Should Temporary Urbanism Come to the Village?

The District recently joined the ranks of cities like New York and San Francisco by experimenting in Temporary Urbanism, a movement that transforms vacant spaces into unique destinations and short-term businesses. As the economy pinches entrepreneurs finding fewer financiers willing to take a risk, pop-up shops let fledgling businesses test an idea and fill in vacant urban spaces in the process.

With the many empty storefronts lining Wisconsin Avenue, could temporary urbanism reinvigorate Georgetown's retail scene?

The District government Office of Planning created a Temporary Urbanism initiative and has thus far supported two such "Temporium" locations: one on H Street, NE and another in Mount Pleasant.

The Mount Pleasant Temporium is at 3068 Mt. Pleasant Street and is open from 2 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, until March 13.

Georgetown is at a disadvantage for snagging one of these Temporiums, which have thus far focused on developing retail scenes, rather than established neighborhood retail corridors like Wisconsin Avenue or M Street.

The District has yet to venture into the pop-up restaurant scene, where chefs and restaurateurs can try more adventurous concepts on curious foodie customers.

Could a Temporium fit in among Georgetown's established boutiques? What sort of business would you like to see call Wisconsin Avenue there temporary home? What about restaurants; what would a pop-up mean for the dining scene in the Village?