Posts tagged DcRSS
-
Three things you need to know to get land-use woke
America’s history of land use is fundamentally racist, exclusionary, and exploitative. If we’re going to have productive conversations about where to go, we need to understand what got us here. Keep reading…
-
I bought a house in Prince George’s County, and I’m really happy I did
There are a lot of complaints about affordability in the DC area, yet many people seem to have a mental block around a great alternative: living or buying a house in Prince George’s County. Keep reading…
-
Bids, bids, bids: What should we make of the Washington region’s efforts to woo Amazon?
DC and Fairfax/Loundoun have just released their Amazon HQ2 bids, but are they good for area residents? Our contributors have a lot of mixed feelings about them. Keep reading…
-
Building of the Week: St. Coletta of Greater Washington
With its attention to color and accessibility, the lesson from St. Coletta's careful planning is clear: we should pay more attention the needs of users during a building's design process. Keep reading…
-
DC’s “Grocery Walk” highlights limited food options east of the Anacostia River–and suggests possible solutions
Ward 7 and 8 residents are demanding that the city improve access to healthy, affordable food in their neighborhoods. They want additional funding for grocery store and co-op development, and hope to maintain and expand existing food access programs. Keep reading…
-
DC’s charter schools are sharply segregated. Here’s what we should we do about the racial and economic divide.
In order to build a more diverse student body, successful local schools have focused on the deeper issues driving segregation. They've also created a space for parents to have honest and uncomfortable discussions about identity and race. Keep reading…
-
Should this plain box Pepco substation in Tenleytown really be a landmark?
Designating historic landmarks is a valuable piece of the land use policy landscape, but this mechanism isn't immune to abuse by those who don't want new development. Case in point? Efforts to preserve this decidedly unremarkable Pepco substation. Keep reading…
-
Breakfast Links: Soon it may be easier to rent out your basement or attic in Arlington
Arlington may soon relax their strict zoning codes to make it easier to rent out your secondary apartment unit. Is the Wharf's architecture timeless, or more like "fast casual?" Governor Hogan wants to massively expand state highways, but Montgomery County isn't so sure about the plan. Keep reading…
-
DC has over 14 million square feet of vacant office space. What if some became homes?
While there's a glut of empty office space in downtown DC, there is a dearth of homes available for rent or purchase in the area. Could tax incentives to transform vacant offices into homes help with the city's housing shortage? Keep reading…
-
Events: Halloween happy hour, Metro hack night, and Amazon HQ2
Don your urbanist-inspired Halloween garb for the GGWash happy hour this Wednesday at Lost & Found! There's also a discussion about what can cities can learn from Amazon’s wish list, a Metro hack night, a daylong event on Accessory Dwelling Units in DC, a Strong Towns presentation on why American towns and cities are financially struggling, and much more this week! Keep reading…
-
The developers of Union Market want DC to pay for more parking
The DC Council appears to be moving forward with plans to update Union Market, including a $36 million underground parking facility. Critics say the city should incentivize alternative forms of transportation instead of subsidizing private parking. Keep reading…
-
DC now allows accessory apartments to be built in residential zones. What happens next?
Expanding accessory apartments could benefit DC in a variety of ways, including increasing the supply of affordable housing without government subsidies, creating opportunities for multi-generational households to form, and diversifying housing stock. Keep reading…
-
National Links: The country’s most stylish streets have these things in common
The most stylish streets in the country are those that best reflect the soul of their city. When these three Boston transit wonks talk, the city listens (and makes laws). Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft are cutting into people's use of alternative transportation. Check out what's happening around the nation and the world in transportation, land use, and other related areas.
Keep reading… -
Four ways to get money to help you preserve your DC house
Did you know there's a DC-based program that offers low-cost installation of rain barrels, trees, and rain gardens? There are a lot of ways DC homeowners can get help with keeping or improving their house. Keep reading…
-
Yet again in the eleventh hour, a company foots the bill to extend Metro service for a Nationals game
This is not the first time the Nationals have refused to pay for extended Metro hours, nor is it the first time where an outside sponsor has decided to foot the bill. Several of our contributors shared their thoughts on the whole saga. Keep reading…
-
What will it take for Metro to woo back riders?
Riders want frequent and reliable service at all hours but Metro doesn't have the money–so paying customers aren't returning and the system continues to struggle financially. Now Metro is trying to break out of this catch-22 by exploring new, cost-effective ways to bring more riders back. Keep reading…
-
First impressions of the Wharf: Mega-projects have pros and cons
The Wharf, a giant new development on the Southwest Waterfront, is perhaps the clearest example of a "instant neighborhood" in the District to date. Its success or failure will be watched closely for lessons in urban development. Keep reading…
-
How can we close our persistent education achievement gaps in DC?
Despite overall college-readiness gains, race and income-level gaps have actually grown in the most DC student test scores. What should the city do to address this problem? Keep reading…
-
Here’s what urban development and policy experts think about the future of transport in cities
Some experts think at some point in the not-so-distant future personal vehicles will be a relic of the past, replaced by something called “microtransit.” However, urban development experts aren't optimistic about getting aid in the transition from the federal government anytime soon. Keep reading…
-
DC’s Ward 7 and 8 residents stage ‘grocery walk’ to draw attention to lack of food access
There are only three full-service grocery stores for more than 148,000 people in Wards 7 and 8–far fewer than in wealthier districts. Some residents and local activists are hoping to change that. Keep reading…
