Monday, March 7, 2011

What's going on with...Tru Orleans, HR-57, Bikeshare & the streetcar/streetscape

400 H Street -- Tru Orleans construction is now well-underway with an open second level being installed above the preexising single story building.  Last we'd heard a voluntary agreement to address noise and other community impacts had not been finalized with ANC6C and the ANC had authorized a protest of the liquor license pending an agreement. 
Open air second floor being installed at 400 H St

816 H Street -- HR-57 Facade work occured and a sign went up about a week ago.  We're told this has been slowed by the usual construction and permitting issues, but the recent facade improvement and signage gives us hope that we are close.  The sign says Jazz and Blues.  We believe you'll see both here and eventually two separate HR-57 outposts on H Street with one for Jazz and another for Blues.


New green paint and temporary sign for HR-57 Jazz & Blues at 816 H St

Street Construction  DDOT began doing sidewalks up the south side of the street, starting with the 500 and 600 blocks and plans to work their way east.  Tracks have crossed up to 12th Street on the south side.  The 1300 block had been on hold for the H Street Festival, but demolition has begun on the north side.  And trees were planted along the north side in the treeboxes last week starting at 13th Street and working steadily to the western end, expected to finish the north side of the street today.  When the planting is complete, over 200 new trees will have been planted on H Street.  Another 19 are going in via neighborhood volunteer labor at the Sherwood Recreation Center (640 10th St) in a few weeks thanks to Casey Trees.   

Bikeshare and racks?  Bikeshare keeps promising more stations in the area, but the long-promised spot near 10th & H has yet to materialize.  We're told it is still in the works in the coming months.  In the meantime, bicycle parking is being installed.  CHAMPS and WABA came together to install them at Cap City Diner and the Argonaut in recent days.  Check out Julia Christian's photo of the new ones at the Argonaut, installed last week.

4 comments:

  1. Excellent update, any word on what is going down at 644 H st?

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  2. Campy,

    Not much more to report other than that the property changed hands in early winter and that demo and construction began soonthereafter. The facade has looked good the past few weeks and we heard today that the interior is moving along as well with plans for a restaurant. We'll share more as we hear it, but we're pleased to see another nice building on the north side of the 600 block near 7th, which has been home to a couple BBQ catering spots and now Adobe Design as well.

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  3. The owner of TruOrleans also owns a strip club in DC. It remains to be seen what sort of clientele TruOrleans attracts. Will this be a nice restaurant or another place where weekly stabbings occur?

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  4. I don't care what else one of Tru Orleans's owners owns, but if they're going to leave the awnings they put up today in place, I'm not going to be happy. Just plain ugly.

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