Howard Theatre Neighbors Mobilize ANC6E Against Beer Garden

At its regular monthly meeting last night (May 6), Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6E/Shaw heard from neighbors opposing a planned beer garden in the rear parking lot of the Howard Theatre (620 T Street NW). ANC6E voted to send a letter to D.C.'s liquor-licensing authorities stating it wished to be included in the decision-making process concerning the beer garden.

Wiltberger Street (Google Street View)

A trustee of the Howard Theatre rolled out the idea on April 16 to the liquor-licensing affairs committee of ANC 1B/U Street -- see SALM blog post of April 22. At that time, the trustee said the planned beer garden would operate in the parking lot behind the theater on Saturday and Sunday evenings during the summer until 11pm.

The Howard Theatre, and its rear parking lot, is located on the border between two ANC districts. The theater is in ANC1B. Its neighbors are in ANC6E. The border runs down the center of Wiltberger Street, on the east side of the Howard Theater. On the west side of Wiltberger Street are seven small single-family homes, six of which are currently occupied. A resident of Wiltberger Street appeared before ANC6E to ask for help.

"We really don't think this parking lot on Wiltberger Street is the right place", the resident said. "We're really concerned about the noise issue."

"The Howard Theatre has not been a particularly good neighbor," she also said. "We don't think they'll get better."

The ANC Commissioner for the neighbors is Kevin Chapple (district 02). Chapple told ANC6E he had met with the Howard Theater May 5. The meeting was "unsatisfactory", Chapple said.

Chapple then said -- incorrectly -- that ANC1B had voted to support the beer garden. He urged ANC6E to oppose it.

ANC6E Chair Alexander Padro (Commissioner for district 01) said he had communicated with ANC1B Chair James Turner on this matter. Padro said the liquor license application had not yet been placarded so it was not yet the right time to protest the application. Instead, Padro suggested sending a letter to D.C.'s liquor-licensing authorities, asking them to include ANC6E as "active participants" in the deliberations about the Howard Theater's liquor license.

ANC6E voted unanimously to support Padro's proposal.

Read an article about the Howard Theater's planned beer garden from Washington City Paper's "Young and Hungry" blog here.

Howard Theatre Plans Weekend Summer Events in Ellington Plaza

Roy "Chip" Ellis, a trustee of the Howard Theatre (620 T Street NW), came before the liquor-licensing affairs committee of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1B/U Street April 16 to brief about a new plan to use outside space around the theater on the weekends, starting in June. The plan includes a summer beer garden behind the theater. As the plan stands now, the beer garden will be open Saturdays and Sundays until 11pm.

Howard Theater in 2013 (Wikipedia)

Ellis said the Howard Theatre would be working with the non-profit organization Shaw Main Streets on a concept called "Made in Shaw". As currently envisioned, the section of T Street in front of the theater will be closed off. Local artists will display on the closed street and on Ellington Plaza, a pedestrian area near the front of the theater.

However, there will not be alcohol service on the area in front of the theater, Ellis said. The beer garden behind the theater has a projected capacity of "less than 200". There are no plans to have outside concerts, Ellis told the committee.

"We might have one person playing the guitar," he said.

There will also be food service. Ellis did not talk about the menu for food or drink, but he did say: "We have Right Proper Brewery right next door."

Liquor license aspects

The plan means a "substantial change" to the Howard Theater's liquor license. Any substantial change to a liquor-license must be placarded for 60 days placarded for 45 days, per D.C. Code 25-101 (41). "Made in Shaw" may wish to open while the placarding period is still in process. To do so, the Howard Theater will also need a stipulated liquor license, which will allow the beer garden to operate while the D.C. liquor-licensing bureaucracy processes paperwork.

There was no vote by the committee. The Howard Theater will be back in front of ANC1B to request both to endorse its substantial change and to grant a stipulated license. A stipulated liquor license is one of the few powers an ANC has that is more than advisory in nature.

Liquor-licensing committee chair Nick Baumann asked Ellis to make sure the residential neighbors were consulted.

"We plan on knocking on every door," Ellis said.

Public space aspects

Another committee member asked if there was a traffic plan. She said valets from Howard Theater were parking customer vehicles in nearby residential alleys.

"Your valets are filling up the alleys," she said. "Do you have any plans to make it better?"

"When we come back, we will have a traffic plan," Ellis said.

The project may also require a public space use permit from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). ANC Chair James Turner (Commissioner for district 09) asked Ellis to call on ANC1B's Transportation Committee to talk about public space aspects of the plan.

Ellis is also CEO of Howard Theater developer Ellis Development Group.

Thanks to Brain Molloy of the DC Liquor Law Blog for setting me straight on the length of the protest period (corrected above).