Author Archives: ljjanezich

Commercial Building at 1442 PA Ave SE

Douglas Development Projects Underway on PA Avenue, SE

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday night, a representative of Douglas Development briefed Francis Campbell’s ANC6b Planning and Zoning Committee on two developments now underway at 1301 and 1442  Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.  Last month, the company announced that it is also leasing the space currently occupied by Cosi at 301 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, which will soon become an outlet for the high end sandwich shop chain Pret A Manger.

Construction has begun on a commercial building at 1442 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, next to Wisdom Lounge notable for its eclectic décor and the colorful mural paying tribute to John Phillip Sousa which welcomed those approaching the Capitol from the southeast.  The mural will fall victim to the new construction.

Tribute to John Phillips Sousa on the east wall of Wisdom at 1432 PA Avenue, SE

According to the Douglas spokesman the commercial building is scheduled for completion by mid-December.  No tenants have been signed yet but the company representative said, “We’re not worried.”  Commissioner Brian Flahaven pointed out that a memorandum of understanding has been signed with the neighbors regarding what kind of retail will be permitted.

The project, initially envisioned as commercial, changed in concept to residential/mixed use, but returned to the original commercial concept.  Asked why, the company representative cited several reasons, including the greater height of the residential project, and “economic challenges” including difficulty in getting financing.

Office Building at 1301 PA Ave SE

1301 PA Ave SE. New construction will extend the partial third floor to provide additional office space

Douglas Development also reported on their commercial project now underway at 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.  The existing corner building is two stories and a partial third story which will be extended to create additional office space.  “As of now,” the company spokesman said, the building is scheduled to become office space since retail would require granting of parking relief for 12 spaces.  Douglas Development is building as a matter of right, and will not have to seek zoning changes.  The company anticipates completion of the project by mid-March.

ANC6b Evaluates Self – Seeks Public Input on Priorities

by Larry Janezich

ANC6b Chair Brian Flahaven asked his colleagues to evaluate the work of ANC6b and at last week’s Executive Committee meeting, commissioners discussed that evaluation.  The commissioners’ responses – copied below – show little agreement about what ANC6b does well, and some of the responses seem perfunctory.  One or two seem illusory or contradictory.  Regarding how the ANC can improve operations – aside from one flippant response – several commissioners addressed issues of substance,  including improving the website, streamlining both the legislative process (some commissioners feel they have to weigh in on every issue both in committee and before the full commission) and the parliamentary process, and involving more ANC6b residents in meaningful ways.

With respect to the ANC’s top priorities, there was substantial agreement on the Virginia Avenue Tunnel, Barney Circle-SE Boulevard and Reservation 13.  Overlooked among the responses – though mentioned in the meeting – were the redesign of the Eastern Market Metro Plaza and proposals to expand the Capitol Hill Historic District.  Subsequent to the evaluation discussion, ANC6b Treasurer Brian Pate informed the Executive Committee that the surplus fund which has enabled the commission to operate with an annual deficit will be exhausted by the fall of 2015,  and suggested that addressing this issue should be a priority in the coming year.

Commissioners nominated the following discretionary issues as areas where the ANC might direct more attention:  public safety, vacant/blighted houses, retail, schools, RFK, and bike share expansion.

One commissioner expressed frustration over the dysfunction of the DC bureaucracy – a complaint that goes hand in hand with the unstated reality that the city bureaucracies do not give ANC opinions the “great weight” that city law requires.  Born in 1974 under Home Rule Act, ANCs have evolved into legally representative but marginally effective entities.  When the city is indifferent to commission opinions and unresponsive to commission requests, ANCs become little more than vehicles by which the city pays lip service to its residents.  It is also unclear who commissioners consider their primary constituents: residents, or the local businesses and retailers who come before them for approval of licenses and applications.  Most commissioners would probably suggest some combination of both, but sometimes the ANC’s regard for community input seems cursory.

A web of relations defines the monthly business of the ANC, and some of these relations often go unacknowledged.  Commissioners represent residents and businesses to the city bureaucracies and to each other.  But they can also become part of a ward’s political apparatus and as such can appear to have an institutional bias.  In the case of former Ward Five Councilmember Harry Thomas the ANCs became extensions of his political machine, and ultimately, a venue for neighbors to clash with that political apparatus.  In Ward Six, Councilmember Tommy Wells chose to endorse candidates in some ANC races (including the entire sitting ANC6b in 2010) a move that while not unprecedented was unusual.

During the Executive Committee meeting, commissioners decided to solicit public input regarding the questions Flahaven put to the commission.  While the committee supported the idea of news coverage of the survey, they did not identify other specific mechanisms by which they would solicit public input other than to encourage reporting on the issue.

ANC6B 3013 Mid-Year Evaluation

1.  What does our commission do well?

• Reporting
• Keeping organized
• Moving along lengthy agendas
• I think we do a good job of taking action in response to issues of neighborhood concern.
• We’re professional – we do out homework on issues and provide meaningful feedback to the Council and city agencies.  Zoning review, historic preservation and others come to mind.
• For the most part, our processes are documented and easily available to applicants.
• Though we disagree on many things, we typically don’t let our disagreements get in the way of civil, meaningful debate.
• Hold/conduct meetings
• Sharing documents with public
• Weigh in/out front on larger neighborhood issues (versus just BZA, HPO, ABC cases)
• Council testimony (though we could do more in this area)
• Meetings have improved
• Tremendous improvement in working together

How can our commission improve how we operate/function?

• We should throw water balloons at people who keep talking just to hear their own voice, even though we’re three hours into a meeting.
• I think we need to try to figure out a way to delegate more work to our committees (and maybe make them true committees, not committees of the whole), and cover less at the full commission meeting.  We cover such a broad range of issues at each meeting, often with little notice, that I find it very hard to thoughtfully address the matters before us.  We certainly do not have time to have through discussions of many things that come before the commission.  For example, I think sometimes P&Z applicatioons unnecessarily overwhelm the time we have for full commission meetings.
• Web presence – time for that overhaul
• I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to arrive at a set of “standards”, but I think the more we can make things predictable for applicants, the better we will be as a Commission.  We look like dolts when we vacillate and it’s unfair to residents.
• Continue to involve residents in meaningful ways – it only strengthens us.
• Provide more substantive info in our letters to ABRA, HP, BZA etc on why we voted as we did
• Committee reports on time and in a standardized format
• Drastically improve website
• Avoid reading committee reports out loud at meetings
• Pre-meeting preparation of motions, particularly by affected SMD commissioners
• More notice to potential cases on monthly agenda

What are the commission’s top three priorities for the remainder of the year?

• Virginia Ave Tunnel (5 votes)
• Barney Circle-SE Boulevard Project (4 votes)
• Reservation 13 (3 votes)
• ABC Tavern License Renewals
• Ongoing issues with Eastern Market/Hine
• Performance Based Parking Implementation North of PA Ave

Beyond issues we must weigh in on, are there other issues that ANC6B should consider weighing in on to benefit the neighborhood?

• Public safety issues
• Complete public safety study
• Keep the pressure on vacant/blighted – pick a high profile focus like the Shotgun House or Ann Archibald and make it happen
• I am so tired of the increasing dysfunction of City bureaucracy.  Terrible.  Pick one of a dozen local or City wide examples.  I don’t have an immediate solution, but it theere’s some way to push for accountability reform, we should get behind it.
• I like the idea of doing an information exchange with other ANCs and Ward 6 civic organizations (BID, EMCAC, CHRS, other) to see if we can find some broad issues to get behind.
• I would like to do some simple things to improve our retail profile, i.e., pick a desirable retailer and recruit them to the ‘hood, get behind something that helps small businesses, etc.
• DC  Public Schools – particularly with boundary changes coming
• Future of RFK
• Parking issues – pushing DDOT to improve parking policies
• More active role in Capital Bikeshare

Other Comments

• Too much to do, too little time
• Fix the website
• Commission has been less divisive this past year.  Still have disagreements, but level of respect between commissioners has improved.

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, September 3

CHRS Historic Preservation Committee meets in Kirby House, 420 10^th Street, SE

Tuesday, September 3

ANC6b Planning & Zoning Committee meets at 7:00pm at St. Coletta’s of Greater Washington, 1901 Independence Avenue.

Among items on the agenda:  hot sandwich carryout for South East Market at 1500 Independence Avenue, rear second floor addition and deck for Today’s Pizza at 531 8^th Street, SE.

Thursday, September 5

Friends of Southeast Library meet at 5:30pm in SE Library to discuss plans for a September book sale and to hear a report on plans for redesigning the Eastern Market Metro Plaza.

Thursday, September 5

PSA 107 meets at 7:00pm in Southeast Library

Pret A Manger To Replace Cosi at 3^rd and Pennsylvania Avenue in Spring, 2014

Douglas Development Increases Capitol Hill Stakes

by Larry Janezich

Pret A Manger is scheduled to open next spring in the space now occupied by Cosi at 3^rd and PA Avenue, SE.  The high-end sandwich shop will offer sandwiches, salads, fresh fruit, wraps, soups, baguettes,  as well as pastries, bagels, muffins and hot oatmeal.

From their website:  “We make our stuff fresh so we can sell it fresh (it’s old fashioned but works well).  We donate our sandwiches to charity instead of keeping them over to sell the next day.  Because we make our food by hand in each store throughout the day, you won’t find “shelf life” dates and “display until” messages on our salads and sandwiches.  We simply don’t need to sell old food.”

Their menu can be viewed here:  http://www.pret.com/us/menu/

The announcement came today from Douglas Development.  According to a press release, the development company leased the building and will occupy 4,300 square feet and offer two floors of indoor dining space as well as the outside patio.  London-based Pret A Manger has numerous east coast locations in NYC, Chicago and Boston, including seven in DC.

The move will increase Douglas Development’s stakes on Capitol Hill.  The company is developing the 13,081 square foot retail building at 1442 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, formerly occupied by Kentucky Fried Chicken.  That project (which has apparently changed its identity from residential, to mixed use, to its latest incarnation – solely retail) will feature a green roof.

Douglas Development will make a presentation on its plans for the two properties at the September 10 meeting of ANC6b at 7:00pm in Hill Center.  More details on the two projects will likely be available at that time.

Congressman John Lewis to Open “A Day Like No Other” March on Washington Photo Exhibition, Aug. 28

Library to Present Additional One-Day Display of Treasured Holdings from March

U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who was a young civil-rights leader in 1963, will open the photo exhibition “A Day Like No Other: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington” at the Library of Congress on Aug. 28.

The Library will present an additional one-day display of treasured documents and materials related to the March on Washington, including a copy of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech submitted for copyright registration on Oct. 2, 1963.

Lewis will speak at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28 in the Great Hall on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public. Tickets and reservations are not needed.

The display, which is also free and open to the public, will be on view from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28 in the Coolidge Auditorium Foyer and in the Whittall Pavilion on the ground level of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

The Library’s photo exhibition “A Day Like No Other” features 40 black-and-white photographs from newspaper and other media photographers, independent photojournalists and people who participated in the march on Aug. 28, 1963. The images represent the cross-section of individuals who attended the largest nonviolent demonstration for civil rights that America had ever witnessed. The exhibit conveys the immediacy of being at the march and the palpable excitement of those who were there. A video screen in the exhibit will show an additional 58 photos.

The photo exhibition is located in the Graphic Arts Galleries on the ground level of the Jefferson Building. It is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and will run through March 1, 2014.

More information here:  http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2013/13-153.html?loclr=rssloc

When One Door Closes…

…Another One Opens

MotoPhoto To Relocate Above Labyrinth Game Shop

Survives Turnover as Displacement of Capitol Hill Retail Continues

by Larry Janezich

As the displacement of Capitol Hill retail by food and drink establishments continues, MotoPhoto and Sprint follow The Blue Iris, the Capitol Hill Frame Shop, Backstage, The Dollar Store and Yes! as the latest victims of the trend toward the higher rents that fast food and high end-eateries can afford.

Having had their month-to-month lease terminated by Stanton Development to make way for the new Sona Creamery and Wine Bar opening this fall at 7^th and PA Avenue (as reported on July 10 below), MotoPhoto will relocate directly across Pennsylvania Avenue to the second floor space above the Labyrinth Game Shop.

Owner Stuart Hovell says he would prefer to be where he is, but settled on the move across the street after a potential deal to move to the building which formerly housed The Village next to Port City Java fell through.

Hovell says the space above Labyrinth is slightly larger and the interior more open.  He expects to run the same operation with more emphasis on custom framing.  Most of his business, he says, comes from printing – photos and enlargements.  The shop will continue to offer passport photo services.  Hovell says he shoots 20-30 passport photos a day – many of them for Canadian passports, as his shop is one of five in the area approved by the highly particular Canadian Embassy.

MotoPhoto will move its operation this coming weekend and expects to reopen September 3, in its new location.  Meanwhile, in the interests of simplifying the move, everything in the current location is 25% off.

Sprint, in the space adjacent to the current MotoPhoto location, is reported to be distributing its stock and services to existing Sprint outlets rather than relocating on Capitol Hill.

The Approach to the Lincoln Memorial from Smithsonian Metro Stop Required Negotiating the WWII Memorial

The WWII Memorial Water Feature at About 12:45pm

North Side of the Reflecting Pool About 1:00pm

From the Loud Speakers: “Today We Celebrate. Tomorrow We Agitate.”

Beginning of the March from the Lincoln Memorial to the Martin Luther King Memorial…

…Lead by Rev. Joseph Lowrey (in wheelchair) the Oldest Surviving Leader of the Non-Violent Demonstrations of the 1950s and 1960s – Chief Organizer of the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965.

Tens of Thousands

The Week Ahead…ANC6b Committees Meet – Frager’s Fundraiser Thursday – And Photo Essay from Saturday’s March on Washington

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, August 27

ANC6b Executive Committee meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center to set the agenda for the September 10 meeting of the full ANC.

Wednesday, August 28

ANC6b Transportation Committee meets at 6:30pm in Hill Center.

Thursday, August 29

ANC6b Alcohol Beverage Control Committee meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center.

Thursday, August 29

American Legion Post 8 hosts fundraiser for Friends of Frager’s featuring food, music, activities for children and a cash bar.  Proceeds from the event will be donated to Friends of Frager’s through the Capitol Hill Community Foundation.

The Smith Team realtors and other local business are donating money and food. The suggested donation will be $10, with no charge for children under 10 accompanied by their parents.

The event will begin at 3:30 p.m. and live music will start at 6:00 pm, with four bands that feature Capitol Hill artists playing a variety of musical styles. The lineup is:

6 p.m. – The Captones – jazz

7 p.m. – The Side Dish – acoustic/rock

8:15 p.m. – The Truck Farmers – Americana/country

9:30 p.m. – Free Lobster Buffet – ska/reggae

American Legion Post 8 is located at 3rd and D Streets Southeast, one block from the Capitol South Metro station.

H street Country Club Wants to Extend Roof Deck Hours To 2:30 AM on Friday and Saturday

Would XII’s Sky Bar – Already the Focus of Noise Complaints – Be Far Behind?

Committee Approves Restaurant Liquor License for Chupacabra

H Street Restaurateurs Push ANC for Late Hour Rooftop Decks/More Public Space Flexibility

Joe Englert Says Current Restrictions Are “Unfair”

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday night, ANC6a’s Alcohol Beverage Control Committee, chaired by Commissioner Jay Williams, heard appeals from H restaurateurs Joe Englert and others to allow later operating hours on rooftop decks and in public space.  Currently, the ANC policy limits hours to 11 pm on weekdays and 12 am on weekends on H Street, NE, rooftop decks, patios and sidewalk cafes.

Englert, who owns food and drink establishments across the city and who was one of the early founders of restaurants on H Street, is asking the ANC to allow him to operate roof decks at H Street Country Club, 1335 H Street, NE; Vendetta, 1220  H Street, NE; and the Rock & Roll Hotel, 1353 H Street, NE, until 12 am on Thursday and 2:30am on Friday and Saturday.

Englert’s requests were supported by other H Street restaurateurs including Phil Peters of Smith Commons at 1245 H Street, NE, and Sarosh Hussain of Cusbah at 12th and H.  Cusbah, is currently the only restaurant on H Street operating on its patio/sidewalk café until 3 am – allowed by a previous license agreement which is now up for renewal.  The ANC is protesting renewal of Cusbah’s liquor license to bring Cusbah into line with its policy governing other H Street patios.

Englert’s justification for his request to extend operating hours for his rooftop decks is that “other establishments operate later” – both on H Street and elsewhere in the city – and earlier hours for H Street is not only “unfair,” but puts his places at a competitive disadvantage.

Jason Martin, owner of Sticky Rice, Dangerously Delicious Pies, as well as a piece of the Rock & Roll Hotel, is requesting a new tavern license for his Tacqueria Chupacabra at 822 H Street, NE (which actually is well down the north side of 9th Street adjacent to a residential area).  The taco place which seats six inside, wants to serve beer and frozen margaritas both at the six stools inside and at the picnic tables seating to up to 60 patrons in the large public space outside the restaurant.  His request is being supported by the other restaurateurs.  The former taco food truck operation which morphed into the brick and mortar carryout sells food so cheaply – according to Martin ($3 tacos) – that its survival without a liquor license is questionable.  And, he claims, since it would be hard for him to meet the 40% of revenue from food sales required by a restaurant license, he wants a tavern permit which has no percentage requirement.

In general, the restaurateurs made the case that they must have greater flexibility to compete or survive, and if the ANC doesn’t work with them to prevent the situation from getting “out of control like Adams Morgan and U Street,” and if the ANC continues to “nitpick everything” the city’s desire for development and revenue will provide a win for the business operators in the end.  They warn that with the coming of the trolley cars and new venues like Ben’s Chili Bowl – scheduled to open early next year at 10^th and H Streets, NE, the businesses, community, and ANC need to work together to address potential problems now or face a bigger issue a few years from now.

Commissioner Williams’ response was that the ANC has a standard Settlement Agreement on its website, and business operators know what they are getting into when they open up on H Street, saying that uniformity of standards provides for predictability.  He noted that it is generally the policy of the ANC to discourage tavern licenses in favor of the more restrictive restaurant licenses to reassure neighbors and to insure that some food is being served.

Residents who attended expressed concerns about the impact of granting greater operating flexibility to the business owners.  Chupacabra adjoins residences and has little support from those residents for late night drinking in public space according to one representative of those neighbors.  Another neighbor representative expressed concern about noise issues associated with operating late night rooftop decks and with patrons filtering through the neighborhoods in the early morning hours.

In the end, the ANC Committee voted to recommend a restaurant liquor license for Chupacabra, William’s announced that the discussion of the request for expanded hours for rooftop decks would carry over to the September when a broader conversation with more participants can occur. The owner of Cusbah stated that he was willing to compromise on his request for late hour operation of his patio and would seek a further meeting with Commissioners.  Separately, the Committee voted to protest a request from Sarah at 1200 H Street to add an entertainment endorsement/dancing and cover charge to its license.  These recommendations will go to the full ANC at its September 12 meeting at 7 pm at the Sherwood Recreation Center, 10^th and G.

The Week Ahead…..Fund Raiser for SE Library at Chipotle – H Street Liquor License Issues

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, August 20

Chipotle partners with DC Public Library Foundation to raise funds for South East Library.  Chipotle has offered to host in-store fundraisers at most of its D.C. locations from 5 – 8 PM and will donate 50 percent of the proceeds from that evening’s sales to the DC Public Library Foundation, designated for the neighborhood library nearest the Chipotle restaurant.  Below is the flyer which will need to be presented in order for the proceeds to go to Southeast Library.

Chipotle – Southeast Full-Size (1)

BTW – this is an original Carnegie Library – their website is  http://www.dclibrary.org/southeast – check it out for the latest on programs for children.

Tuesday, August 20

ANC6A Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee meets at 7:00pm in Sherwood Recreation Center at 10^th and G Streets, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

Update on Cusbah, 1128 H Street, NE , protest hearing

Request by Sahra, 1200 H Street, NE, to add an entertainment endorsement/dancing and cover charge to license.  (Some neighbors have concerns regarding noise.)

New license for Chupacabra, 822 H Street, NE, and request for stipulated license

And…three of H Street developer Joe Englert’s restaraunts are asking to extend their rooftop deck hours beyond 11:00pm on weeknights and midnight on weekends:   H street Country Club at1335 H Street, NE; Vendetta at 1220-1212 H Street, NE; and rock and Roll Hotel at 1353 H Street, NE.  (Could be an issue for nearby neighbors.)

Wednesday, August 21

ANC6A Economic Development and Zoning Committee meets at 7:00pm at Sherwood Recreation Center at 10^th and G Streets, NE.

Among items on the agenda:

A report on vacant properties (DCRA is moving to inspect and cite vacant house owners in neighboring ANC6B)

H Street Business Liaison Report

Three cases which appear to be routine regarding zoning relief, variances, and historical preservation issues.