ANC to Seek New Agreement for Black's Restaurant on 14th Street

At tonight's ANC2F meeting, the Commission discussed the as-yet-unnamed Jeff Black-operated restaurant coming to 1612 14th Street (next door to HR-57).

As you may recall, the space was originally slated to become a sustainable seafood-focused restaurant from local restaurateur Barton Seaver. Seaver had negotiated a voluntary agreement for the space with the ANC, however construction of the restaurant never moved forward. Jeff Black, whose other restaurants include the eponymous Black's in Bethesda and Blacksalt in the Palisades, announced plans to open a restaurant in the space in July.

At tonight's meeting, ANC2f commissioner Charles Reed said that Black notified the ANC of his intent to vacate the Seaver-negotiated VA for the space because of disagreements with certain components of it. Among those reasons cited was a clause forbidding the opening of an outdoor summer garden, which Black would like to include in his plans. Citing concerns over potential noise and vermin problems for nearby residents, Reed indicated that the ANC would protest the license application in order to negotiate a new VA with Black.

The issue was supposed to have been discussed this evening; however, the space did not have placards posted yet so no discussion could take place. Stay tuned for more on this one...