CAPITOL HILL CORNER

Pitango Gelato Shoots for July 4 Opening

by Larry Janezich

Noah Dan, owner of the new Pitango Gelato which occupies the 7th Street space next to Peregrine Espresso,  said this morning that he hopes to open by Monday, July 4.  Dan told emmcablog that he is awaiting city permits that will make that possible.  The confectionary also has outlets in Penn Quarter and Logan Circle.

According to Pitango’s website, in addition to espresso, cappuccino and caffe latte, they serve Italian hot chocolate, choro-latte (just what you’d expect), marocchino (equal parts expresso and hot chocolate), and affogato (espresso with hazel nut or chocolate gelato).

Building owner Kitty Kaupp said today that she and Stanton Development welcomed Pitango’s arrival, commenting that it would do much to enhance the character of the block.

Hill Center Reveals Business Plan – 25% of Operating Revenue To Come from Special Events

by Larry Janezich

Saturday afternoon, a dozen Hill Center (HC) neighbors met with Hill Center officials in the first of  a series of meetings designed to open up a dialogue with the community regarding HC operations.  Among the neighbors present were well-known Hill residents Barbara Eck, Paul Malvey, and Jill Lawrence.  Diana Ingraham, Executive Director, and Catherine Smith, Director of Special Events, represented HC. 

Saying “we want Hill Center to be the heartbeat of the community,” Ingraham went on to acknowledge that Hill Center has been criticized for not releasing its business plan.  She then revealed that plan to the group. 

The annual operating budget is $750,000.  There are four revenue streams to account for that.

Rental of the carriage house (about $50,000 annually) to a café vendor and rental of office space (about $62,000 annually) to non-profit organizations together will account for 15%  ($112,500) . Among the organizations seeking office space in HC are ANC6b, Capitol Hill Village, and the Capitol Hill Restoration Society.    

Third party program providers who will rent additional space to expand their programming will provide 60% of the funding ($450,000).  These will include organizations like CHAW and the Folger, as well as other independent operators offering classes in the arts and technology, or physical training classes such as yoga.  No contracts have been signed yet; that must wait for HC to obtain a certificate of occupancy. 

Rental of space for special events will account for the remaining 25% ($187,500) – about $15,000 a month.  A conference room can be rented for half a weekday for $350, but the largest spaces, such as the entire second floor will cost $1500 for half a weekday and $5000 for a full day and evening on weekends. The garden will rent for $500 for half a weekday and $1250 for a full day on weekends.    

Hill Center representatives distributed a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding Special Events, recently posted on Hill Center’s website.  The document gave the clearest picture yet about how HC intends to operate under the limitations they agreed to in the voluntary agreement negotiated with ANC6b during the liquor licensing process.    

When compared against the voluntary operational agreement, the FAQ sheet shows special events will be limited to 250 participants inside (the entire second floor) and outside (the summer garden).  The voluntary agreement had set the limit at 300.

The FAQs document states sale of alcohol in the garden will stop at 8:00pm weekdays and 9:00pm Friday and Saturday – each an hour earlier than in the voluntary agreement

The sale of alcohol inside will cease at 11:00pm daily, down from 1:00am weekdays and 2:00am Friday and Saturday.

Entertainment in the garden will stop at 8:00pm weekdays, and 9:00pm Friday and Saturday – no change from the voluntary agreement. 

Entertainment inside will stop at 11:00pm daily, instead of 1:00am on weekdays and 2:00am Friday and Saturday. 

 Ingraham said HC Neighbors will be invited to participate in decibel level tests, judging from their own homes what is too loud regarding entertainment both inside and outside Hill Center.  Ingraham also clarified where the summer garden will be located; it will be on the east side of the building, nearest 10^th Street. 

Neighbor Paul Malvey led a discussion between the neighbors and HC officials, raising a number of concerns and proposed solutions which neighbors had formulated in a meeting a week earlier.  Among these were parking and valet parking, occupancy levels, special event security, loading and unloading, trash, amplification of sound in the garden, and communication with neighbors.  Elliott noted each of the specific concerns and proposed solution. 

At meeting’s end, Barbara Eck commented that she had been working to save Old Naval Hospital long before the idea for a hill center had been broached and had been a strong supporter and advocate for Hill Center since then.  But, she said, much of the neighbors’ good will had been lost when they were “blindsided” by the terms of the liquor license (see emmcablog, June 1).   She said that the voluntary agreement negotiated with the ANC needs improvement and “we want it in writing.”  Eck went on to say petitions are being circulated “to let HC know it’s not what people are saying on the blogs – that we’re just NIMBYs.  There’s widespread feeling on this and we want Hill Center to know lots of people want something better. “

Other neighbors stressed that the purpose of the letter of protest the group will file with the Alcohol Beverage Review Board (ABRA) prior to the July 18 hearing on HC’s application for a liquor license is to give them legal standing to negotiate a new voluntary agreement. The neighbors hope to negotiate the new agreement before the ABRA hearing. 

The neighbors will meet the first week of July to finalize the details of what they would like the new voluntary agreement to contain and then seek a meeting with Hill Center’s Board of Directors to negotiate the terms of that agreement.  Neighbors will also meet again with HC officials in a month as part of an on-going dialogue between the Center and the community.

Hill Center Neighbors Press for New Voluntary Agreement on Sale of Liquor

by Larry Janezich

A group of near-by neighbors of the Hill Center (THC) met Saturday on one part of a three track plan to ameliorate their concerns about the part of THC’s business plan which has the potential for greatest impact on their quality of life – leasing out indoor and outdoor space for social functions.  The group is led by neighbors from the blocks immediately surrounding The Hill Center. 

The group gathered in Southeast Library Saturday morning to hammer out a new voluntary agreement designed to make THC function successfully in a way that would minimize the effects to the surrounding residential areas.  . 

It was the consensus of the group that they were not trying to block THC from getting a liquor license. The goal is to be constructive and offer solutions to what neighbors see as potential problems. 

Under the Alcohol Beverage Review Administrations (ABRA) guidelines, neighbors have standing to elicit changes to an establishment’s operations in the following areas:  hours of sales and service, occupancy limits, noise, public/pedestrian safety, litter/trash, parking, and communications with neighbors

On June 14, ANC6B voted 8-0 in favor of THC’s application for a liquor license with a voluntary agreement.  That agreement limits:

sale of alcohol and entertainment inside to 7:00am – 1:00am Sunday through Thursday, and from 7:00am – 2:00am Friday and Saturday; 

sale of alcohol in the summer garden from 7:00am – 9:00pm Sunday through Thursday, and 7:00am – 10:00pm on Friday and Saturday; 

entertainment in the summer garden from 7:00am – 8:00pm Sunday through Thursday, and 7:00am – 9:00pm on Friday and Saturday.

In addition, THC agreed to reduce the number of outside summer garden patrons to 300 for night time events and to limit amplification of sound outdoors to no later than 8:00pm Sunday – Thursday and 9:00pm Friday and Saturday.  Valet parking would be required for events involving more than 30 passenger vehicles. 

The nearby neighbors view this as inadequate, noting that neither ANC commissioners nor Hill Center staff live within four blocks of the Center and were unable to appreciate what the needs of the neighbors would be.  The group hopes to reach an agreement with the Hill Center prior to the ABRA hearing on the Hill Center’s license application scheduled for July 18.  Hill Center neighbors are being encouraged to attend the hearing. 

Final language of the new agreement was not available, but it appeared that the final document would be more comprehensive than the one negotiated by the ANC. 

The second of the three track approach is a protest letter which will be filed with ABRA by July 5.  The purpose of the filing is not to oppose the application for a liquor license, but to give the neighborhood group legal standing to negotiate a new voluntary agreement. 

The third track is to gather signatures from neighbors in the blocks surrounding the Hill Center on petitions as a means of informing the neighborhood of the conditions of the current voluntary agreement and as a measure of the concern of the nearby residents regarding the potential impact of Center activities on the neighborhood.  As many as twelve people are actively seeking signatures. 

Representatives of the Hill Center were scheduled to meet with neighbors Saturday afternoon in an effort to engage them and to listen to what their concerns are.   More on that to follow. 

Capitol Hill Restoration Society  Rips Hine’s Signature Building Design – “We …Ask That This Building Not Be Given Conceptual Approval”

by Larry Janezich

The Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) today filed its recommendations regarding the conceptual design for Stanton/Eastbanc’s latest drawings on the Hine development, and took particular exception to the design of the project’s signature 7^th and Pennsylvania Avenue building, calling it “the most problematic and controversial aspect of the buildings being considered at this time….  The report states, “[w]e do not find it compatible with the Capitol Hill Historic District and ask that this building not be given conceptual approval.

The report took issue with the building’s 90 foot height, noting it would be a third taller than neighboring buildings.  At last month’s Historic Preservation Review Board Hearing, the staff suggested than a decrease in height could be accomplished by a top floor setback.  That idea was employed by projet architect Amy Weinstein, but the committee deemed that approach insufficient for historic district compatibility, recommending instead dropping the seventh floor and setting back the sixth. 

The CHRS also took issue with the architectural expression which “seems to build on (an)…industrial sensitivity as if it should be the main office in a warehouse or manufacturing facility.”  The report singled out the rotating brick columns, saying they seemed to “compress and expand and appear to lean in different directions, totally confusing many viewers and negating the sense of firmness and apparent strength one expects…”

The report was slightly less critical of the project’s second building fronting Pennsylvania Avenue, that one at 8^th and D Streets, noting that while the architect has improved the design, “it still retains a completely different identity than the rest of the 8^th Street (residential) building in both materials and style.”

One of the CHRS’s concerns is that the “materials, color and design do not seem to relate to the Capitol Hill Historic District.”  The Society again states flatly, “we do not think it is yet compatible with the Capitol Hill Historic District.”   The report criticizes the 55 foot high building for its blockiness which lacks the traditional base-middle-top pattern evident in the Haines Building across the street. 

With respect to the color and design of the patterns of brick panels the architect uses to provide texture to the façade, CHRS felt that” too many patterns in irregular placements” could be visually confusing, and urged continued study of this aspect. 

CHRS had fewer issues with the residential portion of the building facing 8th Street and running from D to C Streets, generally approving the redesigned facade.

The Historic Preservation Review Board will meet next Thursday, June 30, to continue consideration of Stanton/Eastbanc’s historic preservation application for the project, focusing on the 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue office building and the 8th Street building.  The HPRB will put off reviewing the project’s 7^th Street office building, the C Street residential building until the July meeting.  

The entire text of the CHRS Historic Preservation Committee will be available shortly on its website at:  http://www.chrs.org/

The latest Stanton/Eastbanc drawings on the Hine project can be found here:   http://hineschool.com

(Unofficial) ANC6b Memorandum on Hine to the Historic Preservation Office Which Passed Tuesday Night

by Larry Janezich  

The following document is an unofficial version of ANC6b’s memorandum to the Historic Preservation Board making additional recommendations regarding the design of the Hine Development.  The Historic Preservation Review Board will meet Thursday, June 30, to consider the design and historical preservation aspects of the two buildings which face Eastern Market Metro.  The Board will consider the other buildings in the project at its July meeting.  The unofficial language of the memorandum recommending additional changes is as follows:

The text of the original resolution passed on April 28th referred to in the first and last paragraphs can be viewed here:  http://www.anc6b.org/library.html 

ANC6b previously offered its views on the entire project at the April 28^th conceptual review hearing.  That resolution remains our guiding position on this project and we request the Historic Preservation Review Board measure the project against that resolution.

We would however like to highlight several areas in the recent designs that call for further comment:

1.  8^th Street Residential building

The new design approach to the 8^th Street residential building, which responds in part to comments from the Board, neighborhood input and the ANC6b resolution, improves the overall quality of the building, modestly reduces the building’s sense of mass and lowers the 8^th and D Street corner of the building.  However, the 8^th Street entrance remains too high.  Additionally, inclusion of rounded geometric features and design details would improve the overall design, look, feel and rhythm of the building.

ANC6B recommends use of creative window surrounds, to include lintels, sills, sashes and hoods.  We also recommend either reducing the height of the entrance section of the building or setting back the entire entrance section.

 2.  8^th and D Street Building

The building at 8^th and D Street has been of particular concern for many observers of the project, and while there have been efforts to improve this building we feel it still relies too heavily on square geometries and pattern making.  As a result, it fits in awkwardly with the historic buildings that surround it, and remains a distinctly modernist, almost brutalist, architectural expression in an area devoid of such statements.  It is also important to note that this building is not truly a stand-alone building; rather it is the southern end of the 8^th Street residential building.

ANC6B recommends further refinement in the design of this building facing D Street within the context of the overall building, and treating it as an integral component of the 8^th Street structure.

 3.  7^th and Pennsylvania Avenue Office Building

The changes to the 7^th and Pennsylvania Avenue building have shown responsiveness to the height and scale issues raised in our original resolution.  However, setting back the 7^th floor of the building, while reducing the overall mass of the structure, exposes the mechanical rooms that form the 8^th floor of the building.

ANC6B recommends continued evaluation of this building and per our previous resolution, we urge the developers to creatively reduce the size or visual impact of the mechanical penthouses.

 4.  7^th Street Office Building

With regard to the building on 7^th Street, we feel that while there have been some design improvements; there is still a concern with regard to the street level feel.  This is one of the most dynamic and vibrant retail blocks on the Hill.  It is integral to the historic charm of the neighborhood, and, as a “place making” corridor contributes significantly to the fabric of the hill.  This consideration should be central to the design philosophy of the development.  With this in mind, the current design still feels relatively bland and canyon like.

ANC6B recommends a pedestrian leve3l façade that activates the street and engenders the same level of liveliness as that of the storefronts and restaurants across from it.

 5.  Interior Courtyard

ANC6B previously raised a concern and suggested alternatives with regard to the interior courtyard.  Given this review comprises the majority of the structures around the courtyard we are concerned that these recommendations have not been addressed.  

6.  For the buildings facing Pennsylvania Avenue, ANC6B recommends the buildings clearly articulate a top, middle, and base. 

 Our position remains that ANC support for this project is contingent on addressing recommendations in the original resolution.

ANC6B Chair Neil Glick Counts Hands During Vote Tuesday Night

ANC 6B Passes Diluted Memorandum on Hine:  Majority Votes to Recommend that Developers Refine 8^th and D Building Plan

 by Larry Janezich

 In a two and half hour Special Call meeting devoted to consideration of Stanton/Eastbanc’s recent proposed alterations to the Hine Development, ANC 6B declared its previous resolution to be its “guiding position” on the project, and that alterations, while welcome, had not gone far enough to address its original concerns.

 Voting in favor of the memorandum were Commissioners Campbell, Flahaven, Frishberg, Glick, Green, and Pate.  Voting in opposition were Commissioners Garrison, Metzger and Oldenberg, all of whom cited their previous opposition to the ANC’s resolution of recommended changes for Hine, passed on April 28^th, as the reason for their vote tonight. 

 The public comment period of the meeting featured an array of concerns and sentiments from the residents who attended the meeting.  Once the comment period closed, the ANC deliberated on a series of amendments.  Toward the close of the meeting, Brian Flahavan suggested that the language on the 8^th  and D Street building be altered from recommending “reconsidering the design” to recommending “further refinement” in the design.  Flahavan’s motion carried   5-3-1, with Commissioners Flahavan, Garrison, Green, Pate, and Metzger voting in favor; Commissioners Campbell, Frishberg, and Glick casting votes in opposition; and Oldenberg abstaining.  Garrison and Metzger offered no explanation that as to why they would vote for an amendment to alter the memorandum and then vote against the memorandum itself. 

The Commission also voted to embrace remarks made by Gary Peterson, Capitol Hill Restoration Board Zoning Chair, who offered his views in his capacity as a citizen, not as CHRS officer.  Peterson echoed a design suggestion made by the HPRB over a month ago—specifically, that the architect consider adorning the larger buildings facing Pennsylvania Avenue with features that demarcate a top, a middle and street-level perspective in order to make the scale of the buildings more approachable and in keeping with the surrounding neighborhood.  The Commission incorporated this suggestion as a friendly amendment.    

The ANC will submit this memorandum to the Historic Preservation Review Board, set to take up the Hine project on the 30^th of June.

Neighbors Organize Formal Protest to Hill Center’s Application for a Liquor License – Claim ANC6B’s Deal Falls Short

by Larry Janezich

A dozen neighbors of the Hill Center who will be most adversely affected by events held at the Hill Center  – weddings, receptions, etc., – met Saturday afternoon to begin organizing a formal protest before the Alcohol Beverage Review Administration when it meets July 18 to consider granting the Center’s application for a liquor license.  The Hill Center’s annual operating budget is $750,000, much of which will be raised by renting out space for events.  The Hill Center has not released details of any business plan they have and refuses to estimate how many events they will hold annually to meet their financing goal.  The protest could delay what would otherwise be smooth sailing for approval of the license.  ANC6b unanimously approved the license application last Tuesday after entering into a voluntary agreement with the Center that neighbors consider inadequate. 

Some of the items the group will push for in a new voluntary agreement for the Center include reducing the hours they can serve alcohol, agree to no amplification of sound outside, limit further the occupancy for events, provide increased security inside and outside the grounds, restrict loading and unloading to Pennsylvania Avenue, and reduce the number of vehicles that automatically triggers the valet service.  Petitions are being circulated in support of the protest. 

One of the key organizers of the group is Barbara Eck, long active in the community.  In addition to being a longtime supporter of the Hill Center, Eck serves as Treasurer of Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee, a member of the Board of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, a member of Coalition of Concerned Citizens of Eastern Washington, and supporter of the Ruth Ann Overbeck Capitol Hill History Project.

ANC6B Votes Liquor License for the Hill Center

Chipotle Special Exception Request Postponed until July

by Larry Janezich

The Hill Center

ANC 6B voted 8-0 to grant a liquor license to the Hill Center Tuesday night.  A new compromise limiting sale of alcohol in the summer garden was announced.  The new language would limit the sale of alcohol in the summer garden from 7:00am – 9:00pm Sunday through Thursday, and 7:00am – 10:00pm on Friday and Saturday.  Further, it would limit entertainment in the garden from 7:00am – 8:00pm Sunday through Thursday, and 7:00am – 9:00pm on Friday and Saturday.

Before the final vote came, the Commission agreed to amendments to the voluntary operating agreement by Commissioner Oldenburg reducing inside hours for entertainment and sale of alcohol to 1:00am on Sunday – Thursday, and 2:00am on Friday and Saturday.  Earlier, Hill Center representatives said they did not anticipate holding events until 3:00am (allowable under standard regulations), and that most events would end at midnight. Another Oldenburg amendment struck language in the voluntary agreement directing noise from outdoor events lasting past 10:00pm to be directed to the north. 

In addition, the Hill Center agreed to reduce the number of outside summer garden patrons to 300 for night time events and to limit amplification of sound outdoors to no later than 8:00pm Sunday – Thursday and 9:00pm Friday and Saturday. 

Despite assurances from Hill Center representatives – former city councilmember Sharon Ambrose and Nicky Cymrot, President of the Old Naval Hospital Foundation – that the Hill Center would not do anything to negatively impact thee community and that events would be overseen by Hill Center staff, twelve community members rose to voice requests for cutting back the hours, limiting noise, demand identification of locations where valet parking would occur, and request the Hill Center to provide off premise pedestrian control.    

The Commissioner Carol Green, stating that there is no one who doesn’t want the Hill Center to succeed, and expressing confidence that the Center will listen to neighbors and adjust operations to address concerns, moved approval of the liquor license request.  Norm Metzger seconded the motion. 

Commissioner Ivan Frishberg tried to wring a last minute concession from Ambrose and Cymrot to agree to a formal review and to request reopening the voluntary agreement if the concerns of the neighbors justified it, but the Ambrose and Cymrot adamantly refused.

The motion was agreed to 8 – 0.

Those voting for the motion were Chair Glick and Commissioners Garrison, Frishberg, Oldenburg, Metzger, Green, Flahaven, and Pate.

Commissioners Campbell and Critchfield were absent. 

Those audience members supporting more restrictions on the Center greeted the vote’s announcement with a loud chorus of boos.   

 Chipotle

In other action, ANC6B postponed consideration and a final vote on Chipotle’s request for a special exception to permit them to open a restaurant and carryout on Barracks Row. 

Chipotle fielded a large contingent of supporters, including Architect Jason Weulker; Chipotle real estate manager, Matt French; Chipotle DC operations manager, Ted Ferguson; Streetsense landlord, Guy Silverman. Barracks Row Main Street Executive Director Martin Smith was also present to lend support.

Raising concerns about the impact of the proposed restaurant were some 7^th Street neighbors who raised concerns regarding noise and rodents.  Chipotle strove to allay those concerns, pledging to be a good neighbor and acceding to several requests in an effort to head off problems.  More difficult to address was the concern that approving Chipotle would open the “flood gate” to other fast food outlets. 

The crucial question pushed by Commissioner Dave Garrison, was why do they deserve a special exception which would go against zoning regulations prohibiting fast food restaurants in the commercial corridor?  Chipotle’s argument was that they should not be considered a fast food restaurant because they are a new breed of restaurant – “fast- casual” – which “serves a different customer.” 

Pressing the issue, Garrison, said the argument amounted to “we’re good guys” – and went on to say that wasn’t a sufficient argument to justify an exception. 

Time was not Chipotle’s friend tonight, as the clocked ticked toward the mandatory 10:00pm adjournment deadline for the meeting. 

Commissioner Brian Pate moved to approve the special exception, which failed for a lack of a second. 

Frishberg moved to postpone further consideration until the July12 meeting. Green seconded the motion and the motion was agreed to 7 – 1. 

Those voting for the motion to postpone were Chair Glick, Commissioners Garrison, Frishberg, Oldenberg, Metzger, Green, Flahaven. 

Commissioner Pate voted against the motion. 

Commissioners Campbell and Critchfield were absent.

Upcoming:

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday. June 14

1.  ANC 6b Meets 7:00pm, Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, 522 7th Street SE

The Commission will vote on a special exception for Chipotle

The Commission will also vote on a liquor license for The Hill Center

In negotiations on a voluntary operating agreement to alleviate residents’ concerns regarding late hours, number of outdoor event participants, and noise, Hill Center has agreed to limit its hours of alcohol sales and entertainment as follows:

Indoors, Sunday through Thursday:  8:00am – 2:00am

Indoors, Friday and Saturday:  8:00am – 3:00am

Outdoors, Sunday through Thursday:  10:00am – 11:00pm

Outdoors, Friday and Saturday:  10:00am – 12:00 midnight

Outside events which go beyond 10:00pm will be limited to 385 participants and will be arranged so that noise will be directed to the north, away from residential neighborhoods.   

 2.  Latest Drawing on the Hine Development Available on Stanton Website – www.hineschool.com

Wednesday, June 15

1.  Commissioner Brian Pate’s new Citizen Outreach and Constituent Services Taskforce Meets, 7:00pm, ANC6B Office, 703 D Street SE

The agenda is to find ways to improve communications with and services for ANC6B  constituents

Watch for Updates.

Reginald Conyers Plays Baroque Concertos at Eastern Market Metro on Friday Morning

Reginal Conyers, Classical Musician

Eastern Market Metro:  8:30am Friday

by Larry Janezich

Reginald Conyers, classical music trumpeter, performed this morning at Eastern Market Metro. Accompanying recorded music, he played a selection of three Baroque concertos by Vivaldi, Telemann, and Handel. 

Conyers, 46, a Washington native, has earned a living as a street musician (busker) for the past 18 years in Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and DC.  He trained at Duke Ellington School of Music.