‘80s Flashback: Georgetown Park

[Anonymous]

I can’t believe they have the same green carpet I remember from 1986! I hope it is not literally the same carpet!

Otherwise, the views are incredible - this actually gave me pause but I am not up for that condo fee.

Does anyone know what it is like to live at Georgetown Park now? Like are there mainly absent owners? Are people there? The listing is odd - it says no HOA.

I remember when this was the height of sophistication in DC!

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1080-Wisconsin-Ave-NW-503-W-Washington-DC-20007/458713815_zpid/

[Anonymous]

The place in the zillow listing looks too ‘80s like Mr. Belvedere. I would not move there. It’s like a time machine, but in a very bad way. My guess is the residents are mostly all retirees that purchased the properties as pied-à-terre in their 30s in the 1980s. If younger people lived there, the interior design would have been updated long ago. That whole place needs to be redeveloped, especially since two thirds of it is abandoned—the former mall portion.

The Georgetown Park mall is still there but it is now a padlocked liminal space and off limits to the public. I think the abandoned, forlorn fountain is still there as are the planters that once supported a cornucopia of tropical plants. The escalators are turned off, frozen in time. The design was reminiscent of the European shopping arcades with fancy ironwork and skylights. The Clintons would shop there for their stylish outfits and gifts. There was a high-end Garfinkels department store. The very hip American Cafe was nearby; the chef behind that local chain later opened up Silver Diner in Rockville. But Georgetown wasn’t all upscale yuppies like in “Chances Are” and wealthy medical school students like in the movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”. Punk kids hung out at Commander Salamander and were all over Georgetown, especially at the Cerberus 1-2-3 Cinema, now the DC flagship for Barnes and Noble Booksellers.

[Anonymous]

Condo fee is $1,665 per month in the listing. There is a condo association.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The place in the zillow listing looks too ‘80s like Mr. Belvedere. I would not move there. It’s like a time machine, but in a very bad way. My guess is the residents are mostly all retirees that purchased the properties as pied-à-terre in their 30s in the 1980s. If younger people lived there, the interior design would have been updated long ago. That whole place needs to be redeveloped, especially since two thirds of it is abandoned—the former mall portion.

The Georgetown Park mall is still there but it is now a padlocked liminal space and off limits to the public. I think the abandoned, forlorn fountain is still there as are the planters that once supported a cornucopia of tropical plants. The escalators are turned off, frozen in time. The design was reminiscent of the European shopping arcades with fancy ironwork and skylights. The Clintons would shop there for their stylish outfits and gifts. There was a high-end Garfinkels department store. The very hip American Cafe was nearby; the chef behind that local chain later opened up Silver Diner in Rockville. But Georgetown wasn’t all upscale yuppies like in “Chances Are” and wealthy medical school students like in the movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”. Punk kids hung out at Commander Salamander and were all over Georgetown, especially at the Cerberus 1-2-3 Cinema, now the DC flagship for Barnes and Noble Booksellers.

This is OP back. I enjoyed your post - you’re a great writer and you absolutely described Georgetown as I remember it back when I lived in a group house nearby.

[Anonymous]

I kind of liked it B but I am an 80s flashback myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The place in the zillow listing looks too ‘80s like Mr. Belvedere. I would not move there. It’s like a time machine, but in a very bad way. My guess is the residents are mostly all retirees that purchased the properties as pied-à-terre in their 30s in the 1980s. If younger people lived there, the interior design would have been updated long ago. That whole place needs to be redeveloped, especially since two thirds of it is abandoned—the former mall portion.

The Georgetown Park mall is still there but it is now a padlocked liminal space and off limits to the public. I think the abandoned, forlorn fountain is still there as are the planters that once supported a cornucopia of tropical plants. The escalators are turned off, frozen in time. The design was reminiscent of the European shopping arcades with fancy ironwork and skylights. The Clintons would shop there for their stylish outfits and gifts. There was a high-end Garfinkels department store. The very hip American Cafe was nearby; the chef behind that local chain later opened up Silver Diner in Rockville. But Georgetown wasn’t all upscale yuppies like in “Chances Are” and wealthy medical school students like in the movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”. Punk kids hung out at Commander Salamander and were all over Georgetown, especially at the Cerberus 1-2-3 Cinema, now the DC flagship for Barnes and Noble Booksellers.

This is OP back. I enjoyed your post - you’re a great writer and you absolutely described Georgetown as I remember it back when I lived in a group house nearby.

+1

Commander Salamander . . . those were the days. My mom used to shop at the Phoenix. Now I shop there.

[Anonymous]

I think it looks like a nice city apartment. The interior is pretty neutral except for the kitchen floor and the bathroom wallpaper. White cabinets aren't bad compared to a weird paint or stain.

It's interesting to know there's an empty mall there. I'm surprised they can't rebuild it into offices or condos. What's the economic reason for leaving it totally empty? Is it like the White Flint site? Developer holding out for a big money redevelopment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The place in the zillow listing looks too ‘80s like Mr. Belvedere. I would not move there. It’s like a time machine, but in a very bad way. My guess is the residents are mostly all retirees that purchased the properties as pied-à-terre in their 30s in the 1980s. If younger people lived there, the interior design would have been updated long ago. That whole place needs to be redeveloped, especially since two thirds of it is abandoned—the former mall portion.

The Georgetown Park mall is still there but it is now a padlocked liminal space and off limits to the public. I think the abandoned, forlorn fountain is still there as are the planters that once supported a cornucopia of tropical plants. The escalators are turned off, frozen in time. The design was reminiscent of the European shopping arcades with fancy ironwork and skylights. The Clintons would shop there for their stylish outfits and gifts. There was a high-end Garfinkels department store. The very hip American Cafe was nearby; the chef behind that local chain later opened up Silver Diner in Rockville. But Georgetown wasn’t all upscale yuppies like in “Chances Are” and wealthy medical school students like in the movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”. Punk kids hung out at Commander Salamander and were all over Georgetown, especially at the Cerberus 1-2-3 Cinema, now the DC flagship for Barnes and Noble Booksellers.

I weep at the loss of American Cafe and the chicken tarragon salad.

[Anonymous]

Price isn't that bad. It looks like they did a light refurb of the kitchen just before sale, and the rest was left undone. It'll need an upgrade, but I'd live there if I was single and childless.

Commander Salamander... good memories from high school days.

[Anonymous]

Op, I think you are confusing the mall (1981) with the condos (what you posted). The latter weren’t built until 2008-11, (in stages).

[Anonymous]

Oh wow, this would be fun if I had money to blow. Seems cheap to me even though it’s dated? I love the book wallpaper in the loo—feels very DC to me.

I worked across the street for a bit years ago—but I’m too old to even remember what the job was. I think—no kidding—it was the yacht lobby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, I think you are confusing the mall (1981) with the condos (what you posted). The latter weren’t built until 2008-11, (in stages).

The Zillow posting for the condo says year built: 1981.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The place in the zillow listing looks too ‘80s like Mr. Belvedere. I would not move there. It’s like a time machine, but in a very bad way. My guess is the residents are mostly all retirees that purchased the properties as pied-à-terre in their 30s in the 1980s. If younger people lived there, the interior design would have been updated long ago. That whole place needs to be redeveloped, especially since two thirds of it is abandoned—the former mall portion.

The Georgetown Park mall is still there but it is now a padlocked liminal space and off limits to the public. I think the abandoned, forlorn fountain is still there as are the planters that once supported a cornucopia of tropical plants. The escalators are turned off, frozen in time. The design was reminiscent of the European shopping arcades with fancy ironwork and skylights. The Clintons would shop there for their stylish outfits and gifts. There was a high-end Garfinkels department store. The very hip American Cafe was nearby; the chef behind that local chain later opened up Silver Diner in Rockville. But Georgetown wasn’t all upscale yuppies like in “Chances Are” and wealthy medical school students like in the movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”. Punk kids hung out at Commander Salamander and were all over Georgetown, especially at the Cerberus 1-2-3 Cinema, now the DC flagship for Barnes and Noble Booksellers.

This is OP back. I enjoyed your post - you’re a great writer and you absolutely described Georgetown as I remember it back when I lived in a group house nearby.

Haha thanks. My memories of the 80s are vague at best since I was only a young kid in the latter part of the decade, but we all had older siblings. The drinking age in DC was still 18 at the time, before the city councilors finally caved into pressure from MADD.

[Anonymous]

OP back… fun reading all the comments. Big there’s got to be someone here who knows what it is like to live there! Anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The place in the zillow listing looks too ‘80s like Mr. Belvedere. I would not move there. It’s like a time machine, but in a very bad way. My guess is the residents are mostly all retirees that purchased the properties as pied-à-terre in their 30s in the 1980s. If younger people lived there, the interior design would have been updated long ago. That whole place needs to be redeveloped, especially since two thirds of it is abandoned—the former mall portion.

The Georgetown Park mall is still there but it is now a padlocked liminal space and off limits to the public. I think the abandoned, forlorn fountain is still there as are the planters that once supported a cornucopia of tropical plants. The escalators are turned off, frozen in time. The design was reminiscent of the European shopping arcades with fancy ironwork and skylights. The Clintons would shop there for their stylish outfits and gifts. There was a high-end Garfinkels department store. The very hip American Cafe was nearby; the chef behind that local chain later opened up Silver Diner in Rockville. But Georgetown wasn’t all upscale yuppies like in “Chances Are” and wealthy medical school students like in the movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”. Punk kids hung out at Commander Salamander and were all over Georgetown, especially at the Cerberus 1-2-3 Cinema, now the DC flagship for Barnes and Noble Booksellers.

This is OP back. I enjoyed your post - you’re a great writer and you absolutely described Georgetown as I remember it back when I lived in a group house nearby.

+1. I went to college in DC in the 80s and stayed in the area. I worked in Georgetown for a few years and thought GP was the coolest thing. Loved going to the Conrans and had lunch at the Japanese restaurant in the mall. I always wanted to see what the inside of an apartment looked like. It’s really surprising that it hasn’t been updated/ torn down/ revitalized somehow given the prime real estate. Even Mazza Gallery, once an icon of the 80s has been reconstructed.