Saturday email 7/12/25

& more in this week's round up of posts.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Microunits are a cheaper way to do normally costly office conversions. CityCenter's bow-tie park realizes L'Enfant's original intent for void spaces. Dan Reed recalls the importance of a bus line of their youth, while acknowledging the changes of the Better Bus system in the present. Heat maps show that DC bus shelters are often not placed where they are needed, but instead where they can make ad money. News on the budget and stadium fronts for DC, and small wins for More Housing NOW in MoCo. Play GGWash Junctions #7.

A-dorm-able: A heretofore hidden housing-production option for the District

Alex Horowitz • July 9, 2025

Office-to-residential conversions cost a lot. New research from The Pew Charitable Trusts offers microunits—which require less rearranging of existing floorplates and utilties—as a more feasible option to getting more people living downtown.

CityCenterDC’s bow-tie park provides a path into the past

Arsalan Jafree • July 8, 2025

A park near Mt. Vernon Triangle connects an idea from Pierre L’Enfant—voids to liven up the urban fabric of DC—with modern use, providing a gathering space, a visual break, and a place to rest for residents and visitors. Learn how it fits into the original L’Enfant Plan.

The bus that was

Dan Reed (Regional Policy Director) • July 7, 2025

For oldhead bus riders like me, Better Bus means redrawing our mental maps so we can relearn how to reach the places we’re already going. Until then, here’s a story about the Z bus, which is called something else now.

DC’s bus shelters aren’t necessarily placed where people need them most

Madeleine Bartin • July 10, 2025

Summer is heating up, but some of the hottest places in DC lack bus shelters, while they can be found in cooler neighborhoods. Because of financial incentives, bus shelters are often built in areas where their advertisements are expected to yield higher revenues.

Do Something #85: Baby steps in the right direction

Dan Reed (Regional Policy Director), Alex Baca (DC Policy Director) • July 8, 2025

This week on Do Something: our endorsements in Ward 8; public hearings on a new RFK stadium; a small step for smaller homes in Montgomery County; and come to our happy hours and walking tour this month.

Play GGWash Junctions weekly word puzzle #7

BeyondDC • July 10, 2025

Play Junctions to prove your knowledge of urban and Washington region themes.