Posts from July 2012
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Film shows rural postal delivery in 1903
Here’s film that I came across in the Library of Congress’ archives. It was shot on August 8th, 1903 in rural Washington, DC. Keep reading…
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Are DC schools good enough?
This is the first on a series of posts about education issues in DC. Many younger residents moved to the District in the last 10-plus years, thanks to a resurgent demand for urban living and policies that encouraged residential growth. For many at or nearing the age of having children, one question above all determines whether they will remain in DC or decamp to suburbs: are the schools… Keep reading…
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Plan envisions decking railroad, adding 4th track in SW DC
One day, disjointed streets and lifeless blocks around L’Enfant Plaza could become a complete neighborhood with a connected street grid, park space, mixed-use buildings, and an expanded 4-track rail hub connecting MARC and VRE commuter trains to Metro, buses, and the DC Streetcar. That’s the vision of DC’s Maryland Avenue SW plan. While there’s… Keep reading…
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Breakfast Links: Tall enough?
House talks height; Food trucks come to Takoma Junction; McMillan plan green enough?; Another development on 14th; Atlanta’s mass transit at risk; Houston goes green; And…. Keep reading…
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What is a tech company? How do you build a tech sector?
How do you build a tech sector when there is no such thing as a tech company or tech sector anymore? That’s the challenge that DC faces as it seeks to support the recent rise of a tech sector in the District. There is unquestionably a cluster of related technology firms growing organically in the District. The challenge is to find ways to support them that are targeted… Keep reading…
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Barbecue Battle fences cut the public off downtown
Most events on the National Mall or Pennsylvania Avenue have an open and inviting atmosphere, helping make DC a great place to live or visit. The annual Barbeque Battle, however, creates a fenced enclosure on Pennsylvania Avenue that makes downtown DC very difficult for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate. This year’s enclosure fenced off 5 blocks as well as side-streets,… Keep reading…
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Southwest Ecodistrict would repair 1960s damage
One day, disjointed streets and lifeless blocks around L’Enfant Plaza could become a complete neighborhood with a connected street grid, park space, mixed-use buildings, a museum and more. That’s the vision of the Southwest Ecodistrict plan from the National Capital Planning Commission and a companion plan focusing on Maryland Avenue, SW by the DC Office of… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Stops
Trains stop; Graham killed project; Cheaper Uber; Purple Line brings growth; Privately-developed maglev?; New pedestrian only avenue; And…. Keep reading…
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The scandal’s serious, but the city’s solid
DC Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced a number of new green alleys in the District on Wednesday, then briefly spoke to the issue foremost on many minds: the growing scandal around a “shadow campaign” that disregarded campaign finance laws to help him get elected. Keep reading…
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Weekend links: Down, not out
Gray blasts critics; BRT decades away?; Height limit rising?; Thompson leaves his firm; New York goes further up; Council approves Walter Reed plan; Making a new Southwest; And…. Keep reading…