From a press release:

Mayor Vincent C. Gray joined officials from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and DC Water today to mark a major step in an ongoing flood-mitigation project in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods, and to urge residents to take preventative steps to protect their property in advance of summer storms that may cause flooding.

“Today is another step forward for the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods, which historically have suffered through significant flooding during large storms,” Mayor Gray said. “We have already implemented several immediate efforts to mitigate the flooding, and are implementing longer-term solutions to ensure that these neighborhoods do not continue experiencing repeated street flooding and property damage due to heavy rainstorms.”

Next week DDOT will begin a construction project to install a five-foot-wide storm sewer line in the median of the 100 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW. This project, which will last three months, will help remove stormwater from the roadway and store it before slowly releasing it into the sewer system.

“When it rains, community members in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park have historically had to worry about flooding,” said DDOT Director Terry Bellamy. “Today we’re taking a major step forward in addressing this problem.”

Throughout the last century, the historic Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods have experienced occasional street flooding and sewer backups during intense rain storms. Last year, however, four major thunderstorms caused repeated flooding and prompted officials to take a closer look at what District agencies and property owners could do to protect property. Mayor Gray appointed a task force last August to study the problem and recommend solutions.

“Last summer we had more intense rainstorms with flooding than in the previous 10 years combined,” noted DC Water General Manager George S. Hawkins. “We began investigating right away and joined the city task force to investigate creative solutions. This year we want to be sure everyone is aware of both what we are doing and what property owners can do to minimize flooding during heavy rains.”

City Administrator and DC Water Board Chair Allen Y. Lew added, “The ultimate engineering fix is coming in 2022 with the massive Clean Rivers Project, but in the meantime we identified a number of actions that can help these neighborhoods.”

The Mayor’s Task Force on the Prevention of Flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park issued a final report earlier this year. It found that these neighborhoods, which were developed at the turn of the 20th century when sewage conveyance was a relatively new concept and the population was less dense, were suffering from a sewer system that was simply too small to accommodate today’s needs. The report included 25 recommendations to mitigate flooding, including short-, medium- and long-term solutions in the following categories: engineering, regulatory, code revision and operation and maintenance components.

Short-Term Solutions

Continues after the jump.

DDOT has already installed catch basins (i.e., storm drains) on the 500 to 600 blocks of Florida Avenue NW and the unit block of T Street NW to help divert water from area roadways and alleviate flooding. In addition to the five-foot-wide storm sewer, DDOT will make the following infrastructure improvements in the near future:

Install a new sewer line and double catch basin at the intersection of 2nd Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW to add capacity to the sewer system;
Install permeable pavement near 1st Street NW to reduce runoff; and
Plant a bioretention cell (i.e., rain garden) in the green space at the intersection of T Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW. An inlet will be placed in the rain garden to capture runoff from large storm events and carefully release it into the sewer system.

DC Water continues to offer home engineering consultations for flood-proofing and backup prevention as well as a rebate program for backwater valves — plumbing devices to prevent sewage from backing up into basements. The rebate covers 90 percent of the cost of the device and installation up to $3,000. The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) offers free rain barrels to property owners. In addition, DDOT is investing in a local green infrastructure program to absorb rainwater before it gets into the stormwater and sewer systems.

Medium-Term Solutions

DDOT will invest $10 million over the next five years in green infrastructure stormwater solutions in this area and areas immediately upstream. Some of these improvements include installing permeable paving and rain gardens to capture and redirect stormwater.

DC Water is implementing two significant engineering projects in the medium term. The first transforms two cells of the abandoned sand-filtration facilities at McMillan Reservoir to capture 6 million gallons of stormwater before it can enter the combined sewer system. The sand is being removed now and the cells will be converted to storage tanks to hold the stormwater during intense rains. This will be operational in 2014.

The second installation will serve a similar purpose, storing an additional six million gallons of stormwater. This is a 19’-diameter tunnel to be built under First Street NW, running from Rhode Island and First Street to the southwest corner of the McMillan site. When construction is complete in 2016, this tunnel (called the First Street Tunnel) will hold stormwater during intense rainstorms, after which a temporary pumping station will deliver the stormwater into the sewer system to be treated at DC Water’s Blue Plains facility.

Long-Term Solutions

DC Water began construction on the massive $2.6 billion Clean Rivers Project in 2011 to build large storage tunnels from Blue Plains all the way up to the Northeast Boundary district. The utility is changing the alignment of the system to provide better drainage for the affected area. DC Water has also accelerated project plans to reach the Bloomingdale/LeDroit area sooner than originally scheduled, so that in 2022 the tunnel system to the south will meet up and tie into the First Street Tunnel. At that time the temporary pumping station can be removed, as drainage will be achieved through gravity.

What Can Bloomingdale/LeDroit Residents Do Now to Mitigate Storm Flooding?

If they haven’t already, they should:

Install a backwater valve to keep sewage from backing up into their homes or businesses;
Take steps to prevent overland flooding from entering dwellings. DC Water offers free engineering consultations;
Contact their insurance about a rider covering sewer back-ups;
Request a rain barrel from DDOE; and
Continue to use sandbags as needed during storms.

The event is scheduled for this Saturday May 18th from 8am – 2pm. Enter the park by the alley at 1st and U Street, NW.

A few weeks ago we learned there was finally some movement at the old North Capitol Firehouse in Bloomingdale:

“A new restaurant anticipated opening in 2013, The Washington Firehouse, Old Engine Company 12 still serves the neighborhood today, but in a slightly different capacity, with its American Classic menu.”

Folks were understandably skeptical but looks like it might really happen. What do you think of the new doors?

Well this might be the best new name (following in the footsteps of Seafood & Crab) for a restaurant I’ve seen – Meat & Foods. A recent liquor license posted out front says:

“Neighborhood restaurant serving house made sausages, sides, coffee and beverages with seating capacity for 12 patrons and total occupancy load of 12. Sidewalk café with 4 seats.”

Sounds promising. Also nice to see this long vacant retail space finally get filled. Revitalization of Florida Ave continues forward.

From an email:

Bloomingdale Farmers Market
Sunday 9-1
First and R NW

Spring onions, spinach, mustard greens, asian greens, lettuce, kale, arugula, mesclun, salad greens, beets, sweet Hakurai turnips, herbs, radishes, sugar snaps, collards, rhubarb pie, stawberry-rhubarb pie, mushroom blue cheese quiche, chard and sundried tomato quiche, chicken, pork in all its glory, turkey, eggs, goat, humanely raised veal, sausages, 15 varieties of Keswick grass fed cheeses and yogurt, cookies, croissants, Breton desserts, baguettes, French multi grained breads, hundreds of herbs and vegetable seedlings; 5 kinds of basil, Mexican and Greek Oregano, many thymes, parsleys, sages, rosemary’s, etc. Unusual ly good tomato varieties.

Come by, come see. Rain or Shine. And you can always have a coffee next door at the Big Bear Cafe.

“We do basic maintenance such as patching flat tires, adjust gears and brakes, and fitting/adjusting the bike to the rider. We also give advice on riding in the area, safety, basic repair, and locking up. We are strictly volunteer run, with no shop affiliations, and completely free.”

When hunting and fishing were recently banned at the North Capitol Firehouse, I knew we were in for some good news… Thanks to all who sent emails about the new facebook page for the Washington Firehouse Restaurant:

“A new restaurant anticipated opening in 2013, The Washington Firehouse, Old Engine Company 12 still serves the neighborhood today, but in a slightly different capacity, with its American Classic menu.”

The Bloomingdale Blog reports:

“An operator was signed last week and should be on course for a early summer opening, late June early July.”

What do you guys think – another tease or is this really happening late June/early July?

Check out some awesome renderings (they have construction shots as well) from the Firehouse’s facebook page:

Big Bear located at 1st and R St, NW is hoping to stay open and serve drinks a bit later:

CURRENT APPROVED HOURS OF OPERATION
Sunday through Thursday: 6:00 am – 11:00 pm; Friday and Saturday: 6:00 am – 12:00 am.

CURRENT APPROVED HOURS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES AND CONSUMPTION
Sunday: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm; Monday through Thursday: 8:00 am – 11:00 pm; Friday and Saturday: 8:00 am – 12:00 am.

REQUESTED HOURS OF OPERATION
Sunday through Thursday: 6:00 am – 12:00 am; Friday and Saturday: 6:00 am – 12:30 am.

REQUESTED HOURS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES AND CONSUMPTION
Sunday: 10:00 am – 12:00 am; Monday through Thursday: 8:00 am – 12:00 am; Friday and Saturday: 8:00 am – 12:30 am.

Yesterday we took a preview of the Red Hen located at 1st and Seaton Pl, NW. More details from a press release:

Today, Proprietors Michael Friedman, Mike O’Malley and Sebastian Zutant open their first restaurant venture together, The Red Hen, located at 1822 1st Street, NW in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, DC.

The Red Hen features Italian-influenced American cuisine. Making the most of mid-Atlantic ingredients, Chef Friedman’s menu relies predominantly on components cooked in a stone hearth featuring a Grillworks custom wood-fired grill. A focal point of the restaurant’s open kitchen, the hearth is not only used in traditional ways – smoking and grilling meats and vegetables – but is also used to explore modern ideas through traditional cooking applications: roasting vanilla beans and making gelato with the pods; slow-roasting ricotta to give the cheese a slightly smoky flavor; and utilizing burning embers in oil to create a smoked aioli.

Sebastian Zutant, most recently the wine director at Proof, is responsible for the beverage program at The Red Hen. Wines, beer and cocktails are all value-driven and eclectic in nature, with a focus on Italian-made wines and spirits. The concise, seasonally driven cocktail list will change frequently, offering drinks priced under $10 that incorporate wines and spirits in unique ways, including the Piedmontese-influenced Urs, made with Campari, Gruner Veltliner and moscato grappa, and Bring out your dead, made with rum, sloe gin, Sercial Madeira, Dolin sweet vermouth and lemon juice. Zutant plans to keep a majority of the 100-bottle wine list under $60, with about 5-10 wines offered by the glass nightly.

Partner Mike O’Malley is leading the restaurant operations, serving as general manager of the 60-seat restaurant. Lauren Winter and Brian Miller of Edit are responsible for the design of the 2,400 square foot space, which boasts an open floor plan and 13-foot ceilings. Natural light, entering from the bay windows, gives way to rich neutral tones, including the painted and aged wood floors throughout the room. The kitchen is open, featuring exposed shelves to hold firewood used for the wood-burning grill. Winter and Miller designed and fabricated the rustic tables and chairs from reclaimed Nicaraguan wood, along with the bar stools, which surround an orange, embossed leather bar.

The Red Hen is located in the historic Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, DC. In the late 19th century, Bloomingdale was a mix of residential and commercial undertakings including one of the city’s two flour mills, country estates, orchards and busy transportation routes. In recent years, the area has seen a resurgence of artistic and cultural venues, restaurants and community gathering places.

The Red Hen is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, with brunch to follow shortly after opening. The hours of operation are Tuesday and Wednesday from 5-10 PM, Thursday through Saturday from 5-11 PM and Sunday from 5-9:30 PM. For reservations and more information, please visit the website at www.theredhendc.com or call 202-525-3021.

Last we heard 1635 North Capitol Street, NW was supposed to become a wine bar but haven’t heard anything recently.

Here’s what the building looked like in 2011 before it popped up:

2011

And here’s what it looks like today:

2013

2013

After Le Diplomate opened last week I thought it was going to be a long time until we saw another new restaurant home run. It only took one week. For those who don’t recall, back in Nov. 2012 Red Hen applied for a liquor license explaining the space as:

“New neighborhood restaurant with Italian roots. Seating capacity of 78, Occupancy Load of 99, and Sidewalk Café with 46 seats.”

Red Hen opens this Tuesday in Bloomingdale and looks amazing. Later this week their menu will be available on their website. For now have a look at the amazing transformation of the space.

Full wrap around bar with exposed kitchen in the back:

Beautiful dining area:

More photos including what the space looked like in Oct. 2012 after the jump.

Looking north on 1st Street, NW

Inside space October 2012

Outdoor space in November 2012