CAPITOL HILL CORNER

Mormon Church Construction Due To Resume Soon

A Look Back at the Week ….  Mormon Church Update, Beer for District Taco, Roof Top Dining for Rose’s Luxury

by Larry Janezich

Mormon Church Update

The reason for the stalled construction of the Church of the Latter Day Saints at 522 7th Street, SE, is the Church’s decision to change contractors for reasons unknown.  According to ANC6b Commissioner Phil Peisch, construction is likely to start up in the next couple of weeks and once work starts, it will be 16 months until completion.

ANC6b Approves Liquor License for District Taco

District Taco will soon include beer among its beverage offerings – likely within weeks.  Company policy is to serve one beer per person and absolutely no more than two.   The casual dining fast food restaurant is located at 656 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE and will serve beer from 11:00am until closing.  Hours are Monday – Friday, 7:00am until 10:00pm and Saturday – Sunday from 9:00am until 10:00pm.

Rose’s Luxury

ANC6b approves roof garden dining for 8-10 people for Rose’s Luxury, the family style restaurant opening at 717 8th Street on Barracks Row in about two weeks.  The owner agreed to erect a wooden fence at least 6 feet high to provide a sight barrier at the rear of the roof garden and protect the privacy of neighbors across the alley.

Hot Food Deli at South East Market

ANC6b approved a new fast food establishment within South East Market at 1500 Independence Avenue, SE.  The owner will expand the cold sandwich deli line to serve hot sandwiches, fried fish, chicken, and French fries.

Curbside Cupcakes Coming to 257 15^th Street, SE

Almost everyone has already heard that Curbside Cupcakes is coming to the space formerly occupied by Crepes on the Corner at 257 15^th Street, SE.  Speculation is that the location will expand its menu – currently limited to cupcakes and serve beverages as well.

Architect’s Rendering of Argonaut’s Planned Glass Covered Patio

H Street’s Argonaut Plans Glass-Enclosed “Green House” Sidewalk Patio

by Larry Janezich

Thursday night, Argonaut Managing Partner Scott Magnuson appeared before ANC6a’s regular monthly meeting to seek the commission’s endorsement for a plan to enclose Argonaut’s sidewalk patio with glass panels to create a year-round green space in front of the restaurant.  He told the ANC that the innovative design of the structure – which he described as like a greenhouse – would welcome visitors approaching H Street from the east and make Argonaut stand out as the “flagship of H Street.”

Magnuson is scheduled to take the proposal before DDOT’s Public Space Committee at the end of the month and sought the neighborhood’s approval going into the meeting.  “This is something that has never been done before on public space,” Magnuson said later.  “If we can get this through public space, it will probably take 4-6 months to fabricate and then install.  Hopefully … we will be up and running by early spring.”

Argonaut’s website http://argonautdc.com/ promotes the venue as a neighborhood gathering spot and describes the restaurant as “part English tavern, part San Diego taqueria….  Argonaut is located at 1433 H Street, NE.

ANC6b Supports New Park and Parks Enhancement as CSX Tunnel Community Benefits

Plan Envisions Connecting Canal, Garfield and Virginia Avenue Parks

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday night, during its regular September meeting, ANC6b voiced its strong support for a new linear park as well as enhancements to existing Garfield and Virginia Avenue Parks to compensate the community for three years of disruption which will result from construction of the new CSX Railroad Tunnel beneath Virginia Avenue south of the Freeway.

The outline of the plan was contained in the ANC’s letter to the Federal Highway Administration and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) in response to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Tunnel reconstruction project.

According to the letter, CSX has committed to work with DDOT and the community to create a new linear tree-lined pedestrian and bicycle park along the north side of the portion of Virginia Avenue south of the Freeway “from Garfield Park to Virginia Avenue Park and beyond.”  The Commission endorsed the concept and also stated its full support of CSX’s commitment to “improving access to Garfield Park at 2nd Street according to plans already developed, and to facilitating a connection between Garfield Park and Canal Park.”

The ANC wants the final Environmental Impact Statement to “emphatically state that Virginia Avenue Park will be re-designed during its restoration and that planning will be done in consultation with the National Park Service, Department of Public Resources and the community.”  The letter states that the “Redesign should consider a number of additions to the Park, such as an already planned dog park, a children’s playground, tennis courts, a basketball court, conversation areas, etc.”   It also asks DDOT to clarify what public lands have been “freed up” by the 11th Street Bridge project and could be added to Virginia Avenue Park or used in other ways for public benefit.

The Commission outlined and justified its support for a hybrid plan for construction of the new tunnel, cherry picking what the ANC considers to be the best features of the three alternative plans for the reconstruction project.  In summary, the commission favors a plan with the shortest time for completion, the least noise and vibration, a covered track, the least effect on Virginia Avenue Park, a barrier between the two tracks within the tunnel, and the least disruption to vehicular traffic on Virginia Avenue.  Whether such a plan is feasible is unclear.

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

Monday, September 9

ANC6d meets at 7:00pm in the DCRA Conference Room, second Floor, 1100 4^th Street, SW

Among the items on the agenda:

Financing application for purchase of Channel Square, Carolyn Mitchell

Proposed Camden South Capitol Program, Mohammed Ali

New Liquor Licenses for:

Riverfront at the Ballpark, 25 Potomac Avenue, SE

Osteria Morini/Nicoletta, 301 Water Street, SE

Agua 301, 301 Water Street, SE

Liquor License Renewals:

Cantina Marina, 600 Water Street SW, License Renewal

Capitol Skyline Hotel, 10 I Street SW

Tuesday, September 10

ANC6b meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center.

Among the items on the agenda:

Liquor license for District Taco at 656 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Addition of rooftop summer garden for Rose’s Luxury which hopes to open in the next 30 days.

Letter to Federal Highway Administration and DDOT on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for CSX VA Avenue Tunnel Reconstruction.

Thursday, September 12

ANC6a meets at 7:00pm at Miner Elementary School, 661 15^th Street, NE

Among items on the agenda:

DDOT report on the Streetcar project

Committee recommendation that ANC formally protest the request for an entertainment

endorsement by Sahra at 1200 H Street NE

Committee recommendation that ANC formally protest the license application of Chupacabra at

822 H Street NE unless a signed Settlement Agreement is submitted to the ANC and the establishment change from a Tavern License (CT) to a Restaurant License (CR) prior to the protest date, and that if these conditions are met, the ANC support a stipulated license.

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.