Posts from February 2019
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Have a question for DC’s Planning Director, Andrew Trueblood? Come to our GGWash Open Forum!
In her second inaugural address, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser set a goal of adding 36,000 new housing units in the District by 2025. DC is working on updating the Comprehensive Plan, the document that guides growth and change throughout the District. Responsibility for these significant goals falls on Andrew Trueblood, nominated by Bowser to head the DC Office of Planning. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Despite underrepresentation, black architects have shaped the District
Despite being severely underrepresented in the industry, black architects have shaped DC. Record rainfall in our region has left sewage treatment plants with a smelly problem. Two new companies have brought dockless scooters and e-bikes to Arlington. Keep reading…
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You could use this to cheat on WhichWMATA (but don’t)
WMATA recently released “StationView,” which allows you to take an interactive virtual tour of stations on the Metro website or on GoogleMaps. Riders can virtually move from the street into a station, “ride” down the escalator or elevator, and navigate through faregates and to different levels of platforms. Keep reading…
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10 things to look for if you’re considering creating an accessory apartment
You may be familiar with the typical “English basement,” an apartment at the bottom of a rowhouse that's particularly popular with interns and small families in DC. They’ve been around for decades, but now they’re gaining even more popularity as the result of housing shortage and other market realities, as well as the desire to live in close-knit communities. Keep reading…
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Gender-neutral bathrooms benefit a lot of people. Our region needs more of them.
Bathroom access might be the most visible battle right now in the wide-ranging fight for transgender civil rights, but the issue is more complex than many people realize. Gender-neutral bathrooms are the most inclusive option and bring real health benefits to real people, but in most of our region, they aren’t yet required. Keep reading…
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See everyone who’s ever served on the DC Council on this timeline
Who was on the DC council when you were born (if you were born after 1975, when it first came into being)? How many people have represented your ward (if you live in DC) over time? Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Two Amazon hubs, two very different political responses
Northern Virginia politicians are welcoming Amazon, those in New York, not so much. President Trump had no new details on infrastructure or transportation at the State of the Union. Silver Line Phase II is testing its rails with train cars. Keep reading…
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Sprawl doesn’t just hurt cities, it hurts farmers too, a local report shows
We don’t always think about agriculture in the context of urbanism, but it is an important part of our region. We should understand the role it plays, and how it too is impacted by things like zoning and sprawl. Keep reading…
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Make 2019 a great year for urbanism!
As Greater Greater Washington starts its 11th year, we are continuing to build a community of inquisitive and engaged urbanists throughout the region. Instead of our yearly reader drive, we’re hoping to get 250 readers to join our membership program, the GGWash Neighborhood. Keep reading…
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In a shift, front-facing solar panels win DC historic preservation approval
If a homeowner wants to put solar panels on a roof facing a street, is that a laudable step toward fighting climate change or an affront to historic preservation? With a recent preservation board ruling, DC's historic preservation system took one very small step toward tolerance of visible solar panels, at least in some cases. Keep reading…