Development Round-Up: 16th and U getting a makeover; Dupont Underground plans announced

Earlier in the year, we wrote about a City Paper piece that discussed forthcoming changes to the building located at 1610 U Street, which currently houses a Results Gym and Bang Salon, among others. Shortly (read: within the next week or two) building owner David von Storch expects to break ground on a radical redesign of the building which, when finished, will feature a 51,000+ sf VIDA Fitness, Bang Salon, Aura Spa and a Capitol City Brewing Co.

Altogether, von Storch is designing what he calls a "desirable urban lifestyle center." Or, as we prefer to call it, a Big Building With Stuff.

DCMud has all the details about the new development, including the big plans for the roof:

"...the new complex will be outfitted with a "rooftop club including a 60-foot pool, resort cabanas, communal fire pit, outdoor waterfall, sundeck and a membership lounge with full food and beverage service.""

Egads. I, for one, can't wait to observe the wild-eyed protests that a "communal rooftop fire pit" will engender.

For those wondering about the history of this development, I would encourage you to read the aformentioned City Paper article. Oh, the drama.

All of the approvals are in place, so at this point a few permits and 10 months are all that is standing in the way of you and this Desirable Urban Lifestyle Center.

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A little farther west and south, big plans were announced for the creepily abandoned Dupont Underground space. (Warning guys: your site is delivering a 404 error. As the error explains, "it's dark down there.")

For those who have been living in a cave, or perhaps an abandoned streetcar tunnel, the Dupont Underground project is the District's effort to redevelop a nearly eight block-long streetcar tunnel that runs underneath Dupont Circle. This has already been attempted once, during 1997, when a disastrously planned food court opened up and promptly shut down only months later.

This time the District is determined to get things right. As Borderstan reports, the winning proposal submitted in response to the District's RFP--in fact, the only proposal deemed legal--was submitted by an organization calling itself the Arts Coalition for Dupont Circle. Their proposals calls for them to transform the vacant and dilapidated space into an "important cultural institution" consisting of an art gallery showcasing local artists, a "top-tier" dining establishment (of course), and potentially a wine-themed operation (ditto).

The project, which must still be approved by the District Council following the completion of the public comment period in November, will be completed in two phases: an initial 40,000 sf phase that will include the gallery, restaurant and perhaps another operation and will deliver sometime in 2013, and a second 60,000 sf phase that will deliver two years later.

The Arts Coalition, which is comprised of a large team of architects, developers, artists and businesspeople, includes individuals and organizations involved in some of the District's most high profile projects in recent years, including the Spy Museum and GALA Hispanic theater at the Tivoli Theater.

Hopefully, with the amount of time and effort invested into this project, its shelf life will be a bit longer than the food court. Although I maintain that it would be nice to have a Sbarro nearby...

Restaurant Update, Thai Edition: Teakwood Headed for 14th Street

Has Logan reached saturation on Thai restaurants yet? The team from Alexandria's Galae Thai don't think so. Soon, they will be moving forward with longstanding plans to open up a new restaurant on 14th Street called Teakwood, which will be located at 1423 14th Street NW, south of Rhode Island Ave., next door to the BioScrip Pharmacy--and practically across the street from Thaitanic.

Teakwood (named after the teak trees found in southeastern Asia) will serve Thai cuisine and also house a sushi bar. Plans for the restaurant have existed for some time, but it has only been recently that plans for the space are shaping into reality. It's unclear how much of the menu will be brought over from the Alexandria location, but that location's menu can be found here. Plans currently call for the restaurant to be open seven days a week from 10a - midnight, and it will house just under 150 people.

The arrival of Teakwood continues a busy development pace along 14th Street between Thomas Circle and P Street. As noted by Borderstan earlier this week, Logan 14 Salon and Spa will be opening in August. It's arrival also poses another question: how many Thai restaurants can the neighborhood support?

As mentioned above, longtime 14th Street Thai restaurant Thaitanic is located practically across the street. Ironically, they have plans to expand to a second floor location and to add a sushi bar, although those plans are currently held up in negotiations with the ANC and ABRA, who several weeks agorejected the voluntary agreement between both parties. The VA will eventually be accepted, allowing Thaitanic to move forward with their plans--but it seems that it will be a race with Teakwood.

Meanwhile, a few blocks north, you may have noticed that the neighborhood's other Thai cuisine-serving establishment, Rice, has been closed for the past couple of days as they undergo an interior renovation. By the looks of things this evening, everything is set for a reopening tomorrow evening, replete with a "refreshed" interior.

So, no excuses for not being able to get your pad prik sod on--especially considering that you can also head up to Sala Thai on U, or Bua over at 17th and P (a personal favorite of the 14thandyous). Now...how about that bagel shop?

How the District Could Botch the Dupont Underground Redevelopment - Again

Much has been written recently about the opportunity and growing impetus to redevelop the so-called "Dupont Underground," the abandoned trolley tracks beneath Dupont Circle. The last attempt--to develop it as an underground food court in the mid-90s--was a dismal failure, and closed within a year. The space has been vacant ever since.

Recently however, the District released an RFP to redevelop the nearly 100,000 square feet of space. Among the ideas put forth for the space is of a massive arts space, where exhibitions could be held and artists studios could exist, along with classrooms, theaters and a cafe. In short, the vision is to transform the dilapidated space into a world class arts venue that would attract artists, businesses, residents and tourists.

While it all sounds like a splendid concept, there is still a tremendous opportunity to botch the project, something that University of Maryland architecture professor Roger Lewis argues the city is doing.

The problem, as Lewis explains in an op-ed in today's Washington Post, is that the requirements put forth in the District's RFP are far too stringent, and place far too much of the burden on the private developer. As Lewis writes:

"...the city hopes that a well-qualified development team will come up with an inspiring, economically viable concept -- and all necessary design and construction funding -- to reanimate part or all of the tunnels, which in total contain about 100,000 square feet of floor area.

[To] be acceptable, a proposal not only must set forth a credible idea, but also must show sufficient financial capability, identify specific funding sources and point to a track record of doing similar work. Given this unprecedented, highly risky project with countless unknowns and certain to cost many millions of dollars to implement, the city's RFP requirements and criteria are especially unrealistic."

Drawing analogies from New York City's famed "High Line" park project, and San Antonio's River Walk, Lewis argues that sans an adequate level of investment and assistance, the Underground project's future does not appear encouraging. Both New York's and San Antonio's projects were unique in size and scope, and were dependent upon significant funding and support from their respective cities in order to be successful. At this point, bidders for the Dupont Underground project stand to benefit from neither.

To raise money for the project, the nonprofit Arts Coalition for Dupont Underground is attempting to raise money to advance the project. Additional details about their plan and efforts can be found on their website.

Responses to the RFP are due to the District by Monday, May 31, after which the District will review all proposals submitted to determine which--if any--meet the criteria set forth in the RFP. According to the timeline posted in the RFP, the District will select the winning submission sometime during the summer of 2010. Whether there will be a winner given the RFP's constraints, however, remains to be seen.

Burgers, Steaks and Music Coming to 14th and U

You may have heard rumblings recently of what's coming at the long-neglected corner of 14th and U streets. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Local 16's Salvatore Rosa to learn more about the plans for the building at the NE corner of 14th and U. Although negotiations for a voluntary agreement for liquor licenses for the two establishments (yes, two)--something that is always, as they say, "delicate"--he was able to share some details with me about the plans for the space.

According to Rosa, the basement of the building will be an as-yet-untitled "music and arts" space, which will feature a bar area as well as a performing arts space which will host live music as well as potentially other events, such as fashion shows. (This is not to be confused with the U Street Music Hall, a completely different venture from the ESL guys further down at 1115 U Street.)

Though there will be a bar space (separate from the performing space), Rosa is quick to point out that the venue is not a "nightclub". "There will be a bar, yes, but the focus will be on the performing arts space," he said. Rosa made a point of distinguishing the arts space from a 9:30 Club or Black Cat-type of venue. "We will have bands that perform there, but we also want to open it up to the community--as a practice space for local acts, for charity events and so forth."

Rosa and his team are currently negotiating a voluntary agreement with ANC1B commissioner Peter Raia. 14thandyou will be intrigued to see how this plays out; Raia heads up the ANC's Liquor License Committee and isn't typically confused with someone who is overly supportive of new alcohol licenses in the neighborhood. To that end, Rosa's insistence that the music space is not a "nightclub" may prove to be an important distinction. Although it's difficult to understand how a venture at the corner of 14th and U streets could disturb the "peace and quiet" of the neighborhood, it doesn't mean that some wouldn't try. (After all, apparently some move to the 14th and U area looking for a little peace and quiet.)

Rosa's team doesn't have a lease on the first floor of the building--that space hasn't been finalized, but it looks likely to be a bank--but he, along with Policy owner Omar Miskinyar, do have a lease on the top two floors, which they are looking to convert into an as-yet-unnamed restaurant focused on serving high-end burgers and steaks (the current working name, Cafe Society, is likely to change.)

The unnamed establishment, which Rosa indicated he hopes to have opened by July 2010, will be open Monday to Friday for dinner only, and Saturday and Sunday for brunch and dinner. The most striking feature of the establishment however will be on the third floor, will have a bar and roof deck--providing patrons with views of downtown Washington and well-known landmarks.

Rosa calls the concept "Retro Classic Steakhouse"--even if the prices aren't exactly retro. With burgers in the $16 range (and a wagyu beef and foie gras burger going for $22), this will very much be a contemporary DC establishment. Other items tentatively scheduled to be on the menu include classic steaks such as New York Strip and Hanger ($25 for a 12 oz. NY Strip, $21 for the Hanger), sides such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes and a selection of appetizers and desserts.

Rosa indicated that the search for an executive chef for Cafe Society remains ongoing, but that they hope to have a decision soon. With an expected opening of July 2010, Rosa and Miskinyar are hoping to have their rooftop deck open for the 4th of July--which is sure to be a hot ticket on U Street.

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A couple of other notes to pass along:

Next door to the Music Space/Bank/Steakhouse on U Street, another building is currently undergoing renovation. We've been told that the space is going to be occupied, at least in part, by a restaurant serving Jamaican cuisine. Though the build-out of the space is ongoing, details about the restaurant are scarce at this time.

A block down 14th Street, I learned from Rosa that the previously announced Table 14 has been delayed due to some structural issues with the building. While that's being worked on, the concept for the restaurant remains in development. Rosa recently learned that the space was previously occupied by the Ware's Department Store. According to the District's office of planning:

When it opened in 1915 at 1832 14th Street, NW,Ware’s Department Store was the city’s first African-American owned and run department store. Originally founded as a shoe store by Richard Ware, the specialty store was transformed into a department store as Ware recognized the community’s need for such an establishment.

That's what is so fascinating about the neighborhood--so many buildings have an interesting (and, occasionally, culturally significant) history. Rosa indicated that he's currently searching for ways to incorporate the "Ware's" theme into the restaurant's concept.