washington dc

Can the true life and culture of a city exist beneath its surface? And can it be just as authentic below as it is above? Like those who’ve developed underground spaces elsewhere around the world, the Arts Coalition for the Dupont Underground thinks it’s possible in Washington.[read more]

Like so many of us, Julia Christian very deliberately selected a place to call home. Bottom line: She loved it there. But unlike those of us with ultra-nomadic tendencies who land far from the nest, Julia chose to return to the very neighborhood in which she grew up. She decided she simply couldn’t live without Capitol Hill.Julia is a...[read more]

  Cities in the US, including Washington, DC where I live, are making significant investments in bicycling infrastructure.  Two categories that have appeared just in the last decade, for example, are bicycle sharing and urban bike stations where cyclists can store bikes and get repairs.  Bike lanes, or painted stripes...[read more]

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The Friday night and Saturday morning of a holiday weekend is always a good time to enjoy the city. If you’re staying put, you watch the evening traffic head out, bound for the beach or a weekend with family.You watch the roads clear and things grow a bit quiet, then hear the volume crank up a notch as the neighbors head out for the...[read more]

At a historic church in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C., Mayor Vincent Gray said there are either two future directions for the city: “The gaps between us could further divide our city,” or the city could become “greener, more equitable, and more prosperous” for all. Outlining a bold vision for a Sustainable D.C.,...[read more]

March 22, 2012, Washington, DC: I heard a story on the radio this morning that made me feel calm, cool and collected. It detailed a report out this week from Sperling’s Best Places revealing the nation’s most stressful cities. Immediately I assumed the Washington metro area, a region full of Type As and powerhouses, would top the list...[read more]

As you come up the escalator in the Gallery Place / Chinatown Metro in Washington, D.C., you are serenaded by loudspeakers playing Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven. But why? It turns out that certain sounds really annoy teenagers and cities are now using them to keep young people out of public places....[read more]

February 7, 2012, Washington, DC: My neighbors on Capitol Hill are well-versed in the state of the union. This is, after all, a city overflowing with smart people dedicated to national and international issues. Countless Washingtonians spend their days focused on federal and/or global policy, whether working in Congress, on K St.,...[read more]

Today, USGBC released its top 10 list of states with the most LEED-certified building square footage per capita. The District of Columbia leads the nation, with more than 31 square feet of LEED-certified space per person in 2011, and Colorado is the leading state, with 2.74 square feet per person in 2011.[read more]

Attendees of this transport-themed "unconference" can suggest their own session topics and activities. Photo by Ryan Resella. After completing two successful Transportation Camp events in 2011 (in San Francisco and New York City), OpenPlans, a nonprofit technology organization, is hosting this year’s Transportation Camp in Washington, D...[read more]

   Washington, DC is finally getting a green waterfront development to be proud of.  A 42-acre redevelopment along the Anacostia River, The Yards will comprise some 1.8 million square feet of office space, 400,000 square feet of retail and cultural spaces, 2,700 rental and for‐sale homes, and a significant riverfront park...[read more]

Where would you rather be?  Here?   Or here?   Let’s try it again.  This time assume you are an environmentalist who understands that we need more urban density in order to reduce suburban sprawl.  You’re hoping to persuade a skeptical citizens’ group.  Would you rather have something like this to show...[read more]