Flowers Bloom on H Street

Someone has planted flowers in the tree box outside of the Popeye's on the 1200 block. The flowers make a nice change from the H Street norm, but they do, unfortunately, have a little company in their box from a hunk of concrete & plenty of cigarette butts.

Rusted Memorial

In an alley behind 2nd & K.

Barracks Row Development Controversy

Here is a brief DCist piece mentioning minor controversy on 8th Street SE over the proposed opening of an Ethiopian night club. Opponents of the club have raised the familiar alarm that the opening of this business, combined with the recent awarding of new liquor licenses will transform the street into Adams Morgan

Clubs, Taverns, Restaurants & the ANC on U

Today's Post features an article on the relationship between the ANC and U Street businesses. The focus of this article is on the ANC flexing its muscle to moderate noise and behavior on U. I thought this would be of interest considering what we are looking at on H (although I think the major concerns I hear for our area involve parking). One thing the article makes clear is that businesses are not free of ANC influence even after they open.

Interesting Thoughts for H Street

Joe Englert, who seeks to open a number of restaurants and taverns on H Street, has recently taken to sending ANC6A listserv subscribers tidbits about inquires he receives from entrepreneurs looking at H Street. Among the recent mentions:
-various chefs interested in opening restaurants.
-a chocolateur considering opening a sweet shop.
-a small repertory theater with a draft-house that could show classic/cult films(like Bethesda Theater Cafe).
-a nationally known baker interested in opening a wine & dessert bar.

Lion

On 4th(?) Street.

Hill Rag Article on Phish Tea

The May issue of Hill Rag features an article on Phish Tea (1300 block of H Street). Phish Tea, though it has sometimes been known to have a service issue or two, seems to be growing into its role on the corridor. I was there recently for brunch (they were running a bit late with the buffet, but we survived by nursing mimosas at the bar). The food was quite good (better than the appetizers I had tried a while back that were just okay). I particularly liked the salmon balls and the soup. It was perfect Sunday morning fare for a decent price (I think around $13). Phish Tea is also featuring several recurring evening events, including live jazz.

Farm Fresh Market Returns Tomorrow

H Street's own farmers' market returns to the 600 block tomorrow. The market runs from 8:30am-12:30pm.
They offer a variety of tasty treats (obviously varying from week to week) including:
veggies
fruits
cheese
chicken
eggs
pork
jams

There will be a chef demonstration tomorrow at 11am. Jill Peterson, of Williams Sonoma, will make an asparagus frittata.

I noticed this morning that someone has replaced the windows at the former home of Elite Motors (1244 H Street). The broken painted windows are no more. In their place site plain glass. Plasitic sheeting hung on the inside hides from view whatever working is being done inside the building.

Birdland Four Sisters Cuisine

1100 block of H Street. I noticed this morning that the right window (which had been removed sometime last week) was being replaced by a brick pillar. I imagine that another window will go in, but the brick pillar suggests to me that the owner is going to replace the yellowed plexiglass with something a bit more aesthetically pleasing. I am eager to see what exactly they are doing to this place.

Interesting Meeting Tonight

This was my first anc6a01 meeting (I don't live in anc6a01, but I do live right across the street from it). It was their regularly scheduled monthly meeting, but I can't help but think that anytime you circulate a flyer with a title that inflammatory you ask for others to come out and respond to an issue that will have an effect upon us all. There was a large crowd, and the bar issue was obviously the main draw.
Primarily, the discussion of the proposed establishments focused on parking issues. Personally, I think parking issues are inevitable in this neighborhood. Residents simply have more cars than the streets (having been laid out quite a long time ago) can accommodate for parking. In addition, we have many condos and denser developments planned for the area. Plus, as was pointed out at the meeting, any businesses that go into vacant spaces on H Street are hopefully going to draw patrons, and some of them will probably drive their cars. What we can do is come up with the best possible parking, and public transportation options for those who patronize H Street businesses. And certainly people are hard at work coming up with plans to deal with the issue.
One attendee objected to the fact that none of Joe Englert's establishments explicitly targeted an African American audience. Joe Englert responded by saying (something along the lines of) that the bars and restaurants (many of his applications are now for alcohol serving restaurants, rather than for taverns) reflect his own personality (he compared his bars to his home), and that are meant to be inclusive places that would welcome everyone. The resident responded by saying that he is not going into Joe's home, but rather Joe is going into his. Essentially, the resident seemed displeased by what he perceived as a large number of establishments targeted to a primarily white clientele (and the lack of new taverns/restaurants specifically targeted to African Americans). To be honest, at this point things did become a bit tense (not between Mr. Englert & the resident, but rather within the audience).
Clifton Humphries, the man opening a martini bar at 1236 H Street also spoke. He said (when questioned) that he planned for his bar to be a mixed race establishment catering to a primarily over 30 crowd. He was asked by a resident if it was really necessary for all these new licenses to be for the maximum (this does not mean the businesses will actually operate all of these hours, only that they will be allowed to do so) number of days and hours (7 days a week until 2am).
Another issue that came up towards the end was safety. As part of the discussion one attendee characterized typical patrons at Joe Englert's bars as safe individuals (by offering up the example of a law student as a typical patron). He asked if people would be afraid of a law student (as opposed to some of the shady characters who currently frequent H Street). Some voices answered "yes," and said that anyone with a little alcohol in them could be dangerous. But we're not talking about banning alcohol here, and virtually any restaurant that opens up on H Street will likely seek to serve alcohol. The meeting was called to a closing (amid multiple voiced frustrations regarding the bar issue), and attendees were asked to take their concerns before the ABL Committee on May 24th.
So overall, frustrating to some, but I think it was a good meeting if only because it will (hopefully) galvanize people to go to the May 24th meeting. In addition, it is always a good thing when residents get actively involved in the decision making process.

Additional Info on the 4 Recent Alcoholic Beverage License Applications

I should have posted this earlier. This is a (cleaned up a bit due to formatting) portion of the ABL Committee meeting minutes as sent out on the anc-6a listserv. This is more recent than my earlier post describing the businesses, but it may still be out of date.

Four New CT applications:
Presentation by Joe Englert. Mr. Englert has 4 applications in the
works, none are officially filed yet. Mr. Englert will own three of the
new establishments and the last owned by Mr. Anthony Tomeldon.

The applications are for CTs. He is not opposed to
applying for some of them as CRs but feels that he may not be able to meet the 50% food sales criteria for a restaurant.

1212 H Street. Mr. Englert will own the building. Name: The Red and the Black. New Orleans style bar with live music on the 2nd floor. Occupancy: 120 patrons plus 5 employees.

1224 H Street, NE. Mr. Englert will own the building. Name:Beehive. Mexican food is the feature with a jukebox (no live music) and he is applying for a summer garden there. Plans to have some kind of tenant on the 2nd floor, residential or a small nonprofit. Occupancy: 49 & 20 on patio plus 5 employees.

1353 H Street, NE.
Largest building with 7,000 square feet. Name: Rock and Roll Hotel. Two levels--first level a forties or fifties style grand hotel with big chandeliers, bar like a front desk. 2nd level twelve separate rooms done by 12 artists to rent out for parties, events, etc.
Occupancy: 349 including the upstairs plus 20 employees.

1234 H Street, NE. Name: The Pug or the Pugilist
with a boxing theme. Pool table. Few booths. Jukebox or
prerecorded music. Small bar. Occupancy: 79 to 89 with 5 employees.

Questions raised about the number of
restaurants, bars and theatres in this stretch of H Street and the parking and noise problems this will cause in the immediate neighborhood. Mr. Englert is working with the Atlas Theatre and the H Street Theatre on parking strategies. Options include a local church lot; the Auto Zone; Hechinger Mall plus Mr. Englert is investigating a shuttle service from Union Station.

Additional discussion about subsequent sale of properties and changes to licenses and voluntary agreement. Mr. Englert agreed to share copies of his applications for ABL review prior to discussing and signing a voluntary agreement. Chair Beatty will provide Mr. Englert with our standard voluntary agreement after the applications have been filed
with the ABC Board.

Phish Tea -Night Life on H

COME OUT TONIGHT & SUPPORT A LIVELY NIGHT LIFE ON H STREET.
HOLY NAME CHURCH
7PM
900 BLOCK OF 11TH STREET NE

Restaurants vs Taverns vs Nightclubs

Okay, I did not write most of this post. I am re-posting something left by Joe Fengler as a comment to an earlier post (also see this post if you want more info on these establichments, but do understand that these are not the most current descriptions) on the topic of these same bars. I'm doing this because Mr. Fengler is an ANC commissioner and I believe his comment clearly explains the differences among the definitions for restaurants, taverns & nightclubs. Because currently we just keep seeing the vague term "bars" getting tossed around, and I think we should look at what is actually on the table here. Also, Mr. Fengler explains the process a license applicant must go through.

Joseph Fengler said...

Just a few comments (well maybe not so short).When Joe Englert
appeared at the ANC 6A Alcohol Beverage and License (ABL) Committee, he did so because he wanted to. He felt it was important to discuss his applications before he filled them. I do believe he plans on filing liquor applications this week. Assuming he files this week or next, Commissioner Beatty will request that he appear at next month’s ABL committee and discuss the specifics of the applications (May 17 at 7:00pm at Sherwood Recreation Center). Our Commission has developed a very detailed and extensive voluntary agreement for nightclubs, taverns and restaurants (which can be on our web site) – that cover noise, litter, sidewalk maintenance, hours among a few things. While I can’t speak for the ABL committee, it would be reasonable to expect that they will ask him to sign an agreement for each of the licenses. When Englert was applying for the Olympic and Showbar, he initially filed for a CN (nightclub). Based on the ABL
committee’s concerns, he voluntarily downgraded the both applications to CT (tavern).

Note. What is the difference between nightclubs, taverns and
restaurants? From DC Law, Title 25, Alcoholic Beverages "Nightclub" (CN license) means a space in a building, and the adjoining space outside of the building, regularly used and kept open as a place that serves food and alcoholic beverages and provides music and facilities for dancing."Tavern" (CT license) means a space in a building which: (A) Is regularly used and kept open as a place where food and alcoholic beverages are served; (B) May offer entertainment, except
nude performances, and may allow dancing for its patrons only; and (C) Does not provide facilities for dancing for its employees or entertainers.A tavern license (CT) shall be issued only for a tavern. The size of the dance floor in a tavern shall not exceed 140 square feet; provided, that the licensee whose establishment on September 30, 1986 contained a regularly used dance floor in excess of 140 square feet and who is occupying the same establishment shall not be disqualified under this limitation."Restaurant" (CR license) means a space in
a building which: (A) Is regularly used and kept open as a place where food is served; (B) Keeps its kitchen facilities open until 2 hours before closing and for which sales of food accounts for at least 45% of the establishment's gross annual receipts; and (C) May offer entertainment, except nude performances, and facilities for dancing.A restaurant license (CR) shall be issued only for a restaurant. The licensee shall file with the Board quarterly statements, on the dates and in the manner prescribed by the Board, reporting for the preceding quarter: the gross receipts for the establishment; its gross receipts for sales of alcoholic beverages; its gross receipts for the sale of food; its total expenses for the purchase of food and alcoholic beverages; its expenses for the
purchase of food; and its expenses for the purchase of alcoholic beverages. The Board shall make a licensee’s quarterly statements available for the purpose of allowing a protestant of a license to determine the gross annual receipts of a licensee.I anticipate one of the questions folks will ask Englert is whether or not any of these proposed tavern applications can be downgraded to restaurant applications. On face value, that seems like a reasonable request. But, given the above restrictions, and that you can lose your license if you don’t hit 45%
of gross receipts, this request needs to be put in the proper economic context. The real question is: Will our community support a restaurant (meaning dining) that has a liquor license? And finally, this is not an easy request because it requires a more robust investment to have a larger kitchen than one might have with just a tavern.That being said, I do plan on working with Englert to see if we can’t convince him to change some of the planned taverns to restaurants. Maybe the ideal situation is one restaurant for every tavern. Like I said, it is an easy request; but then it is not my money on the line. Englert prefers
taverns – his version of a tavern has a very robust menu – to avoid situation of having to hit food targets. Also keep in mind that none of these establishments fall in my single member district. I have the south side of H Street between 8th and 13th. All of the Englert establishment currently fall in Robyn Holden’s (north side of H Street from 7th to 13th) or Marc Borbely’s (south and north side of H Street from 13th to 15th) single member districts. But all of these applications fall in ANC 6A.In close, I am a relative new comer to H street issues. But I have been working on zoning and development on H Street for close to three years on behalf of our ANC. While I have to wait for all the facts, I am very happy that someone of Englert’s reputation is willing to take a risk. I
hope to see you all at the next ABL meeting on May 17th to hear the facts first hand.

Big Meeting Tomorrow About H Street's Future

This email is straight from the listserv (vital stats follow):

While I was tooling around the neighborhood today, I came across a flyer for an ANC6A01 SMD meeting about "Do you want 8 bars to open at the same time on H Street?" The flyer says it is a joint 6A01 - H Street Main Street meeting, and
that Anwar Saleem, chair of H Street Main Street, will be speaking.

Alas, this meeting conflicts with the ANC6C Planning and
Zoning Committee meeting so I won't be able to go and see the fireworks.

It's at 7 pm, Weds. May 4th, at Holy Name Catholic Church on the 900 block of 11th Street NE.

Meeting: "Do you want 8 bars to open on H Street at the same time?"

Time: 7pm

Place: Holy Name Catholic Church (900 block of 11th Street NE)

FYI -The title of this meeting is intentionally misleading. Even if all of Joe Englert's bars restaurants (and the Martini bar) do all eventually open, they will not all open at once. This meeting's name is clearly engineered for maximum shock value, rather than truth and accuracy.

Biz Journal Article on H Street

Courtesy of the HSMS listserv: There is a recent article on H Street and how much the retail prospects have changed recently. Here is a link, but because the article requires (free) registration you have to go to the Washington market (upper right side of the page) and then search for "Atlas."

The Atlas (with New Lettering)

I need some new night time shots of The Atlas. 1300 block of H Street.

Perceptions and Actualities on H Street

I spent last weekend giving tours of my house in an event to rent out one of the other rooms. As part of the interview I would ask people what, if anything, they knew about the neighborhood. I definitely feel a need to address the issue knowing, in years past, of a few instances where tenants move into nearby group houses only to break their leases either after a week of walking from the bus stop at night, or after noticing the derth of neaby entertainment options. A good number of people I asked had heard that H Street was coming back, but none really new specifics.
On Saturday I met with a friend (who lives south of H Street) at R&B to discuss how my search was going. We also talked about a recent brea-in she and her housemates had experienced. The break-in was the second in a month at their place (the first happened while some residents were asleep), and it really had them spooked because the intruder had obviousbly spent time going through their things, in addition to robbing them. That, and he had also, um...defecated on a futon in the livingroom. So the house is breaking up. Some people are staying, others looking for other housing on the Hill, and one seeking a "safer" neighborhood.
After we finished our coffee we walked down H to about 11th and were saying our goodbyes and walking apart when a middle-aged African American male walking by turned to my friend and in the most unpleasant tone he could muster spat out "Yeah, have a nice day WHITE GIRL." (I think he said he said "girl"). It 's not like that's the first time that's happened, but it might be hard to pick a worse time for it to happen.
After that I countinued down H where I passed a man (this guy was not homeless) deciding to turn the parking lot of the H Street Connection into his own personal toilet (and I'll bet he wasn't coming from any bar). Heading home, I turned off H and stopped in the corner store. The man in the line next to me was causing a scene because he wanted to pay $1.25 for his malt liquor instead of the $1.75 asking price. Saturday was not showing my neighborhood in its finest moments.
On Sunday I showed the house again, and I ended up taking one girl (currently a resident of Foggy Bottom) down H Street to R&B Coffee. At the time, the place was really busy (it seemed to have a large crowd from the Atlas). The whole space just seemed really alive with this great energy. I'm very excited to know that these are only the early effects of the Atlas. We split a pannini and the girl seemed genuinely impressed by R&B. H Street was looking pretty good. The rest of the afternoon was even better. I've always liked that most people in this neighborhood are very friendly. They will make eye contact and say "hi" when people in other neighborhoods just look at the street and walk by. And when I was back on H Street a couple of hours later I saw Alphonso Morgan, the owner of R&B run out and yell at a guy across the street (again clearly not homeless! I saw his car, and I should have checked the tags. I'll bet they were Maryland) who was about to urinate on a building. I was so pleased, I could almost ignore the pile of junk that kept growing outside The Salvation Army Store all afternoon.

4th & H

H Street Farm Fresh Market to Return Saturday

The farmers' market is set to return this Saturday. The market is held in a parking lot in the 600 block of H Street. The hours (new hours) are from 8:30am-12:30pm. Remember to show up early for popular items (particularly the breads from Atwater Bakers).

White Door

Near the wholesale food district.

More Info on Those 5th Street Condos

I received another email about these condos, and this time there was a website mentioned. Apparently, the development is called Union-5. These are actually going to be decent size condos (1900 sqft). They are only building 4 of them, and (in the ridiculous DC housing market) $500k might even sound like a good deal for 1900 sqft (particularly when Abdo is rumored to be starting its 750sqft studios at $450k). The site's map is a bit odd. It includes both metro stations, Union-5, and...the GSA headquarters (because I ALWAYS look for government agencies nearby when I pick a neighborhood). The final location on the map is the "Historic H Street Corridor" (which is apparently located at 3rd & H). So I'm glad that these developers haven't been distracted by all those flashy new businesses moving in further down on H Street (say in the arts & entertainment area). No, these guys have kept their eyes on the ball. They are sticking to their guns and saluting those historic vacant lots on the 300 block. Oh, and on a completely unrelated note, Abdo is building some condos at 3rd & H. Plus, you would really think that for half a million they could do better for neighborhood info than a REALLY outdated Main Street info sheet (that refers readers to an old HSMS website).

Morning School & Metrobus Collision in Trinidad

Thanks to DCist, I discovered that there was a minor accident involving a school bus and a metrobus at the intersection of Oates & Trinidad. Luckily both buses were nearly empty, and no one was seriously injured.

Condos on 5th Between L & M?

It sounds like the condo project at 3rd & L may soon have company. I received an email this morning saying a sign went up yesterday on an empty 5th Street lot announcing the coming of...more condos. Apparently, an abandoned house on the lot was torn down in December and replaced, earlier this year, by the beginnings of a foundation.

The Fishing School

From the wall of The Fishing School. On Wylie Street.

A9 Delivers "Block View" of H Street

Wow, I just saw on DCist that Amazon's search engine A9 has introduced its "Block View" for DC. This is a really cool service that actually allows you to look at a photo of the street where a particular business is located when you look up the business's yellow pages info (we might search for chicken places). You can "walk down the street" and see the images change as you progress. They, obviously, haven't mapped every street, but H Street is in there. Very cool.

Apartments to Top The Black Supermarket

I inquired about the new windows in the second and third floors floors of this building (located at 13th & Florida), and was told that the owner (and manager of the store located below) was renovating 4 one bedroom apartments (or actually, I forget how many apartments, but he definitely did say four bedrooms). The top floors have apparently been boarded-up since 1990. I also learned that this building is quite old. The owner showed me a photo hanging on the wall of the structure (and Florida Avenue -was it Boundary Street at that time?) as it appeared in 1909, or 1910 (both dates were scribbled on the shot). Apparently there has been a store on that site (perhaps pre-dating the current structure) since the mid to late 19th century. At any rate, the upper floors will soon offer someone a home with a little history.

Washingtonian Features H Street in "Great Places to Live"

I missed it on the newsstand, but apparently The Washingtonian talked H Street up in its March "Great Place to Live Issue." The H Street discussion showed up in a section called "Buzz City: Neighborhoods for singles on the move." Here's the article. And here's a sneak peak (they're talking about the Abdo condos):

Planned amenities include a DVD-projection theater and a rooftop pool.
Construction and sales begin in late spring: Abdo expects units to go for $600 per square foot; the smallest, a 750-square-foot condo, would fetch $450,000.

All Boarded-Up at 2nd and K

I was walking down 2nd Street the other day when I came to the block between K and L Streets. Almost the entire block was boarded-up.


I have seen entire blocks of boarded-up houses, but I feel like it's a pretty rare occurance around here. I was curious to see these places from the back (often places that appear boarded-up from the front are much less so in the back). Here's what I found:




Talk about an illegal dumping problem. So looking at this block, the abandoned trash truck (pictured below), & the junkies down the street, I'm thinking the developers (at 3rd & L) should consider changing their condos' tag line.

Abandoned Truck

2nd & L Streets. Abandoned North Beach Trash Truck.

Family Liquor

8th & H Streets. This is a morning shot, but 6 afternoons and evenings a week the sidewalk in front of Family Liquor is clogged with patrons who congregate out front with their beverages.

Bottles, or Bars?

No Bars for H Street?

So, I'm curious, if you oppose bars on H Street (or even if you just think that 6 is too many for two blocks) what do you want to see there? The rule for responding is that you can't just make a wishlist (mine would be something like: garden center, cooking store, Asian grocery, sushi place, authentic Mexican place, & Kosher Deli). You have to have something sustainable. Do have plans you think are sustainable? If so, what are they? What would you put on H Street, and who would go there (neighborhood residents, DC residents from other neighborhoods)? Also, how do people feel about bars versus liquor stores versus restaurants with liquor licenses? Why? And what about this proposed singles ban?

5th & H Streets

The Northwest corner.

Thoughts on the Proposed H Street Bars

This is a follow-up to the earlier posting of Commissioner Marc Borbely's question to a couple of neighborhood listservs about recent applications for liquor licenses on the 1200 & 1300 blocks of H Street.

Wow, Marc's question has really generated a lot of interest. By my count so far I have received emails (listserv only) from 17 individuals explicitly supporting, or opposing Joe Englert's plan for H Street (I'm calling it that because 5 of the establishments in question are either his, or associated with him). Of those 17, 13 have written in support of the bars, and 4 have strongly objected, or expressed reservations. Seeing a larger, more concrete (we're seeing actual bar descriptions here, not just zoning overlays), plan seems to have really gotten people thinking (and talking) about their visions for H Street. I think this is great getting to really see what people are envisioning.
Personally, I am going to come down strongly in favor of Joe Englert's plan. I've been to a number of his bars, and I really like them. It looks like he has plans to cater to different groups on H Street, which is certainly a good thing. I support Joe Englert's plan because I know he has the experience, funding, and connections to do something, and do it right. I think we have all seen plenty of developers around here who just seem to run out of steam halfway through a job (leaving empty, or worse half deconstructed buildings that just sit there). Joe Englert has a strong reputation for working with communities. If you are concerned (and I know we all are) about irresponsible/unresponsive bar owners coming to H Street, then the best possible thing we can do is have a guy like Joe Englert come in as an owner. Some people don't want any bars on H Street, but I don't think this is realistic. If we want a thriving arts & entertainment district we need bars. People want, particularly if they have to go a bit out of there way, an area where they can spend the whole evening. You need restaurants, shows, coffee shops, & bars (at minimum). It will mean more foot traffic for H Street, which will be good news for businesses (at least those with evening hours). Plus, I like to go out, and bars are a big part of going out. I think a lot of people from the neighborhood would be happy to frequent bars on H Street, as opposed to having to go to some other entertainment district. I know I hate it when friends come to my house and I have to tell them there just isn't much close-by once the conversation turns to going out. I've heard the trash argument before, but do you really think that having these bars on H would make the problem worse? If so, go stand outside Joe Englert's bars in other parts of the city. Think about other areas similar to H Street, but that currently do have thriving entertainment scenes. 14th Street is hardly pristine, but I don't think you can blame that on the Black Cat. We need these bars. H Street can't support just restaurants (especially if we refuse to give them liquor licenses) because we don't have the foot traffic right now. Besides, restaurants operate on notoriously thin margins anyway, and alcohol sales make it lot easier for them to survive. We need the full entertainment package, both to bring us to H Street (be honest), as well as to bring others here. That's how you make an area successful, by giving people everything they want.

240 Parker Street

Post Praises Horace & Dickie's

The Washington Post has included Horace & Dickie's (of 12th & H Street) in a list of restaurant recommendations for the "Ultimate Washington Experience." Horace & Dickies, a local carryout that serves fried fish & fried chicken sandwiches, made the news last year when Southern Living magazine (was the writer lost?) gave the place an honorable mention for fried chicken in the south. According to the Post you should get dark meat if you opt for the chicken. However, anyone who's been there can tell you everyone gets the fish (with hot sauce), not the chicken.

4th & H Streets

Looking Northeast.

Proposals for New Bars/Entertainment Venues

The following bolded list comes directly from an email sent out on the ANC6A & H Street listservs:

- 1206 H St. The Olympic. Application already submitted. Old
school neighborhood sports bar with full bar menu. An Englert establishment.

- 1210 H St. The Showbar. Application already submitted. Occasional
live entertainment. An Englert establishment.*

*- 1212 H St. The Red and the Black. Live music on 2nd floor. Bar on first floor. New Orleans style place. Capacity 120. An Englert establishment.

*- 1224 H St. The Beehive. Mexan food and grilled
burritos. Summer garden inback. Capacity about 69. Some residential or office on second floor. Jukebox. An Englert establishment.

*- 1234 H St. name? Would sell chips and snack items. Capacity 79 or 89. Few booths. Pool table. Jukebox or prerecorded music. Beer with classic drinks. Mostly bottled beers and drinks like martinis. Applicant is actually a partner or friend of Mr. Englert's.

- 1236 H St. The Martini Lounge, at Martinis and other drinks. Two floors,with lounge downstairs and dance floor upstairs. Bar and lounge, serving American cuisine, with dance floor, live jazz band, DJ, for R&B Music, Hand Dancing, Salsa and Karaoke. Not a Joe Englert establishment, but this is also in the pipeline.

*- 1353 H St. The Rock and Roll Hotel. 7,000 square foot area. Capacity 349.Two levels. First level: 40s and 50s style grand hotel with big chandeliers. Bar would be like in a Hollywood movie. Upstairs: 12 separate rooms people could rent out for evening parties. Would feature heavy appetizers served as room service (with tray and cover). Would feature a lot of draft beers/microbreweries. An Englert establishment.

Stars indicate new applications. Votes have already been held regarding the applications of the other businesses. I had heard rumors about Joe Englert buying up lots of H Street properties and making big plans, but this is pretty intense. So do people welcome the hip new development and point to Joe Englert's good rep, or do they worry about Adams Morgan type noise/activity troubles?

Doing It God's Way Church

From the corner of 9th (I think) & I Streets.

H Street Food Co-op

For anyone interested the food Co-op is starting up again soon. Last year they purchased food from the farmers at the H Street Farm Fresh Market, but closed down for the season when the market closed (the end of October). I know that they have had opening a physical store as a goal for quite a while now, and it sounds as if this may soon (18 months or so) come to fruition. I did not attend the meeting, but the following comes directly from an email sent out by the co-op:


Our Principles:

Ð To support local, organic, family-owned and sustainable agriculture.

Ð To make available healthy, fresh, delicious, diverse, and affordable natural
foods.

Ð To increase consumer control of our local economies and sources of
sustenance.

Ð To educate the community on important environmental, health, economic, and
agricultural issues.

Ð To be open to all, bringing neighbors together in a common and spirited
effort to achieve these goals.

Our Mission:
To operate a consumer food cooperative, providing high quality natural products
at a fair and reasonable price.

Our Vision:
The H Street Community Market is dedicated to helping people live in ways that
are ecologically and socially sustainable and that promote both personal and
community health and well-being.

If you are interested, here is the co-op's contact info:
hstreetfoodcoop@yahoo.com or call (202) 257-6392

The Black Super Market at 13th & Florida

I noticed recently that the building (13th & Florida) where The Black Supermarket occupies the first floor is having its upper floors renovated (or at least someone is replacing the windows). Formerly this building was boarded up on the upper floors, but I am happy to see that the empty floors may soon be put to use. I know that store, having been there for decades, is pretty much an institution (every summer the owner throws a bar-b-que and invites the whole neighborhood), but I don't really know the history of the rest of the building. I also spoke, on Saturday, with some workmen busy clearing renovation debris from a commercial space on the corner of Florida and Trinidad (across from the not 24 hour laundry mat).

Wig Shop at 12th & H Streets

ANC6A Concerned About Proposed Cluck-U Chicken Location

The following is a comment (on a post about the Cluck-U Chicken that is slated to come to H Street) left by a local ANC Commissioner. I'm turning it into a post because I want to make sure people see it:

Joseph Fengler said...

At last night's ANC 6A meeting, we approved sending a letter to DCRA reminding them that fast food is not a matter of right development for a C2A zone.

Dear Dr. Canavan,

ANC 6A is writing regarding a new establishment (“Cluck-U Chicken”) at 1123 H Street NE. We are concerned that DCRA will issue a certificate of occupancy to this establishment without determining whether a special exception for a fast food restaurant is required from the Board of Zoning Adjustment. The special exception process allows the ANC and residents living near the property to provide input on potentially objectionable aspects of fast food restaurants such as noise, odors, lights, hours, traffic safety, and litter.

ANC 6A is particularly sensitive to this issue because of past mistakes by DCRA on H Street NE. On November 2, 2004, BZA determined that the Zoning Administrator erred by issuing a certificate of occupancy for a “deli/restaurant” in the C-2-A zoned premises at 721 H Street, NE currently occupied by Blimpie/Noble Roman Pizza. BZA found the premises are actually a “fast food restaurant” as defined at 11 DCMR 199.1 and require a special exception from BZA per 11 DCMR 733.1.

The Eleanor Apartments

I was walking on Florida recently when I noticed a sign for an apartment building (18 units) called The Eleanor. The sign features a likeness of Eleanor Roosevelt. Although I've seen many buildings with names like The Washington, or The Lincoln, I don't think I have ever come across a building named for Eleanor Roosevelt. A very unusual choice I think. Anyway, here are some photos:


And ready for her close-up.

I had no luck reaching their website, but perhaps you will be more fortunate. At any rate, I have no doubt this would be an ideal location for entertaining visiting dignitaries and favored reporters alike.

It looks like they still have their domain, so the website problem may be on my end. Here is more info on the developer Evolve LLC. I did not know this was the same team that brought us the Pierce School Lofts.

Don't Miss the Atlas Festivities this Weekend

Ok, this shot was taken a month, or two ago. At any rate, things look a bit different today. Don't miss out on the festivities at the Atlas this weekend (and all of next week). There will be theatrical and musical performances galore. There will also be some free dance classes at Joy of Motion, and numerous other performances of all kinds. Be sure to show up for the sign lighting tomorrow night from 8-8:30pm. Please be aware that even though the events surrounding the opening of the Atlas are free, some do require tickets that must be obtained from the box office in advance. See their website for details.

PSA 504 Meeting Tomorrow -Confirmed

It's still not on the 5th district calendar, & no reminder has gone out on the 5th district listserv, but I did get a postcard (because I signed up for the mailing list) reminder for it yesterday. So, I think we could do a better job of getting the word out there. But for now:

PSA 504
10am
Saturday April 16th

Joseph Cole Recreaction Center
1200 Morse Street NE
(where Morse & Montello intersect).
Free pastries & juice.

PSA 504 Meeting Saturday

I don't see it on the calendar, but I'm pretty sure there is PSA 504 meeting scheduled for Saturday 4/16 at 10am. The meeting, should it occur, will be held at the Joseph H. Cole Center (located at the corner of Morse & Montello).

Broken Window Theory & Resident Health

How is does a neighborhood's enviroment affect the health of its residents? Is it about poverty, or about connection to people and place? Here is an interesting summary of some findings of RAND researchers.

Photos of the Abdo Children's Museum Condos

Here are a few shots I took this weekend.

And a little closer up you have...



...these.

Even More Chicken

I neglected to count two other places right at 12th & H Streets. So that is makes 6 wing places (7 if you assume that the Olympic will serve wings) within slightly over a block of each other. But hey, Cluck U Chicken is decent business. It's fast food, and perhaps it is more of what we already have, but at least it's not a check cashing place.

Cluck U Chicken on H Street?

According to a message sent out on the HSMS listserv a Cluck U Chicken franchise is opening up at 1123 H St. NE. I noticed renovation work at this address (right next to Family dollar) this weekend, I had not yet heard what was going on. It seems a bit strange to stick a fried chicken chain into this spot when you already have Horace & Dickie's, Popeye's & Danny's right down the street. In fact, I'm pretty sure you couldn't go more than two blocks without finding a a place to get wings if you started at 14th and walked west on H all the way to the Abdo condo site.

Church at 11th & H Streets

R&B Coffee Reopened

R&B Coffee officially reopened (really this time) on Saturday. The owner, Alphonso, is continuing to work on expanding into the building next door (upstairs only), but will remain open during the work. Alphonso did make some changes during his recent closing. R&B now boasts various desserts and sandwiches (including paninis). R&B sandwiches will feature Atwater Bakers' breads once the Farm Fresh H Street Market returns on May 7th.

Alley Between Florida & Morse

This is from an alley between Florida & Morse (between Trinidad & Montello). I took this photo a while back when some neighbors decided to clean out their garage. They dragged all this stuff out before having it hauled away.

Horse on Holbrook Terrace

More Info on the Wholesale Food District Coming

I had planned to spend last Saturday morning taking pictures and recording info for the various businesses that occupy the wholesale food district (address & retail/whole only status). Unfortunately, my plans were thwarted by the rain. So I only have a very partial list of businesses, and almost no photos. I'm going to try to go back this weekend and see what else I can put together. One problem I encountered, as I has mentioned before, is that many (most) of these places don't bother to post signs telling you whether or not they are open to the public. For such businesses I am recording phone numbers so that the wholesale/retail status can eventually be ascertained by calling. But even the few places that are clearly open to the public (and I am not talking about the DC Farmers' Market, where every vendor sells to the public) offer so much interesting stuff you just can't get at the grocery store. For example, two stores on Morse, A Litteri's & the African wholesaler two doors down, sell items as diverse as fresh sandwiches, gourmet cheeses & sausages, goat & berber.

DDOT on Kojo Namdi Show

This was on Monday, but you can listen to the archived version of the show if you want to know more about the light rail/street cars mentioned before.

Vacant Lot on the 1200 Block of H Street

Just down the street from where Joe Englert plans to put in those two bars.

Celebration for 20th Anniversary of Near Northeast Citizens Against Crime & Drugs

The well known community group started by local activist Loree Murray (anyone catch her interview on WPFW last week?) is celebrating 20 years of hard work and success. The celebration is open to the community, and the bigger the crowd the better. Here is the info from their flier:
Come and Congratulate with Mrs. Loree Murray at the 20th Anniversary Celebration of Near Northeast Citizens Against Crime & Drugs

Guest Speaker
The Honorable Congresswoman
Eleanor Holmes Norton

Thursday, April 7, 2005

J. O. Wilson Elementary School
660 K Street NE
6:00–9:00 p.m.

History & Accomplishments
Recognition of Outstanding Partners & Supporters
Refreshments

One Month Until Farmer's Market Returns

May 7th is the return date for the H Street Farmfresh Market (600 block of H Street). Check their website for details.

Upcoming Opening Events at the Atlas

The Atlas is having a week long series of events (starting April 16th) to celebrate its opening. The celebration will feature plays, and a wide variety of musical and dance performances.

H Street Main Street Website Updated

Hey, they finally got around to updating the site. Check it out.

1600 Block of Montello

the SE corner of the 1600 block of Montello.

DC's Proposed Light Rail/ Street Car Lines

A quick morning perusal of DCist convinced me to include a quick post link to information on DC's proposed transit corridors (for light rail/street cars). Corridor 4 runs the length of H Street from North Capitol to Benning Road.

DC Parents Worried About Children

Here is a Washington Post article on the everyday struggles of parents with teens in the District's violence plagued neighborhoods. The article talks about one family that moved from SE to 8th & H Streets NE to escape trouble. There is mention of the Murder Inc. gang that once plagued that area of Near Northeast.

A Post re: the Sun & Moon Photo

The blog Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space has some interesting thoughts about a building I posted a photo of yesterday.

One Stop Shopping

The 1300 block of H Street.

Updates on Various Properties on H Street

I noticed a crew doing something at the future home of Subterranean last night. They have covered the windows with brown paper. Since the space has looked pretty finished for a while now, I wonder if the brown paper and crew means they are getting ready to install things like counters. Just down the street another crew continues to actively work on the former home of Dragon City. On the 1000 block the former home of the uber sketchy Family Market sits empty...but for how long? On the 1300 block the future domicile of the H Street Martini Lounge is taking shape. I saw that they added a back wall, and they have since covered the windows with blue tarp. A notice on the door says the lounge wants to offer live jazz, karaoke, salsa music and dancing. The lounge will also serve American food.

Abdo Condos/Former Children's Museum

Anybody happen to walk/drive by there yesterday? If you didn't you missed something pretty cool. They have knocked the back portion of the main building, and in doing so they have exposed multicolored walls (left over from Artomatic?). The effect is really cool. I wanted to hop off the bus and snap some photos, but didn't because I had shopping bags and the sky looked like rain. I am really hoping that they leave the building pretty much as it is for the weekend so that I can get a couple of shots.

Sun & Moon

Corner of 14th & Florida. Last Sunday morning.

Post Article on H Street Trash

Today's Post features an article on all that nice trash that collects on H Street and the efforts to clean it all up. Having particpated in past MSMS clean-ups, I can tell you come across some pretty nasty stuff. I remember that we once found a pair of very soiled men's underwear outside the Bank of America at 8th & H Streets

Georgetown Symphony Orchestra Moving to Atlas Performing Arts Center

From an email I received:

Hello members of the H Street Advisory Committee and the Capitol Hill
Neighborhood,
We'd like to introduce you to the Georgetown Symphony Orchestra and let you know that we're hoping to become your neighbors in the near future. The GSO is a non-profit community orchestra formerly based in
Georgetown.

More of That Vacant 1300 Block Building

Sorry, I can't resist.


Isn't this crazy? It looks like the set for a theater production.

I love this hole in the wall too. I think this place used to be a church (based on the biblical names adorning the front steps), but I don't remember seeing this hole before. Please note that I was not inside this place. I snapped these photos from the doorway (there is a gate, but no door) of the property. See past photos of this structure here.

City Funds for H Street

Several recent articles have mentioned that the mayor's new financial plan would involve funds for the development of H Street (to the tune of $5 million). Here is today's Post article on the planned funding on neighborhood projects around the city.

Neighborhoods and Bubbles

Here is an interesting article from The New York Times about how different types of neighborhoods fare when bubbles burst.

Nifty Thift

Corner of Florida & Orren Street NE.

Urban Legends

As I suspected, Urban Legends (the business that took over Imagine U Unique's space) is a clothing store.

Washington Post Article on The Atlas

Sunday's Post featured this great article on the Atlas Performing Arts Center.

Possible False Alarm on the R&B Reopening

It's still closed. I posted the reopening news based on an email I got. I'm not sure what the deal is, but I have sent some emails to knowlegeable parties, so hopefully we can get this sorted out pretty quickly. But for now, R&B remains closed.

R&B Coffee Reopening Tonight!

I just got an email saying that R&B Coffee will will be open again starting tonight. According to the email, R&B will now be serving various food items including paninis and burritos in addition to the anticipated soups and salads.

R&B Coffee
1359 H Street NE
Closed Monday
Tuesday & Wednesday 11-7
Thursday & Friday 11-9
Saturday & Sunday 9-5
202-397-4357