What is the purpose of an ANC? Do they have any real powers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope that Macwood stays forever, particularly if the alternative is someone like her last opponent, Mr Ward.

And continue to see the commercial strip whither away to nothing but CVS and Walgreens, each with 15 storefronts.

Cleveland Park's challenge is that there are many other competing retail districts, when 20 or 25 years ago, today's trendy areas were sketchy areas. CP, just like Chevy Chase DC, in today's DC economy is unlikely to be a major retail/entertainment district. Another challenge is that real estate investors want national tenants or local chains with deep balance sheets, which allows investors to finance and more easily monetize their portfolio.

What CP can do is make its streetscape more attractive (a DC project that will start soon) and have more focus activities to bring people to shop there, like the farmer's market, as well as develop more of a neighborhood brand identity (historic Cleveland Park, Art Deco architecture, zoo, etc.). The new library and Uptown theater help.

That said, the CP commercial area is way more successful than Van Ness, which has a lot more empty storefronts despite being a busier Metro station with "high rise" residential and commercial buildings surrounding it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope that Macwood stays forever, particularly if the alternative is someone like her last opponent, Mr Ward.

And continue to see the commercial strip whither away to nothing but CVS and Walgreens, each with 15 storefronts.

Seriously. Macwood's opponent at least understood that being open minded and willing to look at things differently is a good thing. While Macwood is wandering around in a daze like it is 1986.

You mean the ex-Republican National Committee exec?!

[Anonymous]

I am not a fan of Brandon Todd. An ANC member needs to take him on next cycle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope that Macwood stays forever, particularly if the alternative is someone like her last opponent, Mr Ward.

And continue to see the commercial strip whither away to nothing but CVS and Walgreens, each with 15 storefronts.

Cleveland Park's challenge is that there are many other competing retail districts, when 20 or 25 years ago, today's trendy areas were sketchy areas. CP, just like Chevy Chase DC, in today's DC economy is unlikely to be a major retail/entertainment district. Another challenge is that real estate investors want national tenants or local chains with deep balance sheets, which allows investors to finance and more easily monetize their portfolio.

What CP can do is make its streetscape more attractive (a DC project that will start soon) and have more focus activities to bring people to shop there, like the farmer's market, as well as develop more of a neighborhood brand identity (historic Cleveland Park, Art Deco architecture, zoo, etc.). The new library and Uptown theater help.

That said, the CP commercial area is way more successful than Van Ness, which has a lot more empty storefronts despite being a busier Metro station with "high rise" residential and commercial buildings surrounding it.

Van Ness is thriving.
Chevy Chase, DC has a new restaurant open and another coming this year.
Other parts of the city have throngs of people supporting their businesses during the day and evening.

Cleveland Park is stagnant and on the verge of failing as a commercial area. There isn't enough daytime traffic to support restaurants being open before dinner, and one cannot support a thriving food business with patrons only there from 5 - 10.

It will be a challenge to address this, but the simple solution is to get more density and try to ensure some of it is office space, like a WeWork, that can generate some daytime support for the businesses that are there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope that Macwood stays forever, particularly if the alternative is someone like her last opponent, Mr Ward.

And continue to see the commercial strip whither away to nothing but CVS and Walgreens, each with 15 storefronts.

Cleveland Park's challenge is that there are many other competing retail districts, when 20 or 25 years ago, today's trendy areas were sketchy areas. CP, just like Chevy Chase DC, in today's DC economy is unlikely to be a major retail/entertainment district. Another challenge is that real estate investors want national tenants or local chains with deep balance sheets, which allows investors to finance and more easily monetize their portfolio.

What CP can do is make its streetscape more attractive (a DC project that will start soon) and have more focus activities to bring people to shop there, like the farmer's market, as well as develop more of a neighborhood brand identity (historic Cleveland Park, Art Deco architecture, zoo, etc.). The new library and Uptown theater help.

That said, the CP commercial area is way more successful than Van Ness, which has a lot more empty storefronts despite being a busier Metro station with "high rise" residential and commercial buildings surrounding it.

Van Ness is thriving.
Chevy Chase, DC has a new restaurant open and another coming this year.
Other parts of the city have throngs of people supporting their businesses during the day and evening.

Cleveland Park is stagnant and on the verge of failing as a commercial area. There isn't enough daytime traffic to support restaurants being open before dinner, and one cannot support a thriving food business with patrons only there from 5 - 10.

It will be a challenge to address this, but the simple solution is to get more density and try to ensure some of it is office space, like a WeWork, that can generate some daytime support for the businesses that are there.

Is Van Ness thriving? They couldn't even keep the pharmacy (Walgreens?) alive and the Giant is downright depressing.

Agree with your points on Cleveland Park. The NIMBYs would rather have a dead retail strip than more traffic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope that Macwood stays forever, particularly if the alternative is someone like her last opponent, Mr Ward.

And continue to see the commercial strip whither away to nothing but CVS and Walgreens, each with 15 storefronts.

Cleveland Park's challenge is that there are many other competing retail districts, when 20 or 25 years ago, today's trendy areas were sketchy areas. CP, just like Chevy Chase DC, in today's DC economy is unlikely to be a major retail/entertainment district. Another challenge is that real estate investors want national tenants or local chains with deep balance sheets, which allows investors to finance and more easily monetize their portfolio.

What CP can do is make its streetscape more attractive (a DC project that will start soon) and have more focus activities to bring people to shop there, like the farmer's market, as well as develop more of a neighborhood brand identity (historic Cleveland Park, Art Deco architecture, zoo, etc.). The new library and Uptown theater help.

That said, the CP commercial area is way more successful than Van Ness, which has a lot more empty storefronts despite being a busier Metro station with "high rise" residential and commercial buildings surrounding it.

Van Ness is thriving.
Chevy Chase, DC has a new restaurant open and another coming this year.
Other parts of the city have throngs of people supporting their businesses during the day and evening.

Cleveland Park is stagnant and on the verge of failing as a commercial area. There isn't enough daytime traffic to support restaurants being open before dinner, and one cannot support a thriving food business with patrons only there from 5 - 10.

It will be a challenge to address this, but the simple solution is to get more density and try to ensure some of it is office space, like a WeWork, that can generate some daytime support for the businesses that are there.

Is Van Ness thriving? They couldn't even keep the pharmacy (Walgreens?) alive and the Giant is downright depressing.

Agree with your points on Cleveland Park. The NIMBYs would rather have a dead retail strip than more traffic.

The Walgreens failure had little to do with the neighborhood and everything to do with the company's foolish expansion plans, which have been well documented. They decided to put a store a football field's length from an established CVS and a half mile up the road from another Walgreens. Shockingly, the new one didn't last.

The Giant isn't my ideal place to get groceries but calling it depressing is hyperbole. It's fine for what it is, and having a full grocery store right on top of the Metro is a pretty big asset. If you want a depressing Giant, look to the one in Columbia Heights, which is a horror show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope that Macwood stays forever, particularly if the alternative is someone like her last opponent, Mr Ward.

And continue to see the commercial strip whither away to nothing but CVS and Walgreens, each with 15 storefronts.

Cleveland Park's challenge is that there are many other competing retail districts, when 20 or 25 years ago, today's trendy areas were sketchy areas. CP, just like Chevy Chase DC, in today's DC economy is unlikely to be a major retail/entertainment district. Another challenge is that real estate investors want national tenants or local chains with deep balance sheets, which allows investors to finance and more easily monetize their portfolio.

What CP can do is make its streetscape more attractive (a DC project that will start soon) and have more focus activities to bring people to shop there, like the farmer's market, as well as develop more of a neighborhood brand identity (historic Cleveland Park, Art Deco architecture, zoo, etc.). The new library and Uptown theater help.

That said, the CP commercial area is way more successful than Van Ness, which has a lot more empty storefronts despite being a busier Metro station with "high rise" residential and commercial buildings surrounding it.

Van Ness is thriving.
Chevy Chase, DC has a new restaurant open and another coming this year.
Other parts of the city have throngs of people supporting their businesses during the day and evening.

Cleveland Park is stagnant and on the verge of failing as a commercial area. There isn't enough daytime traffic to support restaurants being open before dinner, and one cannot support a thriving food business with patrons only there from 5 - 10.

It will be a challenge to address this, but the simple solution is to get more density and try to ensure some of it is office space, like a WeWork, that can generate some daytime support for the businesses that are there.

Van Ness is not “thriving.” There are more shuttered storefronts there than in Cleveland Park despite all of the scale and density of the Van Ness complex. And your assertion that Chevy Chase DC’s small commercial area is doing so well is curious given that the Chevy Chase neighborhood is less dense than Cleveland Park.

The GreaterGreaterHogwash echo chamber may buy your argument but most people won’t.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t Cleveland Park an historic district? Thinking that it will somehow become tall and dense is misplaced as historic protections won’t permit it.

[Anonymous]

Ancs are where geriatric people go to complain and ensure that younger generations have no housing supply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ancs are where geriatric people go to complain and ensure that younger generations have no housing supply.

You mean no housing supply like the 1600 new units under construction across the street from Sidwell?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope that Macwood stays forever, particularly if the alternative is someone like her last opponent, Mr Ward.

And continue to see the commercial strip whither away to nothing but CVS and Walgreens, each with 15 storefronts.

Cleveland Park's challenge is that there are many other competing retail districts, when 20 or 25 years ago, today's trendy areas were sketchy areas. CP, just like Chevy Chase DC, in today's DC economy is unlikely to be a major retail/entertainment district. Another challenge is that real estate investors want national tenants or local chains with deep balance sheets, which allows investors to finance and more easily monetize their portfolio.

What CP can do is make its streetscape more attractive (a DC project that will start soon) and have more focus activities to bring people to shop there, like the farmer's market, as well as develop more of a neighborhood brand identity (historic Cleveland Park, Art Deco architecture, zoo, etc.). The new library and Uptown theater help.

That said, the CP commercial area is way more successful than Van Ness, which has a lot more empty storefronts despite being a busier Metro station with "high rise" residential and commercial buildings surrounding it.

Van Ness is thriving.
Chevy Chase, DC has a new restaurant open and another coming this year.
Other parts of the city have throngs of people supporting their businesses during the day and evening.

Cleveland Park is stagnant and on the verge of failing as a commercial area. There isn't enough daytime traffic to support restaurants being open before dinner, and one cannot support a thriving food business with patrons only there from 5 - 10.

It will be a challenge to address this, but the simple solution is to get more density and try to ensure some of it is office space, like a WeWork, that can generate some daytime support for the businesses that are there.

Is Van Ness thriving? They couldn't even keep the pharmacy (Walgreens?) alive and the Giant is downright depressing.

Agree with your points on Cleveland Park. The NIMBYs would rather have a dead retail strip than more traffic.

The Walgreens building was a disaster from the outset. It should have been a 6 story residential building with first floor retail. Other than that, the retail areas in Van Ness are generally thriving. Giant's issues are Giant's, not the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ancs are where geriatric people go to complain and ensure that younger generations have no housing supply.

You mean no housing supply like the 1600 new units under construction across the street from Sidwell?

If that project hadn't been matter of right, you don't think they would have tried to hold it up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Van Ness is not “thriving.” There are more shuttered storefronts there than in Cleveland Park despite all of the scale and density of the Van Ness complex. And your assertion that Chevy Chase DC’s small commercial area is doing so well is curious given that the Chevy Chase neighborhood is less dense than Cleveland Park.

The GreaterGreaterHogwash echo chamber may buy your argument but most people won’t.

Other than the Walgreens, what are the empty storefronts? The market is being replaced, so please don't count that. The businesses there are doing well.

Chevy Chase has the advantage of being the only game in town for all the people who live between the Park and Conn. Avenue. Plus, unlike Cleveland Park, they have things like a toy store, and kids shoe store and a more active movie theater to bring people in at different hours of the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope that Macwood stays forever, particularly if the alternative is someone like her last opponent, Mr Ward.

And continue to see the commercial strip whither away to nothing but CVS and Walgreens, each with 15 storefronts.

Cleveland Park's challenge is that there are many other competing retail districts, when 20 or 25 years ago, today's trendy areas were sketchy areas. CP, just like Chevy Chase DC, in today's DC economy is unlikely to be a major retail/entertainment district. Another challenge is that real estate investors want national tenants or local chains with deep balance sheets, which allows investors to finance and more easily monetize their portfolio.

What CP can do is make its streetscape more attractive (a DC project that will start soon) and have more focus activities to bring people to shop there, like the farmer's market, as well as develop more of a neighborhood brand identity (historic Cleveland Park, Art Deco architecture, zoo, etc.). The new library and Uptown theater help.

That said, the CP commercial area is way more successful than Van Ness, which has a lot more empty storefronts despite being a busier Metro station with "high rise" residential and commercial buildings surrounding it.

Van Ness is thriving.
Chevy Chase, DC has a new restaurant open and another coming this year.
Other parts of the city have throngs of people supporting their businesses during the day and evening.

Cleveland Park is stagnant and on the verge of failing as a commercial area. There isn't enough daytime traffic to support restaurants being open before dinner, and one cannot support a thriving food business with patrons only there from 5 - 10.

It will be a challenge to address this, but the simple solution is to get more density and try to ensure some of it is office space, like a WeWork, that can generate some daytime support for the businesses that are there.

Is Van Ness thriving? They couldn't even keep the pharmacy (Walgreens?) alive and the Giant is downright depressing.

Agree with your points on Cleveland Park. The NIMBYs would rather have a dead retail strip than more traffic.

The Walgreens building was a disaster from the outset. It should have been a 6 story residential building with first floor retail. Other than that, the retail areas in Van Ness are generally thriving. Giant's issues are Giant's, not the neighborhood.

Giant is just a badly run company. Even its new store on Wisconsin Ave, though larger and only a few old, feels dirty and cluttered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Van Ness is not “thriving.” There are more shuttered storefronts there than in Cleveland Park despite all of the scale and density of the Van Ness complex. And your assertion that Chevy Chase DC’s small commercial area is doing so well is curious given that the Chevy Chase neighborhood is less dense than Cleveland Park.

The GreaterGreaterHogwash echo chamber may buy your argument but most people won’t.

Other than the Walgreens, what are the empty storefronts? The market is being replaced, so please don't count that. The businesses there are doing well.

Chevy Chase has the advantage of being the only game in town for all the people who live between the Park and Conn. Avenue. Plus, unlike Cleveland Park, they have things like a toy store, and kids shoe store and a more active movie theater to bring people in at different hours of the day.

Exactly. Small, locally-serving businesses are what enable a commercial area to thrive long term. Who needs more generica? If a neighborhood looks like and competed with every other mixed-use, chain-dominated retail development concept in the metro area, there is nothing to distinguish and sustain it.

BTW, Chevy Chase also has plentiful offstreet parking areas for business patrons.