Project to Deck Over Interstate Begins

Looking north from E Street NW.

Capital Crossing, the massive project to construct buildings over parts of Interstate 395, has begun. The interstate currently runs through parts of SW and NW DC, ending rather abruptly near New York Ave NW. The Capitol Crossing project aims to build five new buildings over an exposed portion of 395 from E St W to Massachusetts Ave NW. The exposed portion is open to the air, but it runs below grade.

There are five buildings planned for the seven acre site including 1,000 underground parking spaces for cars, and almost 500 spots for bikes. The buildings total 2.2 million square feet, consisting of mostly office and retail. The intestate will remain operational during and after construction. When complete, it will exist underground; with new entrance and exit tunnels emerging from Massachusetts Ave and 2nd St NW, respectively. 

You can see renderings here, at the project website. The building designs consist of very DC-typical, squat, unimaginative glass boxes. The way some of the buildings engage the surrounding streets (E Street, especially) are underwhelming at best, detrimental at worst. In better news, F Street will get a new block between 2nd and 3rd, and the Mass Ave frontage looks more promising.

The entire project isn't scheduled to be complete until summer of 2019, as the new buildings will come in phases. However, the changes are already visible and this project promises to continue changing the East End over the next five years.

Area under construction marked. Image and Map Data © Google 2015.

Sixth Street NW

National Fire Dog Monument

DC's newest monument is not on the mall. It's downtown, at a working fire station. The National Fire Dog Monument was recently unveiled next to Engine Co. 2, near Judiciary Square. The monument honors "fire dogs," or arson dogs, trained to detect accelerants used in intentionally set fires. The sculptor is from Colorado, where the idea for the monument originated. An fire investigator there was inspired by the work of his dog Erin, and later Sadie. The dog depicted in the statue is modeled after Sadie. The funds for the memorial were raised by State Farm and a group called the American Human Association. The memorial is located on the east side of the Engine Co. 2, at 500 F Street NW.

Absolute Noodle: The Menu

A few months ago we learned that Absolute Noodle would open on 5th Street NW in between Judiciary Square and Gallery Place-Chinatown. The owners (same as Absolute Thai)  were shooting for a November opening and although they didn't quite make that, they look very close. Tables and chairs are in the building and art installations have been fixed to the walls. They even posted a menu, a portion of which you can see below. Very cool to see the progress!

Absolute Noodle to Open on 5th St NW

The owners of Absolute Thai restaurant at 521 G NW in Penn Quarter/Judiciary Sq will open a noodle themed restaurant just a block away at 772 5th St NW. 772 was most recently a Quizno's. Absolute Noodle will, naturally, focus on noodle dishes and could include plates like ramen, spicy thai noodles or drunken noodle. There is no menu at the moment. The requested seat load is 49. I can't imagine 50 people in that old Quizno's space, but I'm not sure of the entire square footage, so perhaps it is larger than I know. No posted ABRA hearing notices up just yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to seek an alcohol licence at some point.

This restaurant will join a small collection of eateries near 5th and G NW including the aforementioned Absolute Thai, Burger King, Family Dinette, Market to Market and Irish Channel. Owners hope to open by November. Good luck!

Uno Express, Baja Fresh Express, Canyons Burger to Judiciary Square

Baja Fresh Express, Uno Express and Canyons Burger Company are taking up residence in the District's One Judiciary Square building; address 441 4th St NW. The cafeteria-like space, which will house the three restaurants, is on the northwest corner of the building and looks as if it will remain open to the general public after reopening. There is currently a Firehook bakery at the other end of One Judiciary Square.

These are not stand alone stores. In this location, they're adopting the "quick serve" format. Quick serve locations typically have an abbreviated menu and smaller, franchised stores in settings such as food courts, malls and airports.

Baja Fresh Express and Canyons are part of the same company. The former specializes in a Cali-Mex, with pretty good burritos and tacos (including a salsa bar); and the latter in burgers, naturally. Canyons does have a veggie black bean burger on the menu. I hope the salsa bar and veggie burger stay on in this quick serve format. Uno Express is a modified version of the Chicago pizzeria.

I'm guessing if you work in Judiciary Square, you lunch on 7th St, Indiana Ave or at Union Station. In the end, more choices for a part of town with many federal and District workers, but limited lunch options.

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One Judiciary Square

Photo Week: Judiciary Square

Judiciary Square