The January Hill Rag, includes a piece by Elise Bernard in which she interview a variety of H Street community leaders about their hopes and expectations for what 2010 will bring.
We already know that there will be a ton of additional openings from more bars to sit down restaurants to a highly-regarded pie place on the east end (Dangerously Delicious will be first, but Biergarten Haus and Liberty Tree are close behind. Hopefully we will also see The Star & Shamrock, Vendetta and Drew before long). We also know that an Ethiopian restaurant, a high-end wine and spirits place, a grocery store, and a couple major mixed use residential/retail buildings are in the works on the 200-300-400, 600, and 800-900 blocks over the next year or two.
In the Hill Rag piece, Anwar Saleem of H Street Main Street shares that a pet store has been scouting locations on the 500 block of H and expresses his hope that we will eventually have a bike shop and a gym. So if we have a grocery store and a pet shop coming, what else are we does H Street still really need to add?
High on our list is a nice wine bar/restaurant in the model of Cork. Sova is a nice spot to grab a glass of wine, but doesn't quite fit the bill and many of our other spots are really beer-centric places. A nice gym and grocery would also be fantastic.
So what other types of establishments do we want to come to H Street in 2010 and beyond?
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I think H Street needs a either a small to mid-size hotel or a hostel. I suggest hostel because the corridor has a young and gritty vibe to it. The residents/guests would certainly patronize all of the new bars and restaurants that have recently opened and are planned. Also, it makes sense to put a hotel type land use on H given its proximity to Union Station and downtown.
ReplyDeleteThis is a my wish list in stream of conscience order:
ReplyDeletehead shop, rub and tug, bbq place, trader joes, bojangles, good breakfast/burger/diner spot. second run movie theater that serves booze, outdoor basketball court, Bar that shows all NFL games on big screens
We have a good BBQ place on Maryland and 8th (?), and the Capitol City Diner should have good breakfast and diner food. Sova would fit my wine bar needs if they served alcohol on Sundays and Mondays...
ReplyDeleteThat said, I would definitely love a good gym/YMCA (with real pool/sauna) and a second run movie theater w/ booze (like the Drafthouse but closer).
The BBQ on 8th and Maryland, Kennys, I wouldn't consider good BBQ. More importantly it's not part of H Street. There is some sort of BBQ place that is coming to H street eventually. I look forward to Capital City Diner too, but I fear it's location might do it in.
ReplyDeleteI think Atlas is planning on doing some art films soon. I agree that a good burger spot would be a nice addition, though Argonaut has a pretty good one in the meantime.
ReplyDeleteMy top three are a nicer sit down restaurant, a grocery store, and a gym. Depending on how nice the grocery store is, a gourmet foods spot, like Marvelous Market or a bakery would be a good addition as well.
Napa 1015 was a nicer sitdown restaurant and a good place for a glass of wine. They even did regular tastings. Hopefuly when the economy perks up it will re-open.
ReplyDeleteWhat shall we do to make use of the large unused parking lot behind murrays/old dmv? That could be a prime location for a gym/swim facility.
ReplyDeleteBlair shelter is a beautiful structure that has much promise for both residential and community use. It lies adjacent to the unused parking area behind murrays/old dmv
ReplyDeleteAnyone have an idea is that empty lot of H and 3rd is destined to become a grocery store? Sorry if I'm behind the eight ball, but I'm new to the area (and this lovely blog). My hubby and I received conflicting reports as we were recently home shopping in the hood.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
@Melissa,
ReplyDeleteYes, the lot on the north side of the 300 block of H was purchased by Steuart Investments and is being designed by Torti Gallas to be a residential building with a grocery store anchoring the ground level.
http://hstreetgreatstreet.blogspot.com/2009/10/grocery-store-coming-to-h-street-ne.html
Thanks for the info. Trader Joe's or a Whole Foods would be amazing.
ReplyDeleteThere's a basketball court by the Sherwood Rec Center on 9th St. Argonaut does sunday football though not every game on big screens. I think Trader Joe's is out for the Steuart Development, but am interested to see who it will be. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of new restaurants that are more restaurant and less bar open this year: Biergarten, Star and Shamrock, Vendetta, Ethiopic, Liberty Tree. It would be great to get another even higher end restaurant in that would be a draw for more folks.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the concerns of residents who don't want too many cookie-cutter chain establishments, but I'm a big fan of mixing both. H St would do well with a Chipotle, Starbucks, Panera, Trader Joes, etc. Have a few places people are familiar with and then when they're there, they'll see and what to try the Taylors, Sovas, and Argonauts of the region. Seems to me that's what works in places like Old Town Alex.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if the new H Street Connection or somewhere else had a nice CVS and a good dry cleaners. Does anyone use the one at 11th or 13th?
ReplyDeleteWe have used the one at 11th. They are nice folks, reasonably priced and quick on the turnaround.
ReplyDeleteRetail, retail, retail! Hardware, furniture, CLOTHING!, music, house wares, etc. Restaurants are close to covered with what's there and what's coming, we need stores.
ReplyDeletea good hardware store would be a big plus!
ReplyDeleteYMCA!!! And also space for a big free community garden :) and / or a farmers market
ReplyDeleteIs Park's hardware closed? A local hardware shop is tough sell with Home Depot 5 minutes away. Trader Joe's is not happening, and word is they are sick of being bugged about it (ditto Whole Foods). We'll get a Safeway and people will complain about it, but it will be a big step up from Murray's.
ReplyDeleteAgreed that a Cork would do awesome here. We could use a nicer wine bar and it would also be our first small plates/tapas spot.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing that'd be great would be a gym. My block is littered with folks who drive south to Results to work out. Doesn't Vida have some big rivalry with them? Maybe we could get them over here?
How about a running store? I don't think there are any on Capitol Hill and there was a nice piece on how they were flourising in today's WP. There are lots of runners on the Hill.
ReplyDeleteBAGELS! All of DC, but especially Capitol Hill since the spot on Penn Ave closed needs a bagel upgrade!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with RETAIL!!! We need retail, both chain and local, to keep people spending money (= tax dollars = services) in the neighborhood. The only neighborhoods in DC who have active retail spots are G'town and downtown (kinda...).
ReplyDeleteThe YM/WCA at what is now Blair Shelter.
ReplyDelete