Adams Morgan Outdoor Movie Nights

Get ready for more outdoor movies, this time close to home! The Adams Morgan Partnership BID & Marie Reed School PTA have organized a three-movie set for May and June. The movies will begin 30 minutes after sunset (~8:30PM) on May 20, June 10, and June 24.

The location is the soccer field at Marie Reed. IT'S GORGEOUS. And I'm betting it will be an awesome venue for the movies. Marie Reed School is located at 2201 18th St NW. Here's the line up:

May 20: Up     ***      June 10: All the President's Men     ***     June 24: Rushmore

Marie Reed's New Pitch

Marie Reed School in Adams Morgan opened its new soccer field last Thursday. It looks amazing! The old pitch was a ragged field of mud and uneven, splotchy grass. But, it was constantly busy with soccer, kickball, and other events. Earlier this year, the group City Soccer in the Community agreed to build a new field. City Soccer is a non-profit organization backed by the Manchester City Football Club and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. Check it out when you get a chance. It's made of artificial turf and it is beautiful. Even the spectator stands next the the tennis courts have been redone. Really stellar job. See more photos on the Friends of Marie Reed School & Park page. 

Marie Reed Gifted a New Soccer Field

Marie Reed's new field was gifted by City Soccer in the Community.

Marie Reed Elementary School in Adams Morgan is receiving a much needed gift. The school's lower athletic field at the corner of California St and Florida Ave NW is being revamped into a proper soccer pitch.

A non-profit, City Soccer in the Community, is financing the new facility as part of a broader effort happening across five American cities (DC, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, New York). City Soccer in the Community was formed by the Manchester City Football Club and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington DC. Their mission is to get young people in American cities to play soccer.

As part of the deal, the District will replace the crude wooden bleachers on the edges of the field, which are in pretty bad shape as is. The soccer field will be 60 yards by 40 yards, use artificial turf and should be ready by August of this year. Such cool news!

The current state of the field is... not good.

The city will replace the wooden bleachers as well.

Champlain Street-Marie Reed Underpass

Finally had a chance to go see the new Champlain Street-Marie Reed School underpass this weekend. Previously, Champlain Street NW in Adams Morgan was interrupted by a pedestrian only underpass at Marie Reed School. The school straddles both sides of Champlain Street. On the other side of the interrupting island was a street called Old Morgan School Pl. Old Morgan School Pl continued south and connected at an intersection with Florida Avenue.

The area around the former pedestrian way was often dimly lit and sketchy, although it was adjacent to the busy Reed city pool entrance and the school playground. It was known as a trouble spot for as long as I can remember. Not a place you would want to be alone after a certain hour.

But opening the street up to vehicular traffic --along with more lighting and a bike path-- has livened up the immediate vicinity. Its not nearly as intimidating as before. The new car lane is one way, southbound. And it's closed to traffic during school days (until 3:30pm), which makes sense. Bicyclists get a "sharrow" lane with the southbound cars and also get their own contraflow lane in the northbound direction. The northbound bike lane is not protected from cars in the adjacent lane (unlike the buffered 15th Street southbound bike lane). We'll have to rely on drivers slowing down and bikers keeping a straight and steady hand at the wheel.

This has to be great news for residents of all the new-ish condos and apartments on Champlain Street as well as the long time residents. An easier route to Florida Ave and generally greater traffic flow through the neighborhood. Great job by the city on this one.