Shaw Streets

by Pleasant Mann

“Walk with Woodson” Tour Held in Shaw

A group of over 70 people gathered the morning of Saturday, February 18 outside the Mary McCleod Bethune National Historic Site to take the tour entitled “Walk with Woodson.” The tour highlighted landmarks associated with prominent African Americans in Shaw during the years that Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History, lived and worked in the neighborhood. The tour was led by personnel from the National Park Service, as well as a reenactor, Darius Wallace, performing as Dr. Woodson, along with Shaw historian Alexander Padro.

The tour moved from the Bethune Home to Logan Circle, where it pointed out the former home of famous Blacks, including Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr and United House of Prayer for All People founder Charles M. “Sweet Daddy” Grace. Further east on Rhode Island Avenue, was the National Association of Wage Earners Headquarters, an organization established by Nannie Helen Burroughs to improve the conditions of women. At Ninth Street, the tour discussed the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA, which played an important role in the cultural life of the time and the Q Street office of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, led by the legendary A. Phillip Randolph.

The tour moved to Woodson Park and its monument to Dr. Woodson, stopping at the Carter G. Woodson National Historic Site. Work is continuing on the Woodson site, which will be completed by the fall of 2023. The site will include the original Woodson home, plus two adjoining row homes to provide space for the National Park Service’s full exhibition outlining Dr. Woodson’s work and the accolades he received during his life, as well office space for the NPS and the headquarters of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the organization Dr. Woodson formed.

The tour ended up at Shiloh Baptist Church, where the Woodson reenactor gave a 30-minute recitation of Dr. Woodson’s beliefs and life’s work.

New Restaurants Opening in Shaw

March will be a big month for restaurant openings in Shaw. Perhaps the biggest will be the opening of Ambar Shaw, at the southeast corner of Seventh and Q Streets NW on March 6. The newest member of the local string of restaurants offering “Balkan dining without limits,” Ambar Shaw will offer lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. The second floor of the restaurant has a rakia cocktail bar complete with retractable rooftop, while the ground floor includes a takeout window for quick meal pickup.

Petit Cerise, located at the southeast corner of L and Seventh Streets NW, is also opening in

March. Created by Jerimiah Langhorne and Alex Zink, the pair that brought The Dabney, DC’s No. 1 restaurant, to Shaw, Petite Cerise (little cherry in French) will specialize in modern French cuisine. Plans are to have the two-story restaurant offer breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual setting.

And watch for the upcoming expansion of the Shaw outpost of Andy’s Pizza, which is taking over the space at 808 V Street NW formerly occupied by Hazel restaurant. The new location has an expansive interior, extensive bar area and a comfortable patio for diners.

More Housing Coming to Shaw

A number of new housing developments in Shaw have come to light recently, all of them on the Ninth Street corridor. The most prominent, by the Kadida Development Group, will be on the currently vacant lot at 1322 Ninth Street NW. Plans are for an eight-story apartment building, bringing 40 units of housing to the neighborhood. The building joins another Kadida project currently underway on the block at 1318 Ninth Street NW, which will produce nine condo units at the former Mood Lounge.

Up the street, construction is continuing at 1400 Ninth Street NW, where developer United Investments is redeveloping one of the oldest buildings in Shaw (dating back to 1850-1870). When they are finished, a longtime eyesore will be restored, with a multilevel modern addition containing seven units of housing, along with a commercial space on the ground floor.

Finally, at 1507 Ninth Street NW, Monarch Urban is planning to replace the former Shiloh Baptist Church Curtie May Turner Building with condominiums. The new structure will have a total of 40 units, with 18 percent of them being affordable.

Seylou Holding Baker Meetup and the Return of Pizza Night

Shaw’s Seylou Bakery and Mill is forming a DMV outpost of the Common Grain Alliance by holding a Baker Meetup on March 20. The topic will be “Baking with Whole Grains.” The first meeting of the group is already full, but there will be at least three more sessions this year, where bakers from around the DC area can exchange tips and tricks, share bread and chat about baking. Check out commongrainalliance.org for more information and to sign up for future CGA Baker Meetups.

Seylou has also announced the return of their Pizza Nights! Now every Wednesday night, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Seylou will offer pizzas with a sourdough crust made from locally sourced veggies and dairy products, as well as meat from Halal sources. Pizzas can be ordered online at Seylou.com or by calling 202-842-1122. u