Councilmember Insists Line Hotel Must Keep its Promises; Agencies on Notice to “do Their Jobs”

By William G. Schulz

Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau is drawing a line in the sand

for the Line Hotel DC in Adams Morgan to be held to the terms of its whopping $46 million tax abatement agreement with the city. She questions whether city agen-cies have followed through on their responsibility to ensure that hotel owner, New York City-based Sydell Group, is in compliance, particularly with local hiring quotas spelled out in the agreement.

In a June 8 letter to City Administrator Rashad M. Young, Nadeau writes of the hiring quotas, “I have been increasingly concerned with the oversight done by the Department of Employment Services over the last three and half years. I have raised this issue with each DOES Director during this period,

and the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.”

19th Annual Mid-City Dog Days 14th and U Streets Sale Event Set for Weekend of August 4th and 5th

By P.L. Wolff

Mark your calendars and get ready for a weekend of local shopping, eat-ing,  sipping, listening, and people-watching, filled with special offers and promotions being offered by over 100 businesses during what is DC’s largest ever sidewalk sale, from P Street to Florida Avenue on 14th and along U between 7th and 17th Streets.

The weekend event will be getting revved up with a free, open to the pub-lic party at Miss Pixie’s Furnishings & Whatnot on Friday, the 3rd, between 6 and 8 pm. We are told that “tasty bites” will be provided from just two doors south by Barcelona Wine, along with live funky tunes and all items in the shop 20% off. So that they can plan for how much of those “tasty bites” will be needed, it will be essential that persons attending this kick-off event register for free tickets at eventbrite.com; watch for when it appears on the calendar for August 4th and 5th.

What one can look for-ward to is participation by old and new retailers along with the popular restau-rants and art galleries as well as the neighborhood’s music venues and commu-nity centers.

Of course, it will be the vast numbers of retailers and restaurants throughout the area on both days that will be providing a shop-pers and foodies unending array of delights.

This event, now being sponsored by the Mid-

City BID Exploratory Committee (successor to the former Mid-City Business Association), was originally the brainchild back in 2000 of Home Rule’s founder and owner Greg Link, who staged a very modest but well-received event outside his housewares store’s end of the 1800 block. He was a 14th Street

Now Into Our Half Century of Continuous Publication

TheInTownerSince 1968 • Serving Washington D.C.’s Intown Neighborhoods

®

JULY2018

Vol. 50, No. 1

Next Issue

August 10

☞ What’s Inside? Editorial / Bicycles, Scooters & Us ................ 2Gay Pride Parade ......................................... 4Art & Culture / Nat'l Gallery of Art..... 5

jjjjjjOn the Website Pages

Community News Reader Comments & Opinions

Recent Real Estate Sales Restaurant Reviews Washington History

☞ Reader Comments & Submissionsn CareFirst: Two Big to Regulate?

n Ecuadorian Embassy Sustained Significant Earthquake Damage, August 23, 2011

n Balancing Neighborhood Retail: The 25% Rule

n Reconstructing Historic Holt House

n When Does My Cast Iron Staircase Need Attention?

17th Street High Heel Race Fun Festivities 2017 Click here to enjoy the photos,

courtesy Phil Carney

Phot

o—Ph

il C

arne

y.

Art and Culture

Water, Wind and Waves

page 5 The Royal James

Model (62” x 56” x 25”)

photo—courtesy Mid-City BID Exploratory Committee.

photo—courtesy Mid-City BID Exploratory Committee. Cont., DOG DAYS, p. 4

Sale of Long-Time Soho Tea & Coffee to New Local Owner Assures Continuity on P Street

By Larry Ray*

On May 30, 2018, Eduard Badalyan received his new Group Soho business

license and closed on the sale of Soho Tea and Coffee at 2150 P Street, NW, Dupont Circle. The new owner asserts that they will be on a learning curve with Soho to retain present loyal customers and traditions and also expand to new customers and events. Eduard’s sister Liana will be a key to staff-ing Soho. Conveniently, they live in the neighborhood.

Liana Badalyan has extensive experience in the hospitality industry, having served in various capacities in DC’s Remington Hotels-managed hotel as front office man-ager, including responsibility for direct-ing and coordinating front desk personnel, maintaining hotel quality and cost stan-dards, monitoring guest surveys, monitoring employees satisfaction and taking appropri-ate actions to achieve the hotel’s goals.

Why Did the Owners Sell after 23 Years?So why did long time owners and part-

ners Helene Bloom, a former federal gov-ernment manager, and Fran Levine, who had worked in automotive sales, sell their

Photo—Larry Ray—The InTowner. Cont., SOHO, p. 3

photo—courtesy Mid-City BID Exploratory Committee.

Nat’l. Gallery of Art

Photo—William G. Schulz—The InTowner.

The main lounge area located in the atrium that has been created out of the church’s original worship space.

CLICK HERE to continue to LINE HOTEL

Page 2 • The InTowner • July 2018

NEXT ISSUE—August 10Submisions Deadline: Friday, August 3

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Press Releases may be emailed (not faxed) to: newsroom@intowner.comDisplay Advertising inquiries may be emailed to: advertising@intowner.com

Publisher & Managing Editor—P.L. WolffAssociate Editor—William G. SchulzContributing Writers—Ben Lasky, Larry RayLayout & Design — Mina RempeHistoric Preservation— Matthew B. Gilmore

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Bicycles, Scooters, and Us Walkers on Sidewalks

In an otherwise positive commentary in the June 20, 2018 Washington Post on the rapid proliferation of dockless bicycle options and the sudden motorized scooter craze, the

writer noted, “Walk down any street in downtown D.C. and you will see them: electric scooters and dockless bikes — parked everywhere and nowhere in particular.”

More recently, on July 3rd, the Post ran an editorial commenting on a number of prob-lems that have emerged during this dockless bicycle spring-summer trial period ordered by DDOT needing to be tweaked, as they characterized things.

Among problems noted in that editorial was that “many District residents are frustrated by the fact that dockless bikes are often left to clutter sidewalks and other public spaces. This may seem like a frivolous issue, but bikes can create safety risks if left in front of build-ing exits or on the edges of crosswalks.” In concluding, the Post quite reasonably stated, “Customers, meanwhile, should remember that sidewalks . . . are not their personal bike racks.”

All this discussion about bicycles brings to mind that there is even a bigger craze that may soon overwhelm the sidewalks: motorized scooters. As noted in a May 17th Post report, “it’s one more thing to dodge as a pedestrian. . . .”

We also noted these reader comments posted on the 18th with the electronic version:“I don’t really care if people want to ride a scooter, but any motorized transportation

should not be allowed on pedestrian sidewalks.. they should be on the streets.. good luck with that” [effmayfield]; “They should follow the same rules as bikes, even motorized bikes (I mean motorized bicycles, not motorcycles . . .)” [junkyardog]; “Earlier this week, I was almost hit by a 20-something guy in a suit on one of the electric scooter rentals. I was walk-ing on a sidewalk by Union Station and he buzzed past. He was going quite fast. Cyclists don’t generally bike on the sidewalks and neither should these motorized scooters. I think this is just an accident waiting to happen” [elnicho].

Lots to think about. As far back as six years ago we were thinking about the danger to pedestrians from careening bicycles on the sidewalks, especially along the residential streets where extending the prohibition in the downtown core farther out seemed then a pipe dream.

In our November 2012 editorial we not only quoted the applicable DC law govern-ing the operation of “Bicycles, Motorized Bicycles, and Miscellaneous Vehicles” (maybe the Council will amend the law to include scooters, motorized or not, as “miscellaneous vehicles”), we summarized some scary examples: “bicycle on sidewalk quietly approaching from behind just as pedestrian moves slightly into the path of the on-coming cyclist, there having been no warning bell (for which there seems to be no legal requirement in DC) or even vocal warning; bicycles speeding along sidewalks, frequently from behind and without warnings; cyclists riding the wrong way on a one-way street almost (or even sometimes) run-ning down a pedestrian who is crossing legally and who had been looking out for on-coming traffic and not looking both ways as would be done on a two-way street.”

Fast forward to just four years ago last month when we followed up with another editorial that focused on the increasing urgency for dealing with pedestrian safety being expressed in many quarters. Sadly, we were not able to express much optimism, writing that “so far it does not appear that the City Council understands the urgency that large numbers of residents who walk — as our city’s leaders actually encourage — feel about this issue; we know because we have heard from many and tapped into on-line discussions, all revealing that this needs to be dealt with. While there may be individual Council members who share our concern — and we do know that Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans does — so far we do not discern a collective concern within the Council.”

Clearly the dangers are nowadays even greater –- not just because of the huge prolifera-tion of people using bikes, but now the scooters are bearing down on us hapless pedestrians! High on the Council’s agenda when it reconvenes in September should be the myriad mat-ters regarding use of sidewalks inimicable to pedestrian safety.

Church of the Holy City 16th & Corcoran Streets, NW

Meditation and Evening Prayers 5pm Sunday EveningsYou are invited to quiet your heart.Break loose from the hustle and bustle of your life and enjoy the silence in the sanctuary. Meditate by soft music and sacred chanting.

Read Scripture, offer prayers. Ask questions, offer comment on the Pastor’s address.

For more informationswedenborgcenter. org

Page 3 • The InTowner • July 2018

PreservationMatters.net (202) 596-1961

Preservation Matters

Preservation Matters, LLC offers a wide range of professional services related to historic preservation, preservation policy, and history, including:

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• Research and documentation of historic properties • National Register of Historic Places and DC Inventory nominations • Preservation planning, project development, and implementation • Work with architects, developers, contractors, property owners,

neighbors, and organizations in understanding and applying preservation laws, regulations, design standards and guidelines

17th Street FestivalSaturday, August 25, 2018

12:00 - 6:00 p.m.

The mission of Historic Dupont Main Streets is to promote, coordinate, and maintain the cultural, economic, and environmental qualities of Dupont Circle to make it an exemplary place to live, work, shop, and play.

www.DupontCircleMainStreets.org

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Since 2010, the 17th Street Festival celebrates 17th Street and its diversity of restaurants and retailers. There are 100 vendors, with more than 60 artists and makers selling everything from fine art to jewelry, ceramics to crafts, and every creative item in between. Other vendors include area organizations, politicians, entrepreneurs, and local businesses. The kids zone has activities for children, including a moon bounce, ball crawl, face painting, and games throughout the day.

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establishment? As Helene told this reporter, “AARP would say that we have entered the ‘young old’ age. You know the old saying, ‘You don’t own the business; the business owns you.’ We were always on call, making us delay or reschedule many social activities and trips. We have fun! Our funky coffee shop concept worked with book clubs, dis-cussion groups, speed datings, open mic, art shows. Even Paula Abdul stopped by in 2011. But we are ready to repurpose our lives, including much more traveling. We wish the lovely new owners the best of luck. We loved the business and it was time to turn over the baton.”

Manager Sami Antoine has been the mainstay of Soho for 15 years, serving as manager, preparer, and cook. He is famous for his soups and what many have character-ized as “out of this universe” chicken salad. Beyond his cooking, based on his Lebanese background, he is multi-lingual as are the Soho customers. He is assisting Eduard and Liana in the transition.

Comments from the “Regulars.”“We’re regulars at Soho, our neighbor-

hood coffee house, three or four times a week since it opened. Michael and I have come to relish the relaxed, comfortable atmosphere, indoors and outside when the weather is nice. You can often find us read-ing our latest book or the local papers. And as an artist, I’ve done countless drawings of

Soho patrons and more than a few paintings based on those drawings. Fran and Helene offered me a chance to put my art on the walls for a few weeks a year ago. Got lots of good feedback. We’ve made friends, kib-itzed with neighbors, engaged in lively con-versations, and otherwise have enjoyed the scene and the congenial staff these many years.” Gordon Binder and Michael Rawson have lived in Dupont Circle since 1973, just a few blocks from Soho.

Another regular, Mary says, “I would sum it up as a wonderful neighborhood refuge, a place for writers to write, community orga-nizers to meet, friends to catch up, a great and deeply-appreciated port in the storm.”

And other regulars like Will, says, “It’s clear that the new owners care very much about Soho and its customers. Sami has been Soho’s anchor and I’m glad he is stay-ing on; I’m confident Soho will thrive in this transition.” Travis Thorn, who has lived in DC for more than 35 years, added, “Soho has the best iced coffee in the city. I am looking forward to future Armenian pastries and coffee.”

Joel also had this to say: “After retiring from my old job, Soho was a refuge for me. It was a place to ponder my next steps. The owners, Helene and Fran, and manager Sami Antoine provided me with a place to write, meet new friends, and engage in conversations and sometimes contentious debates.”

And shortly before writing this story, Dan offered more praise: “I’ve been going to Soho ever since it opened. From the begin-ning, it had a relaxed and unpretentious vibe, offering well-prepared but moderately

priced food and drink and welcoming a diverse clientele. It’s exactly the kind of place that makes Dupont Circle so appeal-ing, especially during a time of rapid gen-trification and the spread of chain culture.”

What it Was Like 23 Years Ago in Their P Street Block

When Helene and Fran, later married in Provincetown, Massachusetts, opened their funky Soho Tea and Coffee at Dupont Circle neighborhood’s busy 22nd and P Street corner, the area was the epicen-ter of the city’s gay community. Within mere yards of their place were five gay-owned establishments: Badlands Nightclub with five bars, Friends’ Piano Bar (later known as Escandola, but closed several years ago), P Street Station (now known as the Fireplace), Mr. P’s with a very popular large outdoor patio at the rear (closed when the building was acquired for the now out-of-business Marrakesh restaurant), and the Fraternity House with five bars (now known as Omega). In addition, there was Herb’s restaurant in the mid-block hotel (now the Palomar) that attracted an arts crowd and art exhibits and events.

Many tourists compared this Dupont Circle era to be akin to San Francisco’s Castro district 0f the 1980s and 1990s.

22nd and P Still a Vital IntersectionThis intersection across from Rock Creek

Park and three blocks from the Dupont Circle Metro station remains vital with lots of foot traffic from Georgetown, West End, nearby embassies and hotels like the Palomar in the same block and the Marriott in the 2100 block, with Soho as an inviting stopover.

ConclusionToday, almost all of these gay bars are

not only gone as a result of the gay com-munity spreading out across much of the city in recent years, but some of those spaces -- Badlands, Omega, Mr. P’s -- are empty. Notwithstanding, there is well-founded opti-mism for the immediate P Street and larger Dupont Circle area in light of the about-to-start work of the new Dupont North BID and the DDOT enhancements planned for the “deck-over” project on Connecticut Avenue immediately north of the Circle. All this augers well for establishments like Soho and the other neighborhood-serving businesses.

*Senior feature writer Larry Ray is a former Dupont Circle and Columbia Heights ANC commissioner, as well as having previously served as President of the North Columbia Heights Civic Association and also of the 1905-estab-lished Columbia Heights Civic Association. In addition. He is a Senior Adjunct Professor at The George Washington University School of Law teaching negotiation and mediation,

Copyright © 2018 InTowner Publishing Corp. & Larry Ray. All rights reserved.

SOHOFrom p. 1

Photo—Larry Ray—The InTowner.

Photo—Larry Ray—The InTowner.

Page 4 • The InTowner • July 2018

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pioneer who had the foresight to anticipate that the time would soon be coming that the strip all the way from P Street to at least U

would be transformed, and so his became the first small business to take the leap -- and how right he was.

The Exploratory Committee, the event’s sponsor, is seeking to form a Business Improvement District (BID), the goal of which will be the beautification and promo-

tion the neighborhood’s busi-ness attractiveness. As stated by Pixie Windsor, owner of Miss Pixie’s and one of the chief organizers of the event for the last several years, “Bringing the community together to support local retailers and small busi-nesses in my neighborhood is just about my favorite thing.”

Copyright © 2018 InTowner Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited, except as provided by 17 U.S.C. §§ 107 & 108 (“fair use”).

DOG DAYSFrom p. 1

photo—courtesy Mid-City BID Exploratory Committee.

Saturday, June 10: Gay Pride Parade Big HitBy Phil Carney

We’ve Come a Long Way. Some

40 years ago, Deacon Maccubbin started DC Pride celebrations with a small, simple block party in Dupont Circle. Over the years it became a larg-er festival, then a parade and festival and then a parade through Dupont Circle, and a next day festival in the shadow of the US Capital. photo—Phil Carney.

The Dupont Circle Citizens Association showing its support for the LGBTQ community.CLICK HERE to

continue to PARADE

Page 5 • The InTowner • July 2018

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 4th & Constitution; (202) 737-4215

By Joseph R. Phelan*

Water, Wind, and Waves: Marine Paintings

from the Dutch Golden Age(through November 25, 2018)

Cool off from the heat of Washington in summer and at the same time enjoy

an absorbing visual story about the way the Dutch commanded the sea in the 17th century. “Water, Wind, and Waves” features 45 paintings, prints, drawings, rare books, and ship models largely drawn from the National Gallery’s renowned collection of Dutch art.

Surrounded by water, the Dutch Republic thrived because of its mastery of the seas. This splendid three gallery exhibition celebrates Dutch naval prow-ess and achievement along with the civic virtues and spiritual beliefs that made these achievements possible. Transformed into pictures, these achievements established a new genre which inspired countless painters and continues to delight viewers.

While the Dutch of today are widely viewed as among the most tolerant, easy going people on the planet, a nation that would rather make love than war, the histor-ical reality is that during their “Golden Age” they were almost continually at war. First of

all they fought for decades to defend their Protestant republic against the mighty mon-archy of Catholic Spain. Later in the cen-tury they clashed with England and France to maintain their commercial supremacy. Most of these battles were fought on the seas.

In the first gallery we see the invention of the genre of marine painting. At the begin-ning of the century, Hendrick Cornelis Vroom made the Dutch fleet in action the subject of his art. He traveled widely, frequently by boat, and thus had firsthand knowledge of ships. Fleet at Sea pictures a Dutch warship in a harbor bustling with fishing and cargo boats. A closer look reveals the ship teeming with sailors, some of whom climb the rigging. With such picto-rial celebrations of Dutch maritime skill, the market for large and expensive paintings was created -- one that led to lucrative com-

missions from admiralties and municipal organizations.

The formidable Dutch navy led the nation to victory in its wars of independence (1568-1648) against Spain. Dutch warships, smaller than their Spanish counterparts, could maneuver more easily in the treacher-ous, shallow waters along the coast, thus the skilled commanders and sailors were able to defeat their heavily armed adversaries.

Cornelis Verbeeck’s Naval Encounter Between Dutch and Spanish Warships vividly depicts one such intense naval engage-ment. A large Spanish warship fires on the small-er Dutch ship which has already sunk a Spanish galley. Look closely to find the Catholic sailors in the lifeboat praying to the Protestants for rescue.

Aelbert Cuyp’s majestic The Maas at Dordrecht depicts Dutch military and civic virtue in action. In July 1646, a large

Dutch transport fleet carrying 30,000 sol-diers and their equipment gathered at the city of Dordrecht in a magnificent show of force by the rebel northern province at the onset of the negotiations that would eventu-ally result in the Peace of Münster in 1648.

The way the Dutch considered themselves to be God’s chosen people is illuminated in Simon De Vlieger’s panoramic Estuary at Day’s End. As the curator Alexandra Libby writes in the excellent illustrated pamphlet available in the galleries, “The crepuscular rays of sunlight beaming through the clouds are sometimes known as ‘God rays’ or ‘fin-gers of God.’ One can easily imagine how De Vlieger considered this atmospheric occurrence a visible confirmation of God’s blessing.”

Two tonal masterpieces by Jan Van Goyen also of Dordrecht harbor and an imaginary

scene by Salomon van Rusysdael of River Landscape with Ferry capture the luminous beauty of coastal scenery and maritime activity at port. All three reflect the sense of national pride the Dutch felt at the time of the signing of the Münster treaty.

By the mid-17th century the Dutch became the greatest trading power in the world. Their ships dominated the oceans, ensuring not only the military security of the Republic but also its prosperity. Indeed, global trade promot-ed by the Dutch East India Company brought everything from exotic spices to bulk staples, such as grain and salt, to the Dutch ports.

When the English diarist Samuel Pepys boarded a Dutch ship docked in London in 1665, he was astonished by the value of the cargo: “As noble a sight as ever I saw in my life, the greatest wealth in confusion that a man can see in the world. Pepper scattered through every chink. You trod upon it; and in cloves and nutmegs, I walked above the knees; whole rooms full. And silk in bales, and boxes of copper-plate.”

The heroic side of seafaring is illustrated in the second gallery where there are no fewer than six paintings by Van de Velde the Younger of ships in distress, including the spectacular Dutch Fleet Assembling before the Four Days Battle of June 11-14, 1666. This canvas depicts the largest and longest naval battle of the century between the Dutch and the English.

Ludolf Backhuysen spectacular Ships in Distress off a Rocky Coast depicts three cargo ships which would have carried the treasure noted by Pepys flying the red, white, and blue flag of the Dutch Republic. These floating symbols of national prosper-

ity are in great peril of crashing on the rocky shore; yet all is not lost, as the sun’s golden rays break through the ominous clouds.

Virtuoso Dutch artists set the standard for marine painting and inspired one of the greatest marine artists of them all. When the aged J.M.W. Turner caught sight of a Van de Velde print he remarked, “Ah, that made me a painter.” Wilhelm van de Velde the Younger’s Ships in a Stormy Sea was in an English collection at the beginning of the 19th century when the owner commis-sioned the young Turner to paint a compan-ion piece. Ambitious not merely to rival but to outdo the Dutchman, Turner’s canvas Dutch Boats in a Gale shows two ships headed for a collision course. The painting is larger, more thrilling, and more brilliant in its contrasts of light and dark than the Dutch original.

Regretfully Turner’s canvas, which is held by England’s National Gallery in London, is not part of the exhibition,

Visitors to our own National Gallery will want to stroll over to the British paintings in gallery 57 to compare the two Turner marine paintings on view there: Juncture of the Thames and Medway and Rotterdam Ferry Boat.

The lighter, pleasure loving side of Dutch culture is reflected in several pictures of winter activities on the ice, including Adam van Breen’s, Skating on the Frozen Amstel River, and Hendrick Avercamp’s, Winter Games on the Frozen River Ijssel.

And finally, among the five river land-scape etchings by Rembrandt van Rijn in the last gallery there is even one of bathers skinny dipping along the shore in the shim-mering light of a hot afternoon. Given the soggy temperatures outside for the next two months this exhibition is likely to be a most refreshing and delightful alternative on the Mall.*Joseph R. Phelan is a Washington based author and teacher. He is the founding editor of Artcyclopedia.com, the fine art search engine. He has taught at the Catholic University of America and the University of Maryland University College.

Copyright © 2018 InTowner Publishing Corp. & Joseph R. Phelan. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited, except as provided by 17 U.S.C. §107 (“fair use”).

Art & Culture

Hendrick Cornelis Vroom, A Fleet at Sea (ca. 1614).

Aelbert Cuyp, The Maas at Dordrecht (ca. 1650.

Willem van de Velde the Younger, The Dutch Fleet Assembling Before the Four Days’ Battle of 11-14 June 1666 (1670).

Simon de Vlieger, Estuary at Day’s End (ca. 1640/1645).

Ludolf Backhuysen, Ships in Distress off a Rocky Coast (1667). Willem van de Velde the Younger, Ships in a Stormy Sea (1671-’72).