the MLK Avenue small business family

local kindness from Renae's Flower Shop to Big Chair Coffee. "Welcome!"

14th Street Twin Update

So happy to see this house get a high-quality restoration. It has gone from a vinyl-clad facade eyesore to a handsome wood-sided beaut.


but still way too many overhead wires ... wondering if they are all still active


I think they are keeping it white, which I am not opposed to


doesn't the porch look great?

This is the kind of homebuilding we need more of - and are fortunate to be getting - here in Anacostia. I'm excited to see the final product!

Next in Line for Restorations

Gray skies and wintry forecasts got you down? Never fear, the spring renovation / restoration season is near and promises to cheer you up. I've compiled a list of a few houses (I'm sure there are more, but I happened upon these this morning) that are either just starting or soon to commence their makeovers.

This house (on the left) on the 1300 block of W is part of one of my favorite twins. I bet it's going to look great when it's finished:

I mean, how classic are the sidewalk-level front porches?

High Street has, to me at least, always been a bit of a downer, but there are at least three homes on the block that will soon change for the better:


this one isn't falling apart by any means, but will see roof and trim repairs


this solid brick home is getting new windows and a restored wood-columned porch


Haunted? not sure ... but this one is getting a COMPLETE restoration (pretty much a re-build) and is going to look fantastic

the 1600 block of V has been seeing some good progress lately. New condos at the top of the block (yet to be blogged about), and a spattering of good-looking restorations in the past year. This particular house on the left is being completely remodeled and will soon (I hope) look as good as its next door neighbor:


I wonder what color they'll paint this one...

So yes, Anacostia is still very much under construction despite the downturn. Seriously cannot wait for spring.

Big Chair Coffee in the News

photo courtesy of Washington City Paper

So it's been about three weeks now since Big Chair Coffee opened, and the press has been all over it. It's encouraging to see all the websites, blogs, papers, and news shows covering the shop and giving it tons of free publicity. For a neighborhood that is usually misunderstood - or at least not fully understood - in the popular media, this has been a very good thing.

Anacostia Gives Coffee Shop Warm Reception
Washington Post Metro Section

Good to Go takeout: Big Chair Coffee n' Grill in Anacostia
Washington Post Food Section

Big Chair Coffee: Only the strong survive
Washington Business Journal

If You Build a Coffee Shop, Will the Gentrifying Hipsters Come?
Urban Turf

Big Chair Coffee: Big News for Anacostia
Young & Hungry - Washington City Paper

Ethiopian family opens a new Coffee Shop in DC's Anacostia neighborhood
Nazret.com

Grand Opening at Big Chair Coffee n' Grill
DCist.com

Big Chair Coffee—Anacostia’s First Stand-Alone Coffee Shop That Anyone Can Remember—Opened Today
Housing Complex - Washington City Paper

Support Big Chair Coffee in Anacostia!
Anacostia Yogi

Big Chair Coffee!!!
Life in the Village

Freako-licious in Anacostia, Mamis!
The Penn Brangler

Big Chair Coffee & Grill Opens in DC's SE Neighborhood
Cvent

Photos: Coffee and a Chair East of the River
City Desk - Washington City Paper

Big Bear, Big Chair, and the Gentrification of a Neighborhood
in bloom

What to Do This Week
Daily Candy

The Washington Informer’s Blatant Betrayal of its Own Self-Professed Community
The Washington Syndicate

New Businesses: So Far, So Good
River East Idealist

Big Chair Coffee: Coffee From Its Cradle
Thrillist

Big Chair Coffee is Open!
We Love DC

Big Chair Opens Today!
Congress Heights on the Rise

New Coffee Shop to Open in Anacostia
Fox 5 News

Pretty much all great reviews, too! Not bad for a place only open a few weeks. If you still haven't ventured over to check it out, its hours are 7AM to 9PM, 7 days a week.

To Do: Historical Society Reception

The Historical Society of DC and the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum are holding an opening reception for “East of the River: Continuity and Change.” Given all the plans for the future of Anacostia in the coming years, this should be an interesting reflection worth checking out to provide a little perspective of what’s to come.



Date: February 7, 2010
Time: 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Location: Historical Society of Washington, DC 801 K Street NW

photo (building has since been restored) by flickr user ellievanhoutte
cross-posted at DC Metrocentric

Photo Exhibits Opening Tonight in Anacostia

Stories and Migrations: Photography by Antoine Sanfuentes and Ann Curry of NBC and Deborah Terry of International Lifeline Fund



Friday January 22nd at 7PM marks the opening at Honfleur Gallery of Stories, an exhibit of photographic stories created by three artists to help raise awareness and funds for relief efforts in African nations. Stories features documentary photography created by Antoine Sanfuentes in a 2008 visit to East Goma with NBC’s Ann Curry covering topics such as children soldiers of Africa, education and rape.

Works by Ann Curry will be presented from the same trip, alongside Deborah Terry’s images of Sudanese and Ugandan refugees and conflict victims as well as multimedia presentations of the grassroots work done by International Lifeline Fund. Proceeds from this exhibition and the opening night fundraiser will go to support International Lifeline Fund.

Concurrently, Terry will be exhibiting at The Gallery at Vivid Solutions, also in Historic Anacostia, with a solo exhibition entitled Migrations, illuminating the lives of two disparate groups at odds in the Darfur conflict: nomadic herders/warriors known as Janjaweed, and the refugees displaced by them.

Foundation Laid at 2345 MLK

work is progressing at 2345 MLK Ave: foundation is laid and the exterior walls are beginning to go up. Still no word on the final design (sure, I could make a trip down to planning and zoning...) but I know it is residential over retail/office.



I'm glad to see the new building begin to block the Morgan Family Fish Fry building. It's the oddball on the block that's set way too far off the street.



It's encouraging to know that development activity is happening at both ends of MLK in Anacostia. Really looking forward to seeing this one progress!