communitylife
h streetlife H Street Life
I
t’s nearly spring, but rest assured that H Street NE did not hibernate over the winter. Should warmer temperatures coax you outside, here are some places you might want to check out.
Insight Property Group to Purchase H Street Self Storage
The purchase by Insight of the Murry’s lot was quite the topic of speculation, but now comes even bigger news that Insight will include the H Street Self Storage parcel in its developments plans. These are no small plans mind you. They
by Elise Bernard call for an eight-story structure (the H Street Self Storage building is five stories) with 300 residential units, 68 retail-dedicated parking spaces, and up to 60,000 square feet of retail space. Right across the street Jair Lynch has another large development planned. Combine the two, and that block is going to look very different in five years.
Catching Up With The Daily Rider
I recently chatted with the owners of the Daily Rider (http://thedailyriderdc.com, 1108 H Street NE) about their
plans for the new bike shop set to open sometime this spring. The Daily Rider specializes in stylish road bikes, and they hope to become a destination shop for certain specialty brands. In addition, the Daily Rider plans to serve the many types of cyclists in the neighborhood by offering bikes at all different price ranges. Though they will not open as a full service bike shop, they are working towards that goal. In the future, they also have plans to offer children’s bikes, but are still selecting models. Potential clients will be pleased to hear that the owners, who live nearby, plan to offer evening hours during part of the week.
Owners Loren Copsey and Beth Rogers hope to share their passion for cycling at the Daily Rider 62 H HillRag | March 2012
Boundary Road
The much anticipated Boundary Road (http:// www.boundaryrd.com, 414 H Street NE) has now opened its doors to the public. The restaurant boasts a frequently changing bistro menu. The setting is casual, with exposed brick and salvaged wooden beams adding to the rustic feel of the dining room. Chef, and owner, Brad Walker brings a ton of experience to his new venture. His resume includes time at Central, Proof, Cashion’s Eat Place, and Fiola, among others. The food is quite good, but the cocktails also merit attention. My favorite was El Luchador, which blends tequila, lime juice, and a jalapeno/lemongrass syrup, finished off with a salt and chipotle powder rim. Do yourself a favor, and try Boundary Road before the word gets out.
DC Chili Bowl Coming to H Street NE?
A former employee of Ben’s Chili Bowl recently announced plans to open his own chili bowl style restaurant on just off the H Street NE Corridor. He describes the concept as “a combination of a ‘Chili Bowl’ and a ‘Southern Style Diner.’” His plans for DC Chili Bowl notably deviate from the formula at Ben’s. Anthony Ulysses Holman plans to serve up kosher Hebrew National hotdogs, turkey chili, and a jalapeno burger (on a cranberry wheat roll!), all `things you won’t find at Ben’s. Holman will also offer up condiments like sauerkraut, that Ben’s eschews. The all day breakfast service will surely gain a quick following, and I’m quite excited about the breadth of grits offering (sweet butter grits, cheese grits, fish and grits, pork chop and grits, and shrimp and grits). Vegan diners are in luck, as DC Chili Bowl has pledged to serve up the best vegan hotdog in town. Holman hasn’t publically identified a specific location, but he did recently tell local news outlet WTOP that he found a spot on, or near, the H Street NE Corridor (a Twitter posting suggests that it is on Bladensburg Road). DC Chili Bowl’s Twitter account (@DCChiliBowl) gives a big window for a target opening date. A post indicates that it could be as soon as late spring of this year, or as late as early fall. What does this mean for the future of the building at 10th and H Street NE that the owners of