Adams-Morgan comes to T Street, Courtesy of the Post Office Bistro

Here's an exciting piece of news that you may have missed over the last couple of weeks: T Street has become Adams-Morgan.

Thart's right! The four block stretch along 18th Street notorious for its late night bars, nightclubs and restaurants has packed up shop and relocated south, to a commercial space near the corner of 14th and T streets. Adams-Morgan will henceforth be known as the Post Office Bistro, and will be reborn as a casual restaurant serving an extensive weekend brunch with a patio and summer garden. The neighborhood/restaurant will also be owned by someone with ties to New York, which unfortunately does not coincide with the arrival of a decent bagel shop.

Skeptical? So were we, until we saw this flyer (courtesy of Prince of Petworth) and its attendant exclamation points, noting that the arrival of the Post Office Bistro meant the end of T Street as we know it.

Some of the highlights of the flyer, which was put together by Elwyn Ferris, partner of ANC2B commissioner Ramon Estrada, and another neighborhood resident, include:

"URGENT! A New York investor plans to turn the Old Post Office building on T Street into a destination, special events venue under the guise of a "restaurant"! DO NOT BE FOOLED!"

"T Street will never be the same again"

"Only massive, unified opposition from by us (the residents who have to live here) has any hope of stopping this disaster!"

"The Post Office Bistro wants to eat your children and destroy your flower garden!"

OK, that last one was mine--I guess I was just a little caught up in the moment. But the rest of those hyperbolic statements were taken directly from the flyer itself.

Now, here's the thing: anyone who has read this blog over the years knows that we tend to fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to negotiating voluntary agreements with area liquor license holders. These businesses absolutely impact the lives of nearby residents by the very nature of their operation, and thus the residents have a right to at least attempt to mitigate some of the potentially negative impacts.

But there is a process for that: the negotiation of a voluntary agreement, frequently through the local ANC. A well-designed VA helps mitigate factors such as noise, trash and parking, which can have significant impacts on nearby residents, while encouraging the opening and success of a business that will continue the growth of the 14th Street corridor into the vibrant, energetic corridor that many of us enjoy.

Needless to say that vitriol and hyperbole, such as that found in this flyer, are tremendously unhelpful. Not only does it poison the negotiation process and serve to harden most neighborhood residents (and ABRA) against anything that involves a "protest" against the establishment, but it is written to portray all neighborhood residents as being vociferously against a business that a) many residents likely support, and b) helps build the character and dynamic of our neighborhood.

If you support the opening of the Post Office Bistro, and want to ensure that the process of negotiating a sensibile agreement with the establishment is not hijacked by a handful of loud, resourceful opponents, then make plans to attend tonight's ANC2B meeting, being held at the first floor of the Brookings Institution at 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW at 7:30 this evening.

Additional information can be found on ANC2B's website.

Tortilla Coast coming to 15th and P, and other restaurant news

Some rather significant restaurant news to pass along this morning: the team behind Capitol Hill's Tortilla Coast (and the local Cafe Deluxe chain) will be bringing the Tex-Mex-themed eatery to the former McCormick Paint space at 15th and P Streets this fall.



The image above presents a very rough depiction of what the finished restaurant will look like, with indoor seating for around 150 and an additional 60 outdoor seats along the 15th street-facing side.

There are few other details at the moment, but it is worth noting that the outdoor seating would be in private space, rather than public space, so no public space permit would be required. (Thus, any restrictions on noise/hours etc. would need to be discussed as part of the inevitable liquor license protest.)

They are gearing for a fall opening, but as with all business openings, it's best to not hold your breath waiting to order that pitcher of magaritas.

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Some other restaurant news to pass along, in brief:

The old post office building on T Street (next door to Policy) is set to become a "casual bistro" creatively called "the Post Office Bistro." You know the drill: casual fare, outdoor patio, summer garden, etc. The most striking thing about the liquor license application is a note that the total occupancy will be nearly 260 seats. No, I don't think there will be a protest at all about this one...

The new tacqueria coming to the space next door to the Black Cat, El Centro D.F., looks poised to meet its Cinco de Mayo opening date, notes U Street Girl.

And finally, also from U Street Girl, it looks like the folks over at Peregrine Espresso are gearing up for a grand opening at their new 14th Street location soon.