. I…

12.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 2

The Weekly Metropolitan Photo by M.V. Jantzen. Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly news round-up: Yellow closes for a brief renovation. Some big developments to watch for in Georgetown this year. Some business ins and outs, including the sad departure of Everards.

The Weekly Metropolitan

Photo by M.V. Jantzen. Good morning Georgetown, here's your weekly news round-up: Yellow closes for a brief renovation. Some big developments to watch for in Georgetown this year. Some business ins and outs, including the sad departure of Everards.

08.01.2026 13:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

ANC Meeting Next Monday Night The first ANC meeting of 2026 will be held next Monday night at Visitation. Please see the draft agenda below. AGENDA ANC 2E- January 2026 as of 1.5.docxDownload

ANC Meeting Next Monday Night

The first ANC meeting of 2026 will be held next Monday night at Visitation. Please see the draft agenda below. AGENDA ANC 2E- January 2026 as of 1.5.docxDownload

07.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Long Time Empty Lot For Sale A longtime empty lot in the heart of Georgetown is for sale. The lot at 3245 O St., immediately west of Hyde-Addison, is for sale for $1.75 million. Many people have asked about the property over the years. I knew little myself, having heard rumors of a fight over the property but I tracked down a Washington Post article about the property from 1997 to finally get the details:

Long Time Empty Lot For Sale

A longtime empty lot in the heart of Georgetown is for sale. The lot at 3245 O St., immediately west of Hyde-Addison, is for sale for $1.75 million. Many people have asked about the property over the years. I knew little myself, having heard rumors of a fight over the…

06.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Northwest Georgetown January ANC Update Happy New Year! Here is your January Northwest Georgetown ANC update: Volta Park Update I have been receiving many questions from constituents asking about the status of the Volta Park field renovation. As many have observed, after an initial flurry of work, it appeared that the construction ground to a halt in the early fall. I was repeatedly told by DPR that there was an issue with a pipe order.

Northwest Georgetown January ANC Update

Happy New Year! Here is your January Northwest Georgetown ANC update: Volta Park Update I have been receiving many questions from constituents asking about the status of the Volta Park field renovation. As many have observed, after an initial flurry of work,…

05.01.2026 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Happy Holidays! I’m signing off for the year! Have a happy holiday and see you in 2026!

Happy Holidays!

I’m signing off for the year! Have a happy holiday and see you in 2026!

12.12.2025 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Leaf Pick Up for West Georgetown Starts Next Week DPW announced over the weekend that it is beginning its leaf pick up next Monday for Zone D, which includes west Georgetown. So if you live west of Wisconsin Ave., make sure to get your leaves out to the curb, asap. They can be piled in the tree boxes or bagged in paper bags. If your a constituent of mine (i.e. you live above Volta Place) and your leaves don't get picked up within the next three weeks, please let me know!

Leaf Pick Up for West Georgetown Starts Next Week

DPW announced over the weekend that it is beginning its leaf pick up next Monday for Zone D, which includes west Georgetown. So if you live west of Wisconsin Ave., make sure to get your leaves out to the curb, asap. They can be piled in the tree…

08.12.2025 15:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Topher Mathews

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