Okay- Can someone please explain to me the freshly paved streets on this side of H street? I swear the streets have been dug up twice in the past year, now repaved, with no sign of any streetcars preparation. Is this what they were talking about inregards to "the great streetscape project"
I've decided the streetcar initiative was a big old hoax to entice young middle and upper-class professionals to buy up valuble housing in a neighborhood where they really weren't wanted to begin with. How many others of you out there got suckered into that?
And speaking of being suckered, does anyone have any updates on this Studio 400 that's in this vacinity? I see there are still two Hummers parked outside the building, so thought maybe the young entrepreneurs were cooking up their next scheme.
Street Cars or not I'm glad I moved over here. After 1 year I feel more apart of this community then I did after 6 - 7 years in NW. H Street is a fun and exciting place to live and I can't wait to see where we are in 3 years once NOMA (Harris Teeter) and H Street are developed further.
Ahh, to be green and optimistic like Joe on 3rd. I felt that way my first year too, and into my second, and even partially into my third, but after seeing no significant changes or blatant resistant to change experienced by some of the legitimate business owners on the corridor (likely race and class related) my fourth and fifth year here have had much less hope.
Speak to us again in about three or four years Joe while you're still waiting for your streetcar and Trader Joe's and tell us you still like it here. But in the meantime.... Keep hope alive!!
I have been here as long as you have then and I disagree. Don't pretend to speak for all of "us." There have been great changes made around here. I can walk out my door and find three (in my opinion) really quality places to eat a nice meal, and I have a bunch of quality entertainment options. With more real developement on tap, this is an exciting area. I would like to see more cleaning up of the trash, and less public urination, but I think your cynicism is a little aggressive. I hope you keep hope alive.
Studio 400 is shut down at the moment per DCRA's revocation of their C of O. The owners are allowed to enter the business to collect things or clean, but cannot operate any kind of business.
At the last ANC meeting we had on Studio 400, the owners indicated that they were currently in the process of coming up with a different business type then the mentoring/go-go club thing they had going on previously.
If they come back with a legit business plan that benefits the community (like a restaurant or bagel/juice joint) then I think people in the community could get behind them. I think they are going to have a tough time going forward however since they will have to obtain another C of O from DCRA as well as a zoning variance (since west end of H is supposed be primarily residential).
With respect to the streetcars, I have to say that I am also somewhat frustrated by the lack of information/discussion re: timetables for the streetcars or whether streetcars are still being planned as part of the streetscape improvements. It seems as if DC is putting down the new street without the new cables for the streetcars.
If anyone has any info. on the streetcars please share.
I'm holding off on my judgment of neighborhood pending minigolf opening up. Minigolf just might save this neighborhood in my opinion. ;-)
Anonymous 1:56 and 2:36 (same person) DOES NOT speak for all of us who have moved into the area within the past five years.
And he (sorry for assuming the gender) is apparently walking down H Street with blinders on if he's overlooking all of the new businesses that have opened within the past three years:
Sidamo Bikram Yoga Pap & Petey's Nouveau Fleur Fitness Together British Ink Taste of Jamaica Wilson-Eppes Printing Will Power Napa 1015 Tropicana Naby's Island XII Philadelphia Water Ice Palace of Wonders Red & the Black Sticky Rice The Pug H Street Martini Lounge Granville Moore's Joy of Motion Dance Rock n' Roll Hotel Sova Sweets N' Treats The Argonaut
That's right - not a single one of these establishments was open on H Street more than three years ago.
Anyone who thinks there hasn't been real progress made on H in the last five years is really going out of their way to overlook pretty much everything that gets discussed on this site.
There has to be something on this list for just about everyone - new, long-time, male, female, old, young...
I don't think s400 is going to open a new business. They'll probably just call it quits. I've lived here like 10 years and I've seen lots of good stuff coming to H. Call me optimistic, but I'm still holding out hope for a grocery store on the west side (no Murray's doesn't count).
Thanks for reminding me. Maybe I let a few negative setbacks (lack of progress with the street cars, Studio 400, Cluck-U and the other [still open] crappy fast-food restaurants, the never ending trash, and public pissing) keep me from seeing the other progress that you mention. Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic. But if some these other problems aren't addressed then it seemed like all these new businesses you mentioned will be doomed for failure. I really do want to keep hope alive for H St! I'll try harder.
I understand your frustration (kinda. I've only been in this neighborhood a year, and little's changed in the crime department), but someone should have told you that buying a house is a long term investment. Since I've moved in, there have been plenty of renovations on my block alone, with people actually moving in. I now have a cigar shop across the street from me, where a vacant stood. A dog park might be in the works.
This really is an up and coming part of town. The only thing holding this place back is not the chicken shacks and XII, it's the greedy abandoned property owners who don't pay property taxes while they sit on potential gold mines. Easier accessible commercial rents will attract better business, and over time you'd be surprised at how quickly Good Danny's goes away if the landlord can get a tenant that can pay more money.
There are all kinds of "cool" and "hip" things in (say) New York near crappy fast-food restaurants, the never ending trash, and public pissing. That's part of the fun. If you want sterility, not only are you in the wrong neighborhood, you are in the wrong city. Why don't you try a nice planned community in Arizona?
This morning around 7:30am I noticed a BID team picking up trash on the 300 block of H St. The area near the liquor store and the abandoned lot looked fantastic.
Can anyone explain how this works and who pays for it? I'd love to seem them around more often.
No empty beer cans, styrofoam cartons or chip wrappers lined the street. It was glorious!
their boundary eastwards is supposed to end at 2nd street, but i've seen them go out of their way on occasion and pick up stuff on around senate square.
I have lived here since 2001, and when I moved in there were 15 empty trashed homes on our block alone, now none. There was NO place anyone would have wanted to walk to for a nice dinner. You had to go out of the hood to find decent food. NO MORE. Also, the only place to see any type of live entertainment was at the Kennedy Center of the Arena Stage. Now we have the Atlas and the H St Playhouse. There were two sisters that opened a really cool shoe shop for ladies where the Taste of Jamaica now sits. If only they could have held out and not moved out of the area. They had a great idea but started too soon. Plus, they lived in the area but no more. I have a membership in the H St food co-op and they are actively looking at sites on H to start a market. One update stated that they may see about a building in the 600 block that is scheduled for change. We went to co-ops when we lived in Austin, and loved the shopping experience there. Murray's and Safeway just don't cut it in my book. I would rather get a Zip car and go to Giant or Harris Teeter or Whole Foods. Yea to Joe and all of the others that took a chance and brought some quality to H St NE.
Actually I'm not green. I lived in Shaw for 8 years and watched U Street develope much like H Street is now. 4 years ago I wouldn't drive down H Street (or at least wouldn't stop for a red light), 2 yrs ago I moved to 6th and E NE and tried to avoid H Street. Then a friend who lived on 6 and L convinced me to look at the area and after watching and living near-bye I relized that H Street really was coming along so I bought north of H in June of 2007. In the past year H Street has begun to flourish with places like NAPA 1015 and Sticky Rice, Union Place is being built at 3rd and K Street, I now notice signs of life from the tenents of Senate Square, two Million dollar condo's sold there as well and most importantly, Harris Teeter has signed a 20 year lease at 1 st and M and is already under construction. I haven't even named 1/3 of the things that have been announced or have already opened. In fact, I no loger even care if they put in a trolly system on H Street, I don't think it'll have any bearing on the success of this area! Finally, I want to point out that it's the people that make the neighborhood and maybe I'm just lucky but I'm now surrounded by great neighbors both new and those here for generations. H Street is my home and I plan on being here a long time... I don't know what level of community involvement you may enjoy but I suggest you talk to your neighbors, plan street clean ups and block parties, and attend community meetings. Get to know those around you who are interested in improving this neighborhood and you may be surprised to find that your glimmer of hope begins to glow brighter.
Joe on 3rd, your post warmed my heart. I have lived on the Hill for 27 years and many of the positive things that are being described are exactly what I've seen happen over my time on the Hill. When you are living right in the thick of things, sometimes you don't always notice the progress.
For much of the time I have lived(near Linclin Park), I never even thought of H Street as a viable option for anything, let alone the neighborhoods north of there. Now I go to the Farmer's Market, attend yoga, eat out on the street and have a list of other things I would like to try.
But as Joe said, the sense of community is one of the reasons my family has never left the Hill. It has been very gratifying to me to see the boundaries have spead to include other viable neighborhoods on this side of town.
i just wanted to add my own piece of positive energy.
i've been here five years. slow progress, but progress nonetheless. definitely a lot of rehabbed houses (many of which got occupied by cool folks) and definitely some new businesses worthy of our support.
i hope the progress keeps coming.
what is going to be in that building near sova that had the artwork on the interior walls briefly? it's a rather large structure as h street storefronts go
Soul Searcher, that building belongs to Taurus Development. There are working on it and they allowed the Academy show [a project of Connor Contemporary that it renovating a space on Florida] to use their space.
For those who are interested in seeing traffic simulation studies of the H Street corridor post-streetscaping, go here: http://www.bakerprojects.com/hstreetne/ dl_trsim.asp
Following on that last post, it appears that these simulations model traffic between ~10th and 7th Sts in both directions. The intersection of 8th and H is clearly discernible (much like it is presently) and the H Street self storage building is clear when traveling west heading towards U Sta.
On a different note, anyone have any idea about the fire on 6th St north of H this morning around 1:30 AM?? Curious.
About the fire. I live on the block and stopped by to talk to the family. They are shaken but everyone is unharmed. I asked if there was anything I could do to help and they politely declined. I will post if I get any additional information.
25 comments:
I looked into buying the red building and found it sold a few years ago for around $850k. It belongs to the same owner as the white building.
The buildings are very large, look structurally sound and ready to host a new business. However, the price kept me away.
Okay- Can someone please explain to me the freshly paved streets on this side of H street? I swear the streets have been dug up twice in the past year, now repaved, with no sign of any streetcars preparation. Is this what they were talking about inregards to "the great streetscape project"
Curious Kat
I though the prep was in relation to the underground utilities ... does that ring a bell to anyone else??
I've decided the streetcar initiative was a big old hoax to entice young middle and upper-class professionals to buy up valuble housing in a neighborhood where they really weren't wanted to begin with. How many others of you out there got suckered into that?
And speaking of being suckered, does anyone have any updates on this Studio 400 that's in this vacinity? I see there are still two Hummers parked outside the building, so thought maybe the young entrepreneurs were cooking up their next scheme.
Sure enough, it seems like it's the utilities that are being upgraded prior to light rail being installed. See press releases here.
Street Cars or not I'm glad I moved over here. After 1 year I feel more apart of this community then I did after 6 - 7 years in NW. H Street is a fun and exciting place to live and I can't wait to see where we are in 3 years once NOMA (Harris Teeter) and H Street are developed further.
Ahh, to be green and optimistic like Joe on 3rd. I felt that way my first year too, and into my second, and even partially into my third, but after seeing no significant changes or blatant resistant to change experienced by some of the legitimate business owners on the corridor (likely race and class related) my fourth and fifth year here have had much less hope.
Speak to us again in about three or four years Joe while you're still waiting for your streetcar and Trader Joe's and tell us you still like it here. But in the meantime.... Keep hope alive!!
Anon 2:36,
I have been here as long as you have then and I disagree. Don't pretend to speak for all of "us." There have been great changes made around here. I can walk out my door and find three (in my opinion) really quality places to eat a nice meal, and I have a bunch of quality entertainment options. With more real developement on tap, this is an exciting area. I would like to see more cleaning up of the trash, and less public urination, but I think your cynicism is a little aggressive. I hope you keep hope alive.
Anon 1:56,
Studio 400 is shut down at the moment per DCRA's revocation of their C of O. The owners are allowed to enter the business to collect things or clean, but cannot operate any kind of business.
At the last ANC meeting we had on Studio 400, the owners indicated that they were currently in the process of coming up with a different business type then the mentoring/go-go club thing they had going on previously.
If they come back with a legit business plan that benefits the community (like a restaurant or bagel/juice joint) then I think people in the community could get behind them. I think they are going to have a tough time going forward however since they will have to obtain another C of O from DCRA as well as a zoning variance (since west end of H is supposed be primarily residential).
With respect to the streetcars, I have to say that I am also somewhat frustrated by the lack of information/discussion re: timetables for the streetcars or whether streetcars are still being planned as part of the streetscape improvements. It seems as if DC is putting down the new street without the new cables for the streetcars.
If anyone has any info. on the streetcars please share.
I'm holding off on my judgment of neighborhood pending minigolf opening up. Minigolf just might save this neighborhood in my opinion. ;-)
I'm with Near Napa on this one.
Anonymous 1:56 and 2:36 (same person) DOES NOT speak for all of us who have moved into the area within the past five years.
And he (sorry for assuming the gender) is apparently walking down H Street with blinders on if he's overlooking all of the new businesses that have opened within the past three years:
Sidamo
Bikram Yoga
Pap & Petey's
Nouveau Fleur
Fitness Together
British Ink
Taste of Jamaica
Wilson-Eppes Printing
Will Power
Napa 1015
Tropicana
Naby's Island
XII
Philadelphia Water Ice
Palace of Wonders
Red & the Black
Sticky Rice
The Pug
H Street Martini Lounge
Granville Moore's
Joy of Motion Dance
Rock n' Roll Hotel
Sova
Sweets N' Treats
The Argonaut
That's right - not a single one of these establishments was open on H Street more than three years ago.
Anyone who thinks there hasn't been real progress made on H in the last five years is really going out of their way to overlook pretty much everything that gets discussed on this site.
There has to be something on this list for just about everyone - new, long-time, male, female, old, young...
If that's green optimism, sign me up.
I don't think s400 is going to open a new business. They'll probably just call it quits. I've lived here like 10 years and I've seen lots of good stuff coming to H. Call me optimistic, but I'm still holding out hope for a grocery store on the west side (no Murray's doesn't count).
Thanks for reminding me. Maybe I let a few negative setbacks (lack of progress with the street cars, Studio 400, Cluck-U and the other [still open] crappy fast-food restaurants, the never ending trash, and public pissing) keep me from seeing the other progress that you mention. Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic. But if some these other problems aren't addressed then it seemed like all these new businesses you mentioned will be doomed for failure. I really do want to keep hope alive for H St! I'll try harder.
Signed Anon. 1:56 & 2:36 (same person)
anon et all,
I understand your frustration (kinda. I've only been in this neighborhood a year, and little's changed in the crime department), but someone should have told you that buying a house is a long term investment. Since I've moved in, there have been plenty of renovations on my block alone, with people actually moving in. I now have a cigar shop across the street from me, where a vacant stood. A dog park might be in the works.
This really is an up and coming part of town. The only thing holding this place back is not the chicken shacks and XII, it's the greedy abandoned property owners who don't pay property taxes while they sit on potential gold mines. Easier accessible commercial rents will attract better business, and over time you'd be surprised at how quickly Good Danny's goes away if the landlord can get a tenant that can pay more money.
There are all kinds of "cool" and "hip" things in (say) New York near crappy fast-food restaurants, the never ending trash, and public pissing. That's part of the fun. If you want sterility, not only are you in the wrong neighborhood, you are in the wrong city. Why don't you try a nice planned community in Arizona?
This morning around 7:30am I noticed a BID team picking up trash on the 300 block of H St. The area near the liquor store and the abandoned lot looked fantastic.
Can anyone explain how this works and who pays for it? I'd love to seem them around more often.
No empty beer cans, styrofoam cartons or chip wrappers lined the street. It was glorious!
was that the NoMa bid?
their boundary eastwards is supposed to end at 2nd street, but i've seen them go out of their way on occasion and pick up stuff on around senate square.
I have lived here since 2001, and when I moved in there were 15 empty trashed homes on our block alone, now none. There was NO place anyone would have wanted to walk to for a nice dinner. You had to go out of the hood to find decent food. NO MORE. Also, the only place to see any type of live entertainment was at the Kennedy Center of the Arena Stage. Now we have the Atlas and the H St Playhouse.
There were two sisters that opened a really cool shoe shop for ladies where the Taste of Jamaica now sits. If only they could have held out and not moved out of the area. They had a great idea but started too soon. Plus, they lived in the area but no more.
I have a membership in the H St food co-op and they are actively looking at sites on H to start a market. One update stated that they may see about a building in the 600 block that is scheduled for change. We went to co-ops when we lived in Austin, and loved the shopping experience there. Murray's and Safeway just don't cut it in my book. I would rather get a Zip car and go to Giant or Harris Teeter or Whole Foods.
Yea to Joe and all of the others that took a chance and brought some quality to H St NE.
Anon Aug 4 2:36
Actually I'm not green. I lived in Shaw for 8 years and watched U Street develope much like H Street is now. 4 years ago I wouldn't drive down H Street (or at least wouldn't stop for a red light), 2 yrs ago I moved to 6th and E NE and tried to avoid H Street. Then a friend who lived on 6 and L convinced me to look at the area and after watching and living near-bye I relized that H Street really was coming along so I bought north of H in June of 2007. In the past year H Street has begun to flourish with places like NAPA 1015 and Sticky Rice, Union Place is being built at 3rd and K Street, I now notice signs of life from the tenents of Senate Square, two Million dollar condo's sold there as well and most importantly, Harris Teeter has signed a 20 year lease at 1 st and M and is already under construction. I haven't even named 1/3 of the things that have been announced or have already opened. In fact, I no loger even care if they put in a trolly system on H Street, I don't think it'll have any bearing on the success of this area! Finally, I want to point out that it's the people that make the neighborhood and maybe I'm just lucky but I'm now surrounded by great neighbors both new and those here for generations. H Street is my home and I plan on being here a long time... I don't know what level of community involvement you may enjoy but I suggest you talk to your neighbors, plan street clean ups and block parties, and attend community meetings. Get to know those around you who are interested in improving this neighborhood and you may be surprised to find that your glimmer of hope begins to glow brighter.
Joe on 3rd, your post warmed my heart. I have lived on the Hill for 27 years and many of the positive things that are being described are exactly what I've seen happen over my time on the Hill. When you are living right in the thick of things, sometimes you don't always notice the progress.
For much of the time I have lived(near Linclin Park), I never even thought of H Street as a viable option for anything, let alone the neighborhoods north of there. Now I go to the Farmer's Market, attend yoga, eat out on the street and have a list of other things I would like to try.
But as Joe said, the sense of community is one of the reasons my family has never left the Hill. It has been very gratifying to me to see the boundaries have spead to include other viable neighborhoods on this side of town.
i just wanted to add my own piece of positive energy.
i've been here five years. slow progress, but progress nonetheless. definitely a lot of rehabbed houses (many of which got occupied by cool folks) and definitely some new businesses worthy of our support.
i hope the progress keeps coming.
what is going to be in that building near sova that had the artwork on the interior walls briefly? it's a rather large structure as h street storefronts go
Soul Searcher,
that building belongs to Taurus Development. There are working on it and they allowed the Academy show [a project of Connor Contemporary that it renovating a space on Florida] to use their space.
Here's a short Bisnow article that mentions the Taurus space:
http://www.bisnow.com/washington_dc_commercial_real_estate_news_story.php?p=1406
For those who are interested in seeing traffic simulation studies of the H Street corridor post-streetscaping, go here: http://www.bakerprojects.com/hstreetne/
dl_trsim.asp
Following on that last post, it appears that these simulations model traffic between ~10th and 7th Sts in both directions. The intersection of 8th and H is clearly discernible (much like it is presently) and the H Street self storage building is clear when traveling west heading towards U Sta.
On a different note, anyone have any idea about the fire on 6th St north of H this morning around 1:30 AM?? Curious.
About the fire. I live on the block and stopped by to talk to the family. They are shaken but everyone is unharmed. I asked if there was anything I could do to help and they politely declined. I will post if I get any additional information.
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