February 23, 2006

Save Our Bodegas

Nominations for the list of Most Endangered Places in Washington for 2006 are being accepted by the DC Preservation League. Nomination forms must be submitted no later than March 1. The 2006 list will be announced in May.

This list, issued annually since 1996 has included historic resources such as St. Elizabeths Hospital, McMillan Reservoir,Woodlawn Cemetery and Washington's Symbolic Core. The Most Endangered Places in Washington are chosen by the Board of Trusteesof the DC Preservation League from nominations submitted by concerned individuals and organizations.

These sites are chosen based on the severity of the threat of destruction to the buildings and landscapes in question, whether through demolition, neglect, or inappropriate alteration. The list can include buildings, parks or other landscaped areas, or even vistas and other aspects of the city's unique planned history.

Hmmm...How about putting the latino markets, bars and markets along Mount Pleasant street on the list. Think of all the latino stores along 18th St. in Adams Morgan. You can't? Well they were displaced by suburban hipster bars about a decade ago. Thats what's gonna happen to Mount Pleasant street. Or maybe we should put Dupont Circle on the list. The park, which once was a relatively quiet setting, now is overrun, thus should be expanded.

Those trying to "save" the Heurich Mansion now have until March 15. Ahhh....the ides of March. This melodrama even more dramatic than we first thought. Before you donate remember this DC Landmark is protected, thus can't be outright demolished or altered, which no one is suggesting. So what are we "saving" it from?

And think of the tens of thousands of visitors that the Brewmaster's Mansion attracts annually. You've seens the lines up and down New Hampshire Ave. ... Well there actually aren't any lines because only 8,000 people visited the mansion last year. Rather than "save" it, how about turning it into a historically accurate brewpub?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I've been a DC resident living in our around the Adams Morgan area for 10 years now, and I don't recall that many more latino stores along 18th street. I remember it being much like it is today, but with older bars. Besides, hasn't the stretch of Columbia Road between 18th and Mount Pleasant done a pretty good job at preserving a base of latino establishments? I think you're exaggerating the problem here.

"Hmmm...How about putting the latino markets, bars and markets along Mount Pleasant street on the list. Think of all the latino stores along 18th St. in Adams Morgan. You can't? Well they were displaced by suburban hipster bars about a decade ago."

Anonymous said...

Afforable housing.

Anonymous said...

Your link to the nomination form doesn't work.

Anonymous said...

Why shouldn't Mt. Pleasant Street serve all the residents of Mt. Pleasant? Four bad grocery stores and three coin laundries are not necessary. How about decent book stores, coffee shops, cafes?