2/6/04: [81] Blade says new owner of Mr P's will keep it shut for at least six months during a complete renovation into a bar/restaurant/lounge; not sure if name will be kept, nor if it'll be kept as a gay bar. Owner says "I don't care who comes, gay or straight." WBJ says Heurich House Foundation "hopes to turn the mansion's carriage house and part of the garden into a restaurant. See "Tapping the source," http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/26/smallb1.html WEG has update on block by 25th & M. The Sovereign will have 341 apartments (and a rooftop pool); Sovereign House will have 140 apartments; and Columbia Condominiums will have 225 units. See "Construction Underway on Three New Luxury Residences in West End," http://www.westendguide.us/chw0204.htm WBJ reports on 1895 building at 25th & Penn. See "Old 'Luzon' Apartment Building To Be Developed as Timeshare," http://www.westendguide.us/luzon0204.htm Current says vacant mansion at 18th & R is planned to be transformed into 9 condos, with 5 basement parking spaces. Says mansion's huge 1905 organ will be moved to Universalist National Church, at 1810 16th St. Wazuri has closed, at 1836 18th St. WP covers Cobalt's Tuesday-night retro dance party. See "Solid Gold," 2nd half of "On the Town," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15739-2004Feb5.html See "Lasting Pleasures: Seasonal food and easygoing service keep the Tabard Inn humming," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54032-2004Jan27.html WBJ says The Chocolate Moose will move to 1743 L St in May. See "Retail & Restaurants," http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/02/02/newscolumn5.html WP profiles Ross Elementary, at 1730 R St. See "Keeping a 'Little Jewel' Alive: Unlike Many Peers, Ross Principal Reaches Out to Lure Students," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12556-2004Feb4.html See also http://www.dcschoolsearch.com/education/schools/school_details_school.asp?pos=86 Captain Diane Groomes reports an increase in street robberies between 17th & 19th and P & S - "usually lone victim, pushed to ground and purse or wallet taken." Also reports "There have been three closures for these robberies - juvenile suspects from the group home at 1728 P street - officers were taking missing person report as two subjects came back to group home and matched the lookout of a robbery that just occurred -- +cannot release names for they are juveniles." Former Whitman-Walker building at 1432 U St is rumored to have been bought by a bank for a branch site. ANC2F01 says Metropolis is nearing construction of 7- story 105-unit condo on Duron site at 15th & P. Likely businesses include gym and a restaurant. Will have 175 parking spots on 3 levels. Candida's World of Books now open at 14th & Q, open 10am to 10pm Mon-Sat, and noon to 6pm Sun. Review of Logan Tavern and Café Saint-Ex says "In the past couple of years, no area has generated more buzz than the so-called 14th Street corridor. See "14th and New," http://www.fly2dc.com/articles/2004/2004_01_dn1.asp First residents expected to move into Ellington at 13th & U in March. Ground-floor businesses will begin opening in May, to include Alero Mexican Restaurant, which will have the outdoor seating area near the corner; Sala Thai's 5th DC-area restaurant; Mocha Hut Coffee House (their 1st location is on upper 14th St), also serving muffins and sandwiches, and with computer hook-ups and some outdoor seating; Maggie Moo's Ice Cream; Destination U, selling "urban, hip" clothes and accessories for men and women; Countrywide Mortgage on the western corner; and "Sun on U," with beauty products, clothing, accessories and tanning beds. See http://www.dkdevelopment.com/index.php?option=news&task=viewarticle&sid=86 WBJ says developers are pitching project to the city for office/residential/retail complex on publicly- owned land at 7th and S, near the shuttered Howard Theatre and the former Wonder Bread factory. See "One for Shaw: Broadcasters Radio One, TV One plot major HQ relocation package from Lanham to unlikely locale," http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/26/story1.html Ben & Jerry's expected to return to Adams Morgan, in 18th St's Adams Station, along with a Caribou Coffee. Current reports Cleveland Park's McDonald's at 3407 Conn Ave has closed. One block north, Italian restaurant Sorriso has opened. Nearby a Cold Stone Creamery will open. See "Trolley Tracks on O & P Streets: Georgetown History or Hazard?," http://www.westendguide.us/ttracks.htm WBJ says Coup de Foudre Lingerie will open in March at 10th & Penn. See "Entrepreneur ditches tech for tony lingerie boutique," http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/01/26/newscolumn5.html See "They Strut, They Fret, They Build!: Theater Expansion Projects Have Artistic Directors Thinking Big. But Who's Going to Fill All Those New Seats?," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63758-2004Jan30.html WP says strongly-opposed home for troubled youths that was built but not yet occupied at Penn Ave and 13th St SE might be sold to developer, who would tear it down and build 250-300 luxury apartments. See "Boys Town Ready to Fold Project: In Face of Opposition, Group May Sell Site to Developer," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43443-2004Jan23.html WP says Metro is going forward with ridiculously- long names for "New York Avenue-Florida Avenue- Gallaudet U." station, "Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood" station, and "Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter" station. See "Signs of Politics: Station Names Becoming a Mouthful," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45254-2004Jan24.html See also letters to WP: "Name Creep," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23721-2004Jan16.html WP says "nearly half of the city's 859 vacant and abandoned commercial buildings are concentrated in just four neighborhoods: Union Station/Near Northeast, Columbia Heights/Mount Pleasant, Shaw/Logan Circle and Edgewood/Bloomingdale. In most of those neighborhoods, check-cashing outlets outnumber retail banks." See "Study Eyes Citywide Issues, Area By Area: Group Puts Focus On Neighborhoods," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35905-2004Jan21.html Saturday, February 7: Opening at Fusebox, 6-8. "Jason Gubbiotti: New Ways of Living" and Ian Whitmore. Wednesday, February 11: "Streets and Walkable Communities," lecture at Natl Building Museum, 12:30, free. Covers "improving our greatest community-owned asset, the public streets, and ... how successful streets support smart growth." See http://www.nbm.org/Events/Calendar/Lectures_Symposia.html Saturday, February 14: Lobster Boy's Valentine's Day Massacre, Chief Ike's. See http://www.lobsterboy.net Thursday, February 19: Ward Two Neighborhood Citizen Summit, 7pm, Kennedy Recreation Center, 7th & P. Monday, February 23: Ward One Neighborhood Citizen Summit, 7pm, All Souls Church, 1500 Harvard St. See http://citizensummit.dc.gov Monday, March 1: DCCA meeting will feature gay activist Frank Kameny, at HRC HQ, 7:30pm. Best regards, Michæl |