Rewrapped Overhead Pipes

Repainted Garage Door and Trim

Repainted Archway Ceiling

Repaired Berm Area Ground Lights

New Brick Planter To be Filled With Spring Flowers

Winter at Watergate

The seasons at Watergate are fairly simple. In spring we plant, in summer we water, in fall we clean, and in winter we patch and plan. This winter, there's been a lot of patching and planning going on.

Infrastructure

Oscar Giron has been working on a number of important maintenance projects, including rewrapping the exposed pipes above the driveway to the North Royal Street garage with new insulation, repainting (in white) the electric vehicle garage doors, replacing and repainting (in black) the wooden trim around the vehicle garage doors, repainting (in Williamsburg blue) the interior garage doors and surrounding door trim, cleaning and repainting (in white) the exterior archway ceilings, repairing and repainting (in white) the outdoor wooden benches, power washing the exterior brickwork to remove mineral buildup, fixing and rehanging window shutters, and restoring and repainting (in white) patio fencing. These projects are in addition to his daily groundskeeping and clean-up activities.

Kelly Cummins from Brikwurks Masonry has been assisting us with several brick-related projects, including installing new brick walkways and planters, and repairing other brick structures. He is also advising us on the reconstruction of the mini-mews area to the west of the fishpond.

An electrician from FALC has been helping us to repair and replace the electrical wiring and light fixtures located in the Berm area at the southern end of the property that were disconnected during the garage waterproofing project and never reconnected. He is also working with us to upgrade the electrical ballasts and fluorescent lighting in the garages.

Landscaping

James Powell from Care of Trees has been on property several times this winter to remove dead trees, spray for bugs and scale (small plant-sucking insects), and assess the ongoing health of our plantings. Watergate aspires to be a green community, and Care of Trees uses horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps that do not contain chemicals or poisons.

James is also working with the City of Alexandria Arborist to arrange the planting of up to five replacement trees along North Royal Street to both sides of the First Street walkway and garage driveway. The scope and scheduling of the tree replacements are subject to city budgetary constraints and the Arborist's city-wide priorities, but we remain hopeful that at least some of missing trees will be replaced in 2009.

As winter gives way to spring, we'll fill some of the gaps in our plantings. A needlepoint holly will be planted in front of 408 Second Street, new shrubs (possibly Nandina domestica) will be planted in front of 1037 North Pitt Street and along the walkway connecting the fishpond and the red maple tree courtyard, a cherry tree will be replanted in the courtyard after the soil is replaced to improve drainage, two dogwoods in the courtyard (one dead and the other dying) will be removed and not replaced, several dying or missing shrubs along North Pitt Street and the First Street walkway will be replaced, and a Burford holly that was in the center of the hedge that runs across the back of the Berm will be replaced.

The condition of the northern mews will be evaluated in the Spring, and any additional plantings for that area will be determined then. Plans for the re-landscaping of the mini-mews will be completed this winter and carried out in the spring. And as in prior years, select potted plants and flowers will be placed throughout the complex.

Grounds and Infrastructure Committee
March 2009

One of the Repainted Interior Garage Doors

North Royal Street Awaiting New City Trees

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One of Several New Brick Walkways