These towering figures, custom built from repurposed car parts, stand outside the $4 million rowhouse of Dr. Newton Howard, a neuroscientist who teaches at the nearby Georgetown University and whose work involves using technology to try to cure neurodegenerative diseases. Many people love them, but his neighbors do not, claiming that the statues block a public space and damage the upscale neighborhood’s historic aesthetics. The Old Georgetown Board, a panel of architects that reviews projects in the historic district, voted unanimously on April 6 to deny Howard’s request to keep the statues standing outside his home. He’s spent nearly $100,000 fighting the issue and plans to spend more if necessary.

“We are transformers. We change things as humans,” said Howard, adding that the idea that people hold the power to transform the things around them contains “extraordinary value,” especially for children, and children often come to see the statues. That concept of transformation, of humans and machines creating new possibilities together, is what compelled him to commission the two giant Transformers statues and place them in front of his Georgetown home.

We hadn’t even known about these Transformers since Georgetown is located on the other side of DC and is a real hassle to get to, but when I heard the story on the local news, I just had to see them for myself. They are definitely big – about 10 feet tall -- plus there’s a third one on his roof that his neighbors also want gone -- but they don’t block the sidewalk as some people claim, sitting on platforms that used to hold flowerpots like everybody else on the block, and his home and those immediately around him are not among the truly old buildings in Georgetown’s historic district. Nobody knows how this will all turn out, but Dr. Howard has a lot of popular support, which may influence DC’s Department of Transportation, which has the final say in the matter.

Happy Easter! posted earlier: