The Week Ahead…New Mini-Mall Planned for H Street NE & Photos from the Past Week

The Week Ahead…New Mini-Mall Planned for H Street NE & Photos from the Past Week

By Larry Janezich

Posted January 19, 2024

New Mini-Mall Planned for H Street, NE. The former Biergarten Haus at 1355 H Street, NE, which closed in July of 2023, is among the several properties recently purchased by Jonathan Askarinam and Moe Pishvaeian .  The development team – which also includes Ian Ruel – plans to use it and adjacent buildings to open a new food hall with retail and event spaces 

On January 15, Developers presented the plan to ANC6A’s Planning and Zoning Committee for combining four H Street buildings (including the former Biergarten Haus) plus three alley lots to create a mini-Union Market with a roof deck event space.

The remodeled combined space will contain 14 stalls for retail outlets.  Developers are looking at a number of potential tenants including four or five food stalls, a barber shop, a bar, a tattoo parlor, fitness space, a coffee shop, and a bakery.  They envision larger areas as lounge space for work and socializing, starting at breakfast and lasting through dinner where patrons will be encouraged to “come and hang out for a long time.”  

The Committee unanimously voted to recommend that the full ANC support the application for Zoning Adjustments providing exceptions from requirements for parking, rear yard, and fast food establishments. 

Spin Time Records – a New Capitol Hill Music Outlet:  John Lottman, the DC music scene aficionado who has marketed DC Go-G0, Punk & D.I.Y., Soul & Funk, Jazz, Hip Hop & Electic, and DC Americana on-line has opened his brick-and-mortar outlet on the 2nd floor above Barrel at 619 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. 

Here’s Lottman from his website:  “Like so many parts of DC, the Capitol Hill I grew up in has become a neighborhood that has “everything,” but feels like it’s lost so much.   One thing I can give it back is a record store.  It seemed like there used to be one on every block, but the last one closed about 25 years ago….

I want this to be a resource for locals, visitors, and people around the world to dive into the city’s musical life. You can look, listen, and read about this dimension of local history. You might give a local artist you’ve never heard of a spin, or discover a connection to DC in an artist you already knew.  And you are guaranteed to find some good music.”  Here’s a link to the website:  https://spintimerecords.com/  to see their collection.  And here’s a link to a WaPo article: https://wapo.st/3IOlThA  

ANC6D met January 13 and elected new officers: Chair, Gottlieb Simon (upper right); Vice Chair, Bruce Levine (middle far left); Secretary, Rhonda Hamilton(bottom left); and Treasurer, Fredrica “Rikki” Kramer (upper far left). 

ANC6B met January 14 and elected new officers.  Chair, Vince Marino (far right); Vice Chair, Edward Ryder; Secretary, David Sobelsohn; Treasurer, Anna Krebs (second from left); and Parliamentarian; Tyler Wolanin. Also pictured above are Commissioner Jerry Sroufe (far left), and Commissioner Karen Hughes.

ANC7D also met on January 14 and elected new officers:  Chair, Brian Alcorn (upper left); Vice Chair, Mike Davis; Treasurer, Brett Astmann (lower right); and Secretary, Dev Myers.  Also shown is MPD Lt. Stephen Miller (upper right), and wearing chapeau at lower left, Andrew Lightman, recruited by ANC7D as a non-member of the commission, to offciate at the election.

New officers for ANC6A and ANC6C were elected the previous week – one in which scheduling conflicts prevented CHC from capturing.

ANC6A:  Chair, Dave Wethington, Vice Chair/Parliamentarian, Amber Gove; Secretary, Jeff Giertz; Treasurer. 

ANC6C: Chair, Karen Wirt: Vice Chair, Mark Eckenweiler; Secretary, Andrew Hayes; and Treasurer, Jay Adelstein.

The Week Ahead…

Monday, January 20

Inaugural Day Holiday.  Trash and recycling pick up slide one day. 

Tuesday, January 21

ANC 6A Transportation & Public Space Committee Meeting will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

• For info on how to join the meeting, go here:  https://anc6a.org/community-calendar/

Among items on the draft agenda: 

• Request for an all-way stop sign at the intersection of Tennessee Avenue NE & E Street NE. ANC 6A sent a letter requesting this to DDOT on October 20, 2024. This was not listed in the TSI FY25Q1 or Q2 prioritizations.
• Request for an all-way stop sign at the intersection of Tennessee Avenue NE and 14th Street NE. ANC 6A sent a letter requesting this to DDOT on October 20, 2024. This was not listed in the TSI FY25Q1 or Q2 prioritizations.
• 14th & H Streets NE. DDOT issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to implement a bike lane on 14th Street NE between Florida Avenue and H Street NE, and upgrade and existing bike lane on 14th Street NE between H Street NE and Maryland Avenue NE. Committee has requested DDOT join us to present the plan.
• 11th and F Streets NE. This area is under investigation for speed issues. ANC 6A sent a letter requesting this to DDOT on October 20, 2024.
• Jayme Johnson will present on the 2025 Capitol Hill Classic and has requested a letter of support to HSEMA from ANC6A by March 31, 2025. [Note: this will be covered as the first topic of the meeting to accommodate scheduling]
• Color the Curb Program at Maury Elementary. Kim Vacca from DDOT will present.
• Both North Carolina Avenue NE and C Street NE from 16th to 14th Street – Committee Member Sussman produced a slide deck on potential improvements to the car and bike lanes in this area. One aspect would be the continuation of the westbound bike lane down North Carolina Avenue NE after the split with C Street NE. Other improvement suggestions aimed at making the blocks in question safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and automobiles.
• 14th and Ames Place NE. The area is under investigation for traffic speed. This is between the traffic lights on North Carolina Avenue NE and East Capitol Street, and there is no stop sign at A Street NE.

Wednesday, January 22

ANC7D Transportation and Public Space Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 6:30pm. 

• For info on how to join the meeting, go here:  https://7d0761.wixsite.com/anc7d-1

Agenda:  TBA

Thursday, January 23

• ANC7D Economic Development, Housing Justice, Zoning and ABCA Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 6:30pm.

For info on how to join the meeting, go here:  https://7d0761.wixsite.com/anc7d-1

Agenda:  TBA

ANC6B Parks and Public Spaces Taskforce will hold an in person meeting at 7:00pm at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Second Floor, Conference Room 3 (Main Entrance Adjacent to Trader Joe’s)

Agenda:  TBA