In what is either the most unexpected, or second most unexpected story of the week on Frozen Tropics we now have word that the Fox show So You Think You Can Dance is holding auditions at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on February 21st. Apparently the Atlas is already getting calls about hotels. Let's hope no one plans to stay at the Rock and Roll Hotel. The Atlas is located at 1333 H Street.
26 comments:
Wow, cool! Which announcement would be more unexpected? A new seating plan at GMs? I suppose if a bunch of dancers try to get a table at GM now, they'll boogie their way right over there and be pleased with the new seating system.
Why am I suddenly envisioning a scene from Fame when the dancers take over the street? And Rent-- when they dance all over the big table at the local restaurant- causing much distress to the conservatives trying to enjoy their meals. Now *that* I'd like to see along H street!
Actually, I referring to the moonlighting post. That one just seemed to come out of left field.
I hope the local businesses like SOVA, Argonaut, GMB, Napa, etc. will be ready for the onslaught coming on these days!!
This is a tremendous opportunity for the Atlas District, H St NE, and the Atlas Performing Arts Center. My only hope is that the community doesn't blow this rare opportunity for positive press.
The community is reviewed positively, but always in a "some day you'll see!" light. New lighting needs to be cast so that reviews can now make our part of town a place to go, not stumble into.
H Street Playhouse certainly needs that kind of press.
- Wills
Off topic, but can anyone who attended last night's ANC 6A meeting enlighten us on the currently proposed timeline for the streetscaping on H? Was Karina Ricks/DDOT there and did they specify any new dates?
Thanks.
Ken
It's part of the upcoming bid for re-doing the entire street. I'm sure it depends on the proposals, but they are estimating 30 months from start to finish. So 2010... maybe?
I was disappointed to learn that it's only going to go from 3rd to 14th streets, so it won't be used as much for transit as I was hoping it would be. I take the X2 down H Street most days, and it's rare that anyone who gets on at 14th or further west gets off before north capitol, except for those folks who transfer at 8th street. (although it's probably quicker to walk from 12th to 8th to get the bus for example.)
I was surprised when Mr. Wells was discussing his idea to have a "shuttle bus" from union station to the east end of H street. I'm definitely all for that, but not sure how it would be different than a regular metro bus, unless it goes express from Union Station to 12th or something.
The obvious best remedy is for WMATA to correct it's early racist mistakes, and provide some subway service in NE DC. Look at what adding metro service did for the U Street corridor! It could easily do the same for H Street. It's no mystery why this is the last part of the city that hasn't come back from the riots of 40 years ago.
quick updates on changes i saw while walking h street today
1) was able to buy a standard run of the mill conservative dress shirt at men's fashion center...don't let the colorful suits in the window fool you, they have more 'traditional' business wear as well (although colorful predominates)
2) cluck-u-chicken is papered over. how long has this been the case? there is brown paper covering the double doors
3) there is a floral business opening tomorrow (saturday) at 7am, on the northeast corner of 5th & h
4) i must have been in a coma. is pap & petey's open? forgive me if i missed a frozen tropics entry on this, but P&P looks finished to me (although it wasn't open when I walked by in the afternoon)
5) how long has the tropicana signage been up? never noticed it before. you pick up so much just by walking the street.
I'm marking my calendar to avoid the area at all costs that weekend. Thanks for the heads up!
Very true Soul Searcher. Did you happen to get a name on the floral business? I hadn't heard of that one. If Pap and Petey's is open I haven't heard of it. They've been doing work on the inside of Cluck-U. You can see it if you peer through the rips in the paper. The Tropicana signage has been up for a while, but they keep taping paper and plastic over it to cover it up, so that is probably how you missed id.
Also looks like the music store a few doors down from Tropicanna has shut down too. Does anyone know anything about this?
Has it shut down? It was still open few days ago, but I noticed that they had a big piece of wood over the temporary sign. I didn't know if they were shutting down, or putting up a real sign.
Speaking of 5th and H, I'm glad to see that Citipizza is opening up again. I was really disappointed when they closed last year.
You're right Inked. Rode by tonight and the music store still seems to be in operation - just a new sign it appears. They'll probably be blaring their music tomorrow for all the neighbors to hear. Why can't we "Quest for Quiet" from them? They're a commercial operation, can they really boom their music for others to hear along the corridor and area houses?
just a few things.
i stopped by the liqour store on 3rd and H to get my obligatory friday night cabernet sauvignon.
it was packed.
while in the line (for about 25 minutes of waiting for folks to buy SINGLES), i heard an old timer say that this was the last booze joint this side of H, because the store up the block is going out of business. to me, that's GREAT NEWS.
also, there are signs around senate square (funny, there is one sign around each side of the building - they are about 1 ft by 2 ft - that say NOW LEASING!), so it looks like they're open for business, but the marketing tools aren't quite cutting it.
finally,
i'll be waiting for a post from KERRY that complains about the atlas theatre, and the trials, and how the whole thing will just up the costs of buying tickets to see remarkable performances.
c'mon, kerry. if you're consistent in your views, you'll whine about this too.
Georgetown didn't get an original metro stop. Was that racism on Metro's part? Short sighted residents often fought Metro plans for stations, so suggesting that Metro placed stops based on race may not be telling the whole story.
soul searcher,
I know that Bernard (who owns Cluck-U) has/had plans to take over the upstairs of his place and open up a local sports bar. The big issue has to with a required second means of egress. The way to do that is to build a stairway on the outside of the building or to incorporated into his restaurant on the first floor. I know there are other concerns as well. Its good that he is finally doing something with his plans.
Derek
I'm sorry, I already forgot the name of the floral business. A place has to have a pretty jazzy name to stick in my memory, I'm not a very good 'consumer' in that respect (I also have trouble with brand names...lol).
Anyone who lives around there, it's catty corner from Pap & Petey's, so check it out and report back...I'm on the other side of H from there.
ps: I can't wait for Senate Square to be fully occupied. Heck, 60% occupied would be a good start.
Poo poo, I'm with you -- I'm happy that that other liquor store is about to close. Jesus H. Christ, how many liquor stores does one need?
Senate Square will be good for that neck of the woods, hopefully it will spur some more growth. I'd love for a grocery chain to commit to that one property so that would start up.
Any finally ... Metro, racist? Please...
Re: the new floral shop at 500 H st NE
I just went to "Nouveau Fleur" today and man was I impressed. Debbie, the owner, was really cool and the shop looked amazing. Sounds like she has lots of plans for an herb garden and seasonal designs. Welcome to H st NE.
I completely missed the floral shop! I am constantly looking around as I leave yoga on Tuesday and Thursday. Can't wait to stop in....we need someone with an eye, so I am hoping this is interesting.
As for Metro, the lore I have heard for the longest time in the city is that the G'town folks lobbied long and hard so there would not be Metro in G'town. They did not want easy access to that part of the city.
Anonymous 2:15:
>> Metro, racist? Please...
I don't think that the assertion is that WMATA is racist, but rather that the design of the system, as far as Georgetown goes, was influenced by racially-motivated pressures. As amkindc points out, there was considerable lobbying by some in the Georgetown community to remain isolated from the urban center. Remember, it was the early 1970's when the plans were being finalized and the riots of '68 were pretty recent history.
Im pretty sure the storyline that Georgetown residents rejected a metro stop has been debunked or at least shown to have been exaggerated. There was a post article about this in the past year or so and a there have been at least two books written about the city that go into detail about the planning process for the train that show a georgetown metro stop was never seriously considered by the planners because of the cost and elevation. while i don't doubt there were residents against the idea of a metro stop in general, but from an engineering and construction standpoint it was a nonstarter anyway.
Poo Poo -
I'm really sorry that my interwebbing hasn't been fast enough for you. I'll see if I can't whine faster in the future.
In any case, to answer a few of your questions:
I rent. Which apparently somehow reduces me to irrelevance in your book. The intern jab seems a bit over the top and uncalled for, but you'll be happy to know that I'm fully employed, and have been since I moved to DC a few years ago.
I appreciate the fact that your references to my upbringing in flyoverland somehow delegitimize the validity of my comments. In reality, my experience in the midwest has been limited to changing planes, and one very pleasant week spent lakeside in rural Minnesota as a child. I'd be happy to return to where I came from before living in DC, but since the cost of living in Paris is rather high, I don't think I'd find the cheaper prices that you mention.
My problem, Poo Poo, is not with nice restaurants or an expensive meal - I enjoy both regularly - my problem is with the disconnect between the demographic of the neighborhood and the cost of places like Napa 1015. Given the relatively weak transportation links enjoyed by H, I think there's something to be said for cultivating a local crowd - something that might be better accomplished by ramping up their options, and initially offering a lighter fare and lower cost menu.
I’ve seen and enjoyed the development of formerly “troubled” (I hate that euphemism, but lacking a better one it will do) areas with a broad range of mid-market options, and I don’t think that it’s accurate to suggest that high end development is a necessary anchor for growth. That said, what I find even more compelling are those restaurants that offer a wide range – pasta courses in the $15-$20 range and entrees at $20-$40. This opens a restaurant up to a wider swath of the population, and seems to be a direction that Napa is open to as their very limited initial menu expands. I don’t think such a move is likely to harm Napa financially, and I think many us in the neighborhood would welcome that kind of diversification.
As for the prices at the Atlas, given the relative scarcity of theatres as compared to restaurants, I think it's much more reasonable to expect to bring people into the neighborhood from elsewhere to see a show. Most people have a wealth of restaurants in their area; many fewer have a choice among theatres. So comparisons to the cost of theatres elsewhere are probably much less relevant. Of course, even if we were to compare the Atlas, it stacks up quite favorably. Sorry to disappoint.
Hey everyone, Inked actually posted the callback dates. The auditions at Atlas are on Thursday the 21st. The callbacks are the 22nd and 23rd and will be held in an unnamed location, I assume to prevent the angry cast-offs from showing up to try and change the judges minds.
The doors will open at 8am for people to sign up. That could mean there will be dancers lined up the day before, I honestly have no idea. Fox TV will be providing security.
Oops, it should be fixed now.
poo poo and Kerry, take your snitfest off the board. Or Inked, can you delete this offtopic sniping?
Ro is correct, the lack of a Georgetown metro has nothing to do with lobbying white people or a racist plot. There were not plans for one. Here are some links.
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