Georgia Ave development

[from Ward 4 Councilmember Adrian Fenty's web newsletter]

This week the National Capital Revitalization Corporation (NCRC) is preparing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select a developer for a parcel of property in Petworth. The 31,000 square foot parcel is on Georgia Avenue between Shepherd and Randolph Streets NW. I have worked with the community and the NCRC on the development strategy for this site and have pressed for the type of public RFP process which the NCRC will be pursuing. The proposal will encourage either a mixed-use (retail, residential, and office) development; or retail only, with a preference for a sit-down restaurant, book store, or a market. When the RFP is sent to the Council I will work to get Council approval this spring. Upon Council approval, the RFP will be released and posted on the NCRC's website.

Comments

[Bill]

While I agree that little shopping center (which I use) is underachieving but has potential, I don't think pedestrian traffic alone could keep everyone in business.

[David]

Talking about developing a decent mix use community. There is a small grocery store, liquor store, Dry Cleaners, Wachovia Bank, and a Pharmacy on 5000 Block of New Hampshire Ave NW, which is tucked between 5000 Block of 1st ST NW. The store looks like a blighted suburban strip mall. The building has pre-WWII granduer. The front needs to be switched to the First Street side, which would make the shopping center more community friendly. On the parking lot, it should be developed with mixed use development. With most of the patrons living nearby--walking distance, the parking lot wouldn't be necessary and the folks can park on the street.

[Gill]

I'd like to add as another example of "indie" urban development in DC that would be great for Petworth to follow...

... the recent 8TH St, SE development over the past few years by the Eastern Market metro stop.

For those of you that didn't know that strip from years ago, it was, well not great. Now, a diverse community enjoys great places to eat (non national chains), lots of 'em, sip coffee, buy flowers, grocery shop, etc.

I'm just wondering how the folks on Capitol Hill were able to make sure the development was able to mandate keeping the charm of the overall area without bringing in national chains.

Personally, I love using the 8th St Capitol Hill development as the "neighborhood village" example as a vision of what Petworth can be.

So glad this conversation is happening!

[Sandy]

I'd like to also see other types of service retail that make a neighborhood convenient. For example, a drug store, a copy shop, a dry cleaners, a good hardware store. I know they're everywhere, but I still have to get in my car and drive to get to a CVS or People's.

[Charles]

Petworth news: I recently found your site and love it. I live in Colombia Heights. Our list serve is, at best, contentious. Your PN seems to filled with positive thoughts and real concern for your area. Please, keep it up. We in CH are jealous of Domku.

[Bill]

I emailed Merrit Drucker about the trash problem, esp. on New Hampshire in the first block north of the Metro. (For those who don't know Merrit, he's the DC Clean Cities Coordinator, formerly our Ward 4 services coordinator.) He promised to "get to work on this right away". Perhaps a combination of additional trash cans and holding Metro and/or property owners accountable for trash in front of their places could help. We agreed some kind of anti-litter education campaign is also needed - I'm thinking we could bring back those famous teary-eyed-Indian ads from the 70s... ;)

[mjbrox]

You would need daily clean ups.

I see kids and adults just throw trash on the ground with out even thinking

[Danielman]

I'm probably posting this under the wrong section but nevertheless, is anyone as pissed off by all the garbage on the streets. It is infuriating. Everyday I walk to the metro and pick up fistfuls of garbage. What can we do about this? Should we have Monthly cleanups or something?

[Arland Hunt]

Woof!

[mjbrox]

I have always thought a dog friendly place would be fun, maybe with a dog park out back. I am sure it is a silly dream of mine now that I have a dog.

[Erin]

Regarding the popularity of Tryst and the Diner, I think foot traffic has a lot to do with it, but so does “hitting the nail on the head,” which the owners have clearly done, just as the owners of Wonderland in Columbia Heights have done. Wonderland is packed every time I go in there, and I don’t think it’s because people are spontaneously dropping in while shopping in the area. I think it mainly has to do with the Wonderland people creating an establishment where customers feel that they get a lot of value for the money they spend -- $2 draft beer specials, a menu of good, satisfying, and fairly-priced food (as a vegetarian, I have to give them props for having a delicious vegetarian sausage sandwich! as well as many other meat-free options, all on a small menu). A recent bill for dinner for three people and two rounds of drinks was under $40.

So I totally agree that a Diner-type place would be a great asset to Petworth. Might the Tryst/Diner people be interested in opening a northern branch? It would be great to think about specific restaurants we would like to see in our neighborhood and recruit them before we are assigned a national chain. The same goes for other types of businesses too.

I do agree with the posts that have pointed out why national chains “work.” I think the ideal though, is to have, as Bill said, an “indie” place that feels like it belongs to Petworth, that meets the same needs as a national chain by appealing to a wide range of people, yet having the staff/owners on-site or close by, and thus more likely to be involved with and care about the neighborhood.

[Bill]

I've often wondered why there isn't something else like the Diner, or next-door Tryst for that matter, anywhere else in this city. Some might say it's the location and/or pedestrian diversity that make those places busy almost all the time. But no one else on that strip matches their business, at least to a casual observer. So it's obviously something else, I'd say a certain vision, sensibility, and concept that people just respond to.

It's strange that no one has come up their own version of either model -- 24/7 diner, independent bohemian coffeehouse/bar -- both of which are still unique in DC. (Eighteenth Street Lounge was DC's first mod lounge, but Chi-Cha on U Street and others have made decent spin-offs.)

Could be economic factors... or a lack of savvy entrepreneurs with vision... or both I suppose. I could count DC's successful urban visionaries/cafemeisters on one hand. Actually, I've always given credit where it's due to plucky Domku (like Tryst in certain ways, but nicer) for standing on Kera's vision, seemingly against the odds at times. Despite some early bumps, any neighborhood would kill for such a place. I've heard Takoma folks are jealous, it was originally intended up there... (Re: our pal Kevin's recent comment on the blog, keep in mind that many still complain about Tryst's service too, several years on)

Anyway, I guess the point is that great indie places are hard to come by in the best of 'hoods. Maybe the best way to bring something like The Diner (or whatever) here is to make sure Petworth stays on its positive track. Then if no 'outsider' is lured by our siren song, I guess it'll be time for someone here to saddle up and start something themselves ;)

[Arland Hunt]

I hope people who know restauranteurs are telling them to consider coming to Petworth. I also hope any new restaurants offer dishes at a variety of price levels, making the new establishments accessible to all. Any chance we could get something like The Diner (Adams Morgan) up here?

[Colin]

The development itself sounds great. I think a restaurant at one location and a market (or even another restaurant) at the other would be my preference.

I also agree with the idea that DC sustains a large number of eateries that are _not_ chains and I, for one, very much enjoy the diversity. I'd prefer a non-chain near here. Having another place to get mediocre chain food would not appeal to me, though they do survive for a reason: Many people feel more comfortable eating there than at individually owned spots.

[Bill]

Quite a barrage of good comments in a short period, keep it coming. The more the blog can become a true forum, the better. We all want to influence the course of the neighborhood. That's part of what's great about living here now. By speaking out, that can happen.

I wouldn't hesitate for people to contact Adrian Fenty's office to press any concerns, esp. about the NCRC development plans at the two Georgia Ave sites. He's been very responsive about development issues. His email is [email protected] I believe it's still early enough in the process to have input.

Bill

[Bailey]

Based on how Domku is already doing, and how Colorado Kitchen has done for 3 years, and what types of restaurants are doing well in Adams Morgan, for example, I think this city shows that it appreciates individuality. Folks can drive out of the city limits for their chain restaurants at the malls. And, if you look in downtown Bethesda, they too mostly have individual, or local-chains, not national chains.

I hope we can put pressure on the developer to put in things that we want. We live here. I know that some may not speak up who would like a chain restaurant, but that's not going to keep me from speaking up about wanting distinctive businesses that help make our neighborhood even more special.

[Tim]

Ah yes, but Appleby's, Ruby Tuesdays, Outback Steakhouse, etc. are very, very popular. And may in fact survive because of that popularity. People drive out of the city limits to go to those types of places. Myself, I can't abide them. But more importantly, like Bill stated, it's the way in which this or any establishment is incorporated into the cityscape. Bad design and bad architecture are deathly to any urban environment and much more permanent than the business it contains.

[Bailey]

How do we get feedback like this to the developer so as to possibly influence what kind of restaurant or business goes in there?

[Erin]

A restaurant or small-scale grocery store would be great. The ideal would be a local restaurant or even an outlet of a local chain -- something that would distinguish our neighborhood from the vast sameness of the suburbs and even other parts of DC. A national chain restaurant or similar business (like a CVS) would be a real drag. I do not see something like this adding positively to our neighborhood.

[Bill]

I agree with crazydem... Appleby's or the like wouldn't add much to the landscape either... But I would hope that any development is well-integrated and right up against the sidewalk, not freestanding behind a parking lot suburban-style. Setbacks are deadly to street vitality.

[crazydem]

God -- please not these two:
Ruby Tuesday's, TGI Friday's

yuck.

[mjbrox]

Ohhhh,
an Outback would destroy my diet!

[Bill]

It should be noted that NCRC is also planning to develop another parcel, the one bordered by Georgia and Kansas, between Taylor and Upshur. According to their website, they intend:

- One stand-alone sit down restaurant with a national chain such as Ruby Tuesday's, TGI Friday's or Outback Steakhouse.

- Mixed-use development with ground floor retail space sufficient for a small sit-down restaurant with for-sale or rental housing above.

[Dan]

I'd say it's a pretty exciting time to be a Petworth resident. Hopefully, we can get another restaurant into this site.