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| | | Near Northeast (ANC 6C) | | November 23, 2009 | | | | At its Nov. 12 meeting, the commission:
• heard commissioner Anne Phelps announce that the commission reached an agreement with the owners of Level Lounge, 318 H St. NW, on its liquor license. The commission signed a voluntary agreement with the establishment that limits its hours, restricts noise levels and bans the owners from transferring the liquor license to anyone else for three years.
• heard Dustin Thomas talk about the Early Stages Program, a D.C. Public Schools initiative. Early Stages educates families about developmental milestones for children ages 3 to 5, offering free assessments and counseling. Thomas is one of the Ward 6 coordinators and can be reached at dustin.thomas@dc.gov or 202-270-3004. Go to earlystagesdc.com for more information.
• heard Meseret Bekele, who is opening the Ethiopian restaurant Ethiopic at 4th and H streets NW, announce that she has applied for a liquor license and ask for the commission’s support. Bekele said she will present the details of her application at a later meeting. Commissioner Anne Phelps said she is excited to have the restaurant in the neighborhood. Commissioner Karen Wirt asked her to bring menus to the commission’s next meeting.
• heard Nancy Rosen, chair of the 1st District Citizens Advisory Council, talk about the third annual Livable, Walkable Community Awards. Rosen encouraged people to nominate organizations and individuals who enrich the Hill community. Winners will be announced Dec. 7 at Ward 6 D.C. Council member Tommy Wells’ holiday party at Eastern Market. More details are available at tommywells.org.
• unanimously supported restaurant Carmine’s liquor-license application with the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration. Commissioner Anne Phelps said Carmine’s, at 425 7th St. NW, will be able to seat 720 customers and create 225 jobs. Phelps said the restaurant came to an agreement with the neighboring residential building and neighborhood association on hours for its sidewalk table service.
• heard that Muse restaurant, 717 6th St. NW, moved its valet parking operation from in front of the restaurant to around the corner on G Street.
• unanimously approved extending the season for Potbelly Sandwich Works’ sidewalk cafe from six months to 12 months. The Potbelly is located at 637 Indiana Ave. NW.
• unanimously voted to delay action on plans for an enclosed outdoor cafe at Toscana, 601 2nd St. NE. The commission’s transportation committee co-chair, Joe McCann, said the committee felt the enclosure obstructed the streetscape and did not fit in with the Hill’s aesthetics. McCann said the committee voted 3-0 against the proposal. Toscana owner Joe Spinelli asked for time to revise the proposal.
• voted 3-0, with one commissioner abstaining, to support the concept design for the new National Public Radio building at 1111 North Capitol St. NE. The new building will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certified and will include a lobby with exhibits open to the public during business hours. The building also will include an auditorium for live-audience events, an employee cafeteria and gym, bike parking and showers. The new building is a scaled-back version of an earlier proposal — reduced from 500,000 square feet to 300,000 square feet — and will have a maximum height of 90 feet. NPR will remove the building’s current 1950s addition, close two side bay openings and move the water tower. NPR expects to break ground in a year and to move in during spring or summer 2013.
• unanimously supported a modification to the planned-unit development Union Place at 200 K St. NE. Commissioner Anne Phelps said the modification raises the maximum percentage tenants can pay of their gross income from 30 percent to 38 percent, a change that has been implemented in zoning rules since the project was originally approved. Phelps said the increase helps people stay in the housing for a longer period of time, adding that it fits the development’s goal of becoming artist housing. She said the cap allows for income fluctuations and still serves the same income levels because it does not alter the average median income requirements or the number of affordable housing units.
• unanimously supported the use of a material called “embossed block” for a rear addition at a residence at 225 E St. NE. The owner said the Capitol Hill Restoration Society objected to the material because of other examples that had an odd banding pattern. The owner said the addition will not be visible from the street. | | | | | Log in to comment on this article |
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