A new residential building could soon occupy a currently empty lot on 17th St. NW in Dupont.
Developer CAS Riegler seeks to build a a new three-story building on the vacant lot at 1500 17th St. NW, according to plans shared with Borderstan. The building would hold two residential units and include a penthouse and basement, the plans show.
A representative of the developer revealed the company’s plans during a Dupont Circle ANC meeting last Thursday. Though the neighborhood commission supported the plans, its members recommended several design changes to “better incorporate this project into the historic character of Dupont Circle.”
“The project as proposed feels somewhat out of place and has a very sharp — almost jarring — contrast into its historic context,” the commission wrote in its resolution.
Recommended changes include redesigning the building to include different materials, making the windows on the east elevation smaller and moving the penthouse west so it doesn’t appear as large from P Street.
CAS Riegler is slated to present its plans to the Historic Preservation Review Board later this month or early next month.
h/t ANC 2B commissioner John Kupcinski
New restaurant Brick Lane will bring burgers, mac and cheese, sandwiches, steaks and tacos to 17th Street NW when it opens next week.
The eatery will open at 1636 17th St. NW on Monday, owner Salim Elalami told Borderstan yesterday evening.
“It is pretty much comfort food,” said Elalami, who added that the new restaurant will serve a diverse menu with influences from French, Spanish, Thai and American cuisines. “It’s almost like a little bistro.”
(Updated at 2 p.m. Tuesday) Diners will soon have a new destination to eat South American food in Dupont.
Divino Grill (1633 17th St. NW), which closed for renovations earlier this month, will reopen as Malbec, a restaurant specializing in Argentinian beef, tapas and wine, said owner Nelson Ayala.
The eatery, which Ayala said could have a soft opening as early as next week, will serve Argentinian beef, dishes in tapas-sized portions, pastries and Argentinian ice cream. Ayala added that he’s expecting a large shipment of South American wines to compliment the menu
“There will be something for everybody,” Ayala said.
When the restaurant opens, South American art will hang on the walls, and diners will sit at sleek black tables inside a newly renovated dining area.
D.C. Police say they have a new lead in connection with an armed robbery that occurred in Adams Morgan last month.
According to police, a man was robbed while entering his home near the 2500 block of 17th Street NW on June 6 at approximately 1:50 a.m.
During the robbery, two men grabbed the victim from behind and threw him to the ground. One robber flashed a gun while the other kicked and punched the victim, say police. The attackers then stole cash from the victim and fled in a minivan.
In a video released today by police, a light gray Dodge Caravan can be seen driving down a street and through a four-way stop.
Police believe the minivan in the video is connected to the robbery.
The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a robbery committed in the District of Columbia.
Anyone who has information regarding this case should call police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, information may be submitted to the TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.
Video via MPD
Crime news from Dupont-Logan-U Street.
DC Police reported a robbery with the use of force and violence at 11:15 pm, Sunday, January 20, at 17th and Q Streets NW. The lookout is for a man riding a bike and wearing a ski mask, according to the DC Police Twitter feed and Police Alert. More details are below.
From DC Police Alerts: “Robbery F&V 2315 hrs/ 17th & Q St NW / LOF: W/M or H/M riding bike, brown jkt, blk ski DO NOT TAKE ACTION CALL 911 W/EVENT #I20130030917, Sent on: 01/21 00:08”
From the DC Police Twitter feed: “3D Robbery F&V-17th & Q St NW/ 2315 hrs/ W/M or H/M riding bike, bro jkt, ski cap/ L/S northbound 17th St // 2495.”
Police Alerts, More Information
You can sign up for alerts through Alert DC and get alerts by e-mail, cell phone, pager or wireless PDA. When signing up, you can select alerts on crime, transportation, utility outages/issues, government closings, breaking news, DC-sponsored events and Amber Alerts. You can follow the DC Police on Twitter @DCPoliceDept.
You can get more information about crime in the Borderstan area through the MPD listservs for the Second and Third Districts on Yahoo! Groups.
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Floriana’s Christmas tree has become a tradition of 17th Street. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Dito Sevilla. Email him at dito[AT]borderstan.com, follow him on Twitter @DitoDC.
The tradition all started in 2004. That’s when the restaurant located at 1602 17th Street (now Floriana) set-up a small, fake tree outside of the restaurant’s main door.
However, after years and years of decorating, I called it off. It was too expensive and there were other complications involved in the holiday tradition.
When the current owner purchased the restaurant, he seemed unaware we had a holiday hiatus and asked to get a tree for the season. We worked with Frank from OLD CITY green and bought a 12-footer. That year restored the annual tradition at Floriana.
“We’re Italian after all. We love Christmas,” says Dino Tapper, the owner of Floriana. “And Dito, well he’s just crazy about it. Were just happy to have a place where he can basically let his Christmas spirit explode. The kids love it, the neighbors love it — the only thing we don’t love about it is taking it all down.”
Currently, we are on our third and largest natural tree, of which I select the shape, the style and the thousands of decorations that adorn the branches.
Recycling decorations from previous years is important, for tradition as well as to control costs. Each year we add additional decorations, but we make sure they compliment the previous years’ themes.
In 2011, my theme was “A Candy Cane Christmas.” This year, the theme is “Election Year Christmas.” The tree is decked out with red, white and blue.
In fact, I’m even hoping to leave the tree up through the inauguration (it’ll be a “Barak Bush” with flags and ribbons), so I’m hoping Mother Nature is kind enough to leave us some needles after the New Year.
Since the tree is enjoyed by the whole neighborhood, I get no greater pleasure than bringing a big slice of holiday cheer to the community around us.
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Click above for more images from the 2012 17th Street High Race. (Luis Gomez Photos)
See photos from the 2012 17th Street High Heel Race.
From Rachel Nania and Luis Gomez. Check out Nania’s blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir, follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com. Catch Gomez’s photos at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.
What does it take to win DC’s Annual High Heel Race? According to this year’s winner, it takes an “aerodynamic” leopard-print jumpsuit, four-inch bootie heels and collegiate mid-and-long-distance running experience.
Despite Hurricane Sandy’s wrath and havoc this week, the High Heel Race prevailed in its 26th year. Everyone — from young families, to Mayor Vincent Gray and the city’s best-dressed drag queens — came to 17th Street to cheer on the runners and participate in the Halloween-week tradition.
And while this year’s winner, Inertia, took training seriously (the contestant was a former competitive runner in college and was “born in heels”), most participants came for a leisurely evening of costume and festivities (and some jogging).
“We just came to do our princess wave,” said Princess Celestia, a local resident who has been dressing up for the race for six years and prefers to casually participate in the race. “We’re just here to have people to cheer us on.”
Borderstan resident Lee Granados watched from the sidelines with her family. “We’ve been coming as a family since the race started,” she explained.
Even Miss DC, Allyn Rose, was on hand to help promote Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Costumes ranged from princesses, to witches (one from the West and three from Hocus Pocus), butterflies, Greek gods, vampires, dark angels and even the coral reef (think lots of colorful balloons).
As you can imagine, not all of the evening’s costumes were easy to run in.
“Miss Butterfly,” who competed on Thursday night for the seventh year, explained that her costume (a intricate headpiece made of monarch butterflies) took “several late evenings to construct.” Another participant, “Fannie Rice” happily danced to “Gangnam Style” in a detailed Asian-inspired costume, topped with a golden waving kitty.
So what, then, carried Inertia, a Columbia Heights resident and first-time participant, across the finish line so easily? “Oh, I was running on my toes the whole time, girl!”
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