Petworth News

Intangible CH

[from Bill C.]

Interesting mood-post on a recent November evening in Columbia Heights.

Petworth Flickr group

[from Roshani K.]

Have you taken great images in the neighborhood and want to share them with the community? You can join the Petworth DC group on Flickr and upload your images to the group. Here's the link to the group.

New bus shelters

[from Bill C.]

Here is the new bus shelter design being installed across the city, according to the Dr. Gridlock column in the Post. Petworth has (or will have) them at various spots including along Georgia Avenue, Upshur Street, and Kennedy Street. Money DC receives from the contract - with Clear Channel, who will build and maintain them in exchange for ad rights - will help fund the Great Streets initiative.

So something that beautifies Georgia Avenue will also help fund more beautification, nice. Apparently these will actually have route maps as well, and hopefully, if they work out the bugs, a lit signboard with next bus arrival info.

Lost dog 11/27

[from Nina H.]

I found a yorkie terrier this morning wandering around north of Grant Circle between Kansas and Illinois. He is fine. Cleaned him up and fed him and he is now at the New York Avenue Humane Society. If you have any info or questions about this missing dog, please feel free to email me. And if he is yours, please let me know he is home safe and sound.

Grant Circle lights

[from Joe Martin, ANC 4C Chair]

On Wednesday evening, the lights inside Grant Circle came on again for the first time in many, many months.

Thank you, Councilmember Bowser for your extra push. Pepco and National Park Service: It should not have taken so long.

The National Park Service and the DC Department of Transportation should consider some kind of soft barrier that would prevent the electrical box on the south side from being destroyed in the inevitable, future car accident.

A device to photograph speeder's license plates might help to calm the freeway-like rush along New Hampshire Avenue NW above Georgia.

House questions

[from Roshani K.]

I recently moved into the neighborhood. I have a few questions regarding houses in the neighborhood. Our house is from 1923.

Water
Has the city replaced the lead pipes in the neighborhood? Is the water safe to drink from the tap? Any suggestions of the best way to get the water tested? 

Electrical
The electrical wiring is frayed and is still on 100AMP. Do I need to contact Pepco or an electrical company to get the wiring updated? Any suggestions of companies and how much it will cost?

Basement flooring
We have checkered flooring in the basement and the home inspector said that it might be asbestos. Any suggestions of how to deal with this? Remove it or put ceramic or other type of flooring on top?

Plumbing
This house has galvanized pipes. Have you had your pipes replaced if so, please let me know which company you used and how much it cost.

Thank you for any suggestions & advice.

Highland Park

[press release from Larry Clark]

HIGHLAND PARK ANNOUNCES RETAIL TENANTS, CONVERSION TO RENTAL

Donatelli Development and Gragg and Associates announced today they will convert their Highland Park building, nearing completion at the southwest corner of 14th and Irving streets in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Northwest Washington, from condominium to rental.

Highland Park is a mixed-use development with 229 residential units, 20,000 square feet of retail, and three levels of underground parking. It is located directly atop the western entrance to the Columbia Heights metro. Donatelli Development's recently completed condominium building across the street, Kenyon Square, is 70% sold, and sales continue with immediate delivery available.

Donatelli Development has reached agreements for six retail spaces at Highland Park, including five restaurants and Signal Financial Federal Credit Union. Discussions are under way with other businesses, including a sushi restaurant, for the two other retail spaces in the development.

The five confirmed restaurants, joining two full-service sit-down restaurants, a Starbuck's coffee store and a fine wine and beer retailer across the street at Kenyon Square, comprise an emerging restaurant row in Columbia Heights, with a wonderful variety of cuisines and atmospheres. They include:

- Hank's Oyster Bar founder Jamie Leeds plans a fine-dining restaurant with an eclectic but accessible and affordable menu. Hank's was nominated for "Best New Restaurant" in 2006 and "Best Neighborhood Restaurant" in 2007 by The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.

- Five Guys Burgers and Fries, started in 1986 just a few miles away in Arlington, since expanded into a franchise operation covering 16 states and the District of Columbia. Nothing but great burgers and fries; voted Washingtonian magazine's "#1 Burger" seven years in a row.

- Pete's Apizza, bringing New Haven-style "apizza" to Washington, in addition to fresh pastas, panini, soups, antipasto, salads and gelato, as well as a selection of domestic and Italian wines and beers. Fast casual service model, contemporary Tuscan-inspired décor.

- Potbelly Sandwich Works, offering sandwiches made to order, salads, soups, smoothies and various sweets; a popular casual dining destination with over 150 stores in the mid-Atlantic and Midwest.

- Zinnia, a locally owned sit-down restaurant serving an exotic menu of Caribbean foods and drinks, tapas-style, in a comfortable lounge environment. Open from breakfast through late evening cocktails; dine-in, take-out or delivery.

In selecting the restaurants for Highland Park, Donatelli has been striking a balance between full-service and fast casual, understanding the neighborhood's rapidly changing needs, with a denser residential character still taking shape and the highly anticipated opening of the DC-USA complex across the street. The challenge is to mix up dining destinations that appeal to both neighborhood residents coming home from a long day of work, and visitors who might want to have a quick meal while they're shopping at DC-USA (which will have the city's first Target, as well as Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond, Marshalls, Staples and more).

Also important for Donatelli in the selection process is an emphasis on providing opportunities to local business owners. Chris Donatelli, president of Donatelli Development, stated, "While we are proud to be bringing two very well-known national food service names to the development, we are prouder still to be making the vast majority of our retail opportunities available to local business owners, many of whom will be opening their first store after long careers working for other people."  Six out of the eight retailers at Kenyon Square are locally owned (including two locally owned franchises).

Domku notice

[from Kera C.]

Domku will be closed this Friday, November 16th between 3-8pm for a private event. Regular dinner service resumes at 8:30pm.

ANC 4C November meeting

[from Joseph Martin, ANC 4C Chair]

Below are highlights planned for tomorrow's (Tuesday 11/13) Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4C meeting. The meeting starts at 6:30pm at 801 Shepherd St NW at the building formerly known as the ROC North, now called the Patrol Service Bureau (as a result of the reorganization of the Metropolitan Police Department earlier this year). Times are approximate.

6:30-7:00  Routine Business
7:00  Community comment period (3 minutes per person)
7:15  Timothy Cox, COO of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, providing an update on the revised Master Plan for development of the Home
7:35  DDOT's "Great Streets" program update / plans for Georgia Avenue renovations [Ed. note - postponed to future meeting]
7:50  Georgia/Petworth Family Support Collaborative permit application for adding a ramp providing access for the disabled for structure on the 1200 block of Allison St NW
8:00 Application submitted by J & B Food Market at 233 Upshur St NW to extend hours of operation by one hour.
8:10  Grant Application: 14th Heights Business Assn. request for $925 for holiday decorations for 14th St NW between Webster and Decatur.
8:25  Grant Application: Pearl & Ivy Educational Foundation request for $1,425 for Spring Rd Shelter Christmas Party.

map of ANC 4C boundaries

Tree planting 11/11

[from Rich M.]

Yes, I know – this is VERY short notice but this is the first I’ve seen of this blog but I’ll be sure to come back often.

Hampshire Gardens and Casey Tree Foundation are hosting a tree planting event on Sunday, November 11th from 9am to 1pm. Hampshire Gardens Cooperative is a housing cooperative comprising the block of New Hampshire Ave, Emerson St, 3rd St, and Farragut St.

We will be planting 15 trees on Sunday but a lot of our residents are seniors. This is why I’m appealing to anyone here to come help us green up the neighborhood. The registration area will have signage at the driveway of 4912 New Hampshire Ave NW – just come on by, get your caffeine fix and get started being green!

The particulars again are :
4912 New Hampshire Ave NW
Sunday 11/11, 9am-1pm

Found dog

[from Andrew M.]

Hi, just writing to report that I found a blonde chihuahua mix dog on my street (4th between Webster and Varnum, near Grant Circle) tonight, Monday Nov. 5. The DC shelter picked him/her up tonight, and is awaiting a call from the owner. The number is 202-635-7915.

Domku News

[from Kera C.]

The Upshur Street Arts Fair returns December 15 for the 3rd year in a row. Interested artists and crafty individuals sign up now to reserve a spot for this Petworth holiday event. We've seen over 30 artists over the past two years, and we hope that with all the newcomers to Petworth there will be a few more new participants. Go to the Domku website for more details (domkucafe.com).

The Fall/Winter menu is back with all the cold-weather favorites and a few new dishes, too. The Winter Getaway Menus will also return this year. Check the Domku website in a few days to see which country's cuisine will be featured this year.

I've made a plug once again with Fresh Farms to have the farmers market in Petworth next summer. No news yet, but I remain optimistic.