Agencies Push to Loosen Restrictions on Bars/Restaurants

Last week, as reported here and elsewhere, DCRA Zoning Administrator Matt Le Grant issued a letter stating that his office would no longer approve occupancy permits for bars and restaurants along the 14th and U Street corridors, in what is known as the Arts Overlay District.


The announcement came at the conclusion of a study by DCRA that showed that the percentage of street-facing retail along 14th and U streets that is devoted to bars and restaurants was just under the 25% threshold permitted under the current Arts Ovelray restrictions. Enforcement of the rule had been advocated by a small group of neighborhood activists, including ANC1B commissioner Peter Raia and ANC2B commission Ramon Estrada, among others.

As expected, the announcement touched off the proverbial firestorm of controversy, both from within and outside of the area. Seeking to quell the anger, as well as to ensure that the decision posed as little threat as possible to the ongoing development and growth of the neighborhood, it was announced today that the DC Office of Planning would submit a set of recommendations to the Zoning Commission by April 26 to raise the allowable percentage of bars and restaurants to between 40-50%.

The 40-50% amount was the amount recommended by the Arts Overlay Committee in its report delivered last year. (Full disclosure: I served on the Committee.)

Once delivered, the Zoning Commission will vote on the measure at their next hearing, in either late May or early June. If adopted, the new rule would go into effect in late June or early July.

The move is clearly a response to the community outcry that arose after DCRA's statement last week. Although the statement merely indicated a willingness on the part of DCRA to enforce an existing law, the move was seen largely as a response to advocacy on the part of commissioners Raia and Estrada, along with other neighborhood activists, who had sought to have the so-called "25% rule" strictly enforced.

By moving so swiftly to change the law, and thus negate the potential effects of its enforcement, DC agencies seemed to be in agreement with nearly everyone throughout the 14th and U street area that the 25% rule was, in fact, outdated and needed to be revised.

Astute observers will note that, even with this action by the Office of Planning, there is still potentially a three month window during which occupancy permits could be denied to otherwise deserving businesses along the corridor. In response to this, local ANCs--including ANC2F--are moving to ensure that the move has minimal impact on the neighborhood.

"Our neighborhood is open for business," said ANC2F chairman Charles Reed in a press release issued today. "ANC-2F will do everything in its power to assist in speeding community acceptable license applications through the BZA process."

While nothing is certain--the Zoning Commission could, in fact, reject the recommendation--in a city where change seems to come at a glacial pace, it is refreshing to see agencies moving so quickly to address this concern.

Parking Enforcement, DPW Apparently Not Talking

So, after putting up my post last night about DPW's suspension of street sweeping due to the Nuclear Summit, I decided not to move my car this morning. Because, you know, street sweeping had been suspended.

Only it seems someone forget to notify Officer Williams of Parking Enforcement.


Note how Officer Williams was so on top of his/her game, that he/she indicates that the signs said parking enforcement was in effect on Thursday, even though the ticket is for Tuesday. Forget being on top of DPW announcements, he/she can't even get the day correct.

I know that the language at the bottom of the ticket includes a warning about assaulting parking enforcement personnel,so I will in no way imply that Officer Williams deserves a nice one of these.

So now I get to experience the joy that is the immense waste of time known as protesting a DC parking ticket. Thank you, Officer Williams.

Street Sweeping Suspended in Logan/Shaw/U Street Areas

As somewhat of an addendum to my previous post, DPW issued a release indicating that residential street sweeping would be suspended on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for neighborhoods affected by the upcoming Nuclear Summit, including Shaw, Logan Circle and the U Street corridor. According to DPW's release, the official boundaries are:

-Florida Avenue, NW (northern boundary)
-H Street, NW (southern boundary)
-5th Street, NW (eastern boundary)
-15th Street, NW (western boundary)

You can view DPW's full release here.

Nuclear Summit to Make Morning Commutes Nightmare-ish

Unless you've been living in a cave, you know that starting tomorrow, you're no doubt aware that streets/traffic/commutes are about to get royally fouled up for residents of Shaw, Mt. Vernon Square, Penn Quarter and eastern Logan.

Basically, if you are an auto commuter, you will seriously want to re-think your commute tomorrow morning (or telecommute if you can). Many roads--including a rather substantial portion of Massachusetts Ave. between Mt. Vernon Square and Thomas Circle--will be closed completely. If you are a Metro commuter, be advised that the Mt. Vernon Square station (Yellow and Green lines) will be closed. Additionally, I would anticipate Metro ridership will be very heavy tomorrow.

Even walking and bike commuters will be affected, as a number of streets around the Convention Center will be closed completely. Residents along affected streets will have to supply identification to prove that they live in order to be let in past the security checkpoints.

As if all of that wasn't enough, we have been told to expect serious disruptions along non-affected streets due to protests and other Summit-related activities. In other words, avoid heading downtown tomorrow if you can.

DCist has a good summary of road closures and other things you need to know. Good luck tomorrow.

And You Thought $4 Cupcakes Were Ridiculous

If you're like me, you find the process of pouring yourself a bowl of cereal and pouring milk on top of it to be an annoying, vexing and time-consuming process. If only, you think, someone would open a business where I could leave my house, pay an absurd sum of money, and have someone complete that task FOR me, my life would be so much better.

Well, the good Lord has answered your prayers. A place called "The Cereal Bowl" has opened in Cleveland Park. For $4, you can get a bowl of Cookie Crisp topped with, well, whatever one might put on top of Cookie Crisp, and delivered to you by an employee wearing pajamas.

Seriously, you ask? Seriously.

This might be the most idiotic concept I have seen since Pizza In A Cone. And at least Cone Pizza isn't something you could whip up in your own kitchen in 15 seconds.

That having been said, how long until Cereal Bar opens up somewhere in the Logan/U Street area? If they combine it with a "gourmet donut shop" concept, they might have a winner.

DCRA Set to Enforce 25% Bar/Restaurant Restriction Along 14th and U Streets

EDIT (4/8/2010): The Mid-City Business Association has a good breakdown of the ruling and who it will affect on their website. Also, a nice review of the Arts Overlay District's purpose, which was something I didn't delve into my post from last night.

EDIT #2: DCist has now gotten into the act, and the commentariat are doing their thing.

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Earlier this week, Matthew Le Grant, the Zoning Administrator for the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, announced that the office would no longer be granting certificates of occupancy to bars and restaurants throughout the Arts Overlay District, without those businesses first seeking--and obtaining--an exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals.

ANC2B commissioner Ramon Estrada and ANC1B commissioner Peter Raia had approached DCRA and asked that the so-called "25% rule" pertaining to bars and restaurants throughout the Arts Overlay District be enforced.

The Arts Overlay District, which includes the commercial corridors of 14th Street, U Street, and 9th Street, along with stretches of 7th Street and Florida Ave, includes a provision forbidding bar and restaurant establishments from taking up more than 25% of the linear frontage of space along those streets. In Le Grant's communication, he noted that DCRA had recently completed its survey of the Arts Overlay District, and learned that the percentage of linear frontage consisting of bars and restaurants in the District was currently at 24.88%. "With this," he wrote "my office will not approve any new building permit or certificate of occupancy applications for additional eating and drinking establishments as a matter of right."

The decision will take affect immediately, and apply to any project that does not yet have its certificate of occupancy.

The net affect of this decision has yet to be seen, but in all likelihood it will be more symbolic than anything. BZA is notoriously supportive of bars and restaurants throughout the 14th and U Street corridors, and it is likely that any bar or restaurant with a solid business plan that would improve the neighborhood will obtain the exemption.

In the event that the decision begins to have a negative impact on development throughout the area, expect to see a strong push from those within the community for the adoption of the recommendations put forth last year by the Arts Overlay Committee, which included a recommendation for raising the allowable amount of bars and restaurants in the area to between 40-50% linear frontage.

As I wrote at the time, I feel that such a limit is both appropriate and sensible, considering the ongoing development and growth of the Arts Overlay District. It's peculiar that a push would be made at this time to enforce the existing 25% rule, but so long as neighborhood development is not adversely impacted, the decision merely represents the enforcement of a law that remains on the books.

Those wishing to learn more about the recommendations of the Arts Overlay Committee may do so at the ANC2F's website.

Central Union Mission News; Convention Center Hotel Suit Dismissed

A couple of somewhat significant developments around the city that could have a significant impact on the Logan and Shaw neighborhoods:

First, those following the ongoing drama with the Gales School/Central Union Mission situation may be interested to learn that the District recently wrapped up its competitive RFP (Request For Proposal) process for the redevelopment of the school. I won't rehash all of the history of that building here (see my earlier post for that recap), but this does represent an important development in determining whether or not the Central Union Mission, currently located at 14th and R streets, will be able to relocate to the Gales School location.

The March 26 deadline represented the third such deadline in the process. The original deadline of February 16 was challenged by the ACLU, which contended that it was an "unreasonably short" timeframe designed to give an advantage to the respondent--the Mission--whom is believed to be the District's preference for taking over the property and renovating in order to operate a homeless shelter.

Ultimately, the District received three bids for the property, and aside from the Mission it is not known who the other two bidders are. A decision is expected within the coming 4-5 weeks. Should the Mission be selected as the winner, it will be up to them to raise the necessary capital to renovate the property and build a 5,000 sf addition it wants to add for classrooms and other services.

The project was initially challenged by the ACLU as an illegal government subsidy to a religious organization (the Mission, which is a Christian institution, requires shelter residents to attend a religious service before being given a bed, counseling, and other services.

Should the Mission be successful in its endeavor to relocate, it would pave the way for the redevelopment of the building into a mixed-use residential/retail structure. Such a move, coupled with the anticipated condo project across the street, would go a long ways towards transforming the somewhat-dilapidated 14th and R street intersection.

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One other big piece of news to pass along, relevant more for those in the Shaw/Mt. Vernon Square area:

A major step was taken towards the groundbreaking of the proposed Marriott Marquis Convention Center Hotel last week, when a judge dismissed developer JBG's lawsuit against the District over the awarding the Convention Center hotel development to Marriott.

The situation was an interesting one: late last year, JBG sued the city, claiming that the process used to select Marriott as the developer of the site was illegal. However, in February, the District countersued JGB, claiming interference and alleging that JBG's suit was little more than an attempt to gain leverage regarding another one of JBG's properties--Washington Marriott Wardman Park--since JBG had not even submitted an RFP for the development of the hotel site.

Although it's not clear whether JBG will appeal the dismissal, this does move the project one step closer to groundbreaking. When completed, the 1,167 room Marriott Marquis will offer the District a premier hotel for the Convention Center, as well as a host of amenities including several new restaurant locations, retail, and ballroom and meeting space.

Pillow fight, plus...NYC was Borf'd?

I hope everyone had an opportunity to take in the absolutely lovely weather we enjoyed this weekend. Certainly one of the best Easter/cherry blossom weekends we've had in recent memory, weather-wise that is. The tourist volume has been intense the past few days, but will hopefully quiet down to a dull roar as families start to head home this week.

Those of you who happened to find yourselves in Dupont Circle yesterday may have noticed a peculiar sight: a bunch of people engaged in pillow fights. However, despite the spontaneous appearance of the feathered fights, it seems they were actually a coordinated effort. Yesterday was some international pillow fighting day or something, at least that's what the Huffington Post is saying.



And speaking of peculiar sites, the Mrs. and I recently returned home from a trip to NYC. During our meanderings around Greenwich Village, we encountered this scene, which should be familiar to many of you around DC:



I guess I didn't realize that Borf made it up as far as NY?

Overheard in Logan

The scene: a male and female couple, mid-30s, walking along Q Street on Thursday evening.

Woman: I don't know...I'm wearing a white skirt. Do you think I should put on a pair of pants?
Man: No, it's OK. I'm sure they have towels.

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About two blocks later, also on Q Street, a woman talking into her cell phone:

Woman: Darrel is the best incompetent manager you could work for. He's really nice, and he'll go to bat for you. Plus, I'm pretty sure he smokes up on his lunch break.

Breaking: Metro considering cessation of all Green Line service on weekends

To follow up on the recent news item related to pending service cuts to Metro, comes this distressing bit of news that I received this morning:

Included in the potential service cut alternatives is a proposal to eliminate all Green Line service on weekends. Yes, you read that correctly: the Metro Board is actually considering eliminating an entire line of service on weekends. Under the proposed plan, Yellow Line trains would continue to operate between Mt. Vernon Square and Eisenhower Ave.

According to the release distributed by WMATA, the elimination of Green Line service would substantially aid the beleaguered transit agency in closing a projected $190 million budget gap. According to incoming interim Metro GM Richard Sarles:

"At this point, these options are precisely that--options. Nothing has been decided, or will be decided, without significant input from those throughout the community. We recognize that certain proposed measures could potentially have a perceived negative impact on certain Metrorail riders, and we take those concerns very seriously. Any final decision will certainly take into account any potentially detrimental impacts to riders, and we will take every possible step to mitigate those impacts."

It goes without saying that such a move would be potentially devastating to communities up and down the Green Line. If you have not already, make sure you take advantage of the period available for public comment and express to Metro your concerns about these (and other) proposed changes.

Metro Board Threatens Yellow Line Service Cuts

Just received the following from the Mid-City Business Association. This is an important issue for our neighborhood in terms of transit access and development, and I encourage everyone to follow the link below to sign the petition.

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Save the “Yellow Line” now! Sign our petition to the WMATA board!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION OPPOSING THESE CUTS! http://www.midcitylife.com/action/#petition

Hello everyone,

I have heard from Councilmember Graham regarding the series of hearings occurring now, regarding the WMATA budget shortfall and the potential elimination of the Yellow Line extension and late night hours on weekends as ways to address the shortfall. As someone who fought hard on the Metro Board for both late night weekend hours and the Yellow Line extension, Councilmember Graham voted not to include either provision as items to be considered. However he was out voted.

WMATA has proposed numerous options to address their budget shortfalls, many of which will directly impact the DC neighborhoods that were hardest hit by original delays in constructing the system. WMATA is proposing to:

End the Yellow Line Extension from Mount Vernon – Fort Totten
End the Yellow Line entirely at 9:30 during the day and all day weekends
Close the 10th & U entrance at U Street/AACWM/Cardozo stop on weekends
Close the 8th & R entrance at Shaw/Howard U entrance on weekends
End service on weekends at midnight at all stations.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION OPPOSING THESE CUTS! http://www.midcitylife.com/action/#petition

While WMATA is holding a meeting on April 1, at All Souls Church at 16th & Harvard, these cuts are not an April fools joke, they are on the table for real, right now, and your voice is needed to make sure they don’ happen!

PUBLIC HEARING DATES AND LOCATIONS
http://www.midcitylife.com/action/index.cfm?mode=hearings
Scott Pomeroy
Save the Yellow Line Coalition

Another way to voice your opposition to th cuts is to visit FairShareMetro.com and ask the Mayor to fully fund DC's appropriation for WMATA as other local jurisdictions have.

Logan/Shaw/U Street Businesses Clean Up in City Paper Poll

The City Paper's annual "Best of..." issue was released last week, and area businesses could be found in abundance amongst the winners.

Beer-lover's paradise ChurchKey scored big wins as "Best New Bar" and "Best Beer Selection" (although, considering that no one can get in the door at this place, it's questionable how useful this information is). Garden District won as "Best Garden Store", Nellies won for "Best Sports Bar", Miss Pixies got the nod for "Best Home Furnishings Store" and--in a bit of a surprise--Thaitanic was selected as the city's best Thai restaurant.

Now, keep in mind that this is the City Paper's readership poll, so many of the results are likely to be a popularity contest. (Whole Foods is the best specialty foods market? Really?) And there's a certain level of predictability--Ben's Chili Bowl will likely hold the title of the city's "Best Drunk Eats" until the Rapture. Still, the poll is nothing if not a statement on how dominant the Dupont-to-Shaw corridor is in terms of the District's commercial world.

Borderstan has a run-down of all the area businesses who won (or were runners-up) in the poll, including those who aren't members of the Mid-City Business Association. Go vie it a look-see; meanwhile, I'll be taking by out-of-town friends up to Busboys and Poets.

News Flash: DC is Expensive

A little fodder for a Sunday afternoon conversation...

This past week, the Center for Housing Policy released a report that showed DC to be the nation's sixth most expensive rental market (although, interestingly, only its 25th most expensive home buying market). The housing market numbers actually surprised me a bit--I had assumed they would be higher--but still represent on of the highest markets in the nation.



The CHP's study examined the question from a perspective of affordability: are American cities becoming increasingly unaffordable to American workers? Some quick number crunching shows the difficulty that many face when buying a home in a market such as DC. Consider a family with a household income of $75k a year. The average 2BR apartment in DC goes for around $1500 a month. Looking at rent as a proportion of a household's monthly take-home pay, that $1500 a month slots right into the recommended 30-35% of income that should be spent on housing in order for the housing to be considered "affordable". Unfortunately, the median household income in DC--$58,500--is substantially lower than the $75,000 figure. And for that family making $75,000, purchasing a home becomes an even tougher proposition, when associated costs such as real estate taxes, condo fees, insurance and other expenses are factored in. Neighborhoods such as Logan are essentially completely out of reach.

In short, it is increasingly difficult to comfortably afford housing in DC unless your household income exceeds the median by a not-insubstantial amount. Those wishing to peruse the CHP study can do so here.

But my question is one whose answer is grounded less in facts than in terms of perception: has the recent spike in real estate values caused DC to become an overpriced market? There are some whose immediate answer to that question is a simple 'no': the market is what it is, since people are willing to pay the prices offered here, the market cannot be overpriced. There's a basic reasoning behind that argument that seems sound, but there's another perspective on this question that warrants consideration that relates to the general affluency of the DC area.

It's no secret that DC is one of the nation's most affluent regions. Six of the ten U.S. counties with the highest median income are in the DC area, and generally wherever incomes are higher, housing costs will rise. But they do not always rise in direct proportion to a city's livability factor, nor in proportion to the amenities it offers its citizens. And that's where the question of the appropriateness of DC's housing costs comes into play. DC is now in a position where it plays with the big boys--the New Yorks, the San Franciscos, the Los Angeleses--in terms of housing costs. But do we stack up with the nation's most expensive and populous cities in terms of amenities?

In certain neighborhoods, unequivocally so. DC's commercial centers--particularly in many NW neighborhoods--are truly outstanding neighborhoods by any comparison. Unfortunately, the housing market isn't applicable only to Dupont, Georgetown and Capitol Hill. Housing prices in neighborhoods like Brightwood, Brookland and Takoma have risen commensurately as well, as more desirable neighborhoods far exceed the realm of affordability for many buyers and renters. But is a 3 BR townhome in Petworth truly a good value at $485,000? Is a brick colonial in Brightwood a reasonable investment at $735,000? I can't say for certain--perhaps they are (after all, as I alluded to above, if people are willing to pay...) But I do feel that these are questions worth asking, particularly in such a competitive and volatile market.

And this doesn't begin to address the even larger and more perplexing issue of affordable housing in DC--what qualifies, who qualifies, how it is implemented, and so on. Another topic for another day, I suppose.

So, I'll leave you with a question: do you find DC's real estate market to be essentially appropriately priced for the kind of city one is buying into, or do you feel that the last decade's worth of rising housing costs has led to the market becoming overinflated? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

New wine bar for 14th and Florida promises small plates, short fuse

So the Mrs. and I just returned from a lovely weekend up in NYC, filled with sunshine, lots of walking and some great food. I don't know that the NY aesthetic necessarily appeals as a place of residence, but I do love visiting there.

And speaking of food, while we were away word got out about a new wine bar/restaurant opening up in the Solea condo building at 14th and Florida. (Thus filling our neighborhood's gaping hole in the wine bar department...j/k.) Du Vin Osteria seems to be your prototypical wine bar, serving a selection of cheeses, small plates, charcuterie and other goodies. I'm sure it will be good. And while the business model might seem a tad bit redundant, were always happy to see new businesses opening up along the corridor.

However, it seems that Du Vin's owner, Mr. David Shott, wasn't too happy about a comment made about his establishment on ustreetgirl's blog:

Tonight, I removed a comment on my post “Du Vin Osteria coming to 14th and Florida” because the owner of Du Vin Osteria, David Shott, sent me an email requesting me to do so, because he found the comment libelous. He also stated he would take legal action if necessary.

It is with regret that I write this post and removed the comment. I wish Mr. Shott had come to me in a more friendly manner and had not immediately written the words “legal action” to a young professional who blogs on her spare time. I was trying to promote Mr. Shott’s business. I posted the comment because it seemed to raise relevant concerns about Mr. Shott.

Now, to be sure the blogging community has a duty to act responsibly with regards to the posting of potentially libelous/slanderous information, and that includes the comments that are posted on our blogs. But the tactics employed by Mr. Shott are...questionable, at best. Threatening legal action? How very "DC" of him. What about saying, "Hey, there is a comment on your post that isn't accurate. I'd really appreciate it if you would take the comment down. In the meantime, I'd love to meet with you to tell you more about what we're planning at the restaurant and to share some photos with you."

It's called dialog, and it can go a long way towards building solid, positive relationships with those in your community--bloggers, residents, etc.--who can help your business. Instead, what he has created is a lot of negative publicity for his establishment. (As you'll note, we aren't the only ones to pick up on this.) Let's hope that Mr. Shott's skills at restaurant management are better than his media relations skills.

14th Street Burger Joint Running Into Strong Opposition

Thaddeus Curtz, a cook at esteemed Cathedral Heights pizza place 2 Amys, would like to bring a bit of Manhattan to 14th Street, but things aren't looking too good for his business plan.

Curtz is looking to a "burger joint" known as Standard (what's with the restaurant names these days?) modeled after Danny Meyer's eatery in Manhattan's Madison Square Park, in the former Garden District space (and, briefly, proposed home of the never-to-be-seen Crepes on the Corner) at the northeast corner of 14th and S streets. I think pretty much everyone in the neighborhood would welcome a place to swing by and pick up an inexpensive burger, hot dog or order of fries for dinner (Curtz has indicated that nothing on the menu would be more than $6). However, his application for a liquor license, operating hours until 1 AM during the week, and outdoor occupancy totaling 130 people have worried a lot of neighborhood residents.



There is so much concern, in fact, that the license has been protested by both ANC 1B and ANC 2B. (Typically, only one ANC protests a liquor license application, even if the operation in question could affect residents in both.) 2B commissioners voted unanimously to protest the license at last week's meeting, with many voicing concerns over the affect that the late hours and high outdoor occupancy could have on the nearby residents. It was noted, for instance, that no one on the Commission could recall an applicant coming before them and requesting such a sizable outdoor permit.

Privately, I have been told by those close to the negotiations that an agreement could be worked out if Curtz was willing to cut back his outdoor seating hours until 9 or 10 PM during the week. However, Curtz may be reticent to do that, since the indoor space only allows for seating of approximately 15 patrons at a time. As was noted at the 2B meeting, at the price point Curtz is proposing, he would need to sell a lot of hamburgers in order to afford the lease rates at that location.

Another potentially confounding factor is that the site may in fact have environmental remediation issues, as it is believed that at one point a gas station existed on the property (which would, in fact, serve to explain the awkward arrangement of the parcel.) If true, it would present another potential hurdle for Curtz--or anyone else, for that matter--opening a restaurant on the premises.

To the matter at hand, however, it's not hard to see the point of view of the ANCs on this issue. The space in question sits directly across from, and just down the street from, numerous residences, who undoubtedly would be affected by the noise emanating from upwards of 130 people outside drinking at midnight or 1 AM. I have a limit to my sympathy for people who complain about the general noise and din of 14th and U streets--this is, after all, very much an urban neighborhood. But the size and hours that Curtz is requesting for his venture seem unreasonable considering the location of his proposed establishment.

That said, I also feel confident in saying that a business like the one he is proposing would certainly be welcome in the neighborhood, which leads me to a point that I raised last summer during the discussions that took place during the meetings of the Arts Overlay review committee. Currently, individuals wishing to open an alcohol serving establishment essentially have two options to choose from: restaurant or tavern. Restaurant licenses come with strict requirements regarding food service, the hours during which a chef must be on premises, and so forth which many owners may find untenable. A tavern license, however, is far more likely to be protested due to the nature of the operation and the late hours during which they are allowed to operate. Why not create a third classification of license--call it a Pub class license--that provides for food requirements less than restaurants, greater restrictions on hours of operation, but greater freedom to operate in or near residential areas--something that a tavern license owner would likely face strong opposition against?

An establishment requesting a pub license, for instance, might agree to operate their outdoor seating areas only until 10 PM during the week and until 11 PM on weekends, and to be closed down completely by midnight, along with a 25% food requirement (25% of their income must be derived from the sale of food products, rather than alcohol). In exchange for this arrangement, the license holder could operate at a location such as the one in question at 14th and S streets that is near residential properties and would otherwise likely be prevented from opening.

The model for such a license would be the many corner pubs one finds sprinkled throughout the neighborhoods of London, frequently in or near residential areas. These pubs provide a place of enjoyment for those in the neighborhood that is close to their homes, yet close early enough so as not to be a nuisance to nearby residents.

Since no such license currently exists in DC, such arrangements would have to be worked out through the voluntary agreement process, a cumbersome, time-intensive and, at times, adversarial process. While I don't know if Curtz would be amenable to the type of operating hours restrictions that are being discussed, I would be hopeful that a workable compromise could be worked out. In the longer term, it would be helpful for ABRA to consider the evolving nature of many of the neighborhoods in DC, with an eye towards creating liquor license laws that provide for adequate protection of residents whilst promoting development and growth throughout the city.

As far as whether we'll see Standard at 14th and S anytime soon: I will keep you posted.