The GeorGeTown CurrenT
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Vol. XXVI, No. 32
Serving Burleith, Foxhall, Georgetown, Georgetown Reservoir & Glover Park
Mayor backs longer lease of old Hardy
ST. PATRICK’S DAY
■ Education: Lab School
hopes to remain on Foxhall By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer
The Lab School has earned support from Mayor Muriel Bowser to extend its long-term lease of the former Hardy School in Foxhall — though negotiations between the school and the city aren’t fin-
ished, and some D.C. Council members have rejected Bowser’s approach to the process. The special-needs program has occupied the old Hardy building at 1550 Foxhall Road NW since 2008. The council tried in 2013 to establish a longer-term lease with the Lab School, but the matter went unresolved until December 2016, when the council voted 11-2 to authorize the mayor to extend the lease by 20 to 25 years.
Supporters of the measure said the long-term certainty would allow the Lab School to commence $2.5 million in necessary repairs to the aging building. Opponents countered that it would close off a potential avenue toward alleviating overcrowded conditions in Ward 3’s public schools. Meanwhile, Bowser rejected the bill on procedural grounds, saying the council lacks the authority to See Lease/Page 5
New design unveiled for heating plant By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer
Brian Kapur/The Current
The 46th annual St. Patrick’s Parade of Washington, D.C., along Constitution Avenue NW featured floats, marching bands, traditional pipe bands and Irish dancers on Sunday.
Just over a year ago, the project team redeveloping Georgetown’s West Heating Plant property had received generally positive feedback on its plan to raze the hulking industrial building and construct a glassy new one of a similar size and shape. Then the team went before the Old Georgetown Board last February. And there, developer Richard Levy said, “We ran into a buzz saw.” Although the 1948 heating plant building — by virtue of its year of construction — is a contributing building to the federal Georgetown Historic District, Levy’s team thought the design panel would be open to a more dramatic departure from the existing structure. It was not. “That required us to slow down and rethink,” said Levy. Last Thursday, the project team unveiled its updatSee Design/Page 5
Rendering courtesy of The Levy Group
The latest proposal for turning the former industrial site into condos and a park stays more true to the existing 1948 West Heating Plant’s architecture.
City hires consultant to review flight paths
District officials show divide over digital advertising signs
By KATHERINE SALTZMAN
■ Business: Opponents fear
Current Correspondent
Amid community concerns that changes to flight paths from Reagan National Airport have increased noise in areas of wards 2 and 3, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Energy & Environment recently announced funding for an airplane noise assessment. Recent changes to flight routes out of the airport are part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s NextGen initiative, a satellite-based navigation system that provides a more direct path from departure location to destination. The NextGen program also allows for more aircraft departures from airports, increases traffic flow while reducing aircraft congestion and fuel emissions, according to the aviation agency. But changes at Reagan National included
neighborhood degradation By MARK LIEBERMAN Brian Kapur/Current file photo
Various communities near the Potomac River have complained about noise resulting from new flight paths serving Reagan National Airport.
directing more flights over D.C. neighborhoods rather than the Potomac River. In light of various noise complaints, the District government designated $300,000 to fund an airplane noise assessment, according to Richard Jackson of the environment department. He discussed the plans See Aircraft/Page 7
Current Staff Writer
The fate of more than 50 outdoor digital advertising signs from Digi Outdoor Media remains in doubt as litigation continues — but, to the consternation of many residents, some city officials appear amenable to digital signs. In August, Digi had begun erecting the signs in central locations including Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom, and as far north as
Van Ness and Friendship Heights. But city officials said the firm hadn’t secured the legally mandated permits from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs beforehand. Attorney General Karl Racine sued the company and secured an injunction in November against illuminating or further constructing the signs until a resolution is reached. Shortly after that, Ward 2 D.C. Council member Jack Evans proposed and quickly withdrew a bill that would allow Digi to illuminate its planned signs. Rumors swirled in recent weeks that Mayor See Signs/Page 3
PASSAGES
SPORTS
SHOPPING & DINING
INDEX
Film festival
All-Northwest slates
Appalachian autumn
Calendar/20 Classifieds/29 District Digest/4 In Your Neighborhood/16 Northwest Passages/17 Opinion/8
Annual environmentally themed event hits 25-year anniversary with varied lineup / Page 17
The Current honors local boys, girls basketball players who stand out on the hardwood / Page 11
Longtime seller of American-made crafts prepares to leave Georgetown / Page 19
Police Report/6 Real Estate/15 School Dispatches/10 Service Directory/27 Shopping & Dining/19 Sports/11
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