3/26/04:                                          [83]

88, 18th St's piano lounge/restaurant, closed March 3.

Greek restaurant Mouaryo has opened at 1732 Conn Ave.

Gift shop Hong Kong has closed, at 1704 Conn Ave. 

Comfort One Shoes has closed their store at 1630 Conn
Ave. They still have stores at 1636, 1607, and 1621,
and will open soon at Conn Ave & Hillyer.

WP mentions new restaurant Sette Osteria at Conn Ave &
R. See "The Weekly Dish,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21955-2004Mar2.html

WP profiles "one of Dupont Circle's most interesting -
and unlikely - lounges," below Cafe Japone, at 2032 P
St. See "Sango Sho a Hidden Treasure,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23682-2004Mar25.html

WBJ has more info on The Dumbarton, the 45-unit 
office-to-condo conversion at 1414 22nd St. See 
"Developers win a round in road to Dupont condos,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/03/01/story7.html

WEG says tennant has been found for 2230 M St. See 
"CVS Pharmacy coming to Ritz,"
http://www.westendguide.us/CVS0304.htm

Cineplex Odeon Inner Circle 3 (2301 M St) has closed.

Smoothie chain Robeks will open its first DC store at
17th & L in April. See http://www.robeks.com/

Women's gym Curves now open at 1710 RI Ave.

DDOT expected to tear down steel Dupont Down Under
canopies on April 9.

See story on old Iraqi embassy at 18th & P, "Iraqi to-
do list: replace light bulbs, meet with ambassador," 
http://www.shfwire.com/story.phtml?action=show_story&id=887

See "US impounds Argentine ambassador's residence,"
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-02/12/content_1311233.htm 

WP covers 3/18 tunnel fire between Dupont and Woodley 
Park. See "Metro Commuters Take to the Streets: Fire 
Sends Red Line Passengers Onto Sidewalks in Search of
a Way to Work,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6298-2004Mar18.html

WP says 2003 median sale price for homes in 20009 went
up 17% to $490,000; homes in 20001 went up 42% to 
$255,000. See "The District,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16546-2004Mar22.html

MW says Halo will open above P St's Empire Video by 
May. See "New gay lounge coming to DC, and lots more," 
http://www.metroweekly.com/nightlife/hearsay/?ak=939 

WBJ says Braxton Hotel at 1440 RI Ave sold for $3.8
million. Will be demolished; construction of 45 condos
expected in August.
   A 292-unit luxury apartment building will be built
on land bought from Washington Plaza Hotel for $5.8 
million. See "Business District,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/03/01/newscolumn1.html?page=2 

Source Theatre is temporarily closed; expected to
reopen in July for the annual Theatre Festival.

Murillo/Malnati Group will convert 1224 13th St into
8 luxury condos.

See note on March 13 U St stabbing, [1] below.

See MW profile "Hot Spot: Eric Hirshfield's Duplex 
Diner is DC's place to eat and be seen," 
http://www.metroweekly.com/feature/?ak=895

WBJ tells how the Sitar Center ended up below new 
condos at 1700 Kalorama Rd. See "Children's arts 
center gets business lesson in real estate,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/03/15/focus6.html

New Owner of parking garage at 1701 Kalorama wants to
add several stories and convert to residential use.

See "Chatham Court's Urbane Setting: For Many Tenants
at Adams Morgan Complex, What's Not to Like?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8487-2004Mar19.html

WBJ say DC is pushing for $56 million subsidy for DC
USA's parking garage. See "D.C. launches PR campaign,"
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/03/08/newscolumn1.html

WP profiles Cady's Alley, the alley south of M St 
between 33rd and 34th. See "An Alley That Turns a 
Corner In Urban Design: In Georgetown, Planners Break 
Free of History's Grip," 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33746-2004Mar5.html 
   See also http://www.cadysalley.com/

See letter re removal of G-town trolley tracks, 
"Smoothing Over The Tracks Of History,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11738-2004Mar20.html

Container Store now open in old Tenleytown Sears.

InTowner covers development around Square 0441, the 
block within 6th & 7th and T & S, home to Shaw Metro,
Howard Theater, and the vacant Wonder Bread bakery. 
See “'Uptown Destination District' Presented to U 
Street/Shaw Community,"
http://www.intowner.com/fr/issue/stories/story1.htm

WP profiles Alperstein's Furniture by 7th & L. See
"Only 7th Street Stalwart Is Left To See New D.C.,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22527-2004Mar24.html

WP profiles "avant-garde Kennedy Center" at 1021 7th 
St. See "Warehouse's Stock in Trade," 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30177-2004Mar4.html 

Chinatown's visionary furniture shop Vega has closed.

See "A New Beginning for the District's East End: 
Residents Flock to Once-Empty Downtown Streets,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36964-2004Mar6.html 

See "Repairs Lag At Eastern Market: Funding Cuts 
Outrage Preservation Backers," 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1658-2004Mar17.html 

See "Barracks Row revival: Capitol Hill's historic 
commercial corridor gets a facelift," 
http://www.thecommondenominator.com/030804_news1.html

DC Watch has published the scathing "Report on 
Investigation of the Metropolitan Police Department's
Policy and Practice in Handling Demonstrations in the
District of Columbia," dated March 11, 2004. See
http://www.dcwatch.com/police/040311.htm

Saturday, March 27: Opening reception at Fusebox for
"Pop-Agenda: Siemon Allen and Dominic McGill" and 
"Joseph Dumbacher/John Dumbacher: One to One," 1412
14th St, 6:00-8:00. See http://www.fuseboxdc.com/

Opening Friday, April 2: Cinema Verité, at Chief Ike's
Mambo Room. See http://www.cherryredproductions.com/

Tuesday, April 13: "Way Beyond Zoning: Form-Based 
Codes Shape Livable Streets," 6:30. See 
http://www.washingtonregion.net/html/beyondzoning.htm 

April 16 & 17: Varla Jean Merman in "Under A Big Top," 
Carneige Institution. See http://www.oneinten.org/ 

Friday, May 7: Bike-to-Work Day; http://www.waba.org

Best regards,
Michæl
------------------------------------------------------
[1]
From: "Jim Graham" 
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 07:42:03 -0500
Subject: [CSNA's U Street News] fatal stabbing in the
         bar

Dear Friends:

Tragically, I must report that a man was stabbed to 
death in the U Street bar Between Friends. Two other 
persons were stabbed and hospitalized in the fight on
the premises. It occurred early this morning at about
2 AM.
 
I have spoken to both Commander McCoy (who called me
about this) and ABRA Administrator Maria Delaney.
 
I have called for the immediate suspension of this 
liquor license on grounds of public safety. I also 
will work to see that this license is permanently 
revoked and this place shut down.

This same bar is now being investigated for 
allegations of unlicensed nude dancing. Moreover, 
there was a second, recent stabbing (according to the
Commander) which occurred just two weeks ago outside 
the established.
 
Clearly this bar, which opened as a women's bar, has
somehow become transformed into something that we do 
not want in our neighborhood.

And speaking of that, the Club U is another 
establishment which we are working to rid ourselves 
of. It has no business in a government building, and I
have been for sometime now pressing the Office of
Property Management and the Corporation Counsel to 
vigorously pursue the eviction action that is now 
pending.

These rough bars with rough clientele are not welcome
in our neighborhood. I want ABRA to take immediate 
action to close any bar where there is a nexus between
violence and the premises.
 
Please stay in touch, Councilmember Jim Graham