Resaurant and Bar update: Happy Hour on its way

While we've been away on a (somewhat unanticipated and not particularly enjoyable) "vacation" some restaurant and bar news has crept up that we wanted to pass along:

Remember Mova, the former bar on P Street that vacated its space last year amid cries of exhorbitant rent in excess of $25,000/month? At the time, owner Babak Movahedi indicated that Mova wasn't closing--it was simply going to relocate.

Now it looks like we know where. U Street Girl noticed that there are signs up in the former Bicycle Station space at 14th and W streets for a "martini lounge and tapas-style restaurant" under the name Mova. A tapas lounge would certainly be a departure from Mova's previous incarnation as an upscale gay bar, but sometimes the description of the restaurant/bar on the placard differs from how it will actually operate. (And, yes...another tapas bar, you're thinking? You can't really have too many, you know.)

Left for Ledroit has the news about a new bar called Happy Hour to be located above the Islander at 1201 U Street. In addition to the drinks and "light fare" to be sold by the bar, the owners also want to host live bands as well as--wait for it--skiball. THIS might actually be a place I could get excited about, even if the name leaves a bit to be desired in the creative department. (Some day, I'm going to open a bar called "Class C Tavern License". My other idea is for a chic urban lounge called "Solstice" that will only be open twice a year.)

Next, some restaurant departure news: Prince of Petworth notes that the closing of the KFC/Taco Bell located on 14th between T and U is imminent. This is, of course, to make room for the long-awaited Utopia project at the corner of 14th and U. Guess you're going to have to find a new spot to satisfy that midnight craving for chalupas and absolutely horrible service. Opportunities abound.

Finally, it's nice to know that the "OMG the bars iz coming!" scare tactics aren't limited just to Logan/U Street. Columbia Heights: brace yourself.

2011: A Look Ahead

By now, hopefully you have shaken off your post-New Year's hangover, you've cleaned out the remnants of the holiday feast from your fridge (and no, I don't mean Thanksgiving) and you haven't yet broken any of you new year's resolutions.



As we move into the new year, I thought we'd take a brief look at what's to come in our neighborhood during 2011. Call them predictions, prognostications or wishful thinking, here's what's on my list for 2011:

• District Condos will finally break ground.  I know, it seems like JBG is simply teasing us recently with talks of an "imminent" groundbreaking for their new mixed-use development at 14th and S streets.  But, sooner or later, the demolition of the site's current buildings will commence, and earth really will start getting pushed around, and we'll finally start to see real progress after years of discussions.  And once that happens, the real fun can commence; by which I mean, the hemming and hawing over who the project retailers will be.  Who wants an IHOP?



• 14th Street north of U Street will go gangbusters.  With both Perseus Realty's 14W development and the long-awaited Nehemiah Shopping Center development breaking ground, and Jemal's project across the street, it's shaping up to be a busy couple of years north of U Street for new development.



• O Street Market will/will not break ground.  This long-anticipated project remains frustratingly in a state of suspended animation.  In spite of a pronouncement in September 2010 that the project was set to commence, there's been little activity at the site in the four months since.  We keep looking out for signs of earth-moving equipment and an official announcement from the Giant at 9th and P that it is closing, but nothing yet.  At least nearby Progression Place finally broke ground:  it, along with the O Street Market, Howard Theater restoration and Marriott Convention Center hotel threaten to dramatically remake the Shaw neighborhood in the coming years.



• The Hiltons will continue adding to their DC restaurant/nightlife empire.  Marvin, The Gibson, ESL, U Street Music Hall, Patty Boom Boom, American Ice Co....brothers Ian and Eric Hilton have, seemingly overnight, turned into the kings of the DC lounge and nightlife scene.  Expect that to continue into 2011 with the soon-to-open Blackbyrd Warehouse near 14th and U, along with a new restaurant/lounge on Georgia Avenue in Petworth at the former Billy Simpson's House of Seafood and Steaks.  The Hilton's aren't the only ones with expanding ambitions along 14th and U Street, however.  Expect to see a new steakhouse and lounge from the Local 16 crew at the currently vacant building at 14th and U streets, and--perhaps--the opening of Local 14 along 14th Street between T and U.
  
  A little farther south along 14th Street, look for the opening of burger-and-fries eatery Standard at the former Garden District location at 14th and S, a new taqueria from the Masa 14 team next to the Black Cat on 14th between S and T, and maybe the new location of hamburger purveyors Rogue States near 14th and U (assuming there are no lawyers in the building).



• Transit:  A temporary reprieve from the streetscapes.  Don't expect too many headaches transit-wise throughout the mid-city area.  Although DDOT is nearing completion of its design for the 14th Street Streetscape project, actual construction remains years away.  And with the recently completed 17th Street Streetscape project, and the soon-to-be-completed 18th Street project (the Dupont portion, at least), the jackhammers and paving machines should be relatively quiet throughout our neighborhood.
  
  However, beginning soon (January or February) look out for major headaches in Adams-Morgan, as a reconstruction project for 18th Street between Florida Avenue and Columbia Road commences.  In addition, look for an announcement at some point in the first quarter of 2011 regarding the completion of the U Street Streetscape design.



• Housing prices will continue to rise.  Oh yes they will.  And in other shocking news, Ward Three residents remain unconvinced of Vince Gray's mayoral capacities.



• Hank's Oyster Bar will finally expand into their adjacent space.  Prepare your fallout shelters now, because I have it on good authority that this development will most certainly lead to a cessation of all human life within a four block radius of Hank's.  Oh the humanity.



• The 14th Street arts corridor will look a little less artsy.  Never mind the recent branding campaign to raise awareness of the so-called "Arts District,"the single greatest issue facing arts organizations and related businesses--spiraling commercial lease rates--remains unresolved by the city.  And with the District facing a mounting budget deficit and a continuing soft economy, don't look for the road to get any smoother for neighborhood arts institutions.  Longtime jazz club HR-57 has already packed up its Steinway and headed east to H Street, where the commercial tax rate is lower.  Who's next?



• 14th Street will get a decent sandwich shop.  Actually, that already happened.

Happy 2011 everyone.

Arrest Made in Shooting of 9 yo; Columbia Heights Still a Work in Progress

So by now, you've probably heard that the MPD made an arrest in this past weekend's murder of 9 year old Jose Oscar Fuentes, who lived with his family in an apartment in Columbia Heights and was gunned down as he stood inside the front door of his apartment on Saturday evening.

First of all, let me say bravo to the MPD for some excellent police work (assuming, of course, that the suspect is the right guy). It's good to see, at least, that they were able to make an arrest so quickly. But there is, of course, a bigger issue here.

Sometimes, the violence in this city really seems oppressive. It's always there, simmering like an unattended pot on a stove, but sometimes it boils over and forces you to take notice of it. That's what I've found occurring ever since Jose's Oscar's murder this weekend. I truly do love this city, and everything it offers--in spite of its flaws. But there are certain events that transpire that cause me to view the city with a different perspective, however fleetingly. That's what I've found happening this week.

And what to make of Columbia Heights? I don't normally cover things up there--there's more than enough to keep me occupied here in Logan. But it's close enough that me and the Mrs. have regular interactions with it; this includes weekly shopping trips to the Giant and occasional Target runs, among other things. I've also known and/or interacted with a number of people who call Columbia Heights home. And while everyone is appropriately expressing outrage at the murder of Jose Oscar Fuentes, there remains a not-so-subtle undercurrent of surprise from some individuals that such an act could possibly occur in a neighborhood like Columbia Heights.

Col Heights is, in every respect, a transitioning neighborhood. And I think some people buying the expensive rowhouses and even more expensive "luxury" condos there can forget the fact that when one buys into a transitioning neighborhood, there are two sides to that coin. There's the hipster bars, the chain store retail, the attractive housing stock and "urban feel" that the neighborhood provides. But there's also the shootings, the gang beefs and the seemingly never-ending drug trade and prostitution that goes on. That's the Columbia Heights people would like to forget.

To be sure, that stuff happens in other neighborhoods too (unfortunately). But Columbia Heights has been altered faster than possibly any neighborhood has in the history of the city. Just five years ago, it was a largely neglected crime- and drug-infested mess. Then, some developers conspired with the city to stick Clarendon up there, and it became the new place to be. But the ills that plagued the neighborhood didn't magically disappear--they just got swept aside a bit. And they rear their heads from time to time, in the form of gunfights at the Metro station, random shootings on the street, and--yes--the senseless killing of a 9 year old boy in his apartment.

Ultimately, I think the tide of gentrification will continue to sweep over the neighborhood. Past events haven't deterred ongoing development and growth in Columbia Heights, and there's no reason to think that this will, either. I fully expect more Chipotles, more wine bars, more gastropubs and high-end retail in the future. And I imagine housing demand will continue pretty much unabated. But the crime will, as well. And life will continue in Columbia Heights.

IHOP is Headed for Columbia Heights; the End is Near!

In case you missed it amidst all of the hubbub over this weekend's shootings and bank window bashing, it was announced that pancake/breakfast/high calorie eatery IHOP was planning to open up in the DC USA complex in Columbia Heights.

The 14thandyous don't get out to IHOP that often, but every once in awhile are tempted by the banana-walnut pancakes...so we look at this as basically a good thing. Also, the DC USA complex has more than it's share of shops masquerading as empty storefronts, so a casual, affordable sit-down eatery in the neighborhood shouldn't necessarily be viewed as a bad thing.

But that seems to be an opinion not shared, apparently, by a number of the commenting denizens of another local blog (which shall remain nameless). A sampling of the commentary revolving around this news tidbit:

"Kill me now."

"That is terrible news!"

"Ghetto…"

"IHOP has no business being in CH."

"if IHOP is uprooting Ellwoods, that would be a public health and urban planning disaster."

"There goes the neighborhood again!!! Just when we were coming up in the world!"

"IHOP is low brow in my opinion. It appeals to a wide range of people, including the lowest common denominator of consumer."

It's really that last comment I want to focus on, because it was prefaced by this:

"For renters, (IHOP) increases the amenities for the hood. For the homeowners, I would think it decreases the trajectory a bit."

Translation: Homebuyers didn't pay $500,000 for a 2 bedroom luxury condo to live above a chain pancake shop, and they didn't pay that to have "the lowest common denominator" running around their neighborhood. (Although I'm willing to bet that if you took IHOP's menu and plastered it under the logo of some independent non-chain establishment with a name like "Syrup" and charged $4 more per item, the idea would go over like, um, hotcakes.)

So, where to begin? First of all, Columbia Heights isn't Dupont. It isn't "high brow". Simply having a handful of higher-priced independent eateries and a lucrative condo market doesn't make a neighborhood "high brow." Up until three years ago, Columbia Heights' commercial strip was little more than a mess of vacant storefronts, carryouts and otherwise unsavory activities. It may sound like a broken record to say this, but Columbia Heights has not become, overnight, the quintessential urban neighborhood. It has improved. A lot. A WHOLE lot, actually...but it's not Capitol Hill or Georgetown. And the presence of an IHOP is not somehow magically going to wreck its character.

Secondly, complaining about an IHOP taking the neighborhood on a "downward trajectory" rings a bit hollow when one considers that the DC USA complex contains businesses such as Target, Marshalls, Payless Shoes and Radio Shack. I would say that IHOP fits in quite well with the existing structure of the DC USA commercial environment.

Finally...why does every eatery opening up in central DC have to be some trendy, expensive independent place? Surprising as it may seem, not everyone can/wants to pay what it costs to dine out at a place such as The Heights on a consistent basis. Columbia Heights has more than its share of independent eateries serving all manner of cuisine--and introducing a low-cost diner-style restaurant into the mix isn't going to bring home values tumbling downwards (the open-air shootings will take care of that.)

In this market, it strikes me that we should be happy to see anyone signing a retail lease in a complex that has more than its share of vacancies. I, for one, would be quite content to have an IHOP-type establishment open in Logan, simply because there are so few cheap, casual dining options.

In other words, calm down...and enjoy your pancakes.

Just Ignore the Unconscious Bleeding Guy Over There

Courtesy of DCist, from WJLA this morning comes a story that, while rare, seems a little too familiar. Seems that a homeless man got into a scuffle with a couple of other homeless men over a beer up in Columbia Heights. The argument escalates, and the next thing we see is the man laying motionless on the curb in front of a grocery store, knocked unconscious after being pushed into a parked van and striking his head. The man is not expected to survive his injuries.

That by itself would be bad enough, but as the video posted to the WJLA site shows, the man lay motionless on the ground for over 20 minutes before someone called for medical help. In the video we see people walking past, some noticing and others not. Even the owner of the van arrives with groceries, proceeds to load them into his car, and ignores the man laying there.

I've no real commentary to add to this, other than to remark on the obvious: this is a sad example of humanity.

For those who are wondering, the perpetrators have been caught and may be charged with homicde if the man dies.

"Change a Lightbulb" in Columbia Heights this Friday

The District is sponsoring a "light bulb exchange" at the rather inconvenient time of 2 PM this Friday. What is this, you ask?

It seems to be part of the District's efforts to do their part to reduce global warming (and save DC residents a few bucks on their electricity bills) by allowing residents to exchange an incandescent light bulb for a compact flourescent. Under the thinking of "every little bit helps" the 14thandYous support this idea. Under the thinking of "what were they thinking?" we wonder how many people will be able to take time off during a workday to head up to Columbia heights and exchange a light bulb?

Our guess: not many. If you're interested, the details are below.

The District Government wants to help you change a light bulb! Join the District Department of the Environment, the Department of Public Works and the Office of Planning for a FREE light bulb exchange.

Bring an old incandescent light bulb, and we will exchange it for a new, energy-efficient compact fluorescent. You'll save money on your electric bill and help the District meet its goals for reducing global warming.

Free Light Bulb Exchange (limit one per resident)

Friday, December 12, 2:00 p.m.

Columbia Heights Civic Plaza (14th Street, Kenyon Street and Park Road, NW)

The light bulb exchange is part of Local Climate Action Week. For more information on climate change, visit http://www.climatecommunities.us/mediaevent.html.

Shooting at 14th and Harvard streets

*sigh*

You would hope that we would be past this sort of thing by now but, disappointingly, we are not. Amidst the typical Halloween ruckus yesterday evening, four young men were shot in a drive-by shooting while standing at the corner of 14th and Harvard in Columbia Heights.

That some gangbanger would commit such a brazen and callous act is sickening and beyond the pale. No doubt there were witnesses (including the four victims, all of whom survived), but one has to wonder if the "stop snitchin'" mantra is going to go into effect here. Jim Graham has already issued a statement condemning police actions (or inaction) in preventing crimes like this, but one has to ask: What should the police be doing? If the victims themselves--much less other bystanders--or either too frightened or simply don't care enough to divulge what they saw to the police, what is to be done? There are increased calls for street cameras, shot-tracking devices, and other such initiatives . . . but they've not been widely instituted. Should they? Do you think they would make a substantial difference in preventing crimes like this -- or at least aid in the catching of criminals like this?

I, for one, am not keen on being watched on every street corner in this city. But if others here don't care enough to do their part to keep our streets safe, I suppose I'm willing to allow it in the name of catching these punks. So what do you think?

Thanks to Prince of Petworth for alerting us to this story.