Payton Chung
Grtr Grtr Washington
Washington, DC, United States
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Past articles by Payton:
This holiday, get on board this tour of train gardens
For over a century, in between blazes, cat rescues, and chili cook-offs, Baltimore-area firefighters have apparently spent their winter downtime arranging elaborate model train sets. → Read More
Invasive pear trees are reshaping the region’s landscape
Hot on the heels of the Tidal Basin cherry trees’ peak bloom, a more widespread blossoming is lining DC’s roadsides with puffy white blooms. → Read More
Which neighborhood in Greater Washington has the highest population density? Hint: It’s not in DC.
What does the US Census Bureau’s new census tract density map tell us about the region’s neighborhoods? → Read More
Not every obsolete office building is cut out to become apartments
Despite the glut of unused office space, office conversion has been comparatively limited in the region. These are the considerations that factor in to whether an obsolete office building might be a candidate for another use. → Read More
Why vacant homes won’t solve our housing shortage
One frequently-heard retort to any call to allow more housing construction is a single statistic: There are 17 million vacant houses, more than 30 for every American experiencing homelessness during the 2018 Point-In-Time survey. While those vacant houses do exist, they exist for complicated reasons. → Read More
The five best Brutalist buildings in the District
Perhaps Brutalist architecture never got a fair chance because of a false cognate. The public has long misunderstood this least lovable of architectural styles, but several local buildings show that even Brutalism can be beautiful. → Read More
A stadium subsidy by any other name is still a stadium subsidy
Stadium subsidies are a waste of public funds, according to polls of both the general public and and economists. Amidst this nearly universal disdain, politicians have found inventive shell games that cloak colossal giveaways of taxpayer resources to billionaire sports team owners. → Read More
Crystal City is (probably) ready for HQ2’s transformation
“Amazon has a chance for a fresh start… and those places have an opportunity to learn from Seattle's mistakes,” wrote the New York Times' Ben Casselman. This prospect should prompt local governments across the region to leverage this investment and implement plans that improve sustainability and equity, rather than reacting after the fact. → Read More
We’re #3: Has the DC-Baltimore region’s population surpassed Chicago’s?
Greater Washington may already be the country's third-most-populous region, according to new population projections from the Census Bureau. Under the bureau's broadest definition of a metropolitan area, called a “Combined Statistical Area,” the Washington-Baltimore area was just shy of the Chicago region as of July 2017. → Read More
One million Washingtonians is a future to embrace, not to fear
The new Comprehensive Plan is DC's chance to pivot away from exclusion and denial, and towards a future of inclusive growth. To get there requires acknowledging and understanding that places, like people, grow and change. → Read More
Don’t want to venture outdoors? Take cover in one of these indoor shortcuts.
Stepping off Metro and want to avoid chilly winter winds for a few more moments? There might be an indoor shortcut along your route that could shave some distance off your walk, or at least let you enjoy a few moments of extra climate-control en route. → Read More
Should this long-vacant lot atop Waterfront Metro keep waiting for offices?
Ten years ago, the 30-acre superblock between 3rd, 6th, I, and M streets in Southwest Waterfront was largely filled with the Waterside Mall, one of DC's least memorable planning failures. Now the parcels could be developed with hundreds of apartments atop retail and small offices, or they could remain empty in hopes of a future large office complex. → Read More
A bold California bill would ease transit oriented development. How would a similar approach affect DC?
A new bill before the California legislature would rezone every transit corridor in the state to permit mid-rise apartments. A similar approach would have a profound impact if it were applied to DC. → Read More
Historic preservation in DC prioritizes the loudest neighbors, not the finest buildings
Squeaky wheels turn to historic preservation because it’s the most powerful regulatory tool in a municipality's land-use arsenal. Since every resident “squeaky wheel” is invited to request historic designation for just about any site in the District, many do — and overwhelmingly, they succeed. → Read More
DC has more historic buildings than Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia combined. Why?
As of 2016, DC had designated 26,749 properties as historic landmarks or historic districts. That's 19.4 percent of all properties in the District — a proportion many times higher than in cities that are larger and/or older than Washington. → Read More
The latest Republican tax bill changes commuter benefits, but probably not yours
The proposed federal tax bill might make employees a bit more cost-conscious about their transportation choices, but largely won't t affect the way most Washingtonians pay for their transit benefits. → Read More
Not every obsolete office building is cut out to become apartments
Despite the glut of unused office space, office conversion has been comparatively limited in the region. These are the considerations that factor in to whether an obsolete office building might be a candidate for another use. → Read More
DC’s countless thirtysomething office buildings stare down mid-life crises
When it comes to ribbon windows, aluminum facade panels, pink marble and brass lobbies, beige carpet, and fluorescent tube lights, we're number one! What should the region do with their glut of 80s and 90s-style office buildings? → Read More
DC’s countless thirtysomething office buildings stare down mid-life crises
When it comes to ribbon windows, aluminum facade panels, pink marble and brass lobbies, beige carpet, and fluorescent tube lights, we're number one! What should the region do with their glut of 80s and 90s-style office buildings? → Read More
The GOP tax plan would make housing and infrastructure more expensive
One of the tax breaks the GOP eliminated in their tax code overhaul proposal would have deep ramifications for funding infrastructure and affordable homes in the region. → Read More