Tag Archives: H Street

March 2, 2014 · 2:41 pm

Wrapping Up the Week – With Photos ….Metro Plaza, Barracks Row, and H Street

 

Eastern Market Metro Plaza and Park Task Force Met in Hill Center Wednesday Night

Eastern Market Metro Plaza and Park Task Force Met in Hill Center Wednesday Night

Wrapping Up the Week – With Photos ….Metro Plaza, Barracks Row, and H Street

by Larry Janezich

Metro Plaza

Last Wednesday, the Eastern Market Metro Plaza Task Force met at Hill Center to consider the redesign of the Plaza.  Design team leader Architect Amy Weinstein updated the Task Force on interactions with city agencies regarding the plans.  The Task Force made a series of recommendations based largely on community feedback regarding design elements the Task Force would like to see incorporated into the design.  The design team hopes to produce a draft redesign plan by June.  That plan will be submitted to the community for comment and a final plan will be completed later in the summer.  Weinstein stressed that the involvement of city agencies and securing funding will be necessary to move the plan forward.

Barracks Row

Capital Teas will open up a tea boutique in April at 731 Eighth Street, SE, in the space formerly occupied by Tabula Rasa, the event space which closed last year.  The boutique will feature a walk-up tea bar and tea tables in the interior court yard.  100 types of loose teas will be offered, with a selection of light foods and desserts.  The Barracks Row location will be Capital Teas’ seventh and will join the local chain which already has outlets in Annapolis, Bethesda, Fairfax, Dupont Circle and National Harbor. For more info, go here:  http://www.capitalteas.com/

(On March Wednesday, March 12 at 6:00pm Barracks Row Main Street’s Annual Meeting celebration will be held at Capital Teas, 731 8th Street, SE, to highlight the arrival of Spring as well as the 13 new businesses to the corridor in 2013. The party will include tasting samples from many Barracks Row restaurants.  Barracks Row Mainstreet Invites all to stop by.)

Capitol Hill Frame Shop Opened Saturday at 725 8th Street, SE

Capitol Hill Frame Shop Opened Saturday at 725 8th Street, SE

Capitol Hill Frame's Owner Narem Jan Says More Framing Stock Is on the Way

Capitol Hill Frame’s Owner Narem Jan Says More Framing Stock Is on the Way

Capitol Hill Frame Shop Now Open on Barracks Row – A new concept frame store, Capitol Hill Frame Shop, is now open at 725 8th Street, in the space formerly occupied by Capitol Hill Fitness.  The shop will feature custom framing while you wait, and while most frame stores typically feature regular discount sale periods, Capitol Hill Frame Shop will open with a 60% off sale and continue discounting as part of the business model.  The shop is the third for owner Narem Jan, who owns The Frame Shop on Wisconsin Avenue, and Art Plus Frame in Fairfax.  Hours are 10am – 7pm, Monday through Saturday, and 12:00 noon- 5pm on Sunday.

Pure Barre - A New Exercise Venue Scheduled to Open on Barrack Row

Pure Barre – A New Exercise Venue Scheduled to Open on Barrack Row

National Exercise Chain – Pure Barre – to Open on Barracks Row – Pure Barre will open an exercise venue at 407 8th Street, SE, in the space above the pet store, Metro Mutts.  The chain has outlets in all 50 states.  Pure Barre offers total body workouts utilizing the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to music.

Southeast Library Now Scheduled to Reopen March 10 – The Library has been closed for almost two months to allow the repair of a water main.  Donations of books to the Friends of Southeast Library has been suspended during this period.  Meanwhile, the Friends of the Northeast Library is happy receive donations of high quality used books for their periodic book sales to raise funds for the librarian activities and equipment.  Books can be brought to the library seven days a week.

West Side Alley, 500 Block Barracks Row, Sunday Morning

West Side Alley, 500 Block Barracks Row, Sunday Morning

City To Address Alley Issues on Barracks Row – ANC6B Commissioner Phil Peisch has notified neighbors of the 500 block of Barracks Row that DDOT plans to do an extensive reconstruction of the alley in April and/or May.  The work will take up to ten days to complete.  The alley has been problematic for the Barracks Row businesses and the 7th Street residents who back up on the alley.  A concerted effort by neighbors and businesses, coordinated by Peisch over the past four months was successful in bringing the issue to the attention of the city and winning a commitment from them to do something about it.  For more information on the conditions which lead up to the reconstruction, see CHC posting here:  http://bit.ly/NK8lps

Construction Resumes on Church of Latter Day Saints, 500 Block of 7th Street, SE

Construction Resumes on Church of Latter Day Saints, 500 Block of 7th Street, SE

Mormon Church Gets Back on Track – Construction is again underway at the site of the new Church of Latter Day Saints in the 500 block of 7th Street, SE.  Rumors were circulating last year that a dispute with the contractor had required the church to resubmit the job for bids.

H Street, NE  

Peruvian Beef Heart, Chicken, and Ceviche Coming to H Street – A new restaurant featuring Peruvian chicken and ceviche will open at 1324 H Street, NE, in April.  Restaurant Ocopa is the result of a partnership between chef Carlos Delgado and Chicken Tortilla owners Eddie and Italo Rodriguez.   The Peruvian chicken is traditional as is the ceviche, with the latter showing the influence brought by Peru’s large Japanese immigrant population.  Also on the menu:  traditional potato/meat casserole, and grilled meat skewers, including what is almost a national Peruvian dish, beef heart.

Chophouse To Open in Atlas District – The curiously named chophouse, Mythology & Lore, will open later this year at 816 H Street, NE, until recently the home of Fever Bar & Lounge.  Owners Mark Medley and Todd Luongo will renovate the space over the next several months before opening to offer chophouse fare, quality wine, and craft beers.

 

 

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July 17, 2013 · 11:41 am

What Is WRONG with DDOT, Anyway? Do They Treat All ANC’s This Way?

What Is WRONG with DDOT, Anyway?  Do They Treat All ANC’s This Way?

H Street’s Chupacabra Space Permit Negotiation Vexes ANC

by Larry Janezich

ANC6B has struggled for months with the casual treatment and attention paid by DDOT to their concerns, from extending the performance parking, alleviating traffic congestion around the Navy Yard, unilaterally granting a public space license to the 18th Amendment, and slow-walking the resolution of objections to a private fence on public space near Barney Circle.  The pattern has been familiar: give the ANC short shrift, show up at the next ANC meeting with hat in hand to apologize and promise to do better, and then immediately resuming the dismissive treatment.

Now, last Thursday night at ANC6As July meeting, Matthew Marcou, Chair of the DDOT Public Space Committee which oversees public space permitting at DDOT, made a personal appearance to apologize for 1) not providing notice to ANC6A of the DDOT Public Space Committee meeting with the owner of H Street restaurant Chupacabra (   ) to consider an application for a sidewalk café, and 2) negotiating ANC6A concerns with the owner of the restaurant without the participation of ANC6A.  The issue is particularly prickly because ANC6A is trying to rein in the restaurant which is the last holdout on H Street which stays open until 3:00am.  Chupacabra wants to operate the sidewalk café to the latest hours permitted by their license, over the objections of the already peeved nearby neighbors.

Chair David Holmes chastised Marcou for DDOT’s shortcomings, and Marcou promised to do better(!)  Marcou’s appearance was in response to Holmes’ letter of complaint to his boss, DDOT Chief Terry Bellamy, and to Mayor Gray.

Subsequently, the owner of Chupcabra offered to cut back the hours for operation of the sidewalk café to 11pm weekdays and 12 midnight on weekends, in the hopes that later hours could be negotiated somewhere down the line based of a record of good behavior.  Holmes offered that the ANC was willing to listen to the proposal, but made no commitment.

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July 13, 2013 · 8:43 am

Yes! Organic Eyes Historic H Street Playhouse

The Former H Street Playhouse at 1365 H Street, NE

The Former H Street Playhouse at 1365 H Street, NE

Yes! Organic Eyes Historic H Street Playhouse

by Larry Janezich

On Thursday night, ANC6A voted unanimously to support a proposal by Yes! Organic to open a mid-sized grocery store at in the former H Street Playhouse at 1365 H Street, NE.  The company is proposing to build a second level atop the existing structure, and the ANC’s support is conditional on that additional level not being visible from across H Street.  The letter to the Historic Preservation Review Board also specifies minimal modification of the façade, minimal signage, and agreement not to serve food or drink on what might be a roof deck.

1365 H Street dates back to 1925 and was the site of one of the country’s first car dealerships – Motts Motors.  In 1935, the building was remodeled and became the Plymouth Theater, serving African American audiences.  It subsequently became one of the first integrated theaters on H Street, prior to the opening of the Atlas, which then became the primary theatrical venue on the street and putting the Plymouth out of business.

The location here of Yes! is not a certainty – the company has not yet brokered a deal on the property, waiting to see if the city will allow the changes which they deem necessary in order to operate a store in the building.

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