Archive | Union Market RSS feed for this section

Rum Distillery and Tasting Room Coming to Union Market

26 Aug

We received word yesterday (h/t ANC Commissioner Tony Goodman) that a rum distillery and tasting room has applied for a construction permit near Union Market.  It will be going in at 1330 5th Street, NE–directly east and a little north of the existing Union Market building.  As noted by Commissioner Goodman, Edens, the firm that owns Union Market and that has purchased many of the surrounding buildings, owns this building.

More details as we get them.  In the meantime, check out our series on the future of Union Market here and our map of future development here.

Tags: , ,

Masseria Impresses with Soft Launch

30 Jul
Fresh Fruit and Sorbet at Masseria

Fresh Fruit and Sorbet at Masseria

You will need to suspend your disbelief when you approach the front entrance at Masseria (1340 4th Street, NE) in the Union Market district.  While the restaurant will one day be a neighbor to upscale apartments and retail, it is currently across the street from a wholesaler, next to an empty parking lot, and a half block down from a Motel 6.

Open Faced Ravioli with Rock Shrimp at Masseria

Open Faced Ravioli with Rock Shrimp at Masseria

But don’t let that scare you away!  Once you enter Masseria’s front gate, you will completely forget the outside surroundings.  Immediately upon walking in, you walk through a beautiful outdoor patio and lounge with couches and a floor that is covered in tile.  Via a large bar, the patio gives way to the indoor dining space that features an open kitchen where you can watch your dinner being made.  There are several seats at the kitchen bar that give you the best view.

Summer Soft Shell Crabs at Masseria

Summer Soft Shell Crabs at Masseria

Dinner starts with an amuse-bouche followed by a presentation of bread featuring fresh focaccia, miniature breadsticks formed into small rings, and a sundried tomato sauce.  Masseria has a robust wine program as well as a large craft cocktail list (we tried a type of mojito that included beer in it…sounds strange but it worked).

Sample Menu at Masseria

Sample Menu at Masseria

The menu is a tasting menu (either three or six courses) where you can choose what you want from the menu.  The menu is broken up by antipasti, pastas, fish/seafood, and meat (see sample menu above).  On the pasta front, we tried the linguine with salami and a spicy XO sauce as well as the open faced ravioli with rock shrimp.  Both were wonderful with the spicy XO sauce packing a real punch.  From the seafood category, we tried the summer softshell crab dish featuring two halved crabs in a bed of summer corn.  The soft shells were delicately sauteed and topped with basil blossoms, which added a strong basil flavor.  The combination of the corn and the basil blossoms made it taste like pure summer. Continue reading →

Tags: , , ,

Masseria Close to Opening Near Union Market

1 Jul
Sign Posted Outside of Masseria Near Union Market

Sign Posted Outside of Masseria Near Union Market

Masseria (1340 4th Street, NE) is nearing completion and could open in the coming weeks (see our preview here).  We stopped by the Masseria drink pop-up that was held last week right outside of Union Market (there is another one tonight!) and learned that construction is almost complete.  There are a few finishing touches that must be applied and some final permits that they need from the DC Government prior to opening.  Once all of that is complete, they will train their staff and open up.  We peaked at the construction a few days ago and noticed some beautiful tile work in the patio area of the restaurant.  We were also quite excited to learn that the patio will have both heaters and cooling equipment to help make the patio usable almost the entire year.

Tags: , , ,

Eden’s Union Market Begins to Move West

5 Jun

We’ve spoken previously about all of the real estate that Eden’s owns in the Union Market area in addition to the Union Market building (see all of our previous coverage here and additional coverage from Washington Business Journal).  Eden’s transformation of the warehouse space immediately to the west of the existing Union Market building appears to have begun.  This weekend we walked by two upscale pop-up shops at 1270 and 1274 5th Street, NE that had previously been warehouse space.  One was an upscale interior designer (J.D. Ireland) and one was an upscale fashion store (Emporium DNA Edit).  You can see more details on both from Washingtonian.  It will be very interesting to see what Eden’s plans for these spaces long term.

Tags: ,

Masseria Hoping to Open This June in Union Market Area

3 Jun
Construction Progress at Masseria

Construction Progress at Masseria

Masseria, a free standing Italian restaurant by former Bibiana chef Nick Stefanelli, hopes to open this June just to the west of Union Market (1340 4th Street, NE).  The building is undergoing a complete renovation currently and will have a large outdoor patio area in the front.  According to Masseria’s owners, the restaurant’s design “will combine the raw and simple look of an Italian country estate, the industrial grit of the Union Market district.”  The restaurant is in the industrial/warehouse section of Union Market, approximately one block away from Eden’s Union Market (you can view our entire series on the future of Union Market by clicking here).  However, the building immediately to the south of Masseria is slated to become a large residential building with major ground floor retail space and there are several other residential areas planned nearby to Masseria.

Masseria's Chef Nick Stefanelli

Masseria’s Chef Nick Stefanelli

Masseria will feature fine Italian cuisine with “touches of coastal cultures.”  According to Masseria’s team, “the restaurant’s name carries a heartfelt meaning, defining the charming agricultural farm of the Puglia region.”

A sneak peak of one menu item sounds delicious: Cavatelli Grano Arso–burnt wheat cavatelli pasta with fennel coffee sausage, bitter greens, red chillies, and Pecorino cheese.

On the drink side, Stefanelli will be bringing an impressive team with him to Masseria when it opens: former City Zen sommelier David Kurka and Julien-Pierre Bourgon from PX in Alexandria. Continue reading →

Tags: , , ,

Angelika Pop-Up: A Preview of Upscale Movie Viewing in Union Market

11 Dec
Premovie Lounge at Angelika Pop-Up Theater

Premovie Lounge at Angelika Pop-Up Theater

D.C. has needed more and better movie theaters, especially in the eastern part of the city.  Earlier this year, if you lived east of downtown, the choices were traveling across the city to Georgetown, going to the nice but limited E Street Cinema, viewing a movie in the rundown Regal Cinema in Gallery Place, or going to the suburbs.  Edens promised to change all of this by announcing it would put an upscale Angelika Film Center in the second phase of its Union Market building.  However, that permanent theater will not be built for several years.  In the meantime, Edens converted part of a building the company owns a block north of Union Market into a pop-up movie theater to preview the future permanent theater.  The pop-up currently offers around four different films with multiple showings throughout the day.  There is a mix of recently released mainstream films, indie films, and classics (including It’s a Wonderful Life before Christmas).

Concessions Stand at Angelika Pop-Up Theater

Concessions Stand at Angelika Pop-Up Theater

Continue reading →

Tags: , , ,

A. Litteri: DC’s Best Italian Market

10 Dec
Exterior at A. Litteri

Exterior at A. Litteri

If you haven’t heard of A. Litteri (517 Morse Street, NE), we don’t blame you.  It took us over a year of living in the NoMa/H Street region to discover the Italian market and deli buried amongst the massive wholesale warehouses around Union Market.  First established in 1926 but relocated to Morse Street in 1932 by Mariano DeFrancisci and Antonio Litteri, A. Litteri’s is the best Italian market in the District.  Prior to finding A. Litteri’s we used to trek out to the Italian Store in Arlington for our Italian needs but no more–you’ll find everything you need here.

Shelves of Dried Pasta at A. Litteri

Shelves of Dried Pasta at A. Litteri

Do not let the market’s unassuming exterior push you away.  Inside you will find shelves and shelves of pastas, sauces, olive oils (of all sizes), vinegars, Italian wines, and many other Italian necessities.  At the deli counter in the back, you will find homemade sausages, meatballs, Italian meats, cheeses, and olives.  You can also order some of the best Italian sandwiches in the region too.  The gentlemen behind the counter may have a somewhat aggressive attitude but grab a number and step right on up when your number is called (for sandwiches fill out a little form that is on the counter).

Classic Italian Sub at A. Litteri

Classic Italian Sub at A. Litteri

With all of the changes planned for the Union Market area in the coming years, A. Litteri’s is one existing gem that we hope doesn’t change one bit in the future.

shelves at a litteri

 

This post is part of District Cuisine’s Union Market series.  You can view the entire series here.

Tags: , , ,

Union Market: The Upper Section

9 Dec
Upper Section of Union Market

Upper Section of Union Market

For the purposes of this post, the upper section is defined as the area and buildings starting on the northern side of Penn Street, NE at 6th Street, going west to New York Avenue, turning right, and then running up New York Avenue for one block.  You can view our interactive map here (note: this is not perfectly drawn to scale and does not perfectly reflect lot lines, etc).  The properties are colored by owner; the color purple indicates that the property is not owned by one of the large development companies.

The upper section of Union Market has two large parcels that are owned by Edens but disconnected from each other.  The first Edens property on Penn Street by 6th Street (550 Penn Street) is already being used by Edens as part of Union Market.  In this space, Dolcezza Gelato has a factory and retail store; Angelika Film Center has a pop-up movie theater (until it moves to its permanent home in the Union Market building in several years).  The second Edens owned property is down the block on the corner of New York Avenue.  This building is not currently used for a public purpose by Edens, although it does have several advertisements for Union Market attractions painted onto the side of it.  In between these two properties is Maurice Electrical Supply.

Next to the Edens owned property on New York Avenue is an independently owned property.  The large parcel next to that building is currently undergoing a major construction project.  The property was previously a very rundown Quality Inn (check out some of the horrible reviews here) but was knocked down recently and is now being rebuilt as two hotels: a Hampton Inn and a Homewood Suites.

In our next two Union Market series posts, we will examine two existing parts of the Union Market area that you may be overlooking but are well worth you checking out.

Special thanks to Washington Business Journal for their previous reporting on the real estate deals in Union Market and to ANC 6C 06 Commissioner Tony Goodman for his help in answering questions about the area.

Tags: , , ,

Union Market: The Eastern Section

20 Nov
Eastern Section of Union Market

Eastern Section of Union Market

For the purposes of this post, the eastern section is defined as the area and buildings starting on the northern side of Florida Avenue, NE at 5th Street, going over to 6th Street, and then running up in between both streets until Penn Street (including Morse Street).  You can view our interactive map here (note: this is not perfectly drawn to scale and does not perfectly reflect lot lines, etc).  The properties are colored by owner; the color purple indicates that the property is not owned by one of the large development companies.

The eastern section of Union Market is the area that has seen the most development recently thanks to Edens’s construction of the Union Market building.  This section is also likely to see significant additional development in the coming years thanks to two owners controlling the majority of the real estate: Edens and Gallaudet University.  Edens has elaborate plans to add to the existing Union Market building, while Gallaudet University has an elaborate vision for redeveloping 6th Street to add retail and to integrate Union Market with Gallaudet’s campus that is currently somewhat isolated.  Recently Gallaudet University chose JBG–a major DC developer that controls several parcels in NoMa–as the firm it would partner with to develop its land.

Starting at Florida Avenue in between 5th and 6th streets (view interactive map here):

500 and 520 Florida Avenue

500 and 520 Florida Avenue

  • 500 and 520 Florida Avenue (purple on map): this land that comprises the entire block of Florida Avenue is controlled by one owner.  Currently, 520 Florida Avenue houses a Hess gas station.  No plans have been announced for any kind of redevelopment.

Turn left down 6th Street and walk north (view interactive map here):

Large Section of 6th Street Owned by Gallaudet University

Large Section of 6th Street Owned by Gallaudet University

  • Right (east) side of the street (yellow on map): all of this land on 6th Street is owned by Gallaudet University, all the way up to Neal Place (across the road from the Edens’s Union Market building).  In the coming years it will be developed by Gallaudet working with JBG.  Past Neal Place, the land is part of Brentwood Park and will not be developed.

Turn left onto Morse Street and head west (view interactive map here):

Continue reading →

Tags: , ,

Union Market: The Middle Section (Updated)

13 Nov

Overview of Middle Section of Union Market

 

For the purposes of this post, the middle section is defined as the area and buildings starting on the northern side of Florida Avenue, NE at 4th Street, going over to 5th Street, and then running up in between both streets until Penn Street (including Morse Street and Neal Place).  You can view our interactive map here (note: this is not perfectly drawn to scale and does not perfectly reflect lot lines, etc).  The properties are colored by owner; the color purple indicates that the property is not owned by one of the large development companies.

***Update: after this post went live, the Washington Business Journal reported that Edens used a series of hidden LLCs to purchase much of the property on the western side of 5th Street in between Morse Street and Neal Place.  This would seem to indicate that Edens has plans to purchase all of this property for a future development.  The post has been updated below to reflect Edens’s ownership of these parcels.**

The middle section of Union Market is the area least likely to see significant change in the coming years, with three exceptions.  Unlike the areas to the east and west, most of the middle section does not have large parcels of land owned by major developers.  Instead, much of the middle section is owned by a variety of independent owners and the buildings are broken up into smaller shops.  This diverse ownership makes it difficult for anyone to consolidate ownership and make major changes quickly.

The first exception is the western side of 5th Street in between Morse Street and Neal Place where Edens has purchased several individual parcels over the past couple of months.  Edens has yet to purchase several of the properties in this block, but the company appears to be aggressively buying the properties in an attempt to consolidate ownership of the entire block for a potential future development.

The second exception is the land along Florida Avenue in between 4th and 5th streets because Edens owns all of the block except for one parcel.

The final exception is the Choi family which owns many pieces of land in the middle part of the Union Market area.  In the mid-2000s, Sang Oh Choi developed a plan with several members of the DC City Council where his company would consolidate ownership of Union Market and redevelop it.  The plan was very controversial as many of the landowners feared they would be pushed out, and it ultimately fell apart.  However, the Choi family continues to own land in the area and could be a major player in the years ahead (Sang Oh Choi worked with Edens on the Gateway Market project).

Instead of seeing change that is driven by large developers, the middle section is more likely to see slow change as independent owners begin to renovate and freshen up their buildings as the rest of the area redevelops.  It is also possible that the large developers could buy a bunch of the small properties (as Edens is actively doing), but this strategy would take time as there are so many owners.

Starting on Florida Avenue in between 4th and 5th streets (view interactive map here):

Florida Avenue Between 4th and 5th Streets

  • Corner of 4th Street (red on map): Edens owns from the corner of 4th Street up until 416 4th Street.  The plans for this land are unknown.
  • 416 Florida Avenue (purple on map): this land is currently occupied by Yum’s Carryout.  Edens has attempted to purchase this land from Yum’s in the past but has been unsuccessful.  However, this parcel represents the only land on the block that Edens does not own.
  • 418 Florida Avenue (red on map): Edens owns this parcel.  Plans unknown.

Turn left down 5th Street and then turn down Morse Street (view interactive map here):

Morse Street in Between 4th and 5th Streets

 

  • 416 Morse Street (red on map): this property is owned by 416 Morse Street NE LLC, which Washington Business Journal reports is an LLC that is likely owned by Edens.
  • The properties to the south are owned by a mix of independent owners and the Choi family.  The corner unit on 5th Street is independently owned, followed by 419 that is owned by the Choi family, followed by 417 that is owned by another independent owner, followed by 413-415 Morse Street that are owned by the Choi family, and then the rest of the block is owned by independent owners.

Walk down Morse Street and turn right on 4th Street, heading north (view interactive map here): Continue reading →

Tags: , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →