What Do You Think of the New Adams Morgan Banners?

by Prince Of Petworth September 11, 2012 at 11:00 am 29 Comments

What do you think of the new banners on 18th Street, NW and Columbia Road?

How do you think they compare to the new NoMa banners we looked at in April?

Do you think banners are still a good marketing tool in 2012?

zrc

I don’t mind them, although I wouldn’t call them great works of art or masterful symbols of the tone of Adams Morgan. However, I do like the banners as a way to link the streets, and confirm Adams Morgan’s status as a true *neighborhood*, not just a destination. Somehow the banners reaffirm that there are people (both residents and elected officials) who care about the condition of things in the neighborhood even after the bars are closed.
Anonymous

I miss the old lighted martini glasses, music notes and high heels.
- neednewhob
  
  +1000
- AR
  
  Loved those.
- SF
  
  Agree. Did they remove them? These are pretty terrible.
- Anonymous
  
  Agree. I guess they’re trying to downplay their image as a nightlife destination, but the old signs always made me feel a little more glamorous.
- Anon
  
  I liked the lighted shapes at first, but they got old and tacky-looking, IMO. Kind of like leaving the Christmas lights up too long…
- annonny
  
  Bring back the shoe lights!!!
- textdoc
  
  +1. I don’t think the new banners are terrible, but I don’t think they’re that awesome either.
  
  And I think maybe the vertical text ought to be rotated 180 degrees… it reads from bottom to top, but vertical text (at least on the spines of English-language books) usually reads from top to bottom.
Anon

I think they’re okay, and I give the city kudos for doing it. I think H Street’s are the nicest cause they seem more tasteful, appropriate and permanent. The whole “Eat, Pray, Love, Sleep, Relax-thing” seems overdone and a bit too Hallmark. If I wanted to be snarky, I’d suggest for AdMo “Party, Vomit, Scream, Mug”
- NE
  
  +10 for H st signage
  
  +1000 for updated admo theme
- Anonymous
  
  The H Street signs are my favorite too. The “Work, Play, Live” theme is something that I think is more appropriate for a suburban community where people might need encouragement to do the first two things there.
- Anon
  
  As someone who does LIVE in Adams Morgan, and doesn’t Party, Vomit, Scream, or Mug, I like the theme (that this a neighborhood, not just a destination), but I’m not a big fan of the design. I like Dupont Circle’s banners the best.
Stoney_D

I like. It would be funnier if they were based more in reality; they need one for IMBIBE and JUNKPUNCH.
jack5

I miss the parking, the flags are the least of my concern…
- zrc
  
  I’m not convinced they lost that much parking with the new streetscape; only one side of the street was back-in, and half of those spaces were loading zone only, motorcycles, etc. They still have parking on that side of the street, but I’d estimate they only actually lost maybe 30 or 35 spots – hardly enough to really change the parking game. As a decade-plus Adams Morgan resident, I haven’t seen much of a difference.
  
  What I never understood is why there has never been a viable push to add a visitor-friendly parking garage in the area. Wasn’t there one briefly by Marie Reed, above the pet store? In Bethesda, across from the Apple Store, there is that three-story garage that uses meters, so there is no need for attendants. It is affordable, so people just beeline straight for the garage rather than circle.
  
  That would make residents like me happy, and the bridge-and-tunnel crew (I know, I know…don’t tell me that term doesn’t apply in DC) could come to Adams Morgan and park easily and cheaply. And the city would make money on the meters and the tickets! Everybody wins.
  
  I know garages aren’t attractive, but neither are hundreds of illegally parked cars and blocked traffic. I feel like in Adams Morgan it would be a preferable option.
  - zero_sum
    
    That garage is still open, but it’s privately owned and they have limited hours due to needing an attendant on duty. I like your idea of a metered garage, however the only issue is that the garage could fill up on Saturday nights and cause a massive traffic jam on those residential streets with people beelining straight for the garage.
    - zrc
      
      Good point…Hadn’t thought about the traffic issues….although all the narrow residential streets around 18th are already pretty gummed up on the weekend with people looking for spaces.
andy2

The banners are banners – I really like the new bike racks. I think it’d be cool if DC installed similar racks across the city with the personalized neighborhood tag.
Anonymous

eat, play, live, drive around in circles looking for parking…
emmaleigh504

These banners are crap.
Anonymous

I don’t like the font of “Adams Morgan” but the stylized hand-drawn style “live, work, play” letters are cool. Plus I think the color scheme is good. Overall a nice job. Though I think banners in general are kind of useless.
Anonymous

Are they trying to bill Adams Morgans as more of a family-friendly neighborhood? The style of the signs look like they’re intended for kids.
anon

i’d rather pay lower taxes than fund this fugly nonsense
zrc

I have limited understanding of how governmental budgets work, but I’m pretty sure those projects come from totally different sources. National debt and neighborhood improvement projects aren’t earmarked from the same streams of tax money, as there is certainly a difference between state and federal budgets.
- Anonymous
  
  /joke
Anonymous

adams morgan is looking great! i’m still not willing to go on a friday/ saturday night….. has it died down a bit, or still a mobscene?
Anonymous

Very Nice!
Allan Jirikowic

fantastic, interesting and clever …. nice color as well…

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