Neighbor Barbara Zartman Remembered
April 9, 2010
Photo By: RJSmith
Three former heads of the Committee of 100: Tersh Boasberg, Ann Hargrove and Dorn McGrath remember Barbara Zartman
Civic leader and Georgetown neighbor Barbara Zartman was remembered fondly, respectfully and with considerable awe on Wednesday at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church on the grounds of the National Cathedral. Friends from all parts of the District and across the U.S. talked of Barbara’s groundbreaking politics, the impact she had on historic preservation and city planning, her civic work and her family.
Longtime friend Beverly Jackson told of working with Barbara to establish the first rape crisis center in Rochester, New York. Barbara did more than just sit on the board and raise money, Beverly said. "Barbara was hands-on. She answered phones, went to the police station and accompanied victims to the hospital.”
Barbara was also a pioneer in Rochester Republican politics and was the first woman to be nominated (by Beverly) to chair the local party. And while the Jacksons are “birth-to-death Democrats,” Beverly said with pride, “In no small part because of Barbara, I’m a Republican.”
Barbara’s stepdaughter Sarah Zartman is a Democrat. “But Barbara loved me,” Sarah said. She described how Barbara would bake cookies and make stockings at Christmas and be able to step in and solve any family crisis. For instance, when the bustle on Sarah’s wedding dress needed to be reattached at the last minute, Barbara just plunged under the dress with needle and thread to do the job.
Long-time friend and colleague Ann Hargrove spoke powerfully of Barbara’s leadership and years of work with the Committee of 100 on the Federal City and of Barbara’s persistence and tireless work for a better District of Columbia. She remembered Barbara’s “enormous body of knowledge and experience in planning, zoning and historic preservation” when they both worked for New York City Mayor John Lindsay. Ann said the District is a better place because Barbara brought these resources to her efforts in Georgetown and as head of the District-wide Federation of Citizens Associations, as well as, the Committee of 100.
Stepdaugher Sarah Zartman and friend Beverly Jackson
Dick Wolf from Capitol Hill, Loretta Newman from Takoma Park and At-Large Councilmember Phil Mendelson at the reception after the funeral
Barbara's neighbors from the Cloisters Marty Tolchin and Stephen Hopkins
1 Comment Click here to share your thoughts.
Watch out Whole Foods: New Safeway is a Food Palace
April 6, 2010
Photo By: Safeway
It's spacious, beautiful, and full of food. So why go home?
When does a supermarket qualify as a food palace? The new Social Safeway on Wisconsin Avenue will make 
discerning shoppers proud as they enjoy its environmentally-sound design, sumptuous decor, bread baked in an open-hearth oven, an extensive selection of wine stored in a climate-controlled vault, to say nothing of its large indoor/outdoor conversation room with a fireplace, right next to a Starbucks. It’ll be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So, why go home?
Safeway’s core business is food, but its "hard hat tour" Tuesday revealed that the new Georgetown store -- opening one month from now -- is the company's “Eastern Division’s greenest store to date.” The tour was lead by engineers, architects, refrigeration and HVAC specialists who beamed as they talked about applying for LEED certification, hoping for silver, and becoming Washington's first LEED-certified grocery store. And, yes, they used words like “pedestrianism” which means shoppers on foot don’t walk through acres of parking lot to get food. At the new Social Safeway, they will safely enter the second-floor store from the sidewalk. Several stores – Go-Wireless, Aqua Nails and Unleashed (a whole new species of PETCO) – will provide welcoming retail at street level.
Eastern Division Manager Craig Muckle explained that the new building does not occupy new
land – a LEED requirement, as is the mixed use that allows shoppers to run several errands at one location (do your nails, repair cell phone and buy week’s supply of groceries) in one trip. Muckle reported that the old equipment and building materials were recycled or parts salvaged. The new 71,067-square-foot store is also designed to promote the character and historic nature of its Georgetown neighborhood – which means that Safeway has been very careful of where they place their lights to avoid “light trespass” into its neighbors’ spaces.
Design Architect Brian E. O’Looney and LEED AP Dioni Rey explained how the site was 
designed to retain and filter rain water before it enters the District’s rain water systems. The parking lots use natural ventilation, limiting the need for noisy fans and a “green screen” will be grown over the back wall of the parking lot facing Dumbarton Park. They noted that parking LED lights are low-mounted, limiting glare into the surrounding areas. Rey explained that the “heat island effect” of black asphalt was minimized by the use of white roofing membrane and light colored surface material on the parking lot.
Also new to the company's Eastern Division, the Social Safeway will begin composting. Produce past its prime, cardboard and plastic will be sorted and composted or recycled at a Maryland location. Bone, fat and grease will become bio-fuel and plastic made into products like Trex, while compost will replace liquid fertilizers.
John Lopez of Ingersoll Rand Climate Solutions explained that refrigeration and heating and air 
conditioning are the highest energy consumers in grocery stores. All new systems and refrigerator cases mean that the Social Safeway will have the advantage of recent energy-saving design. LED lights are used throughout the store as well as in exterior signs. Lopez estimates that LEDs reduce energy consumption by 80% or more compared to standard neon signs.
The tour concluded in the “Seating Area,” a large indoor/outdoor patio with a fireplace and large windows that actually open. Robert R. Messer from Safeway’s Construction & Design Department explained the screening embedded in the enormous windows and sunshade screens that are being installed on South and West sides of the building to reduce solar heat gain.
What happens in this space? People will be social. There will be tables, grouping of chairs, sofas, Starbucks, food.
The Social Safeway will return for full service May 6, the day after an invitation-only opening gala on the May 5.
Eastern Division Manager Craig Muckle explains the LEEDS process. Photo: Judith Beermann
Parking Ramp being constructed on side of Social Safeway Photo: Judith Beermann
2 Comments Click here to share your thoughts.
Sweetgreen Sprouts Up Outside Georgetown
February 20, 2010
Photo By: Jeff Malet
The first Sweetgreen at 3333 M St., NW
What's leafy and green and growing like topsy? Sweetgreen, the rapidly expanding “fast-casual" brainchild of Georgetown University graduates Nicolas Jammet, Jonathan Neman and Nathaniel Ru. In just a few years have opened three -- soon to be four -- restaurants across the city.
Sweetgreen restaurants offer a variety of fresh,
deliciously healthy ingredients that you make into a meal -- goat cheese/winter veggies quinoa, deconstructed avocado/grilled chicken “Guacamole Greens,” the mesclun/hearts of palm/wasabi peas for example. Customers are invited to make their own salad or choose one of the Sweetgreen signature salads and to finish up with tart frozen yogurt with fruit and crunch toppings.
Sweetgreen first opened at 3333 M Street NW, followed by restaurants in Dupont Circle and Bethesda. Their new restaurant is located in Washington's "Georgetown to the East," Logan Circle, at 1471 P St NW across from Whole Foods. Expect to see Sweetgreen restaurants sprouting up throughout the east coast in the near future.
Megan Harrington co-authored this post
Click here to share your thoughts.
