Downtown

A Peek Inside Del Frisco’s Grill Coming to 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

By Prince Of Petworth


1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Back in May we noticed some progress at Del Frisco’s Grill coming to the former Les Halles space at 1201 Pennsylvania Ave, NW. Yesterday I stopped by to see how the inside was looking. It is way further along than I thought. I’m told they’ll be opening July 14th. Stay tuned for updates on their menu (I’m told their Ahi tacos will be amazing) and a proper photo preview as we get closer to the 14th. I’m particularly psyched about the potential of the outdoor patio as well. Here’s a peek at what it looks like now and some renderings.

Inside features a huge bar plus table and booth seating for 170. The Patio outside will seat 100.

Check out some renderings after the jump. (more…)

Temporary “Quilt Store” to Support the AIDS Memorial Quilt Coming to 1030 17th Street, NW on June 27th

By Prince Of Petworth


1030 17th St, NW

From Quilt 2012:

What is the AIDS Memorial Quilt?

In June 1987, a group of strangers gathered to remember the names and lives of their loved ones they feared history would forget. It was this group that first set the sewing machines at The NAMES Project Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, in motion in a small storefront in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood. Those first few memorials – sewn 25 years ago, were voices crying out the suffering of one community. Over the years those voices have swelled to tens of thousands calling for compassion, awareness and action in the age of AIDS on behalf of people from all walks of life, all around the globe.

Throughout its history, The AIDS Memorial Quilt has been used to fight prejudice, raise awareness and funding, as a means to link hands with the global community in the struggle against AIDS, and as an effective tool in HIV and AIDS education and prevention.

The store will be:

“the perfect way to support The Quilt as it makes its way to Washington, D.C. You can purchase Quilt 2012 merchandise, attend cool events, learn more about the Quilt, and HIV/AIDS.”

Sounds Like Riot Act Comedy Theater is Closing in Penn Quarter at the end of the Month

By Prince Of Petworth


801 E St, NW

A reader sends an intriguing email:

I got the information below from a United Social Sports email today that they are having a party in a new club (and indicates used to be Riot Act). I looked at RA’s site and doesn’t indicate they are closing but they don’t seem to have any acts scheduled for July or August on their calendar. If true, too bad for RA. I hosted a private party in their showroom shortly after they opened, it’s a wonderful space.

“Exclusive Preview Party!

Join USS as we invite you to an exclusive private preview of Penn Quarters Newest Bar!

Its so new we can’t even give you the name so you KNOW this is going to be a blast!

There will be Free Miller Lite & $2 Rails and an awesome DJ from 9-11pm then the party continues with ridiculous drink specials and games the rest of the night.

Where: Penn Quarters Newest Bar (Formerly Riot Act)
When: Saturday, July 9th @ 7pm”

Another reader writes:

“Thought you may like to know; Riot Act Comedy Theater is planning to close at the end of the month. Employees are trying to keep it hush but word gets out. A check of their calendar shows no planned events after the 29th.”

Indeed Riot Act’s Web site has no new shows listed after June. Other readers have also written in asking about a new “huge” bar in Penn Quarter.

Riot Act opened up back in Aug. 2011 at 801 E Street, NW. More info as it becomes available.

Update from commenter Downtown Dave:

“For what it’s worth, the place isn’t closing — it is being recreated/renamed. The stage will remain downstairs and they will continue to host live events — music, comedy, etc. Further, the upstairs space will be reinvigorated as a Tryst-like coffee house/bar open day and night– a huge upgrade from its current underutilized state.”

Streets of Washington Presents – St. James Hotel

By Prince Of Petworth

Streets of Washington, written by John DeFerrari, covers some of DC’s most interesting buildings and history. John is also the author of Lost Washington DC.

When traveling to Washington in the early 1900s—by train, of course—you would have arrived either at the Baltimore & Ohio Station on Capitol Hill or at the Baltimore & Potomac Station on the western end of the Mall, where the National Gallery of Art now stands. Stumbling out of that station, in desperate need of lodgings, you would have to travel a block north to Pennsylvania Avenue to get to the famous National Hotel across the wide street on the right or the nearly-as-famous Metropolitan Hotel down the block to the left. But if you didn’t want to lug your bags that far, you could choose the St. James, immediately to your right, on the southeast corner of Sixth Street and Pennsylvania.

The St. James was never quite as prominent as its rival neighbors, although it strove for its own brand of distinction and capitalized on its strategic location. It was opened as Bunker’s Avenue Hotel by George W. Bunker (1834-1889) shortly after the Civil War. Bunker, a native of New Hampshire, had been a manager at the National Hotel for six years and had also worked at the Seaton House hotel, a block to the west. John Wilkes Booth stayed at the National in April 1865, and during the court inquiry into the assassination of President Lincoln, Bunker testified about Booth’s comings and goings, which he had observed.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

Hill Country Summer Barbeque Coming to the National Building Museum

By Prince Of Petworth

The National Building Museum, 401 F St, NW, is on a roll. First they are bringing us mini golf inside the museum and now barbeque from Hill Country. It’s not too often you see a liquor license application attached to a tree but here’s a good one:

It says:

“New Seasonal outdoor tavern on the 5th Street lawn of the National Building Museum serving barbecue food and beverages with live entertainment.”

Awesome!

Hill Country is located nearby at 410 7th St, NW in Penn Quarter. You can see their menu here. More info on Hill Country Summer Barbeque as it becomes available.


401 F St, NW

Judging New Buildings – New York University Building on 1300 block of L Street, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

Check out the new NYU building on the 1300 block of L Street, NW. What do you think so far – thumbs up or down?

The NYU Web site says:

In fall 2010 New York University held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Constance Milstein and Family Global Academic Center, a new facility in Washington, DC, establishing the University’s permanent presence in the nation’s capital, and expanding NYU’s network of study sites around the globe. The Center is named for NYU Trustee Constance Milstein in recognition of her $10 million gift to help establish the new site.

The facility itself will encompass a 12-story, mixed-use building, with 75,000 square feet of space. It will be centrally located in Northwest Washington, just blocks from the White House, the World Bank, and the Smithsonian, and adjacent to the cultural attractions on DC’s 14th Street corridor.

Designed by the award-winning firm of Hickok Cole Architects, the building will serve a variety of functions. The lower levels will feature seminar rooms, meeting spaces, and offices, as well as a 200-seat auditorium and an expansive lobby that will double as a student lounge and a venue for public events. Above, there will be five floors of dormitories and a few visitors’ apartments. In addition, the NYU Office of Government Relations and Community Affairs, and the Brademas Center for the Study of Congress will establish satellite locations within the Center. Importantly, the building will embrace NYU’s commitment to sustainability, targeting Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

Nordstrom Rack Coming to former Borders Space at 18th and L St, NW?

By Prince Of Petworth


18th and L St, NW

Yesterday we heard the news that a DSW would be coming into the old Borders space in Friendship Heights. Looks like the downtown Borders at 18th and L St, NW might have a new tenant as well. Bisnow shares some scuttlebutt:

“that Nordstrom Rack is negotiating a lease at 1800 L St, Borders’ former location”

Nordstrom Rack currently has a DC location in Friendship Heights at 5333 Wisconsin Avenue, NW.

View More Stories