H Street (Washington, D.C.)
Encyclopedia
H Street is an east-west street in Washington, D.C.
. It is also used as an alternate name for the Near Northeast neighborhood, as H Street is the neighborhood's main commercial strip.
s, and was the location of the first Sears Roebuck store in Washington. H Street went into decline after World War II
and businesses in the corridor were severely damaged during the 1968 riots
. The street did not start to recover until the 21st century.
In 2002, the District of Columbia Office of Planning initiated a community-based planning effort to help revitalize the corridor. Because it is nearly 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, the resulting H Street NE Strategic Strategic Development Plan divided H Street into 3 districts: the Urban Living district (between 2nd and 7th Streets NE), the Central Retail District (between 7th and 12th Streets NE), and the Arts and Entertainment District (between 12th and 15th Streets NE).
In the mid-2000s, the Arts and Entertainment District began to revitalize as a nightlife district. The Atlas Theater
, a Moderne
-style 1930s movie theater
that had languished since the 1968 riots—was refurbished as a dance studio and performance space, and is now the anchor of what is now being called the Atlas District
. H Street NE became home to the H Street Playhouse
, a black-box theater
where Theater Alliance and Forum Theatre
are in residence; live music venues, such as the Red and the Black and the Rock & Roll Hotel; and restaurants and bars such as the Argonaut, Dangerously Delicious Pies, Showbar Presents the Palace of Wonders, the Pug, and H Street Martini Lounge.
This process of gentrification
led to tensions with some previous residents, who felt that they were becoming less welcome as the neighborhood changed and worried about being priced out.
.
and one of the major east-west streets downtown. When Pennsylvania Avenue
in front of the White House
was closed to vehicular traffic in the 1990s, crosstown traffic that had formerly used Pennsylvania Avenue was rerouted to H and I streets. The street also passes Lafayette Park
and through the George Washington University
campus and the Foggy Bottom
neighborhood before terminating at Rock Creek
.
/I-295
, disconnected the southern H Street in several places. In its current form, it does not run consecutively for more than two blocks at any point except for its easternmost extremity, near Fort Dupont Park
.
s. The tracks have been laid, but supporting construction (power substations, stops and the like) has not been completed. After a series of delays, service—originally scheduled for 2012—is expected to be available by the end of 2013..
Streets and highways of Washington, D.C.
The streets and highways of Washington, D.C. form the core of the city's surface transportation infrastructure. As a planned city, streets in the capital of the United States follow a distinctive layout and addressing scheme...
. It is also used as an alternate name for the Near Northeast neighborhood, as H Street is the neighborhood's main commercial strip.
History
The H Street neighborhood was one of Washington's earliest and busiest commercial districtCommercial district
A commercial district or commercial zone is any part of a city or town in which the primary land use is commercial activities , as opposed to a residential neighbourhood, an industrial zone, or other types of neighbourhoods...
s, and was the location of the first Sears Roebuck store in Washington. H Street went into decline after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and businesses in the corridor were severely damaged during the 1968 riots
1968 Washington, D.C. riots
Five days of race riots erupted in Washington, D.C. following the April 4, 1968 assassination of Civil Rights Movement-leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil unrest affected at least 110 U.S...
. The street did not start to recover until the 21st century.
In 2002, the District of Columbia Office of Planning initiated a community-based planning effort to help revitalize the corridor. Because it is nearly 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, the resulting H Street NE Strategic Strategic Development Plan divided H Street into 3 districts: the Urban Living district (between 2nd and 7th Streets NE), the Central Retail District (between 7th and 12th Streets NE), and the Arts and Entertainment District (between 12th and 15th Streets NE).
In the mid-2000s, the Arts and Entertainment District began to revitalize as a nightlife district. The Atlas Theater
Atlas Theater and Shops
The Atlas Theater and Shops are located at 1313-33 H Street, Northeast, Washington, D.C., in the Swampoodle neighborhood.-History:It was originally built in 1938, by the Kogod-Burka movie chain.It closed in August 1976....
, a Moderne
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
-style 1930s movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
that had languished since the 1968 riots—was refurbished as a dance studio and performance space, and is now the anchor of what is now being called the Atlas District
Atlas District
The Atlas District is an arts and entertainment district located in the Near Northeast neighborhood of Washington, DC. It runs along the resurgent H Street Corridor from the outskirts of Union Station to the crossroads with Maryland Ave, Bladensburg Road, and Florida Avenue. The name is not...
. H Street NE became home to the H Street Playhouse
H Street Playhouse
The H Street Playhouse is a black-box theater and gallery located in the Atlas District, in Northeast Washington D.C. Home to resident companies , and Forum Theatre , the Playhouse has also hosted African Continuum Theatre Company, Musefire, Landless Theater Company, Theater Blue, Journeymen...
, a black-box theater
Black box theater
The black box theater is a relatively recent innovation, consisting of a simple, somewhat unadorned performance space, usually a large square room with black walls and a flat floor.-History:...
where Theater Alliance and Forum Theatre
Forum Theatre (DC)
Forum Theatre is a non-profit theatre company based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 2003, Forum produces three shows per season and is in residence at the H Street Playhouse. The company focuses on plays that feature innovative storytelling and theatricality...
are in residence; live music venues, such as the Red and the Black and the Rock & Roll Hotel; and restaurants and bars such as the Argonaut, Dangerously Delicious Pies, Showbar Presents the Palace of Wonders, the Pug, and H Street Martini Lounge.
This process of gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
led to tensions with some previous residents, who felt that they were becoming less welcome as the neighborhood changed and worried about being priced out.
H Street NE
In Northeast Washington, H Street continues uninterrupted from North Capitol Street to 15th Street NE, where it terminates in what is known as the "starburst intersection", where it meets Bladensburg Road, 15th Street, Benning Road, Maryland Avenue, and Florida Avenue . After this intersection, there is a gap of several blocks before H Street continues for a short segment between 17th and 24th Streets NE. The road does not continue east of the Anacostia RiverAnacostia River
The Anacostia River is a river in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States. It flows from Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, D.C., where it joins with the Washington Channel to empty into the Potomac River at Buzzard Point. It is approximately long...
.
H Street NW
In Northwest Washington, H Street is the main street in ChinatownChinatown, Washington, D.C.
Chinatown in Washington, D.C., is a small, historic neighborhood east of downtown consisting of about 20 ethnic Chinese and other Asian restaurants and small businesses along H and I Streets between 5th and 8th Streets, Northwest. It is known for its annual Chinese New Year festival and parade and...
and one of the major east-west streets downtown. When Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue is a street in Washington, D.C. that joins the White House and the United States Capitol. Called "America's Main Street", it is the location of official parades and processions, as well as protest marches...
in front of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
was closed to vehicular traffic in the 1990s, crosstown traffic that had formerly used Pennsylvania Avenue was rerouted to H and I streets. The street also passes Lafayette Park
Lafayette Park
Lafayette Park may refer to a location in the United States:*Lafayette Park, Detroit, Michigan, a park, development, and neighborhood*Lafayette Park Historic District, a historic district in Albany, New York...
and through the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
campus and the Foggy Bottom
Foggy Bottom
Foggy Bottom is one of the oldest late 18th and 19th-century neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. The area is thought to have received the name because its riverside location made it susceptible to concentrations of fog and industrial smoke, an atmospheric trait that did not prevent the neighborhood...
neighborhood before terminating at Rock Creek
Rock Creek (Potomac River)
Rock Creek is a free-flowing tributary of the Potomac River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean via the Chesapeake Bay. The creek is long, with a drainage area of about...
.
H Streets SW and SE
The city plan on which D.C. was laid out provides for a parallel H Street in the southwest and southeast quadrants of the city. Subsequent government actions, most notably the construction of I-395Interstate 395 (District of Columbia-Virginia)
Interstate 395 in Washington, D.C., and Virginia is a 13 mile long spur route that begins at a junction with Interstate 95 in Springfield, Virginia and ends in northwest Washington, D.C. It passes underneath the National Mall near the United States Capitol and ends at a junction with U.S...
/I-295
Interstate 295 (District of Columbia)
Interstate 295 in the U.S. state of Maryland and in Washington, D.C. is a spur route connecting I-95/I-495 and Maryland Route 210 on the Potomac River to Interstate 695 in downtown Washington.-Route description:Although I-295 technically begins at the Capital Beltway , a pair of mainline...
, disconnected the southern H Street in several places. In its current form, it does not run consecutively for more than two blocks at any point except for its easternmost extremity, near Fort Dupont Park
Fort Dupont Park
Fort Dupont Park, located in Washington, DC, is a wooded park under the management of the National Park Service. The name of the park comes from the old Civil War earthwork fort that lies within the park...
.
Infrastructure
H Street NE has been selected as one of the initial locations for the new DC StreetcarDC Streetcar
The DC Streetcar is a surface light rail and streetcar network under construction in Washington, D.C. The streetcars will be the first to run in the District of Columbia since the dismantling of the previous streetcar system in 1962...
s. The tracks have been laid, but supporting construction (power substations, stops and the like) has not been completed. After a series of delays, service—originally scheduled for 2012—is expected to be available by the end of 2013..
Notable residents
Notable residents include:- George B. McClellanGeorge B. McClellanGeorge Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
, on the south side, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, N.W. (now occupied by the Government Accountability OfficeGovernment Accountability OfficeThe Government Accountability Office is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress. It is located in the legislative branch of the United States government.-History:...
) - Mary SurrattMary SurrattMary Elizabeth Jenkins Surratt was an American boarding house owner who was convicted of taking part in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. Sentenced to death, she was hanged, becoming the first woman executed by the United States federal government. She was the mother of John H...
, near the southwest corner of Sixth Street, N.W. (now occupied by Wok N Roll restaurant) - Anthony A. WilliamsAnthony A. WilliamsAnthony Allen "Tony" Williams is an American politician who served as the fifth mayor of the District of Columbia for two terms, from 1999 to 2007. He had previously served as chief financial officer for the District, managing to balance the budget and achieve a surplus within two years of...
, D.C. mayor from 1999–2007
External links
- The H Street Guide
- Meet Me On H Street: A Guide to Nightlife in the Atlas District", Washingtonian, September 26, 2007.
- http://www.bakerprojects.com/hstreetne/pdf/1_H_St_2ContextHistory_lr.pdf
- H Street NE Strategic Development Plan
- H Street at the Great Streets website
- Frozen Tropics: A look at what's going on in Trinidad, on H Street and in the larger area north of Capitol Hill
- "DDOT: Reconstruction of H Street NE"
- "Winds of Change Blow Uneasily on H Street", April 4, 2006, The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
- "Whose H Street Is It, Anyway?", April 4, 2006, The Washington Post
- "Turning Northeast's H Street into Main Street", February 9, 2006, The Washington Post
- "H Street NE, the Next Hot Spot" June 11, 2004, The Washington Post
- "Road to a Retail Makeover" June 25, 2007, The Washington Post
- "H Street Festival" September 15, 2007, Festivalonh.org – Raphael Marshall and Kwasi Frye
- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/dining/14wash.html – January 2009