On Thursday evening, a crowd gathered at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. SE to check out the new Hine Development and celebrate businesses old and new on the Eastern Market corridor. The celebration, a fundraiser for Eastern Market Main Street (EMMS), the area’s newest Main Street program, gathered current and prospective residents and proprietors of businesses on the corridor together to eat, drink and listen to music. Attendees had the opportunity to sample many wares on offer from area businesses and tour the Residence at Eastern Market amenities as well as their two-room model unit.
Businesses old and new were represented at the event. Peregrine Coffee prepared small, beautifully made lattes for guests to sip on as they visited stalls. Capitol Hill books displayed a table of beautiful volumes, as pleasant to judge by their covers as they are to read. No less than two breweries, including Atlas Brew Works and Hellbender Brewing Company, poured local beer for attendees.
Commercial merchants who will occupy the site also appeared. JRINK, the cold-press juice company moving into a C St. SE storefront served their healthy cup of their wares, which are pressed in Falls Church.
Antiochia Home Linens will open their first store in the development next month. The store, specializing in Turkish linen, has been at the weekend flea market on the 300 block of Seventh Street SE. Owner Berna Rodman says Antiochia hopes to open their new store at 760 C St. SE on September 25th.
Other confirmed tenants include Trickling Springs Creamery, which will sell milk, cheese and yogurt in addition to ice cream and milk shakes, District Veterinarian Hospital, and the 11,000 square foot below-surface Trader Joe’s, whose storefront was completed last week.
Attendees were also able to view residences in the Residence Plaza building, which sits at the corner of Seventh and C Streets SE. The tour revealed a building shot through with plenty of natural light. A secure lobby separated the entrance from amenities beyond, including a club room with a caterer’s kitchen, office and conference space, and a full fitness room. The 1350 square foot two-bedroom demonstration suite, about 1200 square feet and available for $5700 a month, featured a hidden refrigerator and freezer, an in-suite laundry room, an office nook and two bathrooms. One-bedroom units start at 800 square feet and $3300 a month; a 1600 square foot three-bedroom unit goes for about $8000.
Private tours are available starting September 15th. Interested parties should contact Bozzuto Management Company at 202-871-3991 or EasternMarket@Bozzuto.com
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B Chair Chander Jayaraman (6B08) was present, as well as Commissioner Diane Hoskins (6B02) the Hine Development is in her Single Member District.
Hoskins said she really enjoyed the event, adding “it was great to see the stunning views and local business community coming together to support the completion of the project.”
Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6-D) addressed the crowd. He said that the building represented significant changes in the area, and said that there was a great deal of work that could be done to encourage the new businesses coming into the space and to grow those already in the area.
Allen also said he was proud of the work that the new Eastern Market Main Street organization had already done. But, he noted light-heartedly, there were three nationally awarded Main Street organizations in Ward 6, including Shaw Main Streets which won the Great American Main Street Award last year.
“So the challenge is set, Eastern Market Main Street,” Allen said. “You have to definitely step up.”
“We were thrilled to give the neighborhood a sneak peak at the new development and showcase both current and incoming businesses at the event,” said EMMS Program Manager Madeleine Odendahl. “EMMS looks forward to welcoming all of the businesses of 700 Penn as we continue working to promote, retain, and attract diverse, small businesses throughout our corridor.”
On behalf of EMMS, Odendahl cordially accepted the Councilmember’s challenge.
