New Poll: City Vista Restaurant?

I've added a new poll to a sidebar as a followup to our City Vista retail discussion. It's impossible to represent all choices - so I ask readers to select the item that most closely represents what you would endorse. While this poll is just for fun please weigh factors beyond the cravings of your taste buds to items such as likelihood for the business to succeed, synergy with the goals of City Vista as retail destination, and whether the business could be a good neighbor to the residences above.

Photo of Lauriol Plaza by flickr user MD Route 5

Below I've linked to a few restaurants of each type. That is just a general quick point of reference of places readers may be familiar with and by no means suggesting these businesses represent the best of the choices.

Which option most closely resembles a restaurant choice you would endorse for City Vista?

• Fine Dining [Steak/Seafood] - Think Acadiana or Ray's the Steaks
  
• Upscale Pizza - Think Piola, Pizza Paradiso or 2 Amys
  
• Thai or Sushi - Think Kanlaya or Cafe Asia
  
• Mexican / Latin - Think Cactus Cantina, La Loma, Anitas or El Rinconcito
  
• Diner / Comfort Food - Think Luna Grill, The Diner or Open City
  
• Fast Food - Think Five Guys, Fat Burger, Baja Fresh, Panera, etc..
  
• Wine Bar - Think Proof, Bardeo or Sonoma
  
• Lounge - Think Firefly, Vegas Lounge, etc
  
• Sports Bar / Pub - A wide net from A to Z including places like Atomic Billiards to Zoo Bar Cafe

UPDATE (10/3/2008 9:13 AM): I had to reset the poll to add one more option - sorry to the one reader who's vote was lost.
UPDATE (10/3/2008 1:00 PM): Added photo, all text posts are so drab!

Grocery Poll

Our September Poll asks where do you presently shop for groceries?

Poll Archive

Outcomes of all the polls we've done to date. MBG will post an August poll shortly.

August Poll: How excited are you for SmartBike DC, the new bike-sharing service?

• I hate bikes. I'd rather walk or drive. [10, 11%]
  
• I could care less about sharing a bike. [17, 19%]
  
• I ride my own bike, no need to share. [24, 27%]
  
• I'll give it a try when I get to it. [31, 36%]
  
• I already signed up on their website, I can't wait! (4, 4%)

86 Total votes

July Poll: Which best describes your household's motor vehicle situation

• Own a Car [44, 68%]
  
• Own only a motorcycle or scooter [1, 1%]
  
• Own a Segway (why not?) [0, 0%]
  
• Do not own an auto but participate in Car-sharing service [12, 18%]
  
• Do not own an auto and do not participate in Car-sharing service [7, 10%]

64 Total votes

June Poll: Which method of transportation brings you most frequently to the Triangle?

• Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro [11, 33%]
  
• Judiciary Square Metro [11, 33%]
  
• Mount Vernon Square/Convention Center Metro [3, 9%]
  
• DC Circulator Bus [8, 24%]
  
• Metrobus [0, 0%]

33 Total votes

May Poll: Which Development Proposal would be the best for the parcel at 5th and Eye?

• The Arts: Donohoe/Holland [73, 54%]
  
• i5: Potomac [53, 39%]
  
• JBG [9, 6%]
  
• Buccini/Pollin and Moddie [0,0%]

135 Total votes

April Poll: What Brings you to the Triangle?

• I work here [3, 9%]
  
• I live here [22, 70%]
  
• I like to visit [5, 16%]
  
• I will work here [0, 0%]
  
• I will live here [8, 25%]
  
• I'd like to visit [0, 0%]

31 Total votes

March Poll: What Type of Community would you like the Triangle to become?

• Filled with Art Galleries [6, 18%]
  
• Lively bars and cafes, Live Music in most places. The New U Street. [15, 46%]
  
• Design District [5, 15%]
  
• High end boutiques; bring Gucci into the city, out of the 'burbs. [7, 21%]
  
• Quiet, a Starbucks and dry cleaners is good enough for me. [4, 12%]
  
• No specific vibe. Energetic and downtown is good enough for me. [7, 21%]

32 Total votes

February Poll: How Long do you think it will take to build out the Triangle?

• 5-10 years [18, 75%]
  
• 10-15 years [3, 12%]
  
• 15-25 years [3, 12%]

24 Total votes

New Poll: Autos

The new poll asks our readers what is the automobile situation of their households. I recently read an uncited fact that 40% of DC residents live in a car-free household. This led me to wonder how the Triangle stacks up. Remember to answer the question based on your household. Any car ownership in your household equates to "Own a car" even if you may personally not own a car.

The poll choices are:

• Own a car
  
• Own only a motorcycle or scooter
  
• Own a segway
  
• Do not own an auto but participate in Car-sharing service
  
• Do not own an auto and do not participate in Car-sharing service

You can thank MBG for the segway option. =)

UPDATE: If you own a car but also own a motorcycle/scooter/etc and want that represented - chime in on the comments.

Poll recap: Most frequent transit option

The answer breakdown was as follows:

• 33% - Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Station
  
• 33% - Judiciary Square Metro Station
  
• 24% - DC Circulator
  
• 9% - Mount Vernon Square/Convention Ctr Metro Station
  
• 0% - Metrobus

The response to this question will naturally be linked to a) which transit option gets you where you want to go and b) which transit station is closest? The Gallery Place Metro has the natural advantage in that it is served by 3 Metro lines. It is also clearly the closest station to the Triangle's largest fully occupied condo building (555 Mass).

I personally use Judiciary Square metro most frequently. On my morning commute using metro I'm all about efficiency in getting to the Red Line ASAP. Distance wise my building is nearly the same distance from Gallery Place's 7th & H entrance and Judiciary Square F Street Entrance. I've simply found Judiciary Square to be a quicker walk.


Why does it feel quicker? To walk to either station I'd cross Mass Ave and H Street at the 4th Street intersection. After that point the path to Gallery Place requires crossing 6th and 5th Streets. Over half the time at these two intersections I need to wait for the crosswalk signal which can take 30-50 seconds. However, on the walk to Judiciary Square, the streets are so devoid of traffic I barely need to pause at either G Street or F Street before crossing. That breaks the tie for me. After work, when time and efficiency are no longer paramount, I use either Gallery Place or walk from Metro Center back to the Triangle and take in the scenery. Anyone have a story/rationale behind their choice beyond pure proximity?

It will be interesting to ask this again after the Dumont and City Vista fill out.