Breakfast links: The square and the triangle
Photo by M.V. Jantzen on Flickr.
No Spy Museum for Carnegie Library
The International Spy Museum won’t move to the Carnegie Library in Mount Vernon Square. The preservation board rejected the latest plans, leaving not enough time before the museum’s current lease runs out in 2017. (WBJ)
Mount Vernon Triangle reborn
How did Mount Vernon Triangle transform from the city’s parking lot into a vibrant neighborhood? A streetscape project transformed the feel of public space, while city agencies collaborated closely with developers. (Next City)
Told you so
John Kelly talked to a DDOT pedestrian planner in response to reader reaction against a recent column. He claims that DDOT agrees with his position that pedestrians shouldn’t start crossing when the “Don’t Walk” signal flashes. (Post)
DC taxis behaving badly
DC taxis refused rides to 27% of passengers, a recent undercover investigation found. The report did not detail the demographics of the people who didn’t get a ride. (City Paper)
Chesapeake Bay benefits economy
The Chesapeake Bay contributes $107 billion to the region’s economy each year. That could rise to $130 billion if the bay is cleaned up, which would cost only $5 billion a year. (WAMU)
Make sure you shovel
Once again, the DC council is considering revamping its rarely-enforced, 90-year-old law on homeowners not shoveling snow. Efforts at reform have failed in the past. Some councilmembers again raised the issue of elderly or disabled residents, while Jim Graham said the bill had a “suburban point of view.” (WAMU)
Save our parking lots
Some residents of the Town of Chevy Chase worry that two parking lots could be redeveloped near downtown Bethesda. They call the lots a needed “buffer zone.” There are not yet any clear plans to develop the lots. (BethesdaNow)
And…
Maryland gubernatorial candidate Anthony Brown pledges no new taxes. (Post) … Virginia’s congressional maps are gerrymandered and unconstitutional, a court found. (Post) … The DC Council moved to limit restrictive covenants on grocery stores. (WBJ)