New Seasonal Park on K Street — Could this Work on Georgia Avenue?
The ParKIT sign explaining the concept.
On Tuesday, a new Parklet was opened on K Street in front of the Gensler building at 2020 K Street NW. The seasonal park takes the place of two parking spaces. As I checked it out (and I know others in the community have also been thinking along these lines too), I wondered if a seasonal, temporary park would be something that could be done on Georgia Avenue. More-so, I wondered if a parklet could be paired with a bike corral in an area like DC Reynolds, Looking Glass Lounge, and Walters.
One of the issues with Georgia Avenue is that the sidewalks are too narrow to accommodate outdoor cafe space. Furthermore, in an area like the 3600 block of Georgia, on a popular night their just aren’t enough bike racks to accommodate cyclists. If we could identify an area where three parking spaces aren’t needed, or, where the benefit of removing them for a seasonal park and bike corral would outweigh the loss of three spaces, we might be able to create the outdoor vibrancy that is definitely needed on Georgia.
(The new parklet on K Street, NW.)
While the parklet on K Street is a great place to sit, read, and relax, these aren’t the only activities that could be accommodated. As the photo below shows, the space could also be configured as an outdoor cafe or summer garden. This is precisely the type of activity that would help enliven Georgia Avenue but that we can’t accommodate with our current sidewalks.
(1300 Fulton Street Parklet (Hosted by Cafe Abir) Photo By: SF Planning (AS))
So the questions become: 1) Would the community be interesting in swapping out a few parking spaces for some type of seasonal park? 2) What activities should this park support? and 3) Ideally, where should this park be located?
Explore posts in the same categories: Streets and Trees, streetscapeTags: bikes and biking, Georgia Avenue corridor, parklets, parks and green spaces, streetscape
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Park View, D.C. 
July 16, 2015 at 9:28 am
I really think this would be of great benefit to our Lower Georgia Avenue businesses. I’ve often walked past the 3600 Georgia Avenue area, and it seems to be thriving and have wide sidewalks in some aspects. The sidewalks of Lower Georgia Avenue are significantly narrower- and leaves so much more to be desired. We are absolutely craving something like this in our area.
Outside my business, I’ve often said that I’ve wanted to have bicycle parking. Our fitness studios have people coming all the time with bikes, and we simply have no place for bicycles to park their bikes. Members resort to locking them to posts, parking meters, trees, or asking to leave them in our studios. We’re wheeling bikes into our back areas and through the pilates reformer room- not fun! If we had something like this, outside my studios, I think not only would our members benefit from this, but the community in the area that we serve.
The spaces that are the free parking outside my studios- those should remain free (for instance, there are charity groups next door to me, and they would appreciate maintaining the free spaces)… but there are two parking meters just behind those free spaces that would be of great benefit to change over to this parklet. There is a huge tree that would provide plenty of shade for the parklet. And- myself and my staff would be happy to help maintain it as well if it were placed there.
That’s my vote.
Dee Ross, Owner
From the Core Fitness and Pilates Studios
3111 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20010
July 16, 2015 at 9:31 am
Oh- activities to support- I would be totally willing to do micro-community classes with my friends at Bikram Yoga Petworth. We could arrange a schedule and post them. And- I’m sure some of our friends on the block could provide smoothie sample or coffee samplers. Just a thought.
July 16, 2015 at 10:16 am
This is a great idea. Would love to see a bike corral outside of DC Reynolds as well. Im sure there would be support from Looking Glass/Walters folks as well.
July 17, 2015 at 6:55 am
Why not just focus on permanently expanding sidewalk space on Georgia Ave? It would really help beautify this corridor and help the businesses. Maybe the businesses should lobby the council?
July 17, 2015 at 4:21 pm
I think this is an excellent idea. GA is really lacking the warm inviting feeling that invites people to congregate (outside of alcohol drinking and drug dealing). I agree the bike rack (similar to how it’s done on 11th st would be great!
Your proposed spot is probably the most logical given the businesses. I would also propose discussing this with the developer who owns the lots on both corners of GA and Morton. There is a significant space with the parking lots to do something like this and incorporate it with the ground floor businesses. Just a thought.
July 18, 2015 at 7:25 am
Absolutely! The drunks and drug addicts on GA avenue need a comfortable place to congregate and rest.
July 18, 2015 at 1:17 pm
There is a possibility of it being taken over by them and therefore not serving the intended purpose to be enjoyed by everyone. That should be considered.
July 19, 2015 at 7:59 am
Right! Might as well also add a pot-a-potty