What is Bowser's political future

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Downtown is not picking up.
The tent cities aren't gone. they just moved.
metro is better because of Randy Clarke.
As a matter of fact, lets get Randy to run for mayor. I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.

For all of downtown to pick up, all the excess office space by the GSA needs to be unloaded. Mayor Bowser has been pleading with Biden/the GSA to give up the office space so she can work with the developer community to convert these buildings to residential. The ultimate goal for downtown is the 15 minute city, a fun, convenient 24/7 neighborhood for residents and commuters.

What does this mean to “give up”?

I suppose it’s the suggestion that the Federal government should give DC a freebie for no specific reason?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Downtown is not picking up.
The tent cities aren't gone. they just moved.
metro is better because of Randy Clarke.
As a matter of fact, let’s get Randy to run for mayor. I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.

The tent cities almost entirely gone through the winter but it looks like someone or some group just handed out a fresh set of tents this spring. I would be interested to know who these people are so they have be named and shamed.

There are a lot of different zones in downtown and some are doing better than others. Penn Quarter and Chinatown are in bad shape, but that’s not exactly the “central” part of the business district. Everything west of 13th is perfectly fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Downtown is not picking up.
The tent cities aren't gone. they just moved.
metro is better because of Randy Clarke.
As a matter of fact, lets get Randy to run for mayor. I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.

For all of downtown to pick up, all the excess office space by the GSA needs to be unloaded. Mayor Bowser has been pleading with Biden/the GSA to give up the office space so she can work with the developer community to convert these buildings to residential. The ultimate goal for downtown is the 15 minute city, a fun, convenient 24/7 neighborhood for residents and commuters.

Because if there’s one thing we don’t have enough of, it’s empty office space! Another great idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser seems like she got her second wind. That doesn’t mean that she’s a good mayor. But she’s a better mayor than any current sitting Councilmember would ever be.

Second wind how?

- crime bill passed
- murders down
- salvaged deal to keep Caps/Wizards
- downtown picking up
- Metro improving
- tent cities down

How is downtown picking up? Unless or until either WFH changes, particularly at the Federal level, or there are completed office to residential building conversions, downtown will be what it is right now, which certainly isn't close to pre-COVID levels.

I go downtown every day. Mondays and Fridays are slow. Tuesdays and Wednesdays feel even more crowded than pre-COVID. Thursdays are normal.

Restaurant and store closures have stopped (unlike H St and Navy Yard) and even some new places opening.

Crime has even moved back to its natural location; 13th and NY Ave around the McDonalds.

There are still some persistent tent areas, particularly around E Street underpass and Rock Creek. But that looks like Federal property.

Sure there are a lot of vacant offices and store fronts, but that seems like a price issue. If they reduced rents then people would lease them. Probably cannot do that for financial reasons so they will probably be empty until sold to someone else at a cheaper price. Nature is healing.

I look forward to working in-office every day. I can’t believe people prefer to stay home so much. So much of life/work happens in the quick/casual conversations and colleague lunches.

I agree about the crowds on metro mid-week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser seems like she got her second wind. That doesn’t mean that she’s a good mayor. But she’s a better mayor than any current sitting Councilmember would ever be.

Second wind how?

- crime bill passed
- murders down
- salvaged deal to keep Caps/Wizards
- downtown picking up
- Metro improving
- tent cities down

How is downtown picking up? Unless or until either WFH changes, particularly at the Federal level, or there are completed office to residential building conversions, downtown will be what it is right now, which certainly isn't close to pre-COVID levels.

I go downtown every day. Mondays and Fridays are slow. Tuesdays and Wednesdays feel even more crowded than pre-COVID. Thursdays are normal.

Restaurant and store closures have stopped (unlike H St and Navy Yard) and even some new places opening.

Crime has even moved back to its natural location; 13th and NY Ave around the McDonalds.

There are still some persistent tent areas, particularly around E Street underpass and Rock Creek. But that looks like Federal property.

Sure there are a lot of vacant offices and store fronts, but that seems like a price issue. If they reduced rents then people would lease them. Probably cannot do that for financial reasons so they will probably be empty until sold to someone else at a cheaper price. Nature is healing.

I look forward to working in-office every day. I can’t believe people prefer to stay home so much. So much of life/work happens in the quick/casual conversations and colleague lunches.

I agree about the crowds on metro mid-week

PP here. I don’t take Metro, I drive. I’m mainly referring to the streets, but also traffic. I might start working from home on Wednesdays only because it’s getting so crowded. It’s hard to get lunch at some places without waiting an inordinate amount of time.

[Anonymous]

Ambassador to Haiti. She is used to the conditions.

[Anonymous]

I read in the paper that Metro has rebounded to around 50% of its 2019 passenger count during the work week. That’s actually a much better rebound compared with other cities’ transit systems. The downtown Sweetgreens, Chopts, and Tattes are most always packed at lunch these days. People are eating healthier too, and more people are ordering their salads with no dressing, no salt, no dried fruits.

[Anonymous]

Mayor Bowser a couple years ago talked up the new, upscale cafe that will open in Franklin Park. Now that the much anticipated park renovations are complete, the cafe is still empty. Is the Mayor and Council on top of this?

It was designed after the successful urban park with cafe at Place de la Republique in Paris. We could all benefit from a bit of the Parisian lifestyle downtown. The success of Le Grand Boucherie, the wildly successful brasserie that just opened on 14th, proves that lifestyle is the key to a revitalised downtown. Imagine eating a nice casual lunch in the park’s cafe just like the Europeans.

Projects like this may actually draw more workers back to the office from the comfort of their homes and suburban coffee shops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read in the paper that Metro has rebounded to around 50% of its 2019 passenger count during the work week. That’s actually a much better rebound compared with other cities’ transit systems. The downtown Sweetgreens, Chopts, and Tattes are most always packed at lunch these days. People are eating healthier too, and more people are ordering their salads with no dressing, no salt, no dried fruits.

Not the ones near my office (Franklin Square area). All empty or closed. I'm in the office Tuesday-Thursday and so many people started bringing their lunch from home that we had to get a second fridge. No one wants to spend $20 (plus tip!) on a mediocre sandwich or overpriced salad anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read in the paper that Metro has rebounded to around 50% of its 2019 passenger count during the work week. That’s actually a much better rebound compared with other cities’ transit systems. The downtown Sweetgreens, Chopts, and Tattes are most always packed at lunch these days. People are eating healthier too, and more people are ordering their salads with no dressing, no salt, no dried fruits.

Not the ones near my office (Franklin Square area). All empty or closed. I'm in the office Tuesday-Thursday and so many people started bringing their lunch from home that we had to get a second fridge. No one wants to spend $20 (plus tip!) on a mediocre sandwich or overpriced salad anymore.

My experience is with the ones in the west end of downtown, west of 19th St. Always packed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read in the paper that Metro has rebounded to around 50% of its 2019 passenger count during the work week. That’s actually a much better rebound compared with other cities’ transit systems. The downtown Sweetgreens, Chopts, and Tattes are most always packed at lunch these days. People are eating healthier too, and more people are ordering their salads with no dressing, no salt, no dried fruits.

Not the ones near my office (Franklin Square area). All empty or closed. I'm in the office Tuesday-Thursday and so many people started bringing their lunch from home that we had to get a second fridge. No one wants to spend $20 (plus tip!) on a mediocre sandwich or overpriced salad anymore.

My experience is with the ones in the west end of downtown, west of 19th St. Always packed.

Agree that Franklin Square is a dead zone. Farragut Square OTOH is doing fine. Got a new Foxtrot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read in the paper that Metro has rebounded to around 50% of its 2019 passenger count during the work week. That’s actually a much better rebound compared with other cities’ transit systems. The downtown Sweetgreens, Chopts, and Tattes are most always packed at lunch these days. People are eating healthier too, and more people are ordering their salads with no dressing, no salt, no dried fruits.

Not the ones near my office (Franklin Square area). All empty or closed. I'm in the office Tuesday-Thursday and so many people started bringing their lunch from home that we had to get a second fridge. No one wants to spend $20 (plus tip!) on a mediocre sandwich or overpriced salad anymore.

My experience is with the ones in the west end of downtown, west of 19th St. Always packed.

Agree that Franklin Square is a dead zone. Farragut Square OTOH is doing fine. Got a new Foxtrot.

The timing of your Foxtrot comment was perfect. Thank you.