Author: Mari

via Jim Berry

Dear Residents of SMD 5C01,

I recently received notice of an application that has been filed before the Board of Zoning Adjustment concerning the above address. Specifically, the applicant wants the following:

“a variance from the lot occupancy requirements under section 403, a variance from the side yard requirements under section 405, a variance from the minimum lot area requirements under section 40l.1, a variance from the off-street parking requirements under sub-section 2101.1, to allow the conversion of an exiting apartment house from four (4) to six (6) units in the R-4 District at premises 1507 4th Street, NW (Square 521, Lot 835).”

In short, the applicant wants to convert this building into six condominium units, but requires a fair amount of consideration from the Board of Zoning Adjustment in order to do this. Like ANC 5C, residents who live within 200 feet of the site are required to receive notice in the mail about this application and are invited to make comments about the proposal, i.e., in support of or in opposition to. I plan to invite the applicant to the next meeting of the Bates Area Civic Association, Inc. (3/7/2005) to present his plans for this proposed development and the information that I receive their will likely best inform the recommendation I make to my colleagues on ANC 5C when the applicant is invited to appear before that body (most likely, on March 15, 2005). The actual BZA hearing of this application will take place on Tuesday, April 5, 2005, in Suite 220, 441 4th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, between 1:00 p.m. and 6 :00 p.m.

In the meantime, I invite you to share any preliminary thoughts that you might have concerning the proposal for this location — whether it be comments, criticisms, questions or praise. Please know that I am particularly interested in hearing from those of you who live in closest proximity to the site.

Best,

Jim Berry
ANC 5C

Sandbad’s Chicken and Kebob House at 600 Florida Ave has been open only a week and they are still trying to find their way around a bit as contractors, residents and passers by check them out. Sandbad’s is more of a carry out with tables and chairs, than a restaurant. Food is served in carryout containers and the utensiles were plastic. The cloth covered tables mainly serve as a place to wait while the cook in the back fills your order. Fast food this is not, but possibly in the future they might find a rhythm and speed it up a bit.
They had a buffet available, sadly there was nothing clearly stating what were the different things were and their prices. The buffet included a salad, vegetables of some sort, soup, and a meat.
I chose a familiar favorite, the gyro. Maybe because they’ve only been open a week they may have underestimated what they needed because the gyro was fine, but didn’t have the needed tzatiki sauce and a gyro isn’t as good with out it. The meat in the gyro was big and had just enough spice to it and the onions and peppers were nicely grilled. But still I really wanted the tzatiki sauce.
I also got a leg of chicken. It was very tender, but a little bland. It needed something, but I don’t know what.
Maybe in about a month they’ll improve a bit, well I hope by then they’ll have the sauce.
Sandbad Chicken and Kabab House. 600 Florida Ave NW, Washington DC 20001. 202/232-1165. M-Sat 11AM-10PM, Sun 11AM-9PM. Free Delivery

Sometime this week I wandered by the New York Avenue Station and noticed something new for me, bike racks. And even better, bike lockers.

When I peered through the window I saw chairs, so it must be a restaurant. Anyway, there is a new restaurant at 600 Florida Avenue. Since the inside is somewhat visable it seems far more inviting than what was there before.

At some point I hope to try the Lamb Shish Kabob or the Mouska. And as the name says they have chicken as well as the kabobs.

According to the take out menu they deliver for free. So anyway feel free to drop by or give them a call at 202 232 1165.

I made a huge error.

Nobody died.

Just apparently if you OD, are unresponsive, and lying on the sidewalk with blood coming out of your head and mouth the proper authorities will take their time getting you to the hospital.

I am sorry to all who I have upset. My source of information was faulty and upon confering with other people I have discovered my error and wish to correct myself.

So I repeat no one died.

What happened according to a neighbor who lives closer and who actually found the woman on the side walk, she was bleeding from her head and mouth and was unresponsive. The people in the house where the trail of blood began had locked her out and were inside when the police came and knocked on the door, but they did not answer. It is possible that she could have died from her injuries, but as far as we know, she’s still alive.