915 F St NW = Museum Of Arts And Sciences?

Funny you mention this. I walked by last week and snapped up a few photos. I then called the lawyer representing the LLC but didn’t really get anything out of them. I’ll keep digging to see what I find.

But yeah, the Museum of Arts and Sciences? Educational space? Nigthclub? I’m confused.

Maybe it will be like Zola? Is that owned by the Spy Museum?

The plan as I understand is to be open until 2am everday and 3am Thursday – Saturday, with a capacity of 1,300 looks like another night club

It’s got to be a nightclub. What else would want those hours?

Although nightclubs typically don’t open at 8:00 AM. Might this also be a breakfast club?

I’m thinking Tryst in Adams Morgan has similar hours. Would be very cool if this were a huge, artsy, Tryst type spot. But lets all assume the worst for now.

I lost interest after reading “no nude performances.”

But seriously, this has to be one of the most socially engineered ABRA applications I’ve ever seen. I wonder if anyone will fall for it?

Nearly all applicants downtown ask for the maximum hours on their applications. Even small Pho restaurants. Upon opening many do not operate for all the hours they apply for. That said in this case given the dance floors and high occupancy on the application I think it’s safe to assume this is yet another stab at a nightclub and will use all the hours.

I noticed Ford’s Theatre has a liquor license renewal sign posted, and they listed their serving hours until 2:00 AM every morning! It appears the National Park Service is turning Ford’s Theatre into a night club!

Where are the small Pho restaurants downtown serving drinks located?

I think it’s just a clever nightclub name. Like Science Club near 19th & M. The space doesn’t lend itself to much else.

ALERT: CoCo Sala also currently listing 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM serving times on their liquor license renewal poster.

I get the idea people don’t want a club at this location. If that space doesn’t lend itself to much else other than a club, as “@3:39” suggested, then what is it people would like to see there instead that would work?

I live directly behind the club. That space has housed clubs since I was in high school (mid 80s) — so I have no real problem with another one opening. I do want them to follow sound regulations and control their crowds. This has always been the main issues, anyway.

It’s a nightclub. Their atty made a presentation of sorts to ANC-6’s Alcohol and Beverage License Committee. The police have already been called twice for problems though they have no occupancy permit.

Some residents at Mather Studios and The Ventana are protesting the club as that is the only way under the regulations that one can obtain a Voluntary Agreement addressing sound proofing, valet parking, hours, staff entry locations, security, staggered patron exiting so all don’t end on the street at one time, etc.

I know that one commercial property owner is also protesting.

Ventana residents have a Voluntary Agreement with both Co Co. Sala and Asia 9 (The Artisan was not yet occupied) because, as Paul pointed out, applicants request the maximum in all categories that they are allowed. Both on renewals will have to abide by the Voluntary Agreement.

For those who don’t know, as part of the Zoning approval they received, the Atlantic Building development is required to have a nightclub. They have not yet been able to lease the underground) space to a nightclub.

for @Anon 6:03, with some mods that space could be made into a restaurant. those seem to pop up around here pretty often.

The fact that they call themselves the “Museum of Arts and Sciences” when they’re apparently a nightclub already makes me inclined against them. It sounds like they’re trying to be sneaky and not up-front about what they’re doing, which doesn’t bode well for whether they will obey applicable laws and rules.

I would agree that a very few restaurants, like a Buddha Bar, could go in there. It would probably be a more attractive spot than they have now.

I heard that they got raided or something? They had an underage party with alcohol and the fire/police came? That can’t look good when applying for a liquor license right?????

I was hoping this would turn into a Whole Foods Market. There needs to be a grocery store there, something that would be accepted in the area more highly than a nightclub. I hope it really is a musuem and not another “it” club that turns into a waste of good space.

@philthyk LOL (though I’m not certain you intended to be funny…)

I live behind the club. If the new club had appropriate sound proofing and followed all of the other noise regulations, parking restrictions, etc to a “T”, there still remains one of the other major problems…. the club-goers.

When the other clubs were in that spot (Platinum and the more recent one which the name escapes me) the drunk patrons were almost a bigger nuisance to me. They come out of the club yelling (sometimes just because of their temporary deafness from the loud music) but more often yelling at each other fighting. Then a real physical fight breaks out and more yelling ensues. A bouncer often comes outside but the best they can do is yell over the rowdy clubbers trying to make them stop. And let’s not forget the incident that helped shut down the last club… a shooting that occurred outside the club after a fight that started inside.

The club following the rules is NOT enough to make it OK with me. We live in a mixed-use zone. So it is a tricky question, I suppose, of who wins the fight over what’s ‘appropriate’ for the neighborhood.

If nothing else, can we at least get some signs back there that say to “Respect the Neighborhood, Keep the noise down” …. I don’t know the exact wording but there are signs like this outside the bars in Foggy Bottom and Adams Morgan.

NO ONE in PQ lives in a mixed-use zone. The city does not have a mixed use zone status. Most of us live in C1-C4 commercial property areas in which noise and trash laws — and dozens of other regulations — do not apply. And if they did, no one in city government is available to enforce them.

I am not defending the proposed venture — but a nightclub has been in that space for 30+ years. It is too small for a grocery (can’t we ALL give up that hope already — its never going to happen — and we have one at 5th and K), a strange layout for retail, and too large for a restaurant (other than a chain — want another Hard Rock?)

I agree that “respect the hood” signs are a good idea — and need to be at ALL late night establishments (bars, restaurants, even movie theaters).

If you do not want the club there, there is ample opportunity to testify in front of the ABC to state your case. While I did sign the petition going around, I feel that a private agreement is what will ultimately have to be adopted, as the ABC will most likely grant the liquor license

there may not be a zoning code designated “mixed use” as the R (i.e. residential) zoning codes are found in other parts of the city but the city certainly encouraged people to move and live downtown through its development policies such as supporting tax abatements for recently built condos (2005 vintage). businesses should thus not be surprised that their liquor license applications will get flak depending on past behavior for a given location.

Jon, why would the ABC grant the license if this new owner has a history? Didn’t this club get raided just a few months ago for trying to do some secret, back door party with underage kids? Jo-Ann, can you shed any light to this?

I agree that the city should be doing more to accommodate residents who chose to move downtown and help in the revitalization of the neighborhood. However, the wheels of change are slow — especially when the codes are not written for our benefit. I have spent a good part of the last 6 years arguing with DCRA staff about the situation with little concession.

That said, I am a pessimist when it comes to the ABC which is why I think that they will end up giving the license. Who knows — with the guy’s conviction last week, they might see otherwise.

The private no-alcohol (right) club that was raided a bit ago — as well as the under-age only Club Bounce — was a rental of the space — not a venture by the guy who owns the building. That does not make excuses — just clarification.

I think you are confused Jon. The NEW owner was busted just a month or two ago for having an ILLEGAL-UNDERAGE event. They were letting in people in the back door and the police/firemarshal/abc RAIDED THEM. This SAME OWNER (NOT Abdul) is applying for the liquor license under this bogus name. Maybe Jo-Ann has heard about this? This new owner obviously is a liability when he would jeopardize his business to have this kind of party. I heard he was very unhelpfull with the police. How can someone who violated the liquor laws (underage patrons) who also violated ABRA law (not having a business license and was open) and was uncooporative with the police possibly get a liquor license? WE NEED TO WAKE UP AND SEE WHAT KIND OF OWNER THIS PERSON IS! I am all for a RESPONSIBLE business owner opening a club. But NOT THIS SHADY OWNER.

I am not talking about Club Bounce. I am refering to this NEW owner.

why did they get protested