Friday, July 27, 2012

H Street Playhouse Has a New Home

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H Street Playhouse has finally released the info on its new home. An early artistic component on H Street, and an all around neighborhood staple, the H Street Playhouse's lease expires early next year (rent is too high to renew), and their has been much speculation over their search for a future home. They are moving across the river. I haven't heard an exact location. Remember that you can still catch shows there for the next several months.

Wondering what will become of 1365 H Street after the Playhouse relocates? Here's how it's being advertised: "Great space for night club or restaurant with entertainment! Building features high ceilings with no columns and a roof top available on H Street's best block."

19 comments:

kfed said...

Sad. Seems like a perfect location for a theater as there are already plenty of nightclub/restaurants to go around.

Anonymous said...

I doubt I'll patronize whatever business moves in -- I'd rather not give the tools who took advantage of Bruce Robey's death my money.

kapricious1 said...

Disgusting. 'Nuff said.

Anonymous said...

One more giant leap toward the Adams Morganification of H Street!

Brought to you by Mayor Gray and the Gang Who Tried To Kill The Streetcar

tonysmallframe said...

I've heard different things about this building but never followed too closely. The playhouse owned the building at one point, right, but then sold it and wanted to lease back for x number of years? When they sold the building did they negotitate the years/price of the lease and something happened? Or were they always planning to leave around this time?

Anonymous said...

THIS SUCKS.

H Street Landlord said...

Sticking with my comment from the WCP article:

1) I love this theater and company.

2) very sad re death and medical bills.

3) if you a sell a building for market rate (after an 800k profit!), why would you expect to get below market rate rent? Why should the new owners operate at a a loss when you made a large profit?

4) bladensburg or benning sound great for a new location! I will continue to support.

Anonymous said...

h street landlord: they didn't sell it for market rate. That's why they expected to get below market rate rent. Their mistake was naivete, in not getting it in writing, in not expecting that someone that *could* take advantage of them *would*.

And re: your #7, I guess you didn't actually read the post above? They're moving across the river.

Anonymous said...

edit: #4, not #7. new brain is already broken.

H Street Landlord said...

They sold it for 1.1 million three years ago. Seems like market rate to me - do you have any source for the claim that they sold it for less than market rate?

Also, Benning Rd continues to EOTR. My comment was from January before a location was announced. I do wish they were staying closer by and have empathy about the death and medical bills. Wouldn't wish that on anyone.

John said...

Terrible news! But good news for east of the river. I hope they're accessible and maybe the trolley will run out to the new location one day.

Anonymous said...

h street landlord: it was sold two years ago, not three; and if $1.1M for a building spanning three storefronts (1365, 1367, and 1369 H Street NE) with over 5800 square feet of space seems like market rate to you, I would like to inquire about the properties for which you're the landlord! :) Both the building that houses the H Street Country Club, and the building that now houses the Arcade/Church & State, changed hands that year, both at about three times the price per square foot (from the DC Real Estate Sales db).

Anonymous said...

ANON 11:06 PM -

That's 4,500 sq ft, not 5,800 sq ft.

recalculating, recalculating....

Anonymous said...

So, City Paper says the Playhouse will move to Historic Anacostia. That makes sense, since the area is similar to H Street in some ways (e.g., trolley lines with no trolley, gentrification), but with more affordable rents.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/theater/2012/07/27/h-street-playhouse-to-move-east-of-the-river/

Anonymous said...

A major loss.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:19am -- what's your source on that? The DC Real Estate sales database says 5857 sq ft.

Anonymous said...

Source provided:

http://www.showcase.com/property/1365-1369-H-Street-NE/Washington/District-of-Columbia/4373788

Anonymous said...

Interesting. That shows what the owners are advertising as the size of the space. I wonder why it differs from the size the District lists online.

Anonymous said...

Goodbye, Scena Theater. Your productions will be missed.