That little awning bearing the street number is new (up for around 2 weeks). This is the futrue home of the Joe Englert associated Palace of Wonders (aka Showbar), a circus themed establishment that will offer patrons popcorn & cotton candy while they witness sword swallowing & other oddities.
14 comments:
anyone have an update on the status of the other Englertishments?
The Red & the Black is looking close (& Iv'e heard that the Rock & Roll Hotel in moving along), but I think we're still just waiting. Some of these places needed a lot of work.
Has the Stop Work Orders problem been resolved? I noticed on Sunday that the one at the Hotel was still up.
A question about the Argonaut: this morning I noticed that there's a reception-style tent set up on the Maryland Ave side. Do they have a public space permit to do that?
I haven't seen the tent, but is there any chance it's within the fenced yard?
It's in the yard, which is public space.
Regarding the public space permit...
There are two competing efforts on H Street: 1) economic development and 2) the desire to enforce all DC regulations. Has anybody considered the fact that #2 creates all sorts of problems for #1?
This is definitely a concern. Is it possible to have 100% agressive enforcement & not scare off potential investors who may decide a transitional area is not worth the hassle?
Tent was up for St. Patrick's Day. I think it's down now. Regulation and development are always at odds - little new with H Street, but it will be interesting to see how selective enforcement is.
I don't think regulation is inconsistent with development, unless by development one means "whatever damn fool thing any arbitrary owner wants to do."
What Joe Englert is doing for H St. is great, but he shouldn't get carte blanche just because we like him. Rather, he -- and everyone else, like the horrible (and recently departed) car lot up the block -- ought to have to justify to the Public Space Committee the legitimate need to occupy public space. The people we like as a community -- that is, the businesses that improve H St. and the nearby neighborhoods -- will get the approvals they need for sidewalk cafe occupancy, etc.
Enforced properly, the regulations need not be an obstacle to development. On the contrary, enforcement can shape the business environment to actively promote desirable development. It's what got rid of the used car lot, and it's slowly chipping away at the chronic fast-fooditis infection.
Fundamental question: Do we know if this is public space or are we guessing? I wouldn't presume that the city owns up to the Arg's doorstep just because its paved with the same material as the sidewalk.
Anon -
I'm a big fan of smart growth and careful urban planning, so I may have given the wrong impression. What I was trying to say was that any building project has myriad minute codes and regulations that have to be followed, and this, by necessity, is going to slow things down. The question then, seeing as how the city is devoting a fair amount of effort to it's zoning changes on H, is how zealously they're going to enforce those regulations, knowing that it will slow development plans.
So I more meant regulation on a micro rather than macro level.
We know that this is public space; I'm not merely guessing. The "parking" (the formal name for this public space in the regs) runs especially deep on Maryland Avenue.
From speaking to a barternder, the Argonaught is planning on having outdoor seating this spring. Could this be in the same area? If it is public space, could they already have a permit?
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