Theater: What’s Playing in Borderstan?

Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Ladies" is at the Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U Street NW. Find out what's playing at four other theaters in Borderstan. (Luis Gomez Photos)

This is a weekly feature we began last week: a theater listing for the Dupont-Logan-U Street area.

If you want to head out on foot or take a quick taxi ride for a live show in the neighborhood, here are five places to go—right below the fold.

Crimes of Note Include S & T Street Robberies

A total of four robberies to report in the past week, with two of them on S Street, one on T Street and a fourth one on 16th Street NW between S and T Streets.

It’s springtime, people. This another reminder to not talk on your cell phone or listen to your iPod… while alone… on a quiet residential street… at night. Don’t do it.

Following are the crimes of note for the past week—robberies, assaults, burglaries and stolen autos—that occurred March 15-18 in the Dupont – Logan – U Street area. The area is covered primarily by Police Service Areas (PSAs) 208 and 307 with a small slice of the Borderstan area in PSA 305.

Robbery

• Tuesday, March 16, 8:15 p.m., Robbery, 1000 block of S Street NW-Alley.
• Tuesday, March 16, 11 p.m. Robbery, 1400 block of T Street NW, 2 males, 15 to 17 years of age: “The victims reported that while walking in the area, two suspects approached her and a friend from the front. After passing, they then demanded their property and appeared to be armed with handguns held inside their hands in their jackets. The suspects stated they were armed and told the victims not to move. One of the victims reached into their purse and gave the suspects her property. Both suspects then ran southbound in the alley.”
• Wednesday, 9:48 p.m., Robbery with Gun, 1600 Block of S Street NW: “2 Black Females wearing puffy hoodie jackets, blue jeans both armed with guns, last seen eastbound towards 16th Street.”
• Thursday, March 18, 4:41 p.m., Robbery pickpocket, 1840 16^th Street NW (between S and T Streets).

Assault with a Deadly Weapon

• Monday, March 15, 1:42 a.m., Assault with a Deadly Weapon (ADW), 1200 block of 11^th Street NW-Residence.
• Wednesday, March 17, 10:30 p.m., Assault with a Deadly Weapon (ADW), 1200 block of V Street NW.

Stolen Auto

• Monday, March 15, Stolen Auto, 16^th and P Streets NW.

Will DC Enforce the Law on Shoveling Sidewalks?

Monday evening at 17th and Corcoran NW: An unshoveled stretch of the block.

When is DC going to start enforcing the city law on shoveling sidewalks? It is a matter of safety as well as necessity for residents. I realize the city, all of us, have been overwhelmed by the unexpected and abnormal amounts of snow over the past few days. But sidewalks are a vital part of residents’ transportation, just like roadways.

This is especially true in downtown neighborhoods such as Dupont, Logan, U Street, Shaw, Adams Morgan, etc. Many residents don’t own cars and many of us don’t use them unless we must. This is downtown, not the exurbs and the carless pay DC taxes just like car owners. Moreover, sidewalks are a form of mass transportation—especially when Metrobus and Metrorail are close to being shut down due to snow.

Here is the DC law. From the District of Columbia Snow Guide 2009-2010:

Residents are responsible for clearing sidewalks
District law requires property owners to clear snow and ice from sidewalks, handicap ramps and steps abutting their property within the first eight daylight hours after the snow, sleet or ice stops falling. This applies to all property owners – residential, commercial, federal, and municipal. If ice cannot be cleared without damaging the sidewalk, then property owners may spread sand or salt to make the sidewalks safe. Property owners also must clear snow from the ADA-curb cuts; these are part of the sidewalk. Property owners are asked to clear snow from catch basins and storm drains to prevent flooding during snow melt.

Note: In December the Prince of Petworth did a post, “Sidewalks of Shame” on this issue as did 14th & You yesterday, “14th & You PSA: Please shovel your walk.”

Borderstan Area Cancellations and Postponements

Update: The WaPo’s Going Out Gurus are keeping an updated list of cancelled events… Overall, WTOP has the best list I can find; it appears that many places are closing at noon today… The Federal government is also planning to let workers leave four hours early today—the unscheduled leave policy is in effect… A DC snow emergency goes into effect at 9:30 this morning—do you need to move your car?

For the Dupont-Logan-U Street area, here are cancellations and postponements due to the expected weekend snowstorm.

Crimes of Note: Auto Thefts Stand Out

For the first half of January, the number of robberies in the Borderstan area is about par while the number of stolen autos (nine) seems quite high. Two things stand out on the robberies: three on January 7 on 16th/17th/S Streets, all in the same general area; and two more robberies on T Street, one on 9th and one on 13th Street.

Following are crimes of note in the Borderstan area for the January 5-18 period in Dupont, U Street and Logan. Crimes of note are property crimes such as stolen autos and burglaries, and violent crimes such as robberies and assaults.

MONDAY: Wreath Laying Ceremony at Civil War Memorial

Monday, January 18 at 12:30 p.m.: There will be a wreath laying ceremony in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the African American Civil War Memorial, 1200 U Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)

Here is a event tomorrow for Martin Luther King Day in the neighborhood. There will be a wreath laying ceremony at 12:30 p.m. at the African American Civil War Memorial at 1200 U Street NW (intersection of U-Vermont-12th).

TD Bank Coming to 15th and P NW

At the Metropole, 15 and P NW: TD Bank is coming. (Luis Gomez Photos)

The 1400 block of P Street is getting a third bank branch with TD Bank joining Wachovia and PNC Bank. TD Bank will open in the Metropole building.

The retail spaces in many of the new developments in the Logan–U Street are quite large in comparison to the storefronts in older buildings and converted row houses. One of the few exceptions on the 1400 block of P NW is the small space that houses Pitango Gelato on the same block.

The large size of the retail spaces in the new buildings seems to guarantee that we will get banks, furniture stores and larger restaurants instead of a variety of smaller retailers.

Snowballs and Guns: MPD “Looking into the Circumstances”

Here is the MPD’s news release on the now [truly] famous incident on Saturday involving a snowball fight at 14th and U Streets, an off-duty detective and a uniformed officer.

NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Officer Kenny Bryson (202) 727-4383
December 20, 2009

INCIDENT INVOLVING SNOWBALL THROWING CROWD IN THE 1400 BLOCK OF U STREET, NW

(Washington, DC)- The Metropolitan Police Department is looking into the circumstances involving the report of officers “pulling their guns” on a crowd that had been throwing snowballs in the area of 14th and U Streets, NW.

More 14th/U Snowball Fight Video (Just the Fun)

This video of yesterday afternoon’s 14th and U snowball fight is from a former neighbor who now lives in Columbia Heights. Nothing controversial here, just a snowball fight (CNN ran a story that is pretty good). He had already left before the incident with the off-duty police detective. Our friend’s narrative:

On the corner of 14th and U, each time the light turned red the residents of the West side of 14th Street would attack residents of the East side. In this video, you can hear the crowd roar as the snowplow interrupts the fun momentarily.

It wasn’t organized. It was just a bunch of people who happened to be walking by throwing snow at each other. When the light turned red everyone attacked each other. It was a blast. We left before the vigilante cop showed up. Crazy!

Gym Wars: VIDA Fitness Gets Zoning Approval for U Street

1612 U Street NW: The property in question and the current home of Results on U Street. Archictectural plans have the new VIDA gym filling in the empty space at the left, next to Stetson's Bar. (Luis Gomez Photos)

And so it goes in the gym wars between Results’ Doug Jeffries and VIDA’s David von Storch… DCMud/DCrealestate.com reports that von Storch received approval from the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment for his plans at 1612 U Street NW: