ANC 5C03 Commissioner Hugh Youngblood reports that Engine Company 12 has filed its ABRA application; he then files letter of support

See this Saturday, 5/14/2011 message from ANC 5C03 Commissioner Hugh Youngblood:

Delays in the project schedule for Engine Company 12 could be attributable to a variety of factors.

I would love to address any associated community concerns through personal discussions on my front stoop or in the venue of your choice.

Please contact me to schedule a time to meet or simply stop by and knock on the door.

Yesterday the Office of Single Member District 5C03 generated and delivered a Letter of Support for the EC12 ABRA application filed yesterday by the development team. I`ve included the text of the letter below to provide public insight.

Thank you,

Hugh Youngblood
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner
Single Member District 5C03
70 R St NW
240 . 925 . 1079


Letter of Support

Friday, 13 May, 2011

Ms. Martha Jenkins
Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration
2000 14th Street, NW, Suite 400S
Washington, DC 20009
abra@dc.gov

Dear Ms. Martha Jenkins:

On behalf of District of Columbia Single Member District 5C03, I am writing this letter of support for the Engine Company 12 ABRA application.

The majority of SMD 5C03 community residents support the general advancement of the Engine Company 12 project as presented at local community meetings held during 2011, and we recognize that alcohol sales comprise a critical revenue stream to ensure the economic sustainability of a restaurant of the proposed size and scope.

The Engine Company 12 project team has conducted diligent outreach efforts within the SMD 5C03 community. Despite these efforts, some outstanding concerns remain with various members of the community with regard to specific parameters of the Engine Company 12 ABRA application and other operational aspects of the proposed business.

The SMD 5C03 community provides this letter of support in advance of reviewing the parameters of the Engine Company 12 ABRA application in the spirit of good faith that the Engine Company 12 development team will voluntarily return to the negotiating table to reach an agreement with the community that both respects residential concerns and provides sufficient entrepreneurial flexibility to facilitate positive socio-economic transformation.

Sincerely,

W. Hugh Youngblood, Jr.
Commissioner, Single Member District 5C03

CC:
1626 Firestation LLC
DBA: Engine Company 12
1626 North Capitol Street NW
Washington, DC 20001

Steven Michael May, Jr.
Project & Property Manager
202 - 243 - 8754

Bloomingdale Civic Association's response to Steve May's 05/12/2011 Open Letter to the Community

See this 5/13/2011 message from Teri Janine Quinn, President, Bloomingdale Civic Association:

Bloomingdale Civic Association`s Response to Steven May`s ``Open Letter to the Community``
May 12, 2011

Neighbors,

The Bloomingdale Civic Association (``BCA``) has read Mr. Steven May`s ``Open Letter`` dated today. While the BCA looks forward to working with Mr. May as he works toward the opening of Engine Company 12, it is necessary to clarify a few things about the BCA.

First, the BCA fully supports Bloomingdale-area businesses and their efforts to serve the Bloomingdale community. This includes supporting restaurants that seek liquor licenses. Recently, we supported the applications of Big Bear Café and Boundary Stone, and we hope to support future applications from businesses that will add value to our community.

Second, our policy concerning support of liquor licenses is that we consider all requests for support during a duly noticed public meeting after the business owner has filed the license application. Big Bear Café and Boundary Stone followed this process and the BCA supported them. The principal reason for this policy is that Bloomingdale residents deserve to know what the business owner is asking them to support and the official record of that information is found in the filed and accepted application (acceptance occurs before the licensing board issues the placard for posting). In fact, Bloomingdale residents already have approached us regarding Engine Company 12`s intended use of the patio. While Mr. May has likely discussed this issue in prior meetings, the use of the patio will be governed by the request in the application and the terms of the license.

Third, the BCA is not delaying Engine Company 12`s opening. To be clear, the liquor licensing process does not require that a letter of support from a civic association (or ANC) be obtained prior to the submission of a liquor license application or at anytime thereafter. Likewise, there is no requirement that such letter must be submitted with a liquor license application. We were pleased that Mr. May sought our support and offered to consider his request once he filed the application. Any claim that the BCA is the cause of Engine Company 12`s failure to open for business on July 1, 2011 is disingenuous – at best. Even if the liquor license application was filed today, in a best case scenario, the application could not be approved and issued before July 1, 2011. Further, I have found no support in the District`s regulations and through a call to the licensing board for Mr. May`s claim that not acquiring a letter of support prior to the submission of an application would cause a delay in application process. Therefore, assuming that the lack of a liquor license is the only reason Engine Company 12 is unable to open on July 1, 2011, the blame for not opening on time would seem to fall at the feet of the person(s) responsible for filing the application in a timely fashion.

Mr. May`s letter this morning was the first time we have heard Mr. May suggest that the BCA is preventing the opening of Engine Company 12. Mr. May first requested an opportunity to request a letter of support via an email sent Thursday, April 14, 2011, three days before our April meeting. In my response I asked if the application had been filed and indicated that there would not be enough time before the April meeting to alert neighbors that the issue would be discussed and that a vote may be taken. Mr. May said the application had not been filed and that he would ``move ahead without the letter at this point....`` Perhaps if the person(s) responsible for filing the application had in fact moved ahead without the letter and submitted the application there would not be a delay in Engine Company 12`s opening date, again, that assumes liquor licensing is the sole reason for the delay – but I digress. During the April meeting, Mr. May stated that the BCA would not consider a letter of support until the application was filed and indicated that he would file the application shortly thereafter. On Wednesday, May 4, 2011, in preparation for the May BCA meeting, I emailed Mr. May to find out whether the application had been filed and his response was ``I am dropping it off on Friday``, which I took to mean last Friday, May 6, 2011. The application was not filed last Friday. Yesterday, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Hugh Youngblood informed me that the application would be filed this Friday. Even if the application is filed this Friday, it will have to be reviewed and accepted before the placard is issued. At no point have I or any other Bloomingdale Civic Association board member indicated that the BCA will not support Engine Company 12`s application for a liquor license. The fact is that there is currently no application for us to support.

We at the BCA are pleased to represent Bloomingdale and to assist Bloomingdale business owners with their entrepreneurial dreams. Despite Mr. May`s ``Open Letter,`` our offer to him still stands; we would be pleased to consider his request once the application is on file.

Best regards,

Teri Janine Quinn
President, Bloomingdale Civic Association

an open letter to the community from Engine Company 12`s Steve May Jr.

See this letter from Steve May Jr.

Engine Company 12™
1626 Fire Station LLC
1626 North Capitol Street NW
Washington, DC 20001

May 11, 2011

An Open Letter to the Community
Re: Scheduled Opening of Engine Company 12

To all local residents,

Due to the lack of open support from community leaders and local civic associations, it has become necessary to delay the opening of Engine Company 12 from July 1, 2011 to September 1, 2011. We have tried for the past several months to garner letters of support from local area civic associations and the Advisory Neighborhood Commission without success. Without these letters the process to obtain an alcohol license from the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration is drastically slower. Operating a restaurant of this size without an active ABRA license would be financially unfeasible.

Representatives from Engine Company 12 have been attending and presenting at local area civic association meetings and hosting meet and greets off and on for the past four months. It is unfortunate that this philosophy of open communication with local residents and civic leaders has not garnered the support necessary to yield letters of support from local groups.

If we are unable to obtain letters of support from the local civic associations and the Advisory Neighborhood Commission in the next 30-45 days the opening date will need to be delayed until after the start of the New Year. I apologize for this and we are still working diligently to get this project up and running as quickly as possible.

Sincerely,

Steven M. May Jr.
General Manager
Engine Company 12

In Progress Shots of EC-12.

Flickr user and neighborhood blogger Sergey took these shots of the ongoing renovation of the future EC-12 on North Capitol at Quincy NW.
 

click here and here and you can read the many entries posted on this blog about the firehouse and the starts and stops of the project for the last handful of years.

"the problems at North Capitol St NW & Florida Ave NW"

See this 1/21/2011 post at the Eckington list by Bloomingdale resident Tom Usselman:

The problems at Florida & North Cap NW

For the 9 years I`ve lived in this neighborhood, Everyone in the city government has known about that intersection and what a nightmare it is. And I mean EVERYONE.

I think it is safe to say that every civic, police and business meeting has held special meetings to discussed this topic for as far back as anyone can remember.

Here are the issues:

1. S.O.M.E. ~ So Others Might Eat (www.some.org) feeds 488 people from around the city twice a day. These people are bused in from all over the city. Bused in!
a. So after breakfast they hang out from New York Ave to Florida Ave and drink etc. until it is lunch time. Then hang out till it is time to head for the shelters or just sleep in the parks.
b. Talk to the owners of City Gear and Subway if you want an earful about that.
c. This loitering creates an atmosphere of lawlessness that allows other behavior to exist, drinking in public etc.

2. The bus stop on Florida Avenue is too close to the liquor store.
a. When the police attempt to move the troublemakers on, they claim to be waiting for the bus.

3. Methadone Clinics
a. At one point we had 3 methadone clinics located on New York Ave, I think there is only 1 left? And it may be closing soon which will help.

4. Vacant Properties
a. Property owners need this area to feel safer so they can attract businesses.
b. Talk to Brian Brown and Phyllis Klein. They have told me stories of potential tenants that drive up to check out a location and won`t even get out of their cars. They know they can`t make a business work with 15 homeless guys hanging out in front.

So the solution sounds easy to me, but there is no political will to make it happen.

1. Convince S.O.M.E. that the current feeding program it too large for a residential neighborhood. Encourage them to open smaller sites around the city to serve people where they stay. Why don`t they feed them from Catholic Churches?
a. We have had numerous meetings with them in the past 9 years and Catholic Charities only cares about the homeless they are feeding. They don`t give a crap about the havoc they unleash in our neighborhood.

2. Move the metrobus stop away from the liquor store.
a. Again no political will to make this happen.

3. Get Health and Human service workers out from behind their desks at the peoples building (right next to Wendy`s and out into the streets to help those people that can be helped.
a. I find it ironic that the building that houses Health and Human Services is a gated Campus!!!! So they don`t feel safe with their workplace location and stick a big fence around it, yet we are expected to put up with it.

And BTW these are not just my opinions, but things I have heard in the countless police, business and planning meetings.

The bottom line is that we need to reduce the loitering so we can attract businesses that will increase foot traffic and reduce crime. Seems very simple.

Tom Usselman

firehouse update from Brian Brown

See this 1/12/2011 message from LeDroit Park resident and North Capitol Street NW firehouse owner Brian Brown:

Feel free to let the neighbors know that we have all the necessary finances in place to proceed with the [firehouse] project.

We have obtained the necessary permits to demo the areas necessary and that is being done.

The windows are also being prepped for replacement.

Historic signed off on the architectural design of the replacement garage doors yesterday and those are being ordered.

Look for the ABRA application to come up in one of the next couple of ANC meetings.

Washington Business Journal cover story on restaurant rooftop decks in DC

Firehouse owner Brian Brown has mentioned the idea of a rooftop deck for the firehouse restaurant on North Capitol Street NW.

The most recent Washington Business Journal (Friday, July 23, 2010) includes a cover story about restaurant rooftop decks in the District.

I have copied in the first few paragraphs to whet your appetite. (I can Email you the entire article if you send me an Email requesting it -- scott at scott hyphen roberts dot net.)

Since Bloomingdale may gain a rooftop deck at the firehouse, I thought you might like to read this WBJ article.

Friday, July 23, 2010
Rooftop venues can bring in cash, but also complaints

Washington Business Journal - by Tierney Plumb
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/07/26/focus1.html

While firetrucks blare along U Street NW, a gaggle of well-dressed young professionals slip into the relative quiet of neighborhood hot spot Local 16 and climb the curved, carpeted stairs to reach a plant-lined rooftop oasis.

On the roof, stark-white tablecloths flutter next to large fans that drown out the street noise below, and a new VIP area features funky drawings that seem to grow up the wall. Chatter from conference-goers, co-workers and 20-something friends fills the air.

Just three blocks away, patrons sit in a sleek, but mood-lit, space at Masa 14, a popular Latin-Asian tapas joint catering to a more Logan Circle-centric crowd.

At the center of that wood- and brick-accented space is a wide set of stairs that locals have dubbed the ``Stairs to Nowhere.`` The stairs are expected to eventually lead guests to a partially enclosed roof deck.

Given the relatively small number of D.C. establishments that offer the amenity, rooftop spaces present a prime marketing opportunity for bars and restaurants, accounting for as much as 80 percent of revenue for some proprietors.

``Roof decks are the only real option for outdoor seating, eating, drinking and enjoying one`s self without sitting on a busy, dirty street,`` said Patrick Oberman, a member of the Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC). They are also perhaps the only way to accommodate patrons who smoke.

It`s not clear exactly how many rooftop restaurants exist or are pending in D.C.— the District`s alcohol board says it is in the process of creating a database to compile the permit numbers — but there are at least 30 already open, according to consumer review website Yelp.com.

request not to park in the firehouse driveway

See this message from LeDroit Park resident Brian Brown:

We know that a number of residents in the area have been parking in the private driveway of the Firehouse located on North Capitol and Quincy Place NW.

We want to make all residents aware of the fact that we are and will be actively accessing the firehouse on a regular if not daily basis. This includes non-business hours, so please do not use the driveway as a parking lot. The driveway is posted and we will be forced to ticket and tow any unauthorized cars who park there with no notice. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Brian Brown responds

See this message from Brian Brown.

(And please -- no more anonymous comments.)

Dear residents,

While I typically don`t respond to inflammatory emails, I frankly have gotten tired of having ``stones`` thrown at me so I am choosing to respond to this email. I want to remind residents that I am a 22 year resident of the Shaw/Ledroit Park/ Bloomingdale area. I would also like to respectfully suggest that there are more constructive ways to reach out to developers other than email flames. These kind of public emails to listservs are the very reason many small and medium sized developers won`t talk to residents unless they have to. I think most large developers talk to the neighborhoods because they have to because they need zoning changes. I would like to think that I am more open than most developers as I have tried to share as much information as I could publicly without endangering my projects. In some cases this has been only with recognized community leaders (ANC, etc), as the nature of negotiations on particular projects have required signed non-disclosures. It is also interesting to note that of all the emails over the years from people publicly complaining about an issue they had on one project or another as far as I can remember I have never been contacted directly by the same people to directly ask any questions. Here is my response.

Regards,

Brian Brown
Nextgen

I didn`t put the note on the vehicle because if I had, I would have signed it and included my phone number. That said, we have a project manager who is at the firehouse almost daily, getting quotes on the new scope of work for the revised project. The project manager says he did not put that note on your vehicle. That said, it is private space and we need access at irregular times. As a result we are particular about vehicles parking there as they frequently pull too close to the building and block the door we use to access the building. The other vehicle that has been parked at the firehouse for the last couple of months is licensed, insured, and tagged and is owned by relatives of mine who are out of town. They usually keep it on the street, but we all know how difficult it is to keep vehicles on DC streets when traveling.

As for the 4-6 pickup trucks parked in my yard, that is BS. I own two small Toyota pickup trucks. (I want to remind everyone that this is a 9 bedroom house.) We also have 9 adults staying in the house in addition to children so, in addition to the 2 trucks, there is an SUV, a van, a Toyota Avalon, and a Ford Dump that are there regularly. (6 in total) All these are kept in a private parking area that has room for 11 vehicles. All run, have tags, and are insured.

I would also disagree about the ``pop ups`` on North Capitol. While North Capitol is not historic, the addition to the two buildings in the 1300 block of North Capital was designed fit the irregular height of the block. When I saw the original facade design by the architect (which was an ugly popup), I sought the informal advice of staff members of DC`s historic preservation office, and I used their recommendations to complete the façade design. The building on the 1400 block of North Capitol is not a popup. It is a new building from the ground up as such was designed as infill.

I would agree that the partially completed wall is not particularly attractive. We have DC Government to thank for that. When we started the wall, the intent was to finish the wall in a 5-week period. We applied for and were issued the appropriate building permit. We also applied for and were told no public space permit was required. This was partially correct. We started the project and 1/2 way through we got stopped because the local / on-site inspector said one was needed. The on-site inspector went back and forth for the next two weeks with the public space inspector at 941 North Capitol. It turned out that the front and back are not public space but the side yard is and that the person that issued the permit did not check the side yard. The public space inspector who stopped the work would not let me fill in the dirt or put in the required footer until the proper permit was issued. No fines or stop work was issued because DCRA acknowledged that it was their mistake. The time of that delay resulted in it taking me about 3 months to resubmit the public space application. It turned out that as the wall was approved by Historic Preservation, it required the application to be formally submitted to public space committee because of the design and height. This is an extended process similar to a zoning or historic review committee. This process was going to require significant time and money on my part to resolve, which frankly in late 2008 and early 2009 I didn`t have.

As a result of that snafu and the economy the public space submission dropped to the bottom of my to do list. Over Christmas 2009, I prepared the application and I went down to DCRA to discuss the application with Public Space. The person at the public space was very sharp, and she suggested a much simpler elegant solution which required me to revise the plans one more time.

This was done and I got sign off from Historic Preservation about three weeks ago on the revised design, which I believe that Public Space will allow without the extended committee review. A couple of weeks ago I went down to DCRA right before they moved to their new location. I discovered a new hurdle. Changes in the public space fee structure now require over $12,000 in permits and deposits. (Five times what I had budgeted.) I don`t know about anyone else but I personally don`t keep have an extra 10k laying in my personal accounts to throw at surprise bills.

Frankly if I had known all the pain that this wall was going to be I wouldn`t have started it. That said, I am looking at alternatives to resolve this issue.

Brian

a comment about the firehouse + more

See this message from a resident of the unit block of R Street NW:

Last night I parked my van on the lot in front of the fire station on North sCapitol Street. This morning, to my dismay, I discovered a note which stated, “Warning! Your vehicle will be towed next time. Please do not park here. Owner!” However, I noticed that another vehicle parked beside mine, which has been parked there most of the year, did not have a warning on it. I am wondering if the “Owner” is Brian Brown, the same person who got a sweetheart deal from the D.C. Government to develop the fire station into a community restaurant, but has failed to live up to his commitment to the city and the community and now wants to sell the property for an outrageous profit. Or is this the ame person that added pop-ups on two buildings on North Capitol, totally defacing the cityscape and devaluing the community. Or is this the same person who has transformed the Anna Cooper House into an eyesore: unfinished and crumbling retaining wall, gym wquipment on the front porch, and four to six pick-up trucks parked in the yard. Maybe it’s time for Bloomingdale to consider whether the “Owner” actually has Bloomingdale’s best interest at heart. And maybe he should have the courage to leave a name with his notes.

overrun with drunks and homeless guys

"overrun with drunks and homeless guys"
pennywise

commenting about bloomingdale over at the Prince of Petworth Blog on a post about the firehouse

over at DCists take on the project we have this gem by "northcap" :
In order to succeed, a bar in Bloomingdale needs to have the following:

1. Beer
2. Chairs (optional?)

Old Firehouse for Sale- updated.

ec-12. nope.
martini 2020. nope.

but now its for sale


1626 North Capitol Street NW, Washington DC 20002
Map
$1,500,000

Incredible space! Approx 12,000+ sq ft. This was once the old fire house. Total renovation needed. The first floor is restricted for RESTAURANT use only! All plat, plans, drawings convey with this property. Please call for appt.


i did see a new sign on the old savemore grocery store.
i guess that might be opening soon.

From the eckington yahoo group:
I would like to give the neighborhood an update on the Firehouse restaurant project. Since many people joined this list midstream I will backtrack a little so everyone is on the same page.



Several years ago Nextgen Development was awarded the Firehouse via RFP where we were to be the developer and Mike Benson (operator of St Ex bar and café) would be the operator. Near the end of a year planning stage Mike Benson and his partners dropped out for personal reasons. Over the next 14 Months we met with approximate 20+ qualified operators and while there was interest from many operators, most were frankly afraid to take the chance of opening a restaurant in an untested neighborhood. Near the end of the 14 months we met Twyla Garett of Martini 2020 who upon looking at the site and the neighborhood potential rapidly moved forward to commit to the project. Nextgen proceeded to complete the acquisition and moved forward on the project. Unfortunately for Nextgen Twyla signed that agreement just as the financial mess hit nationwide. As a result four or five months after she signed the agreement the financing she had lined up disappeared and she defaulted on her agreement.



In spite of that default Nextgen made the decision to move forward on the project while we looked for a new operator. We committed to spending between $500,000 and $750,000 of our own funds while we searched for a new operator. (Note: this does not include the $100,000 in interest payments we have made to date while we carry this project) The work performed to date on the site is as follows:



95% completion of the exterior building restoration.

We addressed some environmental issues we became aware of

We completed 90% of the non-structural demo required for the project

We spent $250+k completing the architectural and structural plans.

We initiated structural stabilization of the building

Bid out most aspects of the critical systems so we could move quickly when we find the right operator.



During the time we were doing the above work we have continued to search for operators. While we have gotten close to signing a new operator over 7 times, each time something would surface near the completion of the deal that undid it. I will share two such situations here. One operator we found was in a financial cash position to move forward however one of the conditions they were looking for some nominal help from the city for their first 5 years of operation to make their numbers work.. Unfortunately while we had every indication from the city that this would happen (including legislation being introduced to that effect) however the deteriorating local economy killed the city’s ability to deliver that help in fiscal 2008 and that deal died. Subsequent to that opportunity collapsing we signed a letter of intent with another operator, and started working through the operating agreement, however 1 week after we signed that agreement their financing partner collapsed. (Their financing partner was Lehman Brothers)



During the time we have been have been marketing the space we have gotten a number of operators that expressed interest only if they could purchase the building as part of the transaction. In the past we declined to consider that because we wanted to make sure that we could fulfill our commitment to the community of delivering a restaurant on the first level of the building.



After discussion with several bankers regarding how restaurants are currently being financed we have come to realize that in today’s financial instability that the only likely way that a restaurant will get financing on this type project is if they use the building as collateral to complete the build out. While this was not true in the past the problems banks are having has resulted in it being nearly impossible for any other option.



To that end we have changed our marketing strategy to bring this project to market. Shortly you will see a lease/sale sign appear on the building. This is also being placed in Co-star, Loop net as well as the MLS as a sale/lease. The hope is to bring in an operator that previously might have rejected it because they could not lock in their costs by purchasing part or majority ownership of the project at the time they build-out the restaurant. It may be that we may just become general contractor on this project. Our intent is to still to find a way in spite of the financial environment to try to move this project forward. We are trying to think outside the box to keep this process moving. We have also reached out to the Council members’ office for advice/options also. Thank you for your understanding and patience.



Brian Brown

old eckington

here is a page concerning old eckington and the walking tour that happened on April 27, 2008.

there are some fantastic historic pictures.

more talk about the firehouse..you know.. the martini sushi pizza tapas waterslide place.

a developers agent vlogs about the firehouse on north capitol

old engine company 12 to become 2020 Martini

The city last month finalized the sale of Old Engine Co. 12 at 1626 N. Capitol St. to Brian Brown, managing partner of NC Firehouse LLC, which is led by his company, NextGen Development. Brown purchased the building for $600,000, the value at which the city assessed it, and plans to put another $2.4 million into renovations.

The three-story, 10,000-square-foot space will become home of 2020 Martini at Engine Co. 12, a restaurant concept by Twyla Garrett of Cleveland-based Garrett Entertainment Corp.





full article here
Washington Business Journal - by Gillian Gaynair Staff Reporter



other highlights include:

-XM radio is in on the deal and will be doing live broadcastings from the location
-Twyla Garrett of Cleveland-based Garrett Entertainment Corp will be the developer
-the will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner
-first floor will serve brick-oven pizzas.
-a small pasta bar and a sushi bar.
-2nd floor will have live music performances
-third floor will have an espresso bar
-a rooftop deck will offer tapas.
-Harry Thomas introduced a bill seeking 10 years of property tax relief for NC Firehouse LLC

here is the website for 2020 Martini in Columbus, Ohio, owned by Twyla Garrett
warning: music starts playing when the page loads.

apparently work has already started on the building.......

here was my first post about the firehouse

the obligatory negativity about the project can be found here.