Shaw Community Development Walk Scheduled for Thursday, June 28

ANC 2C04 Commissioner Rachelle Nigro has organized a Community Development Walk that will take place on Thursday, June 28, 2012.  According to Commissioner Nigro, "We will be walking and talking with the local developers that have projects around ANC 2C. Come ask the developers questions directly and learn about what is happening in our neighborhood."

The walk will begin at 6:30 p.m. in front of 437 New York Avenue, NW, and will end at the Queen of Sheba restaurant at 1503 9th Street, NW.

The walk will be canceled in the event of rain.

Mood Lounge Building Purchased by Corduroy Owner Tom Power

The Mood Lounge building has been purchased by Tom Power, the owner of Corduroy restaurant, according to records filed with the D.C. Recorder of Deeds.  The deed transferring ownership of the property to Power was filed on April 25, 2012.  (Many thanks to a reader for bringing this to my attention.)

As reported previously on this blog, the now-prior owner of the Mood Lounge building filed for bankruptcy in August of 2011, after having been served with a notice of foreclosure in July 2011.  In late 2011, the prior owner attempted to sell the building to Mood Lounge proprietor Abeba Beyene, but that sale fell through.  Around March of this year, the prior owner entered into a sale agreement with Power; the bankruptcy court approved the proposed sale in April, but the sale was contingent on Power obtaining financing for the purchase.  That financing appears to have occurred, and the sale of the Mood Lounge building to Power took place in late April.  In May, the prior owner's former creditors filed certificates of satisfaction with the Recorder of Deeds, so Power appears to have clear title to the property.

I have contacted Power for a comment, but have not yet received a response.

Power's Corduroy restaurant is located at 1122 9th Street, NW, and has been on Washingtonian's list of the 100 Very Best Restaurants for three years in a row.

For more information on the Mood Lounge building owner's bankruptcy proceeding, check out this prior post.  Additional information on the sale agreement between Power and the prior owner is here and here.

Restaurant Proposed for 1539-41 New Jersey Avenue, NW

Developer Aaron Hirsch has proposed to open a sit-down restaurant at 1539-1541 New Jersey Avenue, NW.  The restaurant would occupy two vacant storefronts in the commercial structure that spans the east side of New Jersey Avenue between P and Q Streets, NW.  In an interesting twist, the restaurant would include only outdoor seating and, under the developer's current proposal, would not be open during December, January, or February.

Because the property is residentially zoned (although it has long housed commercial uses), Hirsch must first receive a variance from the Board of Zoning Adjustment to open a restaurant.  He intends to file a request for the variance within the next month and hopes to have the variance approved within four to six months after filing.  Hirsch would then need to obtain a liquor license through the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.  Hirsch's goal is to open the restaurant  in March 2013.

The site plan for the restaurant is likely to include picnic tables, a gazebo, bike racks, and recreational amenities (such as bocce or cornhole).  Although the current plan is for the restaurant to be closed during the winter months, an enclosed patio section that may be used during the winter months is a possibility.

Images of the current site and a rendering of the proposed restaurant are available after the jump.

Ceremonial Groundbreaking to Take Place This Week for Jefferson at Market Place (Kelsey Gardens Redevelopment)

A ceremonial groundbreaking will take place on June 6, 2012, for the Jefferson at Market Place, according to Shaw Main Streets.  Raze permits were issued in May.  Demolition is expected to begin soon after the ceremonial groundbreaking and construction is expected to begin in July.

The Jefferson at Market Place project (previously named the Addison Square project) entails the redevelopment of the former Kelsey Gardens Section 8 housing project, which is located along the west side of 7th Street, NW, between P Street and Q Street.  The new development will replace the multiple, now-vacant low-rise structures and surface parking area with a single building spanning the entire block.  The new building is designed to appear as six separate buildings, generally eight stories in height, but stepping down to six stories at the Q Street end of the project.

The project includes approximately 280 residential housing units, 54 of which will be affordable to households making 60% or less of the area median income.  There will also be approximately 14,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and 230 below-ground parking spaces.

The project website describes the building amenities as follows:

Jefferson at Market Place will feature modern amenity spaces that will include a boutique-style lobby with a 24-hour concierge, state-of-the-art fitness center, resident business center, and community lounge with bar and gaming areas. Residents will also have exclusive access to two private courtyards on the ground floor, a landscaped roof deck on the seventh floor, and a large pool deck on the 8th floor roof.

After the jump, view a larger rendering of the project, an image of the existing buildings, and an aerial view showing the site context.