Author Archives: ljjanezich

Epworth Church at 700 A Street SE

HPO Issues Order to Epworth Church To Act on Windows by October 18

ANC6C Asks DCRA To Revoke Certificate of Occupancy Until Compliance

by Larry Janezich

On September 20, the Historic Preservation Office issued a Correction Order to the World Mission Society, Inc. (Church of God) – current owners of Epworth Church at 700 A Street, NE – which instructs the church to obtain permits for re-installation of stained glass windows which were removed in January of 2012, or to appeal the Correction Order in the DC Court of Appeals.  According to HPO, if the permits are not obtained by the October 18 deadline and an appeal has not been filed, HPO will issue a Notice of Infraction, which includes a fine. If the Notice of Infraction is ignored, additional fines can be levied and a lien on the property undertaken.

Coincidentally, the new order came four days after ANC6C sent a letter to Gretchen Pfachler, Chair of HPRB, noting that the Board’s three-month-old order to the Church to restore the windows had not been followed and requesting that HPRB enforce the order.

Last week, at the urging of Bobbi Krengel, Chair of the Capitol Hill Coalition for Sensible Development, ANC6C Zoning and Planning Committee recommended the full ANC6C send a letter to DCRA asking that the agency revoke the Certificate of Occupancy until they are in compliance.  Last night at the ANC6C October meeting, Zoning and Planning Committee Chair Mark Eckenweiler informed the Commission of the HPRB order.  The ANC then voted unanimously 5-0 to send a letter to DCRA requesting that the building’s certificate of occupancy be revoked until all Historic Preservation law violations are cured.  Commissioner Daniele Schiffman was not present for the vote, having given birth a few days ago.

Last June 13, the DC government ruled that the character-defining stained glass windows at the 1895 Epworth Church must be preserved.  Portions of the windows which were removed were placed in storage waiting the ultimate outcome of the efforts by owners to permanently remove them.   See CHC posting here:  https://capitolhillcorner.org/2013/06/19/2810/

At the time, Krengel, said, “We are fully expecting the owners to appeal this decision to the Court of Appeals, and do not know if there would be any role for the neighborhood to play there, but stand ready to participate in any way that may be required to protect our neighborhood.”   However, members of the ANC Planning and Zoning Committee have not been informed that an appeal has been filed, nor have they been able to ascertain that an appeal has been filed after an examination of the DC Court of Appeals docket.

“Medium Rare” Fixed Price Steak Bistro To Succeed Fusion Grill by Thanksgiving

by Larry Janezich

Barracks Row Main Street announced today that the Cheung family, owners of both Fusion Grill and Lavagna, has decided to relocate Fusion Grill to a new nearby space and lease the current Fusion Grill space to “Medium Rare.”  The fixed price steak bistro has outlets in Cleveland Park and Bethesda.  According to Stephen Cheung who runs Lavagna, Fusion Grill will re-open soon and focus entirely on Asian take-out.

The new steak restaurant is expected to open on Barracks Row by Thanksgiving.  According to Barracks Row Main Street, “the Parisian cafe themed bistro famously asks only two questions of diners: ‘how would you like your steak done’ and ‘what wine would you like?’” According Medium Rare’s website, “Their goal is to provide a fun, friendly, neighborhood environment where their customers can just relax, and have a simple yet exceptional meal served to them.”

The menu for the Cleveland Park outlet is as follows:

Dinner

$19.50 Set Menu

Artisan Rustic Bread

Mixed Green Salad

Culotte Steak & Hand-Cut Fries with Secret Sauce

BRUNCH

$23 Inclusive

(Bottomless Bloody Marys, Screwdrivers, Mimosa, Coffee and Fresh Orange juice)

Fresh, rustic bread and choice of: Vanilla yogurt parfait, Farm Fresh fruit salad or our mixed green salad

Steak Frites

OR

Steak and Eggs with “the perfect poached egg” or our house scrambled eggs

Medium Rare’s Famous Benedict Sliced Steak, Portobello Mushroom,”the perfect poached egg”,

topped with sauce hollandaise

Egg Frites & Sausage

3 poached eggs or scrambled eggs, frites and Local Artisanal Sausage

French Toast and Sausage

The restaurant serves red wine by the glass ($9 – $13) or by the bottle ($34 – $50); white wine ($8 – $10) and ($30 – $38); a selection of draft beers ($6 – $8), and select spirits.

The Cleveland Park location is open for dinner daily from 5:00 pm until 10:00pm (11:00pm on Friday and Saturday)

Brunch Sunday 11:00 am – 2:30 pm

No reservations required

The Week Ahead…..

by Larry Janezich

October 7, Monday

CHRS Historic Preservation Committee meets at 6:30pm at Kirby House, 420 10^th Street, SE

October 8, Tuesday

ANC6b meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center for its regular October meeting.

Among items on the agenda:

New liquor licenses:

Sushi Capitol, 325 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Sona Creamery and Wine Bar, 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE

Liquor license renewals:

Wisdom, 1432 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

The Capitol Lounge, 229 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Tune Inn Restaurant, 331 Pennsylvania Avenue,SE

Li’L Pub, 655 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Beuchert’s Saloon, 623 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Requested Modification to Settlement Agreement

Matchbox, 521 8th Street ,SE

Also:

Letter to Washington Marine Barracks regarding NEPA scoping meeting on September 24, 2013

Public Safety Report from the ANC6b Outreach & Constituent Services Task Force

October 10, Thursday

ANC6a meets at Eliot-Hine Middle School, Auditorium (CHANGE OF LOCATION), 1830 Constitution Ave NE, Washington, DC.

Among items on the agenda:

Liquor license renewals:

The Queen Vic at 1206 H Street, NE

Atlas Arcade/Church and State at 1236 H Street, NE

Ben’s Chili Bowl/Ben’s Upstairs at 1001 H Street, NE

Twelve (XII) Restaurant and Lounge at 1123-1125 H Street, NE (ABC Committee recommends ANC protest this renewal)

October 10, Thursday

PSA 107 meets at 7:00pm in Southeast Library (rescheduled from last Thursday, October 3^rd)

October 10, Thursday

CHRS Zoning Committee meets at 7:30pm at Kirby House, 420 10^th Street, SE

Kris Swanson of The Corner Store

Councilmember Tommy Wells Recalled the First Dedication Ten Years Ago

The Yume Tree

David Weiner of the “21 Gessford Court Players” Remembered Siegel in the Lyrics to “Forever Young”

Yume Tree Dedicated to Laurie Siegel on Its Tenth Anniversary

by Larry Janezich

The Yume Tree on the north wall of the CVS at 12^th and E Streets, SE, turned ten last week.  Yesterday, the Corner Store – Kris Swanson’s and Roy Mustelier’s non-profit community art studio and performance space at 9^th and South Carolina Avenue, SE – hosted an anniversary party to dedicate the community wall sculpture to Laurie Siegel.  Kris Swanson, who  conceived of the Yume Tree,  spoke movingly of fused glass artist and award winning Watkins School art teacher Siegel – who succumbed to cancer in July – as one of her strongest allies in the project.  Swanson recounted the story of how she was inspired to begin the work and how the tree came into being, crediting many in the community who played critical roles in overcoming obstacles to make it a reality.

Swanson was followed by Councilmember Tommy Wells who praised the interactive quality of the sculpture and remembered his participation as a DC School Board Member with Swanson and Siegel in the original dedication ceremony ten years ago.

The Yume (you/me) Tree is a neighborhood art project involving more than a thousand children, hundreds of Capitol Hill neighbors, and several elementary schools.  The 28 by 14 foot mosaic of tiles and cut mirror reflects the sky, garden and trees of Watkins Elementary school across the street.  The three inch tiles making up the trunk, roots, and branches of the tree were made and signed by school children.  Siegel helped Swanson develop Yume Tree and fired and glazed hundreds of the first clay tiles.  Messages to the community and commemorative tiles from donors form the landscape out of which the tree emerges.  Swanson points to it as an example of how the power of collective action can transform and beautify a neighborhood.  The work is an ongoing process and continues to grow and evolve on a regular basis as new name and sponsorship tiles are added.

Music for the dedication was provided by the “21 Gessford Court Players,” led by David Weiner.  The group played Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young,” in memory of Siegel.  Weiner, calling Dylan “the poet who spoke for our generation,” said that the lyrics could have been spoken by Siegel. (See below)

Donations to the Corner Store Roots & Dreams Fund help maintain the tree and add the next generation of name and sponsorship tiles to the project.  Contact:

webmaster@cornerstorearts.org

Corner Store Roots & Dreams

900 South Carolina Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20003

202 544 5807

The Corner Store Website can be found here: cornerstorearts.org.

“Forever Young” by Bob Dylan

May God bless and keep you always

May your wishes all come true

May you always do for others

And let others do for you

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young

May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous

May you grow up to be true

May you always know the truth

And see the lights surrounding you

May you always be courageous

Stand upright and be strong

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young

May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy

May your feet always be swift

May you have a strong foundation

When the winds of changes shift

May your heart always be joyful

And may your song always be sung

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young

May you stay forever young.

Business as Usual at Starbucks, 237 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.  Note the Trash and Garbage Area on the Left.

Starbuck’s Trash and Garbage Storage Area, a Few Feet From Their Patio

Starbuck Garbage in an Open Container

Meanwhile, It’s Business as Usual at the PA Avenue Starbucks

by Larry Janezich

Business as usual apparently includes a casual attitude toward trash and garbage disposal now undergoing scrutiny on Barracks Row.  Starbuck’s evidently has not picked up on clues dropped by residents across the street who recently appeared before ANC6b’s ABC Committee to express their concern about rodent problems associated with restaurants in the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, the former Thai Roma apparently being the source of much of the problem.  To their credit, the Mendelsohn family – currently operating three of the restaurants on the block, including the recently opened Bearnaise in the space formerly occupied by Thai Roma, have gone the extra mile in installing new equipment and contracting with pest control businesses to address concerns of neighbors.  The extra measures were encouraged by ANC6b’s ABC Committee when the issue came before them last month when Bearnaise sought renewal of it’s liquor license, which the Committee made contingent upon signing of a Settlement Agreement with the neighbors.

Dining Room, Rose’s Luxury

As You Enter Rose’s

Rose’s Upstairs Bar

The Roof Top Rear Deck and Herb Garden Will Offer Seating in the Near Future

Cocktail Menu

Wine List

The Menu

Rose’s Luxury, 717 8th Street, SE

Rose’s Luxury on Barracks Row Opens for Dinner at 5:30 Today

by Larry Janezich

Rose’s Luxury, the family-style no-reservations restaurant named after chef Aaron Silverman’s grandmother will open today at 5:30pm.  According to their website at http://rosesluxury.com/ for every meal eaten at Rose’s the restaurant will donate .25 cents to WFP-USA to help feed a hungry child around the world.  Rose’s is located across from the Marine Barracks at 717 8^th Street, SE.  It is open Monday – Thursday 5:30 – 10pm and Friday & Saturday 5:30 – 11pm

Food & drink available at the bar until 1am on Friday and Saturday.  Closed Sunday.

Lavagna To Donate 25% of This Thursday’s Sales To Children’s National Medical Center

Barracks Row’s Lavagna Italian Restaurant is generously donating 25% of all sales to the hospital ahead of the Children’s National Medical Center 5k this weekend.  The hospital helps upwards of 360,000 children each year by providing world-class medical care and they never turn a family away for inability to pay.

Lavagna is located at 539 8^th Street, SE.  View their menu here:  http://www.lavagnadc.com/

(Note that Lavagna’s serves gluten free pasta upon request)

CNMC 5K Timed Run/Walk

The inaugural 5K run/walk will begin and end at Freedom Plaza (Pennsylvania Avenue at 13th Street, NW). Known as “America’s Main Street,” Freedom Plaza joins the White House, the United States Capitol, and the National Mall. The course will offer gorgeous views of our nation’s capital. The site has been the center of the social and political life in Washington DC since it first opened in 1818. It is the ideal venue for families to gather to celebrate the legacy and ongoing mission of Children’s National, which has been serving the nation’s children since 1870.

Fees

Race                            Before July 1   Before Sept 19           Sept 19 – Oct 3

5K Run/Walk                   $25                        $30                             $45

100-Yard Kids’ Dash       $10                       $10                             $10

 *Please note, you MUST register in advance. Due to permitting regulations, on-site registration will not be available.

All registrations are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Race Premium

All participants will receive a race t-shirt at packet pick-up.

More info:  http://bit.ly/151yQw3

The Week Ahead…..

by Larry Janezich

September 30, Monday

Parking lot at Hine School Closed while crane removes Verizon antenna atop the building.

October 1, Tuesday

ANC6B Planning and Zoning Committee meets at 7:00pm at St. Coletta of Greater Washington, 1901 Independence Avenue SE.

Agenda items include two Historic Preservation Applications (residence modifications), four requests for zoning adjustments for residences, a briefing on the Komen 3-Day walk starting October 11, a letter to the Marine Barracks regarding an environmental impact meeting last week, and an update on the Zoning Regulations Rewrite.

October 2, Wednesday

ANC6B Transportation Committee will meet at Hill Center.  Agenda items include an update on the Expansion on Performance Based Parking North of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; update on the Visitor Parking Pass System for Fiscal Year 2014, update on Status of 6B Requests for Expenditures of PBP Funds in FY 2013, follow up on FY 2013 Requests for Sidewalk Repairs, discussion on Parking Enforcement with Mr. Moore of Department of Public Works’ Parking Enforcement Management Administration

October 3, Thursday

ANC6B ABC Committee meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center.  Agenda items include requests for liquor license renewals for The Capitol Lounge, Tune Inn, Li’L Pub, Wisdom; new licenses for Sushi Capitol at 325 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; and an ABRA-requested modification to the Settlement Agreement for Matchbox.

October 5, Friday

10th Anniversary Party for the Yume Tree, noon until 2:00pm, at the 12^th Street CVS across from Watkins Elementary School, featuring a dedication by CM Tommy Wells, entertainment from the Singing Lizard & the 21 Gessford Court Players, party food, cake.  Visit CornerStoreArts.org for more information. 

October 6, Sunday

The first annual Rosedale Library Friends “Books and a Bite Sale” 1 to 4 pm, 1701 Gales Street, NE.   Books for all ages, baked goods, and even some photographs – to benefit Rosedale library.  If you have books to donate – especially clean, unmarked books for children and teens, novels, sci-fi, history, and cookbooks – please email friendsoftherosedalelibrary@gmail.com or call 571-213-1630.  (Please do NOT bring the books to the library before the sale, they have no storage space. No magazines, case or textbooks, outdated computer books or pamphlets.)