Announcement-
Greetings Neighbors,
The operators of Studio 400 are on the agenda for the July 9, 2008 ANC
meeting at the Heritage Foundation at 7pm. Come out to express your
concerns and ask questions.
If you are unable to attend this meeting you will have another
opportunity in a more open format at a Town Hall meeting on July 23,
2008 at Senate Square. More information to come.
I've been working diligently on this issue.
Feel free to contact me:
Tony Richardson
Commissioner, ANC 6C05
tonyrichardson08[at]gmail.com
22 comments:
Where is the Heritage Foundation?
Completely off topic: I noticed that there are now Trinidad Neighborhood banners along West Va. Avenue. They look nice.
Sorry to continue off topic, but neighborhood banners are an urban plague. In attractive neighborhoods, they distract from good design, like a South of the Border bumper sticker on a classic car. In developing neighborhoods they are lipstick on a pig, obvious and pathetic. A couple of thunderstorms and your lampposts are festooned with rags. Put the money into a facade improvement project instead.
The next ANC 6C meeting will be held at 7pm and located at The Heritage Foundation on 214 Massachusetts Ave. (2nd & Mass)
It's about time this business explained to the public exactly what they're doing.
Tony, can we get a brief rundown on what the issues that you've been working with them on? As typical of the ANCs, SOP is not communicating anything to the citizens until it's too late to do anything. Don't make this another 318 I st NE debacle where the ANC wasted an extra two weeks of time given by the zoning commission to collect feedback and comments by the surrounding residents.
You should be trying to get information out BEFORE the meeting, so people are informed and a constructive discussion can take place instead of all the righteous foot stamping, bitching, and moaning that is a usual ANC meeting.
For instance, clarify their zoning status. AFAIK, they are zoned/licensed as a "catering hall". WTF does that mean? They serve/distribute/sell alcohol there, but I never saw a posting for a hearing about a liquor license. They set up a security gauntlet on the sidewalk at the corner of 4th and Hst. Is that on public property?
Lastly, they painted over the Jackson twins mural on the side of the building. How could the city have let that happen!? ;)
Thanks,
Z
Would anyone have had a problem if these people were white and were doing the same thing?
Certainly, if they were trying to skirt the law or zoning regs (as it might be). The Studio 400 operation is marvelously opaque to everyone who lives around it. People are up in arms about it because it came from nowhere and the owner has done zero to allay anyones concerns.
That and having a gun check at the door does not inspire confidence in the business or it's patrons. It looks more like a TSA screening area (hey, look seats on the sidewalk because they have to inspect peoples shoes!), than a "catering hall".
Anon 2:21,
Having been attacked in the alley behind my home by a group of teens, one of which was later arrested at Studio 400, my answer is yes.
No matter their race, I would have an issue. This should not be about race, but rather the safety and security of our community.
As someone directly affected by this, I urge everyone to focus only on the legitimate issues.
We don't need any more racial bashing on this blog.
I urge everyone interested in this issue to attend this meeting.
2:21...YES! To give an example, there has been a zoning battle going on for almost 3 years re locating a charter school in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The owners are white and live in Virginia. I strongly believe that zoning issues...regardless of who the owners are....should be policed. Violating zoning regulations cause alot of headaches re the quality of life for the law abiding, taxpaying citizens.
I think it would be a good idea to know what the parameters are for a "catering hall" or whatever is on their CO. Does that require parking? are the number of events staged limitless? are there hours invloved? etc. All is this should be spelled out in the zoning regs.
Mike, do you live in Trinidad? If so and you have expertese (sp?) in n'hood beautification and want to share it maybe we can get in contact.
The South of the Border reference is hilarious.
I think W. Va. Ave is in between the two extremes you describe and the banners, being tasteful and low-key, add to the street. But the wear-and-tear issue is a good point and I wonder if there is $$ set aside for maintenance and replacement.
as a resident near tony, i know he's been trekking out there constantly to work things out.
inked doesn't divulge all the stuff of what she's aware..
it's a commissioner thing. they just try to get things done, while appeasing the greater populous. elected officials have to represent their constituents...
i give tony lots of credit for trying to bridge both sides of the issue at an impromptu venue.
if you have conerns, go.
if you don't give a shit, stay home and watch HBO or WTOP.
i'll be there.
i think their operation is below the law.
but tell that to a dc cop...
STUDIO 400
As a resident of the H Street corridor I am deeply concerned when a business moves in, skirts city regulations ands operate outside of the boundaries. It seems that Studio 400 can't keep its story straight either. Is it a catering hall, music hall, recording studio, youth club…what is it?
H street is really becoming an area that I enjoy living in and the last thing we need is an increase in foot traffic and people hanging out in our alleys. As a victim of violent crime on the H street corridor last summer by 3 armed teenagers I want answers to what this establishment is doing. I don’t understand why groups of teenagers need to hang out in alleys. What good comes of that?
I shouldn’t have to live in an area that needs extra police on bikes, walking patrols and increased security because an establishment is circumventing the law and not being responsible for their patrons inside and outside their establishment.
"...people are up in arms about it because it came from nowhere and the owner has done zero to allay anyones concerns..."
Studio 400 isn't doing anything illegal. The establishment of the business wasn't done in an illegal manner. Stop your fcuking whinging. Or move back to Arlington.
I don't think it had been established whether they have done anything illegal....but that should be established so everyone is clear. Hopefully that will happen at the meeting. It is curious that this establishment has just "popped" up with no one's knowledge and no one seems to be able to define what it is.
Anon 12:22...this city has zoning regulations that are put in place for everyone's benefit. The city is not a free for all for people to do whatever they want. Those regulations should be explained in regards to 400. If you don't like the fact that there are regulations and people would like to know if they are adhered to, it's you who should move to some jurisdiction where there is no zoning(Idaho? Wyoming?).
It seems many of you are misconstruing "silence" from Tony Richardson as some sort of tactic to withhold information. It is quite the contrary: it is a tactic to limit disinformation. Rather than presenting an analysis of Studio 400 to a blog, he is presenting analysis (along with the source of outrage itself, the owners/operators). in a public forum. Which is his obligation as an elected official.
What some of you consistently fail to comprehend (I am starting to think your Mountain Dew and potato chip consumption is interfering with those firing synapses) is that, provided an organization is operating within the confines of the law, your opinion is irrelevant. Regardless of how rapidly it surfaced. To date it is my understanding that Studio 400 has not violated any laws, zoning or otherwise.
Some of you need to look at property in Sterling...
To anon 7/3 9:49AM, I agree that if they've not done anything illegal or broken/skirted/ignored any zoning, then they're obviously free to conduct their business unencumbered.
But (and please correct me if I'm wrong) they don't have a liquor license, yet they sell alcohol. Tell me how does that work? I don't have ANY information that tells me otherwise, and PLENTY of evidence that they're selling/distributing alcohol there. How is that legal?
I believe that the LACK of information about the establishment, and certainly its odd birth, has definitely affected the publics opinion of it. And regardless of whether or not S400 is operating within the confines of the law, if people *think* it's not, then the owner has a problem.
The owner going around talking to residents in the immediate area, or even attending an ANC meeting would have done a lot to smooth things over. But instead, there is radio silence from both the ANC and the owner and a goddamn TSA security line on the corner. If that doesn't raise questions about the establishment, I'm not sure what would...
You obviously either don't live near it, or have something against people who simply would like the situation clarified.
Perception unfortunately is already against the owner, and it is only a fault of his own.
I can't believe I agree with poo poo--I think Tony is doing a great job balancing his constituents. He's trying to get information to the community in a fair and balanced way. Kudos to him.
That being said, the community has a duty also--if you have concerns either way, come to the meeting to discuss them. If you don't care, don't.
As a resident, I would like nothing more than another legitimate business in our neighborhood. If the owners are in compliance with all the legal requirements (the same way that Duke of P&P went through his process), then I will be the first to welcome them.
I think as far as the community is concerned, there's more at issue than whether they've been issued a valid CO or not. If they haven't it certainly will make things worse, but I think many people's issue is the perceived element that this place is catering to. I don't care if they went through all appropriate channels, a place that warrants gun pat-downs and has its patrons being arrested (there, down the block etc.), getting into altercations---it's just bad news for a neighborhood that is trying to revitalize. The the simple truth is places like this are a step in the wrong direction for H Street.
Studio 400:
I have been watching this blog for several weeks since this establishment started operating. I think this flyer says it all. http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/djwhezzy/?action=view¤t=Independence-4x6.jpg
Poo Poo, stop kissing Tony's ass. That’s getting pretty old. I agree with irvingwashington. What's up with these meetings without community involvement? I'm starting to think I voted for the wrong person.
Having second thoughts,
Why do you blame Tony? Studio 400 came in under the radar during the watch of the previous ANC Commissioner.
I think getting a (first) public meeting with the owners is a very positive and proactive step. The whole point of arranging the meeting is to have the community involvement you claim is missing.
I think he's doing a far better job than his predecessor.
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