May 18, 2025 · 9:58 pm

The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week

The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week

by Larry Janezich

Posted May 19, 2025

Last Monday night, the ANC6B SE Library Task Force, chaired by Commissioner David Sobelsohn, heard Jaspreet Pahwa, Director of Planning &Construction DC Public Library update the community on Renovation of SE Library.  Here’s a photo of the current state of the main floor looking toward the 7th Street entrance showing the slab demolition and ceiling opening which will provide natural light from the new skylight in the roof to all three floors.

Here’s a detail. 

Here’s a current photo of the former lower level (street level) of the library. It, too, will have an opening in the floor providing natural light to the level below. 

Here’s a schematic cross section showing the distribution of natural light to all three floors. For more, go here, https://bit.ly/47YgK1f and click on the May 9th update. 

Last Tuesday night, ANC6B, chaired by Commissioner Edward Ryder, heard an informational presentation from the principals behind the modernization of and addition to St. Peter School, 422 3rd Street, SE.  St. Peter School is a private Catholic school founded in 1868 affiliated with St. Peter’s Church.   It has a maximum capacity of 228.  This is an image of the current school. 

And here’s rendering of the completed project including a roof-top playground.  The renovation will bring the school into compliance with ADA requirements.  St. Peter School will remain 100% active throughout the construction of the new building which will open in 2028. 

ICYMI – The Lobby Bar at 224 7th Street, SE, across from Eastern Market, opened last Friday night.  The space was formerly occupied by Boxcar Tavern. 

Here’s a photo inside from mid-afternoon on Saturday. 

The Week Ahead…

Monday, May 19

ANC6B Public Safety Committee Meeting scheduled for 7pm tonight CANCELLED

ANC6D will hold its May Business meeting ONLY IN PERSON with no on-line option at 7:00pm at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 555 Water Street SW (6th & M).   

Among items on the draft agenda:

  • Public Safety Report (PSA 103,105,106)
  • Community Announcements
  • Government Announcements (Executive and Legislative Branch)
  • Community Concerns  
  • Approval of April 2025 Minutes
  • ABC Matters
  • Further consideration of the DDOT 2025 TOPP   (Traffic Operations & Parking Plan)
  • Shall the ANC comment on DDOT’s “safety treatment” for 6th & M?
  • Shall the ANC establish a Task Force on Pedestrian Safety?
  • Shall the ANC support Modification of Consequence: M Street Landing?
  • Shall the ANC support 2-year extension of the PUD in ZC 16-02D & 16-02C?
  • Does the ANC endorse renaming a street for Leona Walker?
  • SMD Updates
  • Treasurer’s Report
  • Chairperson’s Report

ANC6ATransportation & Public Space Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

Among items on the draft agenda: 

  • Introductions & Announcements.
  • Old Business.
    • West Virginia Avenue NE.  Kelly Jeong-Olsen from DDOT will discuss the recently issued NOI for the stretch of West Virginia Avenue NE between 8th Street and Florida Avenue NE and the signal project at the intersection of 8th Street/West Virginia Avenue/K Street NE.
    • Capitol Hill Open Streets on June 28. ANC 6A has a tent reserved along the route for this event. The TPS Committee does not have formal plans for this event at this time.
    • H Street NE Bus Priority Project. Last year, DDOT presented the 90% plans for this project which was slated to begin construction this year. DDOT stated the project is being reevaluated at this time.
  • New Business. 
    • 900 Block of A Street NE.  Requesting traffic calming and that DDOT close off this block to traffic similar to both parts of the 900 block of E Street NE where it intersects with Maryland Avenue NE. Neighbors are concerned about traffic speed and volume.
    • Alley Closure near the intersection of C Street NE and Warren Street NE scheduled for July 7-11, 2025 for construction. Permit applicants sent notice to the ANC as part of their DDOT application. Additional community comment (time permitting).

Wednesday, May 21

ANC6A Economic Development and Zoning Committee will meet at 7:00pm

Among items on the draft agenda:

  • Resolution of previously heard cases 
    • 901 H Street NE.  Hearing of May 8, 2025: Request for a Modification Without Hearing to the planned unit development (“PUD”) along with the Applicant’s associated request for special exception relief to permit fast food restaurant use at the Property. Zoning Commission approved the following modifications to the conditions of the approval: The PUD shall have a maximum density of 5.0 FAR and a gross floor area of 435,265 square feet. Of that, the PUD shall have approximately 51,420 square feet of retail and/or eating and drinking establishment uses, including fast food restaurant use, of which approximately 5,365 square feet may also be devoted to veterinary hospital use.  If any new uses are adopted under the eating and drinking establishment use category after the effective date of this Order, such newly adopted uses shall be considered matter-of-right uses within the PUD, except that following such amendment, the establishment of a new fast food restaurant or a new fast food drive-through shall require review and approval by the Zoning Commission.
    • 1355-1359 H Street, NE.  Hearing of April 30,2025: The BZA concluded that the applicant has satisfied the burden of proof for the requested relief to include: Special Exception from the rear yard requirements; Special Exception under the eating and drinking establishment use requirements; Special Exception under the fast-food establishment use requirements.  The Board approved the application consistent with plans submitted subject to the following conditions: All trash for tenants that have obtained a Certificate of Occupancy for fast-food shall be stored in indoor trash rooms within the main building envelope, until such time as the trash is removed from the premises by a garbage contractor.  No dumpsters or other trash or recycling containers serving the fast-food uses shall be kept in public space.  Exterior doors to any trash rooms shall be kept closed except when in use by tenants depositing trash or by the contractor removing trash. For more information, please contact: Dave Wethington and Michael Cushman,  Co-Chairs Economic Development and Zoning Committee,
  • Old Business
    • 917 Constitution Avenue.  To construct a second story addition to a detached garage, in the rear of an existing, attached, two-story plus cellar, principal dwelling unit in the RF-1 zone. A recommendation that ANC 6A send a letter to BCA to support the special exception was approved unanimously by the EDZ Committee on March 19, 2025, and approved by unanimous consent by ANC 6A on April 10, 2025. BZA Virtual Public Hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2025.
  • New Business
    • 1000-1014 H Street NE: The potential applicant is pursuing a zoning map amendment for the property at 1000-1014 H Street NE to rezone the property from the current NMU4/H-R zone to the NMU-5/H-R zone. The zoning map amendment would allow for an additional story in building height. If the zoning map amendment is successful, the potential applicant envisions a similar mixed-use project to what was approved by the BZA in 2023, with the primary change being the one additional story allowed in the NMU-5/H-R zone. 
    • 1382 East Capitol Street, NE; Della Barba Pizza, LLC requests a use variance and special exception to expand its existing, nonconforming, pizza restaurant use beyond the first floor, with cellar, in order to provide for additional seasonal outdoor patio seating within public space.

Capitol Hill Corner would also like you to know about:

Monday, May 19

Hill Center Event

Overbeck Lecture: Jack Jones on the building of the National Guard Armory

In-person.  7:00 pm – 9:00pm Free.  Get tickets here:  https://bit.ly/4j6xlow

How the vacant land between East Capitol Street and Independence Avenue west of the Anacostia River became a center of civic and military activity is a history worth telling. Jack Jones, historic preservation specialist at the DC Historic Preservation Office, will do just that at the May 19 Capitol Hill History Lecture.

Tuesday, May 20

Hill Center Event

Global Sounds on the Hill featuring Brazilian Singer/Songwriter Luciane Dom.  A multilingual singer, songwriter, and producer, she is part of a group of contemporary artists who use poetic themes to impact the construction of her emotions. 7:00pm – 9:00pm – $20

Go here for more info and tickets:  https://bit.ly/4kpt4O4

Wednesday, May 21

Hill Center Event

Hill Center Galleries 2025 CHAL Juried Exhibition Opening Reception.  6:30pm – 8:00pm – Free. Register here https://bit.ly/4ksUNNP

During the Opening Reception prizes will be awarded.  All pieces of art will be on display throughout our Galleries and online at Hill Center Galleries.

Thursday, May 22

Congressional Cemetery Event. 

Cemetery Speaker Series: The Pink Triangle and the Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights in the U.S. Speaker Dr. Jake Desai-Newsome is an award winning scholar of German and American LGBTQ+ history whose research and resources educate global audiences. 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm $20

Go here for more info and tickets:  https://bit.ly/44DnzGW

Saturday, May 24

Congressional Cemetery Event. 

An Evening with the Residents: A Comedy Show@ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm  $20 

The Congressional Cemetery is pleased to host an uproariously funny comedy show in our on-site chapel. An Evening with the Residents, so named to recognize the affectionate nickname for the permanent “residents” of the Congressional Cemetery, will feature some of DC’s top comedians bringing their best thematic material to the stage. Get your tickets today—this is a rare opportunity to spend an evening of live entertainment in one of DC’s historic, revered landmarks.

Go here for more info and tickets:  https://bit.ly/43443lO

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