1. I don't know the precise time-line, but my understanding is that ANC6A once [many years ago] had some financial irregularities and was actually defunded as a result. I don't know if that was true during the time that this article was written, but I don't think it was after this piece ran.
2. Brother Bey, the owner of Da Place may have offered New Black Panther politics [as the story says], but he was a friendly man to people of all races, and quick to offer a free bottle of water on a hot day. A diagnosis of cancer forced him to close his doors around 2005.
3. Ah the now defunct Ohio! It is currently under development as the Radius at the Ohio [a project of part of the team behind Tonic]. The Ohio shut down after one of the owners was murdered in the Del Ray section of Alexandria.
4. The story focuses a great deal on attempts to redevelop the now redeveloped Atlas Performing Arts Center [shown here during construction].
5. The 1984 Catherine Fuller murder loomed large in the District psyche as a symbol of inner city youth gone wrong. The convicted perpetrators were alleged to have used a lead pipe to anally penetrate Ms. Fuller and cause massive internal bleeding as a large group of youths looked on.
6. The BP Amoco deal in the 300 block was successfully opposed.
7. Many local characters make appearances, so I'm not going to bother naming names, but it is fun to look back.
8. The selection at Murry's is infinitely better than what the store offered when this article was written.
Oh, and by the way...if you've ever noticed the Cool Disco Dan graffiti...
12 comments:
My favorite quote from the article: "Recently, someone plunked down upward of $300,000 for a fully renovated 19th-century town house on G Street, within a block of the empty lots around the H Street Liquor Shoppe."
How times have changed -- $300,000 would get you where now?
Elise:
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. It is interesting to read this article with the benefit of hindsight.
God, those meetings for the Atlas Theater Project (the precursor to Sprenger Lang's proposal) at French's (H St. Playhouse) and the funeral home (R&R Hotel) could be brutal! This article took me back... BTW, the roller rink that was allegedly competing for the Atlas space was nothing more than a huge red herring thrown into the discussion by Bill Barrow. There was never any evidence that this was a real proposal.
We moved here in 2005. What was French's? Seems kind of sad that they closed down just as the neighborhood was getting ready to support sit down dining.
300k would probably get you a decent row house in this market, but north of H not south.
Thanks for posting this Elise. I remember reading this article when it came out. We had just moved to the neighborhood, one block south of H. I remember the first ANC 6A meeting I attended was largely about opposing the BP station.
I remember sitting and reading this with my brand new baby on my lap wondering what I would prefer, an arts center or a roller rink. I'm pretty glad with how that turned out.
Wish that Luna laundry sign was still around. It was one of my favorites.
You can get this for $200k - add $75-100k for renovations to make it livable, and it would be nice.
http://tiny.cc/K5dPW
Right on the new trolley line, quick zip to the Argonaut, etc....
(full disclosure: I don't own this, but it is on my block)
Or this one - rehabbing done already. http://franklymls.com/DC6822331
WHAT TROLLEY LINE???
I know the person that did that neon, and I could provide you with contact information (provided it is okay with her) if you would like one for yourself
The Ohio is not going to be a Radius. It's going to be a Tonic.
Anon 723, I've heard the food will be more similar to the stuff from Tonic, but the presentations before ANC 6A's ABL Committee talked about the Radius at the Ohio.
> What was French's?
French's was what the corridor still needs today. It was a large cafeteria with good chairs and big windows and vivacious, alert servers behind the counter. From under glass they served southern stuff done well. The sweepo tatoes and greens have somehow crowded out everything else in my memory, but they served a wide variety of stuff. The owner was on the premises. It was hell to get to, but they took good care of you once you were there.
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