H Street Food Co-op in the News

Organizers hoping to bring a food co-op to to H Street are in the news again. Happy about their recent receipt of a $10,000 grant, the group continues to sound hopeful about their H Street storefront dreams.

Hillrag on H Street Clean & Safe Program

The new issue of the Hillrag contains this article on the new clean and safe (BIDish) program that is behind the street cleaners you may have seen cleaning the 1200-1500 blocks of H Street. In addition to describing this effort, the piece also references the ANC's recent struggles with DCRA over fastfood restaurants violating zone regs & the impending singles ban.

Wylie (Southside)

Hillrag on H Street Aspirations

Here's a piece from the Hillrag on H Street and the Great Streets plan.

Post on Young Home Buyers

Check out this Post story on young home buyes in the DC metro area. It's an interesting look at how the housing bubble/boom has influenced the the thinking of the 35 and under set.

Neighborhood Night @ the Martini Lounge

Here's the info:

Hello all,

Now that H Street Martini Lounge is open for business, we are going to host a mixer for all the wonderful neighbors in the community. We want to thank those for their support, and also invite the community out to one of the newest establishments in your own neighborhood.

To give you a little information about the lounge right here on H Street, we cater to mostly a mature clientele. The lounge offers a large variety of premium Martinis, in addition to non-alcoholic drinks and light appetizers. We also offer live jazz entertainment.

We would love for the community to come out on Wednesday November 2, 2005 and join H Street Martini Lounge for a "Neighbors Night Out". To show our appreciation we will offer complimentary passed hors d'oeuvres between 6-7pm and $5 Fresh Fruitini Martinis all night.

The address is 1236 H Street, NE. Please join us. We cannot wait to meet and greet each and every one of you.

Thank you,

H Street Martini Lounge Staff

Trinindad Ivy City Garden Club Planting Saturday

Here's a note from the group:

The Trinidad-Ivy City Garden Club
Invites You to Plant Bulbs with us
This Weekend

Dear Neighbor,

We are a group of citizens of Trinidad and Ivy City who have some together to beautify our neighborhood and build community. Check us out at http://ticgardenclub.blogspot.com/ to see some of our members at work and please come out and join us this weekend. We hadn't planned any plantings until the spring, but we were blessed with a grant of bulbs just last weekend, and we apologize for the late notice, but hope that you will be able to make it.

Meet us at the corner of Montello and Morse Streets NE this Saturday, October 29 at 8:30am (or whenever you can make it). We'll be going until we're all done.

We were fortunate enough to get a grand variety of spring-blooming bulbs from GrowDC which we picked up last week, and they need to get into the ground before the first frost.

So come on out and meet the Garden Club in person and help us ready the treeboxes for some spring beauty.

*All Trinidad-Ivy City Garden Club events are BYOT (Bring Your Own Tools)!

Thanks and we'll see you this weekend,

Trinidad-Ivy City Garden Club

Contact trinidadgardener@yahoo.com for more details or call Maria at (202)288-0639.

Fix-It-DC at the Joseph Cole Center

Last weekend Fix-It-DC descended on lower Trinidad in order to plant flowers & spread lots of mulch. Some neighbors also joined in on the fun. I had heard that such a project was in the woorks, but I didn't realize that it would take place was weekend until I stumbled upon them working in the rain. Here are a few shots of the effort.

A Reaction to the Post on Gentrification

Here's a nice link to another blog's (Republic of T) post on the Post article I linked to this morning. Republic of T also refer's to In Shaw's post on the same Post piece. I liked the discussion of Dupont Circle & Logan. I know we've heard/read that stuff before, but still, it serves as a reminder that things are not static. If you read any history on this area, you'll find that there were once large populations of Irish & German immigrants around here (there were also working-class African American, but that fact tends to elicit fewer raised eyebrows). There were synagogues around & there was even a Kosher deli in the 1300 block H Street. Nothing really stands still for long. Neighborhoods can rise & fall & rise & fall again. There are, as the Post article points out, times when change is completely brought in by a large government/quasi-government force from the outside (like with what happened in SW, or what is happening in New London, or, um...around the future baseball stadium site). At the same time, change is sometimes the result of something more random (individual home owners) & market based (people priced out of other areas). The latter is what we are seeing around here. I (obviously) support much of the change going on around here (I'd be hard pressed to oppose the opening of quality businesses in previously vacant storefronts). I think most local residents support the changes as well. There are certainly concerns that accompany rising rents & property taxes. You can cap property taxes & offer various kinds of tax relief, but the rent issue is more difficult. Trinidad, Ivy City, Deanwood & certain neighborhoods east of the Anacostia have spent the last few years taking in residents who find that they can no longer afford Mount Pleasant, Takoma, or other gentrifying parts of the city. To what, exactly, are these renters entitled? And who has give it to them?

1200 Block of I Street

Post: Gentrification in DC

Here's a really great article from the Post on gentrification in DC. The author writes about his neighborhood (Takoma), but also about the city-wide (or, almost city-wide) trend. Thanks to Kenny G. for leaving it in the comments.

Farmers Market Tomorrow

When: 8:30am-12:30pm
Where: 600 block of H Street NE
What: A farmers market featuring breads, cheeses, veggies, fruits, scones, pies, and more. Rain, or shine.

The Trend of Partial Repainting

On Wednesday I saw a man painting the exterior of the Crown Chicken building in the 700 block. Have they finished? If not, will they finish? Will this become another partially repainted builing like Family Liquor, that building on the southside of the 700 block, or other scattered businesses & residences around here?

Halloween House

900 block of 13th Street.

ANC 6A Letter Re: Street Preachers at 8th & H

The ANC has sent a letter requesting that the city enforce the law against a particular group of street preachers who frequently set-up on the southeast corner of 8th & H Streets. The preachers use an amplifier without a permit. Although they have been cited multiple times for this same offense, they continue to violate this law on a regular basis. We'll see what happens. But if these guys get the boot, where will I go to hear about the evils of the white devil?

Examiner on Safeway Renovation

In case you haven't heard, the Safeway at Hechinger Mall is being renovated. Here's a story on the project from the Examiner.

Tired of Do-Yourself-Renovation?

We've all done some kind of project around the house. Whether it was something as small as sanding and repainting a couple of rooms, or as large as a complete rehab you know how the motivation can began to flag after a while. I've been in my place for about two and a half years (I started working on this place a month before moving in, while I still lived a block and a half away) and I have reached a point where everything that needed to be done immediately is taken care of. The kitchen and bathroom need almost total replacement, but it's all cosmetic. The basement remains unfinished & unorganized. But the roof is sound, the leaks in the windows are plugged,the toxic carpet is gone, and the lights now respond to the appropriate switches. Sometimes people think I'm joking when I tell them I used a circular saw on my kitchen floor. I just laugh along, and then i show them the pictures. All of this is typically in the back of my mind. I was reading the In Shaw blog this morning & this post made me think about it again. I also like the site she links to called House in Progrhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifess. Apparently this site is part of a whole group of blogs by people either renovating or building their homes. Here's the link to . Of course, I also suggest that you check out my old favorite, the Brownstoner Renovation blog (They are starting 2 new reno blogs soon).

Look! There's the kitchen floor...in the dining room!

Out for a Walk

In a vision of what could be the norm, a couple strolls down H Street.

Meeting on Development at 2nd & K

I pulled this from the listserv. The note at the beginning belongs to Richard Layman, but I left it in because it adds a little context. Click this link to see photos (from a while back, but everything is still the same except that some of the trash is gone & most of the block is now fenced off).

I wanted to pass on some information regarding the 200 K St development. At the
DC Zoning meeting last week this PUD was delayed one more month to allow time
for the community to have input into the current plan. This PUD has been
continually delayed for nearly 10 years. It is my understanding that the owner
continues to modify the PUD and make promises to the community that have not
been fulfilled. If you would like to be involved in how our neighborhood is
being developed this is a good opportunity to be heard.

There will be a total of four meetings which will determine the ultimate outcome
for this project. The first is a special community meeting on Tuesday, October
18th at 6pm.

A SPECIAL CALLED COMMUNITY MEETING
DATE: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
SUBJECT: Case No. 01-28TE ( PUD Modification and Time Extension 200 K., Street,
NE) Ronald J. Cohen and Representatives
LOCATION: Mount Airy Baptist Church
1100 North Capitol Street, NE
South side entry

Contact Person:Commissioner Daniel M. Pernel 202 421-2001

After this special community meeting this item will appear before the ANC 6C
Commission "Zoning and Planning Committee" on November 2, 2005, and will finally
appear before the whole ANC 6C
Commission November 9, 2005.

Both meetings will be held at 635 Massachusetts Avenue, NW second floor at
7:00p.m.

The final hearing on this Case No. 01-28TE (PUD Modification and Time Extension
200 K., Street, NE ( New Name "Union Place" ) will be heard before the District
of Columbia Zoning Commission.

Time and Place: Thursday, November 17, 2005, Office of Zoning Hearing Room Suite
220 441 4th., Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001.Contact: 202 727-6311.

Trinidad to Get Streetscape Dollars

The Stretch of Florida Avenue that runs from Trinidad to West Virginia (i.e. most of the southern border of Trinidad) will be the target of 50k in neighborhood improvement funds. The exact plans have yet to be put together, but special signage for Trinidad and treebox improvements have been mentioned as possibilities.

Liquor Store to Community Center?

The group Trinidad Concerned Citizens for Reform plans to turn this vacant Montello Ave liquor store into a small activity center for area youth.

A Personal Story on Fighting Neighborhood Crime

Here's a link to a piece that recently appeared in the Washington Post. The author, a local resident tells the story of her personal efforts to improve life on her block by working with neighbors and city employees to make criminals feel unwelcome.

Window Boxes

Upcoming Great Streets Meeting

H Street is one of several major streets chosen to receive extra funds for major streetscape improvements. Public opinion as voiced at these meetings greatly influences DDOT's planning process. Here's some info on the latest meeting:

Upcoming Events: Great Streets Corridor Meetings

Georgia Avenue - 7th Street NW - H Street NE - Benning Road - Nannie
Helen Burroughs
Minnesota Avenue - Pennsylvania Avenue - Martin Luther
King - South Capitol

Great Streets are coming. The District Department of Transportation has
set aside $100 million to improve six corridors as Great Streets, but we
need you to tell us how. Where do you need new sidewalks, lights, trees
or public art? Where are better pedestrian spaces needed? How can we
improve transit services? What is the character of your street? Do you
want a typical streetscape? Something historic? Something completely
different? What do you see?


Saturday Oct 29 Nannie Helen Burroughs/H Street/Benning/Minnesota
9:00am - noon Friendship Edison Academy at Carter G. Woodson
4095 Minnesota Avenue, NE
(Minnesota Ave Metro or bus routes U2, U5, U6,
U8, X1, X2)

Good News About Nuisance Properties

According to this Washington Post article, it may get easier for the city to clean up such situations.

Another Rainy Saturday?

I haven't checked the weather report, but if it does rain, don't let it keep you away from the farmers market on H Street. I was there last weekend & the turnout seemed surprising good for a rainy day (it was doing more than just sprinkling). Barring flat out emergencies (like a flooded farm) the farmers market will be there. So the next time your soccer game, or gardening plans get rained out, you can always check out the market instead.

H Street Martini Lounge to Open Friday

(photo taken during renovation)
This Friday, October 14th, is the grand opening of the H Street Martini Lounge at 1236 H Street. The Lounge, which offers both food & drink, will open its doors at 4pm on Friday. The evening will feature live jazz.

Kid

Post Piece on Sursum Corda

Today's post features this article on developers vying for Sursum Corda's land. Sursum Corda, located west of the NY Ave station, is a notorious subsidized housing development. About a year ago a fourteen year old girl was murdered there to prevent her from talking to police about a drug related killing she had witnessed. Sursum Corda ("lift up your heart") was originally viewed as model public housing. Over time, hoever, it eventually walked the same tragic path so many other "model" public housing developments have, and slid into chaos. It will be very interesting to see what happens next.
If you have an interest in affordable housing, you should check out what NARPAC has to say on the topic.

Here's a slightly older Post piece on the offer from KSI. Click here to see the National Building Musuem's page on Sursum Corda (including a photo).

Action at New York Furnishings

You may have noticed that someone has been working in the New York Furnishings building (1000 block) since last week. I'm not sure what exactly is going on. I was told (months ago) by the owner that he was in negotiations with someone to put a gym into the space.

Escape

Not For Sale

Here's a closer view (in case you couldn't read the sign).

Senate Square Condos in the Post

Here's a link to a story on the rise of the luxury condo. The article references Senate Square (the condos Abdo is creating in the former Children's Musuem at 3rd & H).

H Street Cafe Sign

1200 block of H Street.

The Pug

Here's a shot of the recently painted rolldown at the Pug (sorry the shot is crooked, but you can get the idea). This place is in the looks building in the 1200 block of H Street. The Pug is meant to be a boxing themed tavern. A partner of Joe Englert's is opening this one (I believe sometime in the next few months).

Formant Featured in Hillrag

Here's a link to a piece on local realtor and H Street property owner John Formant. Despite the article's tone, John Formant is not a very popular guy with many local residents. He apparently has a habit of buying properties and sitting on them rather than redeveloping them.

Hillrag on the H Street Farmers Market

Here's a link to a nice article on the H Street farmers market.

Farmer's Market Saturday

What: A place to buy fruits and veggies directly from the farmers that grew them. You can also buy breads, cheeses, scones, pies, cookies, honey, bratwurst, pork, flowers, pumpkins, apple cider, yogurt & much more. Now serving coffee from R&B (1359 H Street).

When: Saturdays from 8:30am-12:30pm

Where: the 600 block of H Street

Come out and support H Street's own farmers market! Dogs are welcome.

Festival Bar-B-Q

1300 block of H Street

Alley Cleaning Party for Florida & Morse

If you live on the north side of the 1200 or 1300 blocks of Florida, or the south side of the 1200 or 1300 blocks of Morse, you will have an alley cleaning party behind your house this Saturday.

When: 10am this Saturday

Why: Clean the alley & meet your neighbors

What to bring: Old clothes & tools (rakes, clippers, brooms, dustpans, trash bags, gloves)

Refreshments provided.

H Street Cafe

The self styled gourmet deli at 1253 H Street has a sign up now announcing itself as the H Street Cafe. According to the sign, the cafe will feature such fare as sandwiches, subs, teriyaki, fries, salads & coffee.

No Posting...Except...

The 1300 block of H Street during the festival.

"Gourmet" Deli Opening Soon

An opening soon announcement has gone up in the window of the former Pizza Italiano space. The owners have identified the business that will open as a gourmet deli.

Post Article Mentioning Crummell School

Here's a Post article on protests against the selling of empty school buildings to developers. One of the buildings in question is Ivy City's Crummell School. The school sits on the edge of a large lot that the city currently uses for parking school buses. I have a few photos, but they are not with me at the moment.

H Street Transitions

Recent changes:

Nate's Records & Tapes =>Closed
Appears to have closed down. Located in the 800 block of H Street, Nate's specialized in oldies music & they also sold fishing tackle.

H&R Block =>Opening
In a previously empty space in the 800 block of H Street (a couple of door's down from Nate's).

Nationwide Insurance =>Opening
On the north side of the 1300 block of H Street (next to the dark blue buildings).

Family Food Center =>Change in occupation plans
The opening soon signs advertising discount bedding are gone & the for lease sign is back up.

Three spaces on on the northside of H Street (the one featuring fish in the window & the two spaces next to this one) that have long been rumored to be turning into art galleries now appear to be moving that way. An artist at the H Street festival displayed some work at his booth out front, but also had some inside the middle building. I will posting more info and pictures later.

Sanctuary =>Hosting events again
With their plumbing problems resolved, Sanctuary is once again hosting late night events on Fridays & Saturdays.