ANC6B Committee on Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration met last Tuesday to consider a Restaurant License for Acqua al 2.
Acqua al 2 Update
by Larry Janezich
Posted February 8, 2025
Restaurateur Ari Gejdenson is returning to Eastern Market to reopen Acqua al 2 (AA2). The Italian menu will be the same, but the upstairs speakeasy – Jack Black’s – is gone. His aim is to convert the speakeasy space to a dining and dancing event space for which Gejdenson envisions hosts selling tickets (fund raising tickets?) – which would technically meet ABCA criteria for a cover charge. Gejdenson also wants to enclose the front sidewalk patio and extend dancing to that area with hours outside the same as those inside, 2am Sunday – Thursday and 3am Friday and Saturday. He would also add carryout and delivery service.
Last Tuesday night, ANC6B’s alcohol licensing committee met to discuss the liquor license application with the request for the expanded operation. Much of the discussion involved concerns of across-the-alley neighbors who have had ongoing issues with the restaurants facing 7th Street on the block.
Gejedenson had generally been a good neighbor during the first incarnation of AA2. After it closed, it was succeeded by Harvest Tide, whom the neighbors found unresponsive to their concerns about trash, rodents, and delivery trucks blocking the alley and preventing access to their garages.
Responding to neighbor complaints, ANC6B negotiated a new and more stringent Settlement Agreement with Harvest Tide. (A Settlement Agreement is the mechanism agreed to between the ANC and the restaurant which governs its operations – trash, rodents, parking, hours, etc.) Neighbors say that Harvest Tide continued to be a bad neighbor despite the new Settlement Agreement. Gejdenson said that was largely because the city was lax in enforcing the Agreement.
The (ABCA Committee – per comment below) want Gejdenson to sign the same agreement they had with Harvest Tide. Gejdenson is resisting signing the more stringent agreement saying he is unwilling to “assume additional risk” by signing commitments which could allow neighbors to put on him things that should be the city’s responsibility.
After two contentious hours of discussion, the committee agreed to designate temporary committee chair Commissioner Anna Krebs and Commissioner Jerry Sroufe to meet with Gejdenson and his attorney in hopes of reaching an agreement on a Settlement Agreement before the full ANC meets on next Tuesday. If not, the parties can request a two week extension to negotiate. Gejdenson hopes to open within the next 30 to 90 days.
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 
Curious about the delay of the new bakery slated to open on 7th & C replacing Ricci. They were supposed to open in December. What’s holding it up?
Ed. Note. Unclear. No recent activity on the site. Note lack of building permits. Could be a factor.
The neighbors were there first! 3am is also late for loud music. Drinking and socializing is fine late. Don’t expect DC to help.
Well reported with one exception– it was ABC COMMITTEE members, not neighbors, who challenged applicant’s attitude toward more stringent SA which embodies best practies and challenged his stated intention not to negotiate. The only contentious discussion with neighbors involved me because he supposedly has not given any thought to how/when he would operate carryout provisions of the license and I found that inconsistent with his self portrayal as a and, considerate businessman. This was very disappointing and inconsistent with his behavior and attitude the first time he operates aqua al 2.
The settlement agreement should address the record of sexual harassment.
The more stringent settlement agreement with Harvest Tide, that is referred to in the posting, was the result of the problems experienced with the previous Acqua Al 2 restaurant. That agreement was established before Harvest Tide even began operating. During the operation of the previous Acqua Al 2 there were numerous issues including delivery trucks and other vehicles blocking the alley and neighbors’ garages, problems with grease removal operations, garbage collection trucks in the alley as early as 5:45 AM, and ongoing noise and garbage storage issues. It was often difficult to reach any restaurant staff when problems occurred. Attempts to resolve these issues with the former Acqua Al 2 restaurant, in the cases when they were resolved at all, took many months and sometimes required the intervention of DC officials. It was that experience with Acqua al 2 that led ANC6B to establish a more stringent agreement with the restaurant that followed. With this understanding of what actually happened in the past, it is inaccurate to say that “Gejedenson had generally been a good neighbor during the first incarnation of AA2.”
The proposed location, an old building, in a block surrounded on three sides by residential properties, is not suitable for live entertainment and the night club operation envisioned by the applicant.